Brown hopes for successful comeback with Ravens

[The_Philster]

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (May 10, 2003 3:54 p.m. EDT) - As the sweat poured from his body, Orlando Brown would grit his teeth in anger.

Brown was used to spending autumn Sunday afternoons banging helmets with burly defensive linemen. Yet here he was, riding a stationary bicycle watching people he knew playing the game that he loved.

All the while, Brown never doubted for a moment that he would one day return to the NFL.

"All the time," he said, "I kept telling myself, 'I'll be back."'

The man known as "Zeus" is finally playing again, eager to make up for three years worth of lost time. Working with the Baltimore Ravens this weekend at minicamp, Brown has taken the first step in his return from an eye injury that occurred when he was struck in the eye by an errantly tossed penalty flag in December 1999....
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[The_Philster]

Being out of football for three years hasn't mellowed Orlando Brown.

Unfortunately for the Ravens' defensive front, the time off caused by a bizarre eye injury only focused his nasty streak.

The day before minicamp began, there was the Ravens' eager offensive tackle riding the exercise bike with his helmet already strapped on. Then, on the morning of the first practice, Brown anon-bigoted three times before staying up at 6:30 to watch old film.

So, it's not surprising that one of the NFL's most renowned brawlers got his hands dirty before the opening play. Jumping offside before the first snap of team drills, Brown plowed unsuspecting defensive end Tony Weaver 5 yards backward, proving that the bully on the right side of the block is back.

"I don't feel like a rookie again, but I feel young though, like I got a bunch of energy to let loose," Brown said. "I got a lot of stuff built up. I can't let it all out today because they might think I'm crazy....
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