"It's probably a good sign that one of the NFL's mostpressing concerns early in this Super Bowl week is a cruisesponsored by a local 'gentlemen's club' that bills itself as'hedonism on the high seas,'" writes Kent Somers in thismorning's ARIZONA REPUBLIC. "Things could be much worse, as theNFL and the world found out six years ago," the last time theSuper Bowl was in Miami. During the week preceding the game,Miami was "torn apart" by rioting after a racial incident(ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/24). In New York, Wallace Matthewscriticizes the NFL for not helping out the riot-torn part ofMiami back in '89, but he does note that the NFL will donate $1Mto start a youth center in an area near Liberty City, about fivemiles from where the rioting occurred. "Compared with therevenue generated by the Super Bowl, it doesn't seem like much"(N.Y. POST, 1/24). As for the controversial gambling cruise, theNFL "is scurrying to discourage active and retired players fromattending, although the league has limited clout with formerplayers." NFLP VP Don Garber re-emphasized that the cruise wasnot a league-sanctioned event. Garber: "We'll be watching howthey promote and advertise this thing very closely" (Conrad &Richey, Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 1/24).
