The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers

I wonder if this is a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. IE, a lowly ESPN reporter seeking a story without the knowledge of ESPN higher-ups despite the fact that it ostensibly is in conflict with the economic best interest of ESPN. Even it were, at the end of the day, the internal conference realignment discussion amongst Texas officials, even if embarrassing, is hardly the deep throat level type of information that will torpedo an ESPN/Texas megabuck alliance.

Major institutions should really invite some litigators in on a regular basis to educate everyone on discovery. Do NOT write down sensitive information!

I know summer realignment confirmed it, but god damn our athletic department is a collection of a control freaks when it relates to media leaks.

The entire country realizes Texas looked out for Texas alone in June with the network a main cog of that, emails between DeLoss and Dan Beebe telling Harvey Perlman to fuck off won’t change it. Neither will disparaging remarks made public about Iowa State, Baylor and the Kansas schools.

Damn you Wikileaks!

At least our players now know where Iowa State is and their mascot.

The Jack Cade scenes may actually be by Marlowe, but the quote is money regardless.

Yup we look like control freaks. Dodds also got caught with his pants down when A&M didnt go with us to the Pac 16. We better deal more than anyone

One thing for sure, all the predictions on realignment made here and by Baby Jesus at recruitocosm were dead on the money. Nice work.

The Dodds e-mails are part of the “poison pill” that Wikileaks is planning to release, in the event of anything happening to Assange.

First of all, this isn’t a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Believe it or not, as long as ESPN has a journalistic core on their broadcasting platforms, it is in their best interest to keep them independent of the corporate offices. Doesn’t happen all the time, but they will try to keep corporate and “sportscenter” in different silos.

Besides in the overall scheme of things — the proposed financial deal with Texas is a miniscule part of the overall ESPN package.

He also mentioned an evolving idea at ESPN that they may want to start creating RSNs around major universities. I’ll let srr50 come explain the RSN model in depth.

Here’s a Reader’s Digest version:

RSN’s are Regional Sports Networks, which (obviously) are the local channels driven by a pro or collegiate connection. They have been around for a while — many may remember HSE (Home Sport Entertainment) back 30 years ago which was built around the SWC and Houston pro sports — it has evolved into a Fox Sports Network affiliate.

The Fox Sport Nework family of channels is a great example. Fox Sports Southwest is built around the Rangers,Mavericks and Spurs, with additional regional fare.

Fox Sports Oklahoma is based around the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What has gotten ESPN’s attention, and what IMO got them to move to wrap up a deal with Texas was Comcast’s purchase/takeover of NBC. Comcast wants to get into the RSN business in a big way, and they want to compete with ESPN. That’s why Dick Ebersol was named head of the NBC Sports Group, which will oversee all sports entities, including the network plus cable entities like Versus and the Golf Channel.

Comcast believes that it can use its cable resources to become a real competitor to ESPN and sees RSN’s as a way to begin.

I see ESPN reaching out to Texas as a pilot program for the network to make a pre-emptive strike at possible competitors.

Really Slutty Nurses?

UT is gonna lose this one. Why they should be embarrassed for looking out for Number One, I don’t know.

The heart of the matter is access to information, which is why ESPN and its reporter submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to UT. As the link mentioned, UT refused. Refusal of a FOIA request can be done if the basis meets with certain guidelines, which in this case UT cited as “attorney-client privilege.” As far as I know, the only recourse left is to go through the courts to get an independent ruling. Based on my experience, the courts do tend to rule on the side of the receiving party (UT in this case); however, without knowing facts in evidence, it’s hard to say whether the courts will rule in favor of the basis issued by UT in this case.

It could be a left-hand/right-hand thing at ESPN. It could also be a desire for ESPN to protect its investment in the Longhorn Network to-be if there is information concerning conference alignment that might create a financial hardship for ESPN down the road.

You could wonder if UT has something to hide by its willingness not to share information with it potential network partner, ESPN, and suspect that something is fishy with what went down last summer. Thankfully, the court won’t wonder – it will merely rule on the basis of facts.

It’s not an uncommon tactic to force a journalist to go to court to get documents. By the time the legal process is finished, the sting from the story may be gone.

Sweet, I want to see these documents too. The entertainment value will be off the charts.

I don’t think the deal with Texas and suit against Texas are related in the slightest.

OT: if you feel the need to vomit, go read the latest at Recruitocosm.

Two parties inking a deal in one room while litigating in the next is really not uncommon in the big business world. Litigation is how two big parties with big egos resolve differences of opinion. This doesn’t surprise me at all.

“Fox Sports Oklahoma is based around the Oklahoma City Thunder.”

I laughed—-out loud.

When I used to be out there in the real world of employment, I made numerous TORA (Texas Open Records Act) requests to the State OAG on my Firm’s behalf for copies of previously issued proposals of my competitiors for State consulting contracts since, once they are submitted and a contract was both awarded and signed they became part of the public domain as did ours, to a certain extent. The competitior was noticed by the OAG and given a certain amount of time to outright challenge the request in its entirety and also request redaction of material they thought was tantamount to giving up trade secrets, such as resumes, technical software solutions, etc. and were required to cite Sections of TORA to back up their protests. They were usually successful in protecting what they genuinely needed to protect. I did the same thing on the other side when they asked for ours.

The deciding party in all of thes matters (this was six or seven years ago) was the State OAG and, to my knowledge, they were the last word. Apparently FOIA is a different open records request (Federal?) or have they simply renamed TORA? If the OAG has legal Texas standing to make the ruling and has already ruled for UT, is there a higher authority for ESPN to go to?

I know from reading BC Entrance Exam question #5 that there are lawyers amongst us. Can you help me out on this, please?

What’s the second thing we’re going to do?

Your quoting of Shakespeare is a thinly-veiled direct personal threat directed at my client (i.e. me). As the authorized legal representative of myself, I hereby demand that you immediately cease and desist your publication of any and all quotations of, allusions to, metaphors, similes or analogies based upon, and/or references to William Shakespeare, the literary works thereof, the Globe Theater, and /or Elizabethan England.

You are definitely the first lawyer I would kill.

…says the one guy on this board who works in a more loathsome profession than I do.

Vasherized is a Catholic priest?

Where’s Ingram Frizer when you need him.

Sailor ftw.

uthookem said:
December 7th, 2010 at 1:50 pm

Vasherized is a Catholic priest?