ITEM ONE:

AIMING FOR THE WHITE HOUSE? THROW A FOOTBALL!

It’s the new "kissing babies." If you want to get exposure for your U.S. Presidential campaign, stop at an NFL training site. You’re sure to get coverage! That’s what AL GORE and GEORGE W. BUSH did in the past week, and newspapers across the country picked up photos of each throwing an NFL football. Gore visited the Pittsburgh Steelers’ camp on September 22, took a snap from C DERMONTTI DAWSON and threw a pass to RB JEROME BETTIS. "Thanks a lot, guys," yelled Gore. "Now, can I just get a look at your playbook?" Tennesseean Gore is a fan of the Tennessee Titans, an arch-rival of the Steelers……And in Green Bay on September 28, Bush arrived at Packers camp looking for TE BUBBA FRANKS, the team’s top draft choice who is from Big Spring, Texas. "He’s a west Texas man," said Bush. "That’s right down the road from Midland (Bush’s hometown)." Bush thereupon completed a pass to Franks. Packers QB BRETT FAVRE presented the candidate with a team jacket, and had appreciative words for Bush. "Thanks for getting me out of practice," said Favre.

ITEM TWO:

The NFL calls it "NFL Tuesdays," the day players are off and so many of them use for community service. For example, Tuesday (9/26), three Philadelphia Eagles, representing the team and NFL Charities, took the first step in revitalizing an inner-city field at Philadelphia’s 29th and Chalmers Streets. WR CHARLES JOHNSON, LB IKE REESE and DT HOLLIS THOMAS joined Philadelphia Councilman MICHAEL NUTTER and Ben Franklin High School football players who play on that same field in kicking off the project. "We’re really honored to be part of this," said Johnson. "All three of us grew up in the inner-city, playing on football fields like this. We’re fortunate to be here in Philadelphia, but we keep everything in perspective. We know where we come from." A $90,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund plus matching funds from private donors and the School District of Philadelphia will rebuild the field and its surrounding sports complex.

ITEM THREE:

MILE HIGH: WORLD’S LOUDEST CROWD?

Call it the Decibel Bowl. During the New England Patriots at Denver Broncos game this Sunday, 76,000 fans at Mile High Stadium will attempt to break the world record for the loudest crowd roar as recorded by Guinness World Records. At halftime, fans will be encouraged to make as much noise as possible for 10 seconds. A Guinness World Records official adjudicator will be on hand to verify the decibel reading. The level must exceed the current record of 125.4 decibels reached by a crowd at a soccer match in Dublin, Ireland in 1999. By means of comparison, the average office has a decibel level of 25, a snow blower registers an 85, and a jumbo jet flying overhead a 125. "There’s no question that Broncos fans are the proudest and loudest," says ANDREW HUDSON of the Denver mayor’s office. "The rumor is that fan noise from Broncos games carries as far as Kansas and New Mexico." Sunday’s game will be the Broncos’ 245th consecutive Mile High Stadium sellout.