In AZ, Pedro Gomez compares the Padres' recent cash
call with the one by the D'Backs last month, and writes the
Padres are "manipulating the citizens of San Diego County
into believing they are in serious financial straits." Gomez
notes that the Padres "bring in" $80M in annual revenue, and
"even if you toss in" $7M for minor league operations and
front office expenses, the Padres "are very healthy," but
are instead "trying to draw sympathy" from the city. But
Gomez writes that the D'Backs "are the polar opposite," as
reports state the team lost "nearly" $35M last year and
"could do the same this season" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/14).
A BRIEF ON CUBAN: In Dallas, Steve Davis writes that as
part of an upcoming national magazine article, Mavericks
Owner Mark Cuban is pictured in "a bath towel and not much
else." Cuban: "I was completely naked if they didn't make
me wear that towel." Davis: "Oh heavens" (DALLAS MORNING
NEWS, 9/14). In Ft. Worth, Dwain Price writes that the Mavs
will stay in Ritz-Carlton Hotels while in five cities this
season, and "in four other cities they have booked" the Four
Seasons Hotel. The hotel changes "have everything to do
with" Cuban's "continuous stance on treating his players
with class" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 9/14).
NOTES: Speedway Motorsports Chair Bruton Smith formally
announced his 50% purchase of the Single A South Atlantic
League Boll Weevils (see THE DAILY, 9/13): "I hadn't given
getting into baseball much thought. I liked baseball, but I
like sports in general." Smith called the deal "pretty
much" the "doing" of former Majority Owner Larry Hedrick
(CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/14)....In DC, Eric Fisher writes that
Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder recently "poked fun at his own
bombastic public image" in telling the story of a "longtime
season ticket holder who requested his seats be moved to a
prime 50-yard-line spot." The ticket holder received his
request, "only to then complain about the sun being in his
eyes during games." Snyder: "I told him we'll see what we
can do about moving the sun. We've got a lot of
improvements at the stadium we're working on, and we haven't
gotten everything yet. That's on our list" (WASHINGTON
TIMES, 9/14).....In N.Y., Eric Lenkowitz writes that the
National Women's Football League (NWFL) announced it will
have a team in N.Y. next year. Manhattan attorney and NWFL
Gems Owner Robert Arleo: "My first priority is making sure
the women get paid. My team is viable" (N.Y. POST, 9/14).