Episode 39: Outsiders

On another edition of New Era Radio... Marcas laments the end of Carmageddon; Marc Tyler puts his foot in his mouth in a big way; Mychal Simonz stops by to talk about bridging the gap from smooth jazz to hip-hop; Oh and the NFL is maybe, sorta, almost back.

Episode 37: The Big Picture

On another exciting episode of New Era Radio... don't be so quick to condemn the Casey Anthony jury; some of the funniest movies of the past decades; the folly of the MLB All-Star Game and why Roy Williams deserves a kick in the head.

Episode 36: Bringing It Back

This week on New Era Radio...Cacique states his case for the Sex Olympics; Marcas is tired of lawyers ruining his sports, Don Good from BBM Bookings talks life with celebs...and TUPAC'S BACK!!!

Dodgers bounce paychecks after bankruptcy filing

It appears that the Dodgers bankruptcy has already had a financial effect on the team. KTLA.com is reporting that some employees had their paychecks bounce.

In the wake of the Dodgers' bankruptcy filing, some paychecks issued to the team's employees bounced, according to spokesman Josh Rawitch.

It's not clear how many employees were affected. 

Rawitch said that the team's accounts were frozen for 48 hours after the filing.

He added that all the employees who were affected have been issued new checks. The team is also picking up any bank fees incurred from the bounced checks.

When it's come to the issue of making payroll, everyone has focused on whether the guys on the field are going to get their paychecks. But in reality, there's little reason to worry about Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier or even Manny Ramirez in the short term. However the livelihood of some of the day-to-day administrative people is another situation.

All in all, it's just another black eye in the long running saga of Frank McCourt. And it doesn't look like it's close to being over with a Delaware judge scheduling bankruptcy hearings into next January. Right now, McCourt doesn't have a whole lot of allies and if he's having trouble keeping his commitments to the folks actually running the organization, it's another reason that he needs to get out of the baseball business.

Frank McCourt is dragging the Dodgers down his personal road to ruin

You have to give Frank McCourt credit for one thing. He never gives up. And since he's mired in a financial tar pit primarily of his own making, you'd think that's about the only credit most people will give him.

Just when you think things can't get any worse for the Dodgers, it somehow does. Early Monday morning, McCourt filed for bankruptcy protection and received a $150-million loan that would help him cover Thursday's payroll and hold on to the team for the foreseeable future.

If a judge approves the loan, then the ride to hell in a handbasket is far from over for the franchise or its fans. It means you can expect several new lawsuits to be filed as well as the continued settlement of Frank's divorce from Jamie.

But never at any time has Frank McCourt thought of selling the team and walking away. Instead he has pressed forward, doing whatever he can to keep the team under his auspices - or at least keeping it away from his estranged wife. For the fans, that has been the most frustrating part. Despite all of the McCourts past flowery language about doing what's best for the franchise and its fans, their behavior has proven the opposite.

Frank and Jamie McCourt used the team as their own discretionary account, living the high life while running the team under MLB-style austerity measures. It's actually fitting that the one major deal they signed, (Manny Ramirez's 2-year, $45 million contract) is what could help to bring them down. But what is even more apropos is that two people who have shown themselves to be selfish, greedy, vindictive people somehow found each other. And that selfishness, greed and vindictiveness ultimately led to the dissolution of their marriage. In that way it's not unlike many Hollywood divorces that came before or will inevitably come after.

The difference is that most Hollywood divorces don't jeopardize the status of a local treasure.

If Frank McCourt truly wanted to do what was best for the team, he would sell it. Not a portion of it. All of it. Then walk away and leave his successor to right the ship. With Fox eager to complete its long term television deal with the team, he has already succeeded in raising the value of the franchise and could easily bring in enough to cover any and all financial obligations he has.

Instead, he employs different legal maneuvers one after the other with the hoped for goal being that Frank McCourt is made whole. Meanwhile, thousands of empty seats have become the norm at Dodger Stadium as fans show their disgust with the sideshow by their absence. The team on the field is floundering and two of its centerpieces - Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier - are nearing the end of their contracts. Ethier has already suggested that his days in Dodger blue could be numbered. With all of the ongoing turmoil it wouldn't be a surprise if he or anyone else started looking for greener pastures.

Perhaps in Frank's wildest dreams, he is able to sign the deal with Fox, become flush with cash, put a winner on the field and get himself back in the city's good graces. But that day, if it ever comes, is light years away. Meanwhile, Frank McCourt continues to drive the team down the road to ruin.

Episode 35: On The Come Up

This week, New Era Radio is chock full o' goodness...we talk with Jeff Camarra about his upcoming documentary on Lakers guard Trey Johnson and the NBA Developmental League. MMA fighter Jesse Juarez talks about life and his upcoming fight with Josh Neer. And Frank McCourt needs a hug...and $30 million.

The walls are closing in on Frank McCourt

It looks like it's only a matter of time before Frank McCourt's tenure as owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers is over. Despite agreeing to the framework of a divorce settlement with his estranged wife, Jamie, last week, Frank isn't nearly out of the woods yet.

Right now, his hope is resting on MLB's approval of his proposed $3 billion television deal with Fox. Despite conflicting reports on Monday morning over whether that deal had already been rejected, the consensus is that Bud Selig is not going to allow the deal to happen. For the long form (and very well done) explanation of what that means for Frank McCourt and the franchise as a whole, check out Josh Fisher's column from ESPNLosAngeles.com.

The short version is that with no Fox deal, the divorce settlement is invalid. It also means there's no realistic chance that Frank McCourt can cover the team payroll on June 30th and Major League Baseball will likely seize the team. A lawsuit from McCourt against baseball is almost guaranteed to follow.

While Dodger fans have been left hanging in the balance, they are not sitting quietly. Much has been made of the poor attendance numbers at Dodger Stadium - spurred mostly by a fan revolt. But it's gone even further. The Save the Dodgers movement is once again soliciting donations to help buy a billboard to better publicize their goals.

Even the L.A. City Council has gotten into the act, passing a resolution in support of a plan that would allow fans to purchase a stake in the team. The chances of something like that actually happening are pretty remote, but it speaks to local frustration about McCourt's ownership and the fan's desire for this all to be over. If Frank's deal with Fox is rejected, however, this could still have a ways to go.

McCourts reach divorce settlement, squabbles may not be over

A divorce settlement was announced between Frank and Jamie McCourt on Friday morning, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. But the settlement doesn't mean that Frank McCourt is out of the woods as far as his battle to remain the Los Angeles Dodgers' owner.

The settlement is contingent upon Major League Baseball's approval of a long-term television contract that has been reached between the Dodgers and Fox. If Commissioner Bud Selig were to reject the agreement, the settlement would be voided and the parties would resume proceedings in divorce court.

You can read a copy of the settlement agreement here. A rejection of the Fox deal means that McCourt's whole ownership situation could be thrown back into turmoil. LA Times reporter Bill Shaikin reported on his Twitter account that Jamie McCourt's attorney expects a decision on the Fox contract by Tuesday.

This settlement now puts Bud Selig in an awkward position. Ever since Major League Baseball began their investigation into the Dodgers' finances, Frank McCourt has said that the league was unfairly looking to force him out of ownership. Up until now, it appeared that Selig was willing to sit by and wait until McCourt hung himself. So far that hasn't happened. Now the only thing standing between McCourt and making payroll at the end of June is whether or not MLB will allow this deal with Fox to go through.

With the framework of a settlement in place between Frank and Jamie McCourt, if the deal is vetoed, it lends much more credence to Frank's complaints. If the deal is allowed and McCourt is able to keep his hold on ownership, the fan revolt at Dodger Stadium may get stronger. The team's money problems have contributed to much of the fan anger. But just as much of it has been fueled by the ongoing embarrassment that the McCourts' behavior and subsequent divorce proceedings have brought to the organization. Either way, someone is going to end up unhappy.

Dodgers have "no chance" to make June 30 payroll

Frank McCourt has been playing a dangerous game when it comes to the Dodgers' payroll lately - staving off one potential disaster by getting an advance on some of the team's sponsorship deals to cover the June 1 payroll.

Now the L.A. Times is reporting that while McCourt is expected to be able to cut checks for the upcoming June 15 payroll, don't expect it to happen at the end of the month.

The Dodgers owe about $10 million in payroll Wednesday, according to one of the people, but that figure roughly triples for the June 30 payment as several deferred salaries come due, including more than $8 million to Manny Ramirez. 

The Dodgers appear to have "no chance" to meet the June 30 payroll without a cash infusion from a new television contract, according to a person familiar with McCourt's finances but not authorized to discuss them. If McCourt misses payroll, Selig could make the payments for him, seize the team and put it up for sale.

We posted about the Manny Ramirez payment and how it could affect McCourt's ability to hold on to the team earlier on Monday. To add to McCourt's struggle, his attorneys spent nine hours on Monday attempting to negotiate a divorce settlement with attorneys for his estranged wife, Jamie. Likely any settlement would be contingent upon a June 22 hearing in which McCourt will ask a judge to allow the team to sign a $285 million television contract extension with Fox.

Major League Baseball has been overseeing the team with the constant threat looming that McCourt could be forced to sell. If ownership does fail to make payroll at the end of the month, it could force Bud Selig's hand. Dodger fans are hoping that Mark Cuban's current good mood will make him amenable to making an offer on the team. Either way, it looks like McCourt's running out of outs.

Manny Ramirez could help save the Dodgers

After the way Manny Ramirez left the Los Angeles Dodgers - a disappointing season coming on the heels of a 50-game suspension for performance enhancers - who ever would have believed that Dodger fans could be looking to Manny with a sense of optimism?

ESPNLosAngeles.com's Molly Knight reports that Ramirez is owed $8.33 million in deferred money from the contract he signed before the 2009 season. That's bad news for Frank McCourt who needed advances in order to cover payroll at the end of May and reportedly will be able to cover the payroll that comes later this week.

But with McCourt expected to need to scramble to make payroll at the end of June, the payment to Ramirez could be his back-breaker. MLB has been looking into the team's finances for several weeks now and a failure to make payroll would likely be the issue that causes the league to force McCourt out. Right now, the owner is pinning his hopes on a June 22nd hearing in which he will ask a judge to approve a multi-billion television contract extension with Fox that McCourt says will make him solvent and cure the team's financial woes.

Matt Kemp: "We want more fans" (Video)

The Dodgers have been one of baseball's biggest stories this year. Unfortunately it hasn't been for anything they've done on the field. Frank McCourt's financial foibles have been the most prominent issue surrounding the Blue Crew in 2011 and it's effected just about every aspect of the franchise...including attendance.

Fans have boycotted the stadium in a big way. The Dodgers have seen their attendance drop more than any  other team in the league, suffering a decrease of more than 7,000 fans per game (almost 17% from the same point last season). That's a steep drop for a team that is pretty much a lock for 3 million fans each year. To combat this, the team has tried offering discounts and special promotions, with little success. The team couldn't even sell out its Memorial Day game that featured $1 Dodger Dogs.

So they've taken the next step...personal appeals from the players to the fans. In a recently posted YouTube video, Matt Kemp (who has been one of the few Dodger bright spots this year) urges fans to come back to the stadium. A better bet would be for Kemp to make a video telling Frank McCourt to stay away.

Episode 32: Change The Channel

On this week's edition of New Era Radio...

The guys are joined by the one and only Clipper Darrell who talks about (what else?) the Clippers and his relationship with the franchise as well as Shaq's career and who is the NBA's all-time greatest. Also...an introduction to plum brandy. Is Steve Spurrier using Jim Tressel's downfall to make a point? And which movies deserve to have a sequel.

Frank McCourt used cash advance to cover team payroll

Last week there were questions as to whether Frank McCourt could cover the team's payroll and keep his tenuous hold on ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers. After stories surfaced over the weekend that McCourt would be able cover paychecks, the next obvious question was...how?

According to ESPN the Magazine's Molly Knight, it may have come from some creative account management.

Current team sponsors were contacted and offered discounts on their annual bills and luxury box stadium seats in exchange for cash up front, according to two sources. It is not known which sponsors took the offer, or the depth of discount they were given.

If true, it continues a pattern of the organization offering deep discounts to try and generate any kind of revenue. On Monday, the team advertised $1 Dodger Dogs in an effort to fill the stadium...on Memorial Day, no less. It helped somewhat as the team announced its largest walk-up crowd of the season with 4,200 buying tickets at the gate. But overall, a fan boycott has led to a nearly 17 percent decline in attendance compared to the same point last year.

More importantly, it puts in serious doubt McCourt's ability to cover the next payroll which comes on June 15th. With a host of legal issues closing in on McCourt and Major League Baseball already keeping a close watch on the franchise's operations, it seems to be a matter of time before the keys are taken away from him permanently.

Mark Cuban takes notice of "Save The Dodgers" movement

As we wrote about last week, a determined Dodger fan has started a campaign to convince Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban to buy the team from embattled owner Frank McCourt.

(For more about the site, check out my interview with Roger Arrieta.)

Turns out, there's been a little movement for the movement.

"I actually heard back from Mark Cuban," Arrieta said in a tweet. "He said he has seen the pics, didnt deny saying he wasnt interested, right now it's Mavs time."

It's easy to understand that Cuban's mind would be on other things right about now. But it's encouraging that he's taken notice of what's going on. Whether it's enough to pique his interest remains to be seen. Regardless, Arrieta has stepped up efforts by seeking donations for a billboard to advertise the website.

At this point, it may benefit Dodger fans to start wearing Maverick blue for the next couple of weeks. Perhaps the rush of winning a championship will convince Cuban to move on to new challenges...namely Major League Baseball. Plus, Laker fans can say they lost to the team that eventually won the title. Either way, it takes their minds off of watching the Dodgers for a few days.

Dodger Stadium Attack Suspect In Police Custody

After nearly two months of investigations, 17 full-time investigators and the constant upping of a reward, the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Sunday morning that one of the two men suspected in the attack of Bryan Stow was arrested.

Via the L.A. Times:

At about 7 a.m., the Los Angeles Police Department SWAT team descended on an East Hollywood apartment building with a warrant in hand. According to apartment building manager Maritza Camacho, police, using loudspeakers and with guns drawn, called out to the occupants of Apartment 25. Inside was one of the men police suspect in the March 31 beating that left Stow with brain damage.

Since the investigation into the second suspect is ongoing, police declined to release details of the arrest - including the name of the suspect in custody. Stow was moved to a San Francisco hospital last week where he opened his eyes, although he remains in critical condition and has a long recovery road still ahead of him.

Attacked Giants Fan Bryan Stow Opens His Eyes

The continuing rehabilitation of Bryan Stow has been slow and difficult, but there is good news for the San Francisco Giants fan who was brutally attacked at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day.

Via the Associated Press:

A Giants fan brutally beaten on opening day at Dodger Stadium is opening his eyes but remains in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital.

Chief neurosurgeon Dr. Geoff Manley said Wednesday that 42-year-old Bryan Stow has been weaned off of one of five anti-seizure medications since arriving Monday from a Los Angeles hospital.

In addition, Stow's brain showed slowed signs of seizure and doctors hope to be able to remove him from the rest of his seizure medication to see how his brain reacts. In all, it is a small step on what would be a very long road to recovery. However after friends and family feared the worst about his condition, any improvement is reason to be hopeful. Unfortunately, the LAPD investigation into who committed the attack on Stow remains at a standstill.

Dodger Fans Court Mark Cuban As Their Savior

Fan frustration is reaching an all-time high in Los Angeles. Owner Frank McCourt is continuing his legal fight to keep control of the team. The franchise is offering deep discounts to try and lure angry fans back into the park. Meanwhile on the field, the team is struggling and losing ground daily in the NL West standings. So the fans of Los Angeles have turned their eyes east, looking for a savior.

LetsGoNico posted a pic of this sticker that was being handed out around Dodger Stadium before Tuesday night's game against the Brewers.

Mark Cuban's name was immediately mentioned as a candidate to buy the team in the aftermath of Major League Baseball taking over operations. He was in town recently while the Mavericks were busy dusting off the Lakers in the NBA Playoffs, but declined to make a statement one way or other about acquiring the team. Certainly he has shown interest previously in trying to purchase a baseball team with failed efforts to acquire the Cubs and Rangers under his belt.

More than anything, this is another show of disgust from an embarrassed fan base toward an embattled owner. The trust between the two sides is so broken that McCourt's double talk, broken promises and continued poor stewardship of one of L.A.'s most beloved institutions is going to make for a nearly untenable summer at Chavez Ravine.

(H/T to TrueBlueLA)

Dodgers Begging Fans To Buy Tickets

You may have heard that times are tough for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Whether it's opposing fans being severely beaten in the parking lot, the ongoing divorce and financial problems of team owner Frank McCourt or just an inability to string wins together, there's not much going right for the Blue Crew nowadays.

But you'd never imagine it would be so bad that management would have to implore fans to come out to the stadium. After all, the Dodgers have consistently been among baseball's attendance leaders - drawing more than 3 million fans a year in 14 of the last 15 seasons.

Except this year, attendance is down more than 13 percent. So it's just another sign of McCourt's mismanagement that the Dodgers are now offering deep discounts to try and get more butts in the seats. First, Yelp subscribers in the Los Angeles area woke this morning to find an email in their inbox advertising  reduced prices for a pair of games against the rival San Francisco Giants.

If that wasn't bad enough - and it's hard to imagine it getting much worse - later in the day the team announced a sale for Monday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. In honor of Andre Ethier's recent 30-game hitting streak (the game is on May 16th, Ethier wears #16), the team is offering $30 field level seats for 30 hours. They are also giving 30% off any Ethier-related merchandise on the day of the game.

Many fans have decided that they will not return to Dodger Stadium until McCourt is out of ownership. McCourt, however, has decided to fight any and all attempts to have him relinquish the team. This promises to drag out for some time, which means we may not have seen the last of the Dodger Blue Light Specials.

Episode 28: Champagne Room With A View

On the latest episode of NER...Should the Steelers be forced to apologize for Rashard Mendenhall's tweets? Marcas continues his weekly bitching about Frank McCourt's mismanagement and Cacique convinces everyone that strip clubs are the place to be.

Episode 27: Let's Go Crazy

As we rejoin our favorite NERDs...the guys break try to make some sense of the NFL Lockout (they don't) and run through the top portion of the draft. Oh and Marcas makes Cacique jealous by bragging about going to see Prince for $25.