Franchise Notes

WEST SIDE STORY: Grizzlies Owner Michael Heisley, on whether a contract has been finalized to name Lakers consultant Jerry West as Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations: "We do not have a contract with Jerry West. We have had several meaningful discussions. ... The speculation scares me, because I'm not sure how Jerry looks at it" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/25). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes, "I believe Jerry West is going to Memphis. I also believe mutton-chopped fat guys moonlighting in satin suits are Elvis, and those who make more than minimum wage can sing the blues" (L.A. TIMES, 4/25).

TICKET TALK: Last night's D'Backs-Braves game drew 21,122, "the second time this week the [Braves] set a record for low attendance at Turner Field" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/25)

Brian Giles

....Pirates OF Brian Giles told ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick of whether the Pirates' decision to increase ticket prices has led to declining attendance this season: "I don't know, what do you do think? I have no idea how you lose 100 games and raise ticket prices" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/25). The Pirates drew 14,057 for last night's game against the Dodgers (TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 4/25). Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic writes that advance sales of individual tickets have "experienced a spike that team officials credit to the recent winning. Between 2,000 and 3,000 advance tickets are being sold daily, a dramatic increase from three weeks ago" (POST-GAZETTE, 4/25).

NFL: The Bills officially introduced new QB Drew Bledsoe at the team's HQs yesterday afternoon, and in Buffalo, Rey & Warner write roughly 3,000 people "trekked to Orchard Park ... to welcome their newest football hero to town" (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/25). In Buffalo, Allen Wilson reports Bills President & GM Tom Donahoe, head coach Gregg Williams, VP/Business Administration Jim Overdorf and VP/Business Development & Marketing Russ Brandon "took a 4:30 a.m. flight Wednesday to pick up Bledsoe and wife, Maura, at their offseason home" in Whitefish, MT. After a "quick pit stop in Detroit to pick up" Bills Owner Ralph Wilson, Bledsoe "finally reached his destination" (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/25)....Speaking Tuesday night at the Senior Bowl spring meeting in Mobile, AL, ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen said, "Character was a big issue in this year's [NFL] draft. If a player had questionable character, they lost a lot of money in this year's draft. NFL clubs are no longer going to put up with guys with questionable character" (MOBILE REGISTER, 4/24).