John Hess, the son of late Jets Owner Leon Hess, and
Goldman Sachs Managing Dir Eric Grubman told the NFL's
Finance Committee yesterday that the Hess family "has not
decided on a bidder to buy the team, and that there is no
timetable for a decision," according to Gary Myers of the
N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The finalists are said to be Johnson &
Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV and Cablevision Chair
Charles Dolan, with N.Y. real estate developer Steve Ross
"running third." NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said that
he "does not have a problem" with Dolan regarding cross-
ownership questions and noted that Dolan was a finalist for
the Browns. Myers: "But that was before his brother bought
the Indians" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/15). NEWSDAY's Steve Zipay
writes that Johnson has "reportedly offered more than" $600M
for the team and Dolan "somewhat less" (NEWSDAY, 12/15).
BE WERY, WERY QUIET! In NJ, Randy Lange notes the
secrecy surrounding the Jets sale: "Blame the Washington
soap opera and Gang Green paranoia for the lack of ripples
on the surface of this sale." One sale observer said
suitors are "scared if they do an interview, they could kill
their chances. The people in the Jets organization have
done a great job of instilling a fear factor. They learned
from the Redskins process" (Bergen RECORD, 12/15).
