MOORES REPORTEDLY GIVES UP EFFORT FOR HOUSTON NFL BID

          Padres Owner John Moores, who led an investor group
     that aimed to bring the NFL back to Houston, "has given up
     the effort as a waste of time," according to an AP report. 
     Moores told Houston KRIV-TV "that he doesn't sense any
     interest in replacing the NFL in Houston."  Moores: "I made
     a decision that it's not worth it for me to mess with right
     now.  I don't have time to fiddle with something when
     there's no one listening. ... Nothing is going to happen for
     a long time. ... Anybody who is doing a lot of work on this
     is just wasting their time."  Moores also "blames" the NFL
     for the "impasse."  Moores: "I believe if there had been any
     kind of positive sign from the NFL, if events had worked out
     so a team was in the cards, I think it's pretty clear there
     would have been the wherewithal to put up a new stadium or
     major renovation of the Dome" (AP, 8/18).