The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Jackson’s plunge should be open to the public
If coach Hue Jackson and the Browns are truly interested in giving back to the community with Jackson’s jump into Lake Erie, with why not make the event open to the public? Mark Podolski weighs in.
My first reaction when Hue Jackson announced he would jump into Lake Erie: Nice job, coach.
My reaction when it was revealed it would be a “private” event: Bad job, Browns. Really bad job. Alienating a fan base with historically horrible play the last two seasons is bad enough, but this isn’t a good look. That 1-31 mark in 2016 and 2017? Make it 1-32 before the first kickoff in 2018.
Quick recap: After the 2016 season, Jackson told the media the Browns would not go 1-15 again, and said if they did he would “jump into Lake Erie.” Well, they were worse. In 2017, the Browns became just the second team in NFL history to pull off the 0-16 trick.
It took a while, but Jackson has owned up to those words, and let’s give kudos to the coach. In a video released by the Browns on May 14, Jackson said he’s doing the deed June 1. Where and when hasn’t been disclosed publicly.
He’s also doing the jump for a good cause. It’s another great idea.
“Fortunately, I’m not going alone,” Jackson said in the video. “Many members of the Browns organization have agreed to jump with me. Giving back to the community is the Browns’ way.”
Jackson said for every person associated with the Browns who jumps into the lake with him, he will donate $100 to his foundation in an effort to prevent human trafficking in Northeast Ohio.
That’s a great idea, and a noble effort. The coach’s goal is to raise $15,000 for his foundation.
If the Browns were truly interested in “giving back to the community,” why not make the event open to the public?
With fans involved, Jackson easily could have added another zero to the $15,000 he’s hoping to raise.
This is an epic fail in community relations 101.
This sounds and feels like a fun summer event. If Jackson really wants to “cleanse ourselves for all the losing the past two season” — as he said in the video — the Browns should ante up, and make it open to the public.
At the very least, season-ticket holders should have the option, but opening it to any and all is the right thing to do. If the Browns are concerned about this becoming a “Perfect Season Parade 2.0” then that’s on them.
As much as the team needs to “cleanse” themselves of the losing, the fans being there to witness to what should be a tongue-in-check moment would go a long way to closing the book on 2016 and 2017.
Jackson said the team will release a video of the event on its social media platforms after June 1.
Connect with your base, Browns. Open the event to your fans.
It would be your team’s first win since Christmas Eve 2016.
Contact Podolski at MPodolski@News-Herald. com; On Twitter: @mpodo.