Raiders Ask for $800 Million to Pay for Broken ‘Promises’

The Oakland Raiders want $800 million in damages, claiming they were duped into returning to the city after 13 years in Los Angeles by promises of sold-out games.

The team first said it wanted $104 million in damages for poor ticket sales at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The new figure came in pretrial correspondence reported Tuesday in the Contra Costa Times.

The city and county, as public entities, are exempt from financial liability in the case. But it’s possible they could be on the hook if the Raiders succeed in their bid to recover damages from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum board that ran the sports complex when the deal was made in 1995.

“The Raiders are just playing games,” City Council member Ignacio De La Fuente said.

He said the Raiders have received $200 million from the city and county in stadium renovations and “loans” that don’t have to be repaid.

De La Fuente argued the team chose the Coliseum board to put pressure on the city and county to settle the lawsuit.

Raider attorney Curt Holbreich, however, said the $800 million figure is “a refinement” of the amount the team lost because the stadium doesn’t sell out. He said they were promised sellouts. The city and county deny it.

*

Former Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry, who has been at home fighting a form of leukemia since a few days before Thanksgiving, is back in a Dallas hospital.

Landry, 75, began treatment in May for acute myelogenous leukemia, also known as AML, a cancer that impairs the production of blood cells.

*

Dan Reeves plans to return as coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but acknowledged that the idea of retirement is appealing to him as he approaches his 56th birthday.

Reeves, a head coach for 19 years, won’t make a final decision on his future until he discusses the issue with his wife, Pam.

*

When questioned by police in Davie, Fla., after his arrest, running back Cecil Collins of the Miami Dolphins admitted entering a neighbor’s apartment after having too much to drink.

In a transcript released Tuesday, Collins told police he broke into the apartment of Tina and Ronald Nolte just to look at the woman he had met at the complex’s gym.

Collins, 23, said he entered the Nolte’s bedroom in the early hours of Dec. 16 and awakened the man, who chased him from the apartment.

*

Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, withdrew his name from consideration for the vacant New England Patriot coaching job.

*

Green Bay Packer receivers Antonio Freeman and Charles Jordan were named in citations for their roles in a Dec. 22 traffic accident at Green Bay, Wis., and could face misdemeanor obstruction charges.

The sheriff’s department forwarded the misdemeanor charges to the district attorney’s office, where prosecutors will make the decision whether to charge the receivers. Brown County assistant district attorney Steve Madson said that a decision could be made within two weeks.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

WILD-CARD GAMES

Saturday

* Buffalo at Tennessee, 9:30 a.m., Ch. 7

* Detroit at Washington, 1 p.m., Ch. 7

Sunday

* Dallas at Minnesota, 9:30 a.m., Ch. 11

* Miami at Seattle, 1 p.m., Ch. 2

DIVISIONAL GAMES

Jan. 15

* Buffalo, Miami or Tennessee at Jacksonville, 9:30 a.m., Ch. 2

* Dallas, Minnesota or Washington at Tampa Bay, 1:15 p.m., Ch. 11

Jan. 16

* Dallas, Detroit or Minnesota at St. Louis,

9:30 a.m., Ch. 11

* Buffalo, Seattle or Tennessee at Indianapolis,

1 p.m., Ch. 2

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Jan. 23

* AFC championship, TBA, Ch. 2

* NFC championship, TBA, Ch. 11

SUPER BOWL

Jan. 30

* At Atlanta, 3:15 p.m., Ch. 7