8:57 PM Just got back from Costco, where I secured six cases of owl jerky, a 40-gallon drum of pine cone liquor, three genetically engineered chickens made entirely of wings, a giant squid with a head of fire and talking snakes for tentacles and a copy of Andre Agassi's autobiography, signed personally!
8:09 PM Got five bucks burning a hole in your pocket and an unhealthy obsession for Monta Ellis? Does Mark Cuban have a deal for YOU!
7:51 PM Michigan State football players *allegedly* weren't the only football players in the country involved in a serious dorm altercation recently.
Two separate votes by the Miami City Commission and the Miami-Dade County Commission sealed the deal Thursday night. The $525 million plan calls for a new 37,000-seat stadium (complete with a retractable roof) to be built on the soon-to-be vacant Orange Bowl site.
However, some citizens are still upset with the whole deal. Read more…
“Gopher Points” are accrued on “season-ticket purchasing history and financial contributions to the stadium.” The fans with the most points win the right to watch the U. lose to I-AA teams while freezing to death beginning in 2009, when the ballpark open. UM claims sales of 35,000 season tickets so far.
Sounds like the price of silver is due to jump in about 18 months.
MY FOX TWIN CITIES reports that the ice cream corporation has signed a $2.5 million deal to put its name on the new stadium’s clubroom.The MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL chimes in that as part of the deal, DQ will also have scoreboard ads and a suite at the new TCF Bank Stadium. The $288 Million on-campus facility is scheduled to open in 2009.
It makes sense that the soft-serve seller would sponsor such a soft-served team:
The MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE adds that the new stadium will also have a veterans memorial located in the main plaza, as a tribute to America’s fighting forces, and in recognition of the Gophers’ previous on-campus field, Memorial Stadium.For a further salute to the military, Minnesota plans to play its first game in its new home against either Army, Navy or Air Force.
It turns out that Miami officials want to knock down the dump hallowed sanctum of South Florida sports and entertainment as fast as possible in order to clear the site for a possible Marlins ballpark (though funding goals have yet to be reached).There will be a few more games held there before the demolition commences, as the Hurricanes play their final game there tomorrow and Florida International, losers of 22 straight, will follow with two more games (what’s the point guys, really?).
Even in the heyday of the Canes’ and Dolphins’ domination, Miami was notorious for not selling out the facility. So now they think they can get people to buy seats that they weren’t willing to sit in when The U. was winning national titles and the Fins went undefeated?
BM DESERVES SALUTE FOR NOT BACKING DOWN (OH, WAIT): We want to issue a hearty salute to Barry Melrose for speaking the truth about Newark, NJ, last week. His assessment of the war zone that envelopes the city’s new arena, Prudential Center, was absolutely spot-on. We visited the site before PC’s official opening a couple months back and were appalled by the frightening blight of the nearby neighborhood.
Melrose’s statements are once again an example of ESPN’s unwavering attention to detail and willingness to stand up for the truth - which is the brick and mortar of what has built an unrivaled sports reportage empire.
Just because Melrose had never visited the arena when he made his statements about the building and environs doesn’t mean that he lacks credibility. Nor does his backpedaling today from his remarks faster than the guy landing planes at nearby Newark airport diminish his journalistic standing in our eyes.UPDATE: Moments after we posted this entry, the video of Melrose slamming Newark (linked above) suddenly became “unavailable”. Here’s a screen grab of the original SbB post:
We’re sure this is a complete coincidence. Or Colin Cowherd’s AM radio show, in which he regales us daily about grocery shopping, is draining too much of the mothership’s bandwidth.
ORANGE BOWL LOSING FIXTURES BEFORE MIAMI FINALE: Miami will host its last-ever game at the Orange Bowl on November 10. By then, there might not be any seats left:
WPLG-TV warns fans from getting too greedy about grabbing some souvenirs from the old stadium, or else they’ll grab themselves some jail time.But being Hurricanes fans, they should already be very knowledgeable about the Dade County criminal system.
Miami Police say they’ll have extra officers on hand for the home finale against Virginia. The cops will also be working with a security company that’s dealt with historic closings before, such as for Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium.
(A lucky ‘Canes fan taking home a souvenir)
Some spectators have already gotten a head start. Lt. Bill Schwartz said they’ve previously stopped people trying to exit with signs and seats: “We haven’t arrested them. We’ve given them warnings. But at this point forward, we’re going to have to get more strict on this.”And the ‘Canes farewell won’t even be the last time football is played in the Orange Bowl. Florida International will play 3 more games at the O.B. afterwards, while their own campus stadium is being rebuilt. So, the real last time will be FIU against North Texas on December 1.
Then, who gets claim over the remaining Orange Bowl mementos - Miami or FIU?
PRESENTING THE MOST EXPENSIVE A** SINCE ICE-T’S WIFE: The NEWARK STAR-LEDGER reports the Rutgers Budget & Finance and Buildings & Grounds committees are meeting in “closed-door sessions” today to contemplate a $100M+ expansion of the Scarlet Knights’ stadium expansion.
The NEWARK STAR-LEDGER notes the building plan would increase the stadium’s capacity to 55,000 from 42,000. $100M for 13,000 extra seats? We know you’re thinking like us - that works out to $7,692.31 per fanny.For some friendly perspective on the matter, keep in mind Rutgers has won nine games in a season exactly once since 1979.
