Cleveland Browns fans with internet access will have a chance to help choose the next class of Cleveland Browns Legends this fall. According to Zac Jackson, writing on the Browns website, http://www.clevelandbrowns.com, the selections will be made by a combination of fan voting and a panel of Browns and NFL wheels.
One selection will be made from each of three eras. Here is the list of finalists this season.
From the 1940’s and ‘50’s, Bob Gain, Walt Michaels, Tommy James, Mac Speedie, Warren Lahr, Dub Jones, Tony Adamle, Vince Costello, Lin Houston and Abe Gibron.
The ‘60’ and ‘70’s group includes Gary Collins, Doug Dieken, Jerry Sherk, Don Cockroft, Jim Houston, Dick Schafrath, Paul Wiggin, John Wooten and Walter Johnson.
From the 80’s and 90’s the finalists are Hanford Dixon, Frank Minnifield, Kevin Mack, Clay Matthews, Eddie Johnson, Mike Pruitt, Cody Risien, Earnest Byner, Bob Golic and Brian Brennan.
The fan voting will take place on the Browns website from July 18th to August 16th. The selections will be announced on the website on August 22nd and the induction ceremonies will take place October 20th, at halftime of the Browns’ game against the Houston Texans.
Jackson says the Class of 2002 will join the 2001 Legends Class plus the 14 former Browns who are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. HOF members are automatically inducted into the Legends program.
Last year’s Legends selected were Ray Renfro from the 40’s and 50’s, Gene Hickerson of the 60’s, Greg Pruitt from the 70’s, Bernie Kosar of the 80’s and Michael Dean Perry from the 90’s.
The Browns’ Legends are noted in several areas around Cleveland Browns Stadium. Members of the panel who will augment the fan voting include Dino Lucarelli, who is chairman of the panel and the Browns Manager of Alumni Relations, Reggie Rucker, vice-chairman of the panel and Alumni Liaison, Jim Donovan of WKYC-TV, Hal Lebovits of theNews Herald, Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Terry Pluto of the Akron Beacon Journal, Steve Sabol, who is president of NFL Films, Joe Horrigan of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Casey Coleman of WTAM Radio.
See whom you’d pick. My vote would go to Walt Michaels, Don Cockroft and Clay Matthews.
If you think the recent scandals from the world of corporate finance do not affect the world of sports, think again. Bruce Martin of espn.com news services, notes that the apparent creative accounting by WorldCom could have lasting affects on motorsports.
The reason is that WorldCom has been heavily involved in racing sponsorships over the years. Martin says that auto racing has been one of the firm’s most active sponsorship areas.
No surprise there, really, since money is what it’s all about. They formerly sponsored an IRL car for Mark Dismore, Mo Nunn Racing of CART has a sponsorship program with them and the media center at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is named after the company, with its logos perched proudly on top. You don’t get that by being the first to ask … you pay for it.
Last year WorldCom signed a long-term contract with the IMS for naming rights at the media center. Speedway spokesman Fred Nation said that the telecommunications giant has already paid its bill on the contract for this year.
Some tracks on the CART, IRL and NASCAR circuits also have sponsorship agreements with WorldCom. Last week, the company admitted to inflating its profits by a paltry $3.9 billion (b) dollars.
Tony George, president and CEO of IMS, as well as the IRL, has not decided to emulate the owner of the Houston Astros baseball team. He paid Enron to take its name off the ballpark where the Astros play their home games.
George said it is his understanding that WorldCom has about $35 million dollars in sports sponsorships and that only about $5 million of that is in racing.