RAMS NEWEST OFFER TO NFL SAID TO BE WORTH NEARLY $40M

     Two sources say the Rams' latest offer to the NFL to allow
them to move to St. Louis is worth nearly $40M, according to Jim
Thomas in this morning's ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.  Rams President
John Shaw "would neither confirm or deny" that figure, but said
yesterday, "It's a lot of money, isn't it?  Most of it's up
front, more than 50 percent of it."  The team offered the NFL
$25M three weeks ago at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, but owners
voted it down 21-3.  The owners reportedly wanted $50M.  Shaw
increased the offer on March 27-28 in meetings with NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.  Shaw says he has not spoken with
Tagliabue since then and doesn't expect to until the commissioner
returns from a European vacation in time for Wednesday's NFL
owners meeting in Dallas.  Shaw said he didn't know if the Rams
move would be voted on at that meeting: "There might be other
issues discussed; I think there might be other alternatives
discussed" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/7).