Randy Lerner

[paul_e]

Totally agree. Let's be honest, the General has very little football knowledge, and for his son to suddenly speak up regarding the shitshow that is Aston Villa Football Club shows a glimpse of the insecurity and shame currently plaguing the Board.

It's hard to believe anyone "as crushed as the rest of us" would be able to justify Randy's tenure and denounce the guidance supplied by B&K.

Or it could be that someone who reads the site but rarely posts got a bit fed up of seeing his dad and his dad's mate being slagged off.  The slagging off might well be deserved but that doesn't stop it stinging a little if it's about your own family.  I find it strange that so many people will call him posting a plant by the board but no one is willing to think he might just be a bit upset and wanting to try to balance things out a little.  How angry most of the fans are it was never likely to work but I can understand him feeling the need to comment.

[Villa in Denmark]

The bottom line is that Randy Lerner has run the club into the ground. His stewardship has been a disaster. There is no spin, no gloss that Pelty can put on that.

This is it. Of all the people who have come and gone - chief executives, board members, managers, players - there's been only one constant.

Gabby as well. So two.

Actually, you're right. And there are so many similarities between the two.

Randy sniffs hippy crack???

[Villa in Denmark]

Totally agree. Let's be honest, the General has very little football knowledge, and for his son to suddenly speak up regarding the shitshow that is Aston Villa Football Club shows a glimpse of the insecurity and shame currently plaguing the Board.

It's hard to believe anyone "as crushed as the rest of us" would be able to justify Randy's tenure and denounce the guidance supplied by B&K.

Or it could be that someone who reads the site but rarely posts got a bit fed up of seeing his dad and his dad's mate being slagged off.  The slagging off might well be deserved but that doesn't stop it stinging a little if it's about your own family.  I find it strange that so many people will call him posting a plant by the board but no one is willing to think he might just be a bit upset and wanting to try to balance things out a little.  How angry most of the fans are it was never likely to work but I can understand him feeling the need to comment.

I kind of agree with you Paul, but.....
The unnecessary and at time disgusting slagging off of Krulak was stamped down, both by ordinary posters and the mods.

The bulk of the remaining criticism has been the most part completely justified, and given the emotional attachment everyone on here has to the club, largely restrained.

That bit I'm afraid has to be a case of suck it up as I believe they say over there. If the whole thing wasn't such a complete and utter clusterfuck, wrapped up in an omnishambles there'd be nothing to criticise. And that there is rests fairly and squarely on one man's shoulders.

[villadelph]

Totally agree. Let's be honest, the General has very little football knowledge, and for his son to suddenly speak up regarding the shitshow that is Aston Villa Football Club shows a glimpse of the insecurity and shame currently plaguing the Board.

It's hard to believe anyone "as crushed as the rest of us" would be able to justify Randy's tenure and denounce the guidance supplied by B&K.

Or it could be that someone who reads the site but rarely posts got a bit fed up of seeing his dad and his dad's mate being slagged off.  The slagging off might well be deserved but that doesn't stop it stinging a little if it's about your own family.  I find it strange that so many people will call him posting a plant by the board but no one is willing to think he might just be a bit upset and wanting to try to balance things out a little.  How angry most of the fans are it was never likely to work but I can understand him feeling the need to comment.

Hense my comment about insecurity. If anybody on the Board or associated with the Board were pleased with their dealings I doubt they would speak up. There would be no need to. I by no means believe that he commented under order from his father.

It is particularly coincidental that it comes on a day when takeover rumors swirl and the resignation letters of B&K begin to cool.

Krulak just got back on board. Whether it's to stem the tide of abuse, preside over the morale, or whatever.. I can assure you it's not regarding the football or money issues.

There is no balancing to be done. The damage has been done and it's well and truly tipped the scales. You're either in Randy's corner for some bizarre self-serving reason, or not. I don't support the owner, he's lost my respect and the benefit of the doubt. I don't care what some exec's son says.

I don't think anyone attacked the General because we know what he brings to the club. If his son is angry about his guilt by association than so be it.

[SBH]

Peity obviously has another take on the crisis at Villa ,hopefully he'll give us all some insight to thoughts inside the bunker.
Were all ears please enlighten us further now the Fuhrer finally been fingered

[b23]

If you knew the entire story, and the actions of Bernstein and King, you might understand why thing went down the way they did. The offensive emails are the tip of the iceberg. I have long stated that I think RL has made some huge mistakes along the way and think he has more than his share of the blame in this horror story. How can he not? But there are two sides to every story and that is certainly the case in this latest episode; in this particular instance, I think Randy showed a great amount of restraint, believe it or not, prior to the firings resignations, and an equal share in the last day or so after these two showed their class by airing it all to the press. How some here on the boards can not read the tea leaves and see just what sort of men these two are for behaving in this disgraceful manner is beyond me. I suppose there is so much hatred of RL that they cannot see clearly, and I get that even if I think it is only partially fair, but if airing dirty laundry in the press does not say something to you about the egos of these two "men," I am not sure what to say.

This narrative that my father up and left when the going got tough is unfair as well - no surprise I would say that - the timing looked bad, but the reality is that he became the president of a college that was about to be shuttered and was close to $100 million in the hole. His remit was to stop the dam from bursting in a year and then get the college on firmer footing over the next two all while an accreditation group was standing at the executioner's block. He tirelessly traveled and spoke to all who would listen so as to raise money and get the college solvent. To say this took all of his time is not an understatement and this is why he left, plain and simple. It was certainly not because he was cowardly or felt shame in some way, which is a pathetic suggestion. Also, he has never been and will never be involved in football operations, so for those who think his presence on the board is somehow negatively affecting football decisions, this is not a role he fills, and rightly so.

I am not really going to say more about this, but I thought some of the comments towards him were unnecessary and I would simply say that the boardroom issues are more thorny than some have suggested, though others have been fairly close to the truth, but not nearly cynical enough about the actions of the two former board members.

Thanks.

Next time, ask your Dad to post.

When is the Lerner Trust going to fold their cards ? #sellthebrowns

Will you still post when the Lerner Trust sell the Club ?

I hope you do.

[paul_e]

Totally agree. Let's be honest, the General has very little football knowledge, and for his son to suddenly speak up regarding the shitshow that is Aston Villa Football Club shows a glimpse of the insecurity and shame currently plaguing the Board.

It's hard to believe anyone "as crushed as the rest of us" would be able to justify Randy's tenure and denounce the guidance supplied by B&K.

Or it could be that someone who reads the site but rarely posts got a bit fed up of seeing his dad and his dad's mate being slagged off.  The slagging off might well be deserved but that doesn't stop it stinging a little if it's about your own family.  I find it strange that so many people will call him posting a plant by the board but no one is willing to think he might just be a bit upset and wanting to try to balance things out a little.  How angry most of the fans are it was never likely to work but I can understand him feeling the need to comment.

I kind of agree with you Paul, but.....
The unnecessary and at time disgusting slagging off of Krulak was stamped down, both by ordinary posters and the mods.

The bulk of the remaining criticism has been the most part completely justified, and given the emotional attachment everyone on here has to the club, largely restrained.

That bit I'm afraid has to be a case of suck it up as I believe they say over there. If the whole thing wasn't such a complete and utter clusterfuck, wrapped up in an omnishambles there'd be nothing to criticise. And that there is rests fairly and squarely on one man's shoulders.

I don't know, I think on monday and tuesday some of the comments went a bit too far and that's the point really, it's the sort of thing that I'd be very unhappy to rad written about my family and I don't see why wealth would change that.

[peter w]

if you take an active part in public, especially in the emotive world of sports I think it is only the most naive and thin-skinned that believe criticism is never going to part and parcel of the life of an owner, player, manager, director etc. If you are happy to accept the plaudits and the hyperbolic praise then you are going to have accept that that is an emotional line that goes from over the top good to over the top bad.

When we were doing well under lerner at the very start did pelty come on here and tell us that we didn't know the half of it? We of course didn't hear pelty coming here saying that lerner had fucked the Browns up so may end up doing it to us. No, if you're happy to sit back and take the plaudits and past on the back when its going well then you should sit back and take the brickbats when it goes tits up.

Still, as pelty himself said, if he doesn't like what's being said he could just go and support someone else.

[dave.woodhall]

if you take an active part in public, especially in the emotive world of sports I think it is only the most naive and thin-skinned that believe criticism is never going to part and parcel of the life of an owner, player, manager, director etc. If you are happy to accept the plaudits and the hyperbolic praise then you are going to have accept that that is an emotional line that goes from over the top good to over the top bad.

When we were doing well under lerner at the very start did pelty come on here and tell us that we didn't know the half of it? We of course didn't hear pelty coming here saying that lerner had fucked the Browns up so may end up doing it to us. No, if you're happy to sit back and take the plaudits and past on the back when its going well then you should sit back and take the brickbats when it goes tits up.

Still, as pelty himself said, if he doesn't like what's being said he could just go and support someone else.

There's criticism and there's abuse. What was said the other night crossed the line, which to his credit the worst culprit realised and apologised.

[b23]

Randy Lerner.

Johnny's playroom is a bunker filled with sand.

[Villa in Denmark]

Totally agree. Let's be honest, the General has very little football knowledge, and for his son to suddenly speak up regarding the shitshow that is Aston Villa Football Club shows a glimpse of the insecurity and shame currently plaguing the Board.

It's hard to believe anyone "as crushed as the rest of us" would be able to justify Randy's tenure and denounce the guidance supplied by B&K.

Or it could be that someone who reads the site but rarely posts got a bit fed up of seeing his dad and his dad's mate being slagged off.  The slagging off might well be deserved but that doesn't stop it stinging a little if it's about your own family.  I find it strange that so many people will call him posting a plant by the board but no one is willing to think he might just be a bit upset and wanting to try to balance things out a little.  How angry most of the fans are it was never likely to work but I can understand him feeling the need to comment.

I kind of agree with you Paul, but.....
The unnecessary and at time disgusting slagging off of Krulak was stamped down, both by ordinary posters and the mods.

The bulk of the remaining criticism has been the most part completely justified, and given the emotional attachment everyone on here has to the club, largely restrained.

That bit I'm afraid has to be a case of suck it up as I believe they say over there. If the whole thing wasn't such a complete and utter clusterfuck, wrapped up in an omnishambles there'd be nothing to criticise. And that there is rests fairly and squarely on one man's shoulders.

I don't know, I think on monday and tuesday some of the comments went a bit too far and that's the point really, it's the sort of thing that I'd be very unhappy to rad written about my family and I don't see why wealth would change that.

I didn't realise I had nor intended to infer that wealth had any part in the posts and rebuttals over the last few days.

I can quite see why reading some of  those comments would be upsetting, regardless of who you are and you're going to want to have your say and stick up for your father.

It doesn't alter he fact that those posts were quickly stamped down by both mods and ordinary posters and what's left was mostly justified criticsm

By adopting the "best form of defence is attack" strategy, the problem was exacerbated as the attack on, particularly King, who's viewed as one of us, ended up pouring gasoline onto the fire by trying to deflect attention away from what's really going on and using an argument that it's obvious is at best going to be viewed with incredulity and more likely provoke the hostile reaction it did.
You could probably have guessed that without reading the thread and should not have been in any doubt having read enough of the thread to see the shoeing his father was getting.

I don't think Pelty's input is part of some Machiavellian plot, or his defence of his father as a man is unjustified. He is however naive to think that right now anyone is going to listen to anything that sounds like trying to explain away what's happened and defend Randy Lerner as a sports club owner.

In one of the articles we've dug up over the last few days there's a footnote talking about basketball player, Lebron James, having a minority stake in Liverpool. At some point he was asked about the risks and and consequences of relegation to which he replied that they were asking the wrong person as he just didn't understand the concept.  Lerner, Krulak and company might understand the practical consequences of a whole different set of teams to ply and a different game calander, along with the financial implications, but I can't see that they understand the emotional hit to those who genuinely are fans with a lifetime's emotional investment tied to the club.

I'm not going to be so crass as to compare it to a death in the family, but something akin to what he's experienced seeing his father wronged on here might not be a bad analogy.
Seeing someone you love and care about, publicly wronged and held up to ridicule and all you can do is sit on the sidelines and watch it all happen whilst absolutely powerless to stop the wave after wave of humiliation and abuse hit home.  That's the kind of anger and upset you're dealing with. That's the kind of anger and upset provoked by that alien concept of relegation, because we now needlessly have to start with a battle just to hold us in this division whilst we sort out all of this self imposed mess before we can even think about returning to competing at the highest level.

All of which is the exact opposite of the American sports experience where get to reset the clock at the end of every seasona nd start with a clean sheet next season, even if you've lost every game. Hell they'll even give you first dibs at the brightest you talent instead of having your better players picked off like rotting meat on a carcass with a flock of vultures in attendance.

[paul_e]

sorry vid, the wealth thing wasn't aimed at you, it was more the general sentiment that just because people own a football club or are paid a fortune to play/manage one it doesn't make them, and more importantly their family, immune to criticism but some people seem to find it shocking when these people give a bit back or try to defend themselves.

I don't think Pelty's input is part of some Machiavellian plot, or his defence of his father as a man is unjustified. He is however naive to think that right now anyone is going to listen to anything that sounds like trying to explain away what's happened and defend Randy Lerner as a sports club owner.

This is the important bit for me, look back over the last few pages and see how many times since pelty first posted it's been called out as some sort of boardroom plot, I just think that's bordering on a conspiracy theory and I don't understand why people would default to thinking that way when there's a much more reasonable explanation that he's "white-knighting" for his dad and his dad's mate.

I agree that trying to do that and post a counter-thread right now was naive and I think some of the comments about King in particular don't sound right for the impression I have of him.  I therefore think it's fairly clear that he knows more than has been shared on here and that gap in what he's said and what he knows contains the reason why he doesn't like B+K. He can't share it those reasons and I think he realised that the post was a mistake because of that but I understand the underlying sentiment that there are 2 sides and maybe the idea that things

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/03/former_browns_owner_randy_lern.html
A good read from Tom Reed dated 14.3.16 Chronicle Telegram (Chronicle.com)
Note the quote "this is the most public yet of my many humiliations"
The protests of Lerner is documented in America and is causing him embarrassment.
The protests must continue to get the man who has ruined AVFC out!
The takeover talks are just that and should not deter Villa fans from continuing protests against Lerner
Until the ink is dry on any buyout. UTV

[Mister E]

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/03/former_browns_owner_randy_lern.html

It is indeed a great read and doesn't pull any pucnhes about where the probrlem-source lies.

[Mister E]

... Seeing someone you love and care about, publicly wronged and held up to ridicule and all you can do is sit on the sidelines and watch it all happen whilst absolutely powerless to stop the wave after wave of humiliation and abuse hit home.  That's the kind of anger and upset you're dealing with ...

I did not engage in any of the stuff with Pelty (indeed I never used to comment much to Krulak when he was a regular here). What I don't really get is why Pelty would come on here at all, knowing that the experiecne was likely to get ugly. It's almost like there's some sort of sado-masochistic gig going on.