Nfl

Conference championships N.Y. JETS AT INDIANAPOLIS Sunday, noon PST, Channel 2 The Colts had a chance for a 16-0 regular season. But when they were 14-0 last month and playing host to the Jets, they pulled Peyton Manning in the third quarter and replaced him with untested rookie Curtis Painter. The Jets quickly erased a five-point deficit and won, 29-15, staying in the postseason picture with that victory. Now, New York wants to prove it can win again -- with or without Manning in the game.

at Cleveland 34, New England 14: Patriots suspect only explanation for loss is Browns Coach Eric Mangini must have picked up pointers somewhere on how to spy on the opposition. N.Y. Jets 23, at Detroit 20 (OT): Lions' lament ? if only they could have given defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh more time to warm up for kicking extra points. Really. San Diego 29, at Houston 23: Apparently, Chargers' Norv Turner doesn't have any idea how to coach until the losses and injuries pile up and all seems lost.

Within the last two weeks, we've been hearing about NFL stadium plans from Pasadena, Los Angeles and Carson. Haven't we been down this road before? Jack Wolf Westwood

Re "Finally, an NFL Winning Play: Pro Football Foots the Bill," Commentary, April 28: Frank del Olmo's suggestion that investment banker John Moag's plan to bring the NFL to the Rose Bowl "would work perfectly in the Coliseum" fails to consider one very significant impediment, the Coliseum Commission. Randall Bouza Orcutt, Calif.

Philip Anschutz, who announced Thursday that he was terminating the sale of sports and entertainment giant AEG, said that the company is still interested in working out a deal to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles and that he was “optimistic” that would happen. But he also said, in a rare, wide-ranging interview with The Times, that while AEG, the city and state have all done what was needed to build a new stadium on the LA Live campus downtown,  the NFL now needs to be an active fourth party.

California taxpayers need to be especially diligent this month or our elected officials may attempt to give away taxpayer money to billionaire football owners. The NFL doesn't want to put a team in the Los Angeles area without having taxpayer money involved because of the precedent it would set. If other cities saw that Los Angeles got a team without spending taxpayer money, the NFL is worried that other cities might refuse to give welfare to them, as well. If any elected representative offers to give the NFL one cent of taxpayer money, every California voter must threaten him or her with recall.

How much is a football stadium really worth? Is a football stadium worth five or six elementary schools? Is it worth five or six middle schools? Or is it even worth five or six high schools fully equipped with up-to-date equipment? Really, is an NFL franchise as valuable to any community as a multitude of well-paid, well-trained, dedicated teachers and educators? Is an NFL franchise as valuable to any community as thousands of well-educated young men and women--the products of these schools and the fruitful labor of those dedicated educators?

USC cornerback Nickell Robey said Sunday he would forgo his final season of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft. Robey, a three-year starter for the Trojans, said he made his decision a few days ago and informed Coach Lane Kiffin. “He respected my decision,” Robey said. “It's a business decision, like any other important decision I've made my whole life. “It's the best thing for my family and for me.” Robey is the second USC player with eligibility remaining to declare for the draft.