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Michael Grange: Rogers has received all league approvals — NBA, NHL, MLS and CFL — to take 75% ownership of MLSE and Raptors, Leafs, TFC and Argos etc. Last step for deal to close is approval from CRTC on indirect ownership of NBA Canada.
MLSE’s primary assets are the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS’ Toronto FC, CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and their respective venues. Tanenbaum owns 25% of MLSE; it is unclear how much of his stake he is selling.
Toronto Argonauts quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson might have put his playoff status in jeopardy by attending a Toronto Raptors game at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. Bethel-Thompson is being held out of practice Friday for attending the game, a violation of the CFL’s COVID protocol which states he must now quarantine for four days, according to TSN’s Dave Naylor.
Elfrid Payton Sr. didn’t have any issues that his son was pulled from the starting lineup for Derrick Rose for Game 3 of the Knicks’ first-round series loss to Atlanta. But when Tom Thibodeau’s experiment backfired, Payton Sr., who played outside linebacker for Grambling under the legendary Eddie Robinson and was a star in the Canadian Football League, was left scratching his head after his son never played another minute.
Elfrid Payton Sr., a Louisiana native and former star defensive end in the Canadian Football League, believes Pelicans history would have changed had his son not gone down. Payton played just one game from Oct. 29, when he sprained his ankle, to Dec. 31. After returning from the ankle sprain on Nov. 16, he broke his middle finger in a game against the Knicks. “I honestly believe if Elfrid doesn’t get hurt and stays healthy, they were making the playoffs,’’ Payton Sr. told The Post in a phone interview from Gretna, La.
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Elfrid Payton Sr. and Elfrid Payton Jr. both took unconventional paths from New Orleans to the pros. Payton Sr. became a star in the Canadian Football League in the ’90s. Payton Jr. is in the midst of a breakout season with his hometown New Orleans Pelicans. “The message we have is, ‘Don’t give up,’ ” Payton Sr. said. “People set their minds to do things, but you have to have the talent, work hard and make the commitment. You have to be willing to put in the work. “There is no doubt about it, we’ve been willing to pay the price.”
Now according to a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada, economic and demographic trends suggest Vancouver could support another NBA franchise. Vancouver, like Montréal, is projected to see a population increase of over 1 million over the next 25 years, and it should attract more corporate headquarters. Most of the population increase will be due to immigration, much of which will come from Asia, where the popularity of basketball has grown rapidly. Vancouver demonstrated its appetite for basketball with the Grizzlies, and that appetite should continue to grow. Although the Grizzlies left Vancouver following the 2000–01 season, the population of the Vancouver CMA at that time was barely 2 million and the Canadian dollar was sinking. Those conditions have now changed. The NBA could return to Vancouver one day and be successful there, especially if the Canadian dollar remains strong. With a population of 3.5 million in 2035, the Vancouver market will be large enough to sustain franchises in the NHL, Canadian Football League (CFL), Major League Soccer, and the NBA—but not MLB.
In a season that he already considered a “wash” in November because of the anxiety over his mother’s health, Barnes drove from the Bay Area to Sacramento after every Warriors practice to visit Ann, whom Barnes, friends and family members say was his best friend. In turn, teammates such as Baron Davis, Monte Ellis and Stephen Jackson also made the trek -- teammates Barnes described as a “good support system.” That extended to his family, which included his father, Henry, his younger sister, Danielle, and his older brother, Jason. The family always remained close, but during those tumultuous 26 days, they noticed the bond tightened even more. “I know he was hurting,” said Jason Barnes, who's a player in the Canadian Football League. “He was probably the closest to mom. I knew how Matt was feeling, but he wouldn’t show he was hurt. He was trying to toughen everybody up. He knew if he lost it, everyone would lose it. He was the backbone. He let everybody else know it would be OK. I know he was hurting."
Would you think about actually having your first fight during the lockout if it went on long enough? Ron Artest: I'm not getting in the ring for like three years. I don't plan on really fighting professional until I'm probably 37 (years old). I have more time to do the boxing. And in boxing, I can fight my own level of fighters. I don't have to fight (Vitali) Klitschko. ... So the boxing is going to be there. Football is the one I worry about, because I don't know if I'll be as athletic (three years from now). But if I can get a tryout, I really want that tryout. And if I don't make the team, I might try the CFL, but it depends what other opportunities are coming up.
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