Here’s what went down Thursday on G&A
Suns President Rick Welts joined us. The Suns are one of the teams who will be loaned around $11.6 million. The NBA borrowed $175 million which will be distributed to 14 other select teams around the league. Welts also announced the Suns will not raise ticket prices next season.
Fish or Cut Bait? - The Suns were blown out by the Lakers last night at STAPLES. The schedule isn’t going to get any easier and the teams in front of Phoenix (Portland, Utah, Houston) don’t seem to be slowing down. As of now, the Suns are not in the playoffs. Would you rather see the Suns make the post-season (possibly as the 8th-seed) or be a lottery team with a chance to add a future starter in the draft?
Free Spending - NFL free-agency started last night and the some players (Albert Haynesworth, Bart Scott) already have new addresses and fat wallets. G&A know Haynesworth’s new $100 million deal with Redskins must make Darnell Dockett happy. DD wants a new deal and he is a younger, quicker version of Haynesworth. G&A are still taking a wait and see approach with Kurt Warner. Warner hinted to ESPN this afternoon that a possible NFC West team may have contacted him. The guys think Warner and his agent are playing the field and, in a sense, playing with Cards’ head.
Chasing Manny - Super agent Scott Boras has officially irritated Los Angeles Dodgers management. As the Manny Ramirez’s cat-and-mouse-game continues, the Dodgers urged Boras to go out and get those “serious offers” after Boras balked at LA’s latest $45 million proposal. Ash hates Scott Boras and is proud of the Dodgers for taking a stand. Gambo thinks free agent Man-Ram’s talent may make the Dodgers think twice about not giving him and Boras what they want.
We caught up with National Baseball Hall of Famer and largely considered the greatest third baseman in Major League Baseball history, Mike Schmidt. The former Phillies great was a 3-time MVP, 12-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner. He discussed his playing career, the PED epidemic, and how the game has changed since he retired in 1989. Schmidt said he is no longer mad at the Philly fans for booing him so much during his playing career.
Sleepless in Seattle - ASU missed a chance at a possible Pac-10 title falling to Washington in overtime. G&A gave credit to Lorenzo Romar’s club for taking the game when it was presented. The Huskies made big free throws and circus shots down the stretch to take a two-game lead in the conference over both ASU and UCLA. G&A were impressed by the gritty Devils who withstood every UW run only to run out of gas in the end.
Rick Welts [7:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (64) Mike Schmidt [17:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (64)
To pay or not to pay … that is the question on a lot of Cardinals fans’ minds these days. To listen to fellow Yankee apologist Gambo, we might as well let Warner and his agent back their We-brake-for-Jesus bumper sticker-ridden mini vans right up to the Bidwell safe and start piling moeny in. As much as I respect and often agree with Mr. Gambo, I going to have to disgree on this one. I know Kurt had a remarkable season distributing the ball to the best receiving corp in the league and arguably the best wideout over all in Fitz. I contend that Warner (at the fragile age of 38) has benefited dramatically from the system and personnel around him. It seems like just a couple of seasons ago we were complaining about his inability to hang on to the ball when being rushed or him making ill-advised passes into double coverage. But one great season and the Cardinals should give him any contract he wants? I think Gambo is forgetting who has the leverage here? I think Warner needs the Cardinals more than they need him. There are only a handful of teams in the league that have the capacity and need for a highly paid 38 year old QB. If you were a GM would you tie up $15m in cap space on someone who no longer has the likes of Fitz, Bolden, and Breston to throw to? Graves know this and knows that if worse comes to worst, Leinhert is a capable substitute.
I’d offer him $20m for 2 years with a $11m gauranteed. And hope his wife will take the deal.