NFL: The City of Jacksonville "made its strongest
pitch" to NFL officials to host a Super Bowl in 2005 at
Alltel Stadium yesterday, with Jaguars Owner Wayne Weaver
"spearhead[ing] the effort." Jaguars Minority Partner Tom
Petway: "We have everything they want. They want warm
weather, they want golf, they want an open-air stadium and
they want a turf stadium" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 5/25).
FINCHEM RESPONDS: PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, on
last week's court ruling in the case of disabled pro golfer
Ford Olinger, which stated that he would not be allowed to
use a cart during a local qualifier for the U.S. Open under
the ADA act: "We were encouraged because a judge took a
similar set of facts and ruled the other way. He basically
said that you're fundamentally altering the competition, and
the law does not allow you to do that. That has been our
position all along" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/25).
NOTES: In DC, Tony Kornheiser writes that the NBA
playoffs "stink on rye," as there "isn't a single
competitive series. The Knicks-Hawks series has been simply
unwatchable. It would be less painful to bang your head
against the sink" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/25)....In Minneapolis,
Ray Richardson profiled the independent Northern League:
"The league is spreading its fun, notoriety and wealth.
Four teams -- Winnipeg, Sioux City, Fargo-Moorhead and the
Schaumburg (IL) Flyers -- enter the season with luxury
suites." More Richardson: "The transplanted Thunder Bay
Whiskey Jacks ... are showing signs of challenging the [St.
Paul] Saints with a Wrigley Field-style stadium in a
northwestern Chicago suburb" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/24).
...Mal Washington's father, William, said Monday that he is
organizing a protest at this year's U.S. Open to "expose and
eliminate racial discrimination against all players of
color." The announcement came as Miami attorney Ellis Rubin
said he plans to file a complaint with the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission citing "discrimination" on the men's
pro tennis tour. At issue is "wild cards given by
tournament directors" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/25).
