The February 16 owners meeting in Dallas set up by NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to discuss the Rams move may also be
an opportunity for the league to vote on the sale of the
Buccaneers to Malcolm Glazer. Glazer, who needs approval from 23
of the 30 team owners, was scheduled to go before the owners at
their spring meeting in March, but with NFL approval he could be
running the franchise as early as mid-February. NFL Dir of
Communications Greg Aiello said that as long as the finance
committee, which is headed by Oilers Owner Bud Adams, has
finished their investigation of Glazer's bid, "it's conceivable"
that the owners could vote on the Glazer offer in February (Nick
Pugliese, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/19).
STEINBRENNER SPEAKS: Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner,
whose bid to buy the team was rejected, told the ST. PETERSBURG
TIMES that he questions why Glazer needs an escape clause in the
deal after two years if he is committed to keeping the Bucs in
town. Steinbrenner: "If you are going to be here forever and
ever, why do you need an escape clause at all? The answer is you
shouldn't." Steinbrenner also was concerned that the Glazer
family was represented by Hill, Ward & Henderson, the same law
firm that represents the team (Mult., 1/19).
