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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
I read the story on Deadspin that unveiled the Carolina Panthers' finances, the past two years. It was fascinating...and so was the reaction. I'm not surprised that the local media didn't want to touch the story....heaven forbid they lose their credentials for the 2013 season. Deadspin did a heck of a job scooping the locals again. I have no problem whatsoever with Jerry Richardson and his partners making a small fortune with their football franchise. When you go into business for yourself or you take any kind of risk with a new venture, the object is to be profitable and successful. Jerry Richardson and his partners have done a tremendous job in that department and they deserve any and all that comes their way. The NFL is king, and the initial investment that Richardson and Co. made has paid off big-time....and I have nothing but respect and admiration for the group's business savvy and smarts. Forbes suggested that the Carolina Panthers franchise is worth more than a billion bucks. That's a great gig if you can get it. I can totally understand why Richardson didn't want this information leaked....and it has nothing to do with being modest about his latest yearly financial statement. The Deadspin story makes Jerry Richardson look like a tightwad, bully and a huckster all rolled into one. The same guy that was creating his handmade pie charts and talking down to NFL players Peyton Manning and Drew Brees about not knowing how to run a business and demanding his fellow billionaire owners that it was "time to take back their league" during the recent labor negotiations. The same guy that created closed door sessions with Charlotte's feeble leaders in order to get a 140 million dollar handout for stadium upgrades, despite the profitability of his business and the ability to rub elbows with the most prominent bankers in the city. The same guy that is trying to fleece the state of North Carolina for more cash and freebies for his franchise. The same guy that will tell you that ticket increases are necessary because running a business these days is tough....especially when 60,000 PSLers have been paying out the wazoo for tickets with a team that can't win a damn thing. Jerry Richardson has cried "wolf" one too many times. Enough with the poor, poor pitiful me stories....it's time to reinvest your own dollars and bring a winner to Carolina. Four winning seasons in the first 18 years of existence is a far cry from the days of promising a Super Bowl title in the first ten years of the franchise. Congrats on making the big bucks....now quit expecting everybody else to pay for it. It's time you delivered. We've added a new feature to the website.... In an effort to increase her visibility, because she doesn't get enough attention....I've decided to create the "Danica Demolition Derby". After each NASCAR Cup race, I will update her finish and the condition of her car on the site. Be sure to scroll down the front page and check it out. It's the least I could do, to help out the "Face of NASCAR". I'm glad the college basketball regular season has come to an end. I've had enough of watching every bubble team on the planet roll over and play dead when it mattered. There were a few exceptions....like Kentucky knocking off Florida this past weekend.....but I'm thankful that we're getting to tourney time. Later this week, I'll be at the ACC Tourney in Greensboro, broadcasting our show live on SiriusXM and covering the festivities. The way Duke destroyed UNC, you have to make the claim that Duke is the team to beat despite the fact that Miami is the #1 seed. It will be interesting to watch a number of these conference tournaments, because so many teams still have a chance to get into the Dance by picking up a quality win or two. The SEC Tourney is loaded with those kinds of teams: Tennessee, Ole Miss, Bama...and the list goes on and on. The next four weeks will be a blast....it's a great time of the year. And even though the college game has suffered from the "1 & Done" policy, the parity and competitive games are off the charts. I suspect the regular season inconsistencies will continue into the post season....and that is precisely why the conference tournaments and the Big Dance will be so much fun to watch and cover. I plan on being in Washington DC for the East Regional and then in Atlanta for the Final Four....our SiriusXM shows and coverage will be fantastic. The World Baseball Classic is underway....did anybody notice? I really don't care....I just want to make sure that any member of the San Francisco Giants playing in this fiasco of an event stays healthy during the proceedings. And that means staying away from those pesky Canadians. I watched the brawl between Mexico and Canada.....it was really entertaining. Apparently, the Mexican squad forgot that in Canada they skate and fight. Not only did the guys up North, eh...kick their ass on the baseball diamond...they won the fight, too. Can we please get to Opening Day of MLB? Michael Jordan's semi-pro team is on a roll, heading into the week. They've lost 10 straight.....the team is 13-50.....that makes MJ's team 20-109, the past two years. The last time a NBA team finished with the worst record in back-to-back seasons was ironically the Chicago Bulls, during the 2000-01 & 2001-02 seasons. The Bobcats can match that mark at their going rate. Yep, the "MJ Plan" is really working out well. In the meantime, MJ has picked up a marriage certificate in Florida along with a paternity suit in Georgia. The end is near....thank God. |
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