Comments on: Lawyer says that Jim Crane is no war profiteer. Not that it really helps.

By: steveohho

steveohho — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:39:04 +0000

“‘war profiteering” Whats the whole point of a war if people can’t profit from it?

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:20:08 +0000

This letter raises more questions than it answers. Considering just the contracting abuses that we know about in Iraq, how bad did the situation at Crane’s company have to be for this litigation-averse Justice Dept to bring suit? And is Crane’s defense the same as Rick Scott’s (successful) Medicare fraud defense, ie, “I was only the CEO, how was I supposed to know what was going on?”.

Too many red flags on this guy. Time to move on.

By: gogigantos

gogigantos — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:16:06 +0000

Ownership is a very exclusive club. When the club forgets that a new member needs to be able to pay the bills it gets in trouble and all the members suffer. I understand Cuban not being welcome in the club, he might upset the members, or their wives, or girlfriends. But, being a great guy to have at the Club functions doesn’t make him a great member, see LA. I really hope that the base issue is money, or agreeing to the financial rules and playing by them, decorum. I’m pretty sure everybody makes a mountain so long as they play along.
I remember being unhappy that Colangelo(?) got the Snakes in as a NL team with a thought, or was it a promise, that they would move to the A.L. later. Turned out Selig’s own Crew moved to the N.L. and still there is unbalance. Maybe the issue is simply moving to the AL, and still unbalance, schedule.
The issue should money, cash on hand, in the bank, willingness to part with it and, well, money,,,, the P.R. shiite can be handled. well, lawyers writing letters of reference isn’t really a reference is it,, Maybe Crane folds under the slight magnifying glass applied to his business life. Better for the Club of ownership that he fold now than caving under a microscope later. I hope the issue is simply money. Ask Brandon Phillips or Lance Berkman, it is supposed to be about the money.
Club rule #1. none of this is for a moment about the fans
sorry, I am a windy old mofo,,, agree CFiorentino, the rules for admission to the Club seem a little wacked. Maybe they are a bit more careful about the money having been bit in LA so hard,, the stink of bad P.R. is a concern,, maybe the stink of not buying enough rounds at the Club functions is a problem too.
Hey, maybe the guy is just boring and they may want a more “Cuban” like guy to pony up and bring some life to the party of ownership. Maybe there are a few that remember fondly old George and miss him,, all in all, old Steinbrenner was good for the game, no?

By: purnellmeagrejr

purnellmeagrejr — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:00:03 +0000

Football and the military actually seemed much more tightly connected to me – recruitment ads – military presence (especially at the Super Bowl.

By: heynerdlinger

heynerdlinger — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:23:03 +0000

Is it just me, or would this kind of letter carry a lot more weight if it were written by someone at the Justice Department who is actually bringing the lawsuit?

By: Chris Fiorentino

Chris Fiorentino — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:22:51 +0000

“Baseball likely doesn’t care about what happens officially. They just don’t want the general stink that accompanies the charges regardless of who is specifically to blame.”

Thus the problem with baseball whenever a team is up for sale. Instead of going with the guy with the most CASH, they go with the guy who is going to fit into their group better without causing any type of public relations problems. Look, everyone knows that Mark Cuban should be a baseball owner. He would be absolutely perfect for the sport…no salary cap…loves sports…treats his players with respect…and is highly intelligent. Until baseball gets the stick out of their asses about guys like Cuban, they will always have this kind of trouble whenever there is a sale.

And I only mention Cuban because he is the only one I know…I am sure there are other just like him who would love to get in but can’t get past the Gestapo and it’s leader Heir Bud. Does anyone think that if Bud were the commissioner in 1973 that a guy like Steinbrenner would have been allowed into the clique? Yeah, me neither.