BRIEFLY : BROWNS PICK PALMER.

Byline: -Daily News Wire Services

The Browns were first brought into the NFL nearly 50 years ago by a quiet, cerebral, tough coach named Paul Brown. Cleveland makes its return to the league led by a man with those same traits.

Chris Palmer, offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars the past two seasons and a long shot for the Cleveland job just a week ago, was hired as the Browns' coach Thursday.

Palmer, 49, is the ninth full-time coach of the Browns, who are returning to the NFL next season as an expansion team following a three-year absence. Former owner Art Modell took the old team to Baltimore.

Atlanta cornerback Ray Buchanan, doing his best impression of Joe Namath, guaranteed the Falcons will beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl: ``What the heck, it's not going to hurt me: I guarantee a win.'' Namath made a similar guarantee prior to the 1969 title game, then backed it up by leading the New York Jets to a 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts.

HOCKEY: Mike Milbury resigned as the New York Islanders' coach for the second time in two years, saying his players were quitting on him the way they did former coach Rick Bowness last season. Milbury, who signed a five-year coaching contract only last May, will stay on as general manager but will be replaced as coach by former assistant Bill Stewart.

OLYMPICS: The International Olympic Committee executive board, gathering in London for perhaps the most important weekend in the history of the 105-year-old institution, on Saturday will begin hearing the defenses of as many as 16 committee members accused of accepting bribes during Salt Lake City's campaign for the 2002 Games.

The IOC vice president apologized for the worst corruption scandal in Olympics history. Dick Pound, a Canadian member of the IOC and the body's top investigator, said the affair had left the committee ``profoundly disappointed'' and he apologized to fans, athletes and the people of Salt Lake City for the problems.

SKIING: A terrifying crash on the dangerous Streif course in Kitsbuehel, Austria, might have ended the career of Patrick Ortlieb of Austria, the former Olympic and world downhill champion. Ortlieb fractured his right thigh, dislocated his right hip and suffered neck bruises in a practice run.

In Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, Regine Cavagnoud scored her first career victory in a World Cup downhill, ending a 17-year drought by French women in the event. She edged Italian favorite Isolde Kostner - winner of the past three downhills in Cortina - by .14 seconds.

HORSE RACING: Churchill Downs strengthened its simulcasting network by signing an agreement to purchase Calder Race Course in South Florida for $86 million. The deal is part of Churchill Downs' effort to expand its live thoroughbred racing operations. Based in Louisville, home of the company's flagship track, Churchill Downs also operates tracks in Henderson, Ky., and Anderson, Ind., and holds a minority interest in a track in Franklin, Ky.

BOXING: A May 19 trial date has been set for a lawsuit claiming boxer Mike Tyson owes a former co-manager 10 percent of the proceeds of five fights, starting with Tyson's comeback victory over Francois Botha last Saturday. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charles W. McCoy Jr. rejected a motion to dismiss former co-manager John K. Horne's suit against the former heavyweight champion.

BASEBALL: Union head Donald Fehr had a clear response for owners who want an NBA-style salary cap: Forget it. ``Baseball players have historically behaved in very different ways than basketball players,'' he told the Sports Summit, an annual meeting of sports marketing and advertising executives.

The new owner of the Florida Marlins gave left fielder Cliff Floyd a big raise. Floyd, who was scheduled for arbitration next month, agreed to a $19 million, four-year contract. The deal was completed less than 48 hours after John Henry became the team's owner, succeeding H. Wayne Huizenga.

Jose Oquendo, 35, dubbed the ``Secret Weapon'' during his 11 seasons as an infielder with the St. Louis Cardinals, was hired as the team's bench coach.