Did a Writer Lose His NFL Beat Because of a Tweet About the Owner of the Cleveland Browns?

All, Media Gossip/Musings, NFL, Twitter Jason McIntyre January 25th. 2012, 2:32pm

Tony Grossi has covered the Cleveland Browns for the Cleveland Plain Dealer since 1984, but according to Cleveland Scene, he might have just lost that position because of a tweet about the team’s owner, Randy Lerner.

Grossi’s tweet, which was captured by the Cleveland Frowns, called Lerner “a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world.” It’s a tad hyperbolic – is Lerner really the most irrelevant name on this list? – but doesn’t seem that bad.

There’s been no official word of Grossi’s “punishment” but he hasn’t tweeted in a week.

aroundtheweb

82 Responses to “Did a Writer Lose His NFL Beat Because of a Tweet About the Owner of the Cleveland Browns?”

1
HuskerDawg Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:38 PM
I’d love to hold the title of most irrelevant billionaire.
2
PL StabbinKabin Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:38 PM
He is 100% correct. Grossi might be the one voice that covers the Browns I respect the most. This is horseshit.
3
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:39 PM
I’d imagine someone with a name like Tony Grossi must have had a terrible time in elementary school.
4
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Lerner is horrible. I’ll second the message from comment #2.
5
Wally's World Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Grossi is a pretty decent beat writer. His tone has progressively gotten worse in the last few years, which actually matches the tone of the fanbase.
I saw that tweet and wondered if someone hacked his account or if he had finally gone over the edge.
And, as a Browns’ fan, he might not be the most irrelevant. But, he is likely the most clueless!
6
BFFredo Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:43 PM
Folks in Birmingham aren’t happy with Lerner.
7
Ben80123 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:43 PM
I’d imagine someone with a name like Tony Grossi must have had a terrible time in elementary school.
Bart … cart … dart … e-art … nope, Bart should be fine.
8
Geeezeus Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:43 PM
And, as a Browns’ fan, he might not be the most irrelevant. But, he is likely the most clueless!
The Oilers’ owner is on that list of billionaires…
9
St. Bear Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Grossi’s tweet, which was captured by the Cleveland Frowns,
Bravo on the blog name. It’s simple and obvious, yet powerful.
10
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:49 PM
Terrible with Cleveland, terrible with Aston Villa, I love him.
11
Babar 2.0 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:49 PM
Is there anything to this other than “he hasn’t tweeted in a week”?
12
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:50 PM
em>He was involved in the sale of MBNA Corporation on January 1, 2006 to Bank of America for $35 billion.
I see. He helped Bank of America continue with its quest to take over the world. I bet he ties women to railroad tracks as well.
13
Career High Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:52 PM

I’d imagine someone with a name like Tony Grossi must have had a terrible time in elementary school.
Does he have a sister named Josie?
14
cleet Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Bart … cart … dart … e-art … nope, Bart should be fine.
“We need more Bort license plates in the gift shop.”
15
WWoS Stayed At a Holiday Inn Express Last Night Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
“a pathetic figure, the most irrelevant billionaire in the world.”
How can anything calling you a billionaire be an insult. But yes, anyone involved with or employed at any level by Bank of America or Comcast is likely a horrible human being.
16
rittyrich Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
I met a guy whose net worth is probably just below the billionaire list the other day. That or he doesn’t let Forbes, et al know how much he’s really worth. He talked to me about hard work and told me he was working on making another $billion for his company. Dude was sauced and he was awesome.
17
sportsgal116 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Shut the fuck up with the fucking Simpsons quotes you fucking losers!
18
ms621 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Everything is not coming up Sportsgal today. Unlike for Milhouse and his flood pants.
19
SouvenirCity Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Some may describe these tweets as stubbornly uncorrupted And unbeholden.
20
Rat Face Krzyzewski Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Is there anything to this other than “he hasn’t tweeted in a week”?
I think the most logical conclusion is that he’s dead, in jail, or moved to a place in Canada without internet service (that’s gotta be >75% of Canada, right?)
21
WWoS Stayed At a Holiday Inn Express Last Night Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:55 PM
I think the most logical conclusion is that he’s dead, in jail, or moved to a place in Canada without internet service
I can only assume he helped in the Sandusky cover-up before he disappeared?
/McTibble
22
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:56 PM
Some may describe these tweets as stubbornly uncorrupted And unbeholden.
So in 6 years he’ll be shadowing the Browns owner for a day?
23
Career High Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:57 PM

Shut the fuck up with the fucking Simpsons quotes you fucking losers!
On a side note, how do you guys remember TV shows and movie quotes? After I watch something I’ve virtually forgotten the whole thing within a few hrs.
24
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Remember Alf? He’s back, in POG form!
25
Ben80123 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:59 PM
Shut the fuck up with the fucking Simpsons quotes you fucking losers!
Everything is not coming up Sportsgal today. Unlike for Milhouse and his flood pants.
If you can think of another way to exchange long protein strands, I’d like to hear it!
26
cleet Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 2:59 PM
On a side note, how do you guys remember TV shows and movie quotes? After I watch something I’ve virtually forgotten the whole thing within a few hrs.
I think it has to do with my youth and growing up. I of course remember every SBTB episode, and those Simpsons were on growing up. If I watch something now I can barely remember, but those old shows I can recall fairly easily.
27
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:01 PM
I just wish I absorbed books and facts more easily than I do meaningless quotes from TV.
28
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:01 PM
You know what really grinds my gears — when I go to the vender machine to get a Diet Dr. Pepper and the price unannounced went form 1.50 to 1.60
29
cleet Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:02 PM
I just wish I absorbed books and facts more easily than I do meaningless quotes from TV.
This x infinity + infinity.
30
Babar 2.0 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:03 PM
On a side note, how do you guys remember TV shows and movie quotes? After I watch something I’ve virtually forgotten the whole thing within a few hrs.
I keep a notepad with the heading “TheBigLead Comment Ideas: TV Quotes” on the couch. However, my wife did not appreciate the notepad I keep on my nightstand…”TheBigLead Comment Ideas: Sex Stuff”
31
Career High Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:04 PM

You know what really grinds my gears — when I go to the vender machine to get a Diet Dr. Pepper and the price unannounced went form 1.50 to 1.60
Grizzly just went from $3.00 to $3.50 a tin in my area. Now that really made me grind my gears!
32
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:04 PM
On a side note, how do you guys remember TV shows and movie quotes? After I watch something I’ve virtually forgotten the whole thing within a few hrs.
Remember when I took that wine making course and forgot how to drive?
33
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:04 PM
You know what really grinds my gears — when I go to the vender machine to get a Diet Dr. Pepper and the price unannounced went form 1.50 to 1.60
The funniest part of this is the word unannounced.
34
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Grizzly just went from $3.00 to $3.50 a tin in my area. Now that really made me grind my gears!
Holy geez, I quit dipping 1.5 years ago and I could get a log of Grizzly Mint for $9. $3.50 for Grizzly is a joke.
35
Irvin Pankey Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Grossi is shit.
36
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:06 PM
This x infinity + infinity.
Yeah, last night I was reading a book and was like I really want to remember this paragraph and the meaning behind it. Now I’m like fuck, I’m gonna have to read that again only to forget most of it by the next day. Paraphrasing + Bullshit = 75% of my knowledge.
37
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:06 PM
Josie Grossi.
38
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:06 PM
The funniest part of this is the word unannounced.
Trust me, it was not funny when it said “insufficient finds — $1.60″
39
Career High Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:07 PM

Holy geez, I quit dipping 1.5 years ago
I tried to quit to start the year. Made it almost two weeks. My downfall was drinking. I was fine until I had a few beers.
40
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
The vending machine in the Allegheny Building is insanely reasonably priced. Bitch.
41
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
Josie Grossi.
+1 Gordie Howe helmet.
42
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
I tried to quit to start the year. Made it almost two weeks. My downfall was drinking. I was fine until I had a few beers.
That sucks, first 5 dyas are the hardest too. I didn’t drink for a couple weekends for that very reason — I almost came out of retirement on New Years Eve, thankfully cooler heads prevailed.
The vending machine in the Allegheny Building is insanely reasonably priced. Bitch.
(head down)
43
Some Random Old Retired Dude Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:11 PM
I think the most logical conclusion is that he’s dead, in jail, or moved to a place in Canada without internet service
He’s off the grid, doing wetwork for the government. No attribution, no paper trail.
Boy, this Twitter thing has been wreaking havoc in many lives. Handle with care, y’all.
44
PL StabbinKabin Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:11 PM
I tried to quit to start the year. Made it almost two weeks. My downfall was drinking. I was fine until I had a few beers.
i’m doing really well with the no smoking and then i have a couple beers and i’m fucked.
45
Mantis Toboggan Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Josie Grossi.
Julia Gulia
46
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
I quit dip. I just use pouches(im a bitch i know) at night or when I drink. Prevents me from eating late at night and they’re cheap and a tin lasts longer.
47
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Boy, this Twitter thing has been wreaking havoc in many lives. Handle with care, y’all.
TRAVELING WILBURYS PRESAGED THIS SHIT
48
vezina Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
You know what really grinds my gears — when I go to the vender machine to get a Diet Dr. Pepper and the price unannounced went form 1.50 to 1.60
you know what really fries my ass?
a flame about this high!
/laugh track
49
Cowboy Mike's Red Hot Ricochet Barbecue Sauce Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
I do well with no smoking and then I fuck your mothers and can’t resist it afterward.
Do me a favor though, tell her to switch from Parliaments to Kools. I like mine refreshing.
50
vezina Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
TRAVELING WILBURYS
vomits on orbison’s grave, wipes it up with petty’s dylan imitation
51
vezina Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
I tried to quit to start the year. Made it almost two weeks. My downfall was drinking. I was fine until I had a few beers.
do you need garagiola to visit your house with his posters?
/spring training a month away!
52
sportsgal116 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:17 PM
I managed to read this story without crying, but I do want someone to stick a flaming hot brand up the guy’s ass.
53
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
I quit dip. I just use pouches(im a bitch i know) at night or when I drink. Prevents me from eating late at night and they’re cheap and a tin lasts longer.
This doesn’t make sense. Pouches are still dip.
54
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:19 PM
“This is my cat, Nightmare. He is tough, we play like that all the time. It’s just a cat,”
Sounds like a good guy.
55
vezina Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:19 PM
I managed to read this story without crying, but I do want someone to stick a flaming hot brand up the guy’s ass.
i love cats, amd right now watching our kitten stalk my 6yo who has an ice cream cone, but i LOL’d at the URL
56
Some Random Old Retired Dude Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Cowboy Mike, on it as usual. Don’t change, don’t change at all.
57
VladimirCrouton Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Don’t mess with my rationale dude. Cleaner, more manageable and easier. Once Spring comes around and I can fish again I’ll go back to just doing it when I fish.
58
Hope Solo Mio Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Shut the fuck up with the fucking Simpsons quotes you fucking losers!
Here’s something to make you feel better.
http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/sun-bear/
59
Mantis Toboggan Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
i’m doing really well with the no smoking and then i have a couple beers and i’m fucked.
That’s my problem. I no where near smoke as much as I did in school (over a pack a day). I can easily limit myself to a few a work day now, but when I’m out getting drunk during the weekend. Game. Over.
60
Some Random Old Retired Dude Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
“This is my cat, Nightmare. He is tough, we play like that all the time. It’s just a cat,”
That is so messed up. Hopefully, the cat one day bites him in the bits.
61
Hope Solo Mio Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Josie Grossi.
Julia Gulia
Betty Vedder.
62
PL StabbinKabin Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
I do well with no smoking and then I fuck your mothers and can’t resist it afterward.
Do me a favor though, tell her to switch from Parliaments to Kools. I like mine refreshing.
This is quality commenting here. Nice work, Moleman
63
KingGrizz Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:24 PM
Don’t mess with my rationale dude.
Dualy noted.
64
arkbadger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:25 PM
Grizzly just went from $3.00 to $3.50 a tin in my area. Now that really made me grind my gears!
damn, you’re getting ripped off, Grizzly is rank. got to find those tobacco superstores, that is where the cheapness is. usually at least $1 less, depending on brand.
65
Hope Solo Mio Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
Baby bear playing with a bucket!
66
arkbadger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Once Spring comes around and I can fish again I’ll go back to just doing it when I fish.
if it wasn’t for hunting and fishing and golfing I would never dip and not smoke nearly as much weed. unfortunately (or furtunatly, for me at least) I would say that 75% of my free time is used on those activities.
67
sportsgal116 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Baby bear playing with a bucket!
That was adorable! Send more!
68
scripty Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:45 PM
The Browns beat for the largest paper in the NE Ohio is one of the best beat jobs in the country. Covering his hometown Browns for one of the top 10 most rabid NFL fanbases. To blow it like this would be amazing.
Good god, I think of all the crappy assignments he had to slug through to get that beat, then watch the 2nd Coming of the team since ’99 and all that bad football, having to finally have a good GM capable pf drafting talent.
Such carelessness. Tony will get a job covering the NFL somewhere soon as he is well connected… but what an egregious error.
69
spencer096 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:46 PM
Tony Grossi has covered the Cleveland Browns for the Cleveland Plain Dealer since 1984, but according to Cleveland Scene, he might have just lost that position because of a tweet about the team’s owner, Randy Lerner.
HOLY SHIT IT’S ABOUT FUCKING TIME.
grossi is HORRIBLE.
70
T-Bone: Bear Pounder Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 3:55 PM
HOLY SHIT IT’S ABOUT FUCKING TIME.
grossi is HORRIBLE.
I came late to the party as well Spence but completely agree. No originality at all from him and MK — they could be the same person for all I know. Same stories, same takes, nothing breaking and very conservative. This was certainly out of character for Grossi — I assume he went off after some scotch one night.
71
scripty Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 4:08 PM
I cut Grossi some slack. How many ways can you spin a team that fires it’s GM and Coach every 3 years and wins 4 games.
If you go to his “Hey Tony” column online, it has about 15 more Q&A’s than what is in the Sunday paper. Uusually a few good nuggetts in there. But he’s a bit snarky at times but he has to deal with a ton of knuckleheads. But it did him in at the end.
72
volduck Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Damn – should been Woody Paige.
73
spencer096 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:19 PM
scripty…his crusade against mangini was entirely due to him being salty he couldn’t stroll down to country club crennel, have a lemonade, maybe some sex, and get enough quotables for the next day’s column. he hated him as a journalist and nobody cares about journalists’ feelings.
74
scripty Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:35 PM
my sports p.r. background maybe has made me weak on the topic. I admit you can tell his leanings but my history is one never knows all the backroom battles on what gets published, etc.
75
spencer096 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:46 PM
fair enough. now excuse me, im going to write an email to the PD requesting grossi be tarred and feathered.
/high fives mangini
76
DrGu Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Random Tony Grossi is scum incident- I worked in the Indians pressbox in the mid 90s. To impress a girl I brought her up to the pressbox. I went to the bathroom and come back to Grossi hitting on her. Mind you we were in college and she was hot but total c*ckblock that night.
77
spencer096 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:49 PM
Random Tony Grossi is scum incident- I worked in the Indians pressbox in the mid 90s. To impress a girl I brought her up to the pressbox. I went to the bathroom and come back to Grossi hitting on her. Mind you we were in college and she was hot but total c*ckblock that night.
this confirms it…tony grossi is homeless man’s rick reilly.
78
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:52 PM
Mind you we were in college and she was hot but total c*ckblock that night.
So you, 20 something guy, were cock blocked by the middle aged man with the weird smile pictured above? That doesn’t seem to make sense. Although, it does make him look like scum.
/assuming you were 20 something at the time
//if you weren’t, disregard
79
spencer096 Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:53 PM
and im not sure anyone really cares about local paper NFL beat writers…how many of them can you even name?
though it must be said that lerner probably gropes children. im not saying he does, just that he fits the profile. never said he actually did it, but would i be surprised? not especially. im just saying he’s the kind of guy that’d go to chuck e’ cheeses and hang out in the ball pit with his pants off, that’s all…
80
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:54 PM
though it must be said that lerner probably gropes children. im not saying he does, just that he fits the profile. never said he actually did it, but would i be surprised? not especially.
i shit you not… i looked him up on wikipedia a few hours ago and thought EXACTLY the same thing… his picture screams “i might grope your grandkid when you’re not looking”
81
DrGu Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:54 PM
She had a thing for older married guys which didn’t help
/but you are right
//but only that night
82
ATL_Badger Says:
January 25th, 2012 at 5:55 PM
She had a thing for older married guys which didn’t help
So in hindsight, it was good that he brought a red flag to your attention.
/unless you married her
//if you did, disregard