..BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Art Modell will be recognized Sunday by the team he moved to Baltimore.

The Cleveland Browns plan to have an ''appropriate recognition'' for the late Modell at the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Modell died Thursday at the age of 87 from natural causes. He remains a vilified figure in Ohio for moving the Browns to Maryland after the 1995 season.

Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis said plans have not yet been finalized, but the team will acknowledge Modell's death. Any tribute will likely take place before the opening kickoff.

''We're trying strike the right balance,'' Gulkis said Friday. ''We want to show respect and dignity for the Modell family, the community and the fans.''

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has requested that all its teams observe a moment of silence or other appropriate gesture in memory of Modell this week. The Ravens are staging a silent tribute to their former owner Saturday by placing his casket on the team's home field. The Lombardi Trophy presented to Modell after the Ravens' Super Bowl win in 2001 will be placed nearby.

Modell owned the Browns for 34 years. After he was unable to get Cleveland city leaders to build him a new stadium, he moved the team in 1996.

Gulkis did not say if the Browns will also hold a moment of silence for Modell. The team is being sensitive to both the passing of an innovative owner and the passion of Cleveland's rabid fans, many of whom have not forgiven Modell for moving the franchise.

Other Browns fans seem to be more sympathetic toward Modell.

''I know when they moved to Baltimore a lot of people were pretty hurt, especially considering as soon as they moved they won a Super Bowl,'' said Michael Stewart, 30, of Cleveland.

But Stewart has forgiven Modell.

''Sure, I have,'' he said. ''Everybody makes mistakes and it's his team, he can do what he wants with it.''

..

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I would hope fans in Cleveland would show their respect, as much as Art Modell thumbed his nose at that franchise relocating the Browns to Baltimore and renaming them as the Ravens.

I think they should skip the moment of silence. I big F U to Art,just like he gave the people of Cleveland.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Wishful thinking. It's an edict from the NFL. All home teams this weekend prior to kickoff will have this moment of silence.

Yeah,besides the franchise there now I'm sure is happy they moved.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

They should have the moment of silence in Baltimore no? If you cheated on your wife and left her for another woman would you expect her to grieve when you passed away. I'm sure there were some nice memories but in the long run the betrayal will always be a thorn in your memory of the person.

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If those in attendance in Cleveland (or, frankly, anywhere else) want to shit all over the moment of silence, good for them and I hope they do.

Art Modell died ... so what? Everyone dies, so that's not special. He didn't teach our nation's children to read or cure cancer, so what's the fuss about? Oh, he was rich and owned a football team? Whipped-shit. He was probably a dick for how he moved the team, but it was his and that's what people can do with their property - whatever they want.

But the whole 'moment of silence' gimmick before a football game can go suck a lemon. As if there's nothing more reverential than tens of thousands of people in attendance whose main purposes of being there in the first place are to yell and get soused taking a moment to not do either for a person that wouldn't have pissed in their collective mouths if their teeth were on fire. Kiss my balck ass.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Hank & DT,well said.
I thought most on here would go the other way. If it's somebody like George Halas,I understand a league silence. Modell in Baltimore is good enough for the silent moment.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

mmmmmmmmm....

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This is my signature...

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

If DT's shit looks that delicious then sign me up for the Human Centipede.

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Wow, even I think that's a sick reply ....


(but no .... picture a wide tootsie roll about the length of your forearm .... like Bobby Valentine, I'm generally one-and-done ... at worst, it's like the Dolphins offense, three-and-out)

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Everything looks better on a glass table,right Jack?

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

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OhhKayyCee

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Did they not hear how the "moment of silence" for Wirtz went? I can only guess how much more Modell is hated in Cleveland than Wirtz was in Chicago.

Excellent point. I forgot all about that.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I'd be surprised if Cleveland is the only place Modell gets booed. Even better is Cleveland's stadium won't just be filled with Browns fans, but Eagles fans too. The Iggles will boo just as loud, no way they show any of it on TV.

Let the record show that I'm very, very slightly ashamed of my earlier post.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I hope it does. Modell's a shitheel and the world's a better place without him in it.

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The Bulls haven't done anything wrong, and they're not going to do anything wrong.