A couple of interesting headlines caught my eye on Friday. One is from the Globe's David Shoalts. He suggests the Coyotes are headed for Las Vegas. Shoalts saying the team could end up in Vegas in a couple of years.
In a scenario brought to light by a source in Phoenix familiar with the letter of intent — or potential offer, or whatever the NHL is calling the document it has with Jerry Reinsdorf's signature on it — Reinsdorf's autograph is the only thing the owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls will put toward the Coyotes, since any cash will actually be provided by a couple of other would-be owners.
Those fellows, the source said, are movie and television producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Harry Sloan, the chairman and chief executive officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Neither Bruckheimer nor Sloan could be reached for comment.
When asked for comment, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an e-mail that such as offer was, variously, "entirely fictitious" and "not accurate" and "comical," ending with "totally untrue."
The source said the Reinsdorf proposal calls for $130-million (U.S.) to be put up to cover what the Coyotes owe their secured creditors. It is also conditional on a substantial annual contribution from the taxpayers of Glendale, the city which owns the NHL team's arena. That amount is said to be between $14-million and $20-million, quite a swallow for a city of about 250,000 people.
In addition, some sort of escape clause will be inserted into the arena lease as part of the negotiations with the city. It would be much like the one the group that "rescued" the Nashville Predators from Canadian suitor Jim Balsillie had put into its lease: If attendance and revenue do not hit certain targets in two years, the team can move. As for Balsillie, he says he has secured Labatts and Home Hardware as his first two corporate anchors. I thought Blackberry would get that honor.
I don't know why, but I think hockey in Vegas would work--especially if Wayne Gretzky was involved. At some point there will be a pro franchise in Vegas. It will either be the NBA or the NHL....if I'm the NHL, I get in there now. With the money floating around Vegas, I think the corporate dollars would be there and I think the interest factor would make it work. Add to that you have many Canadians who visit Vegas who would take in their share of games. Then again, there are many Canadians in Arizona in the winter time aren't there.
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While its being denied by Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini, there is talk he is interested in buying the Indiana Pacers and relocating them in Vancouver giving him two teams to play out of GM Place. As you know, the Vancouver Grizzlies floundered their way through six seasons before moving to Memphis. The team never got off to a great start when they drafted Bryant Reeves and it went all downhill from there. Even though Steve Nash is from BC, I don't think a return to Vancouver would be the best thing for the association.
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The only hockey to watch Friday was the Memorial Cup. It got started with the host Rimouski Oceanic getting blasted by the WHL champs from Kelowna. The final 4-1. Tyler Myers and Jamie Benn each had a goal and two assists for the Rockets who dominated the game throughout disappointing the hometown crowd hoping to see the Oceanic get off to a good start. I'm looking forward to watching the number 1 ranked Windsor Spitfires tomorrow when they play Drummondville. The word is this will be a preview of the final. I'm thinking Kelowna will have something to say about that.
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Maybe I should start watching "House". That way I would know who Olivia Wilde is. She was named the hottest woman in the world for 2009 by MAXIM magazine and really, I had no clue who she was. None whatsoever. She beat out Megan Fox. Megan is hot but not uberhot as some paint her out to be. The writing on her ribcage is sort of a turnoff for yours truly. Then again I'm not really into women that feel their body is a canvas and get themselves tattooed. A little rose or something is alright or the so-called tramp stamp but there are some women out there---good looking women who just ruin themselves with a butt-ugly tattoo. Looking at the top 100, I see some of my "top ten" material who are down the list. It just makes me wonder who is doing the voting and if its more of a popularity contest than anything. Really, how can anyone really think Britney Spears is one of the 20 hottest women out there!!! At least Paris Hilton didn't make the list. Then again, either is Kaley Cuoco, Michelle McCool or Jennifer Aniston. Speaking of which, I should investigate that list further and check out the names of those I haven't heard.....just for investigative purposes you know!! What????
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