THE BOSS IS BACK: In N.Y., Joel Sherman cites members
of the A's traveling party as saying that following the
team's 11-1 win over the Yankees in Game Four of the ALDS on
Saturday, Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner "attempted to
have the A's police escort to the airport removed." Police
officials "apparently told Steinbrenner they would then have
to pull the escort from the Yankees and the issue was
dropped." The news comes on the heels of accusations that
Steinbrenner would not allow A's owners to sit in the
visiting owners box at Yankee Stadium. Through a Yankee
official, Steinbrenner said, "I won't even dignify that (the
charges of pettiness) with a comment" (N.Y. POST, 10/11).
Yankees sources said that the cost of the team charter to
and from Oakland was $167,000. The hotel bill in S.F. for
60 Yankee personnel was $25,000 (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/11).
WAR AND PEACE IN DC? The Ravens and Redskins play at
FedEx Field Saturday, and in DC, Eric Fisher writes the
Redskins and Ravens (see THE DAILY, 8/3) "have laid down the
swords in their three-month marketing skirmish." Ravens
Owner Art Modell: "It got out of hand and built upon events
taking place at the time. This market is certainly big
enough for both teams" (WA. TIMES, 10/11). Ravens President
David Modell: "I didn't view it as a war. As I said at the
time, we were playing by a modified set of standards, and if
those were going to be (changed), we'd take the next step in
our marketing plan." In Baltimore, Ken Murray notes the
rivalry "became a little more personal" when Redskins Owner
Daniel Snyder "lured away" Ravens VP/Marketing & Sales David
Cope. The Ravens filed a grievance over the matter but
Modell said that the team withdrew it "before any decision
was rendered." Modell: "We had better things to worry
about. The point was made at the time. I think Dan
recognized there were certain procedures that needed to be
followed that weren't followed" (Baltimore SUN, 10/11).
NOTES: In Chicago, Skip Bayless writes in an open
letter to Bears co-Owner Virginia McCaskey: "You, Virginia,
are no more qualified to preside over an NFL team in the
year 2000 than [QB] Cade McNown is to be the franchise
savior. The current disaster started with you. ... Your son
Tim seems like the most qualified but hasn't always lived up
to your expectations. So how much more shame do you want to
subject your father's legacy to?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/11).
