First Commissioner Vote Set for This Afternoon

NORTHBROOK, Ill.--The NFL's 32 team owners will resume the commissioner-selection process this morning.

They're scheduled to reconvene at 9 a.m. Eastern time at a hotel in this Chicago suburb. They're to be split into four groups of eight owners each, and the five commissioner finalists will rotate among the groups for question-and-answer sessions. Two members of the eight-owner search committee are to be in each group.

After that approximately five-hour process, the owners are to meet this afternoon and plan to take their first vote. It takes at least 22 votes among the 32 teams to elect a new commissioner and Roger Goodell, the league's chief operating officer, seemingly remains in line to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue.

It's unlikely that Goodell will receive enough votes on the first ballot to be elected; teams' true voting intentions don't always emerge on the first ballot. The Browns, for instance, likely will vote for Cleveland attorney Frederick Nance on the first ballot. The Ravens probably will vote for Baltimore business executive Mayo Shattuck III. The Patriots perhaps will vote for Concord, Mass., businessman Robert Reynolds. But the "real" votes could come on the second ballot or soon thereafter, and it's possible that there will be a resolution by tonight.

Tagliabue's control of the selection process was strengthened by a resolution passed unanimously by the owners here on Monday. The owners approved a set of voting procedures by which all five finalists--Washington attorney Gregg Levy is the other remaining candidate--will remain under consideration for at least the first three ballots. But Tagliabue and the search committee are empowered to reduce the list of finalists after that.

Tagliabue and the search committee also have the option to have the owners switch from a secret-ballot vote to an open roll call if and when they choose.

By Mark Maske |  August 8, 2006; 8:28 AM ET  | Category:  Commissioner
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