CLEVELAND, OHIO -- The Cleveland Browns have named Jamel White as one of three offensive team captains for the 2002-03 season. The Browns also selected two defensive captains and two special team captains, according to an article released today by the Cleveland Browns web site (www.clevelandbrowns.com)

Team captains were selected in a players only vote and included: Offense -- Tim Couch, Jamel White and Ryan Tucker; Defense -- Kenard Lang and Robert Griffith; and Special Teams -- Brant Boyer and Chris Akins.

Parts of the article by Zac Jackson of www.clevelandbrowns.com follows:

What Butch Davis said about the team captains:

"On the results: 'I won't say there was any surprise. It was out of respect, and it comes from watching guys practice and prepare. They don't vote on who's the best player. You look at who you think truly represents a leader and a captain.'"

"On White: 'I think (being elected captain) is respect. I can't speak for anybody else in the National Football League, but I can't envision anyone working any harder than Jamel White. He comes in at 5 o'clock in the morning. First guy in, last guy to leave. He's always watching film, always lifting, always helping his teammates. He's always had unbelievable practice habits. In his article, Jackson said: "I had a great conversation with Jamel earlier this week about the state of the team, his state of mind, and his work habits. We didn't talk much about leadership but we talked a lot about confidence, gaining momentum, and what it takes to 'set the tone' during a week of practice.

"'Honestly, my confidence starts on Sunday night,' he told me. 'Win or lose, you have to get ready for the next game. This is the NFL. I get into the tape and get ready for who we play next.'

"When he says, 'you have to get ready' he doesn't mean starting Monday morning. He means ASAP, as in take an hour to eat and chill, then get right back into game mode. And he's serious.

"'Home or away, Jamel comes in on Sunday night after games and watches the film,' Davis told Jackson. 'Our players see the commitment he has made and they respect that.'

Jackson continued: "Put it this way. I roll into my foxhole here at Browns Headquarters on Tuesday, the players' day off, at about 10am. I have a slight limp from an old knee injury (high school JV basketball), baggy eyes from watching Monday Night Football (they start the fourth quarter around 1:30am), and a bad attitude stemming from another tough video game loss (Chris Simms can't win the big one, even on the Playstation).

"To make a long story short, by the time I wakeup, Jamel has already been at it for two hours. In at 8am and out by 2pm, he's nonstop football. That's six hours on HIS DAY OFF, with the majority of it spent in the film room.

"You watch the other team, you look at tendencies, then you go back and look at some of the things you did," he said. "A big thing for me is don't make the same mistake twice. You pick up things on the film and you feel prepared, and that's a good way to build confidence.

"Even on Tuesday.

"'You want gym rats,' Davis told Jackson. 'When you get a significant, committed group of people like that, they won't be denied.'"