HELLO, CLEVELAND: NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, on
the league's return to Cleveland: "It was a lot of hard
work. At times, it was a candle that was flickering. But
the fans insisted they wouldn't lose their team. The
passion they had for their team really motivated everybody
in the league to get this done" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE,
9/13). Actor Drew Carey, addressing the crowd before last
night's Steelers-Browns game: "I want to send a message, a
message to everyone who ever made fun of Cleveland, a
message to anyone who ever told a Cleveland joke or laughed
at a Cleveland joke. You can now officially shut up. We're
here to play football baby" ("Steelers-Browns," ESPN, 9/12).
FOOTBALL NOTES: In Nashville, Jeff Legwold reported
that the Titans sold 80% of their single-game tickets and
82% of the just over 50,000 PSLs to "Middle Tennessee"
buyers. By comparison, "just" 1.2% of PSLs were sold in the
Memphis area and 1.8% in Knoxville, which is less than the
3.8% sold in KY or the 3.3% sold in AL (TENNESSEAN, 9/11).
...Former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski is part of a group awarded
an AFL team that could begin play as early as 2001. Former
AFL Commissioner Jim Drucker and Double A Reading Phillies
Owner Craig Stein are among the group's general partners.
The group will decide on a home in February. Drucker said
Philadelphia, DC, and Salt Lake City are among five cities
being considered (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/12).
NHL TEAM NOTES: In Toronto, Steve Simmons: "Word around
is that Red Wings' Owner Mike Ilitch is having serious cash
troubles and this will be Detroit's last run at the Stanley
Cup for awhile" (TORONTO SUN, 9/12)....New Capitals co-Owner
Ted Leonsis says that he devotes "about four hours a day to
reading" fan e-mails and pledges to respond within 24 hours.
Leonsis and his management team have a list of 125 ways that
the team can be improved. Among them: Customer phone calls
to the owner's box; Zamboni passengers and a Web site to
launch October 1 with cameras placed in the locker room,
team plane and practice facility (USA TODAY, 9/13)....Flames
President Ron Bremner, on the team's season-ticket base
dropping to 9,000: "We wonder why a team in Calgary should,
in season ticket sales, be so far behind one in Edmonton.
We've sold 4,000 less than up there. That's troubling. ...
This is a critical time for us." Bremner, on league support
for Canadian teams: "In Commissioner Bettman, we really do
have someone on our side. He's been very vocal around the
table. It's unfair the way some people in this country see
him. ... He's been so supportive" (CALGARY SUN, 9/12).
