The Honeymooners

B FOR BONANZA
In his two pro seasons, running back Keith Jones has carried the ball 43 times for 160 yards—all last year with the Cleveland Browns . Twice he has been unprotected under Plan B free agency, which frees all players, except 37 on each roster, to deal with any team. If he makes the Dallas Cowboys , Jones's 1990 salary will be $440,000. Eight other Plan B players who have moved twice have also fared well in spite of marginal performances.
		1988		1989		1990		'88-90
PLAYER		TEAM	TOTAL COMPENSATION*	TEAM	TOTAL COMPENSATION*	TEAM	TOTAL COMPENSATION*	INCREASE
RB	Keith Jones	Rams	$94,000	Browns	$200,000	Cowboys	$440,000	368%
T	Brett Miller	Falcons	$250,000	Chargers	$230,000	Jets	$350,000	40%
LB	Walter Johnson	Oilers	$150,000	Saints	$260,000	Cowboys	$320,000	113%
TE	Ron Heller	49ers	$70,000	Falcons	$235,000	Seahawks	$285,000	307%
DB	Bruce Plummer	Dolphins	$95,000	Colts	$175,000	Chargers	$270,000	184%
RB	Tommie Agee	Seahawks	$90,000	Chiefs	$200,000	Cowboys	$253,000	181%
LB	Vinson Smith	Falcons	$74,000	Steelers	$108,000	Cowboys	$250,000	238%
LB	Dave Ahrens	Lions	$120,000	Dolphins	$200,000	Seahawks	$247,000	106%
DB	Travis Curtis	Redskins	$93,000	Vikings	$180,000	Jets	NA	NA
*Total compensation comprises signing bonus, salary and any bonuses for complying with the team's off-season workout regimen, reporting to camp and making the team.

A couple of weeks ago, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and his chief TV negotiator, Browns owner Art Modell , were leaving the Drake Hotel in Manhattan after putting the finishing touches on the league's new $752 million contract with NBC . "Let's get some pizza," Modell said. And off they went to a mid-town pizza joint, where they clinked glasses of beer before eating. "To a job well done," Tagliabue toasted.

As far as the league is concerned, a toast is in order for nearly everything Tagliabue has accomplished in his six months on the job, and the rave notices continued through last week's annual league meetings in Orlando, Fla. Even the old-guard owners who fought so hard to get Jim Finks elected commissioner are now in Tagliabue's corner. "If this were a Broadway show," said Modell, once a staunch Finks man, "the early reviews would be boffo. He's had an absolute missile launch to his career."

The early highlights:

?The TV contract (SI, March 19). The NFL wound up with the biggest payoff in television history—$3.64 billion over four years, from CBS , NBC , ABC, ESPN and TBS. Tagliabue and the TV committee assembled an escalating deal ($26.1 million per club in 1990, followed by $30 million, $35.2 million and $39.1 million) to soften the impact on the networks' coffers.

?Reaching out to the union. Tagliabue has talked with NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw about trying to hammer out a collective bargaining agreement. Last week Tagliabue appointed a committee to explore solutions to the stalemate, which is in its third year. At the same time, his criticism of the union has been blunt. "When I talked to players from four teams last fall, their response to me was, "Save us from our union.' It was like a victims' rights movement," says Tagliabue.

?An expanded steroid policy. In the past, testing took place only during training camp. Now players will be selected at random for unannounced testing during the regular season. In addition, all participants in postseason play will be tested, and some players will even be tested in the off-season.

Tagliabue's biggest achievement may be the swiftness with which he has won the owners' confidence. After informing them of his random-testing plan, Tagliabue listened to a few comments and then, according to one club official, said, "We're not going to talk about it. We're going to do it." It was done.

At the same time, he is a conciliator. For example, he has attempted to make peace between coaches and game officials, who have been feuding more than usual in recent seasons. Tagliabue brought five officials together with 27 coaches in Orlando for an airing-out session. "The best meeting I've had in seven years in this league," said Bengal coach Sam Wyche .

How long will these good feelings last? One of Tagliabue's best friends, former Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander, recently wrote him, enclosing a sample of the glowing clippings about Tagliabue's reign. "In politics we call this a honeymoon," wrote Alexander. "Sooner or later, it will come to an end." Later, the league hopes.

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