IS THERE PRESSURE ON LYONS TO EXIT? In Denver, Mark
Kiszla writes on Ascent's sale of the Nuggets, Avalanche and
Pepsi Center to Bill and Nancy Laurie and adds that Ascent
CEO Charlie Lyons "has proved himself only as the new
owners' primary agent of embarrassment. Lyons has bought
the two Missouri billionaires big trouble. With no fewer
than three current lawsuits seeking to halt the sale of the
franchises, the Lauries' confidence in Lyons has eroded,
according to sources close to the teams." Kiszla: "There is
growing sentiment that the only way for the Avs and Nuggets
to restore damaged credibility is for Lyons to quit" his
role in the deal (DENVER POST, 6/10).
DOES L.A. REFLECT POORLY ON TAGLIABUE? CBS SportsLine's
Ray Buck writes that expansion into L.A. is not only making
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue "look bad," it is "making
the commissioner look worse than usual," because the league
"has been unable to pick an owner ... or even come up with a
legitimate reason to believe that L.A. is the smart choice"
for a franchise (CBS SportsLine, 6/10). In L.A., Bill
Plaschke writes L.A. is "within three months of losing our
third franchise in five years. Can everyone just be quiet
and get it done?" (L.A. TIMES, 6/10).
OTHER NOTES: After Devil Rays DH Jose Canseco suggested
"see-through bases that light up when a runner touches
them," FSN's Keith Olbermann said, "Remember the game
Simon? Wanna bet Jose used to have one?" (FSN, 6/9).
...Packers fan Jerry Hershberger "has launched a write-in
campaign" to become a member of the Packers Board of
Directors. Hershberger, who hopes to get 5,000 stockholder
signatures: "I felt it would be more appropriate to have a
more ordinary kind of fan on the board to represent ordinary
fans' interests" (GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE, 6/8)....NBA
Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik, on the possibility of Isiah
Thomas holding a management position with an NBA team and a
controlling interest in the CBA: "It presents a clear
conflict" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/10).
