THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609210541
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Tom Robinson
LENGTH: 76 lines
Franchises flee cities. Players are no more than nomads. Why, Chris Lamb wondered, shouldn't a football fan enjoy those freedoms?
So when the Cleveland Browns mocked his 30 years of loyalty and bolted to Baltimore, Lamb pounced like a lion. He declared fan free agency and let every NFL team, except Baltimore, know in writing that his devotion was theirs for the taking.
``I'm looking for a new team. . . . What can (insert team name) do for me?'' the Old Dominion assistant professor of English and journalism wrote in part. ``What guarantees do I have that you won't move to Baltimore? Can we do business? Make me a serious offer.''
Ten of 29 teams responded. The Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars wrote personal, compelling letters. The Washington Redskins phoned - ``Probably the junior flunky in charge of silly phone calls,'' Lamb said in an interview.
The Cincinnati Bengals mailed him two packages of bumper stickers and such. The Dallas Cowboys sent pocket schedules and a media guide. The Denver Broncos blew it by sending an autographed photo of John Elway, who only ripped out the Browns' heart once in the playoffs.
Cancel Denver. And get this: The New Orleans Saints, the lousy, miserable, stinking New Orleans Saints, actually rejected him. Nothing they could send him, they wrote, could spark within Lamb the ``emotional bond'' all Saints fans feel, so why bother?
``Best of luck finding a new home for your affections,'' said the Saints.
``Ha,'' said Lamb.
Then he wrote about the whole free-agent experience. Lamb, 38, submitted an essay to Sports Illustrated. The magazine bought it for $1,250 and plans to run it in a couple weeks.
``I had no idea what would happen,'' said Lamb, who notified the teams of his intentions in May after first alerting the NFL, as per league free-agency rules. (The NFL did not reply.) ``I thought I could be blown off entirely or some team might turn it into a real PR thing, maybe grant me most-favored-fan status.''
In his letter, Lamb never flat out asked for a payoff, though it was implied. ``You always hear players say it's not about money, it's about family or something else,'' Lamb said. ``Well, I don't have a family. It is about money.''
Lamb grew up outside Dayton, Ohio, and latched onto the Browns early, though the Bengals, whom he grew to despise, were closer. ``I gave the Browns the best years of my life,'' Lamb moaned in his letter. ``I tried talking to them, but their mind was made up (to move).''
In the end, nobody bought off Lamb with the cappuccino machine he secretly lusted after.
But the clubs that paid attention to his letter and addressed his concerns about them staying anchored drew his favor.
The Falcons' PR guy made it a point to note his own attachment to the Browns in the '50s, his team's long-term lease and stable ownership - and even threw in a tidbit about once being stationed in Norfolk and watching Dave Twardzik play basketball at ODU.
Nice touch. The Falcons have a new fan.
But then the Jaguars bid hard by reminding Lamb that, by joining the Jacksonville bandwagon, he could enjoy rooting against Baltimore, a division rival of the Jags.
Sold, said Lamb, whose new teams play in different conferences, so he avoids a conflict of interest.
``Atlanta and Jacksonville play each other the last game of the season, though,'' Lamb said. ``I guess I'll have to make a choice before then.''
That's in addition to the choice he already made - to be an NFL lapdog no longer.
``It was one fan standing up against the system,'' Lamb said, humbly. ``I've got the rest of my career to think about, you know.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Chris Lamb, an ODU assistant professor betrayed by his beloved
Browns, offered his services as a free-agent fan to any NFL team
outside of Baltimore. Guess what? The Falcons and Jaguars won. by CNB