A podcast about books, art & life — not necessarily in that order
This is a family blog, so I’m not going to quote my favorite passage from this NYPost review of Boys Will be Boys, Jeff Pearlman’s history of the Dallas Cowboys of the early ’90s. But you really need to read it, regardless of whether you like football. Trust me; you’ll laugh in shock when you get to That Paragraph.
What I’m reading: Finished The Good Rat
What I’m listening to: my iPod, endlessly shuffling among 13,000 or so songs.
What I’m watching: Fourth season of The Wire
What I’m drinking: a rosé that my wife picked up on Saturday, and Stella Artois. Not at the same time.
What Rufus is up to: Around 6 hours on his own upstairs when I’m out! I’m still hesitant to leave him out of his crate for my full 9-hour workday, and I keep him upstairs so he doesn’t meander around down in the library, where he’s less familiar. But he seems to have figured out that he shouldn’t drink a lot of water when he’s alone in the house.
Where I’m going: Nowhere special
What I’m happy about: I’m not sure, but I’m generally elated at present. I feel a little bad that I’ve neglected friends I need to write to, but maybe I’ll have time and motivation to fix that this week.
What I’m sad about: The deaths of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.
What I’m pondering: The irony that the Yankees’ healthiest and most productive pitchers this season are 38 and 36 years old.
Both the Giants and the Jets are planning to sell “Personal Seat Licenses” (PSLs) to gouge season ticket holders pay for construction of their new shared stadium. This morning’s Newark Star-Ledger has an article on the subject, and it makes one of the most bone-headed statements I’ve read about PSLs.
The cost of building stadiums — along with cities’ increasing reluctance to commit tax dollars to sports projects — has made such fees necessary at new venues, according to sports finance experts. The $1.6 billion stadium being built next to the current Giants Stadium is expected to open in mid-2010. These fees would help fund the construction.
The Giants and Jets are sharing the costs of what is expected to be the most expensive stadium built. The state is paying an estimated $300 million for infrastructure improvements at the Meadowlands, as well as other costs related to the new venue.
The Giants’ seat licenses are expected to bring in $300 million to $400 million, team co-owner John Mara said in June. If the Jets were to match that with their take from the PSLs, the cost of the stadium construction would have been cut in half.
That’s right! The cost of the stadium will be cut in half by PSLs! A $1.6 billion stadium — the most expensive ever, the article notes — will only cost half as much! PSLs are magic!
Actually, the cost of building the $1.6 billion stadium is $1.6 billion, you morons. It’s just a question of whose $1.6 billion is going to pay for it. And thanks to PSLs, it looks like loyal season ticket buyers are going to be on the hook for half of it!
At least the Star-Ledger’s economic idiocy isn’t as bad as the NY Daily News’ attempt at making PSLs look like they’re a favor to the fans:
The Jets and Giants are discussing a plan that would give the owners of personal seat licenses (PSLs) first dibs on concert tickets and other non-football events in the new $1.6 billion stadium, Jets owner Woody Johnson revealed Saturday.
Johnson, confirming the Jets will announce their PSL pricing plan later this month, said it may include a system for Jets and Giants PSL owners to “alternate events as they come along during the year — concerts, a tractor pull, whatever we have.”
That certainly would make PSLs more appealing for those apprehensive about shelling out thousands of dollars.
Really? If a ticket-holder comes up with thousands of dollars to help finance your football stadium, you’ll also give him first crack at tickets for a tractor pull? Awesome! Where do I sign up?
I guess it’s too much to expect the local sports sections, which rely on access to these teams, to offer anything but the party line.
I was in the running for this job, but the competition was cutthroat. BWAH-HA-HAH!
What? You think I’d let him be a Mets fan?
Congrats to Bill Gates and Will Leitch on the last day at their current jobs!
I’ve long goofed that the Wall Street Journal’s standard headshot drawings look like they’ve been put through The Drew Friedmanizer. Today, the WSJ has a headshot by none other than. . . Drew Friedman!
That sad part of my “Drew Friedmanizer” reference is that Mr. Friedman hasn’t used his pointillist drawing style for more than a decade. But far be it from me to develop new material!
Anyway, the article is an interview with AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega about his view of the future of wireless (centered on the iPhone, of course).
Pacman Jones was “partially reinstated” by the NFL today, after getting suspended for being in or around a shooting a strip club that he may’ve caused by “making it rain,” (read: tossing wads of money in the air). For a full reinstatement, he’ll need to be on his somebody else’s best behavior through September 1. But that’s okay, reports ESPN’s John Clayton, because he has a new set of friends who can help him hew to the straight and narrow:
Since being traded to the Cowboys, Jones has tried to surround himself with a better support group. He’s befriended former Cowboys Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders.
That’s right. Michael “No contest to felony cocaine possession” Irvin and Deion “Michael Vick had a passion for dogfighting” Sanders.
They should just trade him to the Bengals already.
