Under the header, "Ovitz Talked The Talk, Time To Walk
The Walk," Todd Harmonson of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
wrote that critics of Michael Ovitz's plan to build an NFL
stadium in Carson, CA, who say "there's not a lot of
substance to back up a tremendous amount of style," are "on
the money," as the "only thing on paper between Ovitz and
the City of Carson is a letter of interest from the city in
the proposal." Harmonson: "That's it. No agreement to move
forward." But things "should start happening soon as Ovitz
begins to build a foundation for his proposal." Ovitz is
planning meetings with individual city council members to
show them the details of his plan before taking it before
the full council for a vote (O.C. REGISTER, 8/9).
DO THEY LOVE L.A.? In L.A., Jim Murray wrote on the
league's seemingly moderate interest in the L.A. market: "I
can't for the life of me understand the NFL. ... L.A.
doesn't need football so much as football needs L.A. You
NFL guys need L.A. I would recommend you listen carefully
to all proposals, including the Coliseum card." Murray
added that the "mystery" is where the TV networks are, as
they "have as much at stake as the league, the community"
(L.A. TIMES, 8/9). USA TODAY's Forbes & Weiner report that
Houston has left L.A. "far up the track in the race to
become the NFL's 32nd team." Houston's efforts "have been
so impressive" that city officials have been invited to the
NFL's fall meetings in October (USA TODAY, 8/10).
