You’ve got to be careful. Don’t junk that old car before the new one is delivered. Don’t dis the old girlfriend before you’re sure the new girl will go out with you. Don’t move out of the old house until the utilities are turned on in the new one.

And don’t boo the old quarterback unless you’re sure the new one can play.

Cleveland Browns “fans” will have to swallow their taunts of Tim Couch this weekend because he is about the only game in town.

A few of those at the Sunday night game against the Ravens showed the same class that resulted in a bottle barrage last season.

Couch was shaken up when he was hit by four Ravens players while recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter. As he lay there with a concussion, cheers came from the stands.

Granted there is a little element of the gladiatorial in football, but for spectators to cheer at a player’s injury is less than human. No matter what uniform the player wears.

Couch heard the boos and the cheers and knew what they meant.

In a Monday press conference he pointed out, correctly, that fans have a right to boo him or boo the team when they are not performing up to expectations. But Couch pointed out, also correctly, that to cheer an injury is “a whole other level.”

A lower level.

So Kelly Holcomb came into the game, threw a couple of touchdown passes and was driving the team toward what would probably have been a winning score when he was intercepted and the game was over, the hated Ravens beating the Browns 26-21.

After a Ravens lineman rolled over his leg, Holcomb hobbled to the line for the last few downs. As it turns out, he was playing on a broken leg.

Clinically, he suffered a hairline fracture of the lateral tibial plateau (shinbone) and a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Holcomb is expected to be unavailable for at least two weeks.

So, Browns hecklers. What do you do now? Won’t you be ashamed to expect Tim Couch to take the field and fight your battle for you Sunday? You should be.

Not that the substitution was wrong. On the one hand, Couch was Butch Davis’ starter … and you stick with your starter. But on the other hand, in 50 minutes of playing time, Couch was 16 of 26 for 216 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Holcomb, playing for ten minutes, was 13 of 23 for 180 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Something for Butch Davis to think about.

In the two games he started for the Browns while Couch was recovering from a sore elbow, Holcomb completed 44 of 69 passes for 524 yards, five touchdowns and no … that’s NO … interceptions.

Have you noticed? Heidelberg sports teams once again are the Student Princes. Heidelberg President James Getz reportedly told the alumni banquet a few weeks ago that the ‘Berg nickname was being discarded in favor of a return to the unique Student Princes.

Good move.