Ball Don't Lie on the Golden State Warriors' proposed Arena

I think Eric Freeman gets this right:

If forced to bet, I would assume that the arena will eventually be built at the Pier 30-32 site, if only because the team continues to get better (and therefore more popular among casual fans) and vast amounts of money tend to help in citywide votes (the results of Measure B notwithstanding). Yet it's also likely that arguments over the Warriors' plans will get more heated, largely because the underlying issues aren't going away any time soon. The project faces opposition not just because of its specifics. Ultimately, the question up for consideration is how much an organization that represents the Bay Area to the basketball-loving world cares about understanding and continuing to promote the historical character of the region.

What's left out, though, is that San Francisco, while quickly transforming into a rich-person's playground, is also the one major American city that has consistently rejected public financing for big-time sports palaces.

The San Francisco Giants nearly moved away in the 1970s and 1990s because voters in and outside the city rejected stadium funding, only to be kept in the city when Peter Magowan spearheaded an effort to built a new downtown ballpark with minimal public funding. And the San Francisco 49ers will move south and out of town, starting next year, because voters rejected spending city money on a new stadium and mall at Candlestick Park's location.

That's how I see the current conflict: Yes, it's about whether the team recognizes the historical character of the region, but tied up in that is a recognition that, historically, San Francisco doesn't pay for arenas.

(Image cc-licensed: "Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers" by Antonio Fucito)

Give the people what they want: The NBA takes a step toward letting viewers watch games on whatever device they want. Jay Cowit and David A. Arnott talk about how sports is both driving and following modern media trends.



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The SportsBusiness Journal first reported on the NBA’s plan to allow local streaming of games. (Disclosure: David works for BizJournals.com, which shares a parent company with SBJ.)

The Telegraph (UK) posted the relevant footage of Kevin Spacey’s speech about choosing to distribute a television series on Netflix.

Roger Goodell’s quote about an NFL team playing in London, as passed on by ESPN, was: “I want both (London and L.A.), but it doesn’t matter which one is first.”

Derek Thompson of The Atlantic posted a chart that clearly illustrates where the Walt Disney Co. makes its money.

There are several hundred videos showing Mike Tyson knockouts on YouTube, but here’s a solid clip show, and don’t watch the Jake Brown video unless you’re prepared to see a guy hit the ground from five stories up.

The Creamy Middles Podcast is a weekly discussion attacking the belly issues of sports -- ideas that go beyond wins and losses. Jay Cowit usually produces it, though David may occasionally step in. Music is either royalty-free, by J. Cowit and the Ruthless Orchestra, or 29 Sunset. Subscribe in iTunes or in another podcatcher with this RSS feed.

The players with the most seniority got first class. After first class was full, everybody had to do coach. They would do two players for three seats. I remember the first flight I got on. There’s Dave Hoppen, 7 feet tall, didn’t quite make the seniority cut list, so he had to go sit in the back. Even with the two for three seats, he has his knees up in his face. Here’s Muggsy Bogues, sitting in first class while Dave Hoppen is eating his knees. During the flight, Muggsy was sitting there, with his feet in the little magazine holder, sleeping. Something didn’t seem quite right about that.

In the midst of this fascinating oral history of the Charlotte Hornets’ first season compiled by Matt Crossman, there’s this amazing bit of facepalm-ery.

Vestigials: Upon reports that Major League Baseball is considering a ban on home-plate collisions, Jay Cowit and David A. Arnott talk about that and other elements of major American sports that we could do without.



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Buster Olney reported on MLB’s discussions about catcher safety.

Here’s the list of teams that have played in the World Series.

Deadspin’s post on hockey fighting showed that the practice is probably on its way out, anyway, partly because it doesn’t do much of anything for the teams that do it.

When Kermit Washington punched Rudy Tomjanovich during an NBA game, it nearly resulted in an on-court death, and is a moment now seen as a turning point in the league’s evolution away from on-court fighting.

Last December, Greg Schiano explained his idea for how to eliminate kickoffs in the NFL.

While the appendix is widely considered a vestigial organ, it turns out that in some specific circumstances, it can still perform important functions.

Music by J Cowit and the Ruthless Orchestra.

The Creamy Middles Podcast is a weekly discussion attacking the belly issues of sports -- ideas that go beyond wins and losses. Jay Cowit usually produces it, though David may occasionally step in. Music is either royalty-free, by J. Cowit and the Ruthless Orchestra, or 29 Sunset. Subscribe in iTunes or in another podcatcher with this RSS feed.

Seen in Kannapolis, NC. I wonder what the thought process was?

"Hey, we need a bear logo."

"Do we have one?"

"No."

"What about Yogi Bear? Let’s use Yogi AND Boo-Boo."

"No no no no no. I’ve got it. We’ll take the Memphis Grizzlies logo and make it green."

"Genius dude. High-five!"

We've become big-league literally overnight: Charlotte and its arenas

In August 1988, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, celebrated the opening of a brand new 24,000-seat arena, soon to be known as the Charlotte Coliseum. The mayor and governor were on hand for opening night of course, but the Reverend Billy Graham provided real star power, and he took the opportunity to pronounce, “This is more than a coliseum that will meet the needs of a great city. This is a symbol of Charlotte’s vitality, its commitment to the future and that Charlotte truly has its place in the cities of the world.”

Graham was right. First the Coliseum, and now Time Warner Cable Arena, site of this year’s Democratic National Convention, have been symbols of Charlotte’s demographic upheaval, their use shadowing the city’s ongoing quest to be known as something more important than a sleepy landmark between Richmond and Atlanta.

Michael Jordan didn't live up to Michael Jordan's reputation

Every single player in this year’s NBA Finals is getting a raw deal, and it’s Michael Jordan’s fault.

From 1991 through 1998, Jordan’s teams lost one playoff series, and that was in 1995 to Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, and the Orlando Magic, after Jordan returned from his baseball sojourn and had played in only 17 regular season games. In other words, it took a stacked team six games to beat a rusty Jordan and the Bulls. It is essential to Jordan’s legend that the only playoff series he lost* was to Shaq and Penny without the benefit of playing into form.