February 17, 2008 [LINK / comment]
Stadium deal in Miami ! ?
At long last, is this finally it? Depending on whom you ask, the Florida Marlins either have reached, or are very close to reaching, a ballpark financing deal with local government officials. If so, it would ensure their continued residence in South Florida for the long term. (If not, they may be forced to move elsewhere after their lease expires at the end of 2010.) According to MLB.com, "Miami-Dade County commissioners will discuss the stadium at a 1 p.m. meeting on Thursday." After they move out of Dolphin Stadium in 2010 and into their new presumptive new home where the Orange Bowl now stands, they will be called the "Miami Marlins." The Sun Sentinel indicates that the $515 million deal to finance the retractable-roof ballpark is all but finalized. Dade County is expected to contribute the bulk of the money, $347 million, with the Marlins chipping in $155 million, and the City of Miami contributing the land and $13 million in tax proceeds; hat tip to Mike Zurawski.
Did Andy "nark" on Clemens?
(What an identity conundrum for me!) Like Ollie North and other famous witnesses at Congressional hearings of the past, Roger Clemens stepped up to the microphone this past week, and professed his innocence. Andy Pettitte had stated that Clemens admitted using human growth hormone, to which Clemens replied (cautiously) that Pettitte's memory must be mistaken. Millions of sports fans are wondering what he has really been saying behind closed doors. Washington Post. I don't know what to think about this situation, frankly. I do know that in the world of sports as in the world of politics, there are millions of die-hard fans who refuse to believe that their heroes are anything less than saints...
Lo Duca regrets "bad judgment"
In a related story, newly-acquired Washington Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca spoke openly about the Mitchell Report for the first time. As reported in the Washington Post, he says he regrets past mistakes in judgment, without going into specifics. Everyone knows what he means, and perhaps there is no reason for him to say anything more. Like Mark McGwire at the congressional hearings in March 2005, he is contrite up to a point. I presume he must have cleaned up his act some time ago...