The Browns played their second game at Cleveland Browns
Stadium on Saturday night against the Bears, and in Akron,
Terry Pluto calls the stadium "very nice" with "super
sightlines, comfortable seats and nice, wide concourses."
But he criticizes the condition of the grass field and
writes that the number of commercials on the scoreboard
should be "cut." Pluto: "Too bad there isn't something
about [the stadium] that says BROWNS, something that gives
it a little character" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/30). Also
in Akron, Patrick McManamon wrote that the team offers a
1,200-square-foot "Puppy Pound" child-care center at the
stadium where players and staff can leave their children
during games. The center offers toys, arts and crafts and
computers (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/29). The Browns sold all
19,000 programs printed for their debut at Browns Stadium
last weekend against the Vikings and are "considering"
printing 38,000 for their regular-season opener against the
Steelers on September 12 (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/29).
NFL NOTES: In Baltimore, John Steadman called the NFL's
ticket prices for its exhibition games "legal robbery."
Steadman: "Why doesn't the NFL do right by its audience and
stop charging regular-season prices for exhibitions? It's a
sham and a shame" (Baltimore SUN, 8/29)....In Minneapolis,
Sid Hartman wrote that Houston's desire for an NFL team "is
not good news" for MN because Vikings Owner Red McCombs
"will do all he can to become [Houston bid leader Bob]
McNair's partner and move the team to Houston" if he does
not get a new stadium in MN (STAR TRIBUNE, 8/29)....One NFL
exec, on the names surfacing to possibly buy the Jets:
"Names are going to be coming from all over the place,
especially from people who just want to see their names out
there." Ravens Owner Art Modell, on MGM Grand Owner Kirk
Kerkorian's "interests" in the Jets: "I know Kirk Kerkorian,
and I was surprised to see that name pop up. Don't hold
your breath on Kirk Kerkorian giving up the MGM Grand for a
football team in New York, although maybe he'd get a bigger
thrill out of football" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 8/29).
