November 23, 2005
Marlins held hostage: Day Two
One day after Florida Marlins chief executive son-in-law David Samson declared his team's future home to be up for grabs, all the usual suspects and then some have begun throwing their hats in the ring:
- Oregon Sports Authority President Drew Mahalic called the Marlins while Samson's press conference was still underway to, as Mahalic put it, "begin a relationship." Portland has no major-league ready stadium, however, and only a $150 million state financing bill that relies on dubious math.
- New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority chair George Zoffinger called Samson to invite him to move to an as-yet-unbuilt stadium in the Meadowlands sports complex. This would only be opposed by the New York Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets and all of their lawyers. Understated Zoffinger: "The trick is getting past all the people who insist you can't do this stuff."
- A spokesperson for Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the mayor is "aware of the situation. He's received a few phone calls, none from the Marlins, and he's playing it by ear." Hey, just like me!
Finally, it wouldn't be a Marlins story without a bizarro David Samson quote, and our pal has obliged once again, telling ESPN's Jayson Stark: "It's like the great Billy Crystal line from 'Princess Bride.' It's mostly dead. And by mostly dead, that means it's somewhat alive. So there are some situations that are still percolating. But you need a stethoscope to hear the heartbeat, because it's so faint."
Samson smartly omitted the next part of the quote: "With all dead there's usually only one thing you can do: Go through his clothes and look for loose change."
