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Fans, networks have lofty expectations as camp gets under way
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
BEREA: Two weeks ago, crews from ESPN and the NFL Network spent hours scouting camera positions and familiarizing themselves with Cleveland Browns Stadium.
The practice facility in Berea will be a popular stop for national writers making their summer rounds, especially with the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in Canton on Aug. 2. A few visited during June's mini camp.
Coming off a 10-6 season that fell one game short of the playoffs, the Browns step into the NFL spotlight when training camp opens today.
Expectations have not been this high since the late Bud Carson coached the Browns in 1989-90. Local hysteria might more closely approach the days of Bernie Kosar in the mid-1980s, when 10,000 fans packed Lakeland Community College in Kirtland and the popular quarterback ran a gauntlet of autograph seekers screaming, ''Bernie, Bernie.'' This time the high-pitched wails probably will plead, ''Brady, Brady,'' with children seeking a few seconds with backup quarterback Brady Quinn.
Camp runs through Aug. 16, with coach Romeo Crennel scheduling 28 practices over 19 days. Today's single session begins at 3:30 p.m. The Browns reserve the right to turn people away if the field area reaches capacity.
Cleveland has reached the postseason only once since the franchise returned in 1999 — after a 9-7 campaign under Butch Davis in 2002. This year's Browns are so in vogue, however, that Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News has picked them to face the defending champion New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
''There is an opportunity for this team to do something that has not been done in a long time,'' receiver Joe Jurevicius, a Cleveland-area native, said in June. ''We're talking playoffs and that's what we have to believe. With the acquisitions we had and the success we had last year, this is a special place
to be right now.''
While the late November and December television lineup is subject to change, three Monday night games await in the regular season, with another against the Giants in the preseason. The schedule also includes Sunday night and Thursday night appearances. The Browns have not been on Monday Night Football since 2003 and have played in prime time only four times since then.
Braylon Edwards, who set the franchise record with 1,289 receiving yards last season, said the team likes being liked.
''It never felt good in the back of our minds that people didn't take us seriously,'' Edwards said in June. ''Let's be real: People took us as a homecoming game.
''Now for people to be leery of what we can do, it makes us feel good. It is going to make us prepare that much harder.''
Drawing the attention is an eighth-ranked offense led by quarterback Derek Anderson, who threw 29 touchdown passes in 2007, one off Brian Sipe's single-season mark. All eyes will be on Anderson, Edwards, tight end Kellen Winslow, the offensive line and running back Jamal Lewis to see how they handle the pressure.
Anderson knows the Browns will be a marked team.
''We did enough last season, teams aren't going to take us lightly,'' he said. ''Obviously, we have a goal in mind where we want to be, just keep pushing toward it and whatever it takes to work toward that.''
During training camp, it will be the progress of the defense that might be more telling in how far the Browns go. New defensive linemen Corey Williams (from Green Bay) and Shaun Rogers (from Detroit) must help improve a unit that ranked 30th against the run. Youngsters must emerge in the secondary that lost cornerbacks Leigh Bodden (in the Rogers trade) and Daven Holly (to a season-ending knee injury). Strong safety Sean Jones, a Pro Bowl-caliber talent starting his fifth season, must become a leader.
With its first two games against Dallas and Pittsburgh, 13-3 and 10-6 a year ago, respectively, Crennel's team must use its camp time to get sharp, which it failed to do in 2007. General Manager Phil Savage knows the situation will be different going into this season as a favorite.
''There's high expectations, but I think Romeo does a great job of keeping things on an even keel,'' Savage said. ''We have to approach it like we're going to be a good team, but we have to go out there and prove it. That's probably the biggest focus of our players right now.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Two weeks ago, crews from ESPN and the NFL Network spent hours scouting camera positions and familiarizing themselves with Cleveland Browns Stadium.
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