Former owner of the Baltimore Ravens Art Modell clearly belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Had Modell never moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1996, he would have been elected many years ago, but ever since he left for the east coast, he's been vilified as a criminal and the voters, led by Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter, Tony Grossi, has made it a life-long passion to rally others to vote against Modell's induction.
This is absolutely a travesty of epic proportions in the NFL, considering all that Modell has done for the league and with his age and physical ailments, it would be a shame for him not be around to receive the honor he so richly deserves. The campaign that Grossi has waged over the years is an embarrassment not only to Grossi, but to those who are influenced for such nonsense, with so much good in the NFL over the years attributable to the efforts of Art Modell.
There is no other way to view it, regardless of whether you are a fan of the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and even the old Baltimore Colts. Art Modell belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for what he did for the NFL, not Cleveland or Baltimore.