CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP THAT DAWG LEASHED

It had been nearly a year since Big Dawg barked. Each Sunday morning, he awakes peacefully in the doghouse. No intruders, no reason to get excited. No collar.

John “Big Dawg” Thompson, the hefty, undisputed leader of the Dawg Pound--the most excited group of fans in any NFL stadium--had been silent since the Browns left Cleveland.

Silent, that is, until the Buffalo Bills unleashed him Sunday against the Browns’ former intrastate rival, the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bills’ owner Ralph Wilson set aside a block of seats for Big Dawg and his buddies so they could, if even for a day, walk into a stadium with a few beers stashed in their coats and lose their minds.

Just like old times.

It was Cleveland Day in Buffalo as the Bills honored the fans of the former Browns. More than 2,000 fans attended the game, and several former Browns were honored before the game. The fans sat in the end zone and were led by Thompson, who was on the field for the pregame ceremony.

After the game, a 31-17 victory for the Bills, Buffalo players, led by linebacker Chris Spielman, went to the end zone to shake hands with the Cleveland fans. Spielman is an Ohio native who attended Ohio State.

In their early years, Big Dawg, Jam Dawg, Sick Dawg and Ugly Dawg would find six people to carry a doghouse into the stadium. When they needed only two people to carry the doghouse out, security officials realized they were smuggling a keg of beer to their seats.

NOW, WE’RE WALKING

ALL OVER YOU WITH IT

For years, die-hard Dallas Cowboy fans have worshiped the turf their team walks on. Now, they can buy it too.

Starting today, the recently replaced turf from the reigning NFL champions’ home stadium is going on sale at Texas-sized prices.

A simple six-inch star of Dallas Cowboy turf will cost $24.95 while $100,000 will buy you an entire end zone.

The Cowboy organization has long been a master of commercialism and, in promoting the turf sale, is recalling the team’s sporting glories and its world-famous cheerleaders.

“Women in white boots, short shorts and frilly cowgirl outfits kicked up their heels on it. Grown men laughed, cried, swore, played, prayed, sweated, ran, passed, slipped, fell, froze, fought and even bled on it. And legends were created on it,” one publicity release said.

--Compiled by HOUSTON MITCHELL