Harris County (TX) Commissioners Court "officially
washed its hands" of the NFL Oilers on Tuesday, "accepting
without discussion" a $5M deal to settle its lawsuit against
the team, according to Stinebaker & Mason of the HOUSTON
CHRONICLE. The Oilers "need only to reach agreement with
the city before the suit can be dismissed and the team is
free" to move to TN. The county accepted the Oilers' 7.2-
acre practice facility, assessed at $1.5M, and $3.5M in
cash, payable over the next four years. City officials "are
believed to have agreed to settle for a $250,000 payment
from the Oilers" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/25).
JOIN US: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that "the
Saints hope to compete with the Cowboys for Houston fans now
with the Oilers on their way to Tennessee." New Saints
Coach Mike Ditka "has been invited to speak next month to
the Houston Touchdown Club, and will be accompanied by a 16-
member force of the New Orleans Tourism and Convention
Bureau, that will promote discount travel packages for" a
weekend including a Saints home game (ESPN, 6/24).
