LOS ANGELES: Edward P. Roski Jr., a part owner of the Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Lakers who has spent several years trying to lure an NFL team to the Los Angeles area, has scheduled a news conference at Staples Center to make a “major announcement” concerning the league and L.A.
Today, Roski will unveil his latest concept for a stadium in the City of Industry, near the southern intersection of the 57 and 60 freeways some 20 miles east of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Wednesday.
The stadium would be surrounded by a high-end shopping mall, already in the works, the newspaper said.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP that the league wasn’t involved in today’s news conference.
Los Angeles, the second-largest market in the country, has been without an NFL team since 1995, when the Raiders moved back to Oakland after playing 13 years at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis.
Los Angeles lost out to Houston for an expansion franchise since that time, and the league hasn’t made relocating to the area a top priority in recent years.
Proposals have been made for numerous stadium sites in the area over the years including the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as well as in Irwindale, Inglewood, Carson and Anaheim.
Roski and Philip Anschutz, the head of AEG, headed up construction of Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. The Lakers, Kings and Arena Football League’s Los Angeles Avengers play their home games at the facility, which opened in October 1999. AEG is not involved in today’s news conference either, according to a spokesman.
BILLS: J.P. Losman doesn’t appear to be going anywhere despite his request that Buffalo trade him.
“J.P.’s on this roster and he’s a part of this organization. And we anticipate J.P.’s going to be on this team,” Bills chief operating officer, Russ Brandon, said.
“He’s here and that’s how we’re approaching it,” Brandon added.
Losman has one year left on his contract, but wants out of Buffalo after losing the starting quarterback job to rookie third-round pick Trent Edwards last season. It was the second time in three years Losman lost the No. 1 job. Veteran journeyman Kelly Holcomb beat him out midway through the 2005 season.
Losman reclaimed the job the following year, but that’s not likely to happen again with the Bills intent on moving forward with Edwards as their starter this season.
Unhappy with how he’s been treated, Losman made his trade request public through his agent, Gary Wichard, in early January. Wichard stressed that his client would play out his contract, but added he didn’t foresee any way Losman would re-sign with the Bills once he becomes a free agent.
That means the Bills stand to lose Losman for nothing if they don’t trade him.
EAGLES: Philadelphia signed punter/kicker Richmond McGee to a three-year contract on Wednesday. McGee handled both punting and kickoff duties during his career at Texas, which concluded in 2005. McGee averaged 39.6 yards on 130 punts, while 36 percent (96-for-265) of his career kickoffs went for touchbacks. McGee will compete with Sav Rocca for a job as Philadelphia’s punter. Kicker David Akers has handled kickoffs for the Eagles.
JAGUARS: Jacksonville released safety Lamont Thompson. Thompson played in three games last year for Jacksonville, recording six solo tackles and four special teams tackles. Thompson, who played at Washington State, was a second-round draft pick by Cincinnati in 2002. He has played in 83 games with Tennessee, Cincinnati, Miami and the Jaguars.
STEELERS: Wide receiver Nate Washington, a restricted free agent, accepted his tender offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers and will make $1,417,000 this season. Washington caught 29 passes for a 15.5 yard per catch average and five touchdowns last season as a backup.
Associated Press
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
