Lakers' Lamar Odom's curious marriage to Khloe Kardashian - Jeff Pearlman - SI.com

Lakers' Lamar Odom's curious marriage to Khloe Kardashian - Jeff Pearlman - SI.com

Shared via AddThis

Source: NBA to unveil policy this week
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

The NBA will this week introduce what it considers "minimal" guidelines for players, coaches and team officials when using Twitter and other social networking sites, according to sources with knowledge of the policy.

The primary restriction of the policy is expected to prevent various team representatives from tweeting during games, after the stir caused late last season when Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, then with Milwaukee, tweeted from the Bucks' locker room during halftime.

One source described the forthcoming policy as "very minimal" and "less stringent" than the guidelines announced earlier this month by the NFL, which now regards players, coaches and football operations personnel -- or any third party representing them -- to be in violation of league rules if they use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook from 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the standard post-game access period for media interviews.

Individual NBA teams, though, will have the right to impose their own standards that might be more strict, as seen with the NBA dress code where some teams in the past have mandated more formal apparel -- such as suits on team flights -- than league rules dictate.

The source said that the NBA's new policy, furthermore, will treat social-networking commentary in the same manner as comments made in the traditional media, which means that anyone in the league can be fined or otherwise sanctioned for posts via Twitter, Facebook, etc., that are deemed over the line.

Villanueva was not fined by his team or the league last season but was forbidden by Bucks coach Scott Skiles from tweeting again during games. Mobile-phone usage in the locker room and on team buses has long been frowned upon in the NBA, but the severity of restrictions generally vary from team to team given the rise in recent years in texting and e-mailing from handheld devices.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban received the NBA's first-ever fine for comments he made via his Twitter account, when Cuban was docked $25,000 last March after complaining about the referees' refusal to call Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith for a technical foul following a clash between Smith and then-Mavericks guard Antoine Wright.

The league did not announce the fine, but Cuban disclosed the punishment via his Twitter feed, revealing that it could no longer be said that "no one makes money from Twitter now" because "the NBA does."

Asked if the Mavericks will impose their own Twitter restrictions on their players this season, Cuban said Sunday: "Not really. I will talk to the guys about never venting or talking about team business on Twitter. That's usually what creates problems. [But] Twitter is just another form of media. What you say on Twitter is like saying it on ESPN."

Formal confirmation of the new policy is expected from the league office this week after teams are officially notified. The NBA Players Association has likewise said that it will withhold comment until details of the league's policy are announced.

The NBA is widely considered to be one of the major professional sports leagues most associated with Twitter usage, largely thanks to Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal, who responded to a Twitter user pretending to be O'Neal by launching his own Twitter feed, which now boats more than 2.3 million followers.

Other Twitter landmarks in the NBA besides Villanueva's halftime tweet include the June disclosure by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love that coach Kevin McHale was leaving the organization -- before the news had been reported anywhere else -- and Allen Iverson's numerous tweets about his summerlong courtship and eventual signing with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Oklahoma City approves proposal: Voters hope tax will lure NBA team to Oklahoma
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City voters approved a sales tax extension Tuesday to fund $121.6 million in improvements to a downtown arena and build a practice facility in hopes of luring an NBA team.
The proposal received support from 44,849 voters, or 62 percent of those who cast ballots, according to final results from the Oklahoma County Election Board.
"We will not let you down. We know we have some work to do and we'll get to it starting first thing tomorrow morning," Cornett said.
Bennett issued a statement Tuesday night thanking Cornett, the city council and the chamber of commerce, which backed a campaign promoting the vote as a way to become a "Big League City."
"Above all, we are grateful to the citizens of Oklahoma City for their continued commitment to excellence," Bennett said.
The Ford Center opened in 2002 and hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina. Average attendance for those games was more than 18,000, but the proposed upgrades were designed to help increase the arena's ability to generate revenue from multiple sources and also keep up with a new arena in Kansas City, Mo., and one under construction in Tulsa.
"What it did was basically assure we're going to hold our own on Big 12 tournaments and NCAA regionals," Cornett said. "We were in danger of slipping. If we didn't pass this, it was going to be tough for us to get those featured events. That's taken care of, no matter what else happens."
Less than 11/2 hours after polls closed, Cornett announced expected victory to supporters at a watch party at a restaurant in the Bricktown entertainment district.
"You need places like this, you need those important infrastructure elements, you need a strong arts community and you also need to have a sporting presence," Cornett said.
"I couldn't tell you how proud I am that we're creating this complete picture. We really are creating a city where people want to be. This a golden age in Oklahoma City. I think some day we'll be able to look back and people will realize it."
The Ford Center was built using funds from a similar sales tax plan that also raised money to build a minor league ballpark and transform a warehouse district into the city's bustling Bricktown entertainment district. It also hosts a minor league hockey franchise and an arena football team.
The Hornets' temporary stay was the city's first chance to host a professional team from one of the four major league sports.
"I think that the Hornets hooked a lot of people on the NBA. A lot of people follow it now," said Greater Oklahoma City Chamber president Roy Williams. "I believe that this is going to be a renewal sort of unlike we've seen. I think people are going to begin tracking and paying more and more attention that it could be soon that it's announced we're going to be an NBA city."
Planned upgrades include restaurants, clubs, suites and new locker rooms. If no team relocates to Oklahoma City before June 2009, the sales tax will run out after 12 months and the practice facility and any NBA-specific improvements to the Ford Center will not be built.
"The Sonics are in Seattle, and the Sonics can stay in Seattle. That's in the hands of Seattle," Williams said. "Seattle can still keep their team if they're willing to do what it takes to pay for it.
"It's not ours to win. It's Seattle's to lose."
"We will not let you down. We know we have some work to do and we'll get to it starting first thing tomorrow morning," Cornett said.
Bennett issued a statement Tuesday night thanking Cornett, the city council and the chamber of commerce, which backed a campaign promoting the vote as a way to become a "Big League City."
"Above all, we are grateful to the citizens of Oklahoma City for their continued commitment to excellence," Bennett said.
The Ford Center opened in 2002 and hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina. Average attendance for those games was more than 18,000, but the proposed upgrades were designed to help increase the arena's ability to generate revenue from multiple sources and also keep up with a new arena in Kansas City, Mo., and one under construction in Tulsa.
"What it did was basically assure we're going to hold our own on Big 12 tournaments and NCAA regionals," Cornett said. "We were in danger of slipping. If we didn't pass this, it was going to be tough for us to get those featured events. That's taken care of, no matter what else happens."
Less than 11/2 hours after polls closed, Cornett announced expected victory to supporters at a watch party at a restaurant in the Bricktown entertainment district.
"You need places like this, you need those important infrastructure elements, you need a strong arts community and you also need to have a sporting presence," Cornett said.
"I couldn't tell you how proud I am that we're creating this complete picture. We really are creating a city where people want to be. This a golden age in Oklahoma City. I think some day we'll be able to look back and people will realize it."
The Ford Center was built using funds from a similar sales tax plan that also raised money to build a minor league ballpark and transform a warehouse district into the city's bustling Bricktown entertainment district. It also hosts a minor league hockey franchise and an arena football team.
The Hornets' temporary stay was the city's first chance to host a professional team from one of the four major league sports.
"I think that the Hornets hooked a lot of people on the NBA. A lot of people follow it now," said Greater Oklahoma City Chamber president Roy Williams. "I believe that this is going to be a renewal sort of unlike we've seen. I think people are going to begin tracking and paying more and more attention that it could be soon that it's announced we're going to be an NBA city."
Planned upgrades include restaurants, clubs, suites and new locker rooms. If no team relocates to Oklahoma City before June 2009, the sales tax will run out after 12 months and the practice facility and any NBA-specific improvements to the Ford Center will not be built.
"The Sonics are in Seattle, and the Sonics can stay in Seattle. That's in the hands of Seattle," Williams said. "Seattle can still keep their team if they're willing to do what it takes to pay for it.
"It's not ours to win. It's Seattle's to lose."
Oklahoma City to decide on NBA plan
Associated Press
March 3, 2008 at 4:11 PM EST
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to vote on a $121 million plan aimed at luring the NBA to the city on a full-time basis.
Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett's proposal would spend $97 million to upgrade the Ford Center and another $24.6 million to build an NBA practice facility in hopes of completing the city's courtship of the Seattle SuperSonics.
While Cornett has been promoting the improvements to the Ford Center as mandatory to show Oklahoma City's long-term commitment to the NBA, David Glover has been spearheading opposition to the plan that would extend a one-cent sales tax increase for another 15 months.
Cornett considers the improvements to the Ford Center necessary even if the SuperSonics, owned by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, don't end up relocating. Without them, Cornett says Oklahoma City will fall behind competitors for concerts, the Big 12 tournament and other events.
Bennett declined interview requests from The Associated Press and through a spokesman refused to say what would happen if the vote fails. The SuperSonics are in the middle of a court battle to break their lease in Seattle, and the NBA Board of Governors will vote in April on Bennett's request to relocate to Oklahoma City.
While reserving comment on the specific proposal in Oklahoma City, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said "the NBA will always support teams' and cities' efforts to enhance the experience for our fans."
The cost of adding restaurants, clubs, suites and other amenities to the Ford Center — which hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two years following Hurricane Katrina — falls about in the middle of the cost fronted by new NBA cities when the past two franchises relocated.

Nascar Dad hates soccer: Strategic Isolationism or ignorant "cavemanism"?

Hatred for hockey is on the rise -- but so too is disdain for sport of varying professional stripe
ROY MacGREGOR

It's official. Americans don't like us.
Or, at the very least, do not like the Canadian game, though only 25.4 per cent of Americans actually hate, even loathe, the sport we think the rest of the world should adore.
The poll was conducted in mid-July and involved 1,020 American adults who were shown a list of 28 sports (NHL hockey included) and asked to give a reaction: "(1) love, (2) like a lot, (3) like a little, (4) no opinion, (5) dislike a little, (6) dislike a lot or (7) hate."
To no surprise, dog fighting turned out to be most despised of all, with 81 per cent of those interviewed loathing it and the other 19 per cent in need of psychiatric care.
Professional wrestling, which many would argue is not even remotely a sport, came in second, bullfighting third and pro boxing fourth.
None of this is particularly surprising, but just wait . . .
Weighing in it at No. 5 on the hate list is PGA golf, disliked by 30.4 per cent of Americans. No. 6 is the absurd PGA senior tour (29.9 per cent), the women's LPGA Tour (29.2 per cent), NASCAR racing (27.6 per cent), Major League Soccer (27.6 per cent) and the ATP men's tennis tour (26.5 per cent).
NHL hockey comes very close, with 25.4 per cent of Americans having only negative feelings toward the sport.
That is a considerable increase, by the way, from the 20 per cent NHL hockey registered on the hate meter in 1993, the last time the Sports Marketing Group carried out such a survey.
It is this 10-year comparison that has caused such interest, as people seem to be growing ever more resentful toward professional sports. The National Basketball Association now has nearly one in five Americans (19.7 per cent) hating the sport, whereas in 1993 only 11.9 per cent had such strong feelings -- worrisome for a league with such an increasing image problem.
As for Major League Baseball, 17.5 per cent of the United States is now strongly against "the great American pastime," well up from the 9.9 per cent of a decade ago.
"Baseball is on the decline," Lavalle told the American media, "and it could be dying if it doesn't change the way it's structured."
But what about hockey?
Lavalle says NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is actually doing a good job with the game, despite so much criticism.
"The No. 1 problem researched for the NHL," says Lavalle, "is that the average Joe can't get to the games." People can find a way to a football game, or to a couple of baseball games, but hockey tickets are now considered beyond the reach of the average sports fan.
Lavalle's studies have found that the NHL fan base is actually much older and richer than the beer ads would suggest.
"It's an affluent base," he says. "Much higher than even PGA golf. And that's both good and bad. If you create an elitist sport that is limited to the people who can afford to pay for it, you put off gaining a mass audience."