Do the Rays really need a new stadium?

At the same time, do they really need a new stadium on a cramped location on the water that offers no parking? Continues life on the tip of the Pinellas Peninsula at an increased distance from points east?

There’s a lot to be discussed — And it’s getting discussed at Skyscrapercity.com with minor rumblings also going on at SkyscraperPage and FanHome of course. That being said, the most discussion (rambling about development, economics of baseball, the real estate bubble bursting and what not) are on the SkyscraperCity link.

There will be a press conference in little less than an hour with renderings of the Rays proposed ballpark. The St. Petersburg Times already did a mock rendering from passed-on takes of the stadium rendering. It raises more questions than answers though.

This falls squarely under the “WTF” category…

The sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning from Palace Sports and Entertainment to Absolute Hockey LTD. has fallen through

Palace Sports nixed the purchase agreement when Absolute Hockey did not come up with a required $5-million payment. Now the investment group has splintered as Coral Springs real estate developer Jeff Sherrin is suing Hollywood producer Oren Koules for allegedly failing on Nov. 13 to make a capital contribution of $4.16-million.
Sherrin is asking $50-million in damages.

…

While the deal as originally announced with much fanfare on Aug. 7 is no longer valid, don’t be surprised if a deal is resurrected at a later date with Koules or a group led by him.

Well, looking at the above alone, one can be thankful things fell apart (long term) because if they can’t get their act together to make a money payment – how are they supposed to cover player paychecks and other franchise bills?

This also paves the way for a group of owners minus Sherrin to purchase any other NHL franchise for sale. So the team being sold from Palace Sports to another group with Koules as part of it may or may not happen. Though a team sale would be likely if the right group came along (per Tom Wilson’s quotes from that faithful August 7th morning).

RJ had stated this offseason that trading Vaclav Prospal for Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was a possibility. At least that was the rumor.

Forget a trade now, Bryzgalov is on waivers. Would Jay Feaster want to, or be able to, pick up Ilya if he wanted? Or does the in-flux status of ownership prevent him from taking on more payroll? Also, would acquiring a new goalie show too much of a lack-of-confidence in Johan Holmqvist?

It’s worth exploring, but the team is ultimately handcuffed unless PSE/Absolute Hockey reach an understanding.

I gotta get on a jet plane in the morning and travel ou twest. That being said, rumors of my return to Boltsmag and blogging my discontent about the Lightning at the moment have been greatly exaggerated :p. I’ll be back around Sunday though.

We got a few games between then and now – including tonight versus Florida. Matt Smaby has been recalled, Dan Boyle is back on IR and Absolute Hockey’s purchase of the Bolts couldn’t come soon enough.

Is it just me or does it seem as if watching Lightning games has become a grasping competition by Rick Peckham and Bobby Taylor when it comes to bright spots? Heck, let me go further and blame producers as for the umpteenth time since preseason the Lightning will be broadcasting a Chris Gratton piece, referencing his status as a former Kitty.

Here we are, with the Lightning in a 2-1 hole during the first period and Rick and Bobby were musing several times that the Martin St. Louis opened scoring. More talk about Marty — he scored the opening goal! — more talk about that opening goal by St. Louis and an overall neglect of what was going on, on ice. Then, chip in references to Saturday’s game against the Thrashers: repetitive talk about how well the team played, how great the team played, what a great effort by the Lightning.

To steal a line from Jim Rome: Scoreboard! 6-4, on the losing side, ultimately is a failing effort.

Sometimes you gotta face facts that things aren’t bright and rosy. Of course, this gets blurred a bit too often on TV and through the media. In some of the losses this season, the effort has been there along with consistent errors in how the Bolts move the puck — slogging ahead with razzle-dazzle attempts when the passing lanes have been clouded, if not closed. This further infuriates me when Bolt forwards decide to be selfless and dish off the puck instead of finishing a drive to the net or taking the shot. Yes, selflessness on ice will pay off if you’re able to deceive the goalie on a one-on-one, but how many times have the Lightning been in a position to do thisso far this season? Or more importantly, been in a position where an opposing defensiveman or forward isn’t in position to swipe the puck and ruin the play?

Another disappointing loss tonight where effort came up for naught. Effort can be trumpeted all over the land, but it comes down to wins and losses because there are no points for moral victories in this league… and the Lightning aren’t supposed to be a team vying for moral victories alone to begin with. Bobby Taylor can say this is really gotta be disappointing because the Lightning were playing so well… But if they capitalized on opportunities and played with a little more urgency before the final minutes of the 3rd period in Miami tonight, having a late goal scored by the Panthers wouldn’t have mattered.

Yeah, it’s been quite a while but Ryan Craig actually appeared in the news, he’s been sent to the Norfolk Admirals on a conditioning stint after his lengthy time on IR.

But I don’t honestly know how this will play out in the end. It’s not like Craig MacDonald has played poorly. Or Darche…