I'm still planning to be there, JB.
Yeah, I know that tickets are available through brokers, but those GA tickets have a $90 face value. I'm interested, but not that interested.
Swimpy -- glad to hear you're planning on being here in June.
Gargamel -- you'll have the floor first. Right after we check out your belly button :wink:
I don't know about the rest of the natives here, but today has been a very disconcerting day for this Chicagoan. Two major upheavals in the news:
1. The sale of the Tribune: The Tribune company has been sold to Sam Zell, described as an "eccentric" multi-billionaire real estate mogul (when you're a multi-billionaire, you're eccentric; when you're poor, you're just weird). There has been something oddly reassuring about the dependability of the Trib -- even though I usually disagree with its editorial posture, it has been a consistent voice of midwestern conservatism for over a century. It will be interesting to see how the new owner changes the newspaper's direction.
More important, however, is the fact that the Tribune company will be spinning off one of its assets: the Chicago Cubs. Again, the Tribune's record as owner has not been particularly good, but the company came in at a time when there was some serious talk about moving the team to the suburbs, and it has maintained the Cubs in Wrigley field without too many radical changes (except for installing lights in 1988 -- that was pretty big). Zell, as a native Chicagoan, would have been a good owner for the Cubs, but apparently he isn't buying the team as part of the sale of the company's media assets, so there's a good chance that someone from outside the city will buy the club (rumors persist that tech-billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is interested). One can only hope that the new owners will show some respect for the team and its place in the city.
2. The mess on the CTA: Another world-shifting event is the construction nightmare on the Chicago Transit Authority el lines. The CTA's red, brown, and purple lines are going from four tracks to three tracks on the north side, which will severely affect rush hour commutes, especially in the evenings. As a purple line rider, this is not happy news. So far, the morning rush hour wasn't too bad, but I dread the evening commute.
The CTA made a big deal about delaying the construction work so that it could hear suggestions from the public. It held several open forums and collected all sorts of alternatives. And then it went ahead with what it had been planning all along. So far, I haven't seen one thing that wasn't already in the CTA's blueprints for the project months ago. If it is going to be a disaster, it will have been a well-planned disaster.
joefromchicago wrote: Zell, as a native Chicagoan, would have been a good owner for the Cubs, but apparently he isn't buying the team as part of the sale of the company's media assets, so there's a good chance that someone from outside the city will buy the club (rumors persist that tech-billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is interested). One can only hope that the new owners will show some respect for the team and its place in the city.
Speaking of a Texan team, I know someone with previous experience at owning sports clubs, who will be looking for something new to run on January 21, 2009. He's already a Chicagoan, judging by where he pays his taxes. I'm sure he'd love to own the Cubs, and do a heckuva job at it.
The mess on the CTA on the north side is coupled with the mess on the Day Ryan on the south side. I visited the historic Pullman district yesterday and, even on a Sunday, the Dan Ryan was a parking lot. One lane in each direction is a joke.
Chin up, joe -- just think of all the reading you'll get done this summer.
I wish Mr. Zell had it in mind to sell the LA Times to someone in LA, but I gather he doesn't. Gnashes teeth.
They'd better fix the CTA system before the Olympics, if Chicago gets the Olympics. (I'm not a fan of getting the Olympics, for either Chicago or LA - I like both cities a great deal - given the present day security issues, oy.)
Thomas wrote:Speaking of a Texan team, I know someone with previous experience at owning sports clubs, who will be looking for something new to run on January 21, 2009. He's already a Chicagoan, judging by where he pays his taxes. I'm sure he'd love to own the Cubs, and do a heckuva job at it.
No doubt you're referring to
my neighbor, George W. Bush.
Somehow, I think we can do better.
ossobuco wrote:I wish Mr. Zell had it in mind to sell the LA Times to someone in LA, but I gather he doesn't. Gnashes teeth.
It's always possible that Zell will spin off the
Times, especially given how rocky that relationship has been since the Tribune company bought it.
And it appears that Zell won't buy the Cubs because he already owns a piece of the White Sox. I'm not sure I understand the thinking here -- the Cubs are undoubtedly one of the most valuable baseball franchises around, and it's not like they go on sale every couple of years (I think there have been three owners since 1916). But major league rules prohibit someone from having an ownership interest in more than one team, and Zell has chosen to stick with the White Sox. Maybe
wandlejw can explain that.
joefromchicago wrote:But major league rules prohibit someone from having an ownership interest in more than one team, and Zell has chosen to stick with the White Sox. Maybe wandlejw can explain that.
Well since you asked, joe, could it be that the Cubs are beginning their 100th season without a world championship?
We have a reservation for lunch at South Water Kitchen at noon on Friday under my name. See you there!
Opening day today for both teams. It's a pretty good day for baseball today, but I can't imagine sitting in either park come Thursday or Friday. I haven't checked the schedules to see if either team is in town later this week, but baseball in Chicago in early April is for the true fan or the truly foolish (which, for Cubs fans, is the same thing
).
Is going in early June any better? :wink:
June is marvelous, wunderbar, fantablisimous -- just you wait and see!
ossobuco wrote:... if Chicago gets the Olympics. (I'm not a fan of getting the Olympics, for either Chicago or LA)
I'm not convinced it's a good idea for Chicago either, osso. They've already reneged on footing the bill without taxpayer monies.
JPB wrote:I haven't checked the schedules to see if either team is in town later this week, but baseball in Chicago in early April is for the true fan or the truly foolish (which, for Cubs fans, is the same thing ).
Yep, I have my bleacher tickets for the home opener on the 9th.
better wear your woolies, sublime. That, or drink enough beer so that you don't feel the cold (maybe both).
joefromchicago wrote:
1. The sale of the Tribune
Frontpage story in today's Tribune:
(not online yet when posting this)
joefromchicago wrote:2. The mess on the CTA
On page 6 in the Tribune (not online yet now as well)
source: Chicago Tribune, 03.04.07, page 8
