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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
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Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
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Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
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Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
March 31, 2006
/ 2 Nissan, 5766
Baseball buoyant, better than ever
By
Evan Weiner
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I was listening to the radio while driving on Interstate 4 en route to the National Football League spring meetings on Monday
when I heard a radio sports talk-show host drone on and on about how great the National Football League was doing and
how Major League Baseball was being rocked to its foundation by the new book that details San Francisco Giants slugger
Barry Bonds' use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The talk-show host railed about that steroid scandal, which he said threatens the sport's very existence, although he seemed to
forget that the authors used leaked grand-jury testimony from Bonds and others as the basis for the book. Leaking grand-jury
testimony is illegal, but that seemed to not be relevant to the conversation. After all, it was talk radio. Lots of bluster, little
substance.
Major League Baseball, which opens its championship season on Sunday night, is not being rocked to its foundation. On the
contrary, it's doing better than ever. There are huge revenue streams flowing into the industry from various sources. Major
League Baseball has millions of fans and customers, a new multimillion-dollar cable-TV deal and two new team-owned
regional cable-TV sports networks that have just started up.
And it has U.S. Rep. Tom Davis of Northern Virginia, whose House Government Reform Committee held hearings on the
steroids issues last year, on its back again. But this time, Davis has forgotten about steroids.
Davis wants his Mid-Atlantic Sports Network placed on his local Comcast cable system so he can watch Washington
Nationals baseball in his home or in his Capitol Hill offices. And if Comcast doesn't cut a deal to put the network on its system,
Davis will haul the cable company and Major League Baseball before his committee to find a solution.
After all, Congressman Davis is just a fan who wants his home team's games on his TV set.
Major League Baseball is the most resilient of businesses. No matter how much the owners and players inflict public-relations
damage on the game, fans forgive the two sides and continue to head out to the ballpark in droves. Just look at what happened
after the BALCO grand-jury investigation, Jose Canseco's book and the congressional committee hearings.
In 2005, the New York Yankees set a franchise record by selling more than 4 million tickets, and five other teams reported
sales of more than 3 million tickets. People also flocked to ballparks in record numbers in the minor leagues.
Major League Baseball's marketing partners did not leave. It was business as usual. Just after the Canseco news broke,
General Motors signed a three-year, multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal with the league. If Major League Baseball has a weak
public image because of alleged steroid abuse by some players, why are companies continuing to pump millions of dollars into
baseball advertising? None of Major League Baseball's corporate partners pulled their advertising money out of the industry
because of the steroids scandal.
Why were cable operators such as Comcast and Time Warner so eager to partner with the New York Mets and Cleveland
Indians in new regional sports networks? Why did ESPN sign a new national cable contract last fall that might be worth about
a half-billion dollars and includes additional money for exclusive broadband and cellular-phone rights?
Major League Baseball still might create another small cable package. It will probably renew its Fox contract in a matter of
weeks and get another billion dollars over a five-or six-year period from Rupert Murdoch's network.
If people were really fed up, the Washington, D.C., City Council would not be handing Major League Baseball a $600 million
stadium for the Nationals and San Antonio officials would not be seeking a franchise. Satellite radio networks, along with cable
TV and over-the-air networks, would be demanding changes in their contracts or just canceling them. Cities and states would
be demanding changes in their leases with teams at taxpayer-funded stadiums. In fact, Major League Baseball is more
prosperous than ever.
It seems nothing can kill baseball. Fans attended games in record numbers last season, and there is no sign of that abating in
2006. How did Major League Baseball, which was down and out in 1994 when the owners and players couldn't agree to a
new collective-bargaining agreement and forced the cancelation of the World Series, rebound?
It's pretty simple. Americans love their baseball, and are willing to overlook just about anything, including players using banned
substances and leaked grand-jury testimony.
It's time to "play ball."
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Evan Weiner is a syndicated radio commentator. Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
03/31/06: Affording to be in the big leagues
© 2006, Evan Weiner
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