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Bolts Bash Puts Spotlight On Vinny, Investment

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By JOE O'NEILL | South Shore News

Published: July 22, 2008

Nice touch for the Tampa Bay Lightning to stage a town hall meeting for the public and to include season ticket holders at the press conference for the Vinny Lecavalier contract extension.

Even if some media regulars couldn't find seats.

As one fan at the over-flowing, 3:30 p.m. press conference noted, "I think there were a lot of season ticket holders with last-minute doctor's appointments."

Lecavalier was probably the Bay area's most popular bachelor even before inking that 11-year, $85-million contract. Another update: His personal entourage included his parents and his actress-girlfriend — but not fiancée — Caroline Portelance.

Under the new ownership team of Oren Koules and Len Barrie, the Lightning have certainly been as "shockingly aggressive" in the marketplace as promised. And such aggression means millions of dollars for free agents, No. 1 draft pick Steve Stamkos and Lightning avatar Lecavalier.

A lot of folks, including some in the organization, are still incredulous about the spending spree. Mind you, this is the NHL, which doesn't have a big-time TV contract to keep its franchises out of the red. This isn't the quasi-socialist NFL, where even teams that put out a poor product make a handsome profit. This is a franchise that the former owners, Palace Sports and Entertainment, said couldn't make money unless it went deep into the playoffs. And even then, the payoff was no windfall.

So, what's the financial context for owners who, with financing, shelled out $200 million for a team, the St. Pete Times Forum lease and 5.5 acres of adjacent real estate?

"We will mitigate losses and run it as a business," said owner Oren Koules, which is relevant only if the previous owners didn't do that very well. He wouldn't go there.

But Koules, an informal, accessibly friendly sort who looks a lot younger than his 47 years, did indicate the bigger picture: "Asset appreciation," he intoned.
Which sounds like a long-term commitment to this market.

Rays: Hopefully No Bulls' Redux

Here's hoping the pre-All Star swoon by the Rays is nothing more than an ebb in a half-season that overflowed with wins. Here's hoping that what happened last year to the University of South Florida Bulls' football team doesn't also afflict the Rays.

Recall how the Bulls went from undefeated and second in the nation to multi-defeated and a one-sided loser in the Sun Bowl. A key reason: When the pressure was off and little was expected nationally, the team found it easier to play with abandon and win as underdogs. When expectations were rapidly ratcheted up and the media glare intensified, the Bulls didn't exactly play with grace under pressure.

For what it's worth, Las Vegas odds-makers haven't jumped ship on the Rays. Current odds on the Rays winning the World Series are 8-1 — behind only Boston (3-1), the Chicago Cubs (4-1) and the Los Angeles Angels (6-1). The Rays opened the season at 200-1.

Sorry, Charlie

At least one prominent, Florida GOP insider thinks that if Gov. Charlie Crist were on the John McCain ticket (instead of, say, Mitt Romney), it would actually backfire here in the Sunshine State.

The sense that Crist hasn't meaningfully dealt with the state's major issues, property taxes and insurance, and the understandable perception that he has spent an inordinate amount of time courting the veep slot, will boomerang on the Republicans, he says.

In short, having a blatant opportunist on the ticket, bipartisan, nice-guy persona notwithstanding, helps no one — but Barack Obama.

Good Call

The Hillsborough County school district has what appears, finally, to be a serious policy regarding students and their cell phones. The phones have to be off and out of sight when school is in session.

No exceptions. Or they will be taken.

The surprise is that it has taken so long to enact such a "we-mean-business" measure given the pervasive, distracting plague that in-school, cell-phone use has become. The fallout — including inappropriate photography and cheating — has been obvious for some time.

The true test will be in enforcement. Any policy — especially one that runs counter to popular-culture mores — only works when those in authority act accordingly. Like adults in charge.

What a concept.

Joe O'Neill is a South Tampa writer who can be contacted at Moesez@aol.com or www.opinionstogoonline.com.

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