League of Fans Blog News Blog http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/templates/default/img/s9y_banner_small.png http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/ 2009-12-11T15:56:04Z Serendipity 1.0-beta1 - http://www.s9y.org/ en S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2008-06-12T17:47:00Z 2009-12-11T15:56:04Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=102 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=102 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/102-guid.html 2002 letter from Nader & League of Fans to NBA Commissioner Stern is back in the news

A letter from Ralph Nader and League of Fans to NBA Commissioner David Stern received nationwide attention in June 2002 for raising questions about the impartiality of officiating during Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings. Nader and League of Fans demanded that Stern conduct a review to satisfy fans' sense of fairness and to deter future recurrences of such egregious officiating.

According to reports on June 11, 2008, former referee Tim Donaghy -- who has pleaded guilty after being charged in 2007 with conspiring with gamblers -- accused NBA executives and referees of broad misconduct and outright manipulation of game results in a recent court filing.

According to Donaghy, NBA executives directed referees "to manipulate games" in order to "boost ticket sales and television ratings." Donaghy pointed to Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals as one such instance.

Following is the letter from Ralph Nader & League of Fans to Commissioner Stern regarding the egregious officiating in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals.
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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-08-17T16:43:02Z 2007-08-17T17:04:24Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=101 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=101 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/101-guid.html Stadium subsidy news from Seattle & New York
Field of Schemes

Sonics co-owner: We wanted OKC all along - wait, are you writing this down?
August 14, 2007

"Throw another move threat on the fire: Yesterday, Seattle Sonics minority owner (and billionaire natural gas mogul) Aubrey McClendon told the Oklahoma City Journal Record that he was 'under a self-imposed gag order' regarding operations of the team - then yammered at length about it, including the statement: 'We didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here. We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even we'd be thrilled.'" . . . | more

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-08-09T16:53:00Z 2007-08-17T14:00:00Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=96 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=96 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/96-guid.html Steroids & Scapegoats
By Dave Zirin

Barry Bonds should be basking in the moment. The San Francisco Giants outfielder has just passed Hank Aaron to become the all-time home-run king of Major League Baseball. With 756 home runs, seven most-valuable-player awards and eight gold gloves, he should be trotting into the twilight of his career in a hail of hosannas as the finest ballplayer of his generation. But expect no laurels, parades or calls from President Bush.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-08-06T17:22:00Z 2007-08-17T14:04:01Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=97 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=97 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/97-guid.html Even in Minnesota: When Domes Attack
By Dave Zirin

Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the last place on earth I would have expected a "structurally deficient bridge" to collapse, but it happened. As sure as the levees broke in New Orleans, the bridge is no more. Now the state of Minnesota is living a nightmare where people I speak with are alternately devastated and furious: two parts tears, one part rage, with the ratio shifting by the hour.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-07-16T20:39:00Z 2007-08-17T15:18:55Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=99 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=99 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/99-guid.html Book Review: 'Raider's Night,' by Robert Lipsyte
by Dave Zirin

Pity the poor soul that sets to write a great sports novel. It can feel like trying to train a goldfish to fetch. Sisyphus might find pushing that rock up the hill a more fruitful task. What makes penning a sports novel such a perilous pursuit?

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-07-09T21:29:00Z 2007-08-17T15:50:52Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=100 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=100 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/100-guid.html Stadium-building as a substitute for urban policy
by Dave Zirin

"You can't throw money at the problem." As a former public school teacher in Washington, I heard this cliche from countless bureaucrats. It was code for "Stop whining about ancient textbooks and prehistoric classroom materials, because there is no money." Imagine my shock when the city announced it would be spending more than $500 million on a new baseball stadium. Clearly when it comes to the needs of billionaire sports owners, there always seems to be money available to be thrown.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-06-01T20:22:00Z 2007-08-17T15:57:16Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=98 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=98 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/98-guid.html In Memory of David Halberstam
In the Public Interest
by Ralph Nader

Anybody who played schoolboy sandlot baseball in Winsted, Connecticut with David Halberstam back in the nineteen forties would not have been very surprised to observe his spectacular journalistic career that took him to the civil rights struggles in the South, the war torn African and Asian continents, and the writing of some 20 books which required aggressive reporting.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-05-17T04:18:00Z 2007-05-17T04:18:00Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=95 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=95 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/95-guid.html Being Ali Or Being Owned: An Open Letter to LeBron
By Dave Zirin

Dear LeBron:

At the tender age of 22, you have the galactic talent to make us wonder if a mad scientist had Magic and MJ genetically spliced. But talent ain't wisdom. In a recent interview, you said that your goal in sports was to become "the richest man on earth." You also told ESPN, "I'm trying to be a global icon...on the level of Muhammad Ali." These dreams are compatible only if you choose to emulate Ali the icon and not Ali the man.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-04-24T16:13:00Z 2007-08-17T16:05:28Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=94 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=94 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/94-guid.html Statement of Ralph Nader on the Death of David Halberstam

The loss of David Halberstam in a traffic collision in Menlo Park, California, deprived our country of a great reporter and a great man. His journalistic sweep, manifested through original writings in articles, books and interviews, came with a knowledge of historical roots to contemporary events.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-04-13T18:49:00Z 2007-05-19T04:12:51Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=92 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=92 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/92-guid.html Perspectives on the Imus aftermath

Memo to Imus: You're Fired
Dave Zirin
Edge of Sports
April 12, 2007

Time for Jackson, Sharpton to Step Down
Jason Whitlock
AOL Sports
April 13, 2007

UPDATE

Outrageous Words, Outrageous Deeds
Ralph Nader
In the Public Interest
April 16, 2007

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-04-09T21:33:59Z 2007-04-09T21:33:59Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=81 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=81 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/81-guid.html Verizon Center Kickback for DC Officials

(League of Fans' Washington Post letter to the editor)

The City's Verizon Center Perk

Washington Post, Letter to the Editor
Monday, March 21, 2007; Page A12

Regarding "Wizards Owner's $50 Million Request Gets Initial Approval" [Metro, April 4]:

If public investment in pressing city needs were to guarantee the District's elected leaders free luxury suites at sports venues, maybe such problems would actually get some attention.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-04-04T21:02:00Z 2007-04-04T21:02:00Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=83 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=83 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/83-guid.html Picking our pockets with the Olympics
By Dave Zirin

Anybody got $500 million collecting dust under the couch? If you live in Chicago, take a second look between those cushions. The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has let it be known that the people of the Windy City could pay out as much as $500 million if they are awarded the 2016 Summer Games.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-04-02T22:53:00Z 2007-04-02T22:53:00Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=82 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=82 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/82-guid.html Congressional testimony on taxpayer-financed stadiums

(from the March 29 Domestic Policy Subcommittee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing: "Build It and They Will Come: Do Taxpayer-Financed Sports Stadiums ... Deliver as Promised for America's Cities?")

Witness Testimony:

Mr. Neil deMause, author of Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit

Mr. Frank Rashid, waged an unsuccessful 10-year campaign to save Tigers' Stadium in Detroit.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-03-29T21:15:00Z 2007-03-29T21:15:00Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=85 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=85 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/85-guid.html Why I Wrote The Muhammad Ali Handbook
By Dave Zirin

There are more books about Muhammad Ali than Abe Lincoln: 300 titles in the children's section alone. You can also purchase The Muhammad Ali Reader, the Tao of Muhammad Ali, or the $10,000 G.O.A.T. - a massive coffee table book about all things Ali that is slightly larger than a typical coffee table. His is a history that has been repeatedly regurgitated for popular consumption. Despite - or maybe because of - this crisis of Ali overproduction, I felt compelled to write The Muhammad Ali Handbook.

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S McCarthy nospam@example.com 2007-03-28T20:19:51Z 2007-04-09T22:53:44Z http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=80 0 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/rss.php?version=atom1.0&type=comments&cid=80 http://www.leagueoffans.org/blog/index.php?/archives/80-guid.html House subcommittee hearing to examine promises of prosperity made to obtain taxpayer-financed stadiums from cities

Media Advisory

"Build It and They Will Come: Do Taxpayer-Financed Sports Stadiums, Convention Centers and Hotels Deliver as Promised for America's Cities?"

Thursday, March 29, 2007, Room 2247 Rayburn, 10:30 a.m.

Domestic Policy Subcommittee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee

This hearing will examine the promises of economic prosperity that are made to cities which finance professional sports stadiums, convention centers and hotels.

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