65. DERBY TIME: Saturdays match represents the most important Madrid derby after 194 league and Spanish Cup games. Madrid has from zgr123's blog
MILWAUKEE -- Bucks owner Herb Kohl was well past retirement age and realized it was time to secure the future of the franchise. Cheap Rangers Jerseys China . He had one big caveat for any potential investors: Keep the team in his hometown of Milwaukee. And he found a buyer. The former U.S. senator is banking on New York investment firm executives Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens to follow through after agreeing to sell them the Bucks for about $550 million. The deal is subject to approval by the NBA and its board of governors. "I wasnt going to live forever. Ive approached a time in my life where I have to think about ... how do we think about succession," Kohl, 79, said Wednesday at a news conference in the atrium of the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The deal was announced hours before the team was to play its final game of a dismal season. The first clue that the Bucks were likely staying in town came before Kohl said a word, when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and County Executive Chris Abele took seats on stage. Kohl had been championing the need for a new arena for years. As efforts to secure investors ramped up in recent months, Kohl said he thought it might be best to sell the team entirely instead of keeping a stake to give the new owners say over new arena construction. Lasry and Edens committed to providing $100 million to help build a new arena. Kohl also announced he would donate $100 million for a new facility. "Milwaukee fans deserve a winning team," Edens said. Kohl bought the Bucks for $18 million in 1985. Kohl, a Milwaukee native whose family owned a chain of department stores, was hailed as a hometown hero. Now local and state officials hope the sale will help shift the public discourse for replacing the Bradley Center, the teams downtown home which opened in 1988. "We should be shouting from the rooftops because this is a game-changer for this entire debate," Barrett said. Edens said he hopes to get a plan for a new arena in a year, and have it built in a couple years. He said he thought about $400 million could be a benchmark for building the facility. Kohl said the subject of the sale would come up at an NBA meeting this week in New York. In a statement, league commissioner Adam Silver praised Kohl for the "historic and unprecedented" $100 million gift to the city to secure the future of the franchise. Kohl used investment banker Steve Greenberg, of Allen & Co., which is regularly involved in sales of sports teams, to help look for investors. There were nine bids which we all vetted through Kohl, according to Greenberg. Lasry and Edens were committed to keeping the team in Milwaukee, Kohl said. Lasry is chairman and chief executive officer of Avenue Capital Group, while Edens is co-founder and a chairman of the board at Fortress Investment Group. Both are based in New York. Edens said his mother was born and raised in Wisconsin, and that both he and Lasry were big basketball fans. The goal over the next five to 10 years was to "bring a championship to this city and try to build ... and become a part of the community," Lasry said. In Madison, Gov. Scott Walker said he was pleased with the deal that will keep the team in Wisconsin, and that he will work with the new ownership team to see how he can help the team "flourish in the state." "I think its a big deal," he told reporters when asked about the sale. The Bucks were an NBA-worst 15-66 entering Wednesday nights game against the Atlanta Hawks. Milwaukee has already set a franchise record for futility. The team was beset by injuries from training camp in coach Larry Drews first season. Center Larry Sanders and guard O.J. Mayo are among the veterans who have been sidelined for long spurts. Brandon Knight has emerged as a scoring point guard, while 18-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo had a promising first year after being drafted in the first round last year. The Bucks will have another high pick in this years talent-rich draft. And there is more certainty now for the future since the teams prospective new owners appear committed to keeping the team in Milwaukee. Adidas Henrik Lundqvist Jersey . Hes recovered from a scary injury and cleared to play. Mingo, who was hospitalized with a bruised lung he sustained in an Aug. Cheap Rangers Jerseys .ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal.LISBON, Portugal -- For Atletico Madrid, the only thing in the way of the greatest season in the clubs 111-year history is crosstown archrival Real Madrid. The Spanish rivals make up the first intracity Champions League final in history, with the match to be played in Lisbon. Real Madrid is the competitions most successful club and bidding to end a 12-year wait for "La Decima" -- its 10th European Cup title. It recently had a 14-year unbeaten run against Atletico in all competitions come to an end last season, when Atletico won the Copa del Rey at Reals Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Here are five things to know about Saturdays match: INJURY WORRIES: Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return from injury to play Saturday. Diego Costa is unlikely. Advantage, Real Madrid. Ronaldo has been burdened by leg injuries over the past two months but said Tuesday he would be available to play in his first Champions League final for Madrid. Costa has also endured leg setbacks and, after hobbling off against Barcelona on Saturday, sought treatment from a specialist in Belgrade using horse placenta. Ronaldos return will bolster Madrids already potent attack with Gareth Bale set to start. But striker Karim Benzema appears to be doubtful with a hamstring injury. Madrid centre back Pepe is also a game-time decision. ALONSOS REPLACEMENT: Xabi Alonsos absence deals an important blow to Madrids midfield. The Spain international has been one of Madrid coach Carlo Ancelottis most important players this season, but a yellow card in the semifinal win over Bayern Munich has left him suspended. Either Sami Khedira, Asier Illarramendi or Casamiro is likely to fill the void and take responsibility for opening up Madrids attack and breaking up Atleticos buildups. Illaramendi is the natural successor to Alonso, but he has had a nervy debut season at Madrid. "It will be a very equal match and I imagine the midfield will be determinant in setting up play," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. VILLA EXPERIENCE: Not only will David Villas goal-scoring prowess make up for Diego Costas absence, but the Spain strikers experience should prove invaluable to an Atletico team short of Champions League experience. Villa is the only regular in the squad who has played in a Champions League final before, scoring in Barcelonas 3-1 triumph over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2011. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys. Costas absence could also bolster Villas hopes of playing for Spain at the World Cup. Madrid can count on more experience as Cristiano Ronaldo won the title while at Manchester United and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was part of Madrids winning teams in 2000 and 02. Madrid can also draw on the experience of assistant coach Zinedine Zidane, who scored an iconic goal in Madrids 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in its last Champions League final appearance. PAISLEYS RECORD: Carlo Ancelotti has been able to get Real Madrid where Jose Mourinho never could, and now the Italian coach is one win away from matching Bob Paisley with his third European Cup. Ancelotti, who also won two European Cups as a player, secured the Champions League at AC Milan in 2003 and 07, leaving him on the verge of matching the former Liverpool managers record number of titles. "Theres no pressure on me, just the joy of living this moment of happiness," Ancelotti said. "A lot of (teams) have to watch this game in front of the TV and were lucky to be able to play it. Ive watched this game on TV a lot of times and I didnt enjoy it." Diego Simeone could become just the third non-European coach to win the trophy. The only other two were also Argentine -- Real Madrids Luis Carniglia in 1958 and 59 and Helenio Herrera of Inter Milan in 1964 and 65. DERBY TIME: Saturdays match represents the most important Madrid derby after 194 league and Spanish Cup games. Madrid has the advantage with 102 victories to Atleticos 46. Atletico only ended a 14-year winless run against Madrid in all competitions last season when it won the Copa del Rey at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Atletico has won and drawn the two league encounters since, while Madrid easily won a pair of Copa del Rey matches against Atletico en route to the domestic cup title. The pair have met in the European Cup once before -- in 1959, when Madrid needed a replay to emerge victorious. After the two legs finished 2-2, Madrid won 2-1 in Zaragoza to reach the final. But in one-game cup finals, Atletico -- which can become the seventh team to finish the competition undefeated -- leads the series 4-1. "There are no secrets for this game," Ancelotti said. "The two teams know each other well." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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