Friday, December 10, 1999Couch, Edwards set for farewell party
BY TOM WITHERS
AP Sports WriterBEREA, Ohio — As a kid, Tim Couch went to Cinergy Field when a good opposing quarterback was in town to play Cincinnati. He wasn't really into the Bengals.
Still isn't.
This Sunday, Couch is the visiting team's star as the Cleveland Browns and Bengals play the final game in Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field, where the Ohio rivals have been banging helmets since 1970.
The teams have done this farewell-to-a-stadium-party thing before.
It's the second time in four years a Browns-Bengals game has been the football finale to a stadium that's past its prime.
On Dec. 17, 1995, Cincinnati became the last Browns' opponent forced to dodge flying dog biscuits when the Bengals played in the final game at old Cleveland Stadium.
Only weeks earlier, Cleveland owner Art Modell had announced he was moving the team to Baltimore, and as the final seconds ticked off in their 26-10 win, several Browns players consoled crying fans in the Dawg Pound.
There may be some tears on Sunday when Cincinnati says goodbye to an old friend.
“It's going to be a special atmosphere,” said Couch, the Browns rookie quarterback. “I'm sure they're going to have some of their former players there, so it's going to be a good atmosphere to play football. I'm sure it will be emotional.”
Couch did his part in making sure this week's game is a sellout.
The former Kentucky high school and college star figures he bought 20 tickets for family and friends planning to make the three-hour drive in from his hometown in Hyden, Ky. — population 350.
“I guess all of Hyden's going to be there,” Couch joked. “I played just an hour away at college and I'm sure there's going to be some old Kentucky fans there so it will feel a little like a home atmosphere.”
Couch said he attended only “three or four” Bengals home games while growing up. But he made sure they were good ones.
“I got to see (Dan) Marino play there, (Brett) Favre. I've seen Jim McMahon. I'd always wait until the good quarterbacks came to town and go over there and check out the game.”
Cleveland fullback Marc Edwards also grew up in the Cincinnati area. He has never played at Cinergy/Riverfront as a pro, but got to run around on the field while playing Pee Wee ball as a kid.
Edwards, like Couch, understands that Sunday's game will be a little more important than the average Bengals-Browns tilt.
“It's going to be a big event, no doubt,” he said.
Edwards knew he would be overwhelmed by ticket requests once people realized this would by Cinergy's swan song. There was only one way to handle it, he said.
“I told them,” Edwards said, “'You're all on your own.”'
Cincinnati kicker Doug Pelphrey said the Bengals want to close their home field properly — with a win.
“We want to do to them what they did to us in Cleveland,” he said.
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