The NFL has returned $75,000 to each of the seven
Browns ownership candidates who paid the $150,000
application fee, but it still has half of that, $525,000, to
invest in youth football or charitable foundations,
according to Tony Grossi of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. The
seven applicants have received a letter from NFL Exec VP
Roger Goodell "asking for suggestions on how to disperse the
charity contributions" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/27).
KRAFT'S DIG AT PARCELLS' ALLY? Patriots Owner Robert
Kraft discussed Packers GM Ron Wolf's inclusion of a clause
in coach Mike Holmgren's contract that allows Holmgren to
join another team while he is still under contract in
exchange for a second-round draft choice. Kraft received a
first, second, third and fourth round choice when Bill
Parcells went to the Jets. Kraft: "That move doesn't get
good value for the stockholders. It gives away shareholder
value cheap and I don't understand the motive. That's the
difference between a principal running a team and a hired
gun. ... When you're an owner-operator you look at these
things differently from an employee managing the asset" (Ron
Borges, BOSTON GLOBE, 9/27). CNN/SI's Peter King reported
that NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue "wants to stand firm"
on the policy that states that the expansion Browns cannot
deal draft choices to acquire a coach or GM currently under
contract to an existing team. Browns President Carmen
Policy wants to appeal this rule, as the expansion Jaguars
and Panthers didn't have such restrictions. But King said
that Tagliabue told him, "We shouldn't be creating
incentives for coaches to break contracts" (CNN, 9/27).
BLACKOUT UPDATE: In Philadelphia, Ron Reid wrote that
the NFL's blackout rule is "being routinely violated in
Jacksonville. The team failed to sell out home games
against the Chiefs and Ravens, but were allowed to show both
games after saying that the "unsold tickets were for premium
seats, handicapped seats, and seats with obstructed sight
lines." Reid: "Still, several rows at the top of the
stadium were reportedly empty" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER,
9/26). In Seattle, Les Carpenter criticized the blackout
policy, which has prevented two Seahawks home games from
being seen locally: "The ultimate indignity is the blackout
rule. No other sport imposes such an arrogant doctrine upon
its followers. No other sport holds its more passionate
fans for ransom ... holding up the fans to save a gate is
the most heinous crime of all" (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/27).
