A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

THE LOS ANGELES LIONS? Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp wonders if one of the consequences of the auto industry's current woes is that the Motor City will cease to be a four-sport town:

The automotive industry as we once knew it is dead. It will reinvent itself with a leaner identity and a more responsible spending philosophy. And that will likely translate into a more conservative approach as it pertains to cutting checks for luxury suites and unlimited entertainment expenses. It wouldn't be a surprise if Detroit loses at least one of its four professional sports teams within the next 10 years because ownership sells to an outside interest and the franchise moves to an area with a stronger economic base.

If you don't think that's possible, then you're not looking at the current local economic situation with a realistic eye. Detroit and Phoenix are the only two cities that support four professional sports teams in four separate facilities. That requires four teams capable of finding enough corporate backing for those all-important luxury suites in four different stadiums/arenas to keep the coffers filled without sharing the facility operational costs with another tenant.