NFL owners had "a spirited discussion on reinstating
instant replay for the 1998 season, with more of the debate
to come Wednesday morning before the final vote," according
to Leonard Shapiro of the WASHINGTON POST. Broncos Owner
Pat Bowlen: "I'd be very pessimistic about it coming back"
(WASHINGTON POST, 3/25). In Boston, Will McDonough reports,
"Unless commissioner Paul Tagliabue steps in and changes
some votes, instant replay will be rejected again today."
He adds that some owners "will continue to vote against it
because it lengthens the game" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/25).
LET'S GO EUROPE! NFL Europe President Oliver Luck
expects average attendance in Europe to be over 20,000 a
game. Luck: "We've still got a long way to go before I
could see us playing a regular-season [NFL] game in Europe"
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/25). NFL Int'l Senior VP Don Garber,
on the name change from the World League to NFL Europe:
"World League wasn't communicating what we believed was the
proper position for this business" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 3/23).
UNION SAY: The NFLPA said that it "needs to be
consulted" before the NFL begins fining and suspending
players for convictions for violent criminal offenses.
NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw: "We're not going to allow
anything without due process" (USA TODAY, 3/25).