FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-23             4/18/00

The Rams and Titans meet again…Courtney faces LaVar…and the NFL re-visits two international hotbeds.

Those matchups are among the highlights of a 65-game preseason schedule announced today by the NFL that features 11 nationally televised contests.

To NFL coaches, the "highlights" always come on the field.

"The preseason is a chance to really evaluate players," says New York Giants head coach JIM FASSEL. "When we step on the field, we play to win. It doesn’t matter if it’s a regular-season or preseason game."

The San Francisco 49ers will certainly be looking for a win on Monday night, July 31 when they take on the New England Patriots in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game (ABC-TV, 8:00 PM ET). They won’t want to disappoint three of their alumni who will be in attendance after being inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 29.

Former 49ers RONNIE LOTT, JOE MONTANA and DAVE WILCOX will be joined by HOWIE LONG and DAN ROONEY at the Saturday induction ceremonies.

The Hall of Fame and the NFL have invited all Hall members to the biggest reunion of pro football’s all-time stars. "Pro Football’s Greatest Reunion" is expected to include 138 Hall of Famers.

The 49ers-Patriots meeting will be the second consecutive Hall of Fame Game to be played on a Monday night. Last year’s – between Cleveland and Dallas – was the highest-rated (10.1) Hall of Fame Game telecast ever.

Of course, last season’s Super Bowl was one of the most memorable ever. So why not play it again? Which is exactly what will happen on Monday night, August 14 (ABC-TV, 8:00 PM ET) when the Tennessee Titans host the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis was a 23-16 victor this past January 30 in a Super Bowl that seemed to have everything -- KURT WARNER passing, ISAAC BRUCE catching, and that last-second stop by MIKE JONES of KEVIN DYSON, reaching for the goal line, that is already a classic football photo.

Photos certainly will be snapped on August 19 -- as they were last Saturday – of two of the principals when the Washington Redskins visit the Cleveland Browns.

It will be the first meeting as pros (and the only one of 2000) of the first two choices of the 2000 NFL Draft – defensive end COURTNEY BROWN of the Browns and linebacker LA VAR ARRINGTON of the Redskins. The two Penn Staters became only the third set of players from the same school to be chosen first and second overall in the history of the draft. Going against Brown will be the third choice in the draft – tackle CHRIS SAMUELS of Alabama.

While these games are being played in the states, the NFL will continue its international initiative that has proven to be so successful.

Nearly two million fans (1,988,100) have turned out to watch 34 American Bowls since 1986 for an average of 58,474 per game. Two of the most enthusiastic cities will be re-visited by the NFL this summer.

On Saturday, August 5 (ESPN, 10:00 PM ET), the NFL returns to the Tokyo Dome in Japan when the Atlanta Falcons take on the Dallas Cowboys.

It will be the 10th American Bowl in the Tokyo Dome (1989-96, 1998). Cowboys running back EMMITT SMITH just completed a one-week tour of Japan while promoting the game. "We want to bring a grass-roots understanding of football to your culture," Smith told the Japanese.

Two weeks after Tokyo, the NFL returns to a site – Mexico City – that has played a big part in that two-million American Bowl attendance total.

On August 19 (CBS-TV, 8:00 PM ET), the Indianapolis Colts face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. It will be the fourth American Bowl in the city, including in 1994 when the largest crowd to see an NFL game – 112,376 fans – watched Dallas face the Houston Oilers.

The Steelers are seasoned international travelers, having played in four American Bowls. It will be the Colts’ first international game.

"It’s a great opportunity for us," says Colts owner JIM IRSAY. "It’s the result of having several high-profile players and a very good football team." The Colts last season produced the biggest victory turnaround in NFL history from one season to the next – 10 games (3-13 to 13-3). That was after a 3-1 preseason record.

As Jim Fassel says, every game – preseason and regular season – is important.

Chicago Bears linebacker BARRY MINTER agrees. "You play to win," he says, "every time you put on the hat."

SECOND WEEK (BYE: PHILADELPHIA)

THIRD WEEK (BYE: NEW ORLEANS)

FOURTH WEEK (BYE: NEW YORK JETS)