Commissioner Tagliabue Will Retire But Stil Be Involved In Several NFL Business Matters

At 1:30 PM PST today, the National Football League held a press conference call to officially announce the retirement of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. With NFL VP of Public Relations Greg Aiello at his side, Commissioner Tagliabue adroitly fielded questions from the phone-based press corp, including this author.

The vast majority of the queries were on the matter of current NFL business matters regarding the location of a team in Los Angeles "We're prepared to move forward," he said. Tagliabue will also stick around to push that initiative and to stewart the revival of the NFL's Saints' presence in New Orleans. The Commissioner explained that he would be flying to New Orleans in a few weeks on that matter.

Raiders or Rams Leaving LA Only Regret

Commissioner Tagliabue claims his greatest successes as the construction of new stadiums, the expansion of the league, and of course, the recent completion of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). When I asked him what he would like a "do over" on, he said his greatest "do over" opportunity would certainly be the LA matter. "I don't know, I think I've said before that if we had the benefit of hindsight, we would have made certain that either the Rams or the Raiders stayed in L.A. in the mid-90s. I thought that we were taking all of the steps that we needed to take when we passed that resolution in providing for the stadium in Hollywood Park, and it turned out not to be operative. I guess if you could go back and relive a month, that might be the month where you might do something differently."

I asked if the rumors regarding Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's interests in the Commissioner's position were true. "Well," he said, "I think she's the one who said publicly she would be interested in the job. I don't know whether that's facetious on her part or not. She was at the Super Bowl this year with us, and she made it very clear she wants the job she has. I think if you really want to have a definitive answer to the question, go to her next press conference.

A Steady Hand

On a personal level, when I think of Paul Tagliabue, the words "stability," "focus," and "friendliness" come up. They stem from my first NFL Owners Meeting held in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare on November 1-3 of 1999. They call it the "Fall Owners Meeting." At any rate, as the head of the effort to bring the Super Bowl to Oakland, I was invited to The Wilson Cocktail Party held that Monday evening and presented by the maker of the footballs used by the league.

I was completely and totally nervous, but decided that I was going to be with other human beings and didn't have to worry about being eaten. I was one of the first to arrive; the other being Dennis Lewin, who was then head of television affairs for the league, and Houston Texans Owner Bob McNair. As we carried on a lively and friendly conversation, the owners trickled in, and finally Commissioner Tagliabue.

The Commissioner has a presense. A fact built in part by his height at 6'7, his celebrity, and mostly his posture. He carries an upright walk, but with a personality devoid of a patrician affect that makes some unapproachable. At the time he walked in, I'd migrated over to a group of owners including Jack Faukner of the LA Rams and Pat Bowlen of the Denver Broncos. Commissioner Tagliabue came over and the first subject on his mind was to give a kind of impromptu attendance report to the group. What struck me was his constant attention to league matters, but in a relaxed way.

When I finally got the chance to meet him, his greeting was warm and sincere. But I most remembered that he looked me in the eye, so I didn't have the impression that he was going through the motions of a party. He was paying attention to every NFL detail, including this new guy who was trying to bring the NFL's marque even to a city containing the league's least popular owner.

My last lengthy meeting with him was on May 10th of 2005 and in a two hour meeting between Super Bowl: Oakland officials, and the Commissioners' senior staff. Again, Paul had the same commanding yet comfortable persona, but let his staff members -- in this case then-NFL Senior Vice President for Special Events Jim Steeg -- do most of the talking. Paul didn't say anything until about 37 minutes into the meeting, the start of which was delayed because Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown came in 10 minutes late. He asked me if I had a financing plan for the new, temporary stadium seats, and I did explain a naming rights concept I developed. He nodded in approval.

After the meeting, he came over, shook my hand,...and looked me right in the eye.

NFL COO - And Friend - Roger Goodell Rumored To Take Over For Tagliabue

NFL Commissioner Search | Roger Goodell Oddsmakers Favorite To Win Job | Roger Goodell Press Conference Transcript

I first met Roger Goodell on the phone. I was instructed to call him by Oakland Raiders Executive Assistant Al LoCasale. At the time, I was Economic Advisor to Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris and was working behind the scenes to reestablish the preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and The Oakland Raiders. Roger and I spent the first 40 minutes talking about politics before we discussed the matter of the game.

The second time we talked -- and that was on several occasions -- was when I worked to bring the Super Bowl to Oakland. I called Roger to ask what his idea of the best Super Bowl was and why. He told me "It was the 1991 Super Bowl. The Giants v. The Bills. It was right after the Gulf War and their was a great feeling of pride in our country and that was reflected in the way the game was presented, with the airplanes overhead, and the fireworks." What that told me was that the NFL understood it's place in America's culture and how what it does is tied to the mood of America. But what it also told me was that Roger knew this, and perhaps better than most.

I remember seeing Roger as I was setting up the video for our Super Bowl: Oakland presentation to Commissioner Tagliabue in a special meeting we had set on May 10th, 2000 at NFL Headquarters in NYC. Roger came over, and showed me how to work the video machine and we talked early on. Later, he joined Commissioner Tagliabue in our presentation meeting. I remember thinking that Roger never seemed to get caught up in the importance of what he was doing. Indeed, he seemed quite comfortable and always personable.

When I returned home, I got the latest issue of The Sports Business Journal, and learned that Roger had just been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the NFL.

Roger's sometimes the receipient of the blunt words of a deal maker trying to force an outcome with the always careful NFL. In this case, that person was Hollywood's legendary super agent, Mike Ovitz, whom I met after cold calling him in 1997 with an opportunity to own the Oakland Athletics. I ran into Ovitz, who was trying to land an NFL team in Los Angeles, at Super Bowl XXXV between the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Bucaneers. I asked Mike how the NFL was treating him. "Terrible. Roger Goodell doesn't want an NFL team in LA." I asked if I could tell Roger that he said that, and he said "Yeah. Tell him I said that."

So, I ran into Milt Aldrich, head of NFL Security, and whom I'd not talked to in a couple of years, and asked "Say, are going to see Roger?" Milt said "As a matter of fact, yes." Well, relay this message to him....

The last tiime I saw Roger was at last year's NFL Draft and at this year's great Super Bowl in Detroit. He always asked how I was doing and never seemed to miss a beat of time at his work.

I can't think of a better person to lead the NFL. I hope he gets the job.

PAUL TAGLIABUE ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT AS NFL COMMISSIONER

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com

Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations

FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-10 3/20/06

PAUL TAGLIABUE ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT AS NFL COMMISSIONER

Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE is retiring at the end of July from the position that he has held since late 1989, the NFL announced today.

Tagliabue, 65, called Pittsburgh Steelers owner DAN ROONEY early this morning and told him of his decision. Rooney, the chairman of the ownership committee that negotiated Tagliabue’s last contract extension in 2004, notified all clubs by email at noon (ET).

“I believe that now is a positive time to make the transition to a new commissioner,” Tagliabue said. “We have a collective bargaining extension in place, long-term television contracts, and have undertaken many other strong elements in league and club operations. I am honored to have been commissioner since late 1989 and to have been heavily involved with the league, its owners, clubs, coaches, players, fans and media since 1969.”

NFL owners will begin formal discussions of transition planning and the search for a new commissioner at the NFL Annual Meeting, which begins March 26 in Orlando, Florida.

As part of his contract with the league, Tagliabue will be available to serve in a senior executive/advisory role through May 31, 2008 once a new commissioner is selected.

Under Tagliabue’s leadership, the NFL has grown from 28 to 32 teams, revised its divisional alignment and scheduling formula, operated under successive long-term labor agreements with the NFL Players Association, and maintained its preeminent position in sports television.

During this time, the NFL also has expanded league and team commitments to community service, refocused the NFL’s efforts in developing public-private partnerships for new stadiums, and expanded its international appeal and presence.
In addition, the NFL under Tagliabue has been the new media leader in sports, creating the first leaguewide Internet network for fans and first satellite television subscription service, and launching the NFL Network on cable and satellite television.
Before succeeding the late PETE ROZELLE as the league’s CEO on October 26, 1989, Tagliabue represented the NFL as an attorney in many important areas as a partner at Covington & Burling, a Washington, D.C., law firm, the NFL’s principal outside counsel.
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New Women's Fitness Blog By Debbie Kaplan

My friend Debbie Kaplan's joining SBS with her new blog. Check it out with a click on the title of this post.

The Terrell Owens - Dallas Cowboys Deal; Where's Bill Parcells

There are some sources -- check Pro Football Talk at www.profootballtalk.com -- who believe that the deal to bring Terrell Owens to the Dallas Cowboys was not approved of by Head Coach Bill Parcells.

But of all of these comments I found at the Dallas Cowboys website, the one by Quarterback Drew Bledsoe seems to indicate that Parcells did back the deal. Read on:

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' signing of Terrell Owens is undoubtedly one of the biggest NFL stories in recent history.

So here is what they're saying about Owens suddenly becoming a Dallas Cowboy:

Former San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia, who once played with Owens, took the high road this week after signing with Philadelphia when asked about the outspoken wide receiver who trashed him before getting traded: "I don't have a problem with the guy. The guy is a tremendous player on the field."

Former Cowboys tight end James Whalen, who spent training camp with the Eagles in 2005: "In my opinion, he's the best player in the NFL. To me, his biggest problem in Philadelphia was that he felt he was owed more money. And Philly wasn't willing to compromise. But I think it can work (in Dallas). If he's happy with his contract, I don't think he's going to be a problem."

Former Cowboys safety George Teague, who decked the celebrating Owens at the 50-yard line during a 2000 regular-season game: "I'm still in a little disbelief. But I know Jerry Jones and I know we want to win football. But for me personally, it's a little disappointing after how his actions a couple of years ago . . . I don't see how anyone can forget."

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones on the contract given to Owens: "We can both disappoint each other in this agreement. But this is no free lunch to the Dallas Cowboys. We made a commitment to him. That means something."

Terrell Owens when asked about the 2000 incident when he twice celebrated on the 50-yard line star at Texas Stadium: "No disrespect. I am a competitor. I wanted to win. Just as Emmitt [Smith] did when he stood in the star, I am going to embrace it from here on out."

Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe when asked if he was surprised that Bill Parcells would want to sign Owens: "It doesn't surprise me at all. Bill wants to win, just like I do, just like Jerry does, just like all of us. And if there's a chance to make us better, then it doesn't surprise me one bit that he would sign off on this."

Former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, a good friend of Owens: "In order for the Cowboys to get where they need to get, they need a pure No. 1 receiver, and that's what this guy is. When Drew drops back three, five and seven (yards), he will get open. And the times he's not open, throw it anyway because he can still get it."

"V For Vendetta" - I've Got To See This Movie

Once in a while comes a flick that you've just got to see and believe it's going to be good even befire you've seen it. For me, that movie's "V for Vendetta," the new movie by the creators of the Matrix that features a revenge story by a refugee from a state concentration camp in a "future" view of Britain I hope we never see, and who's objective is to blow up Parlament to establish a new World Order.

Wow.

"People should not fear their governments," V says, "Governments should fear people." I think Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown now understands that with respect to me and my blog. My experience with him should serve as a warning to any elected official who thinks they can treat staffers and employees with extreme disrespect: don't do it, as it will come back to haunt you.

I only hope the movie's as good as real life. We'll see.

A Great St. Patty's Day, Except For Cal Basketball

I'm writing to report I had a terrific St. Patty's Day. I got some work out of the way, not much. I went to San Francisco to meet my long time friend Mike Silver, who brought members of Cal's Women's Swimming Team with him. This isn't the first time I've met them; the first was actually my first Cal Women's Swim Meet where I watched them battle Staford last year. The second time was "The 2005 Little Game" but it also wasn't the greatest episode for me personally as it was very close to the time of the passing of my father, Zenophon Abraham Sr, and so I didn' realize how sensitive I was.

But I can say I was much better Friday night. But as much fun as I had, the one damper was that we watched Cal Basketball's loss to North Carolina State in the NCAA First Round Tournament Game. There are some of my friends who want Cal Head Coach Ben Braun to be replaced by someone who has a better offensive plan for us. While I agree with this on emotional grounds, I don't have an alternative coach to suggest and I don't know enough basketball strategy to say what the best course of action is. (That's a weakness I have to eliminate, as it's not a hard game to understand.)

Aside from the game, I did have a great time with everyone, and even my friends Monte Poole and Renaldo Wanso were there. I have to admit that it's fun to watch the dynamics of the relationships of all of these friends. The women were really nice and fun to be with. I just couldn't stick around because I promised my friend Damon Connolly -- who's running for Assembly -- that I'd attend his fund-raiser in Mill Valley. I hate to tell a friend I'm not going to be somewhere and not arrive.

So, I left everyone right after the game and drove up to Mill Valley, to Wilderness Trial Bikes. There, in a special tent, was the group of Damon's friends. I showed up late, and in obvious "You're a Cal Grad" garb. Plus, yes, I was the only black guy, but unlike other examples in my past, that wasn't even an issue. In other words, I felt zero weird vibes. Zero. That was nice, and make me think that the problem may have been one centered more in the culture of San Francisco. Marin County actually seems to have a society where people mix better and on a more casual level, less tied to business and work.

At any rate, after his event, Damon, his friend Woody, and I had dinner with one of Damon's supporters, a wonderful couple. He white; she black. He about 15 years older than she; they married for 20 years. The place we ate at is one that my dear friend and business partner Kristin Herrera and I have had many lunches at; it's called Rafters in San Rafael. I really recommend this lively joint if you're up there.

While we were eating, this lovely woman walked past my table and had such a great beauty and presence I almost gagged on my food. Wow. She saw me look at her and my reaction and just laughed. It turned out she knew Woody and was the base player in the band at the St. Patty's day party that was going on as we were eating. Nice person -- married, though. Damon and everyone else totally cracked up over my response to her. I couldn't help it. It's me.

I really do hope Damon wins. He's worked really hard and made all the right contacts. Plus, he's a person of integrity and a true believer -- almost like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washinton." He'll do a great job in the California Legislature.

T.O. to The Dallas Cowboys - An "In Your Face" To The Eagles

This is tbe best deal of its kind since free agency was established in the NFL. The kind of deal one always feared. The one that sends a disgruntled, unwanted, but very, very good player to a rival organization.

That deal just happened as Terrell Owens signs a three year contract with The Dallas Cowboys-- read below.


Owens joins Cowboys, signs three-year deal
NFL.com wire reports
IRVING, Texas (March 18, 2006) -- Terrell Owens has gone from stomping on the Dallas Cowboys' star logo to wearing it on his helmet.

The reviled receiver joined the Cowboys, signing a contract to play for Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells in what promises to be an interesting combination of strong personalities.

There's no questioning his talent -- Owens has consistently put up numbers the Cowboys have lacked since Michael Irvin was in the prime of his career a decade ago.

It's his attitude that prompted the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles to get rid of Owens. His relationship with the Eagles soured only months after he led them to the Super Bowl, finally ending with his release March 14.

Details of his contract weren't immediately available, but it was likely to include behavior-related provisions. His blowup with Philadelphia last season even led to new rules regarding punishment being written into the NFL's latest collective-bargaining agreement.

Jones, who built a billion-dollar fortune by taking big risks, is willing to take this one because the Cowboys have gone nine years without winning a playoff game.

Part of the gamble is that fans will warm up to Owens, who launched his flamboyant persona in September 2000 when as a member of the 49ers he celebrated each of two touchdown catches at Texas Stadium by running to the team's star logo at midfield. Safety George Teague secured a spot in team lore by decking Owens after the second one.

On a Monday night game in 2004 best remembered for his pregame skit with a Desperate Housewives actress, Owens celebrated another score by tapping on a logo in the end zone.

Until his behavior limited him to nine games last season, Owens had at least 75 receptions and 1,100 yards receiving in five consecutive seasons. The last time a Cowboys receiver hit both figures in one season was Irvin in 1997.

But Owens also has alienated teammates, coaches and the front office with the things he says and does.

In Dallas, Owens joins a team coming off a 9-7 season that included a 2-4 finish, keeping them from making the playoffs for a second successive season. The Cowboys seem to need more than a star receiver to get over the hump, but do need a main threat after releasing Keyshawn Johnson on March 14.

The team lacks veteran leaders, with captains Dan Campbell and Dat Nguyen already gone, as is La'Roi Glover, another calming influence. Dallas also is in a tough division that includes T.O.-less Philadelphia, the New York Giants hoping to improve as quarterback Eli Manning develops and the Washington Redskins, who have been big spenders in free agency.

The Eagles gave up on Owens only months after he helped them reach the Super Bowl. He demanded a new contract one year into a seven-year deal, then squabbled with quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Before that, Owens forced his way out of San Francisco with repeated hijinks on the field and through disparaging comments about teammates, including quarterback Jeff Garcia.

Jones is no stranger to unpopular moves.

After winning big gambles in real estate and digging for oil wells, he put it all on the line to buy the Cowboys in 1989. Since then, he has fired Tom Landry, forced out Jimmy Johnson, entrusted a championship club to Barry Switzer and given Deion Sanders a $13 million signing bonus.

Jones felt pretty good about his choices when the Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in a four-year span. But that was 1995; Dallas has won only one playoff game since.

He has lost other big gambles along the way, from sticking with Switzer to hiring Chan Gailey, then Dave Campo as head coaches. He also has risked public scorn by releasing franchise icons Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.

Irvin's off-field woes are the local precedent for taking on Owens. However, while Irvin might have tarnished the team's image, he was a devoted teammate and fan favorite.

When Irvin was returning from a five-game suspension in 1996, he was asked how he expected fans to treat him. Irvin said he only had to score a touchdown to win them back -- and he was right.

Could it be that easy for Owens?


AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Brianna Keilar's Now CNN Anchor / Reporter! YIPPEE!!

Flash! New news on Brianna! Click here!

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Brianna Keilar at the 2005 NFL Draft. We had a great, great conversation and stayed in touch, emailing back and forth.

As the link showed, I included her in my account of my NFL Draft trip. As is common with many of SBS' pages, they are highly ranked in particular keyword categories, so the page with her on it was seen quite a bit.

Last fall, some fellow from a New York-based television talent agency contacted me repeatedly asking how he could get in touch with Brianna. I told her about him and she gave me the green light to have him contact her.

Well, she's now anchor on CNN! It could not have happened to a nicer person!

Brianna Keilar Gets More Airtime | Brianna Keilar and Kyra Phillips | Brianna Keilar On CNN Saturday | Brianna Keilar Now CNN Anchor | Brianna Keilar At 2005 NFL Draft

Bush Called "Incompetent" In Recent Poll

I didn't vote for President Bush, but I do feel sorry for him as a man who's clearly on the wrong path. Here's the article, with a link to the orginal work.

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent Thu Mar 16, 12:32 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Deep doubts about the Iraq war and pessimism about America's future have shattered public confidence in President George W. Bush and helped drive his approval ratings to their lowest level ever, pollsters say.

As Bush launched a series of speeches to drum up support for the war, a new round of opinion polls found growing skepticism about Iraq and distrust of Bush. His image declined sharply, with one poll finding "incompetent" to be the most frequent description of his leadership.

Bush's approval rating dipped as low as 33 percent in one recent poll after a string of bad news for the White House, including uproars over a now-dead Arab port deal, a secret eavesdropping program, a series of ethics scandals involving high-profile Republicans and a bungled response to Hurricane Katrina.

The political storm has left Bush's second-term legislative agenda in tatters, threatened Republican control of the U.S. Congress in November's elections and shredded his personal image as an effective leader.

"His strong points as a president were being seen as personally credible, as a strong leader. That has all but disappeared," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center, whose latest independent poll found a dramatic decline in Bush's credibility.

A majority of Americans, 56 percent, believe Bush is "out of touch," the poll found. When asked for a one-word description of Bush, the most frequent response was "incompetent," followed by "good," "idiot" and "liar." In February 2005, the most frequent reply was "honest."

"The transformation from being seen as honest to being seen as incompetent is an extraordinary indicator of how far he has fallen," Kohut said.

Bush's slump is deep enough to put Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives at risk, pollsters said. Democrats must gain 15 House seats and six Senate seats to regain power in each chamber.

"It's not the environment that we want to be running in," Republican pollster David Winston said. "Republicans can still hold the House and the Senate, but it's becoming increasingly more complicated."

In a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, 61 percent said the Iraq war would be a very important or the most important issue in deciding their vote for Congress. As the third anniversary of the invasion approaches, they preferred Democrats over Republicans in handling Iraq by 48 to 40 percent.

WAR 'A BIG ISSUE'

"I think it is a big issue," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said. "When the country is at war there is a certain unsettling that occurs with people around the country, as you might expect."

Boehner said the anxiety over Iraq was coloring the public's view on other issues like the economy, which he said is performing well.

"People don't look at the president's handling of the economy very well, and frankly I think it is a result of this anxiety over the fact that we are at war," he said.

A recent CBS poll found 66 percent of the public believed the country was headed down the wrong track, while a Harris Interactive poll put the number at 60 percent.

Views on Iraq and the war on terrorism were equally pessimistic, with 67 percent of respondents in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll saying Bush did not have a clear plan for handling Iraq.

Independent pollster Dick Bennett of American Research Group said Bush's failure to acknowledge public anxieties added to his troubles.

"The biggest problem the White House faces is reconnecting with people. People simply aren't buying it anymore," Bennett said. "People can see for themselves that things actually are not fine."

Bush's ratings are still above historical lows recorded since Gallup started presidential polling after World War Two.

The approval ratings for Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon and the first George Bush, the current president's father, all dropped into the 20s.

Pats Cut Wille McGinest; Browns Pick Him Up

Pats Lineman and USC Trojan Willie McGinest was reunited with his old defensive coach Romeo Crenel today. It's a great move for the Browns as he knows the defense the Browns run -- it was the same as that he played within in New England. The Pats, on the other hand, lose a great team leader.

The Browns are on a serious free agency tear. They've got DT Ted Washington, WR Joe Juervicious, to name some of the more famous names. Let's see how this impacts their draft postion. Will they trade down?

Tammy NYP Sex Video, Bukit Batok Video, and The Paris Hilton View - Wow

It seems that we get constant reminders that the first use of the Internet is for the communication of sex. The latest proof of this is in the massive person-hunt for the unseen Bukit Batok Video, which reportedly shows a couple having sex in a park withing that region of Singapore. Before that, it was the Paris Hilton Sex Video, which is all over the Internet.

Look, I'm not interested in watching two people get it on. I'm far more interested in being one of the two and the other's got to be female. You can also leave the video camera at home.

I'm sorry. But I've never been turned on by the standard couple sex in porn movies. It's another way of saying that porn movies don't do a thing for me -- unless it's just the woman. And I mean a full blown adult woman. Someone like Christine Roth, a female bodybuilder.

Ok. The only time I'd watch a video is if it were just the woman. But I told you that.

And beyond all that, I can't show those tapes on this site, anyway!