Westminster, Md. -- Looking back on it now, Orlando Brown is thankful he pushed referee Jeff Triplette to the ground Dec. 19, 1999.
Yes, thankful.
Had it not happened, Brown knows he would not be standing here on the Baltimore Ravens' training camp practice field, dripping with sweat on a steamy summer morning and treasuring the moment.
The former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle set off a controversy when he decked Triplette, who had accidentally thrown his penalty flag into Brown's right eye. The incident led to Brown being suspended by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, prompted enraged fans to send letters threatening to kill his children, and earned the once popular lineman nearly universal condemnation.
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Yes, thankful.
Had it not happened, Brown knows he would not be standing here on the Baltimore Ravens' training camp practice field, dripping with sweat on a steamy summer morning and treasuring the moment.
The former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle set off a controversy when he decked Triplette, who had accidentally thrown his penalty flag into Brown's right eye. The incident led to Brown being suspended by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, prompted enraged fans to send letters threatening to kill his children, and earned the once popular lineman nearly universal condemnation.
more