BROWNS BATTLE AGAINST RELEASING FINANCIAL FIGURES

     Dennis Kelly, an attorney representing the Browns against
the city of Cleveland, said the team's financial records are
"irrelevant" to the lawsuit over the stadium lease and sought to
have a judge stop the city's request to make them public.
According to the Akron BEACON JOURNAL, Kelly argued the "real
question" is over Owner Art Modell's future, not the team's
fiscal health to date.  Frederick Nance, who represents the city:
"The Browns have said they would suffer ruinous financial harm if
they were forced to continue to play here.  We are entitled to
test the veracity of those claims" (Akron BEACON JOURNAL, 12/22).