5-15-01, 6:30 p.m.
Update: 5-15-01, 7:10 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Bengals' Power Packs ticket packages for the 2001 season go on sale Wednesday, featuring a Create-A-Pack option for fans at Paul Brown Stadium.
Tickets are available in several different sections and price levels at 513-621-TDTD. Orders can be placed with Visa or MasterCard. All Pack buyers have the option to purchase tickets for any home playoff game before they are made available to the public.
The Packs include a 10-game package for every home game with prices at $350, $400, and $500.
There are two two-game Power Packs where the seats are $70, $80 and $100. Power Pack A includes the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against the Patriots and the Oct. 14 game against Cleveland. Power Pack B features the Titans Nov. 18 and the Steelers Dec. 30.
Create-a-Packs allows fans to pick two of the other six home games to create their own package. Those games include the two 7:30 p.m. preseason games, Aug. 25 against Buffalo and Aug. 30 against the Colts.
There's also Sept. 23 against Super Bowl champion Baltimore, Oct. 21 vs. the Bears, Dec. 2 against Tampa Bay and Dec. 9 vs. Jacksonville.
All regular-season games are 1 p.m.
INJURY UPDATE: Quarterback Akili Smith shut down his throwing Tuesday after some pain flared up in the back of his shoulder when he tried throwing longer than 10 yards.
But the fact he could throw 10-yard routes or less with some zip had Smith encouraged the small bout of tendinitis in his rotator cuff is close to going away.
"They wanted me to be limited and only to throw if there was no pain," Smith said. "Tomorrow I'll try to stretch it out a little more and see how it feels.". . .
Running back Michael Basnight is getting a second opinion on a small cartilage tear in his knee. . . Running back Brandon Bennett (lower back) is doing individual work and should return next week. . .Fullback Clif Groce is hoping he'll be cleared to practice as early as Wednesday with the sprained knee that's hobbled him since last season. . .RT Jamain Stephens has a sprained ankle and could be back to full go next week. . . The voluntary workouts run Tuesday through Friday this week, Monday through Thursday next week, and Tuesday through Thursday the last week of May.
