Thursday, August 12, 1999
Browns could christen Bengals' new stadium
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Bengals President Mike Brown doesn't like to lobby. So he'll be pleased to know that NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Wednesday the league is considering having the Bengals open Paul Brown Stadium against the Cleveland Browns.
“It's one of the possibilities we're looking at,” Tagliabue said of the tentatively scheduled Sept.3, 2000, opener. Later in the day at a news conference, Tagliabue tied the reincarnation of the Browns this past weekend to the Paul Brown tradition that formed the Browns and Bengals and spawned an AFC Central rivalry.
“It's up to the league, and they know that my dad started both teams and we're both Ohio teams that have all these ties,” Mike Brown said. “It's hard to pick an opponent that would be better to open the new stadium with than the Browns. (The NFL) doesn't need to hear it from me. If they know, that's all that has to be.”
Mike Brown made sure he watched the Browns' exhibition opener Monday night.
“Cleveland deserves them, and the Bengals are better off because of them,” he said.
He also liked the looks of Browns rookie quarterback Tim Couch, whom the Browns chose instead of Akili Smith, the Bengals' unsigned rookie quarterback.
“Couch was extraordinary,” Brown said. “For a rookie to look as good as (Dallas quarterback Troy) Aikman is saying something. Someone told me these good quarterbacks come in bunches. I hope that's true.”
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