By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist
CLEVELAND: Soon-to-be Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III made good on another promise Friday night.
As the Browns hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, Haslam found a prime spot in the center of the Dawg Pound at Cleveland Browns Stadium, entrenching himself eight rows up for part of the first half.
At his introductory news conference Aug. 3, Haslam vowed to mingle with the masses at Browns family night during training camp and to sit in the stands for a preseason game.
Besieged by fans, Haslam didn’t see much of the action, posing for photos and signing autographs. Haslam wore a brown polo shirt with the team logo and slacks.
President and CEO of Pilot Flying J truck stops, Haslam is awaiting league approval of his purchase of the Browns from Randy Lerner. Interviewed by Jim Donovan of WKYC (Channel 3) during the third quarter, Haslam said he had been told the vote will come during the scheduled owners’ meeting in mid-October.
Haslam is paying about $1 billion. Lerner has already moved back to New York.
Asked his impressions on the state of the roster, Haslam said on WKYC, “If you look, we have a chance to start six rookies day one, I think that says a lot about the type of talent we’re accumulating. There’s been a huge turnover in the roster. I think we went from the second-oldest team in the league two or three years ago to now the second youngest.
“It’s going to take a little time. We’re in this for the long run. We’re not going to knee-jerk, we’re going to hang with it, we’re going to build through the draft. Hopefully in two or three years we’ll have the kind of talent, the kind of team the Philadelphia Eagles do.”
During pregame warm-ups, Haslam spent a lengthy time on the field talking to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Haslam also planned to accept an invitation to pick the brain of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Haslam and Browns President Mike Holmgren also spoke to Eagles coach Andy Reid, a close friend of Holmgren’s.
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