ESPN.com, citing sources, reported that the deal runs for seven years and is worth more $90 million -- less than the $100 million five-year deal Nike signed with pro golfer Tiger Woods in September 2000.
He's not bad, but he had a year in which he kind of regressed instead of improved. The thing about the contract is that its supposedly for all that money, but in reality it won't be. A lot of the money too, isn't guaranteed, so he could be released at some point and not see half of it.
That's not bad but that would mean that we would only need to bring 7 friends with each car that we drive to the game. That sounds like a deal. What? Did they forget the parking mess over at the dome already? It sounds a bit better than that but it's still downtown Mpls, which is not considered the center of the Twin Cities. That's why I like the proposal for a football stadium by the UofM campus. Plenty of space to build enough parking and it's somewhat midway between the two cities. I guess I really don't care about the Twin stadium anyway 'cause unless they chop their season down by 100 games, I really don't think I'll ever be more than a fair weather fan. Vikings are a different story of course. The only stadium issue I have there is those people who want nothing but an open top stadium. Other than being able to stuff a 12pk into your parka, there really isn't anything that sounds fun about hanging out in -20 temps to see Daunte drop the ball (I know that's not fair - I do like the guy, but he was handy). Retractable sounds like a good fix if the cash can be raised without much help from the state (which sounds unlikely at this time) otherwise a covered football stadium is the only way to go. Especially for all those post season games that we'll be in then. I'm done now.
I went to my last pro football game 10 years ago. Indoors or out, you couldn't get me to go to another one with free tickets.
But I really think the Viikings gave up home field advantage when the left the Met. But I don't know their record at home, so maybe I don't know what I"m talking about,
That said, I'm really not one of those guys who pines for outdoor baseball like it has some kind of magic. I leave that to the aging baby boomers who, for some reason, need to carry about it in print. Outdoor baseball rhapsodies would show up in the Cities newspapers about the time the St. Paul Saints season would start.
Please, spare me your childhood memories and your narcissistic need to get your name in print.
I've seen what the Xcel has done for St Paul, and I think about it
Good point. That's been a pretty good thing all around. But I'm not sure the Twins could get any kind of buy in with their recent track record. And this is including those post season games that packed the house. The fact remains that win or loose the Wild will pack them in. The Twins will only do that if they win and win big. I wish them all the luck though, but just not any of my money unless their track record will justify it.
"The fact remains that win or loose the Wild will pack them in."
That's not a fact; and you can't expect that.
From what I've heard (and I wasn't living here at the time) when the old North Stars made a run at the Stanley Cup, they couldn't fill the rink.
You don't build tradition in three years. The Wild is new, and a novelty and they've had some success. But this isn't the Red Sox or any of the East Coast or Chicago sports teams that have great fans. The Packer fans can drive you crazy, but, dammit, they bleed Packer colors.
A fickle group of fans live in Minnesota. They can drop a team for the flavor of the month.
FYI NASCAR just nabbed up 600 acres across from Grand Casino Hinckely for a new track in Minnesota!! So now we can add NASCAR racing to this Minnesota sports thread. YIPPIE!!
Isn't NASCAR more like a demolition derby than a race?
Formula I racing/Gran Prix might interest me. My brother-in-law is nuts about it. He follows the Ferrari team. Rents a motor home and parks it at Road Atlanta.
But, I follow baseball, and I don't want to spend too much time with spectator sports.
But, I follow baseball, and I don't want to spend too much time with spectator sports.
Wouldn't any sport really be a spectator sport ? I mean I don't remember beign at any baseball game and seeing the manager walk into the stands and ask them to pitch relief.
I know someone down in Tennese who builds trailers for race cars for NASCAR folks. He said they should have racing in MN. The folks said they just bought the land next to the Casino for a track.
You can race cars too. Head over to Cedar Lake for the bomber races. I did it years ago with some guys I went to high school with. The only rules were, no motors over 400 c.i displacement. no 4 barrel carbs. you had to remove the glass and weld a roll cage, put the tank in the back seat in and buy or rent a fire suit. I'm not a motorhead but we did it anyway and for an investment of about 75 a piece we had a 1973 Chrylser Newport in all her puse green glory. Took second prize too and won 50 bucks! The truck we borrowed to haul it with wouldn't start, so we drove it home. All 4 of us piled into the green meenie (with no windshield or backseat) and made it another 20 miles before that one broke down :) The winnings didn't even cover the repair bills but what a blast. If you'd like you can get into higher levels but it'll cost ya. I wonder if they still do the bomber races ? Good times, good times.
They ask us to build them stadiums, then pay an average player like Daunte $100 million....
Basketball Phenom LeBron James Reportedly Signs $90 Million Nike Deal
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,87550,00.html
ESPN.com, citing sources, reported that the deal runs for seven years and is worth more $90 million -- less than the $100 million five-year deal Nike signed with pro golfer Tiger Woods in September 2000.
average player like Daunte
And that's a generous comment in itself.
I'm fairly ignorant, but he's not bad is he? Is he worth what they're paying him?
If they got rid of Daunte's salary, they'd have 1/4 of the money for their stadium.
He's not bad, but he had a year in which he kind of regressed instead of improved. The thing about the contract is that its supposedly for all that money, but in reality it won't be. A lot of the money too, isn't guaranteed, so he could be released at some point and not see half of it.
Graceless, crude football would not be played here
NS! I better not see any of my money going towards that thing.
seven-thousand existing skyway-ready parking spaces.
That's not bad but that would mean that we would only need to bring 7 friends with each car that we drive to the game. That sounds like a deal. What? Did they forget the parking mess over at the dome already? It sounds a bit better than that but it's still downtown Mpls, which is not considered the center of the Twin Cities. That's why I like the proposal for a football stadium by the UofM campus. Plenty of space to build enough parking and it's somewhat midway between the two cities. I guess I really don't care about the Twin stadium anyway 'cause unless they chop their season down by 100 games, I really don't think I'll ever be more than a fair weather fan.
Vikings are a different story of course. The only stadium issue I have there is those people who want nothing but an open top stadium. Other than being able to stuff a 12pk into your parka, there really isn't anything that sounds fun about hanging out in -20 temps to see Daunte drop the ball (I know that's not fair - I do like the guy, but he was handy). Retractable sounds like a good fix if the cash can be raised without much help from the state (which sounds unlikely at this time) otherwise a covered football stadium is the only way to go. Especially for all those post season games that we'll be in then.
I'm done now.
I went to my last pro football game 10 years ago. Indoors or out, you couldn't get me to go to another one with free tickets.
But I really think the Viikings gave up home field advantage when the left the Met. But I don't know their record at home, so maybe I don't know what I"m talking about,
That said, I'm really not one of those guys who pines for outdoor baseball like it has some kind of magic. I leave that to the aging baby boomers who, for some reason, need to carry about it in print. Outdoor baseball rhapsodies would show up in the Cities newspapers about the time the St. Paul Saints season would start.
Please, spare me your childhood memories and your narcissistic need to get your name in print.
NS! I better not see any of my money going towards that thing.
Don't tell Rick this, but I don't know how I feel.
I used to be totally against taxpayer funding, but I've seen what the Xcel has done for St Paul, and I think about it.
I've seen what the Xcel has done for St Paul, and I think about it
Good point. That's been a pretty good thing all around. But I'm not sure the Twins could get any kind of buy in with their recent track record. And this is including those post season games that packed the house. The fact remains that win or loose the Wild will pack them in. The Twins will only do that if they win and win big. I wish them all the luck though, but just not any of my money unless their track record will justify it.
"The fact remains that win or loose the Wild will pack them in."
That's not a fact; and you can't expect that.
From what I've heard (and I wasn't living here at the time) when the old North Stars made a run at the Stanley Cup, they couldn't fill the rink.
You don't build tradition in three years. The Wild is new, and a novelty and they've had some success. But this isn't the Red Sox or any of the East Coast or Chicago sports teams that have great fans. The Packer fans can drive you crazy, but, dammit, they bleed Packer colors.
A fickle group of fans live in Minnesota. They can drop a team for the flavor of the month.
Rick 5/23/03 7:26pm
fickle group of fans live in Minnesota
nonsense
I can change my mind.
Whattaya got to convince me I'm wrong?
FYI
NASCAR just nabbed up 600 acres across from Grand Casino Hinckely for a new track in Minnesota!! So now we can add NASCAR racing to this Minnesota sports thread. YIPPIE!!
OH MY! My husband will be in heaven!!!!
MV, where did you hear this? I cant find it on the nascar site.
Isn't NASCAR more like a demolition derby than a race?
Formula I racing/Gran Prix might interest me. My brother-in-law is nuts about it. He follows the Ferrari team. Rents a motor home and parks it at Road Atlanta.
But, I follow baseball, and I don't want to spend too much time with spectator sports.
Wouldn't any sport really be a spectator sport ? I mean I don't remember beign at any baseball game and seeing the manager walk into the stands and ask them to pitch relief.
I know someone down in Tennese who builds trailers for race cars for NASCAR folks. He said they should have racing in MN. The folks said they just bought the land next to the Casino for a track.
A person can participate in sports, Rob. You can play sports. I play tennis fairly often, and do a few other fitness-related things.
I ice-skate and cross country ski in the winter. I wouldn't call that sports as much as it is just exercise.
Rick 7/23/03 7:16pm
You can race cars too. Head over to Cedar Lake for the bomber races. I did it years ago with some guys I went to high school with. The only rules were, no motors over 400 c.i displacement. no 4 barrel carbs. you had to remove the glass and weld a roll cage, put the tank in the back seat in and buy or rent a fire suit. I'm not a motorhead but we did it anyway and for an investment of about 75 a piece we had a 1973 Chrylser Newport in all her puse green glory. Took second prize too and won 50 bucks! The truck we borrowed to haul it with wouldn't start, so we drove it home. All 4 of us piled into the green meenie (with no windshield or backseat) and made it another 20 miles before that one broke down :) The winnings didn't even cover the repair bills but what a blast. If you'd like you can get into higher levels but it'll cost ya. I wonder if they still do the bomber races ? Good times, good times.
I get over to Ceder Lake once in awhile. Never heard of it. But I didn't grow up in the Twin Cities.
Rick 7/23/03 7:33pm
I haven't been there in years. I'm sure someone got sued and that was the end of that. Too bad if they don't because it was alot of fun