NFL NEWS & NOTES: REALIGNMENT TALK IS JUST THAT, TALK

     Unless NFL owners "are struck by inspiration" Tuesday, their
final realignment proposal "appears doomed to the pile of ideas
too good to come true."  Steelers Owner Dan Rooney is the
principal supporter of the final realignment plan before the
owners this week (Don Pierson, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/30).  ESPN's
Chris Mortensen: "Since it makes sense, it probably won't happen"
("GameDay," ESPN, 10/30).  The following is reportedly Rooney's
alignment plan.  Teams that would join new divisions are in CAPS:


  
 
    
 
      
AFC 
        EAST
    
    
 
      
AFC 
        CENT
    
    
AFC 
      WEST
    
NFC 
      EAST
    
NFC 
      CENT
    
NFC 
      WEST
  
  
 
    
BUCS
    
PANTHERS
    
OILERS
    
FALCONS
    
JAGUARS
    
CARDINALS
  
  
 
    
Dolphins
    
COLTS
    
Broncos
    
Cowboys
    
Packers
    
SEAHAWKS
  
  
 
    
Bills
    
Steelers
    
Raiders
    
Redskins
    
Vikings
    
49ers
  
  
 
    
Jets
    
Browns
    
Chargers
    
Giants
    
Lions
    
Rams
  
  
 
    
Patriots
    
Bengals
    
Chiefs
    
Eagles
    
Bears
    
Saints
  


     STUMBLING BLOCK:  Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell is "adamantly
opposed to separating from Dallas and thinks the plan is dead.
... If anyone should be in favor of new rivalries, it's Bidwell.
And just think if the Los Angeles Rams move to St. Louis.
Wouldn't a Cards-Rams NFC West matchup sell?" (Don Pierson,
CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/30).  Rooney claims he knows of only four
opponents to his plan, "but a quick nose-count" by the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION shows "wholesale objections in the NFC East, NFC
West and AFC West."  Falcons owner Rankin Smith "has said if the
team can't be in a so-called Southeast Division, he would stay in
the West" (Len Pasquarelli, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 10/30).
YES VOTES:  Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said he will vote for the
plan:  "I have no problems with it. ... We are relatively
unaffected by the plans" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 10/28).  Packers
President Bob Harlan: "We'd vote for this in a minute" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 10/30).  Assuming the Rooney plan is voted down, the
Jaguars will be placed in the AFC Central and the Panthers in the
NFC West (Will McDonough, BOSTON GLOBE, 10/30).  Dave Anderson:
"Just hope that kids don't follow the NFL to learn geography"
(N.Y. TIMES, 10/30).  Adding an expansion team to the NFC Central
"would mean more lucrative paydays for visiting teams, so teams
that don't necessarily draw well on the road, such as the Packers
and Lions, would appreciate adding one of the expansion teams"
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/31).
     OTHER NEWS:  The Patriots have asked the NFL to plan an
American Bowl in Israel in the near future.  Patriots owner Bob
Kraft: "I've talked with Dan Rooney about it.  I told him we
could go one year to Israel and the next to Ireland.  I'm very
interested in Israel and he has strong ties to Ireland" (Will
McDonough, BOSTON GLOBE, 10/29).