AROUND THE NFL

AROUND THE NFL
News and notes
NFL: League owners voted to tentatively award Kansas City a Super Bowl, largely as a tribute to owner Lamar Hunt, who gave the game its name. It comes with one giant string attached: improvements to Arrowhead Stadium, including a rolling roof to keep out the February cold. The team estimates the cost of the roof alone at $100 million to $200 million -- and that's not counting $300 million or so the Chiefs say they need in stadium upgrades. The approval is for a 10-year window, starting in 2011, but Hunt said the most likely prospects would be for the 49th or 51st Super Bowl, after the 2014 or 2016 seasons. "This is a very happy day, and in some respects a surprising day," he said at a news conference after the second day of the owners' two-day fall meeting adjourned. "This is something our organization has talked about for a number of years." The team is now in lease negotiations with Jackson County and hopes to have a sales tax issue on the April ballot for Kansas City residents who live in the county. Last year, a bi-state sales tax proposal, for stadium improvements and arts in the area, failed to gain approval. The Kansas City Royals, whose Kauffman Stadium sits across a parking lot from Arrowhead, would also have benefited from that tax. The Chiefs, and other backers of stadium renovations, hope the prospect of landing an event with an estimated $400 million economic impact will provide enough reason to vote "yes" this time. "The tremendous benefit to Kansas City, both in economic terms and prestige, are beyond calculation," Mayor Kay Barnes said in a written statement. Only three Super Bowls have been awarded to cold-weather cities. Detroit will host its second Super Bowl in February, and Minneapolis has hosted one.
Dolphins: Perennial reserve Sage Rosenfels found himself surrounded in the locker room by notebooks and TV cameras, which could only mean one thing: The Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback is hurt. Rosenfels took most of the snaps in practice Wednesday because Gus Frerotte is nursing a sprained right index finger and is listed as questionable -- 50-50 -- for Sunday's game at Cleveland. The situation is familiar for Rosenfels, even though he has started only one NFL game. "This is my fourth year here," he said, "and I've been in this position 20 times probably where the starter isn't 100 percent healthy." Frerotte hurt his finger when it hit the helmet of a blitzing linebacker in the first half of last Sunday's loss to New England. He received an injection at halftime, threw 30 times in the second half and finished with 360 yards passing, his highest total in five years. Despite the performance, Miami (3-6) lost for the fifth time in six games. Fans have clamored during the skid for Rosenfels to replace Frerotte, who ranks 28th in the NFL in passing. "We have the same kind of confidence in Sage that we do with Gus," said running back Ronnie Brown.
Bills: Quarterback Kelly Holcomb missed practice Wednesday, still recovering from the aftereffects of a concussion. That presented the possibility J.P. Losman will start Sunday at San Diego. Coach Mike Mularkey said he's preparing as if Losman will start, but will wait until practice Friday to choose his starter. Mularkey held out hope Holcomb, hurt in last weekend's 14-3 win against Kansas City, could begin practicing Thursday. "I'm going to see if giving him today off helps him tomorrow," Mularkey said. "I'm a big believer that there are parts of your body you've got to be careful with. You just don't flirt with the head, the back." As for Losman, Mularkey said: "He had a great practice today for us. I thought he threw the ball extremely well and executed the offense." Holcomb is questionable on what's become a growing injury report for the Bills (4-5), who sit a game behind the AFC East-leading New England Patriots. Safety Troy Vincent (shoulder), cornerback Terrence McGee (hamstring) and defensive tackle Sam Adams (knee) are also questionable. Only Adams, who missed last week's game, practiced Wednesday. Holcomb said the headaches he experienced earlier this week have subsided. Still, he not been medically cleared to practice. "I feel better today. Getting better all the time," Holcomb said. "Today, I still don't feel myself. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll go in and tell those guys I'm ready to go."
Associated Press