Carson, CA, residents participated in a "sometimes
contentious meeting" on Saturday for a Q&A session regarding
the potential site of an NFL expansion franchise in the
city, according to Caitlin Liu of the L.A. TIMES. Liu:
"What was clear by meeting's end was that not all residents
support the proposal to build a combination football stadium
and mall on a former toxic waste dump" (L.A. TIMES, 3/21).
Carson leader Michael Ovitz called Carson "the best option"
for the NFL's 32nd team and added, "I'm committed to make it
work, and the owners know what I think." Ovitz added that
while "we have the best site," he "can't force [NFL owners]
to pick it." Ovitz, on NFL owners: "They'll make the
decision" (Bob Keisser, Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 3/20).
NFL ALL EARS? In Boston, Ron Borges wrote that "one
possible suitor" for the L.A. franchise who could challenge
both Ovitz and the New Coliseum Partners is Walt Disney and
company CEO Michael Eisner (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/21).
NFL NOTES: In Houston, John McClain wrote that while
Bob McNair "has more class than most of the [NFL] owners ...
a man of his stature and wealth isn't used to getting the
shaft." McClain: "It will be interesting to see how he
reacts if the owners lie through their false teeth about the
stipulations in the Los Angeles' deal to get a team"
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/20). ...In Boston, Will McDonough
noted that NFL owners "spent a total of 27 hours in meetings
over 3 1/2 days" last week in AZ: "Two of those hours were
on football. The rest on money" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/20).
