Nfl Has Cold Shoulder For L.A. Group
A Los Angeles group made another pitch for an NFL franchise Tuesday, but their campaign seems to be going nowhere with the league’s owners, who are meeting this week in Washington.
Los Angeles Kings owner Edward Roski Jr. and City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, co-chairmen of the New Coliseum Partners, triumphed their $500 million plan to purchase a team and overhaul the Los Angeles Coliseum in time to start play in the 2001 season.
Roski said he felt his group made progress, but got little reaction.
On the first day of a two-day session, the owners also discussed starting the regular season a week later and cutting the number of exhibition games from four to three. There were updates on negotiations for a new television contract and the league’s commitment to place a team in Cleveland by the 1999 season.
The league is in a holding pattern over the situation in Cleveland, where a new version of the Browns will replace the team that left for Baltimore last year.
Some owners do not want the league to go through another relocation and would prefer Cleveland be given an expansion team. Others, such as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, feel the league has expanded to the limitations of its revenue and talent pools.
Morris returns to practice
Baltimore Ravens running back Bam Morris practiced with the team for the first time since spending the night in a Texas jail, and is preparing to play the rest of the season despite the threat of having his probation revoked.
Morris, 25, turned himself in to authorities in Rockwall County, Texas, on Friday on an arrest warrant prosecutors had sought in their attempt to revoke his probation on a 1996 drug conviction, punishable by 10 years in prison. After spending Friday night in jail, he posted $500,000 bond and was released Saturday morning.
Prosecutors claim he violated the conditions of his probation by using alcohol and failing to report to his probation officer seven times from July 1996 to August 1997.
A hearing scheduled for Nov. 25 could determine if Morris will be sent to prison.
Around the league
Larry Brown, the 1996 Super Bowl MVP for Dallas but a bust with Oakland the past two seasons, was suspended indefinitely by the Raiders on Tuesday for “conduct detrimental to the team.” The Raiders were not specific about Brown’s conduct.
Redskins running back Terry Allen will be sidelined for the next two weeks after spraining his left knee during Monday’s 21-16 win over the Cowboys.
The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran kicker Chris Jacke and signed wideout Andre Coleman to bolster their banged-up receiving corps.… The Cardinals waived placekicker Kevin Butler, who has essentially cost the Cardinals two wins by missing clutch field goals. The Cardinals signed Joe Nedney, who was cut by the Jets once and by the Dolphins twice this year.