10 NFL Owners As Eccentric As Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's recent "letter to LeBron" sparked a national media storm.

This caused me to speculate if the NFL has had any owners through the years who would pull a stunt like this.

The answer is obviously yes.

I'm sure we are all thinking of the same person, however there are more than just one.

Let's look through the NFL history books to find some of these owners in no particular order...

Daniel Snyder, Washington Redskins

Daniel Snyder bought the Washington Redskins in 1999. Since then, he has made controversial statements, controversial personnel decisions, and odd coaching hirings and firings.

In just 10 seasons, Snyder is working on his seventh head coach.

From firing Norv Turner to unproven Terry Robiskie. From Marty Shcottenheimer to Steve Spurrier, Redskin legend Joe Gibbs, former NFL quarterback Jim Zorn, and now onto Mike Shannahan.

His hiring and firing practices are just the tip of the iceberg. Snyder is famous for throwing ridiculous sums of money at the current "hot" player.

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is just the most recent.

His constant setting of the salary curve and arguably over-active involvement in the day-to-day operations of his team point to Snyder being a bit eccentric.

Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys

After purchasing the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, Jerry Jones did the unthinkable. He fired the only coach the team had ever had, Tom "The Hat" Landry.

If that wasn't enough, he then forced out long-time general manager and Texas icon, Tex Schramm.

At a 1992 cocktail party, Jones reportedly said that any of 500 coaches could have won a Super Bowl with the talent he had assembled in Dallas.

He also stated his intention to replace Jimmie Johnson with Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer. A statement he vehemently denied citing, "it was the whiskey talking."

Maybe the whiskey knew something, because in 1994 that statement came true.

Eddie DeBartolo, San Francisco 49ers

I'm not exactly sure if Eddie DeBartolo belongs on an "eccentric owners" list, but some of his actions are certainly...uhm...interesting.

After building one of the most dominant NFL teams in history, DeBartolo found himself under suspicion of bribing a government official.

Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards was being investigated for racketeering and extortion. DeBartolo reportedly paid Edwards $400,000 for a riverboat casino license. A license he never received.

When all was said and done, DeBartolo pled guilty to failure to report a felony, was fined $1 million, and was forced to relinquish his stake in the 49ers to his sister in 2000.

Eccentric? Maybe not. Controversial? Absolutely.

Paul Allen, Seattle Seahawks

Paul Allen decided to invest some of his considerable wealth into the Portland Trailblazers in 1988 and the Seattle Seahawks in 1997.

Allen is not the kind of owner you'd expect to find on this list.

A college dropout, Allen did one amazing thing as owner an NFL owner. He was the primary designer of Quest Field.

How is that eccentric you ask? He's not an engineer or an architect, he's a software and communications mogul.

That said, he designed the acoustics of Quest Field to direct all of the crowd noise directly onto the field.

Crazy? Or crazy like a fox? You decide.

William Clay Ford Sr., Detroit Lions

I don't know if William Clay Ford Sr. can be called eccentric or not.

This is a man that purchased the Detroit Lions in 1964 and has only had 14 winning seasons and nine playoff berths, and only one playoff win in that 46 years.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results. This must be Ford's motto.

It took a record 0-16 season for Ford to realize that things were not running as well as they could be.

Eccentric? I'd say so.

Wayne Huizenga, Miami Dolphins

Wayne Huizenga is one of those owners that doesn't make the news very often, and you may be wondering why I've put him on this list.

Huizenga used to be the majority owner of the Miami Dolphins. Now he only holds a five percent stake in the team and Land Shark Stadium. He sold off the rest to celebrity athletes and entertainers.

Venus and Serena Williams, Gloria Estefan, Jenneifer Lopez, and Marc Anthony are just a few of the names on the ownership roster.

Add the fact that the stadium is now named after a Jimmy Buffett song and a Saturday Night Live skit, and that defines "eccentric," in my opinion.

Georgia Frontiere, Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams

As the first female to be primary owner of an NFL team, Georgia Frontiere made headlines constantly after she inherited ownership of the Rams from her deceased husband Carroll Rosenbloom in 1979.

She was often quoted making controversial statements and never hesitated to assert her control over the team as primary owner.

Frontiere was often found in the locker room before and after games... whether the players were dressed or not!

I'd say the exhibits some eccentricity.

Bud Adams, Tennessee Titans

When the owner of a professional sports franchise leaves his opponent's stadium flying "the bird" at their fans, he or she belongs on this list.

Enough said.

Al Davis, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

There is too much evidence pointing to Al Davis' eccentric behavior to cover in one slide.

The most recent would be the infamous "over-head projector" press conference and the "He's [JaMarcus Russell] a great playah. Get over it!" statement.

From suing the league three times, (and winning all three) to allegedly calling the plays on game day, Davis has lived up to the eccentric reputation he's been given and clearly belongs on this list.

Green Bay Packers Inc., Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers Incorporated is an ownership group made up by the tax payers of Green Bay Wisconsin. In short, the fans own the team.

This isn't the eccentric part.

An ownership group that shows up to games in sub-zero weather, shirtless, painted green and yellow with cheese wedges on their heads is the epitome eccentric in my book.

Thus endeth the slideshow.

I'm sure some of you take exception to some to the names on this list. The truth is, this was a very difficult list to create, so I'm sure I missed a few.

There's only one Al Davis; only one Bud Adams. I found myself wishing the NFL owners had allowed Rush Limbaugh to buy into the Rams. Then I would have had something to write about!

Anyway, tell me what you think with your comments. I hope you can offer some more owners for this list. Some I missed.

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