HOW ABOUT THE TENNESSEE JED'S? OILERS TO SPORT NEW NAME

          Oilers Owner Bud Adams said the team will change its
     name before the '99 season in an effort to adopt a moniker
     more reflective of Tennessee.  The new name will be picked
     by Adams after a statewide advisory council considers
     suggestions from fans and other citizens and after a review
     by the NFL (Oilers).  In Houston, John McClain reports that
     one reason Adams finally "relented" is because NFL
     Commission Paul Tagliabue "guaranteed him that no NFL team
     will ever be allowed to use the Oilers name again." 
     Tagliabue: "Much like a jersey, the Oilers name will be
     retired.  The team's history and tradition stays where it
     is."  McClain adds that Bob McNair, who is trying to get an
     NFL team for Houston, "has never been interested in Oilers
     as a nickname" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/30).  Adams said that
     the geographical element of the name will remain
     "Tennessee," and that if the new name does not call out for
     a color switch, he would "like to stick with some form of
     red, white and blue" (Paul Kuharsky, TENNESSEAN, 7/30).