"The NHL is moving toward having little or nothing to do
with the IHL," writes Bob McKenzie in this morning's TORONTO
STAR.  The party line, according to NHL Senior VP Brian Burke:
"At this point in time, we do not view the IHL as a competitor."
But with IHL expanding into NHL markets and using veteran players
to attract larger crowds, McKenzaie reports many NHL GMs are
concerned about the league's value in developing young talent.
Nine of the 26 NHL clubs presently supply the IHL with talent, a
"good many" of which are considering a move to the AHL.  Fifteen
of the 16 AHL clubs are currently affiliated with NHL teams, but
AHL President Dave Andrews is pursuing expansion and "openly
wooing" teams with IHL ties.  Andrews:  "Our major problem is we
don't have a great inventory of cities that would be ready to
play next season.  We're prepared to go outside our geography, to
the midwest or the south, to accomodate the NHL teams who are
interested in moving over."  McKenzie reports the NHL "will be
working much more closely with the AHL on marketing and
sponsorship projects.  NHL contact with the IHL will be kept to
the bare minimum" (TORONTO STAR, 3/3).  For more, see Insider
Interview, #21.

     In what may be an effort "to protect itself" against
complaints that "groups did not get a chance to be heard," the
five finalists for baseball expansion will give brief updates
before the MLB expansion committee Tuesday before the committee
makes its final recommendation.  The owners are expected to award
two franchises at their meetings March 7-9 in Palm Beach, with
Tampa Bay and Phoenix "widely considered the favorites" (Marc
Topkin, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 3/3).  But USA TODAY's Hal Bodley
reports, "It's no better than 50-50 that ownership will be asked
to vote on the two cities at this meeting."  Bodley also notes
the questions the committee is facing on where to place the new
teams.  Because of the lack of a fifth team in both Western
divisions, "Both leagues need Phoenix."  However, Bodley notes
that two leagues of 15 teams would create a  need for inter-
league play -- thus raising the DH question.  Bodley expects the
franchises the be awarded before Phoenix's April 1 deadline for
stadium financing and then "set the fee ($140 million) and keep
the newcomers hanging for awhile as to which league they'll play
in" (USA TODAY, 3/3).

     "Anger at the baseball peace talks.  Owners say union boss
Don Fehr demanded to go back and look anew at the owners revenue
sharing decision of January 1994, instead of the current economic
issues.  Rockies Owner Jerry McMorris said he thinks it's time he
and other moderates turn it over to the hardline owners,"
according to ESPN's Keith Olbermann in last night's
"SportsCenter."  Said McMorris:  "I think I was used by Don Fehr
and his staff'" (ESPN, 3/2).
     BUD'S OUT:  In addition, acting MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
emerged from a one-on-one meeting with MLBPA Exec Dir Don Fehr to
announce that he was leaving Scottsdale.  One person familiar
with the talks said that Selig told Fehr "he was frustrated and
didn't like what was happening" (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 3/3).
Selig convinced McMorris to stay and head a reconfigured
management team:  McMorris, Cubs President Andy MacPhail,
Phillies President Dave Montgomery, Brewers VP Wendy Selig-Prieb
(Selig's daughter) and lawyers Chuck O'Connor and Rob Manfred.
Selig:  "I didn't give him any choice" (Tracy Ringolsby, ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/3).
     BAD COP/BAD COP:  McMorris, asked if by hard-liners, he
meant White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf:  "That would be the likely
alternative. ... If we are going to war, going to spend
considerable time in the courthouse and every day is going to be
a confrontation, we have owners who have a longer history dealing
in that than I do" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/3).  Several reports
note that Nashville attorney Robert Ballow also would step
forward if negotiating duties are handed over.  Ballow, who
counsels the Tribune Co., has a "union-busting reputation" (Ross
Newhan, L.A. TIMES, 3/3). In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck writes,
"The message was clear   -- and perhaps even orchestrated.  The
union's window of opportunity is closing, and the time to cut a
deal may never be better" (Baltimore SUN, 3/3).  In Washington,
Mark Maske writes with Reinsdorf and Ballow, "the chances of the
strike extending into the summer would increase dramatically"
(WASHINGTON POST, 3/3).  In Philadelphia, Jayson Stark writes
Selig's exit "was a sign that the hard-liners on the owners' side
were showing their muscle again" (PHILA.  INQUIRER, 3/3).  Hal
Bodley writes, "Selig's action was seen as a ploy to jar the
union" (USA TODAY, 3/3).
     WHAT DID THEY SAY?  McMorris cited "the union's refusal to
delineate where it stood on a tax level and continued opposition
to the owners' revenue-sharing plan" as reasons for his
displeasure (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 3/3).  But Murray Chass cites a
union source who claims they were "prepared to accept" the
owners' revenue-sharing plan and that there had been
"misunderstandings" due to reports given by Mediator William
Usery (N.Y. TIMES, 3/3).  Fehr "hinted" a proposal would be
forthcoming today based on Wednesday's late-night meeting of
McMorris and Manfred and union officials Lauren Rich and Michael
Weiner (Mark Maske, WAHSINGTON POST, 3/3).  USA TODAY reports
that at that Wednesday meeting, MLBPA attorney Lauren Rich
suggested a luxury tax of 25% over $59M, or 145% of the average
payroll.  McMorris claimed no teams' payroll approached $59M (Hal
Bodley, USA TODAY, 3/3).      LAST NIGHT'S TV:  On ABC's "World
News Tonight," Mark Potter reported on replacement games from the
Dodgers/ Yankees in Ft. Lauderdale:  "So far, fans aren't
flocking to see them" (ABC, 3/2).  CBS "Eye on America" covered
the start of spring training.  CBS's Dan Rather's lead-in:  "The
regular players have been eplaced by a collection of has-beens,
never-weres, and wanna-be's.  What the union calls scabs" (CBS,
3/2).  Reds GM Jim Bowden said some of his minor-leaguers
reported "physical threats" if they played this spring.  Asked if
they came from major leaguers, Bowden said, "It is all hearsay
until more facts are brought forward, but yes that is what we
were told" (CNN, 3/2).

     CHICAGO: After refusing to play in exhibition games, Michael
Jordan left White Sox camp in a "surprising move."  Jordan walked
out only hours after he and other Sox minor leaguers were told
they would be separated from those who will play.  As he left,
Jordan told a reporter he was "going home" to Chicago and "wasn't
sure when he'd be back" (Paul Sullivan, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/3).
Columnist Bernie Lincicome on Jordan's departure: "He is in the
position of being used, not for his ability, but for his
celebrity, not something he has always avoided doing himself.
Maybe simply the last thing he wanted to be was ironic" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 3/3).
     MINNESOTA:  Beginning Sunday, WCCO Radio plans to broadcast
10 spring games.  Midwest Sports Channel and WCCO-TV don't plan
to broadcast any games, "although MSC might pick up games"
between the Twins and Red Sox that are broadcast by NESN
(AP/Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/2).
     NEW YORK:  During individual meetings with their minor-
leaguers yesterday, the Mets learned that more than two-thirds
will "honor the union's stance and not play" (N.Y. POST,
3/3)....WABC will reportedly not air tomorrow's Mets-Yankees game
and "may cancel the two following broadcasts" (Bob Raissman, N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 3/3).
     OAKLAND/S.F.:  Chevron, "one of the biggest sponsors" of A's
and Giants broadcasts, will continue to advertise during
replacement ball because of "guaranteed rating deliveries."  The
guarantees ensure the company the rates paid for games during the
strike will be directly tied to the size of the audience (SAN
JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/3).
     SEATTLE:  The Mariners, who begin play in the Cactus League
today, have hired 34 substitutes and are "expecting to sprinkle
in" the 20 or so minor leaguers who yesterday told the club that
"they will cross the line despite union pressure to resist"
(SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER, 3/3).
     TEXAS:  Rangers President Tom Schieffer, on replacement
baseball:  "A lot of people would like for it to be a disaster,
but I don't think it will.  I think people will find that
baseball is baseball and that if teams are competitive and the
players play hard, the games will be fun to watch" (T.R.
Sullivan, FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, 3/3).

     A proposal submitted to the NFL by the Chiefs that would
expand the NFL playoff pool from 12 to 16 teams will be discussed
at the NFL owners meeting next week, according to this morning's
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION.  Under the plan, none of the teams would
receive bye weeks as the two top division winners in each
conference do now.  Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt concedes it has "only
a remote chance of passing" (Len Pasquarelli, ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 3/3).