New Modell Tune: He Loves L.A.

SAN DIEGO — One day after damning the Coliseum as a potential site for football and infuriating Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, Baltimore Raven owner Art Modell telephoned Ridley-Thomas to apologize for his remarks and pledge his vote for the new Coliseum.

Twenty-two more outbursts, public reprimands from Ridley-Thomas prompting apologies and affirmative votes and Los Angeles will have football once again.

“He said he had no intention of being hurtful to our efforts and apologized for that,” Ridley-Thomas said. “He said if the stadium committee recommended the new Coliseum we would have Baltimore’s vote.

“I say let’s move forward, and I extended him an invitation to visit Exposition Park and he accepted.”

Modell, who on Tuesday recalled days when his team went in “peril” to the Coliseum, backed off his disparaging remarks Wednesday, while making no reference to Ridley-Thomas.

“The whole thing was misconstrued,” Modell said, while waving off any further questions regarding the Coliseum.

The NFL owners adjourned three days of meetings and resolved to study the new Coliseum further, but for now, they are more interested in next month’s referendums for new stadiums in San Francisco and Seattle.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who dismissed Oakland owner Al Davis’ assertion he still has a claim to the Los Angeles market as “nonsensical,” then left for San Francisco to deliver a letter to the city promising a Super Bowl if the voters support the 49ers.

The 49ers, in serious jeopardy of losing their June 3 vote, have resorted to scare tactics, putting out word they might be forced to move to Los Angeles if their own fans will no longer support them.

Carmen Policy, the 49ers’ president, declined a request to be interviewed, and indicated he would only be talking to San Francisco-area media in the next few weeks.

Indianapolis has also generated “We could be moving to L.A.” talk, although owner Jim Irsay said here his team is not moving. And similar talk, which has come up in Minnesota and Arizona, will surely be forthcoming from Seattle if the Seahawks’ referendum fails.

And that will be L.A.’s plight until it has those 23 votes.

“I believe we’re seeing considerable interest in our project as a viable plan,” Ridley-Thomas said. “We’re not interested in becoming an attraction for San Francisco and we will be mentioned [in rumors].

“But we’re interested in Los Angeles working with the NFL right now, and I think the prospects for a solution are now on the horizon.”