Now In Chicago's Blog
  • 04:09 PM ET  09.12
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Chi-Ball is speculating that Mark Cuban was never in the running to buy the Cubs. Furthermore, they claim that Zell supposedly used Cuban to increase the value of the franchise...

It is a believed by these sources that Zell has used Cuban all along to increase the bidding. The orchestration could have gone as far as inviting Cuban to sit next to Sam Zell’s right-hand man Gerry Spector at a Cubs game in the Tribune seats. A source is quoted as saying "If Mark Cuban didn’t exist, Sam Zell would have made someone like him up, he was a dream come true." "Cuban is not only out of it, he was never in it.”

Supposedly Tom Ricketts is now the leader, with Canning as the MLB owner’s favorite.

PROBLEM
This makes no sense. Did Zell call Cuban and say, “Hey Mark, I’m selling the Cubs. Can you do me a favor and make a huge bid to raise the value of the team,” highly unlikely. Perhaps Zell made a genius, yet unethical move to court Cuban, knowing all to well that he would drive up the value of the Cubs; more likely.

What about the time and money to pursue the purchase of the Cubs? If Cuban was used as bait, then he has a viable case against Zell and the MLB.

THE REALITY
Until I hear from Mark himself, I view this claim as utter ****. Chi-Ball, send me your address, I want to send you a Cuban and the Cubs Tee Shirt!

Forget Zell, WEAR your support for Mark Cuban as the next owner of the Chicago Cubs; GET YOUR CUBAN AND THE CUBS TEE

 
September 12, 2008  06:19 PM ET

This is absolutely true. Cuban never was in the running, but not because the Trib didn't want to sell to him. There is no way Bud Selig and Jerry Reinsdorf were ever going to allow a Cuban purchase of the Cubs. Those two men hold more influence over ownership voting than anyone else alive. It was just never gonna happen.

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