Owners Unmoved By Hawks
Seattle Seahawks officials tried to convince NFL team executives that the Kingdome has seismic-safety problems that justify moving the team to Southern California, but they didn’t necessarily succeed.
The Seahawks made a presentation Monday to the NFL’s finance and stadium committees during the annual team owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.
But the president of the San Francisco 49s said he wasn’t convinced the Kingdome poses a risk in a big earthquake. “I think there is more of a chance of people slipping in Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on the snow,” Carmen Policy said. “If they schedule us to play there, we’ll play there. No worries. I’ll be there and I’ll bring my family.”
Pittsburgh Steelers president Dan Rooney and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were also outspoken against the move.
Seahawks owner Ken Behring announced in February that he was moving the team to the Los Angeles area because King County had violated the team’s Kingdome lease by failing to maintain it as a first-class facility and because the stadium would be unsafe in an earthquake.
The county maintains the lease through 2005 is valid, and the two sides have sued each other.
County officials are scheduled to speak to the committees tonight.
Instant replay, used from 1986-91, will not likely return for the 1996 season, but could be used on an experimental basis this fall, commissioner Paul Tagliabue said at the league owners meeting Tuesday.
Billy Sims reported missing
Billy Sims, the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma who starred for the Detroit Lions, was reported missing by his wife.
Edna Sims told police in Norman, Okla., he has been missing since Feb. 13. She told police her husband had gone to visit his children in Texas, Oklahoma City station KWTV reported. Oklahoma City station KOCO-TV cited a source as saying Sims was in Detroit working for a real estate company.
Sims, 40, had been working on special projects for the University of Oklahoma football program, but athletic director Donnie Duncan said the former running back told him last month he was leaving to pursue an opportunity in Detroit.
Lott retires
Ronnie Lott, one of the best defensive backs in the history of the NFL, retired. Lott, 36, spent 15 years in the NFL. He won four Super Bowls with the 49ers and made 10 Pro Bowls.
Lott also played with the Raiders and Jets before joining the Chiefs last season. He suffered a leg injury in training camp and missed the season.
Around the league
Seventeen teams have received a total of 31 compensatory picks in the April 20-21 draft as a result of losses incurred in free agency.
The highest pick will go to Philadelphia, the 31st pick of the second round. That stems from the loss two years ago of linebacker Seth Joyner.
NBC will go to an hour-long pregame show beginning next season.
Bob Forte, a defensive back for the Packers, died in Dallas at age 73.
The Raiders cut center Don Mosebar, who was nearly blinded in one eye in a scrimmage last year.