NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ If Titans coach Jeff Fisher had a vote,
he'd favour trimming some time off the draft.
Fisher, co-chair of the NFL's rules committee, won't be part of
the NFL owners' talks Tuesday with commissioner Roger Goodell about
shortening selection times in the first and second rounds of the
league's draft. But he has been part of discussions with Goodell
about picking up the pace on draft day.
``I think we could arrive at a good number of minutes whether it
be 10 for the first round or seven for the second. I think it would
work. I would be willing to give it a shot,'' Fisher said Monday.
The topic of trimming the current 15 minutes for a first-round
selection and 10 during the second came up only days after the NFL
endured its longest first round ever last month _ six hours and
eight minutes.
Goodell called members of the competition committee, and the
committee has had a few conference calls on the subject. The
commissioner will discuss the topic with NFL owners at their spring
meeting in Nashville, a few kilometres from the Titans'
headquarters.
``Teams just typically use all their time, and I don't think it
would affect your ability to execute trades, not only picks, but
also players,'' Fisher said. ``That's the thing that's being
examined right now.''
This one-day meeting is for owners only. A final decision on
trimming the draft isn't expected Tuesday.
The owners will have a major vote on the agenda. They will award
the 2011 Super Bowl to Indianapolis, North Texas or Glendale, Ariz.,
which is hosting the game Feb. 3 in the Arizona Cardinals' new
stadium.
Tampa hosts in 2009 followed by a return to South Florida in
2010.
Indianapolis and North Texas are the favourites, and both are
tapping into star power to make the 15-minute pitch to owners
Tuesday morning, with Colts coach Tony Dungy and Hall of Famer Roger
Staubach, chairman of the Texas committee.
Dungy will be joined by Tony George, chief executive officer of
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Tom Jernstedt, executive
vice-president of the NCAA.
``Tony obviously is such a great representative for our franchise
and the league, but so is Roger,'' Colts owner Jim Irsay said.
``It's going to be competitive just like all of our games, and I
know whoever gets it is going to be a deserving city. And we can't
forget Arizona as well. I think they're very much in the mix as
well. It's going to be competitive, and we're just going to do our
best and hope things turn out our way.''
Indianapolis is using cash, at least US$20 million already
committed, and touting the city's history of hosting Final Fours,
the Indianapolis 500 and the new domed stadium that opens before the
2008 season.
North Texas will counter with a stadium opening in 2009 that can
seat up to 100,000 in the Dallas area. Staubach was flying in Monday
night, and he isn't ready to call it a two-bid race with Arizona
trying to add a third Super Bowl. Tempe hosted in 1996.
``I'm not privy to say how much they're in the running, but Indy
definitely will be formidable,'' Staubach said.
``We're really going to have the best bid. I really believe that
based on the resources we have to be able to deliver the bid.''
But Irsay has been lobbying his fellow owners, even reminding
them the vote is on this agenda. He reminded reporters the Colts
will be going into their 40th season under the Irsay family's
ownership in 2011, and that Indianapolis failed on its previous bid,
losing out to Minneapolis for 1992.
``You have to be a good partner over the years, and I think
that's the biggest part about what I think will get us over the hump
is it is our time and we have waited our turn,'' Irsay said.