Month: December 2013

A’s proposed move to San Jose

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

 

OAKLAND–Commissioner Bud Selig’s letter denies the A’s move from Oakland to San José, but…But Selig’s June 17 letter addressed only the details of the stadium relocation proposal – not the principle of relocation, the sources say. MLB questioned the feasibility of that project and felt that insufficient financial information and attendance projections had been provided about a downtown San Jose site. Again: “not the principle of relocation”.

 

To question San Jose’s financial and attendance projections is interesting, because at least on the financial side of the equation the South Bay city is listed as the wealthiest metro area in the United States of America in recent surveys. As far as the attendance is concerned? I do not buy it. San José’s weather is much baseball-like (warmer) than most other Bay Area cities; located inland, not close to the ocean or very close to the bay, it provides perfect baseball weather from April to October. During these days of a very bad economy, there is one industry thriving; the high technology industry, Silicon Valley. Are the Giants afraid of Silicon Valley?

 

Income for most of the 366 metropolitan areas measured by the U.S. Census Bureau are flat in the last year, and many are still down significantly compared to 2008. According to the Census Bureau, Brownsville, Texas replaced McAllen, Texas as the country’s poorest metro area. San Jose, Calif. took the top spot as the wealthiest metro area, replacing Washington, D.C. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the metropolitan areas with the highest and lowest median incomes in the U.S.

Again: “San José, California, took the top spot as the wealthiest metro area, replacing Washington, D.C”.

 

Obviously (and I have said this for years now) the San Francisco Giants opposition is the biggest hurdle. I do not believe that most Major League teams owners would oppose the move of the Athletics from Oakland to San José. Oakland doesn’t have the resources while San José has an abundance of resources. The Athletics need three-quarters approval of the owners for the proposed move to the south bay.

 

Although they do not say it publicly, what counts are actions not words, and the Giants ownership like to see themselves as “The Bay Area’s Baseball Team”. They have not won the big trophy until 2010, when they won the World Series for the first time in San Francisco in 52 years.

 

Are the Giants afraid that the Athletics with a new park in San José would lose at the gate? Are the Giants afraid that some of their great fans in the south bay, just might not travel to San Francisco to see the Giants, if the A’s have a beautiful brand new facility in San José? Are the Giants living these days with that much insecurity?

 

We are within days of 2014. This is not the Bay Area of 1969, this is a completely different Bay Area, in population, demographics and lifestyle. In 1969 San José was a huge tomato field and a truck stop with a sign:  340 miles to Los Angeles. The only thing that remain from those years is the sign.

 

Maybe the Giants are right to worry…

 

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary each week for Sports talk radio 

                                                               
 

 

Raiders report: Raiders need consistent intensity to beat Chiefs on Sunday

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by David Zizmor

 

ALAMEDA–The Oakland Raiders next opponent the Kansas City Chiefs managed a win last Sunday to snap their three game losing streak and it was a pretty easy game agianst Washington, Kansas City won 45-10 on the road in Washington in freezing conditions. So the Chiefs probably feel like their back in the swings of things. In the Meadowlands meanwhile the Raiders had a rough game against the New York Jets last Sunday.

The Jets are not a very good team their offense has been struggling mightily for about four or five weeks and quarterback for the Jets Gino Smith has not thrown a touchdown pass since week seven and were sitting here at week 14. That tells you how bad that the Jets are doing and sure enough Smith goes out and has a pretty good day. It was kind of a rough game for the Raiders.

When the Raiders go on these east coast trips that time difference is tough and the Raiders did seem to get a little more involved in the game as the second half progressed and their body clocks caught up to the eastern time if you want to be competitive team you can’t go in against a team like the Jets and let them gain 352 yards. You can’t let them throw for over 200 yards and run for over 125.

If the Raiders want to be a competitive team you can’t let a team like the Jets do that to you, going into this week’s game against Kansas City there’s not much of a chance for the Raiders to win. The Raiders played the Chiefs pretty tough but the one thing I’ve noticed the last few weeks is the Raiders defense has been so surprising early on in the season it kind of faded as the season progressed.

Part of that is that teams have tape of them now and they know what their tendencies are and know what their weaknesses and strengths are so their able to take advantage of them. It might just be that these guys who were signed by the Raiders just because they were kind of cast off from a lot of other teams. Aside from Charles Woodson your talking about a lot of guys who had no experience as a starter.

Some of these players have had no experience in this league and it’s just an overall talent level that doesn’t match up with most other teams and while the Raiders might be surprised with their intensity early on that hasn’t been able to hold up. If your winning because of your intensity that’s great your able to do it early on but the problem with winning with intensity most teams can’t keep up that level of intensity over the course of 16 games it’s just not possible.

You have to have the talent to go along with it and once the intensity fades and the talent doesn’t kick in then your in trouble and that’s kind of where the Raiders are starting to head.

David Zizmor is covering the NFL for Sportstalk Radio

49ers report: Bucs rookie Glennon could be overmatched Sunday against Niners

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by David Zizmor

SANTA CLARA–The 49ers get rewarded for their win against Seattle with a cross country flight to warm Tampa Bay they don’t have to fly to Baltimore, New Jersey or Philadelphia where the tempatures are always around 20 or less where they were playing football in the middle of snow storms this past weekend the 49ers get to go to a relatively warm weather site that’s the one benefit they get.
They’re banged up after this win against Seattle last Sunday and playing Seattle is never an easy game and these two teams get so pumped up for it and hit so hard that you only imagine how bruised and banged up they are after this game even if they don’t suffer any major injuries their just going to be beaten up.
It’s not going to be easy for the 49ers to make this long trip given the shape their going to be in and Tampa Bay is not the best team in the world but they have been getting better the last several weeks. They start off the season with a six or seven game losing streak but since that time they actually have been playing reasonably well.
The Bucs have won four out of their last five games this isn’t a team that the 49ers can expect to roll over and they can’t take these guys lightly the Bucs are a decent football team their certainly not going to let the 49ers just walk in and take a win away. The Niners need to get all these wins their still in a fight for that wild card spot so every game counts at this stake.
The Niners have to put that Seattle game behind them and focus on Tampa and it’ll be intresting to see how this plays because Tampa their defense is okay their offense is okay but their another tough team and the Niners know one of their guys on their defense and it’s Dashon Goldson is a former Niners safety and now the Bucs safety.
We’ll see if Goldson is going after anybody with some big hits, the biggest question mark for the Bucs is their quarterback rookie Mike Glennon he’s been okay probably better than everyone expected. He’s not the quarterback people thought would be having a decent amount of success coming out of last year’s draft but he’s probably playing reasonably well all things considered.
When you put some of these young rookies against really experienced tough defenses the results can be kind of bad often times for the rookie. It’s one thing to go up against a lousy defense but when your going up against really tough rock and sock em teams like the 49ers it becomes a whole different ball game and that could be the case for the Bucaneers Sunday.
David Zizmor covers the NFL for Sportstalk Radio

Walker’s season-high trumps Curry’s

Published on by smallforce2 Comments

Photo Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

By Pearl Allison Lo

Despite Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry’s season-high 43 points, the Charlotte Bobcats’ Kemba Walker’s season-high tying 31 points, was the one that counted in a 115-111 last minute victory Monday.

Curry also had 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 blocks while Walker had 5 rebounds and 5 assists as the teams met for the first time this season.

The Warriors did not really factor in the first half as they put up 37 three pointers over the course of the game.

With 21 seconds left in the game, Walker, went 6 of 8 from the free throw line, missing two right before Curry made it 109-111 with 11 seconds left and another three pointer. However, Curry could not make two more three pointers, including one from 40 feet out, as Walker went perfect his last four times from the line to seal the game.

Charlotte was never behind the whole game and built up a nine point lead during the 1st quarter. Within the first four minutes, Golden State had already attempted three three pointers and the Bobcats’ Al Jefferson was active on both ends, grabbing five rebounds and going 1 of 4 from the floor. Off a steal with 7:47 left to go, Charlotte’s  Josh McRoberts assisted Walker on a layup and then scored a three pointer less than 30 seconds later, when Walker assisted him off a defensive rebound. The Warriors went 0 for 8 from the three point line, while the Bobcats only attempted one, which they missed.

 In the 2nd quarter, Charlotte led by as many as 14 points and both teams went scoreless for over two minutes.

Golden State turned up the heat in the third, scoring 36 points, on 7 of 14 three pointers. The Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had three apiece. With 2:44 left in the quarter, Golden State cut the lead down from 13 to 6, attempting four three pointers in a row, making the first two, and one with less than a minute to go. The Bobcats had their biggest lead of 15 points during the quarter.

Thompson made it 80-83 with a three pointer to lead off the 4th quarter. Curry’s second free throw with 8:52 left and fourth consecutive of the quarter, tied the game at 88 apiece. However, four fouls by the Warriors, including two steals by Ben Gordon, and three three pointers from Charlotte, gave the Bobcats back a double digit lead. A three by Curry made it 102-107 with 2:28 left to go as Golden State made another comeback. The Warriors also had an over 30 second sequence in which they eventually scored and could have gotten more.

Game notes: Golden State had two technical fouls during the game. David Lee had a double double with a season-high 16 rebounds and 14 points and Josh McRoberts had one with 10 rebounds and 11 points. The Warriors next play Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Kings tame Mavericks, 112-97

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

By George Devine, Sr.

The Sacramento Kings hosted the Dallas Mavericks with some trepidation, given the fact that the visitors have dominated them in many a recent game. But this time was different: Sacramento sailed to a 112-97 win, largely due to big leads in the first and third quarters.

The key performer for the Kings was a returned DeMarcus Cousins who scored 32 points, accounted for 19 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Isaiah Thomas added 24 points of his own. The team as a whole had an impressive 51 boards, with 40 points in the paint and 12 off the bench

Dallas’ high scorer was former Golden State Warrior Monta Ellis, who scored 21 points, had 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. His team altogether had 39 rebounds, and that difference from Sacramento’s 51 tells the tale of the game. Like the Kings, the Mavericks scored 40 in the paint; they had 12 coming off the bench.

To the excitement of local fans, the Kings ‘today acquired forwards Rudy Gay and Quincy Acy along with center Aaron Gray from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for guard Greivis Vasquez and forwards John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. “We’re excited to welcome these additions to our team,” said D’Alessandro. “In Rudy we’ve acquired one of the league’s proven scorers while Aaron and Quincy provide size and depth in our frontcourt. We also appreciate the contributions and efforts that John, Chuck, Greivis and Patrick made to the Kings organization. We all wish them the very best moving forward.”

Originally selected eighth overall by Houston in the 2006 NBA Draft, Gay has accrued averages of 18.0 points (.447 FG%, .344 3pt%, .777 FT%), 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.41 steals and 36.1 minutes per game in 530 career contests spanning eight professional campaigns with Memphis (2006-07 – 2012-13) and Toronto (2012-13 – 2013-14). Through 18 contests with the Raptors this season, he registered 19.4 points (.388 FG%, .373 3pt%, .773 FT%), 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.56 steals, 1.28 blocks and 35.5 minutes per game, leading the team in blocks and ranking second in scoring, rebounding and steals.

Gray, a 7-foot center, has posted averages of 3.5 points (.515 FG%, .562 FT%), 3.8 rebounds and 12.3 minutes per game in 285 career appearances with Chicago (2007-08 – 2009-10), New Orleans (2009-10), and Toronto (2011-12 – 2013-14). Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (49th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, he has played for three teams in a six-year NBA career (Chicago 2007-08 – 2009-10, New Orleans 2009-10, Toronto 2011-12 – 2013-14). Gray saw action in just four games this season.

In Acy, Sacramento receives the 37th overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, who has averaged 3.8 points (.539 FG%, .429 3pt%, .783 FT%), 2.6 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game over 36 career games in two seasons with the Raptors. This season, he has seen action in seven contests as a reserve, posting 2.7 points (.429 FG%, .400 3pt%, .625 FT%), 2.1 rebounds and 8.8 minutes per game.

An 11-year veteran who was in his second stint with the Kings, Salmons is averaging 9.8 points (.434 FG%, .365 3pt%, .801 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 27.2 minutes per game in 814 career games with Philadelphia (2002-03 – 2005-06), Sacramento (2006-07 – 2008-09 and 2011-12 – 2013-14), Chicago (2008-09 – 2009-10), and Milwaukee (2009-10 – 2010-11). Through 18 games (started eight) this season, he has posted 5.8 points (.350 FG%, .381 3pt%, 7-7 FT), 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 24.7 minutes per contest.

Vasquez, who was acquired during the offseason in a three-team trade by Sacramento from New Orleans in exchange for guard Tyreke Evans, averaged 9.8 points (.433 FG%, .320 3pt%, .938 FT%), 1.9 rebounds, a team-high 5.3 assists and 25.8 minutes per game in starting all 18 games for the Kings this season. In his four NBA campaigns with Memphis (2010-11), New Orleans (2011-12 – 2012-13) and Sacramento, Vasquez is averaging 9.0 points (.429 FG%, .325 3pt%, .818 FT%), 2.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 24.6 minutes per game in 232 career contests. Born in Venezuela, he was drafted by the Grizzlies out of Maryland with the 28th overall selection of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Signed by the Kings as a free agent on December 23, 2011, Hayes is averaging averaging 4.0 points (.502 FG%, .612 FT%), 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 19.3 minutes per game in 568 career contests with Houston (2005-06 – 2010-11) and Sacramento (2011-12 – 2013-14). Through 16 games this season, he has registered 2.1 points (.438 FG%, .714 FT%), 2.9 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game, including one start.

Patterson, acquired by the Kings last season in a multi-player trade with Houston, has accrued averages of 6.9 points (.410 FG%, .231 3pt%, .563 FT%), a career-high 5.8 rebounds and 24.4 minutes per game in 17 games (started six) this season. Drafted by the Rockets in the first round (14th overall) in the 2010 NBA Draft, he has amassed career averages of 8.2 points (.488 FG%, .341 3pt%, .713 FT%), 4.5 rebounds and 22.3 minutes per game in 204 contests in four seasons with Houston (2010-11 – 2012-13) and Sacramento (2012-13 – 2013-14).

Michael Duca on Cal basketball

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by Michael Duca

 

BERKELEY–It’s nice that Cal is 6-3 but it would nice to see the Golden Bears start winning basketball games away from Haas they’ve got one victory from their home floor so far this year and that’s not going to work in the Pac 12. The Pac 12 is absolutely loaded this year and for Cal they have shot at a reasonable seeding at a conference tournament.

The Bears could have a 20 game winning season they have a shot at making the big dance, they’re going to have to win some road games.It’s never easy because your traveling which takes a lot of time away from the court and takes a lot of energy. You know how much fun it is to wait for your seat on the plane now imagine these guys doing it all the time.

Your away from home and your in a hostile crowd and your in a building that’s not yours, your depth perception and sight line comes to path through everything. You have to adjust to the building a little bit and for two or three minutes its just enough for the other team to get the crowd moving and make it hard on you.

The time change in Maui didn’t hurt them, or the altitude in Santa Barbara didn’t effect them, they just got outplayed by Santa Barbara and it was bound to happen sooner or later. Santa Barbara has never beaten a Pac 12 team finally all things come to an end, all things change, it just looks on the stat sheet that Cal didn’t shoot very well on the road and if that happens their probably not going to win.

Cal guard Jabari Bird he is Cal’s premier recruit this off season and he played in my hometown of Richmond, Bird is an extraordinary talent there and as you know Cal head coach Mike Montgomery has a little difficult time trusting freshmen and a little difficulty giving them a lot of responsibility on the offense. It gives you an idea how special a talent that Bird is.

Bird is on the floor every game he’s a starter for every game and he’s basically stepped into Cal player Alan Crabbe’s shoes. Bird is not a Crabbe quality outside shooter and anybody in basketball hardly is. Bird has great competitiveness and the rest of his game he’s actually got a more complete game than Crabbe does.

Bird is not necessarily more skilled but he’s played as hard 100 percent of the time, Crabbe was proned to gaging a few plays if his shot wasn’t falling for him. So on those merits Bird is giving Cal everything they could be that they hope to get out of a freshman. Montgomery is getting as much experience out of him that he can before the conference games start because there’s nothing but good teams in that conference.

Michael Duca does commentary on Cal basketball each week for Sportstalk Radio

It’s Official: Rudy Gay to Kings in Seven Player Deal

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

gayacygraytrade_670

Photo credit: Kings.com

By Charlie O. Mallonee

It’s official, Rudy Gay and two players have been traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Greivis Vasquez and three additional Kings’ players.

Gay, a 6-9 forward, averages 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 38 minutes per game this season. In 18 games this year, he has a field goal percentage of 38.8% and is 77.3% from the free throw line. Gay is 27 years old and is in his seventh year in the league.

Gray is a 7-0 center who averages 1.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. Acy is a 6-7 forward who scores 2.7 points and pulls down 2.1 rebounds per contest.

The players going to Toronto are Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Hayes is the only player that has a guaranteed contract for 2014-15.

Point guard Greivis Vasquez appears to be the key player in the trade for Toronto. Vazquez has been the starting point guard for the Kings, He becomes expendable because the Kings have Isaiah Thomas who has been playing point guard coming off the bench as a sixth man. The Kings also have rookie point guard Ray McCallum who has seen very little action this season.

The Kings host the Dallas Mavericks Monday night in Sacramento. The new Kings arrived in Sacramento Monday afternoon but will not play until Wednesday against the Utah Jazz.

“We’re excited to welcome these additions to our team,” said Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. “In Rudy we’ve acquired one of the league’s proven scorers while Aaron and Quincy provide size and depth in our frontcourt. We also appreciate the contributions and efforts that John, Chuck, Greivis and Patrick made to the Kings organization. We all wish them the very best moving forward.”

San Francisco and Seattle rivalry continues

Published on by philliptorres2013Leave a comment
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 08: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambling with the ball gets grabbed by his jersey from Bobby Wagner #54 of the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Candlestick Park on December 8, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DECEMBER 08: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambling with the ball gets grabbed by his jersey from Bobby Wagner #54 of the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Candlestick Park on December 8, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By: Phillip Torres and Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO- The San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks have developed a huge rivalry over the years, but it has never been as fierce as it is right now. These two power house teams met for the first time on September 26, 1976 that resulted in a 37-21 victory for San Francisco in Seattle.

Before the 49ers 19-17 victory on Sunday at Candlestick Park, Seattle lead the series record 15-14. With the triumph on Sunday San Francisco evened the series at 15-15 through their first 30 meetings. As expected, each team has a better overall record against their rival at their home field. San Francisco improves to 8-6 at The Stick while Seattle has a 9-7 record at the very loud CenturyLink Field.

The 49ers victory improved their second best home divisional record to 14-0-1, only behind the 14-0 home divisional record of the New England Patriots. San Francisco has not lost to Seattle at home in over five years. Both teams acknowledge the rivalry that is forming between these two NFC West foes, and they know that it will not be leaving anytime soon.

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy it, but you have to be tough. This game is only for the tough.” Jim Harbaugh said of the rivalry with the Seahawks.

Linebacker NaVarro Bowman stated, “I love it, I love it. I love the rivalry. Both teams are very physical and that’s what football is all about.”

Seahawks tight end Zach Miller said when asked about the rivalry, “Anytime it seems like when we play it is always a tough hard-nosed football game, real physical.”

The win for the 49ers over the Seahawks could not have came at a better time. San Francisco played Seattle with Michael Crabtree in the lineup for the first time this season, and it made a difference in the passing game. Crabtree’s presence paved the way for Aquan Boldin who had six receptions for 93 yards. Crabtree also added four catches for 40 yards on the day. Boldin needed only 13 receiving yards on the day to become just the 30th player in NFL history to record 11,000 career receiving yards.

Even with the 49ers playoff type win over the Seahawks, it is still almost certain that the road to the Superbowl will have to go through Seattle. This victory will definitely be a boost of confidence for San Francisco as there will be a chance that these two teams will meet again at some point in the playoffs.

Bulls Handle The Wranglers 6-2

Published on by kahlilnajar7Leave a comment

1457563_600988839968688_335226686_n

By Kahlil Najar

LAS VEGAS – The San Francisco Bulls (8-12-2-1) won two out of three games this weekend with an amazing 6-2 win over the Las Vegas Wranglers (7-12-1-0). Brett Findlay and Tyler Gron provided much of the offense for the Bulls as they contributed a total of five points on the night. With Gron’s points tonight he extended his point streak to eight games. Goalie Tyler Beskorowany stopped 29 of 31 shots and earned his seventh win of the season.

The Bulls opened up scoring with a power play goal from right winger Chris Crane less than seven minutes into the contest on a nice feed from Brett Findlay. Tyler Gron took a bullet of a shot past Wrangler goalie Mitch O’Keefe with 7:48 remaining in the first period and gave the Bulls a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. The Bulls scored two more unanswered goals in the second from Findlay and Foster and made it a 4-0 lead for the Bulls going into the third. Findlay was able to maneuver himself in front of the goal for his score and Foster beat O’Keefe when both teams were playing four-on-four hockey.

The Wranglers cut the lead in half in the third when Matt Tassone and Eddie DelGrosso scored back-to-back goals for Las Vegas but Dylan King and Dale Mitchell answered with their own back-to-back goals and gave the Bulls a 6-2 victory.

The Bulls return home Friday the 13th  with a game against the Ontario Reign.

Kings Arena: Bid rules to be loosened for arena contractors, non union firms to get a shot

Published on by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by Ken Gimblin

SACRAMENTO–Non Union contractors who protested that union only contractors get to develop the Sacramento Kings new basketball arena downtown when the contractors were originally announced will have a shot during a possilbe new bid process. ICON Venue Group was given the contract to manage the project, Turner Construction group was selected to do the pre construction work, and AECOM was chosen to do the architect work design on the arena, during the bid process AECOM and Turner were selected by the city.

According to Sacramento officials the bid process would be suspended loosening up the competetive bid procedures and it will now allow small businesses to get involved in the arena build. The Kings will be in charge of decdiding who wins in the bid process. Non-union contractors had taken up sides with anti downtown arena groups in their attempt to put a subsidy proposal on the Sacramento June 2014 ballot that would allow voters to answer the question if public subsidies should be allowed to build new entertainment or sports facilities in Sacramento.

The non union groups joined the campaign after it was learned that only union groups would be used as contract developers for the new arena. The non union groups said that the bid process was not fair and equal and that non union contractors should have an opportunity to work on the new arena as well. After it was learned they would not be included in the construction process a non union group leader took the microphone at a Kings ceromony at Westfield Mall and told the group and Kings organizers standing there that the non-union group would protest the new arena.

The Sacramento city council will be asked to vote on the bid proposal rules to allow the smaller groups and non union groups to have a shot at working on the arena. If the non-union groups are allowed to work on the new arena they will most likely drop out of the anti arena campaign to put the subsisdy question on the ballot.

However it was reported the damage might have been done and that the subsidy question could be placed on the June ballot as it’s been disclosed that STOP Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork and Voters for a Fair Arena Deal two groups who are trying to gather signatures on the petition to get the measure in the ballot are closing in on the 22,000 signatures required by mid December.

The NBA has stated that they expect the arena to be up and running by October 2016 in time for the pre season if not the NBA has the option to move the club.

Ken Gimblin is covering the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors arena builds for Sportstalk Radio