ANGELS INSIDE LOOK: SCIOSCIA, ANGELS WOULD WELCOME NFL NEIGHBOR.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The city has been buzzing with word this week that the NFL is considering it as an NFL site.

Anaheim has revived a plan that calls for a football stadium to be built next to Angel Stadium. It's been nearly 10 years since Southern California had a football team. The Rams and Raiders are gone, and Los Angeles hasn't been able to put together a stadium plan that suits the NFL.

Many in the Angels organization seem to like the idea. Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who lives in Thousand Oaks, was especially receptive to the idea.

``I'm a huge football fan,'' Scioscia said. ``Any chance we'd have to get an NFL team to Southern California, if it happens to be in Anaheim, great, if it happens to be in Southern California, great. I used to come to games here and I've been down to Chargers games. You miss that opportunity. Hopefully, we'll see (an NFL team) sometime soon.''

The NFL is targeting 2008.

Sports franchises have flourished recently in Anaheim. The Angels won the World Series in 2002, and the Mighty Ducks had a magical playoff run in 2003 before losing to New Jersey in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Only time will tell if Anaheim really is a legitimate contender for an NFL stadium or if the NFL is using this latest development as a way to expedite the process with the Rose Bowl and Coliseum - longtime players in the bid to land an NFL team - or the city of Carson.

The city of Anaheim has already cleared the environmental review process. Angels owner Arte Moreno hasn't been a part of the process.

``I'm not involved,'' Moreno said. ``Right now, I've got a pretty full plate.''

Angels designated hitter Tim Salmon wouldn't mind being involved. He remembered seeing former teammate and current St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds on the sideline of televised St. Louis Rams playoff games. It's something he'd like to do.

``When the Ducks were on their run, we were all pulling for them,'' Salmon said. ``It's a big fraternity. It's like a fraternal bond. I think it'd be neat. I think you do miss (football). When the NFL season rolls around, it's a big deal. Whether you're a fan or not, it impacts the community.

``Maybe once a year, the Raiders or Niners come here and draw all the attention, just like when the Yankees come here to play us. I think that's cool.''

If Anaheim were to get a football team, all it would need is an NBA team to become a four-sport city. Before Kobe Bryant re-signed with the Lakers, there was talk that the Clippers would play a number of games here, close to his home in Newport Beach, if he signed a free-agent deal with the Clippers.

Salmon believes football would catch on in Orange County.

``I think it would,'' he said. ``Anything can succeed if you have the right people running it, a good venue where people like to see the team play and good management. Those are some of the things Arte is trying to do here and look what he's created. A lot of it has to do with the people that put it together. There's definitely the population for it.

``L.A. is L.A. But I think this would help us make a name for ourselves and put us on the map, I guess. I definitely think it'd be great.''

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

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