We can only speculate why Jim Brown has decided not to attend the Browns’ inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony, which will be held at the team’s home opener on September 19.

Maybe he had other commitments or more important things to do. Or maybe he decided to snub the team after Mike Holmgren removed him from his senior management position (which cost Brown his standing with the front office, along with a six-figured salary) earlier this year.

But whatever the reason, he needs to realize that the only people that he hurts by not attending the ceremony is the many fans that still appreciate what he did for the NFL and the Browns organization.

I don’t know the details of what happened between him and the Browns and therefore, I can only base my opinion off what I’ve heard and read. As fans, that’s all we can go on in these situations – what others provide us. But as an outsider, it appears as though Brown is just miffed that the organization took away his fancy title and high-paying salary, so he has decided to give the team the middle finger now that they want him to be there for their event.

It also seems as though he’s upset with the fact that the team has stopped supporting his charity, the Amer-I-Can Program. But so what? Just because Brown was the greatest to have ever wore a Browns’ uniform, doesn’t mean that the organization has to curtail to all of his desires. They don’t have any obligation to pony up for that particular charity, or any other charity for that matter. It’s nice that they’ve given money to it in the past, but that doesn’t mean that they have to continue giving to it.

It sounds as if Brown has been riding on a biscuit train with gravy wheels for some time now and the organization has finally decided that the train will come to a stop. Regardless of whether or not he feels as though he’s getting screwed, there doesn’t have to be a parallel drawn between his fading relationship with the Browns and this Ring of Honor ceremony. He can go to the event, be honored and then go right back to being upset with the organization if he chooses. And the best part is, he can go in support of the fans and not the Browns. He was a legend on the field and should be honored as one at this ceremony. It seems trivial for him not to attend based on what has happened over these last couple of months.

That said, if sticking it to the organization is more important to him at this juncture, then so be it. But he should realize that the fans have nothing to do with the way he was treated by the team.

They deserve better.