Did She Think Brown Fans Would Forget?

Ron Rapoport in the Chicago Sun-Times:

“Art Modell’s wife, Pat, blasted Baltimore television stations for showing Cleveland fans before the Browns-Ravens game last week chanting profane slogans, putting dog droppings on a sidewalk outline of a figure representing Modell and a woman starting to moon the camera.

“ ‘I’ve been quiet long enough,’ [Pat Modell] told the Baltimore Sun. ‘It was like someone socked me in the stomach. I’m telling you this as a mother and a wife and someone who believes in integrity and decency.’ ”

Some fans wouldn’t know about that, Pat.

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More Modell: A sign at Cleveland Brown Stadium: “Beer: $5.50. Ticket: $50. No Modell: Priceless.”

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Trivia time: The NFL record for field goals made in a game is seven, shared by three kickers. Who was the first?

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Welcome back: Bernie Lincicome of the Chicago Tribune, on the return of a former Bull to Chicago with the Phoenix Suns: “Will Perdue has not lost a step. On the other hand, that’s like saying a wart hog hasn’t lost its pantyhose.”

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Bay Area blues: Art Spander in the Oakland Tribune: “The Niners are awful. The Warriors are awful. That means the pressure is on the Raiders. If they can’t do it, we all may be forced to learn the definitions of high-sticking and icing.”

Spander concedes that the San Jose Sharks are good, but adds: “But until I find someone who cares about hockey, they still don’t count.”

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Yawn: Brian Schmitz in the Orlando Sentinel, on various Super Bowl scenarios:

“Most Moving Game: Tennessee versus St. Louis. Let’s see. The Tennessee Titans were once in Houston and called the Oilers, and St. Louis was once in L.A. and are still called the Rams.

“This would not be a showcase that Paul Tagliabue--or the people in Los Angeles or Houston--would care to discuss. It would be a Super Bowl that could sell out its ads to U-Haul, Ryder and Mayflower.”

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Praise, indeed: Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times in an interview with former NFL coach Marv Levy, now a Fox-TV commentator:

“As we small-talked, he floated this: ‘Peyton Manning is the best second-year quarterback I’ve ever seen. John Elway, as an NFL sophomore, was comparatively laughable.’ ”

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Not worthy: From Tom FitzGerald’s column in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Giving Rafael Palmeiro the Gold Glove for playing 28 games at first base,” says Steve Abney of San Francisco, “is like giving the Oscar to the guy who played the first platoon member to die in ‘Saving Private Ryan.’ ”

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Trivia answer: Jim Bakken of the St. Louis Cardinals against Pittsburgh on Sept. 24, 1967.

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And finally: Oakland Raider Coach Jon Gruden, on San Diego Charger linebacker Junior Seau:

“He’s a Hall of Famer. How he keeps his energy level up is beyond me. I’d like to know what he’s eating, how much he’s sleeping, what program he’s on, because I want to get on that.”