We need some additional insights before we let paranoia run rampant. Cuban's defense should be at least partly on the table in the next few days or maybe a week or two.

I don't think Zell has had any hope for a few months of closing a deal by this year end. Cuban, himself, has said that won't happen. The main reason is that every buyer needs to borrow several hundred million dollars to come up with Zell's selling price of $1 billion + for the team and the real estate. The banks aren't lending anyone the kind of money or giving the terms the buyers will need at this time.

Canning's group, I believe, withdrew or were dropped when their top bid of $600 million or so was surpassed substantially by a few other bidders. They have continuing interest, I think, assuming the price comes down or Zell and the Tribune indicate willingness to finance a lot of the purchase price.

Cuban may have a defense. At least, from what I can see now, his apparent misdeed is a lot less serious than Martha Stewart's. At any rate, expect that we will have Zell and the Trib looking over the Cubs shoulders for 6 months or more.

The Cubs likely have limiting budget

constraints, but the limitations heaped on 70 million or so 401 K and IRA plans by the crashing markets and the pain of 5 million or so unemployed people looking for work are a lot more serious. I'm confident things will get better on all fronts, in time. And the improving situation clock could start ticking about next June.

(Sorry for the tag economics' stuff, but I've been working on my annual economic outlook piece for a couple of weeks now, and there are some inter-relationships.)

"Major League Baseball has not made a statement concerning the charges."

But a HUGE sigh of relief could be heard in Chicago. The sound of the sigh was apparently eminating out of Milwaukee.

From what I have been hearing is that Cuban is going to fight this.

I've always been skeptical of corporate America, and executives.

I agree with JW and Agustin wholeheartedly.

This is NOT a coincidence.

Here's what I think:

1)Selig flat out wants his buddy Canning to get the Cubs. He's stated that from the start

2)When Canning and Dearborn Partners (I believe that was his company) were eliminated, it was almost like Zell told Selig to F$%K off.

3)Since Selig has a HUGE ego, Zell basically shoving it in his face like that really pissed him off, and he's been looking for ways to control the bidding.

4)If you'll recall, it was Selig who brought up the concerns of Zell's heavy-debt proposed financing, and was critical of it.

5)Selig was supportive of Cuban BEFORE the bidding process, but after Canning was eliminated, he started this under-handed effort to eliminate Cuban from the bidding, including spreading rumors about NBA owners not liking him, and baseball execs not approving it (which according to Reinsdorf about a year ago, this is FAR from the truth), and now, curiously, when Zell is finalizing everything, before his stated preference of wrapping things up before the end of the year----and now, this?!?!?!?!

Hardly a coincidence is right. I do not like Selig one bit, and he is proof of everything that is wrong with "corporate--good 'ole boys" America.

my thoughts precisely JW...

This may be more than co-incidence

This is unfortunate timing - Selig was just itching for a reason to exclude him from the bidding

I bet Bud had something to do with this

Figures...Of all the potential buyers, Cuban was the most well-known, and the one most likely to improve the team's chances to win it ALL, not just the NL Central...Can't wait to see what rock the next owner crawls out from under.

The Billy Goat rears it's head or tail again!!!!!

Hell, if it was NY he'd be "ok" by MLB!

Well that sucks. Cuban is definitely out of it now. We need a new owner to have some resolution though.