TALKIN' FOOTBALL WITH THE MAYOR.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

Still here.

Not forever, mind you. Not under any circumstances, and most definitely, not at public expense.

But Los Angeles is still next to the Pacific, still the entertainment capital of the world, still the home of more than 14 million people, and almost strangely, still void of an NFL team.

The latter is something Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would like to rectify.

Just not under any conditions. Not simply at the NFL's beck and call. And not during someone else's lifetime, or mayoral term.

Villaraigosa had a noteworthy response Wednesday during an interview on KFI-AM 640 when asked about the NFL's much-discussed return.

He sent the right messages to the NFL, to those in the city eager for the league's return and those constituents ambivalent about football but unequivocal in their opposition to spending a dime from the public coffers to make it happen.

This is the work of a master politician, which would explain his recent defeat of ex-Mayor James Hahn. That, and the fact he actually has a personality.

Villaraigosa sounded borderline confrontational to the NFL, which you had to love. He recognized Los Angeles had been used as a bargaining chip to sweeten deals for other teams in other cities and warned time was no longer their ally.

He did this while letting them know that 10 years after the Raiders and Rams fled L.A., the NFL was still very much wanted by the city.

``In some ways, why we haven't had a team here all these years is they've attempted to leverage us,'' Villaraigosa said.

``My hope is that they are going to realize there are a lot of people who want a football team, but every year that they are not here is one more year where people start to forget.''

Many already have, and many more never cared to begin with. That could help explain why there never has been any genuine public outcry during the past decade over life in Los Angeles without the NFL.

Ten years is a long time. Long enough for many to now think of the NFL as something you watch on DirecTV and play on Xbox or in a fantasy league.

There are plenty, however, who remain fanatics for the country's No. 1 professional sport and long for its return.

There are also many civic types, Villaraigosa included, who realize there are both tax and recognition value - even in a city like L.A. - to be had by the return of the NFL and its accompanying Super Bowls.

You don't exactly have to be Adam Smith to understand the economic benefit the Coliseum Commission is salivating over. The 82-year-old Coliseum almost weeps to be modernized, and here it would get an entire renovation at the NFL's expense and a new tenant.

L.A. doesn't really need the NFL the way other cities might, but having a team would give the city more glitz and glamour, two things in line with the Villaraigosa manifesto.

``We need a football team here,'' Villaraigosa told KFI. ``It's the entertainment capital of America, and we need a football team here.

``What I've said, though, is we're not spending public money for it. We're not going to subsidize the building of stadiums.''

Villaraigosa, a man who knows his public, saying he's not going to subsidize building a stadium to fatten the wallet of some billionaire is not only the right move, it's exactly what most demand to hear.

It is also nothing particularly new, Villaraigosa having made similar comments during his campaign. Neither are they any different from Hahn's stance while mayor.

The NFL long ago cried uncle on this, recognizing Los Angeles was a different animal and taking demands for public funding off the table.

But the timing of Villaraigosa's comments, and the slight edge he chose to give them, are intriguing. There is no real reason to call out the NFL right now.

The league is not expected to meet on the L.A. situation again until October, when the Coliseum, Anaheim and possibly the Rose Bowl are scheduled to make their final offers and be ready to sign up.

By speaking now, Villaraigosa made sure the NFL understands things will not change under the new regime, and the opportunity to return is not simply open-ended.

Hahn always seemed disinterested in the NFL. He probably never even played Madden Football.

It's uncertain how active Villaraigosa will be in trying to attract a team, yet he appears keenly aware of the issues and the passing of time.

Downtown shows serious signs of a rebirth and Villaraigosa wants to keep it rolling, expanding straight down Figueroa. It's easy to visualize a new Coliseum and NFL team as a significant part of his citywide party.

So long as the NFL understands taxpayer money still isn't coming. If a return to Los Angeles truly is a priority with the NFL, then it's time to prove it.