There will be no Jim Finks-Paul Tagliabue ticket to break the voting deadlock for a new commissioner in the National Football League.
Outgoing Commissioner Pete Rozelle asked each man if he would agree to be president of the league with the other as commissioner.
Answer from both: No.
Although the second question later became moot, Rozelle also asked each man if he were commissioner, would he hire the other as president.
Tagliabue said yes; Finks said no.
Finks told Rozelle that if he were commissioner, he would commit to hiring no one until he had a chance to study the job descriptions in the commissioner`s office and until the league completes an ongoing survey of every team to determine how the structure of the league office might be changed.
– As the third year without a collective bargaining agreement starts, players can`t complain about salaries. According to the union, the increase from 1988 to 1989 was approximately 25 percent, matching the huge increases of 1983 and 1984 at the height of the United States Football League bidding.
The average salary, including bonuses, is now $300,000.
According to union figures, the Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers rank first in generosity with a payroll of $19,842,000. The Bears rank 17th at $14,929,000, down five spots from last year`s ranking.
Here is the rundown:
1. 49ers $19,842,000; 2. Cardinals $18,071,000; 3. Browns $18,071,000; 4. Jets $17,498,000; 5. Redskins $17,127,000; 6. Broncos $16,642,000; 7. Patriots $16,606,000.
8. Giants $16,593,000; 9. Cowboys $16,117,000; 10. Bills $15,965,000; 11. Eagles $15,926,000; 12. Raiders $15,802,000; 13. Chiefs $15,773,000; 14. Vikings $15,746,000.
15. Oilers $15,406,000; 16. Packers $15,088,000; 17. BEARS $14,929,000;
18. Lions $14,881,000; 19. Colts $14,595,000; 20. Dolphins $14,277,000; 21. Falcons $13,850,000.
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22. Seahawks $13,596,000; 23. Chargers $13,302,000; 24. Rams $12,619,000; 25. Saints $12,400,000; 26. Bengals $11,983,000; 27. Steelers $11,887,000; 28. Buccaneers $9,157,000.
NFL Management Council spokesman John Jones ”disputes the numbers”
while conceding that salaries definitely are up. Jones said Management Council figures aren`t compiled until after the season.
– The Cleveland Browns are taking these precautions against a repeat of the egg-, battery- and rock-tossing incidents during their game with the Denver Broncos:
1) Videotaping all areas of the stands with particular concentration on the bleachers, home of the ”Dawg Pound.”
2) Equipping ushers and police with binoculars.
3) Curbing beer sales in the second half.
4) Distributing flyers at the game and mailing pleas to season ticket-holders from coach Bud Carson and cornerback Hanford Dixon, the 1984 inspiration for the creation of the ”Dawg Pound.”
”It`s getting carried away,” said Dixon, dubbed ”Top Dawg.” ”I never thought it would get to this point. They`ve never been people with golden manners, but we always could control them. Now, it`s getting out of control.” If it`s not under control by next Monday night, the Browns will unleash Mike Ditka on the crowd. This will be the Bears` first encounter ever with the Dawgs and their first trip to Cleveland under Ditka.
– Not only are the Green Bay Packers leading the league in offense, they are on a record pace. They are averaging 26 first downs a game; the record is 24.2, by the 1984 Miami Dolphins. The Packers are averaging 440.6 total yards a game; the record is 443.5, also by the 1984 Dolphins.
Said Tom Braatz, the Packers` director of football operations: ”The Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns have tried to imitate Lindy Infante`s offense. Even though they try to do it, the inventor is not there. You have to have Lindy as the play-caller to make the offense work.”
The Packers are 7-1 at Minnesota this decade. They also held Herschel Walker to 44 yards in 12 carries last week. Walker gets another chance for the second week in a row.
– Seven NFL owners or their families are listed among the Forbes 400 ranking of the country`s richest people:
Edward DeBartolo Sr., (son Eddie owns the 49ers), shopping centers, $1.4 billion. Jack Kent Cooke, Redskins, real estate, $1.25 billion. William Clay Ford, Lions, Ford Motor Co., $860 million. Alex Spanos, Chargers, real estate, $600 million. Leon Hess, Jets, Amerado Hess Corp., $560 million. Hugh Culverhouse, Buccaneers, real estate, $365 million. Ken Behring, Seahawks, developer, $300 million.