Jimmy Haslam an absentee owner? Fans need to rein in their pessimism: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The promise of better cell phone service on gameday was always more real than Jimmy Haslam becoming Jerry Jones.

Haslam picked Valentine's week to announce he was returning to his "first love." In any other town, the timing would go unnoticed. Here, rejection was in the air.

The reaction of some to the news that Haslam would return to Pilot Flying J as CEO suggested the crying need for a box of Kleenex and a Whitman's sampler to get through the night.

Folks, I don't know how to tell you this. But Haslam took a few months off from his marriage to Pilot Flying J to spend precious organization building time with Joe Banner, not to move to Cleveland and become the Cowboys' Jones. And the fact he's stepping back into the board room in Knoxville now that he's hired people to run things here doesn't mean he's the next Randy Lerner either.

There are a bunch of NFL owners who fall somewhere near the middle of the Jones-Lerner Scale devised to measure commitment and involvement in their teams. Haslam is just another one of them.

Haslam wasn't all-in the way you might have thought, and now he isn't all-out as you might fear. He wasn't dictating decisions in the past five months. He's not suddenly going to hear about what happens in Berea third-hand.

("Joe B, this is JH3 returning your call from two days ago. You say Mike wants to sign Jamarcus Russell? Sure. Why not? Gotta run. Having trouble with the Slim Jims distributor in Nashville.")

That's not how it's going to go down.

Banner is the one who had Rob Chudzinski on his "up and comers" list. Banner is the one who wanted Mike Lombardi all along. He even used Lombardi's input in the coaching search, and then hired him. Haslam went along for both rides, admitting in a press conference the process taught him how much he didn't know.

Candidly, as the owner might say, he is a victim of his own enthusiasm and self-confidence. And we may find out his own naivete.

His first press conference acted as a drum roll for a clash of cymbals that never came and won't come until this team wins big.

If you were worried about the Berea setup before this week -- team president expanding his power base possibly into personnel, first-time head coach, quasi-GM out of the league for five years -- that's entirely understandable. But all that fell into place under the "full-time" watch of Haslam. There's nothing more to fear except a 4-12 record itself.

If you weren't concerned then, you're not now. The chances of success are no worse or better now than they were in Haslam's five months without the CEO title.

The Dolans' frugal ways won't be the gripe this season, which puts the onus on GM Chris Antonetti.

The Dolans spent $104 million securing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. They hired Terry Francona. The Indians now represent this town's best chance to make the playoffs. (Sadly, they might have been the best ticket to the playoffs even before their off-season moves.)

Management has always pointed out in much quieter winters how teams that win the off-season are guaranteed nothing. That holds true now that they're the team winning the off-season in the AL Central. Now we'll see whether they at least win the benefit of the doubt at the box office.

My guess: Not immediately, not in April at least, and only if the lineup infused with Bourn and Swisher out-hits the team's starting pitching problems.

Detroit is still the favorite to win the AL Central, though the excitement generated by the off-season maneuvering isn't predicated on the Indians' returning to favorite status they so often enjoyed in the '90s. It's about seeing ownership taking the lead on repairing a fractured relationship.

The Dolans have made a legitimate attempt.

It's February. People are talking baseball. Lately that hasn't been the case even in August.

HE SAID IT

"It feels like we're a big-market club." -- Chris Perez after the signing of Bourn and other acquisitions.

Translation: Dolans, you're off the hook with your closer. Fans, if you don't show up you're gonna feel like you got the too-close-to-the-stage seat at a comedy club.

SPINOFFS

? Not sure whose idea it was to cancel the 3-point shooting challenge between Byron Scott and Kyrie Irving, but it was a good call.

After the Cavs "turned the corner" only to throw themselves under the wheels of the Minnesota Timberwolves' team bus, joking around at practice would've gone over like a death pool at a funeral.

? Arizona catcher Miguel Montero went into some detail with an Arizona radio station about how difficult new Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer was to deal with last season.Asked to comment, Bauer told the PD, "I'm glad to live in a country like the U.S. where we can all say what we want and have free speech. I appreciate all the guys who go overseas to fight for that freedom."

If Bauer wants to disprove the perception of him as a highly-intelligent oddball, not sure addressing a pitcher-catcher disagreement with a statement about the Bill of Rights and support for our troops is the best way to squelch that.

? Why do I get the impression that conversations with Bauer could easily go this way:

"Hey, Trevor, what time is it?"

"I have my own thoughts on that subject but if you want to go by the ancient Egyptians it's 9:15."

? The Jacksonville Jaguars say Blaine Gabbert would be the top-ranked quarterback in the 2013 draft. That's a small step up from saying he's better than Spergon Wynn.

? Ronnie Peoples, the former agent for Vince Young, testified that his client once threw himself a $300,000 birthday party and needed a high-interest loan to pay for it.

If that's true -- Young's attorney denies it -- it's proof that sometimes you don't have to hire the clown for a birthday party -- because you're it.

? Francona says having three centerfielders in the outfield who can run and catch but don't hit for power gives the Indians an "unconventional look."

After 2012, the fact that somebody on the team hits right-handed in 2013 is enough convention to make up for any and all unusual wrinkles.

? The Philadelphia Eagles are the latest to claim a hybrid defense. New head coach Chip Kelly says Philly doesn't want to have a "ladies and gentlemen defense," meaning, I guess, an announced 3-4 or 4-3.

An attempt to confuse offenses starting in February, instead of September? How did Eric Mangini not come up with this?

? In its release announcing the 25 sports for the 2020 Olympics, the IOC says it frequently reviews the program to keep it "relevant for sports fans of all generations."

So they have dropped wrestling. Nothing says relevance like modern pentathlon, at least to that generation that likes its pistol shooting and fencing to go along with a good swim, some show jumping and a cross-country run.

What to say about the fact the son of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch is the director of the modern pentathlon association?

Now that's relevant.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Mid-week Edition)

"Bud:

"With the Tribe threatening to compete, will Spin lack for material?" -- Tom Goldy

Yes. As usual.

"Bud:

"Maybe it is time Jim Nance limits his pompous, exaggerated reporting to state funerals and UN peace talks. It is just golf and the Pacific Ocean!" -- Bill Litzler

Sure. But somebody with some gravitas had to tell the story of how Mike Lombardi gave that ocean its name.

"Bud:

"Now that the Indians have announced the Albert Belle bobblehead promotion, will that include a corked bat swinging at a thermostat?" -- Tom Hoffner

That was the old Albert. This Albert bobblehead takes a swing at the Omar bobblehead.

"Bud:

"Before you return to your 'first love,' would you at least tell us what it is?" -- Vince G, Cincinnati

I thought it was obvious. P90X "before" model.

"Hey, Bud:

"Why?" -- Tim, Twinsburg

Not sure what you mean. But the safest answer these days is because Joe Banner says so.

"Bud:

"So what exactly is the record for unpublished 'You Said It' submissions?" -- Frank Bruno, Westlake

You broke it. Now you own it.

"Bud:

"Do you think Jimmy Haslam ended the Chip Kelly interview when Kelly said, 'Pat Shurmur will call the plays'?" -- Jim Schade, Cleveland Heights

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"Even owners don't want to come to Cleveland." -- Joe S

Repeat winners get told to take a flying leap.

"Bud:

"Is there a Rooney Rule when it comes to hiring a new Pope?" -- Al, Elyria

Some repeat winners get to blow off some smoke.

On Twitter: @budshaw

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2013/02/jimmy_haslam_an_absentee_owner.html

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