Give it up to Jeffery Loria and Dave Sampson. Not only were teh Loria/Sampson duo content with ending Major League Baseball’s tenure in Montreal through lies and deceit… Now they’re formally exploring the end of Major League Baseball in Miami.

Marlins president David Samson said Tuesday the team has received permission from the commissioner’s office to investigate its options in other cities. Samson added owner Jeffrey Loria’s primary intention is to keep the team in South Florida, but added that no deal will be struck for a ballpark in Miami.

Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., which both failed to land the Montreal Expos before that franchise moved to Washington a year ago, are likely to try to lure the Marlins. Samson said another possibility is building on land near Dolphins Stadium and owned by the franchise’s original owner, H. Wayne Huizenga.

…

Gov. Jeb Bush and other top state lawmakers expressed hope the team remains in South Florida. “I’m more than happy to work with the ownership of the team and the Florida Legislature to come up with a solution,” Bush said.

To give Loria the benefit of the doubt — the team has tried and failed with 3 ownership groups to secure a baseball-only ballpark for the team since it’s inception in 1993… Loria’s efforts have also been during the tenure of an extremely pro-business governor and legislative body… Unfortunately one of their other attributes is pork projects and picking battles in plots for political gain.

I’ve expressed negative views towards the Devil Rays future… But it would seem the Florida Marlin’s future (with two World Series titles to their name to boot) is the one foremost in doubt between the two Florida based baseball franchises.

Palace Sports is continuing to look for workers in various positions to help out at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The next job fair will be held on November 28th between Five and Eight PM EST. Everything from conversion staff to banquet cooks are needed and it’s worth at least try to apply for one of these postions if you are currently seeking work.

Four of the last five have been in the Lightning’s favor — including tonight’s game in Philly which the Bolts won 4-2. However this game felt more old-school than you can see in the final score… You might catch it in the box score however.

Elbows were flying, penalties were rarely called and hands-off officiating seemed back in play… Delay-of-game and interference were in-season with refs but holding? Hooking? Whatever the case may be, the Bolts looked much like the team that swept the Flyers during the regular season in 2003-04 and not the confused and castoff band that had been playing earlier this season.

Sean Burke stood solidly in net, defending 29 of 31 shots while the Lightning got contributions from bit players on offense. Martin Cibak had a goal and an assist, Evgeny Artyukhin and Dmitry Afanasenkov eached notched assists and Rob Dimaio even got on the scoresheet.

But Burke was a difference maker in this game.. Maybe he was helped along by not facing the breakaway which seems to be his bane? Whatever the case, Sean’s effort could be looked at as one of his best efforts this season (even if it’s one of his only efforts). And the Bolts are now only four points removed from Carolina who lost tonight vs. the almighty Senators.

Tomorrow sees the team squaring off again versus Washington (and by the way, I’m not minding the over-regional schedule any more… It’s grown on me a bit, especially with the south being more competative than I expected it this year) before returning to Times Palace to take on the New Jersey Devils on Friday… Washington has been a thorn in the Lightning’s side this season and the game can be viewed as a benchmark how much better Tampa Bay is playing at current, compared to earlier this season.

Bright House Cable System thinks that the Lightning are ready for their closeup… Twenty Four Hours a day..

An all-Bolts, all-the-time channel wouldn’t feature live games, which are carried on OLN, Sun Sports and, starting in January, NBC. Rather, possible content would include highlights shows, talk shows featuring players and coaches, and taped broadcasts of classic games, Hutt said.

I’m skeptical… This would be the second 24-hour NHL Team Channel (behind the Maple Leafs) and unlike the first, the Lightning do not have a storied history to draw upon that spans decades… It has a short history that spans a decade… And much of that history are events that Lightning fans would sooner forget.

Interview shows would be nice as US viewers in general aren’t as well exposed to hockey personalities and local media does not shed enough light… But still… 24 Hours a Day? Lightning TV? Though the timing may be right for this (as the Bolts are reigning Stanley Cup champions) it feels like a foley in the making. Heaven for Lightning fans, though…