FOUR BROWNS BIDDERS CONFIRM APPLICATION, TWO PLACE $350M BID

          The bidding for the new Browns started yesterday, "with
     some groups saying they would pay more than" $350M,
     according to Zach Schiller of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. 
     Four groups said yesterday they had sent in preliminary bids
     for the team, and two of them -- one led by Howard Milstein
     and the other by Thomas Murdough -- said they had bid $350M
     plus.  Indians Owner Richard Jacobs and OH business exec
     Bart Wolstein also confirmed their bids.  There is no set
     deadline to receive bids.  The league will meet on August
     19, where "applicants have been invited to make their cases
     to the 30 NFL owners" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 8/7). 
          POLICY'S DECLARATION: Carmen Policy, asked if other NFL
     owners "are unhappy" he's pursuing the Browns with Al
     Lerner: "I think I have a few enemies in the league.  They'd
     be angry with me if I was saving little old ladies caught in
     the middle of New York City traffic" (CBS SportsLine, 8/6).