Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995 TAG: 9508020046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ED HARDIN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: BEREA, OHIO LENGTH: Medium
Andre ``Bad Moon'' Rison brought his son to the Cleveland Browns' practice on Monday and turned him loose. The Browns fans baby-sat the youngster for the next two hours, teaching him all kinds of things while Dad worked out on the field.
``Hey Half Moon!'' one spectator yelled to the little guy.
``What do Pittsburgh Steelers do?''
``Suck,'' Half Moon said.
Welcome to the Dog Pound.
The Carolina Panthers left South Carolina on Monday to get in some serious practice with the Browns and get out of the heat.
What they walked into was a 95-degree circus.
``It's a little different here,'' center Curtis Whitley said.
Whitley spent time between the two Carolina practices playing quarterback with a couple of Panther ballboys, throwing bombs inside the Browns' air-conditioned inside football field. Two hours later he was back on the field, knocking heads with the Browns.
Carolina will play Chicago on Friday night in Soldier Field, so they wanted to toughen up between now and then. That likely will happen, the Browns being one of the most physical teams in the league, but it will be on Cleveland's terms on Cleveland's turf.
Among the most interesting sights Tuesday was a group of Hooters waitresses from the local restaurant actually on the field practicing with a group of Cleveland wide receivers.
Across the way, several other Browns players were signing autographs during practice.
Afterward, Cleveland coach Bill Belichick addressed the media in a cutoff sweatshirt worn inside out.
``I'd like to welcome the Panthers and their media to our camp,'' said Belichick, his hair hanging almost to his shoulders. He then waded into a five-minute talk on how the arrangement between the Panthers and the Browns came about and then spent the next five minutes publicly cutting a player from his team.
When the talk ended, Notre Dame's Mike Miller was no longer a Brown.
Dom Capers then addressed the media.
``We thought this would be a tremendous growing and learning experience for us,'' Capers said.
The Panthers are learning all kinds of things. By the end of the three-day visit, Carolina will have seen a new offense and a new defense, players like Vinny Testaverde and Rison, stadiums like Cleveland's old Municipal Stadium and Chicago's Soldier Field and a lot of other things the Panthers would not normally expect to find in training camp.
Like fans. The Browns' four practice fields are surrounded by fans, who are allowed to stand within about five feet of the field. Grandstands along one of the fields actually allow the fans some of the creature comforts you would expect from an NFL franchise. In Spartanburg, fans are herded like cattle into roped-off areas up to 100 yards away from the playing fields.
A couple of Panthers fans made the trek from Greer, S.C., this week to see the teams work out and to go to a Cleveland Indians game.
``This is more laid back than Wofford,'' Tommy Myers said. ``We'll probably come here every day. We can't get Indians tickets.''
NOTES: Single-game Panthers tickets went on sale Tuesday for home games this season in Clemson and more than 15,000 were sold. Fans now can buy tickets to any game in Memorial Stadium. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster - (704) 522-6500 - and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Call the Panthers ticket office at (704) 358-7800 for more information. ...
Defensive tackle Tim Goad, a former UNC player, wants to join the BASS Masters Tour when his football career is over. The Cleveland veteran, in his first year as a Browns player after seven years in New England, won the NFL/Skeeter Boats Bass Tournament this year, defeating 200 other anglers. ``When you find out what's going on at the Classic, keep me posted,'' he said. ... Panthers wide receiver Don Beebe left Tuesday's afternoon practice session early after injuring his ribs. Beebe was accidently kicked by another player and was taken off the field for further observation.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB