The No Fun League reared its unfortunate head at these meetings with the expected passage of a rule outlawing celebrations like Carolina receiver Steve Smith falling in the end zone and doing a snow angel to please one of his daughters. No more sliding down the goal post, either, like a firemen.

No more putt-putt golf for Chad Johnson.

 Fans in Cincinnati can forget looking forward to what clever celebration routine receiver Chad Johnson plans for that weekend's touchdown dance, even though Johnson's "Riverdance" high-stepping Irish jig was a season highlight.

Now, the Lambeau Leap is still allowed, a celebration that could actually lead to an injury if done incorrectly or if the front-row fans don't grab the player securely before he falls backwards.

But Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the Competition Committee, says that the NFL Players Association wants these celebrations barred and the league is in favor, believing some celebrations are a form of taunting.

Then, again, if defensive backs were so upset with Smith and Johnson's touchdown celebrations maybe they should simply do a better job of playing defense.

No love for Lovie 

The Bears have decided not to reward Coach of the Year Lovie Smith with a new contract because he has two years remaining on his original deal. It means that Smith, now that Jacksonville has reworked Jack Del Rio's contract, is the lowest paid head coach in the NFL at $1.3 million this season.

To show how out-of-whack the Bears are on this, all of the first-year head coaches hired for this season are earning more than Smith. Also, three assistant coaches, from Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay to Greg Williams in Washington, will be paid more this season than Smith. Williams actually earns $2.66 million.

Culpepper doing well . . . but not that well

Miami coach Nick Saban never said that new quarterback Daunte Culpepper will be ready for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he hinted that the former Minnesota quarterback is doing well in his rehab from three torn knee ligaments. Saban said Tuesday that Culpepper is now running in a straight line and that he has full range of motion, plus simulated a drop-back routine recently. Saban also said that Culpepper probably won't need as many training-camp repetitions in the Miami offense because much of what the Dolphins do is similar to what Culpepper ran in Minnesota.

Missing the Bills

Cowboys coach Bill Parcells never showed for these meetings and then New England coach Bill Belichick left early, thus missing Tuesday morning's breakfast with television and newspaper reporters.

Before he officially retires, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue would like to put the Los Angeles Coliseum and a possible new stadium in Anaheim on a fast-track to be the future home of a NFL franchise. Tagliabue announced today that prior to the owners' next meeting, schedule for Denver in May, that both sites be prepared to present viable proposals to the 32-member franchise.

Although adding a 33rd franchise - an expansion team - probably would be more appealing to Los Angeles-area fans, it seems more likely that a relocated franchise will end up in Anaheim or Los Angeles. There continues to be speculation that the San Diego Chargers could move to Anaheim and that possibly the Jacksonville Jaguars to Los Angeles. Even though Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver voted for the new collective bargaining agreement, many in the league believe he definitely will lose money this season based on the $102 million salary cap. The Saints will remain in New Orleans for two more seasons, but who knows whether or not that hurricane-devastated city will be able to support an NFL team like it used to?

Hunt's happy

One of the happiest owners here today was Lamar Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt, since his days in the AFL, has been asking for a Thanksgiving Day home game and the league announced that the Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos on the cable NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET, following the traditional games in Detroit and Dallas. Before the Chiefs merged with the NFL, they played on Thanksgiving in the American Football League. Since the merger, Hunt has argued that the Thanksgiving Day games should have been rotated among member clubs, a proposal that Detroit and Dallas has fought at every turn.

USC Pro Day will be a hit

After these meetings, most of the GMs and personnel directors will leave here for Los Angeles to attend USC's Pro Day on Sunday. It will be the first time that first-round talent like Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Matt Leinart will run and throw for scouts during the draft process. None of them ran at the National Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month. Houston is still considering Bush as the draft's first overall choice. Scouts are also curious to see whether or not USC TE Dominique Byrd competes in certain drills. White was also about 15 pounds overweight at Indy.

Keyshawn will fit in with Panthers

Keyshawn Johnson gives Carolina a bonafide threat opposite Steve Smith.

The Carolina Panthers actually believed that WR Keyshawn Johnson was going to end up on the FOX pregame show as a replacement for James Brown if they didn't give him a $5 million signing bonus. Still, Keyshawn is the perfect No. 2 receiver to Steve Smith with maybe speedy Drew Carter as a No. 3. Keary Colbert wasn't productive this past season for the Panthers and veteran Ricky Proehl seems to be the odd-man out.

More picks for champs

The Steelers won the Super Bowl and they were also big winners with three compensatory draft selections in next month's draft. The Steelers picked up three extra draft choices for past free-agency losses. They received two extra picks at the both of the fourth round, Nos. 131 and 133 and also a fifth-round pick, No. 167. The New York Jets were the only team to be compensated with a third-round pick, No. 97 overall.

Cowboys reward Glenn

The Dallas Cowboys must have felt some bad vibes from veteran WR Terry Glenn after they signed Terrell Owens to a one-year, $10 million deal. (Three years, $25 million is the total T.O. package). The Cowboys gave Glenn a new extension on Monday, giving him $10 million over the next two seasons. Glenn was scheduled to earn $2 million this season and then be eligible for free-agency in 2007.

ORLANDO -- Granted, spending a few days at a beautiful resort like the Grand Cypress Hyatt Regency is not a bad job for any sportswriter from Green Bay or Minnesota at this time of the year. But what the job demands is standing around a hotel lobby, waiting for meetings to break in order to pounce on an NFL owner or coach or executive for a few comments. The bad news, though, is that there rarely is any significant breaking news at your typical annual March owners' meetings and this one figures to be no exception.

This is stunning news, considering the 32 owners must find a replacement for NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. But there remains residual bickering from the recent collective bargaining talks, which ultimately led to continued labor peace, and it sounds like it may be impossible for Tagliabue to even select a search committee among the 32 teams this week. I mean, everyone figured it would be easy for Tags to name Dan Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the chairman and pick five or six others and start the process.

The trouble is, one insider told me, is that virtually every team wants a voice on the replacement search, which is an impossibility.

"Owners want to make sure that their specific interests are taken care of," the executive said. "It's going to be hard to pick a consensus group."

Many believed a committee would be named today and that definitely isn't going to happen. There's a solid chance that these meetings could end on Wednesday without a committee in place.

 

Where's Bill?

It looks like Dallas coach Bill Parcells will remain in south Florida, watching exhibition baseball games rather than spending a day or two at these meetings.

The Cowboys will open the season at Jacksonville in the FOX national game on opening weekend. NBC's first Sunday night game will feature the Manning Brothers, as older brother Peyton visits the Meadowlands with the Indianapolis Colts against Eli and the Giants.

 

Commissioner Dungy?

Speaking of the Colts, one interesting name floating around the hotel lobby to replace Tagliabue is Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy, one of the best men in the league. Dungy is a consensus builder, besides being a former player. As long as all the attorneys, like Jeff Pash and Eric Grubman, remain in the NFL front office, why does the commissioner have to be an attorney, too?

 

Harrington to 'Hawks?

Detroit's ex-quarterback Joey Harrington could be a possibility in Seattle. Harrington, who starred at Oregon, would like to play there and he may be receptive to a minimum-salary contract. Harrington, no matter where he ends up, won't be a threat to any teams' starting quarterback.