3/9/06: Griswalds

[The Blind Pig]

Red Bull buys the Metros - NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/09/sports/soccer/09soccerbrief.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) (hey, new shirt sponsor)

Metros sold to Red Bull - Bergen Daily Record (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/metros/2006-03-08-metrostars-redbull_x.htm)

Ching adds Goal, Assist in Dynamo Win - Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3711239.html)

Name Change recalls Team of a different Era - Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3711060.html)

6 Cities offer Sites for Soccer Complex - KC Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14052606.htm)

Anschutz may cull Soccer Herd, Rope Red Bull as Buyer - Denver Post (http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_3583226)

Bosses getting Impatient - Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635190122,00.html)

Hejudk, Martino provide Veteran Experience for Crew - Columbus Dispatch (http://www.columbusdispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/08/20060308-F3-01.html)

Hernandez's Free Kick eliminates Revolution - Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/03/09/hernandezs_free_kick_eliminates_revolution/)

Wizards' European Vacation - KC Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/14051648.htm)

Galaxy, Revolution out of CONCACAF Event - LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-soccer9mar09,1,6685820.story?coll=la-headlines-sports)

RSL searches for Perfect 10 - Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635190407,00.html)

[The Blind Pig]

FC Dallas Coach looking Forward - Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/14055887.htm)

Crew taking its Time with Injured Players - Columbus Dispatch (http://www.columbusdispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/09/20060309-E9-01.html)

Bull sees Red on Metros - NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/398035p-337305c.html)

[purojogo]

NOt a newspaper article..but an exception ought to be made for this

LANDMARK DEAL
Metros sale to Red Bull done, expected to be announced on Thursday
March 9, 2006
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=5591
.....

"It’s done.

The landmark deal in which the Anschutz Entertainment Group would sell the MetroStars to Austrian energy drink giant Red Bull was close to being finalized on Wednesday.

The deal, would include Red Bull naming rights to the Harrison, N.J. stadium, could run in the neighborhood of $100 million after some other costs are factored in, which would be the highest team price tag in league history, according to league-wide sources."
......




Oh, the stuff is already in Michael Lewis' article for the Daily News.... my bad....

[cdin]

LANDMARK DEAL
Metros sale to Red Bull done, expected to be announced on Thursday
March 9, 2006
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=5591



Asked what he would do if he was in charge, Chinaglia replied, "Get rid of everybody. You're going to bring in new blood, new ideas and new coaches. Players who can win games."

Chinaglia said such sweeping changes could be done quickly.

"Why not?" he asked. "This isn't Serie A or the (English) Premiership, you know."


God help us all. If Giorgio Chinaglia is a part of this team, it can only be good if he is the team ball washer. He is completely right this isn't the Serie A or EPL, but we do have a salary cap and I hope it stays that way.

[cdin]

Metros' sale to be completed today - North Jersey Herald (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1NzAmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY4OTUxMjQmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk5)[/QUOTE]

[Bill Schmidt]

LANDMARK DEAL
Metros sale to Red Bull done, expected to be announced on Thursday
March 9, 2006
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=5591
..
This article is presented by:
http://www.sportsad.net/adserver/adimage.php?filename=metros-468_new.gif&contenttype=gif

[Metrostars season tickets ad, for when it gets replaced.] :)

[Revolt]

God help us all. If Giorgio Chinaglia is a part of this team, it can only be good if he is the team ball washer. He is completely right this isn't the Serie A or EPL, but we do have a salary cap and I hope it stays that way.

Georgio is a bit of a joke, but so are the MetroStars (RIP). This is a chance at a new start, and I'd be more confident, frankly, with Georgio at the helm than Alexi.

BTW, the salary cap is a joke. If Red Bull wants to spend big $$, MLS will let them.

[MightyMouse]

My goodness, you see the Alexi video on MLSnet.com? Its like he was reading his last words and forced to read a Red Bull at gunpoint... well not really. I like Alexi, I like Mo, I liked the Metrostars and their rivalry with DC. Besides that I am fully gunho about this deal and what it means for MLS. This really is a landmark deal and this will only raise the eyebrows of many Europeans interested in getting into MLS. I think we have turned the ship around and we are pointed in the right direction and now MLS is going to take off. It won't be evident this year, maybe not so much next, but in 5 years we most likely won't recognize the league we knew for a decade already. I am not talking about the name changes and the like, but rather the stadiums, the players, and level of play will be something of another level.

I am, like Alexi in the video, excited about this sale and excited about the Red Bulls. (cracks open a cold thin can of Red Bull and drinks)

[denver_mugwamp]

Hmmm. Maybe now AEG can start a team in Philadelphia or some other city now? It wouldn't surprise me. It's not a bad business plan--start a team in a new city and build a stadium. Sell the team but keep the stadium.