expos6904

I think we see things the same way I got to talk to Loria several times and he would mingle with the fans. His first love is the game of baseball that was obvious and I believe he tried. Sampson couldn't understand why I would go to the trouble of driving 65 miles and going through customs to see a game :blink: I always found it "odd" that Loria's ex-wife's son was so involved except that there were rumors a lot of the money in the team belong to her. Sampson made a mistake when he first came to Quebec by blowing off one of the Expo's limited partners who he considered just a francophone drug store owner. Most of you have never heard of Jean Coutu but you most likely have been in his stores in Florida. On April 5, 2004, The Jean Coutu Group announced it had signed a definitive agreement with J.C. Penney Company, Inc. to acquire, in a share transaction, 1,549 Eckerd drugstores and support facilities located in 13 states of the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Jean Coutu Group will become the fourth largest drugstore chain in North America after the closing of the acquisition. Coutu used to buy thousands of tickets to give away to his customers. Sampson also bristled when Montreal sportswriters suggested the Expos use marketing ideas used by the Montreal Alouettes. He said they are a CFL team, we are MLB. But the Alouettes are a beloved, fan friendly team in the francophone parts of the city.

Jack McKeon was contacted by WFAN about Josh Beckett Chris and Mike talked to former Marlins Manager Jack McKeon about Pitcher Josh Beckett The Boston Globe also talked to Jack Having failed to locate a blister expert in the Yellow Pages, I put the question to former Marlins manager Jack McKeon. ''Those blisters were really frustrating," McKeon said. ''But not so much this past season. I think he had only one stint on the DL because of them. I know he spent a lot of time seeing different doctors about it, and they came up with some kind of remedy that helped him. I'm not exactly sure what it was. Some kind of medication. ''Blisters are tricky. People think that kind of injury is no big deal, but that's wrong, especially when it comes to pitchers. Sometimes the metabolism of certain players makes them prone to those things. And then there's the climate in Florida. It's always hot, and it's always sticky, so those fingers are always moist." http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/reds...r_on_a_problem/

I also have to ask this question. How much behind the curtain arm twisting did Mr. Blockbuster do with Florida politicians to keep the Marlins stuck in Dolphins Stadium. Wayne H may say in public he wants the Marlins out of there but the bottom line is he makes money 81 days a year off the Marlins. Alot people have been saying that but it can't be proven I cry everytime I drive past where Parc Labatt was supposed to be On February 8, 2000 new team owner Jeffrey Loria presented the last plan for a new Expos ballpark in downtown Montreal. The $200 million project was significantly less expensive than a previous proposal which called for a retractable roof. The plan was submitted to the city's Executive Committee so it could be examined by the City Council's Urban Development Commission. The Expos would then have had to enter into a lease with Canada Lands, and finalize the project's financing. The team intended to start construction in the spring of 2000 in order to open the 2002 season in the new ballpark. The model introduced to the media was a departure from recent ballparks built for MLB teams. There would be no retro-style brick facades or sharp angles. The new stadium was oval in shape and a transparent exterior glass wall was planned to follow the stadium's curve and to surround its steel frame. This would allow spectators to witness activity in the neighbouring streets and public squares. The wall would also reflect the surrounding scenery (sky, trees, etc.) during the day, while at night it would reveal outside activity in the surrounding neighborhood. It offered many views from the outside to the inside and its design promised a sense of closeness and intimacy. The stadium would have been built using the "design-build" method with the AXOR Group acting as designer and general contractor. They were the builders of the Du Maurier Tennis Stadium at Jarry Park. AXOR would have been working with the architectural firm of Provencher Roy & Associ?s Architects. The facility would have been located on the parcel of land bordered by Peel Street to the east, de la Montagne to the west, Saint-Jacques to the north and Notre-Dame to the south.

As a long time season ticket holder for the Expos who lives in Vermont some backround. Jeff Loria is a decent man but his stepson is pure evil, cut from the Gordon Gekko cloth. Sampson had a goal from Day 1 in Montreal, to move the franchise to The Meadowlands in New Jersey. Selig then decided to contract the Expos and eliminate the problem but Sampson threatened to sue baseball and MLB was afraid they might lose the case. Then John Henry had a problem. He wanted to buy the Red Sox and Selig wanted that, but he needed a buyer for the Marlins who by 2001 were in sorry shape. MLB in their haste to make this happen in effect bought the Marlins from John Henry. In legal terms, the current Nationals franchise is not the Expos but the 1993 expansion Marlins and the Marlins franchise is actually the 1969 Expos. This is how the minority Expos investors still own some 6% of the Marlins , and also explains how Loria/Sampson wound up with the Expos scouting records and spring training location at Roger Dean. David Sampson has a way about him that turns people off and I suspect strongly he ticked off some Florida politicans and also local Miami based companies that could help move season tickets. My guess at what happens next, I see it going one of two ways. Orlando may be choice #1. One thing in its favor is that on any given night in the summer you have thousands of tourists looking for something to do at night. It would be very easy to market Disney/Marlins as a vacation idea in the other NL cities. Orlando "could" work. The other option is New Jersey. Yes they would have to pay a kings ransom to the Yankees and Mets but they could also split their TV between the Yankees and Mets network similar to the deal that the Nationals have with the Orioles. It breaks my heart that Montreal will never have MLB again but the fans never forgave after the strike in 1994 and the last straw was when Pedro was traded for a bucket of balls. What is really sad is the Miami Heat who were unhappy with an arena built in 1988 were able to demand a new arena and got it, while the team that needed a baseball only facilty couldn't get it done. I also have to ask this question. How much behind the curtain arm twisting did Mr. Blockbuster do with Florida politicians to keep the Marlins stuck in Dolphins Stadium. Wayne H may say in public he wants the Marlins out of there but the bottom line is he makes money 81 days a year off the Marlins.