04/20/25
March 27, 2025
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:16 AM on March 27, 2025
Hooray!
posted by NoMich at 09:33 AM on March 27, 2025
One of the best days of the year. Go Reds. As the saying goes, hope springs eternal.
posted by jagsnumberone at 11:22 AM on March 27, 2025
Truly it's the best day of the year. When I was still umpiring, we always looked forward to once again getting on the field. Here in New Hampshire that often meant waiting a week or two until the snow had melted. I remember more than a few years when one of the coaches would tell me that this was the first time that his team had been on the field. No matter when it happens, opening day is magic.
posted by Howard_T at 02:04 PM on March 27, 2025
I promised updates on the sale of the Celtics as they were available. Jack Simone who writes under the pen name "The Hardwood Houdini" tells of a possible block to the sale by citing an article by Dan Primack in Axios. Primack claims that Sixth Street Partners, a private equity firm, has more money involved than does Bill Chisholm. This violates the NBA rule that limits private equity holding in a team to the lesser of 20% or an amount less than the amount held by the principal owner who must own at least 15%. Primack does not say anything about how much Chisholm actually has invested nor the dollar amount of Sixth Street Partners stake, so Primack should be questioned here. Also not mentioned are the two partners of Chisholm, Rob Hale and Bruce Beal, Jr. How much have they thrown into the pot? My guess is that Chisholm by himself has at least the necessary 15% (about $1 billion), and probably more. His 2 main partners most likely come up with about $1.5 billion between them, and minority interests, some of whom are part of the Wyc Grousbeck group come up with another significant amount. Once all of the pieces are assembled, private equity will not need to put in enough to violate any rules. These guys don't make a move until they have looked at every angle and have it all locked in. Remember that the sale is structured to take place over 2 or 3 years. Thus, Chisholm et al have about 1/2 of the team, and over the next year or 2 will come up with enough investors or money to comply with the rules and complete the sale.
posted by Howard_T at 08:19 PM on March 27, 2025
I attended opening day for my first time ever and was rewarded with blooming cherry trees flanking the entrance to the stadium, 13 Ks from MacKenzie Gore, and free baseball against the Phillies. Unfortunately the bullpen (both of them, actually) was not nearly as sharp, it's a good day when baseball is back!
posted by bender at 09:38 AM on March 28, 2025