Quakes-related Bay Area newspaper articles (Wednesday, 7/6/05)

"He added that if he could return to the Earthquakes under the right circumstances, he would do so even if the team's future was still up in the air. ``If you told me there was a 50-50 chance of the team leaving, I'd probably still come,'' he said."

Landon could really learn from Joe. I will never have anything but respect for this man.

 

I always wish that when Rapids play QUAKES, that Mr. Cannon will have to pluck out a ball from the back of his own net. However, Joe does have class.

We were talking about Cannon in conversation over the weekend. Although Europe soccer can be very intimidating, and with the strong soccer skills that he has, we thought he certainly could have made it in Europe. Not sure what happened in details, but he certainly gave it a shot.

GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!

 

The August 18 date is old news. It doesn't prevent a signed agreement between AEG and Club Am, since (a) the agreement could have an out clause based on Club Am not getting the Astrodome by August 18 (or September 1 or whatever date is chosen); or, (b) Club Am could get a backup plan to the Astrodome in place, i.e. Reliant Stadium [sounds pretty unlikely based on cost] or the University of Houston's Robertson stadium [sounds like the likeliest "backup" plan to the Astrodome].

I still think AEG is sending messages, whether through "anonymous sources" and/or otherwise, that it wants an offer from SSV's investor(s) in the next week or so, so that an agreement can be signed, processed and-- here's the important part-- approved by the MLS Board of Governors when they meet during All-Star weekend.

The MLS Board of Governors meeting is key to the timing of a deal (whether it's with Club Am or SSV's investor(s)).

 

da truth hurts. forever.


but I gotta admit ... I would rather have pat in goal than anybody. I love the guy.

 

I'm with Goodsport on this one. The fact that CA wouldn't even know where they were playing until late August makes their bid a hell of a lot iffier. You always need lots of lead time to plan things like moving a team; your option (a) is unlikely because of the risk of announcing a move before arranging for a place to play. Nothing else could hurt a team's and a league's image than moving the team to a city where there is nowhere to play--it makes everybody look small-time and foolish. And if they announce a deal to move without a stadium in place, the price of negotiating for that stadium goes up, and quick.

if I were AEG, I'd be telling CA to move toot suite on finding somewhere else to play or else the "deal", if they have one, is off.

If CA is insistent on playing in the Astrodome, they and AEG are taking a huge risk.


The more I read up on things, the more I'm starting to like our chances . . .

 

What's puzzling about this whole AEG/CA/SSV situation is why CA is being so complicit in the "conspiracy". If indeed AEG is "aware" of the investors that SSV has courted, and if indeed as many of us assume that we are in the driver's seat on a deal, what's in it for CA in playing the "foil"? Don't they feel used even in the slightest? Or do they really feel like they can come in and "steal" the club with a "better" deal?

 

This is a good point, and is one reason why I am so nervous about the whole thing. If they sensed they were being used as leverage, does this not worry them? Or do they possibly have plans for expansion in case they cannot get the Quakes? So many questions.

 

Perhaps the Quakes are only a part of AEG's talks with CA, and maybe not even the most important part? If AEG is selling them on the long-term benefits of them joining MLS and adding their television clout in the Hispanic market in particular, that is something above and beyond the value of a single franchise. If CA wants in on developing MLS, they may strongly PREFER buying the Quakes but may SETTLE for an expansion team because the whole pakcage (partnership with AEG, tapping into MLS's potential with their viewers, etc.) is the overridingly attractive prospect.

If this is the case, they are not a foil nor would their participation in MLS be at risk if they don't get the Quakes.

 

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3188888

hopefully Cochran is good to go for the game.. our D is already looking pretty sad

 

Tony,

This was what I was thinking as well. The purchase of the Quakes may just be a small piece (for AEG & CA) of the puzzle, and it may not necessarily impact the bigger deal that was mentioned in Soccer America last week.

I do indeed still believe, but the wait and uncertainity around the whole thing is nerve wrecking...

 

A-ha! So if CA can get into the marketplace more quickly by buying a club, they'd do it. But they'd prefer not to wait for expansion in 2007 (which means CD Chivas USA would have a 2-year head start on them).

So if SSV comes through and is allowed to save the club for us, would then CA automatically become a frontrunner for 2007 expansion?

 

I go back and forth between thinking I'm grasping at straws and thinking, well, that has to be the case. CA is hugely wealthy--they could find the money to buy the Quakes by checking beneatht he seat cushions in the executive lounge. I understand why they want them, but it would only be a part of the overall vision that AEG is selling them on.

I think if we get an offer in, AEG will accept it.

 

Without a doubt.

 

my bad.. i'm looking pretty sad at seeing our D so thin

 

I most certainly will

 

If Club Am wants a team starting in 2006 badly enough, verus 2007, I could see MLS moving up expansion for one team from 2007 to 2006, if Club Am insists that it happen in 2006 as part of a much larger deal between MLS, SUM, AEG and Televisa.

It would mean 7 teams in one conference, and one team always with a bye on any given weekend, but if that's what Televisa/Club Am demands in order to "play ball" on the mega deal, MLS quite possibly would partially accelerate their expansion plan.

Of course, this assumes that Club Am gets a stadium deal for 2006 signed by a certain date AND that SSV's investor(s) come through with a deal that AEG can accept to keep the Quakes here. The end result would be Quakes stay here, Club Am gets a team in Houston in 2006, the mega deal between Televisa and the MLS related entities goes through and everyone is happy.

Or perhaps Televisa and Club Am have the patience to wait for an expansion team in 2007 (assuming SSV's investor(s) come through) ... but I get the sense that they want to get a team going next year and that the mega deal negotiations will drag out if they don't get that.

The other thing you have to consider is that if MLS and AEG announce they have a deal with Club Am (contingent on stadium deal), that will have a significant positive impact on Club Am moving forward in the negotiations with the Astrodome authorities. In other words, the Astrodome authorities will know that they aren't just wasting their time (because the Quakes might get purchased by somebody other than Club Am) and that an agreement must be reached ASAP in order for there to be MLS in Houston in 2006 (or at least in the Astrodome in Houston in 2006).

And in the meantime, Club Am could sign a backup deal with the University of Houston, a deal that would allow Club Am to get out of the backup deal if it is able to reach a deal to play in the Astrodome.

 

If I remember correctly he went to RC Lens in France to be their starting keeper as their long time keeper, had some sort of breakdown and decided to quit. After about a week or 2 of being over there, Lens' old keeper got better and went back to work with the club got his starting position back (and had something like 9 shutouts in 13 games) and Cannon never really got a chance, so he came back to the MLS.

 

The one piece I noticed in today's Quakes article was that Dylan Hernandez mentioned the Quakes possible move to Houston but there was no follow up, no comments or non-comments from Houston sources, AEG sources, Quakes FO, Quakes player, random fan on the street, derelict on the corner. Why the lazy reporting? If you are going to state a rumor, shouldn't one at least try to confirm the CA/AEG deal or at least state no one would call back or issued only no comments or whatever? We fans on BS are going in circles trying to read into every word, period and comma, but the casual sports fan in town reads a rumor like that and just figures the Quakes are minor league and going under so who cares.

 

He did have this bit: