Football Browns face possible suspension, fine and loss of draft pick

**The Franchise** · 02-04-2015, 11:44 AM

Cleveland Browns and GM Ray Farmer facing possible suspension, fine, loss of draft pick for 'Textgate'

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/inde...medium=twitter

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and general manager Ray Farmer are facing possible sanctions from the NFL for "Textgate," including a multigame suspension for Farmer, and a fine and loss of draft pick for the Browns, league sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group.

The investigation -- one of three "integrity of the game" probes currently underway in the NFL -- is expected to be wrapped up soon, as early this week or next week.

NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him.

Multiple league sources have told NEOMG that Farmer was the high-ranking personnel member who violated the NFL's electronic use policy by the impermissible texting. Those messages were then apparently relayed to the coaches.

The NFL investigated the improper texts, and are prepared to announce sanctions within the next couple of weeks. A resolution could come as early as this week, but probably no later than three weeks.

Farmer is facing a multigame suspension -- as many as three or four games -- and the Browns are facing the loss of a draft pick if the probe, conducted by in-house NFL executives, shows that Farmer acted improperly.

Farmer, asked by NEOMG at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 21 if he texted from the press level during a game, said "I can't comment on that. The league is investigating.''

A Browns spokesman reiterated Wednesday that the club has done everything the league has asked and is awaiting results of the probe.

The Browns have never denied that such texts occurred, and coach Mike Pettine revealed during a press conference on Jan. 22 that investigators had already come to Cleveland to question members of the organization.

At the Greater Cleveland Sports Award ceremony later that night, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stressed that the club was cooperating fully.

"I know that Ray and Pett and Sashi Brown, our general counselor, are cooperating fully with the NFL, and if we did anything wrong I'm sure we'll correct it and make whatever amends,'' he said. "I know we've cooperated fully with the NFL."

"Textgate'' was the first of three scandals that have erupted over the past month that impact the integrity of the game, and the NFL is taking all three very seriously.

The second was "Deflategate,'' the controversy over the Patriots deflating footballs during their AFC Championship Game victory over the Colts. And the third was the Falcons pumping artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome over the past two seasons, which owner Arthur Blank admitted to on Tuesday.

The NFL is likely to wrap up all three investigations within the next three weeks.

"It's not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press. "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we're opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It's obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn't represent our culture and what we're about."

Blank told the AP that he knew enough about the investigation to own up to the allegations.

"We've gotten some information from the league but until we read the full report and until they publish their findings, we can't be totally clear. We've talked to a lot of people and we've cooperated and we'll be anxious to read the report."

During his Super Bowl press conference last week, Commissioner Roger Goodell stressed the importance of protecting the game's integrity.

"This is my job," Goodell said in response to a question about Deflate-gate. "This is my responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. I represent 32 teams. All of us want to make sure that the rules are being followed. And if we have any information where the potential is that those rules were violated, I have to pursue that. And I have to pursue that aggressively.

"So this is my job. This is the job of the league office. It is what all 32 clubs expect and I believe our partners and fans expect. We will do it vigorously and it is important for it to be thorough and fair."

The Browns' Textgate investigation comes at a difficult time for the club. Their first-round quarterback, Johnny Manziel, checked himself into a rehab facility last Wednesday for a possible dependence on alcohol; and their All-Pro receiver, Josh Gordon, was suspended for a minimum of a year.

**RealSNR** · 02-04-2015, 11:48 AM

****gate thisgate stupidgate trendgate of using gategate to coingate a wordgate for a scandalgate even though it ****inggate doesn'tgate even soundgate like Watergategate.

Gate.

Omaha · 02-05-2015, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

****gate thisgate stupidgate trendgate of using gategate to coingate a wordgate for a scandalgate even though it ****inggate doesn'tgate even soundgate like Watergategate.

Gate.

Uh oh. It looks like rantgate is now underway.

Hammock Parties · 02-04-2015, 11:48 AM

Deflate a bunch of balls before a playoff game? OK, whatever.

Send a text? **** YOU.

Red Dawg · 03-30-2015, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numbah One

Deflate a bunch of balls before a playoff game? OK, whatever.

Send a text? **** YOU.

No shit. You can also bend the rules to confuse the refs as long as your owner sucks off the Commish all day.

Marcellus · 03-30-2015, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

No shit. You can also bend the rules to confuse the refs as long as your owner sucks off the Commish all day.

They changed that rule this offseason so I guess he wasn't sucking him off hard enough.

**RealSNR** · 02-04-2015, 11:49 AM

Seattle's bad play call in the Super Bowl = Bevellisa****ingmorongate

Mr. Laz · 02-04-2015, 11:50 AM

So was he texting the other team's calls or sending suggestion for his own team?

sorry ... just can't find the energy to focus enough to read about it.

**The Franchise** · 02-04-2015, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

So was he texting the other team's calls or sending suggestion for his own team?

sorry ... just can't find the energy to focus enough to read about it.

3rd sentence in.

NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him.

Chiefnj2 · 02-04-2015, 12:00 PM

If coaches in the pressbox can call down plays and speak with the head coach or other assistants via headphone why can't a stooge like Farmer "text" down play calls or other things to the coaches?

Mr. Laz · 02-04-2015, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dicky McElephant

3rd sentence in.

NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him.

yea, but was he texting in plays he wanted to run or was he texting in plays he thought the other team was going to run?

**The Franchise** · 02-04-2015, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

yea, but was he texting in plays he wanted to run or was he texting in plays he thought the other team was going to run?

I believe it was their own plays. If I remember correctly....he was complaining about the play calls.

Mr. Laz · 02-04-2015, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dicky McElephant

I believe it was their own plays. If I remember correctly....he was complaining about the play calls.

so it's more about using the electronics than it is about the plays?

The only transfer of information about plays the NFL wants used are the headsets?

Didn't Jerry Jones call down about plays he wanted run a few years ago?

Sorter · 02-04-2015, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dicky McElephant

I believe it was their own plays. If I remember correctly....he was complaining about the play calls.

That is correct.

Tombstone RJ · 02-04-2015, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

yea, but was he texting in plays he wanted to run or was he texting in plays he thought the other team was going to run?

well, let's think about this for a second... Kyle Shanahan quit because of it. So, by your awesome powers of deduction, can you guess what happened?

02-04-2015, 11:44 AM	Topic Starter
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $3095047	Browns face possible suspension, fine and loss of draft pick Cleveland Browns and GM Ray Farmer facing possible suspension, fine, loss of draft pick for 'Textgate' http://www.cleveland.com/browns/inde...medium=twitter CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns and general manager Ray Farmer are facing possible sanctions from the NFL for "Textgate," including a multigame suspension for Farmer, and a fine and loss of draft pick for the Browns, league sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group. The investigation -- one of three "integrity of the game" probes currently underway in the NFL -- is expected to be wrapped up soon, as early this week or next week. NEOMG reported on Jan. 6 that a Browns "high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about playcalls'' during a game, which was one of the reasons former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, now with the Falcons, felt that working for the Browns had become dysfunctional for him. Multiple league sources have told NEOMG that Farmer was the high-ranking personnel member who violated the NFL's electronic use policy by the impermissible texting. Those messages were then apparently relayed to the coaches. The NFL investigated the improper texts, and are prepared to announce sanctions within the next couple of weeks. A resolution could come as early as this week, but probably no later than three weeks. Farmer is facing a multigame suspension -- as many as three or four games -- and the Browns are facing the loss of a draft pick if the probe, conducted by in-house NFL executives, shows that Farmer acted improperly. Farmer, asked by NEOMG at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 21 if he texted from the press level during a game, said "I can't comment on that. The league is investigating.'' A Browns spokesman reiterated Wednesday that the club has done everything the league has asked and is awaiting results of the probe. The Browns have never denied that such texts occurred, and coach Mike Pettine revealed during a press conference on Jan. 22 that investigators had already come to Cleveland to question members of the organization. At the Greater Cleveland Sports Award ceremony later that night, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam stressed that the club was cooperating fully. "I know that Ray and Pett and Sashi Brown, our general counselor, are cooperating fully with the NFL, and if we did anything wrong I'm sure we'll correct it and make whatever amends,'' he said. "I know we've cooperated fully with the NFL." "Textgate'' was the first of three scandals that have erupted over the past month that impact the integrity of the game, and the NFL is taking all three very seriously. The second was "Deflategate,'' the controversy over the Patriots deflating footballs during their AFC Championship Game victory over the Colts. And the third was the Falcons pumping artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome over the past two seasons, which owner Arthur Blank admitted to on Tuesday. The NFL is likely to wrap up all three investigations within the next three weeks. "It's not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press. "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we're opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It's obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn't represent our culture and what we're about." Blank told the AP that he knew enough about the investigation to own up to the allegations. "We've gotten some information from the league but until we read the full report and until they publish their findings, we can't be totally clear. We've talked to a lot of people and we've cooperated and we'll be anxious to read the report." During his Super Bowl press conference last week, Commissioner Roger Goodell stressed the importance of protecting the game's integrity. "This is my job," Goodell said in response to a question about Deflate-gate. "This is my responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. I represent 32 teams. All of us want to make sure that the rules are being followed. And if we have any information where the potential is that those rules were violated, I have to pursue that. And I have to pursue that aggressively. "So this is my job. This is the job of the league office. It is what all 32 clubs expect and I believe our partners and fans expect. We will do it vigorously and it is important for it to be thorough and fair." The Browns' Textgate investigation comes at a difficult time for the club. Their first-round quarterback, Johnny Manziel, checked himself into a rehab facility last Wednesday for a possible dependence on alcohol; and their All-Pro receiver, Josh Gordon, was suspended for a minimum of a year.
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02-04-2015, 11:48 AM	#4
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4700478	Deflate a bunch of balls before a playoff game? OK, whatever. Send a text? **** YOU. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 277,920

02-04-2015, 11:50 AM	#8
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	So was he texting the other team's calls or sending suggestion for his own team? sorry ... just can't find the energy to focus enough to read about it. __________________
Posts: 95,626

02-04-2015, 12:00 PM	#10
Chiefnj2 In Search of a Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Casino cash: $7873688	If coaches in the pressbox can call down plays and speak with the head coach or other assistants via headphone why can't a stooge like Farmer "text" down play calls or other things to the coaches? __________________ Mismanaging the clock.
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