IF JEB THINKS FLORIDA POLITICS IS CUTTHROAT...HE MAY WANT TO RECONSIDER ONE ITEM HE MAY BE CONSIDERING

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting this morning that Florida Governor Jeb Bush has been approached to gauge his interest in becoming the next National Football League commissioner, and that he is receptive to the idea.

The Sentinel story says that Jeb acknowledged discussing the idea with Palm Beach Kennel Club owner Patrick Rooney, Sr., brother of Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney...who also chairs the search committee to find the replacement for current commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

"I met with Mr. Rooney, and I said I'm doing my job until I'm finished, and then I'm going to consider other things. But I'm not going to do anything until I finish," said Bush, who leaves office in January.

It's probably a long shot, as Tagliabue announced in March his intentions to retire. The commissioner had set a July 31 date to step aside after 17 years, but did say he would be willing to stay on past then if necessary. I consider it doubtful if the NFL owners would wait until the end of Bush's gubernatorial term in January, or that Tagliabue would wait that long. There are other individuals as or more qualified than the president's brother. I mean...hey, Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice has flirted with the idea.

But if Jeb were to become serious about seeking the commissionership, he should know that dealings with the 32 NFL owners can be as wicked and cutthroat as any Republican legislative caucus battle, especially when it gets into the areas of money and revenue sharing. And New York is a long way from Miami and the R&R I'm sure the governor wants after eight years in Tallahassee.