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February 10, 2012
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The biblical case against small-mindedness involved diminishing His precious prophet
Caroline B. Glick: The Peace Process is over. Finally
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
Rachel Koning Beals: Gen X Women Continue to Shrink Gender Investing Gap
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Who Says You Can't Make Restaurant Favorites at Home?: MANGO AND STICKY RICE
February 9, 2012
Jeff Strickler: An argument a day keeps the divorce away, they say
Clifford D. May: CAIR's Crusade against The Third Jihad
Melissa Healy: Study finds jolt to the brain boosts memory
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Winter Squash and Red Swiss Chard Risotto is Colorful Cozy Cold Weather Fare (includes detailed dos and don'ts)
February 8, 2012
Rivy Poupko Kletenik: Tree hostility: The auspicious history of the evolution of Tu B'Shevat
Steven Emerson: Planting Trees is Racist?!
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Anne Applebaum: Russia's Potemkin democracy
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
Emily Brandon: 10 Necessities for a Great Retirement Spot
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
Kathleen Hennessey and Christi Parsons: Obama not worried that birth-control move will hurt his re-election chances with Catholics, other faithful
Caroline B. Glick: Obama's rhetorical storm
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
David Francis: How to Avoid an IRS Audit
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: These homemade energy bars (3 recipes) are far better workout fuel than commercial ones, packing power and taste
February 6, 2012
Scott Peterson: Iran's top ayatollah: We're trumping the West
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
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
Philip Moeller: Where Smart Investors Put Their Money
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: Vegetable Frittata --- leftovers never tasted so scrumptious
February 3, 2012
Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Living with ideals --- in reality
Caroline B. Glick: Fool me twice
Jonathan Tobin : Adelsonphobia Strikes in Nevada Caucus
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Kimberly Palmer : 8 Ways to Get Ready for Retirement Now
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: A quick cookie recipe: Hazelnut and Olive Oil Shortbread: Sweet, Nutty, and Savory
February 2, 2012
Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt : Welcome Home, Governor Perry
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
Kelsey Sheehy : 5 Tips for Choosing an M.B.A. Concentration
Rachel Koning Beals : Investors Increasingly Tap Social Media for Stock Tips
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Savory vegetable pie is a taste of European bistro with minimal effort and maximal flavor
February 1, 2012
Nara Schoenberg: What to do when you've been dissed
Michelle Malkin: First, They Came for the Catholics
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Lisa M. Krieger: Possible breakthrough in preventing Alzheimer's
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
Susan Johnston: 5 Apps for Organizing Your Expenses at Tax Time
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The famed chef's Broccoli and White Bean Soup can easily be a lunch in itself, or a nice antipasto --- and is hard to mess up
January 31, 2012
Paul Greenberg: Separation of Church and State works two ways
Caroline B. Glick: Hamas and the Washington establishment
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Uncle Sam is joining in efforts to crack down on Islamists' critics
Danielle Kurtzleben: The 10 Worst Cities for Finding a Job
Laura McMullen: 3 Tips to Overcome a Bad Grade in College
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Orzo dish mixes plump, chewy grains with caramelized onions, garlic, mushrooms and sweet potato
January 30, 2012
Rabbi Avi Shafran: Blind faith and physics
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
Menachem Wecker: 3 Do's and Don'ts for Healthy Studying in College
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Butternut Squash Gratin with Tomato Fondue is a combination of the sweet and creamy
January 27, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: What Pharaoh can teach us sophisticates about being stubborn
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
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Barigoule is a light and tangy dish of artichoke hearts stewed in white wine
January 26, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Newt the closet anti-Semite?
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
Martin Peretz: One Year Later: The Failure of the Arab Spring
Rachel Koning Beals: Need to Know info before investing in Muni Bonds this year
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross: Curried Coconut Carrot Soup. Need we say more?
January 25, 2012
Andrew Silow-Carroll: Speak politics the Jewish way!
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
Menachem Wecker: Adding an extra 'm' -- marriage -- to that M.B.A.
Melissa Healy: Harnessing shrooms' magic
The Kosher Gourmet by Hilary Meyer: 3 Secrets Leave All of the Comfort in this 'Comfort Food', but few of the Calories
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
Jada A. Graves: 6 Careers to Watch in 2012
Jason Koebler: Who Should Have Access to Student Records?
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: This luscious fruit bread marries toasted pecans with juicy pears. Perfect with a pot of tea
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Stephanie Hanes: Toddlers to tweens: Relearning how to play
Jack Kelly : Still ignoring history
Rachel Koning Beals: Awkward Questions You Must Ask Your Financial Adviser
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
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Spanakopita is a golden pie that manages to be healthy yet still taste indulgent
January 19, 2012
Clifford D. May: How terrorists lose their stigma
Suzanne Bohan: Vanquishing social anxieties without drugs
Lisa Fernandez and Sean Webby: In alternative lifestyle, domestic violence means men as victims and women being abusers
Danielle Kurtzleben: The 10 Best Cities for Finding a Job
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Three bean soup with gremolata
January 18, 2012
Edward I. Koch: Why the Crocodile Tears, Hillary?
David G. Savage: Supreme Court to Principals: You have been warned
George Friedman of Stratfor: Iran, the U.S. and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Jason Koebler: 'Holy Grail' of Flu Vaccines by Next Year
Alex M. Parker: The Off-the-Radar Congressional Targets of 2012
The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Got soft apples? Make Apple-Maple Walnut Breakfast Quinoa
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
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: Believe it or not, your cuppa joe offers potential health perks
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: Eleventh-Hour Freezer Pasta, Made Interesting: Ravioli with romesco sauce; Tortellini salad with apples and walnuts
January 13, 2012
Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein: Expansion Of Spirit (PROFOUND yet UPLIFTING)
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Rachel Koning Beals:Top Complaints About Daily Deal Sites --- how to avoid missteps
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Braised Oxtail Stew with Olives
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
Ken Dilanian and David S. Cloud: In secret study, CIA and 15 other U.S. intelligence agencies warn Obama against leaving Afghanistan too soon
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
Menachem Wecker : 4 Technology Must Haves for Online Students
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
Rachel Koning Beals: Should You Invest in Bond Funds or Individual Issues?
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand : Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Herbs
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
Paul Bedard: Study: Is Fox Too Balanced?
Rachel Koning Beals: Is it Time to Move into Homebuilder Stocks?
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: Brothy Chinese Noodles

Half the Sodium (and More Than Twice the Fiber!)

January 9, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: The land-for-peace hoax (MUST-READ/FORWARD/SHARE)
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
Bonnie Miller Rubin: The new college-admission essay: Short and tweet(ish)
Rachel Koning Beals: Why Mid-Caps Stand Out in This Slow-Growth Stretch
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Cumin seed roasted cauliflower with salted yogurt, mint and pomegranate seeds
January 6, 2012
Jonathan Rosenblum: Greatness --- and those who sully it
Clifford D. May: The Historian, the Diplomat, and the Spy
Paul Bedard: Study: Obama Is Late Night's Biggest Joke
Rachel Koning Beals: An Investing Guide to Closed-End Funds
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Durand: Slow Cooker Peppered Beef Shank in Red Wine

Jewish World Review Nov. 13, 2006 / 22 Mar-Cheshvan, 5767

Selig May Be the True MVP of baseball this year

By Evan Weiner

Evan Weiner
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | The 2006 postseason Major League Baseball Awards are being presented on a daily basis and voters have already missed the boat on a variety of them. Baseball's Most Valuable Player, and Comeback Player of the Year didn't don a uniform this year and, has in fact, never worn a uniform. The real MVP, MLB commissioner Bud Selig, had a monster year — one of those Triple Crown seasons that players can only dream about. With from help from "teammates" like the president and chief operating officer for Major League Baseball, Bob Dupuy, Selig achieved just about every imaginable business goal.


The commissioner seemed to do the impossible: In October, he successfully negotiated, and was able to keep out of the spotlight, a new collective bargaining agreement between owners and the players' union. Players signed with no rancor and without the threat of a work stoppage. Selig and the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, Donald Fehr, appear to have worked out a partnership that probably was on a list of things least likely to happen in baseball considering the amount of mutual distrust that has existed for decades between the owners and players.


Of course, everyone at the table had a vested interest in getting a deal done. Both sides want to globalize with an eye toward maximizing revenue through international partnerships.


After the 2002 collective bargaining agreement, both the owners and players agreed to work in partnership to produce the World Baseball Classic. That experience probably contributed to the more positive vibe between Selig's owners and Fehr's players. In terms of on-field performance, the World Baseball Classic meant nothing and, most baseball fans probably would struggle to name the 2006 WBC winner (it was Japan).


However, the league and various international baseball federations did reach an understanding that it was in everyone's best interest for baseball to get a global footing in order to grow the industry economically. As the fledgling WBC enjoys exposure on six continents, Major League Baseball continues to explore how to introduce its product into China and tap into the country's marketplace.


The league may play some games in China, but it also has to build a merchandising strategy, selling T-shirts and caps in the world's most populous country as does the NBA, NFL, and NHL. Expansion into China also is key for MLB because the league must compete not only with golf, tennis, and soccer but also up-and-coming international sports like cricket. Selig, MLB officials, and other North American sports leagues know that cricket has a bigger international TV audience than they have and it's why the WBC was so critical to Major League Baseball planners. MLB needs a global footprint, not just a North American base.


The World Baseball Classic was merely a warm up for Selig, who got a new national over-the-air television deal done with FOX, extended the present cable deal with ESPN, and signed a new deal with Turner Sports that will bring more money to the industry. FOX will broadcast a Saturday Game of the Week, the All-Star Game, one of the League Championship Series alternating each year through 2013, and the World Series.


ESPN will continue with its regular season coverage but Turner has scooped up the preliminary playoffs and one of the League Championship Series rounds. While ESPN appears to be the big loser in the crown jewel department, the business of baseball and sports has changed and the changes have spawned new business opportunities.


ESPN ended up with exclusive national broadband and cellular rights to certain Major League Baseball properties, which in the long run may be far more valuable to both the self-proclaimed worldwide sports leader and MLB. ESPN Mobile may have been a failure but there will come a day when baseball video and other baseball intellectual properties will be a regular feature on all cell phones. ESPN could be the provider of that content if it positions itself well.


Meanwhile, Selig and his team were not through yet. Stadium revenue and real estate have become lifeblood for franchises. Selig, with absolutely no leverage from competing cities, locked one of the best ever stadium deals from the mayor of Washington, D.C.,a desperate Anthony Williams, who badly wanted a MLB team. The new Washington stadium will open in 2008 and, the owners of the Washington Nationals, the Lerner Family, will pocket virtually every penny made in the new facility.


Selig and his owners, who held onto the Montreal Expos franchise for a number of years, finally moved the organization to Washington after 2004 and played the stadium game brilliantly. Somehow, they got everything they wanted from Williams then asked for more, threatening to pull the plug on the stadium deal unless the mayor and the D.C. city council improved on the deal. Selig and the owners landed their deal then sold the club to the Lerners for more money than they could have imagined.


The commissioner also secured funding for new stadiums in Minneapolis, the Bronx and Queens, and Jackson County, Missouri, where voters passed a sales tax increase last April to renovate Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Selig also will get new spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona.


The stadium fortunes for the Oakland A's are looking up. The Athletics' owner, Lewis Wolff, is set to announce next week plans to build a 36,000-seat stadium near San Jose, on a parcel of land in Fremont down the I-880 from Oakland.


There has been one failure along the way and there may be some bumps down the road. The Florida Marlins' owner, Jeffrey Loria, was unable to get funding for a new Miami Stadium. Loria is the third owner — Wayne Huizenga and John Henry preceded him — to strike out in the quest for a new south Florida ballpark.


Selig and MLB may cut Loria out from the stadium building process and could use the league's clout to pressure Miami-area politicians to spend the money needed to build a new ballpark. Selig and MLB are also ridded of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, which may be helpful in pursuing stadium funding for a Marlins park. Governor Bush refused to back any funding measures to build a new Miami-area baseball park. Selig and MLB officials view Miami as an important place to do business in international financial expansion because of the city's perceived role as a gateway to the Caribbean and South America.


The stigma of Barry Bonds and steroid use still looms above Selig and the major leagues. The BALCO grand jury is convening in San Francisco and Congress may continue to investigate the use of steroids and performanceenhancing substances in sports. In 2005, Selig was hauled before Congress to discuss MLB drug policies. While Congress, the press and broadcast outlets, and the president of International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, reacted with disdain in response to alleged steroid use in all levels of baseball, corporate America has largely ignored the issue, investing money through sponsorship and partnerships at record spending levels. Attendance at major league baseball games is, in turn, at record levels.


Selig will have to contend with Rogge, who recently attacked MLB again about its drug policies. Why Rogge would care about baseball is unclear as the International Olympic Committee has dropped the sport from competition following the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Rogge is opening the door to a reinstatement for 2016 but insists MLB must adhere to Olympic drug testing standards.


But Selig and MLB don't need Rogge or the Olympics. A man who was belittled when he talked of a baseball renaissance following the 1994-95 strike and cancellation of the World Series, Selig spearheaded a record-breaking 2006 season. And because of it, MLB is enjoying the best health of its lifetime.

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:

08/31/06: Goodell moving into office with long list of challenges football
08/23/06: Why the NFL is so great
07/17/06: The end of sports reporting as we know it?
07/10/06: Kansas City Finds Itself The Center of Musical Chairs
06/27/06: Newark takes a hard lesson in the pro stadium game
06/16/06: Don't Believe the Gripe: The NHL Is Back
06/05/06: As Bonds Hogs the Spotlight, Selig Goes 3-for-3 at the Plate
05/30/06: State of the NBA Nation Is Strong
05/22/06: NFL owners gather to play stadium game
05/15/06: A legal groundswell builds beneath baseball
05/05/06: Four Years Later, Baseball Finds an Owner in D.C.
05/01/06: Turmoil brews beneath NFL's newfound tranquility
04/24/06: NFL and small town America wherewithal
04/21/06: The Two Scariest Words in Baseball: Salary Cap
04/18/06: Why the major leagues succeed
04/17/06: Fans welcome new stadiums; will stadiums welcome fans?
04/10/06: Fans welcome new stadiums; will stadiums welcome fans?
04/07/06: Don't mess with a congressman/sports fanatic
04/05/06: Los Angles loses yet again
04/04/06: NCAA's highest stakes are first beginning
04/03/06: The real reason Major League Baseball is worried about cheating
03/31/06: Baseball buoyant, better than ever
03/30/06: Affording to be in the big leagues

© 2006, Evan Weiner

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