Red Wings holdout Sergei Fedorov signed an offer sheet
with the Hurricanes, and the NEWS & OBSERVER's Steve Politi
writes that for a team "that's already going to lose more
than" $25M this year, "the deal," six years, $38M, "is mind-
boggling." Politi: "It's a bold -- and very expensive --
move by a struggling team that's attempting to generate
excitement in a new market" (NEWS & OBSERVER, 2/19)....In
Nashville, country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
will co-host Hockey Tonk Jam March 4 for the NHL expansion
Predators, the "next push" by the team to meet NHL season-
ticket and suite requirements. The Predators will invite
more than 2,000 corporations that have yet to buy season
tickets (BANNER, 2/18)....49ers co-Owner Edward DeBartolo
Jr.'s legal troubles are examined in a front-page feature in
the WALL STREET JOURNAL. With DeBartolo facing a possible
indictment over a LA gaming license, lawyers for the
government "won't say whether they are willing to enter into
settlement talks, which might open a way for Mr. DeBartolo
to return to his beloved 49ers" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/19).
