Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Mark Cuban Talks a Bit About the Dodgers

Cuban was on CNBC on Monday morning. Here is the video. He talks briefly about the Dodgers at the beginning- after saying no comment on any NBA questions. Apparently, the Dodgers books will be coming out in a couple of weeks and he'll be taking a look. Whether he bids is another story.

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This Time Collectors Can Look Forward to Black Friday

I don't ever recall Black Friday being promoted heavily to sports collectors. Sure, an isolated store or hobby shop, here or there, would run a Thanksgiving holiday sale, but I'm sure the card makers never got into the fun. Why? I don't know. You figure it would be a great way to promote your products. Well, that is all about to change.Panini has taken the pack redemption program, seen at card shows and conventions all over North America, to the hobby shop. They have created an exclusive set with inserted relics and autographs inside from all 4 major sports. I'll let them describe how it would work.
Essentially, the program will operate just like our show-exclusive wrapper-redemptions do, but in your local shop. We’ll send special Black Friday-only redemption packs to all participating hobby shops. Those collectors who go into their shops on Black Friday and purchase designated products will receive an equivalent number of Black Friday packs in return.
I haven't seen a list of participating stores, so I suggest calling around. For us Dodger fans there is the above Matt Kemp base card, and I would be willing to bet there are autographs cards of his that you can find, as well. The below Kobe cards is also randomly inserted in. For more details check out Panini's story here, here, and here.

eBay: The LA Welcome Parade

What a majestic day this must have been. Full of pomp and circumstance, the Dodgers paraded through downtown Los Angeles, from City Hall to the Coliseum, towards their first official home game of the 1958 Baseball season. It was Friday, April 18th as the Dodgers would face off against their rivals- the San Francisco Giants. Walter Alston and Chuck Dressen are seen here in the lead car with the rest of the ballclub not far behind.

This is a great AP press photo, not only because of the parade in process, but because it shows a LA trolley car in the background. How apt is it that the Dodgers have to dodge those cars on the way to the game that afternoon?

(eBay Auction Link)

Blog Kiosk: 11/16/2011

Check out this great 2011 Topps Marquee Sandy Koufax booklet card available for sale on eBay. Awesome! (eBay Link)
  • Forbes writes about Fred Claire's pursuit of the Dodgers.
    In speaking with Claire, he said he had no plans about being a part of a group seeking to purchase the Dodgers until this summer when he received a phone call from Ben Hwang, a one-time batboy with the Dodgers who is a former executive at an international biotechnology company. He and Claire have begun piecing a group together with several others, including sports executives Andy Dolich, Joe Heitzler and Paul Kalil, as well as Charles Lee of the Nixon Peabody law firm. The investment group is going under the name “BCH 99”.
  • Prince Fielder will not be a Dodger, via Tony Jackson at ESPN.
    "As of today, unless something changes, I think it looks less realistic,'' Colletti said. "I think we have to figure out other ways to produce runs.''
  • Could Francisco Cordero really be in our sights, via Jon Paul Morosi at MLB Buzz.
    The Red Sox, Dodgers, and Angels have internal candidates to close, but the sheer number of available closers could mean that they sign a closer, anyway.
  • Time Warner aims to boots FoxSports out of LA market. They just acquired the LA Galaxy TV rights for 10 years, via LA Times. With the Lakers already in their stable I suspect they will be making a competitive bid once the Dodgers contract comes up for sale.
  • It's been over 2 weeks since the announcement. Where is the settlement agreement between MLB and McCourt? Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times has the news.
  • Sasha Bronner at Huffington Post interviews the new Dodgers Head Athletic Trainer Sue Falsone.
    Who is the smelliest Dodger? They are very respectful and usually shower before they come in for treatment.
  • A Giants payroll manager stole $2.2Mil from the team, via CBS SF. (Hat Tip: Sully Baseball)
  • True Blue LA wonders who is the current #1 Dodgers prospect.
  • Zach Hample, the Ballhawk, mixed it up a bit at #OccupyWallStreet. He has a bunch of pics, video and his thoughts.
  • Houston Astros to be sold, via SI.
  • Damn you Brad Richards, he's dating Olivia Munn, via Puck Daddy.
  • Awesome! The GAG Quartet with the internet meme-filled song called 'le Internet Medley'

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