News briefs: Stadium for L.A. area clears hurdle
CBSSports.com wire reports
LOS ANGELES -- The city of Industry approved a settlement Thursday with a neighboring city that had opposed plans for an $800 million NFL stadium, clearing a hurdle in efforts to bring a pro football team to the Los Angeles area.
The deal approved unanimously by the Industry City Council grants the city of Walnut $9 million, an annual cash payment of up to $500,000 and other concessions, Industry City Manager Kevin Radecki said.
"We are extremely pleased that the city of Walnut, the city of Industry and the developer have been able to reach an agreement for this project that will create jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic benefits for this region," Industry Mayor David Perez said in a joint statement with Walnut officials.
Walnut council members, who had claimed in the city's lawsuit that Industry approved the project without sufficiently reviewing its environmental impact, had voted 3-to-1 to approve the deal Tuesday.
The agreement was reached during negotiations mandated by the Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, who postponed a vote on a bill last week that would have granted the 75,000-seat venue an environmental exemption and let its construction move forward.
Meanwhile, members of a Walnut citizens' group that had filed a separate lawsuit over the stadium said their talks with Industry and developer Majestic Realty Co. broke down with no settlement agreement. Full story
Chiefs LB Johnson says he's out for Eagles game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Derrick Johnson, who has made at least one big play in both games so far this year, says a pulled groin muscle will keep him out of Sunday's game at Philadelphia.
Johnson, a four-year starter whose playing time has been reduced by coach Todd Haley, said he was hurt in the final minutes of Sunday's loss to Oakland. He had an interception and a long return that set up a touchdown in the opener and an early sack of JaMarcus Russell against the Raiders.
His mobility could be missed if the Eagles use Michael Vick on Sunday.
Jones' son named to competition committee
IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys executive Stephen Jones has joined the NFL's competition committee, a prestigious post previously held by his father, Jerry Jones, and longtime team president Tex Schramm.
The appointment came from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Jones fills the post vacated when Mark Richardson resigned as president of the Carolina Panthers.
The committee is co-chaired by Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Falcons president Rich McKay. Other members include Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, Giants president John Mara, Ravens executive Ozzie Newsome, Colts president Bill Polian and Texans general manager Rick Smith.
Each year, the group recommends rules changes to the entire ownership group at the NFL's annual spring meeting.
Jones, 45, has helped run the club since his father bought the team in 1989.
Study: NFL improves diversity hiring practices
A new study found that the NFL has improved its hiring practices to increase diversity.
The league received an overall B grade in the report released Thursday by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida. It earned an A- for racial hiring practices and a C on gender hiring practices. Those are the highest grades the NFL has received from the institute over the years.
The study analyzed data provided by the league on the racial breakdown of players and coaches and the racial and gender breakdown of team and NFL management and other officials.
The institute had not issued the league a grade on gender since it received a D+ in 2004 because the NFL had not provided the data. The league started providing data again this year.
