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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (5563)	8/30/2002 5:12:10 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Baseball Deal Saves Season Fri Aug 30, 4:47 PM ET By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) - With little time to spare, baseball negotiators who talked through the night reached a tentative agreement on a labor contract that averted a strike threatened for Friday. Commissioner Bud Selig called the four-year deal "historic," the first time since 1969 that players and owners agreed to a deal in collective bargaining without a work stoppage. "All streaks come to an end, and this was one that was overdue to come to an end," union head Donald Fehr said at a news conference with Selig. Owners gained their most significant concessions in 26 years with a tax on high-payroll teams, a plan to distribute more money to small-market franchises and mandatory testing for steroids. The union, however, received a guarantee that baseball won't eliminate teams through the 2006 season. Owners attempted to fold the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins after last season. The deal also could mean the Expos will move to Washington. Selig said in January that relocations would be discussed after an agreement. Selig and Fehr attended a morning bargaining session that wrapped up the deal, which averted the sport's ninth work stoppage since 1972. The previous eight negotiations resulted in five strikes and three lockouts. "I think a lot of people thought they'd never live long enough to see these two parties come together with a very meaningful deal and do it without one game of work stoppage," Selig said. Still, the pact has not been signed and parts weren't even in writing. It was unclear when it would be ratified. "We can now turn our complete attention to the field," Selig said. The agreement was reached about 3 hours before Friday's first game, between St. Louis and Chicago at Wrigley Field. The players had set Friday as the strike deadline on Aug. 16. "It came down to us playing baseball or having our reputations and life ripped by the fans," said Steve Kline, the Cardinals' player representative. "Baseball would have never been the same if we had walked out." A walkout threatened the final 31 days and 438 games of the regular season, and fans were angry at players and owners for their repeated quarrels over a business that generates $3.5 billion annually. Fan Tony Pencek was sitting in a bar across the street from Wrigley when he heard the news. He immediately ran over to the ballpark and bought a ticket for the game. "America needs this. Especially with September 11th coming up," he said. "You need to get people's minds off of it. And for something good to happen is great." As the hours dwindled, lawyers had shuttled between the commissioner's office and union headquarters, crunching numbers and exchanging revised proposals. "It was close. I was about to make my flight arrangements to go home," Cubs outfielder Roosevelt Brown said as he arrived at the ballpark. Two lawyers from each side bargained until 2 a.m. before the sides broke for caucuses. Players gave owners a proposal during a 20-minute meeting that began at 4 a.m., and owners responded with a counteroffer about 6:30 a.m. The union returned with a response at 9:15 a.m. The final meeting, which completed talks that began in January, lasted almost three hours. As soon as it ended, teams started heading to ballparks. With the deal, owners gained concessions from one of the most powerful unions in the nation as they tried to improve competitive balance and curb the increase in salaries. The money raised by the luxury tax on high-payroll teams will be used for player benefits and various major league programs. The players' association has lifted the average salary of its members from $51,501 in 1976 — the last year before free agency — to $2.38 million this season. For the first time, players agreed to mandatory testing for steroids, which will start next year on a survey basis. The minimum salary will rise next year from $200,000 to $300,000. "It's not important today to talk about winning and losing," Selig said. Since the last strike in 1994-95, a 232-day stoppage that forced cancellation of the World Series for the first time since 1904, the New York Yankees have won four world championships. For that very reason, Selig and many team owners said they needed changes to restore competitive balance. The mid-market teams figure to be the biggest winners in the deal, receiving much more of their competitors' money. The biggest losers are the Yankees, whose $242 million revenue last year was $40 million higher than any other club. The Yankees, who paid $28 million in revenue sharing last year, expect the new deal will cost them $50 million to $55 million next year. The Mets, Boston, Seattle and San Francisco also will have to pay a lot more, and they may have to raise ticket prices to cover the increases. "It's going to affect a lot of teams with high payrolls, there's no question about that," Yankees pitcher Steve Karsay said.

To: Sully- who wrote (5563)	8/31/2002 5:58:26 PM
From: Jim Willie CB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Steeler defense and offense are their only strengths not coaching, not special teams and Kordelia is good for a few redzone chokes per game in 2001 they ranked #7 from bottom in redzone TD's special teams still aint fixed meanwhile, Patriotics are stronger than last year one more tiny scatback wideout receiver a deep deep team with perhaps the league's best coach the Bilichek factor over Cowher is worth a TD alone 78,000 screaming fans will open the new stadium twenty years is too much to undo my Patriot loyalty we will see that is why they play the game great game today with UMich and last second win over UWash I know Mantz is probably pissed, but he should know dont mess with the BigTen, esp in the BigHouse 108,000 fans wow in the underground BigHouse made it to Rhodey at 3am, staying with a friend only delay was getting lost in NewHaven CT not the place to get lost in a friend of mine at Yale was murdered there in 1974 hello Captain Yi (as we called him), hoping you're in heaven tell the little woman to prepare to get all spruced up / jim

To: Sully- who wrote (5563)	8/31/2002 5:58:26 PM
From: Jim Willie CB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Steeler defense and offense are their only strengths not coaching, not special teams and Kordelia is good for a few redzone chokes per game in 2001 they ranked #7 from bottom in redzone TD's special teams still aint fixed meanwhile, Patriotics are stronger than last year one more tiny scatback wideout receiver a deep deep team with perhaps the league's best coach the Bilichek factor over Cowher is worth a TD alone we will see that is why they play the game great game today with UMichigan and last second win over UWash I know Mantz is probably pissed, but he should know dont mess with the BigTen, esp in the BigHouse 108,000 fans wow made it to Rhodey at 3am only delay was getting lost in NewHaven CT not the place to get lost in a friend of mine at Yale was murdered there in 1974 hello Captain Yi (as we called him), hoping you're in heaven tell the little woman to prepare to get all spruced up / jim