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Raiders say SI story about sale is 'fiction'
Trask dismisses idea that DeBartolo, Policy are interested in buying the team
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
nlf notes
The Raiders dismissed as "fiction" a story in this week's Sports Illustrated that says former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo and former 49ers team president Carmen Policy are interested in buying the Raiders from managing general partner Al Davis.
"I generally enjoy a good work of fiction," Raiders chief executive Amy Trask said Wednesday. "I enjoyed all the Harry Potter books. This story falls in the category of fiction and should be labeled as such. There's nothing there."
The SI article says, "The scenario has been broached by DeBartolo and Policy" and that the Raiders would be moved to Los Angeles to satisfy the league's desire to place a team in the nation's second-largest media market.
The L.A. area has not had an NFL team since 1994, after which season the Raiders returned to Oakland after 13 seasons at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis.
Sagging attendance at Raiders games in recent seasons and Davis' "declining" health, the article states, are the main factors that prompted DeBartolo and Policy to target the Raiders.
"Carmen and I have discussed different things, and that's one of the teams that intrigue us," DeBartolo is quoted as saying in the article. "L.A. is a costly situation, but it's wide-open, and I think the right group could make it work."
DeBartolo left active ownership of the 49ers in 1997 when he became a target of a federal investigation into gambling fraud in Louisiana. DeBartolo pleaded guilty in 1998 to a felony failure to report an extortion attempt in the case involving former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.
DeBartolo received two years' probation and officially relinquished control of the 49ers to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, in March 2000. He also got a one-year suspension and a $1 million fine from the NFL. He has spent most of his time since then building a real estate empire.
As for Davis' health, Trask bristled when asked to comment on the article's implication that Davis, 76, is losing his ability to lead the Raiders.
"Those of us who have the privilege of interacting with him are fully aware of his being as vital and vibrant as ever," Trask said.
In other news, the Raiders signed tight end O.J. Santiago. He played for the Raiders in 2003, mostly on special teams. He started seven games and recorded five receptions. He has not played in a game since departing the Raiders.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld...tm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_oakland_raiders
Trask dismisses idea that DeBartolo, Policy are interested in buying the team
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
nlf notes
The Raiders dismissed as "fiction" a story in this week's Sports Illustrated that says former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo and former 49ers team president Carmen Policy are interested in buying the Raiders from managing general partner Al Davis.
"I generally enjoy a good work of fiction," Raiders chief executive Amy Trask said Wednesday. "I enjoyed all the Harry Potter books. This story falls in the category of fiction and should be labeled as such. There's nothing there."
The SI article says, "The scenario has been broached by DeBartolo and Policy" and that the Raiders would be moved to Los Angeles to satisfy the league's desire to place a team in the nation's second-largest media market.
The L.A. area has not had an NFL team since 1994, after which season the Raiders returned to Oakland after 13 seasons at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis.
Sagging attendance at Raiders games in recent seasons and Davis' "declining" health, the article states, are the main factors that prompted DeBartolo and Policy to target the Raiders.
"Carmen and I have discussed different things, and that's one of the teams that intrigue us," DeBartolo is quoted as saying in the article. "L.A. is a costly situation, but it's wide-open, and I think the right group could make it work."
DeBartolo left active ownership of the 49ers in 1997 when he became a target of a federal investigation into gambling fraud in Louisiana. DeBartolo pleaded guilty in 1998 to a felony failure to report an extortion attempt in the case involving former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.
DeBartolo received two years' probation and officially relinquished control of the 49ers to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, in March 2000. He also got a one-year suspension and a $1 million fine from the NFL. He has spent most of his time since then building a real estate empire.
As for Davis' health, Trask bristled when asked to comment on the article's implication that Davis, 76, is losing his ability to lead the Raiders.
"Those of us who have the privilege of interacting with him are fully aware of his being as vital and vibrant as ever," Trask said.
In other news, the Raiders signed tight end O.J. Santiago. He played for the Raiders in 2003, mostly on special teams. He started seven games and recorded five receptions. He has not played in a game since departing the Raiders.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld...tm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_oakland_raiders