I bet you Godeell would've handled this diffrently (1 Viewer)

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

The Greatest Letter Ever Printed On NFL Team Letterhead

In 1974, a Clevelander wrote the Browns complaining of the menace posed by the then-fad of throwing paper airplanes, and implicitly threatened litigation. The Browns' response is just about the most awesome thing ever committed to paper.

:11:

 

[CletiusMaximus]

If only in-house lawyers really wrote letters like that - my job would be so much more fun.

 

[todisco1]

is this real? If so, it is beyond awesome.

 

[dharmapunk]

Hoax or true, someone should photocopy 1000 of those letters and mail them to Roger Goodell.

 

[Sam Quentin]

my, how times have changed...

 

[notdarkyet]

Awesome.

 

[mcintyre1]

There are people that didn't see this when it made the news last month?

 

[gorf]

There are people that didn't see this when it made the news last month?

i didn't

 

[squistion]

The litigation was threatened only if an actual injury occured. If it did, the Browns would have been dead-in-the-water in any action brought and that letter would have been Exhibit A. If I were the attorney who had received that I would have been doing cartwheels, punitive damages alone would have run in the millions in 1974 dollars. Highly unlikely this type of injury would occur, but if it had happened to anyone (not just in the party of the letter writer) this attorney could represent them on a contingency basis and the Browns would have had to settle out of court, as I can imagine a jury looking at this letter and the plaintiff wearing an eye-patch for a lost eye and then bringing back a verdict in record time.

Taking it further, if some injury actually had happened, this letter probably would have been reprinted in tort texbooks found in every law school on how not to respond to someone pointing out potential liability for a client one represents. I personally think this is a hoax, I can't imagine any attorney being that stupid as to sign his name to this, but who knows, maybe it is legitimate.

 

[Warrior]

I call shenanigans. No chance this is real.

 

[DropKick]

Ironically, wasn't it a Brown's player hit in the eye with a penalty flag? Paper planes, bean bags, what's the difference?

That is a great response though - hoping it's real.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

The litigation was threatened only if an actual injury occured. If it did, the Browns would have been dead-in-the-water in any action brought and that letter would have been Exhibit A. If I were the attorney who had received that I would have been doing cartwheels, punitive damages alone would have run in the millions in 1974 dollars. Highly unlikely this type of injury would occur, but if it had happened to anyone (not just in the party of the letter writer) this attorney could represent them on a contingency basis and the Browns would have had to settle out of court, as I can imagine a jury looking at this letter and the plaintiff wearing an eye-patch for a lost eye and then bringing back a verdict in record time.Taking it further, if some injury actually had happened, this letter probably would have been reprinted in tort texbooks found in every law school on how not to respond to someone pointing out potential liability for a client one represents. I personally think this is a hoax, I can't imagine any attorney being that stupid as to sign his name to this, but who knows, maybe it is legitimate.

I read the first letter to state that the attorney's client's, well aware of a risk of injury, intend to undertake a voluntary activity for their own joy and amusement in spite of a known risk. Telling someone to control the behavior of others, or failing in the same that they are then responsible therefore does not make it so.

 

[Mr. Retukes]

Ironically, wasn't it a Brown's player hit in the eye with a penalty flag? Paper planes, bean bags, what's the difference?That is a great response though - hoping it's real.

Dear Orlando Brown's attorney,Attached is a letter that we received on December 17, 1999. I feel that you should be aware that some a__hole is signing your name to stupid letters.Very truly yours,Al Lerner

 

[gianmarco]

Would have been great if they included the original letter in the response.......folded up as a paper airplane.

 

[Black Sunday]

Snopes has it listed as true.

Pretty funny.

 

[Carolina Hustler]

Love it... I'm gonna use that one sometime...

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Snopes has it listed as true.

Pretty funny.

LMAO @ the similar 'bad letter' from Maris to the Yankees in 1974

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

LOL that both the browns letter writer and recipient were both UM law school alums.