L.A. Fans Are Thrilled (in Their Special Way) That Raiders Will Stay

I can see a whole new Raider scenario now evolving. Disagreements on Coliseum design, several environmental impact reports, followed by re-evaluations of the reconstruction, and squabbling over who will pay the cost of the increases caused by resulting delays; Al Davis, Spectacor, Coliseum commissioners and politicians wrangling and threatening to sue; the Raiders drawing 20,000 at games--but so what? They have $20 million up front and the probability of receiving much more in non-performance penalties.

Then Davis announces a deal with Sonny Bono for a $30-million advance to move the Raiders to Palm Springs, pending enlargement of their baseball park to 65,000 capacity with 250 sky boxes--which doesn’t happen for all the same reasons. It will finally become obvious that the Raiders are not playing football, but moveball, where winning and attendance don’t matter, just TV revenues, getting million-dollar advances from different cities and winning big lawsuits.

Let’s hear it for Commitment to Ex$ellen$e!

SHEL KAPLAN

Rolling Hills Estates