There's a lot to like about incoming Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III. His energy and fire are needed at the head of an organization that hasn't won a championship since 1964, but one of his potential fixes doesn't make much sense to us.
JH3 told members of Cleveland City Council he's exploring the possibility of adding a retractable roof to Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Akron Beacon Journal reported this week.
Photo gallery: Cleveland's weather advantage
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"One of the first acts that we'll do," Haslam said, "and I've said this several times, assuming we're approved (as owner), is to bring in, I think there's three nationally known stadium architects -- and you'd be crazy not to talk to all three of them -- and get their ideas about the stadium. We are completely open-minded, and we want to provide really two things: One, a great experience for our fans at a Browns game; the other thing, secondly -- and I assume this is what everybody in this room is interested in -- we want to use that facility as much as we possibly can, want to use it more than we can now."
From a financial angle, Haslam is correct. A roof would allow the city to expand its use of the stadium, but we don't care about the greenbacks -- we care about the game.
Cleveland's great advantage is hosting late-season showdowns in the dark chill of winter. We want the snow tumbling down, the winds whipping and the freezing rain pounding soft, warm-weather rosters from places like Miami and San Diego. Back when there was such a thing as playoff football in Cleveland, the elements were an ally. Why tear that away?
Let the Indianapolis Colts have their pretty roof. Cleveland football -- like the Green Bay Packers of the world -- should be at one with nature.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
