NFL NOTES: In Denver, Steve Caulk wrote that the
Broncos' ticket office processed requests for 4,950 club
seats at their new stadium, due to open for the 2001 season,
leaving about 3,800 club seats available to people on the
waiting list (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 7/22)....New 49ers CEO
Peter Harris, who will assume his duties full-time on August
1, attended the team's practice Friday and spoke to the
team. Harris: "I wanted them to know how I personally felt
about being part of the San Francisco 49ers and how
committed I was to building an organization around this
football team." Harris also "renewed his pledge" to build a
new football stadium, saying that he would "increasingly
take part in the operations" of the team and planned on
representing the 49ers at league meetings (S.F. EXAMINER,
7/22)....Bears President Ted Phillips said that "a more
conscious effort will be made to keep the organization aware
of the NFL's strict policy against gambling." Phillips, on
the resignation of Bears PR Dir Bryan Harlan: "I think it's
all behind us now. It's disappointing. ... The individuals
involved are not bad people" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 7/22).
NOTES: In DC, Brian Straus wrote that DC United
defeated English Premier League Newcastle United 3-1 on
Saturday before a crowd of 17,610, "a good portion of which
was clad in Newcastle's famous black-and-white striped
jersey" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/23)....In Akron, Terry Pluto
notes the marketing efforts of the Cavs. The team's first-
round draft pick Chris Mihm "made a taped phone message,
asking the fans to take a look at the team, that was played
to thousands of Cavs season-ticket holders and regular fans,
who heard it on their answering machines." Each current
season-ticket holder will receive "a nice Cavs brief case,"
a basketball leather notebook and a $50 coupon for Southwest
Airlines "just for visiting Gund Arena to consider" buying
tickets for next season. If a season-ticket holder refers a
friend to the team -- and that friend buys a season ticket
-- the first ticket holder receives a leather jacket. The
same is true for someone who brings a group of 100 or more
to a game (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/23)....In CA, Doug
Krikorian apologized to Lakers VP/Business Operations Jeanie
Buss, daughter of team Owner Jerry Buss, for his column last
week on her relationship with Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
Krikorian floated the theory that Jackson was dating Buss in
hopes of possibly receiving part-ownership of the team (see
THE DAILY, 7/18). Krikorian: "She felt I had trivialized
the relationship, and that I intimated the only reason that
Jackson was enamored of her was because of her pedigree,
which she deemed a put-down to both herself and Jackson. I
said tongue was firmly lodged against cheek in some of the
BussJackson prose, but she failed to detect the satirical
content of it. Perhaps I failed in such intention, and for
that I apologize to Jeanie Buss, a sincere person whom I'd
never want to offend" (Long Beach PRESS-TELEGRAM, 7/21).
