Over at Ivy Chat, Chuck is trying to fire up his readers by posting updated Tribune Company stock prices and wishing out loud that the Tribune will sell the Cubs. While anything is possible, because the Tribune does lots of dumb stuff, the selling of the Cubs seems a long ways off.
True, if the Tribune sold them they’d fetch a pretty penny, but unless they’re looking to divest themselves of their Superstation and 50,000 blowtorch radio station, it’d be a shortsighted move. One of the biggest assets TribCo has is the ability to get desirable programming (not matter how lousy the product) for it’s increasingly non-descript radio station and glorified WB-affiliate TV station.
How long would WGN-TV last outside of Chicago without the Cubs? A week? Even inside Chicago what would they be left with? Allison Payne, six million dollars worth of weather crap that only Tom Skilling knows how to use, Rockford Files reruns that only Kelly watches and more episodes of Home Improvement than you could shake a stick at.
It’s true that the beancounters at the Tribune could make a case that the Superstation isn’t so super on the bottom line anyway, and I’m sure they could attach the radio and TV rights to the sale in some shape or form. But that would have a negative impact on the sale price, even if it was allowed (frankly, Bud Selig seems to be willing to sign off on anything).
It seems that for now, even as the Tribune loses it’s collective shirt, that the Cubs are a long ways down the list of things they’re likely to divest themselves of. You’ll see Tom Skilling chain himself to his doppler radar antenna before the Tribune even considers selling the Cubs.
By the way, is anybody really surprised that newspapers are taking it up the giggy quarterly report to quarterly report? Paper prices are up, printing prices are up, readership is down thanks to the Internet, 24-hour news channels and employing boring columnists, and the Tribune and other papers just got busted with inflated circulation numbers (which, has been going on since Gutenberg ((not Steve)) stuck paper into his first press) and even ad rates had to drop.
Neither the Tribune or the Sun-Times has a clue what to do with the one thing that could start to save their bacon…their Web sites. The same week, some three years after papers from Seattle to Boston figured it out, both papers started blogs in their sports sections. Typically, they half-assed it and both are underwhelming.
The Tribune’s is written by Rick Morrissey. Honestly, nobody was reading his real column, why give him more space? The Sun-Times’ was set to coincide with the Bears’ run to the Super Bowl (which ended on the second play from scrimmage in their first playoff game).
To be fair, more than a year ago the Tribune started what it calls the ChicagoSportsBlog, but neither you or me or anybody we know reads it. It’s not really a blog, it’s a bunch of copy clerks with yet another thing thrown on their plate, so they toss up two or three paragraph entries of dubious interest that mainly make Chicago come off like the most insecure place in the world.
Huh? For the last month of the Bears’ season all they wrote about was what the “national media is saying about the Bears.” Who cares? How is this interesting to anybody? Who’s reading this? I try to read as much of the Tribune, Sun-Times, Daily Herald and assorted other sports pages so you don’t have to, and I haven’t read more than the teaser for the ChicagoSportsBlog since April. Honestly, it only takes a couple minutes to read the online sports pages now. The two Chicago dailies don’t have a single columnist worth reading anymore. Mariotti’s as close as it gets and you only read him to see how panicked, defensive and wrong he is about something today.
Besides, we know Chicago’s not the most insecure place in the world. We know it’s St. Louis.
Consider lifelong St. Louis resident Joe Buck’s bellowed observation that the reason the Panthers were playing in the NFC title game was because of “the arrogance of the Chicago Bears.”
I know enough strange little people from Missouri to understand they think people from Chicago are arrogant. It’s probably because they live in a place that’s iced over all winter and 140 degrees all summer. A city with four good restaurants (is that how many Steak and Shakes they have?), nightlife that consists of watching Mike Shannon throw up on himself or watching a hockey player convince a 14 year old to help him kill somebody, and a brewery. Their football team was a hand-me-down from Chicago until it left. Oklahoma City has an NBA team and they don’t.
They do have the arch though. Which is just dumb.
The Cubs threw a million bucks at Wade Miller. He caught it, but it’ll be May or June before he can throw it back.
Don Pierson says Marv Levy likes Dick Jauron. Hey, I like both Marv and Dick, doesn’t mean I’d be excited about them running my football team these days.
The NBA season is half-over and the Bulls are about half as interesting as they were last year. Honestly, we know this season is one where they just hope to tread water and bring in somebody big (and hopefully good) next year. But come on, this is boring.
Mike Kiley says the Cubs might have too much pitching. Sure. Whatever.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to take the courageous position that while Kobe’s great he’s not as good as Michael Jordan. Oh, really? You don’t say? How many points would Michael score in today’s NBA when big guys have to leave the lane every three seconds (even on defense) and you aren’t allowed to hand check? I shudder to think.
I know the media likes Grady Little. But you listen to him talk and, well, I mean I’ve heard guys with southern drawls, but Grady Little sounds like a retarded guy with a southern drawl. Hardly the kind of presence that builds confidence.
Leo Mazzone is excited about being in Baltimore and it kind of sounds like he had to pay up a bet with his buddy Sam Perlozzo, that may have involved a little Brokeback Pitcher’smoundin’.
“I made a promise to Sammy on a cocktail napkin 20 years ago that when he became a manager, we would finally hook up.” — Leo Mazzone
Kelly Dwyer says all of the games last weekend were exciting!t I’m glad because I finally found my pom poms.
Oh, fer chrissakes, SI.com is hiring bloggers left and right to cover baseball and yet I haven’t gotten a call. Sniffle sniffle.
Ken Rosenthal says that the Red Sox are new and unimproved.
Anna Benson apparently will no longer be attractive in Baltimore. Just Corey’s luck, I guess.
America’s finest news source says that this year’s Patriots’ championship parade wasn’t all that well attended.
Hey Larry, I’m gonna go ahead and ship my Lazy Boy recliner over to Mesa right now. Just put it somewhere in the bullpen. Well don’t put it next to Black Farns, I hear he smells.
Go to NSBB to see my proprs for calling this one. My source informed me of this deal long ago. He calls Jim Hendry “The Great Reclamator”. So do I. I am a major player in this game, people. You should make a site that serves as an homage to my greatness.
Hoops
Dolan proclaims: “Hey, I like Dick.”
Dolan proclaims: “Hey, I like Dick.”
“That’s just unacceptable, Lady!” Lady?…oh, yeah…lady…
Um Andy, I get about twice as much snow as St. Louis and am much colder in the winter. So nice try, St. Louis sucks, but mostly because of factors other than the weather.
No more money for the Cubs, but we’re creating a new network, the CW.
read about it here
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060124/nytu143.html?.v=43
Hey, ragging on St. Louis is my full time job!
What else am I gonna do each night when I turn onto Chestnut Street after a day of babysitting Iowa’s criminals?
Absolutely serious Anna Benson query: did she and Kris ever reproduce? I’m pretty sure she did before she married Mr. Overrated.
I don’t know about Home Improvement but I often shake my stick at Allison Payne when she comes on the tube at night.
Remember that line I had from Pulp Fiction? Bring out the Gimp?
It’s like the whole pitching staff…
From heckler to stalker. Man, what did I do to deserve that?
Read Carrie a week or two back. Reader asked if there was anything to the Zito trade talk. Carrie hadn’t heard any possible Zito trade rumors. Other than the speculation on a possible Zito trade in the three area papers, sports talk radio and the WGN Mothership’s own David Kaplan constant whining for the crafty lefty, neither had I. )If you don’t count all the Cub blog spots)
The best arguement of all, of course, is to point of that catcher era is crap. Complete crap. It is never consistent from one year to the next. A catcher’s cEra will shift wildly from year to year because the stat is so swamped by background information that it is just about impossible to separate out the catcher’s actual influence on the pitchers.
Blanco is a best defensive catcher than Barrett as far as I can tell, but that is based on observation, not stats (other than CS %)
The best argument of all, of course, is to point out that catcher era is crap. Complete crap. It is never consistent from one year to the next. A catcher’s cEra will shift wildly from year to year because the stat is so swamped by background information that it is just about impossible to separate out the catcher’s actual influence on the pitchers.
Blanco is a better defensive catcher than Barrett as far as I can tell, but that is based on observation, not stats (other than CS %)
(that was not a double post, but rather a “spot the differences” game for your entertainment)
you’re welcome.
You said “Blanco is a best defenseive catcher than Barrett” in the first one and “Blanco is a better defensive catcher than Barrett” in the second one.
What do I win?
When the eff am I on anymore anyway? I used to be on during the mid-morning/afternoon blocks with Magnum and Matlock, but I sure don’t see it anymore. The only time I’ve seen it on since was a graveyard hour, which would actually suit me just fine if only I could pinpoint it.
Paper prices going up, you say? We just re-sourced the same paper, from the same mill, at a reduction in price of $120 per T, not counting the saving in freight costs.
#18, he also corrected his spelling on ‘argument’ in the first sentence.
I actually like this signing quite a bit and I feel comfortable with the number of pitchers we have…enough for injury anticipation, and if no injuries, then enough to trade for a bat.
See this article
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ardx02Us03gpPxn1MM9EWi0RvLYF?slug=citadel-2_492556_260&prov=citadel&type=story
We resent the inferrence that we would put our fine restaurants in the St. Louis area.
Do I not sound JUST LIKE the opening guitar riff in that shitty assed song from that shitty ass band with that shitty ass singer Rob Thomas?
“Straight Up”? I think it’s called?
No?
I am how Jerome Williams likes his steak.
I am also an apt description of today’s Dose. Good stuff, Andy.
The subtlety of the Brownlie line is exceptionally hilarious.
Why would signing a long term contract with the new owner of the Cubs have any effect on a sale price? A contract could have simple market adjustments scheduled every 5 years.
Also, no owner is going to want to leave WGN any time soon. Clear channel is still a big deal as is the built in listening base.
If the stock hits 25, anything is possible.
We aren’t selling the Cubs  they remain a huge profit center and also provide a TON of programming (radio, TV, newpaper).
Hey, Trib Co.
Given that you made $547,228,000 last year in NET INCOME and the Cubs generate about 30% of that in just GROSS REVENUE, the Cubs are clearly NOT A HUGE PROFIT CENTER. Even were the Cubs to generate a 10% bottom line, that would only be 3% of net income. Given how long the team has been owned, the basis is probably close to zero and all that’s being depreciated is the capital improvements.
As to providing a ton of programming, selling them does not preclude you from still airing and profiting from the programming. After all, you broadcast the Cubs for 40 years BEFORE you owned the team.
Great Dose today. After reading about the gimpy pitching staff its not hard to wonder why I’m not excited about this Cub season.
Let the chase to 73 begin…
Hey, Bagwell. No hard feelings, right? How about I buy you a nice lawnmower and we’ll call it even.
Okay, I’m hot but the tussled-hair look that Eva Braun’s wearing in her new Oriole jersey isn’t?
I don’t think so.
Oh, Chuck, you are so good at presenting opinion as fact. Just because you say it is so, it must be so.
I won’t dispute your 1/2 billion in net income, but your shouting over the gross revenue and assertions that the Cubs are not a huge profit center cloud the issue.
The core businesses are suffering, and the Cubs are generating revenue. For the Tribune to give up on that is folly. When many areas of your business empire are losing money, the one that is making money is a huge profit center. It’s a matter of scale when compared to other facets of the business.
But you knew that already. Or will soon tell us all that you did.
Why would anyone sell a team now, just as the WBC seduces the people of Italy, South Africa and Holland?
Trib Co.:
Clearly the core business is suffering. The question is, when core business suffers, what do you do? Many companies choose to sell non-core assets, especially ones that would bring in huge amounts of cash, and spend their management energies on fixing the core business.
When you look at their holdings (http://www.tribune.com/about/webguide/index.html), you see that the Entertainment Divison, which includes the Cubs, is all media based except for the Cubs. That would suggest that, were the Trib to start selling assets, the Cubs would lead the list.
As to the Cubs being or not being a “huge profit center,” while they may be very profitable on a stand alone basis, relative to Trib Co. bottom line they are not. Even if the Cubs are a $250mm per year revenue generator and a $25mm per year profit center (extremely unlikely), they would only contribute less than 5% of net income.
And if the stock falls another few points, stockholders will start screaming. At that point, options could include selling the Cubs and use the proceeds to buy back stock.
As to scale: Operating profit from Broadcasting and Entertainment for the 9 months ended 9/25/05 was $1,156,132,000. The Cubs are pimple on the ass of that division.
If the Brits couldn’t get anybody else but the Indians to give a f*** about cricket, then the Dutch and Italian won’t be becoming baseball bazzars until like, uhh, never.
At least the Dutch won’t unless/until Blyleven gets into the hall.
The Cubs are a huge profit center for me. Call me Cy Young bitches.
We are being represented in the WBC by South Holland (Ill.) Thornwood star Mark Mulder.
No love for me, Mark?
We all walk into a bar. #35 mumbles something about grasshoppers. The bartender says, “Hey, #35. I don’t think #33 was meant seriously.”
See, #39. THAT’s the joke I was trying to write today on my blog.
Note to self: always leave the comedy to the funny people.
BTW: this is really me. I can beat myself up better than any of you can
Please, let Chuck wander back to his cage. He can watch with a big tub of pellets and root for stock prices to drop from over there just fine. Presume all of Chuck’s wet dreams came true and the Tribune sold the Cubs after all, would it really make any difference? Ownership has given the baseball powers that be the money they need to win. There’s not much more the owner has to do with it.
Can we have the Moranboard back yet?
Also, the Cubs just signed Angel Pagan an OF prospect from the Mets.
(See, I’ll take credit if it goes over well.) I am honored, Mr. Sloth. And don’t worry, even on your worst days you are at least an excellent photo curator.
john shoop is being considered for head coach of the oakland raiders. randy moss’s projected game stats — 8 catches from WR screens for 32 yards.
Zookeeper:
“Ownership has given the baseball powers that be the money they need to win.”
Money, yes. They’ve also allowed the incompetant Andy MacPhail to remain employed.
The Astros are trying to take me off life support. Save me, Jeb Bush!
Chuck:
If all you want is for MacPhail to be replaced, that doesn’t require a change in ownership. Even if a new owner took over, MacPhail is not regarded in most circles outside of yours as incompetent.
Eagerly awaiting the stock price to drop, so they may sell, so they may replace MacPhail … in my business, we call what you’re doing “taking the long way around the barn.” You’re probably glad they didn’t sign Beltran now – though the Cubs are such a small part of the Tribune empire, there was speculation in some circles that signing Beltran alone would have driven up the stock price 5 or 6 cents.
Pagan also claims trial counsel was ineffective for not objecting to the prosecutor’s questioning of him about a “Pimp†tattoo on one of his hands. Specifically, the following exchange took place:
Q: . . . What’s the tattoo on your left hand?
A: A tattoo that says pimp.
Q: What?
A: It says pimp.
Q: Is that what you are?
A: When I was younger I use to have a couple of girl friends and so I considered myself like that.
Q: You considered yourself a pimp?
A: Yes.
Q: So you had it tattooed on your hand?
A: Yes.
Q: You pimped out the mother of your child?
A: No.
Q: Is that the deal?
A: No.
Q: What are you talking about?
A: When I was younger.
Q: When you were younger?
A: When I was a teenager, probably fourteen, fifteen when I got this.
Q: You were pimping people out when you were fourteen or fifteen, is that what you are telling this jury?
A: It’s, uh, I guess, it’s a thing that every boy does when they are young they like to have a bunch of girl friends and they think they are a stud which I thought I was, yes, so I had it tattooed on my hand.
We’re the team that thuoght Angel’s arm fall off when he was 19, not the Rangers. Get’s your facts straight Moran.
Hilarious Dose. Nice work.
I love the Rockford Files.
He still is pimpin’ and it looks like the Cicero Ave will be our new hang out. He told us if we don’t turn 10 tricks a day he would beat us like Ike beat Tina.
Zoo:
This ownership isn’t replacing MacPhail because he delivers profits. While the Cubs to the Trib is a pimple on their ass in terms of cash flow, they are a decent investment so long as they are cash flow positive.
Were they to diminish in their return, the board would drop them faster than the Sloth runs to a free buffet.
MacPhail keeps the Cubs profitable and provides 70 dates per year of live broadcast content for WGN. For that, they give him salary, stock, and probably a few perks like a country club membership. If that math changed, he’d be gone.
Or, a new owner would just dump him and bring in their own guy.
Oh, and we’re looking at the 4th day in a row for a new 52 Week Low for Trib Stock.
Never try to catch a falling knife.
Chuck, I am curious: Are you on the Tribune Board? You seem to know an awful lot. Oh, wait, these are your limitedly informed opinions? Oh. OK, then.
Adam Greenberg will catch my falling knife. AAA 4th OF Pimp rising, bitches!