There is "increasing serious" talk that the Raiders
could return to L.A., maybe even "merging the talents" of
team Owner Al Davis with Clippers Owner Donald Sterling,
"who has a standing offer to contribute" $100M for a share
of ownership, according to T.J. Simers of the L.A. TIMES.
Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen: "That's what [Davis] wants, for us
to buy out his lease in Oakland, (he drops his lawsuit
against the league), we give Oakland an expansion team and
he moves back to L.A." Simers writes that a possible
expansion to Houston will leave L.A. "ripe in the NFL
owners' estimation for one of their own to move there. And
while few of them like to refer to Davis as one of their
own, they lose money every time they come to Oakland."
Simers adds that the NFL "has little chance of winning" a
pending lawsuit by Davis, "thereby getting hit with a huge
financial penalty. It's another reason why there is growing
sentiment around the league to seek a settlement with the
Raiders, letting Davis ... return [to L.A.] in exchange for
dropping his legal action." Oakland City Manager Robert
Bobb said a possible NFL buyout would have to "start at $190
million -- that's the number I've been given. ... I suppose
if the NFL came to us with cash ... then we would be hard-
pressed not to look at that deal" (L.A. TIMES, 8/20).
