St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts is heading a group seeking to buy the NFL's Rams and keep the team in St. Louis.
On Monday, the Rams announced that the family of former owner Georgia Frontiere has hired the investment firm of Goldman Sachs to review the assets of her estate, including the NFL team. The move was seen as potentially expediting a sale of the franchise.
A spokesman for Checketts, Eric Gelfand, said Checketts first approached Frontiere's son, Chip Rosenbloom, several months ago about buying the team. Gelfand said Checketts has put together a group consisting of St. Louisans and outside investors to buy the franchise, which Forbes magazine estimates has a value of $929 million.
• Two-time Pro Bowl selection Rodney Harrison, who worked for the NFL Network and NBC while injured last season, has scheduled a conference call for this morning and is expected to announce he is retiring to enter the broadcast booth. Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Patriots but missed the last 10 games last season after tearing a muscle in his right thigh.
• Cornerback Nate Clements will miss the 49ers' minicamp this weekend with a case of pneumonia.
• Broncos Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall is free to play the entire 2009 season, providing his surgically repaired hip allows it, after he learned Tuesday he won't face disciplinary action from the NFL over his latest arrest in a March 1 domestic dispute with his fiancée.
AUTO RACING
Long's suspension upheld Although the National Stock Car Racing Commission said it was tempting to give Carl Long and his crew chief penalties they could "more-readily bear," the driver's appeal was denied Tuesday.
Long was penalized for having an oversized engine at Lowe's Motor Speedway last month. Long and his wife, car owner DeeDee Long, were suspended 12 races and docked 200 points. Crew chief Charles Swing was fined $200,000. All are NASCAR records.
