JOCKEYING FOR POSITION FOR BROWNS OWNERSHIP IN CLEVELAND

          With no decision from the NFL due until March, "the
     brewing battle" over who will be the new Browns owner "could
     be Cleveland's most exciting football contest this season,"
     according to David Adams of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. 
     Potential owners include former Browns QB Bernie Kosar, MBNA
     Corp. CEO Alfred Lerner, former Browns Minority Owner Robert
     Gries, commercial property developer Bart Wolstein and
     Indians Owner Richard Jacobs.  Adams wrote that, among other
     criteria, the NFL "would like to see a likable and outgoing
     owner who could help heal the scars left from [Art] Modell's
     bitter departure."  Adams added "there is a chance" that the
     NFL might try to broker a deal that would form "supergroups"
     that combine "popular, but not-so-rich" potential owners
     like Kosar or Jim Brown with others "whose wealth is far
     greater" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 9/28).