Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 7, 1995

I sympathize with some of the greatest football fans in America, Browns’ fans. Especially those in Cleveland and Southern California. . . .

Owner Art Modell’s announcement that the Browns intend to move to Baltimore next season crushed Jeff Wagner, president of the Southern California Browns Backers Assn. . . .

There are more than 2,000 members in the fan club that Wagner founded 10 years ago and he estimates that 90% of them are natives of northeastern Ohio. . . .

“Cleveland doesn’t deserve this, not the way it has supported the Browns all these years,” Wagner said Monday. “Things have been going so well for the city with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, the new arena downtown, and the success of the Indians. But this cuts the heart out of Cleveland.” . . .

Wagner, a San Dimas banker who was born in Cleveland 45 years ago and attended his first Browns’ game at Municipal Stadium when he was 4, said he doesn’t believe there will be much interest locally in the Baltimore Browns. . . .

“I’ve already talked to about 100 of our members and only about five said they would keep their interest up,” he said. . . .

Meanwhile, the Southern California Browns Backers Assn. trip to San Diego for the game against the Chargers on Dec. 3 is still on. . . .

“I’m afraid it’s going to be our farewell party,” Wagner said. . . .

*

Before the 1954 American League season, another team named the Browns--the St. Louis Browns--moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles. . . .

I wonder if the Baltimore Browns’ helmets will have logos on them. . . .

Give the Carolina Panthers a good chance to win their fifth consecutive game Sunday at St. Louis, where the team has been reincarnated as the Los Angeles Rams. . . .

Remember when Marcus Allen left and the Raiders couldn’t run the ball? Now Harvey Williams and rookie Napoleon Kaufman give them an excellent 1-2 punch at tailback. . . .

Who would have thought that Erik Kramer of the Chicago Bears would be leading the NFL in touchdown passes after 10 weeks? . . .

Jeff George of the NFC West-leading Atlanta Falcons finally may be shedding his image as a loser. . . .

I won’t argue with anyone who says Dan Marino is the greatest quarterback ever. . . .

The next time the Chicago Bears play the Pittsburgh Steelers, don’t expect 71 points to be scored. . . .

J.J. Stokes isn’t being compared to Jerry Rice in San Francisco. . . .

Final score: Denver 38, Arizona 6. Time of possession: Arizona 32:11, Denver 27:49. . . . UCLA tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar’s rushing yardage has decreased from 261 against Stanford to 217 against California to 207 against Arizona. Next thing you know, he’ll slip under 200. . . .

Abdul-Jabbar, who would be a high pick in the next NFL draft, is planning to return to UCLA for his senior season. . . .

Half the Big Eight Conference is ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. . . .

The Ohio State-Michigan game is Nov. 25 at Ann Arbor, where the Buckeyes have lost four of the last five meetings. . . .

It was reported on the Breeders’ Cup telecast that Cigar had surpassed Best Pal in earnings. Not so. Cigar, who is fourth on the all-time list, still lags more than $500,000 behind the $5,618,245 of Best Pal, who can earn another $137,500 by winning Saturday’s California Cup Classic at Santa Anita. . . .

Best Pal’s jockey, Chris McCarron, has followed up his Del Mar riding championship with seven Oak Tree stakes victories in five weeks. . . .

Dr. Caton, who is unraced but may be the best 2-year-old colt in Wayne Lukas’ barn, recently suffered a setback in training that will delay his debut until early next year at Santa Anita. . . .

Feel free to boo Alonzo Mourning when he comes to an arena near you. . . .

Mario Lemieux may be the NHL’s most valuable player and comeback player of the year. . . .

The Florida Panthers are nearly as surprising as the Carolina Panthers. . . .

The Boston Bruins looked neater in their old uniforms. . . . Break up the Mighty Ducks! . . . Maybe ballplayers would play harder over the long season if more of them had contracts like Ryne Sandberg’s with the Chicago Cubs that will pay him between $1.5 million and $5 million next year, depending on his performance.