The Howard Milstein-Daniel Snyder group has been told
by NFL officials that its financing plan for purchasing the
Redskins and Jack Kent Cooke Stadium for $800M "complies
with league rules," according to sources of Maske, Heath &
Shapiro of the WASHINGTON POST. However, NFL Commissioner
Paul Tagliabue said yesterday that he and other top league
execs "had not decided whether to endorse the sale of the
Redskins" to the Milstein-Snyder group. Tagliabue: "It's a
question of what kind of partner would Howard Milstein, or
any other owner coming into the league, make." Members of
the group met with the NFL's Finance Committee for an hour
last night, and league officials said that they "expect the
sport's team owners to vote on Tuesday or Wednesday on
whether to approve the deal." Maske, Heath & Shapiro add
that after yesterday's meetings, "it appeared that five or
six owners on the eight-member finance committee were
prepared to vote to recommend ratification of the sale to
the full ownership" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/16). Tagliabue,
when asked if Milstein's ownership of the Islanders would
affect his bid for the Redskins: "You'd better ask that
question to (NHL Commissioner) Gary Bettman." One NFL owner
said "the person who will be applauding most" if Milstein is
approved is Bettman because Milstein will have to sell his
stake in the Islanders (Bob Glauber, NEWSDAY, 3/16).
PREJUDICE? In DC, Tony Kornheiser: "It would not appear
there is anti-semitism in the NFL [but] maybe some owners
are nervous about taking an eighth Jewish majority owner for
fear they'll form a cabal. Isn't that a common prejudice,
that they all think the same?" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/16).
