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Sources: Goldman Sachs pulls out of Raiders deal

Investment bank Goldman Sachs has pulled out of the Raiders’ proposed bid to move to Las Vegas, sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, putting the team’s move to Las Vegas in jeopardy.

The news comes a day after billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson angrily withdrew from the Raiders’ stadium deal. Adelson had previously committed $650 million to get the $1.9 billion project completed but announced the removal of his stake in a statement Monday.

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Adelson, the CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., declared that he had been shut out of talks that led to the lease document presented to the Clark County Stadium Authority.

“We were not only excluded from the proposed agreement,” Adelson said, “we weren’t even aware of its existence.”

Adelson has a longstanding business relationship with Goldman Sachs.

The Raiders promised to make good on owner Mark Davis’ vow to move to Las Vegas in a statement released Monday. AP Photo/John Locher

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s office said a lease-agreement proposal submitted last week expressed that the Raiders had intended to pick up the tab for Adelson’s pulled $650 million, which would up their total commitment to $1.15 billion for a deal in which they would also accept operation responsibilities and risk.

A source told ESPN’s Darren Rovell that the Raiders’ relocation application to the NFL filed on Jan. 19 also did not include Adelson. On Jan. 12, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Raiders had told the NFL that it had assurance from Goldman Sachs that the financial firm would continue to back the team’s relocation effort even if Adelson was out of the picture. Goldman Sachs had been in line to help underwrite Raiders owner Mark Davis’ financial commitment, but with the financial giant now out, the entire deal could be in danger, a source told Shelburne.

“If [Adelson] doesn’t think it will pencil out for him, it won’t pencil out for Goldman Sachs or anybody else that thinks they want to step up to it,” Clark County commissioner Chris Giunchigliani told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday. “I hate to say it, some of my concerns are starting to bear out. I don’t think Mr. Davis cared about either community, ours or Oakland. He’s using us against each other.”

The Las Vegas project includes a domed stadium to be built at a site yet to be decided, probably just off the Las Vegas Strip. It would seat 65,000.

In a statement Monday, the Raiders acknowledged Adelson’s involvement in the project over the past year and promised to make good on Davis’ vow to move to Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal, which is owned by the Adelson family, reported Davis had been in Adelson’s office “negotiating with the family” even as Raiders president Marc Badain and executive vice president Dan Ventrelle were making a presentation to the authority board on the proposed lease agreement Thursday.

Any relocation to Las Vegas must be approved by 24 of the 32 NFL team owners. A vote is expected during league meetings in March in Phoenix.

Information from ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez and The Associated Press was used in this report.

NFL

Russell Wilson: Donald Trump may not last four years in the White House
6:59 PM ET

  • Sheil KapadiaESPN Writer

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    • Covered the Philadelphia Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine and Philly.com from 2008 to 2015.
    • Covered the Baltimore Ravens and the NFL for BaltimoreSun.com from 2006 to 2008.

During a Facebook Live video, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson questioned whether President Donald Trump will be able to last four years in the White House.

“We go to the LAX airport, and there’s people all over the place fighting for their lives and protesting,” Wilson said. “All the protests that have gone on through the African-American community, through obviously the Muslim community too, if we’re going to be a nation that says we’re equal, we have to be equal — obviously being smart, all that kind of stuff. But you also have to be able to treat people fairly. You have to love everyone. And I know from even my own faith, the Christian faith, we still have to love everybody. We still have to. No matter what our issues are, we still have to find ways to love people and care for people.

“And so I think that’s the thing that’s been crazy already. I don’t know if [Trump’s] even going to be able to last four years, in my opinion. You don’t want to wish bad upon anybody, because if he doesn’t last four years, that means that something went wrong. So hopefully nothing goes wrong any more than what it’s already doing. But it’s just been a crazy 10 days already.”

Wilson, who was getting his hair cut in a barbershop chair during the video, said he voted for Hillary Clinton. At one point, he pleaded for Barack Obama to return, saying that people now are gaining a better appreciation of the former president.

“Despite anybody’s political issues or views, everybody has a right to choose who they want to vote for, but this thing’s getting out of hand,” Wilson said. “It’s getting out of hand, people. … When you think about, it’s only been what, two weeks? Or even less? We’ve got to attack this issue here. When you think about all the negativity that’s happened within a 10-day period or however many days it’s been, it’s already too much. It’s already crazy. It’s already affecting people’s hearts and souls and lives in such a negative way, in my opinion.

“Now you kind of recognize that people’s feelings are getting hurt, people’s lives getting changed, people are getting sent back or not let in back home to see their families for reasons that may not be worthy. Just because you believe in something or you’re from a certain place doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person.”

NFL

Steelers prez refutes Terry Bradshaw, says Mike Tomlin did 'great job'

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II doesn’t understand Terry Bradshaw’s point of view after the Hall of Fame Steeler called current coach Mike Tomlin a “cheerleader guy” and not a great coach.

“I didn’t agree with it, obviously,” said Rooney when addressing a few local reporters Tuesday. “I’m not sure what prompted Terry to make that type of a comment. I haven’t talked to Terry about it. Maybe I will at some point. He’s still an all-time great Steeler and still love him for everything he did for this franchise. But he must have had a lapse in judgment.”

“I think Mike [Tomlin] did a great job, obviously getting to the AFC Championship Game and being in the final four is a good accomplishment,” Art Rooney II said. Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports

In December, Bradshaw, a four-time Super Bowl winner with Pittsburgh, said on Fox Sports 1’s “Speak For Yourself” that he wasn’t sure what Tomlin actually does as a coach. Tomlin said debating greatness is fair game but he didn’t appreciate Bradshaw’s “cheerleader” line. The coach then joked that he grew up a fan of “Hollywood” Henderson, a former Dallas Cowboys defender who once said Bradshaw “couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the C and the A.”

Rooney praised Tomlin for leading the Steelers to nine straight wins after a 4-5 start. The Steelers lost 36-17 to the New England Patriots in the AFC title game.

“I think Mike did a great job, obviously getting to the AFC Championship Game and being in the final four is a good accomplishment,” Rooney said. “We were all disappointed the way the last game went, but as I said before, I think there are a lot of positives we can build on. Every season is its own journey and what it takes to get a team through the season and playing at a high level at the end, I think that’s kind of the test. Having a team that’s improving throughout the season, those are the things you look for. How a coaching staff is performing, by and large, we were sort of getting better as the season went on, which is what you want.”

NFL

Steelers president expects Big Ben back in 2017

PITTSBURGH — Steelers president Art Rooney II said Tuesday that he expects Ben Roethlisberger to return for a 14th NFL season because of the quarterback’s desire to win a third Super Bowl.

Rooney said he recently spoke to Roethlisberger, who told 93.7 The Fan last week that he’s evaluating his playing career.

Roethlisberger’s hesitation is probably “a combination of things,” Rooney said. “Coming off a long season and a tough loss, and in this age in his career it’s not crazy to have thoughts about, ‘What’s the rest of my career going to be like?’ So, I think we had a good conversation. Obviously, he’s got to make his decision. I expect he’ll be back but he’s got to make that decision.”

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Rooney said he believes winning is Roethlisberger’s “No. 1 motivation,” and that the QB has grown into more of a leader in recent years.

Roethlisberger is one-third of a potent offensive trio that includes wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell, both of whom Rooney would like to see in Steelers uniforms long term.

The Steelers want to re-sign Brown, who enters the last year of a contract due to pay him $4.7 million in 2017. Rooney said he believes Brown will learn and grow from the Facebook Live distraction in the days before the AFC title game loss to the Patriots, and that Brown’s work ethic and good intentions outweigh any issues.

Brown is the first NFL player since Marvin Harrison to record four consecutive 100-catch seasons.

“Our intention is to try to get a contract extension done with Antonio,” Rooney said. “We’ll get to work on that … Some of the off-the-field things, I think, for the most part are things that I don’t think had a big impact on the team. Hopefully in the future he’ll keep them to the minimal type of distractions.”

Bell, a 2017 free agent, could make around $12.4 million on a franchise tag if the team chooses to use it on him. The Steelers, though, are looking beyond a one-year placeholder for the star running back.

Rooney hopes Bell’s back-to-back suspensions for violations of the league substance-abuse policy are “in the past.”

“I feel like it is and he understands what he needs to do to be a successful player in this league for the long term,” Rooney said. “I’m confident he’ll be a player we can count on in the future.”

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