THE PLAIN DEALER SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1999 3-S BROWNS VS. BENGALS 1 F. Bengals stuck in same trap no matter where they play ASSOCIATED PRESS Fans and wins have been sparse for the Bengals this year, as this picture taken at the end of their home opener, a 34-7 loss to San Diego, shows. Today, as the Bengals play their last game in Cinergy Field, Cincinnati will try to continue its meaningless late-season charge, a familiar scenario on the Ohio River. BROWNS INSIDER Holland close to multiyear deal By MARY KAY CABOT PLAIN DEALER REPORTER -Defensive tackle Darius Holland, who won a job this season, is in contract negotiaations with the Browns and could be signed soon to a multiyear deal.
Browns Director of Football Operations Dwight Clark confirmed talks are under way. "We'd really like to get him signed," said Clark. "He's been a great guy to have here this season and he's really just coming into his own. He's an incredible athlete for his size. The way he moves for a man that big (6-5, 320 pounds) is amazing." Holland, who won the starting job in Week 3, is second among linemen with 41 tackles.
He has recovered a fumble and forced one, and has batted down five passes, two against Tennessee. Clark hopes that Holland, 26, can be a cornerstone of the defense for years to come. "I'm honored to be considered in that stream of things," said Holland. "I'm pleased with them acknowledging that I can be a part of this defense." Clark said that reports the Browns received on Holland's work ethic have proved to be untrue. He was a third-round pick of Green Bay in 1995 and started five games there over a three-year period.
He was traded to Kansas City in May 1998 and waived in October. He spent last season in Detroit, starting four games. "When you bounce around to that many teams, people think there must be something wrong with you," said Holland. "I came here with certain things I wanted to accomplish, and I think I'm on my way to accomplishing some of them." Holland's agent, Neil Schwartz, said he's confident Holland will be signed before he can become an unrestricted free agent March 2. "They want him and we want them," said Schwartz.
"There's no reason we can't get it done." He said Holland was convinced no fans would ever duplicate the enthusiasm of those in Green Bay "but he thinks Cleveland may even top them." Added defensive end Derrick Alexander: "He brings hard play and good run defense. He makes a lot of big plays from that position and that's a tribute to his hustle. He's double-teamed and then all of a sudden he's down the field and making somebody fumble." AKILI REMEMBERED Although Akili Smith will not play today be because of turf toe, some of the Browns remember his display following the Bengals' victory in Cleveland Oct. 10. "It's mind," said linebacker Wali Rainer.
"And I know a lot of veterans like Jamir Miller there was a lot of trash-talking between A A 4 Our The day hell froze over, clouds of steam rose from the Ohio River. The river wasn't iced up yet, and the frigid air that had invaded the Midwest had the river through Cincinnati smoking a lot more than the incident that drew so much bad publicity in Cleveland. It was nine degrees below zero, and the wind -chill was 59 below. If a polar bear had shown up on Jan. 10, 1982, he would have thought it was too blamed cold to play.
The Bengals reached the first of their two Super Bowls that day because Dan Fouts and the rest of the Chargers were whipped as soon as they got off their plane from sunny southern California. Cinergy Jungle, whatever you want to call the white elephant on the river, closes down as a football venue today when the Browns play the Bengals. "The Jungle" had a brief vogue as a nickname when the Bengals went to another Super Bowl (and lost, just like the first time) in the 1988 season. The main thought I had, while watching them drill the Buffalo Bills in the conference championship game and simultaneously listening to the umpteenth -blaring rendition of "Who ho Dey (Gonna Beat Dem was that the franchise hadn't even been bright enough to come up with its own embarrassing Stepin Fetchit lyrics. Subbing only "Saints" for "Bengals," New Orleans had used the song to the point of repetitive numbness for years.
There is a lot of history in this rivalry. The sad thing is that the Browns and Bengals both would probably trade some of the more current events for that of, oh, say, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who those two. We wish we were playing him again. "The way they won that game, we want to come out and have a good Said rookie cornerback Daylon McCutcheon: "It's embarrassing when any team comes onto your field and beats you and then runs around the field like that." Added Alexander: "We can't worry about what Akili did. We're more worried about all the yards we gave up rushing last time.
I think that put our team in a bad situation." WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY? Clark said the Browns have interest in re-signing left tackle Scott Rehberg and receiver Leslie Shepherd, who are near the end of one year contracts. "Leslie is definitely a talented player," he said. "It's unfortunate he kept getting nicked." On Rehberg, he said: "It's obviously something we'll talk about. He has some ability as a player. He was doing a nice job for us at right guard this season." BLAKE'S FINALE Bengals starting quarterback Jeff Blake has been on fire lately.
He is averaging more than 268 yards passing per game and has thrown 10 touchdown passes in his past five games in what is likely his last year i in Cincinnati. "I'm going to finish out the rest of these games and then I'll be a free agent," said Blake. "I'll let the chips fall where they may." Said coach Bruce Coslet, "We'd love to have him back, but we've invested a lot of money in Akili Smith." CINCI HOMECOMING Because it's the Bengals' last game in Cinergy Field, the team will honor two captains from each decade of their existence. They will join the current team captains on the field for the coin flip and be honored at halftime. The honorary captains are: quarterback Greg Cook and center Bob Johnson (1960s); quarterback Ken Anderson and defensive back Ken Riley (1970s); Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Munoz and kicker Jim Breech (1980s) and receiver Carl Pickens and nose tackle Tim Krumrie (1990s).
Team spokesman Jack Brennan said Boomer Esiason could also make a surprise visit. NOT LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1 Palmer said the Browns are not looking forward to owning the No. 1 draft pick as much as they're trying to win their last three games. "We approach every game with the idea that we want to win," said Palmer.
"We're not playing for draft choices or anything else. "We're playing to win the game. The draft will take care of itself. You can't say you're playing for the first pick, the second pick or the third. Somebody may jump and want that pick because they want a quarterback or something like that.
We're just going to take care of business." E-mail: Phone: (216) 999-6136 Cleveland Therapy A INJURY DOCTORS A 20,000 injured Clevelanders describe our doctors as in patient satisfaction surveys. THE PLAIN DEALER Quickline Auto accident 3041 3042 to listen to recorded information INFORMATION SERVICE Work on injuries call Free offers and events. 3045 216-999-5463 Medication 3043 or toll free 888-701-5463 and dial the appropriate extension. Endermologie. 3044 It's a FREE call your If doctor you are visit, not there pleased is no with charge.
440-734-4084 BILL LIVINGSTON have been in the playoffs more recently than either. You have to go back to 1991 to find a more miserable combined victory total than that of the 2-11 Browns and the 3-10 Bengals. It was the first year of the gloomy Bill Belichick era, the eighth and final year of the reign of Wicky Wacky Sam Wyche, in Cincinnati." The Browns were 4-4 and the Bengals 0-8 before Belichick's charges laid an egg. That meager total should hardly seem to count against this season's massive display of mutual incompetence, since so many fewer games had been played. is the season in which both teams went through the looking glass.
Up is down, as far as the standings go. Victory is defeat. Defeat is victory. Tastes great isn't exactly less filling, but then again, both teams will drive you to drink. The stakes here are the rights to pick first in the NFL draft next year.
Since the Browns have identified their franchise quarterback in Tim Couch, it only makes sense that they would draft a player who can make him look better, such as Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick. You climb this stairway to heaven by boarding the down es- calator, however. No one wants to admit it, because it would impugn the integrity of the game worse than Brian Billick did when he was ranting about league bias, but the ideal is to keep Couch intact while he develops more familiarity with game experiences, and if losing with dignity happens along the way, well, hey, stuff happens. "My No. 1 worry is to get better every game," said Couch.
"And to get some wins." top draft is something you don't even think about," said coach Chris Palmer. Maybe not until now. Nobody thought the Browns would win only two games, but if that happens, they will do so with a coach and a quarterback who are committed to the long-term future of the franchise. Meanwhile, it is so Bengal-like for lame-duck quarterback Jeff Blake to be lighting everyone up when it doesn't matter; for Akili Smith, who kicked the Browns squarely in their smug self-image two months ago, to be soldered to the bench with turf toe; for doomed coach Bruce Coslet to be lighting a. match in the darkness of what turns out to be a massive gas leak.
The Browns have a future, even if it is hard to see today. Even in Paul Brown Stadium next year, as long as Mike Brown is in charge, the Bengals face season after season from hell. E-mail: Phone: (216) 999-5754 If you don't believe Lomas Brown really checks out Browns news on cleveland.com, then, by all means, call him a liar. Newspapers Sun and Dealer Truth be told, cleveland.com is a great site for players and fans alike. Because nowhere else will you find such a wide range of Browns updates, stats, photos, video clips from sports talk from WKNR and much more.
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