CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland sports fans have often been disappointed with the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers over the years.

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage, Indians coverage and Cavaliers coverage)

Sometimes, the trials have been over disappointing finishes to what were otherwise enjoyable seasons. Fans need not be reminded of those.

More testing of the fans’ patience and loyalty, however, have been the long-term stretches of futility for each team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have concluded yet another woeful campaign, and The Associated Press reports on the team’s response:   

The Toronto Maple Leafs are apologizing for yet another disappointing season.

A letter to fans posted on the Leafs’ website Monday asks for forgiveness after the team missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year.

The letter signed by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum said “the way this year ended was unacceptable.”

The Leafs were in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in February, but won just two of their next 17 games in a collapse they couldn’t recover from.

If the Browns, Indians or Cavaliers were to apologize to the fans for a stretch of failure, which team would it be and in what era?

The candidates:

BROWNS

1974-84: After being a perennial contender and having just one losing season in the 27 years since the franchise was founded, the Browns slipped into an era of mediocrity and, occasionally, an incompetence that had been foreign to the organization.

Cleveland went 73-88 during this 11-year span. The Browns made the playoffs twice, losing their first game each time: 14-12 to the Oakland Raiders in the infamous “Red Right 88″ game that ended the inspired 1980 season; 27-10 to the Los Angeles (formerly Oakland) Raiders in 1982, a season during which Cleveland went 4-5 but was one of 16 teams (out of 32) to make the expanded playoff field in the players’ strike-shortened season.

1999-2011: An ongoing era of futility since the Browns returned to the NFL as a franchise after a three-year hiatus due to owner Art Modell’s move of the original Browns to Baltimore following the 1995 season.

The excuse of being an expansion team lost its credibility years ago. History shows that numerous other expansion teams didn’t take nearly as long to become winners.

The Browns are 68-140 over the last 13 seasons. They have had two winning seasons: 10-6 in 2007 and 9-7 in 2002, when they made their lone playoff appearance – a 36-33 loss at Pittsburgh after leading, 33-21, in the fourth quarter.

In 10 of the 13 seasons, the Browns have lost at least 10 games. Their record has been 5-11 or worse nine times.

INDIANS

1960-93: This era defied probability. Not counting the strike-shortened 1981 season that was divided into two halves of barely 50 games each, the Indians finished at least 11 games out of first place every season. Other than 1981, they finished at least 14 games out every year from 1960 through 1985.

Counting the 1981 season, when they were 52-51, the Indians had six winning seasons out of 34. Their best record was 87-75 in 1965.

Cleveland’s highest finish was third place in 1968, with an 86-75 record.

2002-11: Following one of the two most successful eras in team history, the Indians of the last 10 years have had two winning seasons.

They made the playoffs once, in 2007, when they led the Boston Red Sox, three games to one, in the American League Championship Series, only to lose the final three games.

The Indians, going into this season, were 52 games below .500 over the last 10 seasons. Not horrible, but in an era of parity in Major League Baseball, only twice was the Tribe in legitimate contention in the final weeks of the season: 2005 and 2007.

CAVALIERS

1978-86: In the eight seasons ranging from the 1978-79 campaign through the 1985-86 campaign, the Cavaliers posted a 226-430 record.

They snuck into the playoffs once, in the 1984-85 season when they rallied from a 2-19 start to finish 36-46, their best record of this era. The Cavs lost to the defending champion Boston Celtics, three games to one, in a very competitive first-round series.

This stretch includes the controversial three-year ownership of Ted Stepien (1980-83), when the team compiled a 66-180 record and engineered a series of head-scratching trades that persuaded the NBA to allow Cleveland to make trades only with league approval.

In the first season outside this era, the 1986-87 campaign, the Cavs went 31-51. The team, however, featured the remarkable rookie class of Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper and John “Hot Rod” Williams.

1998-2003: The Cavs went 130-248 during these five seasons that began with a 22-28 record during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign.

The futility did pay off, however. The Cavs matched the Denver Nuggets for the league’s worst record, 17-65, in the 2002-03 season. Cleveland won the draft lottery and selected LeBron James.

Read More: Ryan Tannehill (QB – Texas A&M), Robert Griffin III (QB – Baylor), Justin Blackmon (WR – Oklahoma St.), Andrew Luck (QB – Stanford), Trent Richardson (RB – Alabama), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), Cleveland Browns

There is increasing sentiment that the Cleveland Browns may want to draft a quarterback at the No. 4 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, even if Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck are both gone, which now appears to be a certainty with the Washington Redskins moving into the No. 2 slot. It’s not the popular choice, but again, it’s starting to seem like a real possibility with some people, along with the thought that Cleveland could try to move back in the draft, on top of that.

Still, the most popular pick for Cleveland in mock drafts has been and continues to be wide receiver Justin Blackmon. That remains the case for Don Banks of Sports Illustrated in his Mock Draft 3.0:

The Browns have a lot of different options sitting in the spot where this draft starts to get interesting, but I don’t sense they’re in love with any of them. They seem to think it’s too high to take Tannehill, and are going to hew back to Colt McCoy as the answer at quarterback. Claiborne would make sense here, but how do you go defense with your first-round pick when you’ve got a crying need for an offensive playmaker who can help out McCoy’s game? Alabama running back Trent Richardson seems to be the popular choice here, and he could be their guy. But I’m going with Blackmon on the logic that there have been more top-10 impact receivers of late than running backs. Because of that, Richardson could fall into the teens.

When most suggest Ryan Tannehill as an option, they assume that the Browns are done with Colt McCoy. But that’s not Banks’ opinion, nor is it one illustrated by how the Browns have been handling free agency, either. Cleveland didn’t make a run at Peyton Manning or really, any of the quarterbacks available. Still, Blackmon makes a ton of sense, given the lack of weapons on that offense.

For more on the Cleveland Browns, go to Dawgs By Nature. You can also head over to SB Nation’s main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Sam Rutigliano, former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is Monday’s speaker to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club at Tozzi’s on 12th. Lunch is at 11 a.m., and the program is at 12:10 p.m.

Rutigliano, who turns 79 in July, coached the “Kardiac Kids,” and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1980, when the Browns won the AFC Central Division and lost their playoff opener to Oakland in the infamous “Red Right 88” game.

The Brooklyn, N. Y. native coached the Browns from 1978 until halfway through the 1984 season. Rutigliano had a 47-50 record with the Browns.

Rutigliano later worked as an analyst for NBC Sports and ESPN for three years before taking over as head coach at Liberty University from 1988-99. He also was an assistant coach under Jack Bicknell with the Barcelona Dragons and Scottish Claymores, both of NFL Europe. Since 2005, he’s been a Browns analyst for several Cleveland television stations.

Next week’s speaker is Malone University Cross Country Coach Jack Hazen, an assistant for the U. S. Olympic track team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns tried hard to make a deal with the St. Louis Rams to move up to No. 2 in the NFL draft — offering at least three first-round picks — but lost out on the Robert Griffin III sweepstakes to the Washington Redskins, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last night.

Schefter, who cited a Cleveland source early in his story, said the Browns thought they’d be able to pull off the deal, but were informed the Redskins landed the choice spot instead. The Browns were even prepared to throw in their second-round pick this year, Schefter said.

Si.com’s Peter King tweeted Friday night: “Cleveland was in it, but didn’t want to give three ones and a 2. Miami was in it, but couldn’t go nuts w/Manning still in play.”

The Redskins gave up their No. 6 pick this year and their first-round picks in 2013 and 2014 to move up to draft the Baylor quarterback. They also surrendered their second-round pick this year. The Redskins and Rams have some strong relationships, including the longtime friendship of Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan.

The deal, first reported by Foxsports.com’s Jay Glazer, was agreed to on Thursday afternoon, but can’t be officially executed until 4 p.m. Tuesday. Rams vice president and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff confirmed the terms of the trade to The Sports Xchange after Glazer broke the story.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that the Rams wanted to have a deal in place by the start of free agency. Browns General Manager Tom Heckert had planned to attend Griffin’s Pro Day on March 21.

Schefter said the move won’t deter the Redskins from pursuing quarterback Peyton Manning, although they’re considered a long shot.

So what now for the Browns, who own the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round? Their options include the following:

1. Stick with Colt McCoy and supply him with some weapons.

2. Draft one of the other quarterbacks the Browns like, such as Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill or Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden.

3. Sign a free agent such as Green Bay’s Matt Flynn or Arizona’s Kevin Kolb if the Cardinals release him next week. The Cardinals also are pursuing Manning, and would release Kolb if they sign the former Colts quarterback. Kolb is due a $7 million bonus on March 17.

Heckert, in a meeting with reporters on Thursday, stressed the Browns still like McCoy.

“We’re not down on Colt McCoy,” he said. “We still think Colt is going to be a good player.”

He said McCoy was the victim of some protection problems and dropped passes in 2011 “and it’s our job to help him out.”

Of Tannehill, Heckert said: “I think he’s untapped. I really do. He’s a guy fairly new to the position, was playing wide receiver. He’s a big kid, strong arm, he’s another guy looks like a quarterback. I think he’s got a lot of upside to him. I really do.”

The Browns also attended the Pro Day of Weeden Friday and have been impressed.

“I really like him a lot,” said Heckert. “That’s the million-dollar question. You go, ‘Wow he’s 28 years old.’ But I don’t know. If he can play six years, I might not be here, so who cares? If he can play, he can play.”

As for Flynn, Heckert said the Browns were leaning away from signing a veteran free-agent quarterback.

But at this time of year, anything’s possible, including trading three No. 1s to move up four spots.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The scouting combine concluded more than a week ago, Peyton Manning is no longer a Colt and the college “pro days” are getting underway.

Ahead is the April 26-28 NFL draft.

The sport’s most glamorous, and important, position — quarterback — is again at the center of much pre-draft conversation.

The Cleveland Browns, of course, are often a focal point of the talk. The team has not committed to Colt McCoy as its QB of the future, and it has the fourth and 22nd picks in the first round.

The Indianapolis Colts are all but certain to use the first pick to take Manning’s replacement, presumably Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. The second pick belongs to the St. Louis Rams, who seem intent on developing their team around the young quarterback they have in place, Sam Bradford.

The circumstances, then, mean the Rams could well trade the No. 2 selection for a bonanza of other picks — a scenario which St. Louis management has confirmed is possible.

The team trading with the Rams would likely take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. 

Charlie Casserly, the former, highly-regarded general manager of the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans, puts together a mock draft for the NFL Network and nfl.com, and writes:

With the NFL Scouting Combine in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take another look at the board.

Per usual, much of the buzz leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft revolves around the quarterbacks. I have the three top signal callers coming off the board in the first six picks. Now that the Indianapolis Colts have officially parted ways with Peyton Manning, the Andrew Luck era is upon us. And two other franchises will look to build around Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill.

At other positions … I have running back Trent Richardson coming off the board earlier than some expect, and Quinton Coples hanging around the green room a bit longer than he might anticipate. Meanwhile, with the NFL’s aerial explosion, capable cornerbacks will be hot commodities.

Casserly, by the way, writes that a Browns trade will be made with St. Louis:

Cleveland gives up two first-rounders (Nos. 4 and 22) this year, plus a high pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

And, Casserly writes that the Browns would, of course, use the second overall pick to draft Griffin.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot’s story that Browns general manager Tom Heckert says the team won’t pursue Manning; Cabot’s story that Heckert says the Browns are “not going to go crazy in free agency.”

More mock drafts

Browns trade up for the No. 2 pick, on drafttek.com.

Browns take a quarterback with the fourth overall pick, though it may not be the one you’d think. On WalterFootball.com.

Browns draft an RB and a WR in the first round. On the National Football Post.

Browns-Rams trade. On The Football Fan Spot.

What the Browns give up for No. 2. On the extra-point.net.

A running back and wide receiver for the Browns. On nfltraderumors.co.

Trade! Trade! On newnfldraft.com.

Again, the Browns and Rams work a deal. On guysnfldraftlockerroom.com.

Browns pick a quarterback after making a big trade. On The Sports Agent Blog.

The emotional release of Peyton Manning by the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday wasn’t close to how Bernie Kosar left the Cleveland Browns many years ago.

It was the complete opposite.

Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald writes how Manning’s departure was a complete  contrast to Nov. 8, 1993, when Bill Belichick, cut Bernie Kosar because of what Belichick said were Kosar’s “diminishing skills.”

Belichick turned Kosar, already a hero in the eyes of Browns fans, into a martyr that day. Headlines in newspapers the next morning were as big and bold as “Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor,” and that is no exaggeration.

Two hours before Belichick and Browns owner Art Modell met with the media, they met with Kosar to deliver the news. Cutting Kosar was Belichick’s idea, but Modell backed it 100 percent.

The departure of Kosar began early that season when stories of Kosar and Belichick disagreeing on offense in the 2 1/2 years Kosar played for Belichick were legendary, but Belichick said that is not why he benched and then cut Kosar.

“I’ve even heard I sat Bernie because I don’t like him,” Belichick said a week or so later in a Sports Illustrated story. “Anyone who thinks I’d do all this work and then sit some guy because I don’t like him — that’s insane. All the decisions I made are for what I feel gives us the best opportunity to win.”

More Cleveland Browns

GM Tom Heckert says it’s unlikely the Cleveland Browns will go after Peyton Manning, writes Mary Kay Cabot on Cleveland.com.

Tony Grossi leaves The Plain Dealer and moves over to radio station WKNR, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.

INDIANAPOLIS — Plain Dealer reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Dennis Manoloff will provide updates through Sunday from the NFL Combine, where more than 300 NFL players will be evaluated by all 32 teams:

RICHARDSON MAR. 27: Alabama running back Trent Richardson, who underwent a minor knee scope about three weeks ago, will work out for teams on March 27. Richardson, a Heisman Trophy finalist, is on the Browns radar at No. 4. Only one  tailback was taken in the first round last season — Richardson’s former teammate Mark Ingram. In fact, according to Lindy’s Sports Pro Football draft book, none of the NFL’s top five rushers in 2011 were drafted in the top 50. — MKC

WALLACE FRANCHISED? If the Browns were hoping Steelers speedy receiver Mike Wallace would be available as a RFA, they’ll be disappointed. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert indicated today that the club might franchise Wallace. “We want Mike to finish his career with the Steelers,” Colbert said. — MKC

FREE AGENTS: Something could happen this week with one or more of the Browns’ free agents. Browns GM Tom Heckert is working to get some of the re-signed, and the Browns are prepared to use their franchise tag. Right now, the likeliest candidate is D’Qwell Jackson, who’s seeking a five-year deal. Heckert might meet in Indy with Jackson’s agent Brian Mackler. — MKC

VIKINGS MIGHT DEAL NO. 3: Vikings GM Rick Spielman said today he anticipates there will be interest in the No. 3 overall pick and that he’ll be willing to trade down. He said the Vikings still like QB Christian Ponder, but are studying Stanford QB Andrew Luck and Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. — MKC

SHURMUR AT PODIUM: Browns coach Pat Shurmur will address the national media today here at 4 p.m. He’ll be peppered with questions about RG3. Heckert is not on the schedule yet. — MKC  

The Cleveland Browns and the Arizona Cardinals each have struggling offenses, a defense that has improved with the guidance of a new coordinator and a starting quarterback with a concussion whose status for Week 15 is uncertain, writes Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com.

But the directions in which the two teams have recently been heading are quite a contrast.

The Cardinals (6-7) have won five of their past six games and still have a long shot at making the playoffs. The Browns (4-9) have lost six of their past seven games and have been mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the postseason.

Ulrich’s article includes this interview with Kent Somers, who covers the Cardinals for the Arizona Republic.

Q: What should the Browns worry about when they face the Cardinals?

A: “They need to worry most about handling the pressure from this defense, especially given their offensive problems. Really what they need to worry about on defense is [wide receiver] Larry Fitzgerald. Like the Browns, the Cardinals have really struggled on offense and they’ve been up and down and they’ve had some horrible games, but Fitzgerald’s playing as well as he ever has. He has over 1,000 [receiving] yards for the fifth straight year. He basically won the game for them last week against the [San Francisco] 49ers with a great catch on a touchdown and another 53-yard catch that set up another score. That’s the guy you really have to worry about and devote whatever resources you [have] to stop him. And they need to worry about Patrick Peterson in punt returns. He’s amazing, and if he gets a little bit of space, he’s scary.”

More Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren is not living up to his name (Cleveland.com).

Scouting report on the Arizona Cardinals (Cleveland.com).

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald is a superstar (azcentral.com).

A turnaround for the Cardinals defense (azcentral.com).

Injuries have led to changes over the years for the Browns (CantonRep.com).

Did the Browns fear a QB controversy (Fox Sports Ohio)?

Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis is tackled by Tennessee safety Michael Griffin during an Oct. 2 game. / Matt Sullivan/Getty images

Written by

Tom Withers

Associated Press

More In Sports

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Cleveland defensive tackle Phillip Taylor (98) celebrates the Browns’ 14-10 win Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. / David Richard/US PRESSWIRE

Written by

Tom Withers

Associated Press

More In Sports

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