1-Man’s Opinion Column-Monday– “Bolts-Believe It or Not”

Posted by on February 1st, 2016  •  0 Comments  • 

“Bolts-Believe it or Not’
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So it’s a new day, and the story is constantly changing. Friday showed us all the uncertainty in the on-going sage of the Chargers, to Los Angeles, to San Diego, to whomever gives them a lucrative deal.

 
In a span of 24-hours, Team Spanos bought an option to buy a business building and 5-acres of land, for a practice facility in Santa Ana.

 
Then Friday morning, they reached agreement on a ‘tenant deal’ to move into the Rams new Stadium, getting reduced revenue, but not having to fork over 1.3B in construction costs, nor territorial transfer fees.

 
When all appeared lost in San Diego, the Chargers owner, announced he would commence talks with the City, to see if there was a way to build a new stadium, either downtown or in Mission Valley, some 4-months after the City-County coalition stood shocked when the Chargers walked away from the negotiating table.

 
Of course, caught in the middle of all this, is the Raiders franchise, looking like a homeless transient, pushing a shopping cart out of the Oakland Coliseum parking lot, blocked for the time being from going to LA and possibly even San Diego.

 
And if the theatrics weren’t overwhelming, this Sunday night tidbit, that Mark Fabiani is trying help steer Raiders owner Mark Davis to Las Vegas, where the CEO of the ‘Sands’ is proposing an NFL-UNLV stadium.

 
The Chargers are trying to divert the Raiders out of Southern California obviously, still with the mistaken idea people in LA and Orange County are attached to the Bolts. Doubtful, in that LA seems to be donning Rams colors from this moment forward.

 
So as talks hopefully start this week between the City-County-Chargers negotiators, we now get to watch the leverage game.

 
Do the Chargers hold the paperwork they have about LA-Santa Ana over the head of the Mayor? Does the Faulconer-Roberts team flash a Raiders logo at the Spanos family with the threat, if you don’t do a ‘fair deal’ with us, San Diego will embrace the Silver and Black, and good luck being the 2nd NFL team in LA and the 8th team on the sports radar, located below the Dodgers-Lakers-Rams-UCLA-USC-Clippers-Kings, maybe just ahead of the LA Galaxy

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Spanos, who is afraid of the San Diego print and electronic media, is using all types of vocabulary about dedication to get a deal done; that San Diego is where the heart really is, etc, etc, etc. He’s trying to undo all the acidic things he let Fabiani say about San Diego over the last 9-months.

 
If indeed he firmly wants us to believe his dedication to stay in America’s finest city, then Dean Spanos needs to do the following.

 
Meet with the credible media face-to-face, not his PR-employees. Answer all the tough questions, fair or unfair, and then go to the negotiating table to share ideas, not make demands..

 
And he should also show us his dedication, by opting out of the Rams deal, backing away from Santa Ana, and adding another 100M of his own money to match the 300M-NFL money, leading to a favorable vote on a new “Q”.

 
That would be a legitimate committment to stay here.

 
Did I not tell you a month ago, that if the Carson-LA plan blew up, fell part, fell short of the votes, Spanos would resurface down here, trying to play the role of ‘saviour’. He wants you to believe he is doing you a favor by now attempting to keep the NFL team here.

 
Not at all costs, just an expensive cost to the city, the county, the fans who will get PSL bills in the mail with season ticket orders. We are now where I thought we would be..

 
A rich man wanting to get richer, after dumping on his city, his fan base, and his integrity.

 
I kept saying his legacy would be based on leaving in the middle of the night to go to LA, or being the catalyst for building a new stadium. His scorched-earth policy, burning all his credibility currency in San Diego, is right there infront of everyone to see.

 
Now we see if he can change his business methodology, and show San Diego Chargers fans loyalty.

 

 

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1-Man’s Opinion Column-Friday– “Dishonest as the Day is Long”

Posted by on January 29th, 2016  •  2 responses  • 

“Dishonest as the Day is Long”.

 
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I thought of Dean Spanos yesterday as I waited for the PGA golfers to tee off at Torrey Pines. Thought about the beauty of San Diego, this golf course, the game of golf.

 

 

Somehow in the middle of all that, the owner of the Chargers came to mind, and because he loved golf, for some reason or another, it popped into my mind the story of him getting thrown out of Pro Ams for cheating.

 

 

And then came the Email shortly thereafter back in the Media Center, that Spanos had entered into an agreement to buy a 5-ace tract of land in Santa Ana, to build training camp fields and a practice facility, “if they decide to relocate to LA”.

 

 

Of course they are still in ‘weighing all the options mode’ over at the Fortress, telling San Diego to be patient, while all the time continuing to negotiate to find the best deal possible for their family, their football family, for the Chargers, San Diego fans, citizens, civic leaders be damned.

 

 

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, whom I cornered for a 1-on-1 series of questions, answered me bluntly, no the Chargers have never returned any of his five phone calls since the one five minute conversation he had with Spanos right after the Houston vote that killed the Carson project. So much for Spanos following up on all those statements in the past year about wanting to be in San Diego.

 

 

And when you hear that ‘being in San Diego comment’ echo again, remember these are the people who threw hand grenades at the Mayor and the CSAG committee in all the different works putting together the Mission Valley project. And these were the people who hired the spokesman, Mark Fabiani, who said the team was ‘agnostic’ about where to build the stadium, intimating they had no strong choice, while now they talk about a downtown initiative.

 

 

And yes they authored 9-different sets of ideas about a new stadium, in different locations, freshly printed sales slicks, without ever attaching how it would be financed.

 

 

Staying in San Diego included buying land options in Carson, doing a deal with their decades long enemies the Raiders, sabotage the Rams package in Inglewood, trying to sink the Mission Valley plan and refusing to come to the table for word one of possible economic talks.

 

 

They continue to try and play the leverage game too, thinking the LA carrot will make this mayor change his mind about financing. Faulconer told me directly the 350,000 city-county loan won’t be reworked, and he will not bypass any public vote on the financing even if it is a deal breaker, because it is the proper thing to do politically.

 

 

Everytime something comes out of the Chargers office, it is couched in deceit, full of private agendas, and obviously laced with lies.

 

Now, even as they say ‘thinking about their future’, is the late night report the NFL has urged them to accept by this weekend a ‘tenant’ deal with Stan Kroenke in LA, because Spanos does not have the money to become equity partners.  So much playing with the big boys.

 

 

That’s who they are, and who the leader is. The owner of the Chargers, once known to cheat in golf too. A good day at Torrey Pines ruined by the latest chapter, song-verse and press release from the Chargers ownership.

 

Dishonest as the day is long.

 

 

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1-Man’s Opinion Column–Friday “Dishonest as the Day is Long”

Posted by on January 29th, 2016  •  1 Comment  • 

“Dishonest as the Day is Long”.

 
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I thought of Dean Spanos yesterday as I waited for the PGA golfers to tee off at Torrey Pines. Thought about the beauty of San Diego, this golf course, the game of golf.

 

Somehow in the middle of all that, the owner of the Chargers came to mind, and because he loved golf, for some reason or another, it popped into my mind the story of him getting thrown out of Pro Ams for cheating.

 

And then came the Email shortly thereafter back in the Media Center, that Spanos had entered into an agreement to buy a 5-ace tract of land in Santa Ana, to build training camp fields and a practice facility, “if they decide to relocate to LA”.

 

Of course they are still in ‘weighing all the options mode’ over at the Fortress, telling San Diego to be patient, while all the time continuing to negotiate to find the best deal possible for their family, their football family, for the Chargers, San Diego fans, citizens, civic leaders be damned.

 

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, whom I cornered for a 1-on-1 series of questions, answered me bluntly, no the Chargers have never returned any of his five phone calls since the one five minute conversation he had with Spanos right after the Houston vote that killed the Carson project. So much for Spanos following up on all those statements in the past year about wanting to be in San Diego.

 

And when you hear that ‘being in San Diego comment’ echo again, remember these are the people who threw hand grenades at the Mayor and the CSAG committee in all the different works putting together the Mission Valley project. And these were the people who hired the spokesman, Mark Fabiani, who said the team was ‘agnostic’ about where to build the stadium, intimating they had no strong choice, while now they talk about a downtown initiative.

 

And yes they authored 9-different sets of ideas about a new stadium, in different locations, freshly printed sales slicks, without ever attaching how it would be financed.

 

Staying in San Diego included buying land options in Carson, doing a deal with their decades long enemies the Raiders, sabotage the Rams package in Inglewood, trying to sink the Mission Valley plan and refusing to come to the table for word one of possible economic talks.

 

They continue to try and play the leverage game too, thinking the LA carrot will make this mayor change his mind about financing. Faulconer told me directly the 350,000 city-county loan won’t be reworked, and he will not bypass any public vote on the financing even if it is a deal breaker, because it is the proper thing to do politically.

 

Remember too the excuses for all this, the failings of the city, the decision by the Rams to jump into the market, the betrayal of fellow owners whom Spanos always there were his allies.  It’s always on someone else, never on him.

 

Everytime something comes out of the Chargers office, it is couched in deceit, full of private agendas, and obviously laced with lies.

 

And while they say they are still weighing their options comes the report late last night that an announcement from the NFL could be this weekend with Spanos becoming a ‘tenant’, not a partner with Stan Kroenke.

 

That’s who they are, and who the leader is. The owner of the Chargers, once known to cheat in golf too. A good day at Torrey Pines ruined by the latest chapter, song-verse and press release from the Chargers ownership.

 

Dishonest as the day is long.

 

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1-Man’s Opinion–Thursday “Tee Off-Teed Off on Golf”

Posted by on January 28th, 2016  •  0 Comments  • 

“Tee Off-Teed Off on Golf”

 

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They go to the tees today in the opening day of action in the Farmers Insurance Open at picturesque Torrey Pines.

 

The stars will come out starting at 9am and shine throughout the day, or will they really? Things have changed on the tour, where money is plentiful, and suddenly appearance fees have become the ‘ask for thing’ from agents.

 

The good: Phil Mickelson is here, always here, giving back to the course he loves, and the community he grew up in. Ricky Fowler, coming off an amazing payday is here too, Murietta prospect, who seems to have arrived as a star on the tour, based not just on the win Abu Dhabi, but the way he finished up last year. Charley Hoffman of Poway is here, flashing some good rounds, but yet to string weeks and weeks together. Pat Perez is part of the guys on the leader board too. And as hot a young guy as there is, like a Jason Day, the defending champ, is returning too.

 

The bad: There will be no Tiger Woods sightings this year, and maybe never again. His US Open victory, playing on a broken leg in 2008, is the lasting calling card of his career for us at Torrey Pines. He always played well here. He always had monster crowds walking the course with him. And when he played, his TV ratings were phenomenal, just like his 79-career PGA wins and 14-majors. Now father time is collecting back dues.

 

Tiger is not coming back soon, if ever, from his second back surgery. All that after the Achilles, the ankle, the foot, the shoulder.

 

The ugly: Those who have never played here, or elected to go somewhere else, or want bonus money to show up. No budding superstar Jordan Spieth, who has been here in the past. No Rorie McIlroy, who has never been here. There are others too, who make the international tourney scene, where appearance money seems in abundance. The PGA is trying to deal with it, players not coming, because of dollars or the course layout, just doesn’t seem fare.

 

In every PGA tour stop, there are ‘doers’ like the Century Club, who make these events something special in the community. They love the game, they work year round, and they volunteer. It’s not just San Diego, a major stop, but it’s Quad Cities and Hartford and everywhere in between. Somehow, someway, the PGA needs to impress upon the superstar, the tourney backers and sponsors deserve more. The players make great money. It should be their way of giving back, to make a commitment to play in lots of places.

 

They’ll hit it long today in the lst round. There will be hooks and shanks. The PGA Tour Board needs to hit it down the middle, the big names should be on our leader board here at Torrey Pines, on a year by year basis.

 

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1–Man’s Opinion Sports–Wednesday “Torrey Pines-Changes Coming”

Posted by on January 27th, 2016  •  0 Comments  • 

“Torrey Pines-Changes Coming”

 
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The PGA stars come out tomorrow morning in the Farmers Insurance Open Golf Tourney. Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Ricky Fowler and so many others.

 
They will play the tremendously long South Course, then will play on the tough North Course.

 
If you like golf, you’ll enjoy the San Diego weather, the players, the galleries, and a final look at the North Course.

 
Tom Weiskopf, a super-star from yesteryear, now a golf designer, begins work in two weeks on a new-look North Course. February 15th till August 15th will see a re-design of the beauty of the North.

 
The leaderboard says it will cost 12.8M to re-do, reinvent, revitalize. Weiskopf told me yesterday, he wants what will be new, to be a “turn of the century’ personality course.

 
Yes the Pines will get to host the US Open in 2021 again, and yes there is a USGA philosophy, preserve par, make it an obstacle course not just a golf course. But that’s the USGA, and the new North will be tough, when it is done for the pros.

 
But Weiskopf’s vision is to make golf on the North an enjoyable day, so much so that golfers will want to comeback, to experience it, its layout, its beauty time and again.

 
The man who has designed 68-courses in his second career has grand plans once they break ground.

 
The size of the greens will be increased by 25% minimum, no more postage stamp locations. 4-pin placements will be part of the change, two very tough, for the pros, and 2-much more moderate for you and me.

 
They will change the slope of the greens, to give it a firmer grip. They will cut 5-acres off the fairways, more to preserve watering, than anything else.

 
The 58-bunkers will be transferred, and most all will be only 2-3 feet deep. The bunkers will be moved to just one side of the fairway, rough on the other, rather than locating the sand traps everywhere.

 
Torrey North will also have its tee boxes changed, five different sets. The PGA guys will tee off on a 7,100-yard course. The average golfer will play on a 6,600 course. The tee box will shorten to a 6,100-yard course for seniors and 5,700 for ladies.

 
Weiskopf has played around the world. He won here at the Pines in the 1960s. He’s designed the TPC course in Scottsdale. He loves the game, but wants the new layout for everyone.

 
“Length should not determine the outcome of a round”. He thinks the strategy of shot-making should be the difference.

 
Yes he knows the patrons love to play the dimensions for pros play, but he also knows 92% of the golfers across America, don’t break 90. Only a half percent of the duffers break 80, according to PGA stats. That’s why he wants Torrey to be fun, and be beautiful.

 
Yes the USGA is demanding in what they want in the open. And yes he knows, if you win the open, you are part of history. Jordan Spieth won it last year and finished 1-over par.

 
“It’s part of their goal, it definitely is their attitude” come US Open weekend. That’s okay, but he wants something even better.

 
The beauty of this weekends stop on the PGA tour is like a Chamber of Commerce postcard for the nation to see on network television. A year from today, when they tee off on the North Course, it will be even better.

 
Torrey Pines will shoot a birdie on the design. Tom Weiskopf will see to it, no bogeys in its layout.

 
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