Davis Stonewalls Nfl, Hollywood Park On Deal To Build New Stadium
Final negotiations for a new stadium at Hollywood Park stalled Monday as Raiders owner Al Davis still hadn’t decided between staying in the Los Angeles area or moving to Oakland, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
“Al just will not make any commitment,” an unidentified source told the Times.
The NFL and Hollywood Park want to strike a deal for the $200 million stadium by the end of the week. Negotiators say the next three days will be critical, the newspaper said.
Last week, negotiators drew up an agreement for the Raiders to move into the new stadium in 1997 and a second professional team to make Hollywood Park its home the following year. The league guaranteed the park two Super Bowls, and the deal just needed Davis’ approval.
Davis was reportedly asking for financial guarantees if the Hollywood Park stadium weren’t completed as scheduled, the Times said.
George Vukasin, president of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, has offered Davis $85 million in government-backed money to be used for stadium renovation.
New Orleans police cleared former Saints player Bennie Thompson of his ex-wife’s murder, saying four young men apparently killed Tangie Thompson and two other people during a holdup.
“Bennie Thompson is not a suspect,” police superintendent Richard Pennington said.
Donielle Bannister, 20, and Robert Trackling, 18, both of New Orleans, were arrested on three counts each of first-degree murder and one each of aggravated burglary, police said.
The two men were already jailed at Orleans Parish Prison on unrelated charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery.
The bullet-riddled bodies of Ms. Thompson, 28; her fiance, Andre White, 30; and the Thompsons’ 3-year-old son, Devyn, were found Feb. 5 in Ms. Thompson’s home.
The Thompsons’ bitter divorce was stained by allegations of assault that left questions in many people’s minds. The arrests should put those questions to rest, police said.
Cody Carlson, the career Houston backup quarterback whose elevation to starter last season was a disaster because of injuries, was cut by the Oilers when he flunked his physical.
After Warren Moon was traded to Minnesota a year ago, Carlson was handed the starting job. But he was injured in the season opener and failed to fully recover from knee and shoulder problems.
Despite off-season rehabilitation, Carlson flunked his physical.
Carlson’s departure leaves Houston with free agent Chris Chandler; Bucky Richardson, who was a backup and occasional starter in 1994; and No. 1 draft pick Steve McNair. Oilers coaches have said they will not push the highly regarded McNair into a starting role.
The Miami Dolphins signed kicker Pete Stoyanovich, their leading scorer, through 2000. Last season he scored 107 points, making 24 of 31 field goals and all 35 of his extra-point attempts.
Kenny Walker, who played with Denver for two seasons despite being deaf, filed a lawsuit in Lincoln, Neb., that alleges the Broncos misrepresented his disability to other NFL teams.