Evening star., 1950-12-22
Even Coach Appears
Less Pessimistic on
Arrival for PIayoff
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

CLEVELAND, Dec. %. The
Los Angeles Rams sampled Ohio
weather today and declared it
was fine" for their game Sun
day against the Browns for the
National Football League cham
pionship.
AS they reached downtown
Cleveland after an early morning
trip from the airport, the tenn
perature was 80 degrees and that
was warmer than it had been all
of yesterday. according to the
Weather Bureau.
Coach Joe Stydahar declared
that if the mercury stayed where
it was, everything would be 20. K"
He added that his team had
brought along basketball shoes for
better traction just in case the
turf at Municipal Stadium stays
frozen until game time.
They've Had Experience.
Stydahar said he did not think
the Rams would suffer too much
from inexperience even If the field
remains solid.
After all. We did play one
game in the cold at Chicago this
year and lost" he explained,
He seemed to think that provided
the experience necessary.
Coach Paul Brown continued
to groom his squad for a hard
turf. The Browns have found
that a cement" field handicaps
their aerial attack, making it
harder for the passer to get his
feet set and for receivers to
dodge defensive backs.
If cold does interfere with
passing, the Rams probably would
suffer more than the Browns.
Quarterback Bob Waterfield and
Norm Van Brocklin pitched to 80
touchdowns while the Rams piled
up 490 points in 13 games.
Otto Graham. Cleveland's quar-
terback, has thrown for only 13
touchdowns this season and his
sub, Cliff Lewis, has accounted for
only one more siX-pointer that
way. The rest of the Browns 318
points came on touchdown runs
and field goals and conversions by
Lou Groza.
No Weather Prediction.
At the Weather Bureau, the
forecaster would make no predic-
ton yet about Sunday tempera-
lures. The high today is expected
to be 38 degrees and there prob
ably will be some rain and snow
tomorrow. mixed with about the
same mercury reading, he added.
The forecaster said he had been
getting numerous telephone calls
from Browns fans, but that it
would be another "a hours before
the bureau would predict game
conditions.
When the Rams beat the Chi
cago Bears in last Sundays play
off, the temperature in Los An
geies was 90 degrees.
Although the Rams were not
dismayed by the cold, they did
express some concern about the
number of fans who would defy
the weather Predictions are that
between $4,000 and 10000 will be
there. The players on the two
teams share in the gate receipts,
OF course. as do members of the
second-place teams in each league
division, the Bears and the New
York Giants.
Before arriving here, Coach
Stydahar had been much more
gloomy in discussing the Rams
chances. He was quoted as saying
the Browns should be 14-point
favorites instead of three and also
complained about injuries re-
ceived in the bitter battle with
the Bears.
Both Complain of Injuries.
Stydahar says the Bears
manned his kids" as follows:
Fullback Paul Younger possible
shoulder separation); Halfbacks
Elroy Cray Legs Hirsch and
Jerry Williams (charley horses:
End Tom Fears (slight eye infec-
tion from black eye); Halfback
Paul Berry Chit in the throat. he
can't TALK.
In addition, Quarterback Wa
terf1eld still has a virus infection,
which he also had before the
Bears game.
Brown can show where End
George Young, Guard Lin Hous-
ton, Halfback Rex Bumgardner
and Fullback Tony Adamle
haven't been able to practice this
week. They've spent their time