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Browns gain German flavor
By Jeff Walcoff, Staff Writer
August 3, 2006
Romeo Crennel Press Conference 8-3-06
Ulrich Winkler
Photo By John H. Reid III
Get ready, Browns fans. Oktoberfest has arrived early in Cleveland.
Defensive lineman Ulrich Winkler, a native of Munich, Germany and two-year veteran of NFL Europe, will spend the season on the Browns' practice squad as part of the NFL International Development Practice Squad program.
The three-year-old program provides two divisions in the NFL with an extra practice squad slot to be filled by an international player.
This year, each team in the AFC North and the NFC East will carry an NFL Europe veteran on their practice squad for the duration of the season.
The Browns asked for a defensive lineman and were awarded Winkler.
Winkler said he was enthralled when he was told he'd be one of the lucky eight to make the trip to the States for the 2006 NFL Season.
"I heard during the (NFL Europe) season I may be one of the prospects, but they said they were still going to decide after the season," he said. "So I really had to go full speed every game so I could be sure I was going to be over here.
"It was a long waiting time. I was pretty nervous. But I was so happy when I found out. I couldn't believe it until I was on the flight to come over here."
Winkler arrived in Cleveland earlier than many of his Browns teammates to get acclimated to the time and weather (he said it's much hotter in Cleveland than it would be in Germany this time of year), and to prepare to pass the club's conditioning test.
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This sounds like a pretty cool thing that the NFL is doing.. Hopefully it will successfully expand football around the world and gain more worldwide interest..
