Baltimore Browns? Stay Tuned

The Maryland Stadium Authority is negotiating with several teams to bring an NFL team to Baltimore.

“I think the negotiations are serious,” state Sen. John Pica, whose district includes the stadium site, said Thursday.

At the Browns’ complex in Berea, Ohio, owner Art Modell was evasive when asked about the Baltimore talks.

“I don’t want to get into that,” he said. “Let the Baltimore people talk about that. Maybe, maybe not, I don’t know.”

“It disturbs me when somebody called me at 6:45 this morning. It sure as hell did,” Modell said to the Cleveland media.

Another reporter asked, “Was it a local or long-distance call?”

And Modell said, “What made me so angry was that it was collect.”

The negotiations came to light shortly before a vote next Tuesday in Cleveland on a tax to renovate the Browns stadium in Cleveland.

WBAL-TV in Baltimore reported the Browns have made a handshake deal to move to Baltimore.

The station also reported NFL owners plan to vote next week to guarantee Baltimore a team, even though John Moag, chairman of the stadium authority, has asked that the vote be delayed. However, the NFL would guarantee a team, but only one hand-picked by the league.

Instead of the Browns, one of five other teams, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Seattle or New England, could be moved to Baltimore, WBAL-TV reported.

Cowboy ready to fill in

Cowboys coach Barry Switzer said he is uncertain whether defensive tackle Leon Lett and cornerback Clayton Holmes will play against Philadelphia after they missed practice for the second consecutive day.

Chad Hennings would replace Lett, a Pro Bowl right tackle, and Robert Bailey would take over for Holmes in the third-down defense when the Cowboys and Eagles meet Monday night at Texas Stadium. Those chances seem to be increasing as Lett and Holmes confront possible suspensions and fines from the NFL for apparent violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy, a team source has said.

Switzer let them skip Thursday’s practice to resolve undisclosed personal problems. Lett and Holmes have not reported to the Cowboys’ training facility since a report Monday said they could be suspended for as many as six weeks.

Young remains questionable

Steve Young did not throw at practice, heightening the possibility the San Francisco 49ers quarterback will miss this weekend’s game against Carolina.

Coach George Seifert said Young’s bruised left shoulder - hurt against Indianapolis Oct. 15 - felt sore after workouts Wednesday, the first time he had thrown since being hurt.

“It wasn’t 100 percent,” Young said.

He underwent diagnostic tests and watched drills while wearing sweat clothes and a baseball cap. Young wouldn’t comment as he jogged off the field.

Young tossed about 100 footballs in warmups and workouts Wednesday and seemed less optimistic about his chances of playing Sunday. Original estimates called for him to be out four weeks, including the Nov. 12 game at Dallas.

Discrimination lawsuit filed

A second woman has filed a complaint accusing the Green Bay Packers’ official newspaper of sex discrimination.

Sheri Tanner, former publisher of Packer Report, filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations saying she was sexually harassed and the victim of retaliation for defending the woman editor who claims to have been fired because of her sex.

Former Packer Report editor Beth Zeise contended she was fired because a male editor was wanted “from an image standpoint.” A state investigator found probable cause Oct. 6 that Zeise was discriminated against and has ordered a hearing.