No More Hiding Out, Modell Back In Spotlight

“Where’ve you guys been for the past three months?” Art Modell asked reporters in Chicago on Friday in his first public appearance since November, following the National Football League owners’ decision to let the team formerly known as the Cleveland Browns move to Baltimore.

“It’s good to be back.”

The team’s relocation, which goes into effect immediately, plus the NFL’s promise to provide Cleveland with a new team called the Browns by 1999, was approved by 25 owners, two more than the required three-quarters majority of the 30 teams.

Pittsburgh and Buffalo voted against the deal, while Oakland, St. Louis and Arizona abstained.

“I didn’t expect the outrage,” Modell said, referring the reaction after the announcement he would move. “I kid Bud Adams” - owner of the NFL’s Houston team, who is moving his franchise to Nashville, Tenn. - “that he had 65 people protesting the Oilers’ move, and 30 were relatives looking for money.”

Among the topics Modell addressed was the future of coach Bill Belichick - and the team’s future most likely does not include Belichick. It could, however, include Don Shula, whose 33-year coaching career began in Baltimore before ending in Miami a month ago.

There also has been talk Indianapolis might relinquish the name “Colts,” but Modell wouldn’t discuss that, saying it was a matter between him and Jim Irsay, the Colts’ general manager, who is running the franchise during the illness of his father.

Asked when moving vans would pack up the team’s belongings for the trip to Baltimore, Modell said, “When they come back from L.A.,” a reference to the Seattle Seahawks’ decision last week to move to Southern California.

However, Tagliabue had a totally different reaction - primarily negative - to Ken Behring’s announcement he wants to move the Seahawks to southern California.

“I think there is a very serious concern on my part, on the Seattle situation,” he said. “We will have to see what will happen. But the Seahawks have to know that they are the league presence in the Pacific Northwest.” 1984.

Chicago a Super city?

A downtown domed stadium for the Chicago Bears could make the city a strong candidate to host a Super Bowl.

“We’d take a very strong look at Chicago - with the type of facility we’re talking about coupled with Chicago being a great metropolitan area that it is - as a potential Super Bowl host city,” Tagliabue said.

The Bears, unhappy with Soldier Field, where their lease expires at the end of the century, had considered a plan to move to a complex near Gary, Ind., but financing for that facility has fallen through.

The latest plan, unveiled Thursday by Gov. Jim Edgar, is for a multipurpose, $465 million domed facility on the lake front.

Moon won’t plead guilty

At Richmond, Texas, Warren Moon has rejected several plea offers from prosecutors in a spousal abuse case set for trial next week.

Moon faces a Class A misdemeanor assault charge accusing him of striking and choking his wife, Felicia, last summer at their Missouri City, Texas, home.

Felicia Moon has begged prosecutors to drop the charge, but the case is set for trial Tuesday.

Moon’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said the quarterback refuses to enter a guilty plea simply to avoid the embarrassment of widespread media attention during trial.

Cowboys cut two

Dallas owner Jerry Jones cleared $1.675 million from his salary cap when the team released Super Bowl starter Derek Kennard and cornerback Clayton Holmes. The team had to make the financial cuts to present qualifying offers for two starting defensive players in Darrin Smith and Brock Marion, who can become restricted free agents next Friday.