A grassroots campaign in Vancouver "trying to convince"
the NBA and new Grizzlies Owner Bill Laurie to keep the team
in the city "is moving beyond a basic public appeal to buy
more tickets," according to Lowell Ullrich of the VANCOUVER
SUN. One member of the group, co-chair Peter Ufford, "is
trying to arrange a meeting" in MO this week with Laurie,
and the group "is also encouraging" an e-mail, fax or phone
appeal to other team owners and "will try to get a meeting"
with NBA Commissioner David Stern before an October 29 Board
of Governors meeting in N.Y. Ufford: "I guess our real
audience is with Mr. Stern, who we believe has major
influence with the board" (VANCOUVER SUN, 10/15).
BUZZ AROUND HORNETS: In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell wrote
that if the Hornets don't get a new arena, "don't think
either [co-Owners George Shinn or Ray Wooldridge] is afraid
to move. ... New Orleans is very attractive, with a state-
of-the-art arena." Bonnell: "The Hornets really do need a
new arena. But if they're smart, they won't get greedy in
these negotiations, because plenty of Charlotteans don't
care whether they stay or go" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/17).
TEAM NOTES: The Wizards held a free intrasquad
scrimmage at MCI Center Friday night in front of 7,463 fans.
Players greeted fans at the doors and signed autographs and
posed for pictures (WASHINGTON POST, 10/16)....The 76ers
will wear black patches on the left shoulder of their
jerseys to honor Wilt Chamberlain. The team initially asked
the NBA about placing Chamberlain's No. 13 on the patch, but
were turned down (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 10/16).
