Come on coach, they're just kids
Blog entry: March 8, 2010, 2:00 pm | Author: JOEL HAMMOND
(Opening line from “Necessary Roughness,” one of the all-time underrated flicks, starring Sinbad, Kathy Ireland, Scott Bakula and others.) Each bowl season, I compare the swag each participating player gets; some of these hauls are really awesome. I had no idea, aside from seeing a BG player walking around campus in a Mid-American Conference fleece from time to time, college basketball players were privy to the same luxuries.
Until now: The Pac-10, Big Ten and MAC, according to Sports Business Journal, have done away with the practice for their hoops programs. The MAC, according to the story, expects to save $40,000, while the Pac-10 and Big Ten's decision may save each $300,000. That's no chump change.
“It was strictly a cost-containment decision,” Pac-10 assistant commissioner Dave Hirsch said. “It was just part of a bigger budget plan.”
Other weekend losers
The Indians and Reds on Friday faced off at Goodyear Ballpark for the first time; the teams will share the stadium from now on for spring training. Repeat: It was the spring training opener for both teams. At each team's home field. And the stadium was 40% full. That's probably not what team officials were looking for.
The Cavs? Crain's editor Mark Dodosh, a frequent visitor to FlashSeats, the Cavs' secondary ticket marketplace (where fees run about 25% per purchase), reports that there were few tickets available for Monday's home game against San Antonio late last week.
Then Mike Brown held LeBron James out of the lineup on Friday, and may do it again against the Spurs. Now there are plenty, and at bargain-basement prices, rare for a game against a top-tier opponent. (The prices for tonight's game are more in line with typical prices for the Nets, Kings, Bucks, etc.)
It goes back to what I wrote when word leaked the Cavs were putting the pinch on current season ticket holders, aiming to get them back in the fold long before LeBron's July decision: Without No. 23, Cavs tickets lose a ton of value. You can't blame the Cavs; they're obviously aware of that very fact. But that doesn't make their situation any easier.
And … the winner
Reader Evan Roberts. Last week, I decided to have a little fun with an NBA Store function that allows you to personalize jerseys for any player and team. I admit, I stole the idea from CNBC's Darren Rovell, who apparently took quite a Twitter beating from Cavs fans for the idea.
I didn't get nearly that response, but I did get some pretty funny suggestions as to funny LeBron James Knicks jerseys. Here they are:
Mine: A joke off LBJ's “I'm the leader of this team” routine.
Crain's graphic designer Kristen Wilson: An Italian bent.
My brother, Bruce: He cheated.
Liggett Stashower's, and former Crain's Forty Under 40 honoree, Mark Szczepanik: He sent three versions.
Roberts: Version 1, version 2 (I don't get that one) and version 3.
And the winner is … Evan's third try, “WSHUWEREHERE.” Thanks, everyone, for playing.
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