Browns fans, players excited as camp begins because they believe season’s great expectations are justified
Scott Petrak | The Chronicle-Telegram
BEREA — The fans, decked out in their best orange, brown and white jerseys, hurried down the quiet suburban street more than an hour before practice.
Andra Davis went through linebackers drills.
General manager Phil Savage hugged owner Randy Lerner, then watched the action from between the practice fields.
The routine may have been the same, but the first day of Browns training camp 2008 had a different feel: One of anticipation and excitement.
“Since I was a little kid it hasn’t been like this,” Brook Park’s Dave Spoerke, 29, said in his ‘I hate the Steelers’ T-shirt. “It can’t be after losing seasons.”
The fans, who weren’t scared away by raindrops or a low-hanging black cloud that made the summer day feel like a fall football Friday, weren’t the only ones who noticed the positive vibe surrounding team headquarters.
“We don’t have the circus atmosphere, crisis management, No. 1 picks holding out,” Savage said as camp opened at exactly 3:30 p.m. with a half-speed sprint from sideline to sideline. “I feel like our feet are on the ground.”
But they’re reaching for the stars.
“It means something to be a Cleveland Brown again,” Savage said. “It means something to the city. It’s important.
“For first time in awhile, there are some expectations. It’s exciting.”
The excitement has little to do with the Indians being in last place. It has everything to do with a 10-6 record last year, the key components returning on an offense that ranked eighth in the league in scoring with 402 points, a settled situation at quarterback and the makeover of the defensive line with trades for Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams.
“The team’s still hungry, because they realize that we didn’t make the playoffs and they want to make the playoffs,” said coach Romeo Crennel, entering his fourth season on the job. “They’re going to work hard to try to make it happen.”
Vibes and feelings are hard to quantify. Expectations are more tangible — and they’re high for the Browns.
National media are predicting the first trip to the playoffs since 2002, and the players, coaches and front office aren’t afraid to think big.
“Everybody expects a lot from us because of what we did last year,” Crennel said. “I told the players we’re going to embrace that.
“Around here for a long time, there were no expectations. We’re glad that people have some confidence in us and want to see us do good. We’re going to try to prove worthy of those expectations.”
Davis has been around for too much of the losing. He was a rookie in the one-and-done playoff year of 2002, then lost 45 of the next 64 games.
He’s ready for a change.
“It definitely has a different feel,” he said. “Everybody is optimistic about the season.
“We gladly embrace those expectations. We expect a lot of ourselves also. We know the type of team we have. We know we’ve got a lot of talent.”
The Browns had just one Pro Bowler (Jamir Miller) from 1999-2006. They had six last year.
Running back Jamal Lewis wasn’t one of the six, but could’ve been after rushing for 1,304 yards, 4.4 yards a carry and nine touchdowns. He won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 and knows what it takes.
“Hard work,” he said. “We know what we need to do.
“The coaching staff humbles us.”
Crennel has five Super Bowl rings and knows how a contender looks and acts at the beginning of training camp. The Browns exhibited some of those qualities.
“There’s more confidence on the team,” he said. “All the guys are anxious for training camp to get started. A lot of times guys don’t want training camp to get started.
“It’s a good confidence, particularly if it can make you play better.”
Savage said this camp also varies from what had been the norm because most of the roster spots are set and position battles are few — although he will look to add a veteran cornerback. He said the focus is being prepared for the opener Sept. 7 against Dallas and the five prime-time games that follow, starting with a Week 2 Sunday nighter versus Pittsburgh.
“That’s what we’re going to be judged on,” Savage said.
But Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jerry Jones and the rest of the Cowboys are still six weeks away. That’s too long to ask the rabid fans to remain patient.
So the “Super Bowl, Super Bowl” chant started a half-hour into practice. It was followed quickly by a derogatory chant about Pittsburgh.
OK, maybe some things never change.
Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Scott Petrak | The Chronicle-Telegram July 24th, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 7% |
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