Local Football Fans Split On Modell

<CENTER><H5><A HREF="http://forums.ibsys.com/viewmessages.cfm?sitekey=nn5&Forum=194&Topic=2279">Is It Time To Forgive Art Modell?</A></H5></CENTER><P> <B>RAVENNA, Ohio, Updated 8:28 p.m. EST January 15, 2001 --</B> The success of the old Cleveland Browns franchise is causing mixed emotions among football fans in northeast Ohio, NewsChannel5's Jonathan Costen reported.<P> <ibs_related> <div class="RelatedBox"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" border="0" align="left"> <tr><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr><td width="122" colspan="3"><img src="/images/structures/tabs/site_tab_storypage_video.gif" width="122" height="24" alt="Video" border="0"></td></tr> <tr><td bgcolor="#000000" width="1"><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0608/21560.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="" border="0"></td> <td width="120" bgcolor="#D3D3D3" valign="top"><font face="arial,verdana, sans-serif" size="1"> <A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2001/0116/419653.rm?usehostname&owner=nn5&site=nn5&app=page"><IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2001/0115/419641.jpg" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="90" ALT="Art Modell" BORDER="0"></A> Local football fans have mixed emotions about Art Modell's new-found success.<br> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0628/28172.gif" WIDTH="20" HEIGHT="9" BORDER="0" ALT="Video"><A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2001/0116/419653.rm?usehostname&owner=nn5&site=nn5&app=page">Mixed Emotions</a><br> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0628/28172.gif" WIDTH="20" HEIGHT="9" BORDER="0" ALT="Video"><A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2001/0116/419959.rm?usehostname&owner=nn5&site=nn5&app=page">Fans Still Hurting</a><br> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0628/28172.gif" WIDTH="20" HEIGHT="9" BORDER="0" ALT="Video"><A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2001/0116/419659.rm?usehostname&owner=nn5&site=nn5&app=page">Pluto Interview</a> </font></td><td bgcolor="#000000" width="1"><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0608/21560.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="" border="0"></td></tr> <tr><td width="122" colspan="3"><A HREF="/sh/news/stories/archive/nat-news-archive-20000328-232225.html" ><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0614/23137.gif" width="122" height="27" alt="" border="0" align="TOP"></A></td></tr> </tr></table></td></tr></table></div> </ibs_related> Five years after moving the Browns out of Cleveland, Art Modell's Baltimore Ravens are going to the Super Bowl -- something that he never could achieve in Cleveland.<P> In Ravenna, where the high school's nickname is also the Ravens, diehard Browns fans were split in their reactions to Modell's success.<P> "I can't stand that silly grin of Art Modell," Browns fan Dottie Davis said. "It sickens me. I don't want stupid Art Modell up there getting the trophy."<P> "It's only too bad they're going to the Super Bowl under the name of the Ravens," Ravenna restaurant owner Guido Cipriano said. "It should have been the Browns."<P> Cipriano said that Browns fans shouldn't hate Modell; rather, they should hate the art of the business.<P> "There were certain things done in Cleveland that we don't know about," Cipriano said. "You have to figure everything's done for a reason. I feel he had the right reason to do it."<P> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2001/0116/419646.jpg" WIDTH="170" HEIGHT="115" ALT="Ravens caps" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="5" BORDER="0"> Not too far down from Cipriano's restaurant is Jim Hunt's sporting goods store. Hunt sells plenty of Browns gear, and even has Ravens merchandise -- Ravenna Ravens, that is.<P> Hunt was surprised to find out that he actually had a few dusty Baltimore Ravens caps on display.<P> "Cleveland Browns stuff will sell all year whether the Browns are winning or they're losing," Hunt said. "Browns fans stick with their team."<P> Ellet High School football coach Bob Clark said that he is not spewing venom about Modell's success, and said that Ozzie Newsome has played a large role in Baltimore's success.<P> "I think Ozzie Newsome has always been well liked around here, and he's made good decisions," Clark said. "They've become good with Ozzie Newsome making personnel decisions, and their coach is a good coach."