Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030087
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ROSEMONT, ILL. LENGTH: Medium
Carolina was thrilled, Jacksonville less so. San Francisco was happy, Miami wasn't.
By the time two days of NFL meetings ended Wednesday, Carolina was in the NFC West Division for next season, fellow expansion franchise Jacksonville was in the AFC Central and San Francisco was chosen over Miami in competition for the 1999 Super Bowl.
``Us and Atlanta is a natural rivalry already ... and New Orleans will be good, too,'' said Jerry Richardson, Carolina owner. ``This is perfect for us. This is where we wanted to be.''
H. Wayne Weaver, Jacksonville's owner, also would have welcomed placement in that division, but television considerations precluded putting the Jaguars in the NFC with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His second choice was the AFC East, setting up an instant rivalry with the Miami Dolphins. That became impossible when league realignment proposals failed.
``Happy? We're pleased to have a resolution, a definite division for '95,'' said Weaver, whose division includes Houston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati. ``But would the AFC Central be our preference? No. We were hoping for realignment.''
So was NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, a strong advocate of divisional changes. When realignment didn't gain 21 of 28 ``yes'' votes, he simply had to slot the expansion teams into the divisions that currently have four teams, thereby creating six five-team groups.
Still, Tagliabue didn't sound disappointed.
``We've got a $4.5 billion television contract, we've got ratings up 34 percent on NBC with the current alignment,'' he said. ``I'm not going to say, `My God, if we don't realign we won't be playing - like baseball.'
``I think we have a great league with a great product and some great rivalries. When you have something that's working well, you really have to make sure before you start changing something ... on a leap of faith.''
He appointed a 10-member committee to study the issue and make recommendations for the March meeting - at which owners will either affirm Wednesday's resolution for 1996 and beyond or commit to a realignment plan.
``We will get a vote or have the longest meeting in the history of the league,'' Tagliabue said.
Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh's owner, had proposed that six teams - Seattle, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Indianapolis, Houston and Atlanta - change divisions. But many of his colleagues balked at the loss of rivalries and, subsequently, possible revenues.
``Teams were all for realignment, unless it meant their teams were moving,'' said Jerry Jones, Dallas' owner.
Miami, this season's Super Bowl site, was bidding for its eighth title game. The San Francisco Bay area had the Super Bowl once before, in 1985, when it was played at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto.
``The attractions of San Francisco are obvious,'' Tagliabue said. ``It's a world-class city, [with] one of America's greatest downtowns.''
His announcement brought loud cheers from the San Francisco delegation and frowns from the Miami group.
``I'm very proud because the people of the San Francisco area deserve the Super Bowl,'' said mayor Frank Jordan, wearing a Super Bowl XXXIII cap. ``They have been tremendous fans.''
Merritt Steirheim, executive director of the Greater Miami Visitors and Convention Bureau, said: ``I think the fact that it had not been there was a factor. And the fact that we've had it so many times might have hurt our chances. But we'll be back.''
by CNB