FOOTBALL: AFL players voted to ratify the recently
negotiated new six-year CBA (AFL)....Reps from S.F.,
Medford, OR; Tri-Cities, WA; Bakersfield, CA; Tucson, AZ;
HI, NE, and Provo, UT, attended an organizational meeting
Saturday in Las Vegas and signed letters of intent to
operate franchises in the American Indoor Football League.
The inaugural ten-game season will begin on March 31, 2001,
and the league will continue to accept franchise
applications for the 2001 season through October 31, 2000
(AIFL)....FSN's Jim Rome: "I can't think of a single
sporting event more insignificant than any NFL pre-season
game. ... It's a waste of time designed to generate some
revenue off non-suspecting fans and give TV networks some
summer programming. There is nothing worse than an NFL
exhibition game. Well, nothing except the WNBA, Little
League baseball, auto racing, all the Olympic preview shows,
soccer, wrestling, the X-Games, fishing and spelling bee.
Come to think of it, the exhibition season rocks. They
should start it three weeks earlier" ("Last Word," 8/28).
