Farmer takes UCLA reins; tale of two pros; FOOTBALL; NFL says no to stickum

Lester Hayes, the Oakland Raider defensive back whose heavy use of stickum became a conversation piece around the National Football League, will literally have to clean up his act next season. At its annual winter meeting, the NFL concluded the goo must go.

PArt of the problem is in cleaning footballs of stickum after Hayes and other users touch them. The solvent needed to remove the stickum makes the balls slippery. The image-conscious NFL also would rather not encour age Lester's walking-flypaper look, which is a bit sinister.