After paying the largest amount for any sports franchise, an ownership group, that includes NBA Hall of Famer, and AIDS Poster-Child Magic Johnson now own the Los Angeles Dodgers.. The Dodgers have not had the success that they once had nearly a century ago, but the SoCal based squad is a valuable professional sports commodity, based on its market and tradition. Despite being valued at slightly over $850 Million, the group will pay a final purchase price of $2.15 Billion Dollars for a deal that includes the team and 50% of Dodger Stadium. The team had been owned and operated by Frank McCourt, but his very messy public divorce threatened his financial sovereignty, forcing both he and MLB's hand. Fans and players alike are very happy to see Magic Johnson's name associated with their brand, however, it is unknown what the final impact of this deal could be.
-Kevin Aherne Major league baseball kicks off its 2012 campaign Thursday morning, March 28th live from Toyko Japan. Winning the dubious honor of opening up on foreign soil has its pros and cons. For instance, the Athletics and Mariners were treated like rock stars by the Japanese faithful. Fans swarm them, the media adores them, for at least a moment in time, a nations troubles are forgotten. Once again, the great American pastime brings healing and entertainment to it's international friends. Okay, enough Kumbaya... Time for the cons, or as in this case I refer to them as the facts. There is a 16 hour time difference between the US Pacific Coast and Tokyo, not to mention over a weeks time between games. That's right, after two in Japan, the A's and Mariners will not match up in a regular season game until Friday April 6th. This is an almost impossible start to any season. Anyone who's anyone knows that baseball is a game of cadence. The best players in the world will tell you repetition and timing is the key. You don't get those things playing 5 games in 2 weeks. Do not be surprised or gasp in awe to find either of these teams get off to an abysmal start. I can not neglect to mention that for the next week the other 28 teams will be playing spring ball. Worthless, meaningless exhibition baseball. MLB teases us with 2 early morning games in Japan, then makes us wait a week for more. At the end of the day all those cons don't add up to squat. Call me a softy or what you will. If one kid or family affected by last years near extinction of the entire island of Japan, is lucky enough to enjoy a ball game MLB style, well then, it was worth it. -PAL With his one year ban taking effect on April 1st, New Orleans Saints' Head Coach Sean Payton has been working hard to establish his team's contingency plan. Payton received his ban from the NFL for allowing his defense to pay player "bounties" for causing high profile injuries, but this week, he has been seen all over the owners meetings... pursuing Bill Parcells.
Jets fans are confused. Mark Sanchez is frustrated. Rex Ryan is still fat, and NY is a buzzing. The NFL season is just about six months away, but for the NY Jets PR department the season is well underway. The most talked about athlete in the last year is now calling the biggest stage in the world his own. Tim Tebow's squeeky clean, superhero persona has instantly become the Jets holy financial martyr. Jersey sales, daily national headlines, and just plain Tebow Mania equals a big loud CHA CHING!!!! That's what is all about. This deal was not a football move per-say, but a cleverly executed bottom line fatener, A cash cow milking in record setting revenue all off season and beyond. I for one think the move is brilliant. Why not, worst case scenario if he does not play a snap or fails miserably it's still a win. In all likely hood however the drama will enhance months from now when Tebow inevitably leads his team to a story book finish. Undoubtedly on a national stage Tebow will slay whatever giant lays in front of him, and the city of New York and beyond will cheer his name and embrace him as if he was a war god. All Tebow has done is win, in college, in Denver, in jersey sales and in life. It's not always pretty, but it's exciting, it's entertaining, it's football! God bless the NY financial brain trust, god bless Tim Tebow and god bless the NFL -PAL He did it again. Just when you thought the world was rid of the bumbling, steriod abusing, whistle blower that is Jose Canseco, he made headlines again. Canseco, now 47 was attempting a comeback campaign. Why you ask? It's this writers opinion that either the residual income from his book is starting run low or he just to stupid to realize it is over. This time Canseco was slated to return to baseball with the Quintana Roo Tigers of the independent Mexican league. However this latest attempt at a return to the show has been derailed. Canseco refused to take a standard performance enhancing drug test. He claims that he would have failed the test because of his prescribed testosterone producing pills. Yeah you read that right. Jose claims that due to all the steroids he took over his lifetime he now has to rely medication to produce a normal amount of testosterone. Unfortunately for Jose, even in Mexico, a steroid is a steroid. -Pal Anyone who has listened to an episode of Psycho Sports knows that bold and outlandish predictions are routinely flung about the studio without regard. Now, we are going to hold ourselves accountable for our nonsense. It started with my challenging the Cafe's Pal with a confident proclamation that Red Sox' outfielder Cody Ross will outperform the DH slot for the Yankees. Next Fox went out on a limb, predicting that Peyton Manning would sign with Denver... BEFORE he was cut from Indy. Anyways, as you may have heard on Psycho Sports last night (or the replay every night at 10PM), we are putting out predictions on the record...
-Kevin Aherne Peyton Manning has selected a new home to serve out his football career. For the next four years, The future HOF QB will be at the helm of the Denver Broncos' offense. Any team adding Peyton Manning becomes instantly better, but a midst Tebow-Mania, there are many questions to be answered:
-Kevin Aherne
Mike D'Antoni Knicks Coach: 2008-2012 It’s the end of the D’Antoni Era in New York Knicks basketball history. As of March 14th, 2012 Mike D’Antoni has resigned as head coach of the Knicks amidst a 6-game losing streak at the time as well as ‘locker room controversy’ between him and F Carmelo Anthony. D’Antoni was brought to the Knicks back in 2008 to help revitalize a pedestrian organization with his ‘Run-and-Gun’ offense that brought him success during his time with the Phoenix Suns. But after 4 seasons, the Knicks went 121-167 with only 1 playoff appearance back in the 2010-11 Season (coincidentally that was the Knicks’ only winning season under D’Antoni). With D’Antoni gone, assistant head coach Mike Woodson has become the team’s interim head coach. Though the Knicks won against the Portland Trailblazers 121-79 following D’Antoni’s resignation, it makes you wonder if perhaps the Knicks were tired of D’Antoni or the owner was looking for a scapegoat to pin all the franchise’s recent woes on. Whatever the case maybe, the major question remains now: Who do you replace him with? The answer so far…is unknown. -Ryan Fox
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