fauowls44

Sad. I posted about this on the "new stadium" forum. This should serve as a warning to all the City and County commissioners in Miami-Dade. You do not want to be in the same position your counterparts in Seattle are in right now. They can get on their soapbox about how billionaire owners should build stadiums themselves and how they don't consider helping secure the future of sports teams as important as other issues, but just go talk to anyone in Seattle right now...Regardless of if you are a sports fan or not, you can't tell me that Seattle didn't just lose something important today. They lost part of their history and something that united that community. Don't let it happen here. Get the shovels in the ground and start building a baseball stadium Miami! As for the Sonics...shame on all of those involved in this. Shame on Howard Schultz. He knew what he was getting into when he sold his team to a group from OKC(a city angling for a team since the Hornets went back to New Orleans). Shame on the Seattle politicians that dragged their feet and stonewalled any and all plans brought before them. They were betting that the NBA was bluffing and only tried to come up with solutions when it was too late. Shame on Clay Bennett for lying to the fans of Seattle all along. And shame on David Stern for allowing this and letting his league leave a city that has supported you for 41 years. Leaving a big market like Seattle for Oklahoma City is asinine and likely wouldn't be happening but Clay Bennett happens to be a personal friend of Sterns. I'm sure that basketball fans in Oklahoma City are happy tonight....They get a pro team. This isn't their fault, but this can't possibly be how they wanted this to happen. There are no winners in this mess.

I've been watching the news conferences from Seattle and OK City regarding the Sonics settlement for the last half hour. The press conference that the Mayor and City Commission of Seattle is not one that anyone in those positions down here wants to go through. The powers that be in Seattle dragged their feet on arena renovations for years, their owner (who I blame more than the government, by the way) ended up selling to Clay Bennett from OK City and now the team and 41 years of city history gone. The team is moving operations from Seattle starting tomorrow morning. The Mayor now has to explain why he settled a lawsuit to keep the team in town for $45mil with no guarentee of a franchise returning. The scary thing is, this can easily be the Marlins. Get shovels in the ground already and avoid this....... Once the press conferences end, I'll post the link to the videos. Can someone with the commissioners' and other officials' email addresses pass it along to show them what they absolutely do not want?

Panthers sign Cory Stillman! Good signing. 3 years $10.6 mil.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/01...llpark-lawsuit/ Miami judge considers Marlins ballpark lawsuit By ASSOCIATED PRESS 12:58 p.m., Tuesday, July 1, 2008 MIAMI ? A Miami judge decided a trial will begin next week in a lawsuit challenging a financing plan for a new Florida Marlins ballpark and other public projects. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen said Tuesday she would also reconsider whether the Marlins must produce detailed financial information for the case. Auto dealer and philanthropist Norman Braman claims in the lawsuit that a proposed financing plan is unconstitutional. The $3 billion plan includes the new downtown Marlins ballpark at the site of the old Orange Bowl, a tunnel to the Port of Miami and other projects. Cohen got the case last week when another judged stepped aside because of a conflict. The Marlins hope to begin playing at the new 37,000-seat stadium in 2011. Good news that they won't be delayed until September. I don't understand why the judge will reconsider if they have to produce detailed financial information...I don't see what that has to do with this case. Anyway, I suppose this is a win, because I believe that Braman's only goal is to delay this as long as possible. Let's see what else he can come up with to try and stall further.

I don't know how this got off the topic of Mike Jacobs, but I thought it was interesting that McPhearson started at 1B yesterday. I don't think much will come of it because should he be brought up, he'll likely go to 3B and move Cantu across the diamond.

you a PG in this league, not a swing PG/SG. We saw the celtics had with a guy like Rondo who was an assist machine. We also saw how good the Nets were when they had Kidd playing well. Same goes for Chauncy etc... you need those PG's not the swing guys. I think they need a lot of work still I don't know. There is more than one way to win. You don't NEED a pure point guard to win championships. You can get by without a true PG so long as you have a dominant wing player. When the Heat won, yes they had JWill, but it's not as if he was out there running the offense most of the game. Wade handled the ball most of the time. When the Bulls were winning, Jordan and Pippen ran the offense, not whoever they had out there as the PG. Same goes with the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. For teams with a dominant SG like Wade, Kobe, and Jordan, all they really need is a guy that can bring the ball up court and hit open shots. Heck, the Heat were 2 minutes away from going to the Finals in 2005 with Damon Jones starting at PG. With that said, I doubt the starting PG the Heat go into the season with is on the roster yet. Chalmers may develop into that guy, but my guess is they bring in a veteran. There are so many teams with multiple PG's, someone should shake free.

having three PF's and now getting Beasley they are going to have to do something Well, they can play Beasley or Marion at the 3. Haslem can play center in a small lineup or be the 1st big off the bench. So it's not as much of a logjam as some make it out to be, but the most likely scenerio is that Marion or Haslem will be dealt for PG or C help.

McPherson deserves a chance and that is an understatment. The guy's numbers are unbelievable. Granted, he's in the PCL and that is a hitter's league, but his production is awesome. He's now homered in 7 straight games and has an OPS of over 1.100. Even if they don't trade Jacobs, they should call him up when Amezaga is healthy enough to play, send Andino down.

I have never really been a great basketball fan, as I am of the football, and Baseball, but I do attend 3-4 games a year and watch the majority of the games on tv. If we pass on beasley, I will have no problem just dropping the heat altogether. Then please don't root for the Heat when we are competing for another Championship in a couple years. If we pass on Beasley it is because a guy that knows a hell of a lot more about basketball than me, you and every single person on this board combined thought someone else was a better option for this team. Me and you don't know sh*t about basketball compared to these guys. Stop being such a pathetic bandwagon rider. Cam Cameron "supposedly" knew more about football than the entire Dolphins fan base, but he drafted Ted Ginn. I don't think I'll actually denounce my Heat fanhood if it happens (I was exagerating), but really...I will be damn mad if they do it. It doesn't take a basketball genius to know that Beasley is the guy to take if he falls in our laps. Are you really comparing Pat Riley to Cam Cameron?

I have never really been a great basketball fan, as I am of the football, and Baseball, but I do attend 3-4 games a year and watch the majority of the games on tv. If we pass on beasley, I will have no problem just dropping the heat altogether. That's a bit extreme considering none of us really know how good Beasley will be. Sure, I want them to take Beasley as well since he is clearly a very talented player, but I think you have give Riley and the Heat the benefit of the doubt here. First of all, nobody from the Heat organization has said a word about the draft. I'm sure that is by design. Everything that is out there is speculation by NBA "experts". I wouldn't be shocked if Riley has actually coveted Beasley all along and this percieved dislike of Beasley is a smokescreen created to cast doubt on him and keep the Bulls from taking him. Riley also knows he has a very shallow roster and is seeing if someone is willing to give up the house in exchange for the pick. The bottom line is nobody knows what the Heat is thinking and that is exactly what Riley wants.

I wouldn't worry plans are continuing and they are meeting again later this month. The problem is more of a technicality. The article was either written to make news or by some Marlins hater to get the other haters. :mischief We'll be fine. What kind of technicality? Being part of the global agreement. Alvarez can, and likely will, separate if that is what troubles Martinez. It didn't sound like Alvarez saw that as an issue. Thanks for the clarification. I believe that Burgess has tried to explain a number of times that the ballpark is in fact not tied to the whole global agreement. It can get very confusing...just get it done already!

And peterson! thank the lord. hire Mazzone next year! Because Leo Mazzone has been so successful without Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine?? Why do people think this guy is such a genius? It's real easy being a great pitching coach when you have 3 Hall of Famers in your rotation.

I wouldn't worry plans are continuing and they are meeting again later this month. The problem is more of a technicality. The article was either written to make news or by some Marlins hater to get the other haters. :mischief We'll be fine. What kind of technicality?

we had johan santana? and we traded him for Jared Camp?? Who was the general manager for the florida marlins at that time? It was Dave Dombrowski. If I remember correctly, it was a pre-arranged deal at the Rule V draft with the Twins. He was a Marlin for all of an hour or so. You can't blame Dombrowski though. Nobody knew he would become one of the best pitchers in baseball. The real question is why couldn't the Astros find a spot on their 40 man roster for him?

so apperently we traded Santana We did...for Jared Camp.

Interesting. Perhaps he's going to be taking Henrickson's rotation spot?

I don't think weather has a whole lot to do with it. Maybe a little. I think the main thing is just people in S.Florida are not interested in baseball. Ok, but then why are the TV and radio ratings so strong? There are a number of reasons that people don't go. A lot has to do with the weather and the stadium, but I think most of it is the uncertainty of the franchise that has existed since 1997. If/when construction begins on the stadium and people are certain that this team will be around for decades to come, then they will start to make a bigger committment to it then just watching the games from home on TV.

Do we really need ANOTHER attendance thread?? We all know that the attendance sucks. There are many reasons for it that have been discussed at length. People in this town will show up for big series...in August and September. Besides, when your season ticket base is so low, it's just hard to get big crowds, especially on weekdays. Get a walk up of 2,000 people and it still looks empty. Just the way it is until the season ticket base increases.

I was watching some of his start tonight and he's really struggling obviously. His mechanics are pretty awful and Herschiser was ripping into him. He was booed off the mound and replaced by another former Marlin Denny Bautista. I feel bad for the guy. We watched the beginning of this slide for a few years and it is full meltdown now. I hope he gets things turned around because he's one of my all-time favorites. I just don't know how much things will improve for him at this point though.

If Badenhop pitches well the rest of this game, they might swap roles for the time being....especially since there's only one lefty in the pen.

Next time, I want to see our #1. prospect Camaron Maybin, as soon as possible. He were our last puzzle, I think. (Look at the Jay Bruce' performance.) Maybin is not as polished as Bruce, He lacks the discipline at the plate that Bruce has, Maybin will be awesome it just that he still has some problems with the breaking ball Maybe Maybin's figuring it out. He's been on a tear lately in AA. He has his average up to .270 with an OBP of .371 and SLG of .509. In his last 10 games, he's hitting .417 with 5 HRs.

I've never been a big fan of Olsen. First of all, I'm not a big fan of his attitude/demeanor. Secondly, those long sleeves he wears piss me off. So you don't like Ryan Tucker then?

I know this might be a little premature, but did he remind anyone else of Beckett? Beckett as a prospect had at least three and maybe four plus pitches. Tucker has one plus pitch. I see exactly where you're coming from. I agree, Beckett wasn't who I thought he reminded me of....maybe a little like a Brad Penny type if you want to compare him to any former Marlin rookie pitcher.

Very impressed. Great fastball, lots of movement. Yeah, too many walks, but the Reds have a pretty good lineup with some patient hitters. The command will come. He had good command in the minors. It's nice having a guy in the rotation that can bring heat like that. When Miller gets things figured out, they could be a dominating 1-2 punch. Think of next season's rotation with Tucker, Miller, Olsen, Johnson, one of either Sanchez/Volstad/Nolasco/Mitre....so many quality arms...good problem to have.

Samson just stated on CBS4 that the Stadium will be revealed public in late June. Why was he on CBS4? Was that the whole story? Thanks for the update.