Modell Wants Shula For One Job Or Another
Art Modell said Saturday he has spoken to Don Shula again since their initial conversation on Tuesday and now is “pretty well convinced” that the NFL’s all-time winningest coach does not want to return to the sidelines.
But the owner of Baltimore’s new NFL franchise also indicated Shula may be more intrigued by the possibility of assuming a much higher position in Modell’s organization.
A source close to Modell said Saturday the owner will continue to try to convince Shula to become his team’s chief operating officer who would ultimately hire a new coach and handle all aspects of the football operation. The source also indicated that if Shula does not want to coach the still-unnamed Baltimore team, Modell would be interested in talking to Ted Marchibroda.
Marchibroda said Friday he would not return to the Indianapolis Colts because of a contract dispute.
Salary cap less than expected
How well National Football League teams do in free agency is often determined by how well they spend their money and how well they can manipulate the salary cap. As if money wasn’t tight enough, the league office told clubs the new salary cap number this week and it didn’t make very many people happy.
The new cap is $38.773 million, up from last year’s $37.1-million figure but considerably less than what was expected. Many thought the figure would be at least $40 million. Some were projecting as much as $42 million.
No money for Super Bowl
The 1999 Super Bowl may have to be held elsewhere because the city of San Francisco doesn’t have the $26 million needed for Candlestick Park upgrades, the mayor said.
In a worst-case scenario, “San Francisco may lose the Super Bowl, period,” Mayor Willie Brown said.
San Francisco 49ers president Carmen Policy, along with Brown, has suggested the NFL postpone San Francisco’s Super Bowl in light of the team’s attempt to develop a new stadium proposal.
Rice impressive at combine
Simeon Rice, regarded as one of the top pass rushers available in this year’s college draft, already is impressing the NFL scouts.
The 6-foot-5, 259-pound linebacker at Illinois, projected to go among the top picks in the April 20-21 draft, drew some approving nods when he bench-pressed 225 pounds 26 times at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
“I think they were in awe of my physique,” said Rice, likely to be a defensive end in the NFL. “People didn’t expect me to do what I did. I could have done more. I just stopped.”He has quickness to go with his brawn, although he wasn’t sure whether he would be able to run at the combine because of a tender hamstring.”If I warm up well, I’ll run,” he said. “I have great confidence in myself. I don’t have anything to hide.”
Rice is among more than 300 of the nation’s top college players participating in the annual combine, a series of physical, psychological and medical tests and interviews with representatives of the league’s 30 teams.