Sunday, October 10, 1999Bengals vs. Browns: Let the rivalry resume
First meeting since 1995
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerCall it “The Lost Battle of Ohio.” The new Cleveland Browns and the same old Cincinnati Bengals meet for the first time today in the first game the franchises have played when both are winless.
That's not including five season openers of the 51 games between the two since they first played nearly 29 years to the day on Oct. 11, 1970.
But their 0-4 records and the matchup between rookie quarterbacks Akili Smith of the Bengals and Tim Couch of the Browns have given the rivalry that old-time spice of Paul Brown and Art Modell as Smith prepares for his first NFL start in the hostility of Cleveland's new 73,200-seat stadium.
Bengals cornerback Artrell Hawkins doesn't want the Browns “to have champagne and smoke cigars,” in claiming their first victory since Modell fled with the original Browns to Baltimore after beating Cincinnati Dec. 17, 1995.
“We don't want to look back in the history books and see that their first victory came against the Cincinnati Bengals,” Hawkins said. “We cannot lose. If we come back 0-5 and they're 1-4, it won't be good for the organization, the players. We could come back 5-5 and everyone will say, "But they lost to the Browns. The Browns are an expansion team.'”
The original 1960s storyline of Bengals founder Paul Brown coming south to start his own team after a Hall-of-Fame coaching career in Cleveland with the team bear ing his name has morphed into a vintage 1990s theme.
Smith resents the Browns for not drafting him No. 1 overall, believing Cleveland used him in pre-draft negotiations to hammer out a deal with Couch.
“Maybe these guys will play against each other 30 times,” said Bengals President Mike Brown, Paul's son. “It could be the start of a long rivalry.”
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