Talk of Harmony With Davis Strikes a Bad Chord With Rozelle

KAANAPILI, Maui — Like the death of Mark Twain, rumors of a rapprochement between Pete Rozelle and Al Davis have been greatly exaggerated.

The reconciliation flew on the words of Browns owner Art Modell, a man close to Rozelle, who said last week that, “It’s time to bring Al back in the family.” He added that Rozelle and Davis seemed to have a better relationship. A Raider source also said Rozelle had seemed more conciliatory.

Thursday Rozelle suggested that the warmth ends at the meeting-room door.

“I thought he (Davis) was very cooperative in agreeing with 28 owners to take $16 million from TV,” Rozelle said wryly.

“This has been going on for seven years. I think most of you would agree I haven’t taken public shots at him. His posture has been it’s a rivalry, a vendetta.

“But you ask me how I feel. Put yourself in my shoes. He said I scalped Super Bowl tickets. . . . He said I wanted the L.A. franchise for myself or friends of mine.

“I became the symbol of his resistance. The owners wanted to fight the move of the Raiders to L.A. . . . As commissioner, I can’t say I liked it (the move). It’s cost as a heck of a lot in legal fees. There’s the judgment for the L.A. Coliseum Commission. . . . Al came back and testified for the other side in the USFL case.

“I’m only human. I can’t honestly say that Al is my favorite person. That doesn’t mean I don’t treat them like every other club. . . . The idea of a vendetta between Davis and myself is immaterial. It’s not true. But I can’t be frank and say, ‘Yes, we’re going to be good friends.’

“Two years ago, I think it was in Palm Springs (Phoenix, actually, at the winter meetings), he got up and said, ‘I want this thing ended, I want reconciliation.’

“Several owners said fine.

“He said, ‘I want that guy, however’--and he pointed to me--’to make a settlement with me.’

“ ‘That guy’ appointed (Seattle owner) John Nordstrom. The bottom line was 92 cents on the dollar.”

That was a settlement offer but negotiations broke down, as would this budding romance two years later.

Except for that, though, things seem to be better between them.