Quick Shots: Cosmic Tumblers In Motion?

  • The Chicago Cubs couldn't have picked a better time to introduce Theo Epstein as their new President of Baseball Operations.  With the Bears off this week, the Cubs are getting most of the buzz in the papers and on the sports talk stations. If that's not cosmic tumblers, what is?
  • The other story that seems to be emerging is The Chairman's pantsing of the Illinois Facility Authority.  The Sox recently added an upscale restaurant to the mix, charging the state for it and reaping all the profits.  The new President of the board, former legislator Emil Jones, vows to look into the lease agreement.  To what end, I don't know, because a deal is a deal, right?  Pressure from the IFA is only going to make The Chairman angry and probably threaten to move the team to another market like Charlotte, Oklahoma City, New Orleans or (gasp, no) Hoosierapolis.
  • The sad part of the story is not how The Chairman is allegedly making all the money, but how he is an impediment to development in the area.  Imagine an atmosphere with restaurants, bars, ample parking, etc. to rejuvenate a pretty rough stretch of tracks.  According to former Governor and IFA Chair Jim Thompson, The Chairman wants none of that?  Why?  because it will eat into his profit.
  • The Sox and The Chairman didn't comment on any of this yesterday, but you've got to think that if he did get cornered, his answer would be that in order to maintain a competitive ball club, the White Sox need every dollar of those profits.  Without them, they could not possibly be competitive.  I'm starting to believe that building the restaurant gave them the flexibility to sign Adam Dunn. In 2009, when the economy was in the crapper and advertisers were not renewing their contracts, The Chairman talked about developing new revenue streams.
  • The lease the Sox have with the IFA runs through 2029.  It is not likely The Chairman will be around to renew it.  He'd be 92 at that point.
  • If you think The Chairman is a bit shady on this deal, you should be aware of how he made his fortune.  He took advantage of a Supreme Court decision which allowed a company to purchase real estate, lease it back to the owner while the title owner reaped the tax benefits and depreciation. Before that, The Chairman worked for the IRS. 
  • The Bears have washed their hands of safety Chris Harris, waiving him this morning.  Didn't he play okay against Tampa?  Maybe it's because he was unhappy and the Bears traditionally don't like non-kool-aid drinkers on their roster.
  • Catch that spin-o-rama by Patrick Kane the other night?  Even Denny Savard's jaw dropped. Moving him to center may help the Hawks return to the top of the Western Conference.
  • Tonight is the rescheduled Game 6 of the World Series.  I'm anxious to see if The Genius will out Genius himself again tonight.  Of one thing I'm certain: There will be a pre-game phone check.

Posted by Chip Ramsey at 10/27/2011 9:06 AM
Categories: Chicago Bears, Hockey, Media, Minor League Baseball, Chicago White Sox, Pro Football, Baseball
Tags: The Genius The Chairman The Big Donkey
 

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