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OT: Nets may get a Russian sugardaddy
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DrAlphaeus
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9/23/2009  12:46 PM
Interesting news for our cross-river rivals in the 2010 LeBron sweepstakes. Mikhail Prokhorov, the richest man in Russia, has been thrown around lately as a possible investor in the Nets.

This guy is hasn't even turned 45 and is the 40th richest man in the world, and at 6'9" can look LeBron directly in the eye.

Will this guy be LeBron's Yoda and show him how to use the Force so he can become a billionaire too? Does that make Jay-Z Obi-Wan?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4494932
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Moonangie
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9/23/2009  2:37 PM
He's most likely a criminal and I doubt seriously if his involvement would be any sort of lure for LBJ.
Finestrg
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9/23/2009  2:52 PM
Would Jay-Z maintain his small share of the team or would he be bought out?
jimimou
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9/23/2009  2:54 PM
Fine - thats a question that can only be answered after prokhorov in fact does buy the team. there is no necessity that jay z be bought out, unless jay z wanted to sell his share to prokhorov himself as part of the deal.
Moonangie
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9/23/2009  3:29 PM
Prokhorov invested $200mil with more investment coming in future that will bring his ownership percentage to 80%, plus ownership interests in the Atlantic Yards project and the arena.

Homey made his dough from mining nickel ore, a really yucky business if ever there was one. Prior to that he ran a bank that bought Russia's biggest nickel mining operation.

If he's Russian and a billionaire, he's most likely a sleezebag with strong ties to organized crime.
DrAlphaeus
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9/23/2009  3:40 PM
Well I'll be damned.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4497411

I kinda thought that this would be just some story that would float around for a while full of rumor & conjecture. But they're getting quotes from Emperor Stern already. Guess I'm just too used to the Knicks beat.

As for the criminal/sleezebag part, no doubt... but kinda irrelevant to the discussion, no? Like you say Moon, mining is a dirty business, pun intended. So is New York real estate. And actually, you aren't breaking the law if there aren't any laws. Post-Soviet was on some Wild Wild West **** for a minute.
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DrAlphaeus
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9/23/2009  3:46 PM
Also, Jay-Z is a self-professed former criminal and him and LeBron seem to get along fine.
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Cosmic
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9/23/2009  5:22 PM
Bron's mother herself could purchase the Nets and promise him endless max-deal-extensions and it won't change the fact that LeBron will either stay in Cleveland or come to the Knicks.

The Nets are a joke. Jay-Z is a failure of an attempt to make them look attractive to potential free agents and everyone knows this. The guy probably doesn't even own the 1% of the franchise that he is claimed to hold. It's still the Nets. It was one of Ratner's pawns to try to get his way in Brooklyn under the veil of bringing the Nets to Brooklyn...for the PEOPLE. Ratner was poised to sell them immediately after he got his way - and the new owners would then be his tenants in his multi-billion dollar complex - of which he had high hopes of luring every WTC tenant to.

It's a miserable franchise and anyone who thinks LeBron would play in the swamps of Jersey or a railyard in Brooklyn - versus just staying in Cleveland or being able to play on the stage of Manhattan - is out of touch.

http://popcornmachine.net/ A must-use tool for NBA stat junkies!
McK1
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9/23/2009  6:30 PM
Posted by Cosmic:

Bron's mother herself could purchase the Nets and promise him endless max-deal-extensions and it won't change the fact that LeBron will either stay in Cleveland or come to the Knicks.

The Nets are a joke. Jay-Z is a failure of an attempt to make them look attractive to potential free agents and everyone knows this. The guy probably doesn't even own the 1% of the franchise that he is claimed to hold. It's still the Nets. It was one of Ratner's pawns to try to get his way in Brooklyn under the veil of bringing the Nets to Brooklyn...for the PEOPLE. Ratner was poised to sell them immediately after he got his way - and the new owners would then be his tenants in his multi-billion dollar complex - of which he had high hopes of luring every WTC tenant to.

It's a miserable franchise and anyone who thinks LeBron would play in the swamps of Jersey or a railyard in Brooklyn - versus just staying in Cleveland or being able to play on the stage of Manhattan - is out of touch.

2 of NY's top 5 sports franchises play in that same swamp and do just fine at the ticket window. If Bron builds it, the fans will come.

As for endorsements: You don't have to play in Manhattan, all you have to do is be in the market. See Eli Manning for proof.
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Cosmic
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9/23/2009  6:39 PM
Posted by McK1:
Posted by Cosmic:

Bron's mother herself could purchase the Nets and promise him endless max-deal-extensions and it won't change the fact that LeBron will either stay in Cleveland or come to the Knicks.

The Nets are a joke. Jay-Z is a failure of an attempt to make them look attractive to potential free agents and everyone knows this. The guy probably doesn't even own the 1% of the franchise that he is claimed to hold. It's still the Nets. It was one of Ratner's pawns to try to get his way in Brooklyn under the veil of bringing the Nets to Brooklyn...for the PEOPLE. Ratner was poised to sell them immediately after he got his way - and the new owners would then be his tenants in his multi-billion dollar complex - of which he had high hopes of luring every WTC tenant to.

It's a miserable franchise and anyone who thinks LeBron would play in the swamps of Jersey or a railyard in Brooklyn - versus just staying in Cleveland or being able to play on the stage of Manhattan - is out of touch.

2 of NY's top 5 sports franchises play in that same swamp and do just fine at the ticket window. If Bron builds it, the fans will come.

As for endorsements: You don't have to play in Manhattan, all you have to do is be in the market. See Eli Manning for proof.

Have you been to a Nets game?

Come'on. If the guy is leaving Cleveland he's not doing it to play for the Nets no matter how close he is to Jay Z or any other Celeb.

It's just not happening. He would go to the Lakers or Bulls or Knicks before he considered the Nets.

Considering the Bulls and Lakers situations today and a year from today?

LeBrons options are:

1. Cavs.
2. Knicks.

I won't put a percentage on either. There are no other viable options. It's the big stage or stay home.

http://popcornmachine.net/ A must-use tool for NBA stat junkies!
Marv
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9/23/2009  7:08 PM
arkrud give us the deal on this guy.
McK1
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9/23/2009  7:24 PM
Posted by Cosmic:
Posted by McK1:
Posted by Cosmic:

Bron's mother herself could purchase the Nets and promise him endless max-deal-extensions and it won't change the fact that LeBron will either stay in Cleveland or come to the Knicks.

The Nets are a joke. Jay-Z is a failure of an attempt to make them look attractive to potential free agents and everyone knows this. The guy probably doesn't even own the 1% of the franchise that he is claimed to hold. It's still the Nets. It was one of Ratner's pawns to try to get his way in Brooklyn under the veil of bringing the Nets to Brooklyn...for the PEOPLE. Ratner was poised to sell them immediately after he got his way - and the new owners would then be his tenants in his multi-billion dollar complex - of which he had high hopes of luring every WTC tenant to.

It's a miserable franchise and anyone who thinks LeBron would play in the swamps of Jersey or a railyard in Brooklyn - versus just staying in Cleveland or being able to play on the stage of Manhattan - is out of touch.

2 of NY's top 5 sports franchises play in that same swamp and do just fine at the ticket window. If Bron builds it, the fans will come.

As for endorsements: You don't have to play in Manhattan, all you have to do is be in the market. See Eli Manning for proof.

Have you been to a Nets game?

Come'on. If the guy is leaving Cleveland he's not doing it to play for the Nets no matter how close he is to Jay Z or any other Celeb.

It's just not happening. He would go to the Lakers or Bulls or Knicks before he considered the Nets.

Considering the Bulls and Lakers situations today and a year from today?

LeBrons options are:

1. Cavs.
2. Knicks.

I won't put a percentage on either. There are no other viable options. It's the big stage or stay home.

yes I saw the NEts play live last season when the Knicks were there. Yes noone comes to see Yi Jianlian. Matters not when talking about Lebron.

As for your Cavs, Knicks or bust statement: amongst the 14 other places with cap room next summer he'll have the option of playing in South Beach.
the stop underrating David Lee movement 1. FIRE MIKE 2. HIRE MULLIN 3. PAY AVERY 4. FREE NATE!!!
arkrud
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9/24/2009  8:44 AM
Posted by Moonangie:

He's most likely a criminal and I doubt seriously if his involvement would be any sort of lure for LBJ.

He is smart guy and has a load of money and influence.
He knows where the money grows on the trees (LBJ is a pretty good investment... )
Mikhail Prokhorov (born May 3, 1965) is a Russian self-made billionaire and oligarch. After graduation from Moscow Finance Institute he made his name in the financial sector and went on to become one of Russia's leading industrialists in the precious metals sector. He is the former chairman of Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium, and the current chairman of Polyus Gold, Russia's largest gold producer.

Prokhorov is currently the richest man in Russia and the 40th richest man in the world according to the 2009 Forbes list with an estimated fortune of $9.5 billion.[1]

In May 2007, Prokhorov launched a $17 billion private investment fund, Onexim Group, focused on the development of nanotechnology, including hydrogen fuel cells, as well as other high-technology projects and non-ferrous and precious metals mining. One of the key areas of development is the production of materials with ultra–tiny structures used in energy generation and medicine.

In June 2007, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov announced the formation of the Government Council for Nanotechnology, to oversee the development of nanotechnology in the country. Prokhorov was one of 15 individuals appointed to the council, which will be chaired by Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Prokhorov
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet
Nalod
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9/24/2009  10:22 AM
Nets in Jersey in the currant form is kind of miserable.

Nets two years out in a new arena in Brooklyn is gonna have a buzz.

This guy don't play in the box and he will think outside it to get lebron the financial package to make it worth while.

This is not Piscataway (nets played there while meadowlands was being built), this is Brooklyn.

Lebron in Brooklyn will light that franchise up. He will have a heliport on the roof and be able to fly to his Manhatten penthouse in a flash.

I want Lebron in a Knick Uniform, but if he goes to Brooklyn don't be suprised.

ANd if they can change the "Nets" name even better.

I guess with a Russian its the "Nyets!"
PresIke
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9/24/2009  10:48 AM
yeah, nets in jersey have been pretty awful as a draw.

i mean, how do you field a team in the nyc area that goes to the finals twice, then soon afterward gets one of the most popular players in the league and still can't draw a crowd?

the meadowlands area...whatever it's called now...is godawful, true...yet i think it's not too difficult to see why...

there's a difference between the giants and jets drawing fans, as both of these teams have a long standing tradition of being ny teams. they even still bear the city's name, while the nets changed their name to new jersey (maybe they shouldn't have). it is also only one day a week, and on a weekend, where there is tailgating, etc. before games.

similarly, i think a lack of real public transportation from the city has also been a major problem for going to nets games. i remember going to games when i was younger when going to a knick game was next to impossible w/o connects...when they truly stunk (d.c., reggie theus, kenny anderson...before they got petrovic and became good for a short time). anyone in nyc has to take a bus from port authority which costs $10. it's one thing to shell this out on sunday's 8 times a year, versus 41 times even on weekends, if you are a nba season ticket holder. what about a attending a tuesday night game, and you live in forrest hills, queens?

i know the 2nd re-design of the arena proposed in brooklyn was reviewed in the ny times a few weeks ago, saying it was better than the first re-design (although not as good as frank gerry's initial design), and the first deal to sell a subway station name rights (4$ million) took place naming it after the hypothetical barclay's center.

does this mean the nets will be in bk?

not sure yet, but i know ratner has reportedly spent a lot of money for nothing to be built due in part to a strong number of locals/grass roots folks in the community against the atlantic yards project as it stands...the delay of which partially led to frank gerry's design (which was at least attractive as a piece of architecture) being thrown out (although also due to the economy), and then ratner initially opting for an absolutely terrible corporate architecture firm's re-design, which received even worse negative backlash...and hence why they added another firm to improve the design...bringing at least the arena's design closer to the original...but not the surrounding buildings (which was maybe even more of a major beef than the arena).

so...

i can see why ratner may be seeking a partner for the team with deep pockets to increase the chances of finding a way to get the atlantic yards project moving. part of this is sad, because it means to me that in the end, the belief is that the more money they can pour into defeating the local community members who want more affordable housing, and amenities that fit the community's needs -- not just a wealthy owner and mayor.

[Edited by - PresIke on 09-24-2009 10:52 AM]
Forum Po Po and #33 for a reason...
PresIke
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9/24/2009  10:57 AM
ohh...and let's not forget that that ratner needs to use eminent domain...

which has a hugely negative history in new york city...

robert moses as the devil, jane jacobs as the hero...cross bronx expressway as tragedy, westway as thank goodness it died....and part of why today columbia university is facing huge negative response from many longtime harlem residents over their expansion into far west harlem (they wouldn't take it off the table as an option)...

i just saw that apparently prokhorov would own 80% stake in the team...wow...

he would be the first owner of an nba team not from north america.

[Edited by - PresIke on 09-24-2009 10:59 AM]
Forum Po Po and #33 for a reason...
sebstar
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9/24/2009  10:59 AM
I wonder if the teabaggers are going to protest this sale?
My saliva and spit can split thread into fiber and bits/ So trust me I'm as live as it gets. --Royce Da 5'9 + DJ Premier = Hip Hop Utopia
PresIke
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9/24/2009  11:00 AM
haha...yeah...

right
Forum Po Po and #33 for a reason...
DrAlphaeus
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9/24/2009  11:24 AM
Adrian Wojnarowski works the LeBron-Proko angle in this piece that was the tongue-in-cheek premise of my thread:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AnpaeYfVz2ZrfjvMsZmGWea8vLYF?slug=aw-lebronnets092309

To sum it up, he says that the lifestyle that Proko lives is beyond precedent in the NBA. This guy ain't no Mark Cuban, he's a certified billionaire playboy on some James Bond stuff. A guy who was arrested in France because supposedly he had the place inundated with 'ho's -- literally, not figuratively. Shiny stuff aside, luxury tax ain't going to be an issue for this guy when it comes to winning. And if LeBron is going to billionaire conferences now, working for/with one on the regular could get his interest.


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sebstar
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9/24/2009  11:39 AM
Remember how much of a bigger star Ewing was than Hakeem the Dream and David Robinson, even though the latter two probably better players? Sure, Robinson and Hakeem were big NBA stars among the fanbase, but Ewing's name was more well known amongst non-fans and his name was dropped on tv shows and other forms of media.

Playing in major markets like L.A, NY, or Chicago just adds a dimension to your accessibility that other markets cant hope to match. Could you imagine how big of a star Yao Ming would be if he played here?

Jay Z might have had Lebron geeked for a minute since he's such a camel stan, but he's come back to reality now.
My saliva and spit can split thread into fiber and bits/ So trust me I'm as live as it gets. --Royce Da 5'9 + DJ Premier = Hip Hop Utopia
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