Brown Looks Back at Turbulent Years

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) â€” In 13 years with the Oakland Raiders, wide receiver Tim Brown has been steady, working hard and putting up numbers. <br><br>The 1987 Heisman Trophy winner out of Notre Dame is

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) â€” In 13 years with the Oakland Raiders, wide receiver Tim Brown has been steady, working hard and putting up numbers.

The 1987 Heisman Trophy winner out of Notre Dame is finally seeing his efforts, and his allegiance, pay off.

``I've tried to keep the same attitude I had 10 years ago, and that's work hard, work hard, work hard,'' he said Monday as the Raiders (13-4) prepared to play the Baltimore Ravens (14-4) in the AFC title game on Sunday. ``I think my numbers over the years will prove that.''

As usual, Brown has been productive all season. He has caught 11 touchdown passes, the most of his career. Overall, he finished the regular season with 76 catches for 1,128 yards.

During training camp, the Raiders picked up receiver Andre Rison after he was let go by the Kansas City Chiefs.

There were questions about how Rison would fit in with the team. The Raiders already had their starters, Brown and the speedy James Jett.

But Rison has meshed well with the offensive scheme, and rather than seeing his numbers go down because of the extra pair of hands, Brown has been part of a more comprehensive offensive attack.

Rison, who follows Brown with six touchdown receptions, has nothing but praise for his colleague: ``He's going to finish right up there in the top four or five of all time.''

It wasn't always easy for Brown. After the Raiders went 8-8 in 1995 and 7-9 in 1996, they fell to a dismal 4-12.

``It's like with anything in life. Sometimes you've got to hit rock bottom before you realize you've got to make changes,'' he said. ``And I think that was our situation then.''

Despite the turmoil on the team, Brown kept working. He had a career-high 104 catches for 1,408 yards in 1997.

``No matter what my stance has been against the organization, I've always tried to go out and play football, and not get so involved that I couldn't do that,'' he said.

The Raiders brought in head coach Jon Gruden, who has steadily brought the team to this point in his third season.

``When Gruden came in, it was totally different. That was the first thing that I realized, that if he could get his offense in, the West Coast offense, things would be a little different,'' Brown said. ``For him to be able to â€” the first day â€” install that offense, meant to me that things were changing.''

After last season, Brown could have exercised a clause in his contract allowing him to become a free agent. It was believed he might try to head back to his home state of Texas and join the Dallas Cowboys.

Instead, he decided to see it through with the Raiders and Gruden.

``Before, I never worried about the team we were playing, I was worried about ourselves, and were we going to be ready to play, and what would happen on the morning of game day to upset it,'' he said. ``We just haven't had that situation in the past three years.''

The Raiders have not been to the AFC championship game since 1990, when they lost at Buffalo.

Brown would love to go to the Super Bowl in his career. He went as an observer his rookie season.

``I promised myself I wouldn't go back unless I was playing,'' he said.