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Romney to nearly quadruple mansion’s size

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is planning to nearly quadruple the size of his $12 million California beachfront mansion.

The former Massachusetts governor is planning to bulldoze his 3,009-square-foot home facing the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, Calif., and replace it with an 11,062-square-foot home, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Union-Tribune reported late Saturday that Romney has filed an application with the city for a coastal development permit but that no date has been set to consider the project.

A Romney campaign official confirmed the report, saying the Romneys want to “enlarge their two-bedroom home because with five married sons and 16 grandchildren it is inadequate for their needs. Construction will not begin until the permits have been obtained and the campaign is finished.’’

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain was criticized and mocked when he said he was unsure how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, owned. The answer was eight.

Since then, perhaps sensing that the issue could be a liability for him, too, Romney has consolidated his real estate portfolio. Romney and his wife, Ann, sold for $3.5 million the 6,500-square-foot colonial home in Belmont, Mass. They also sold a 9,500-square-foot home at Deer Valley ski resort near Park City, Utah, for close to its $5.25 million asking price, according to a 2010 Associated Press report.

The couple maintain a vacation home along Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, as well as a townhouse outside Boston that they consider their primary residence.

Romney - who made part of his fortune as cofounder of Bain Capital, a private equity firm - and his wife have personal financial assets worth as much as $264 million, according to disclosure documents filed with the Federal Election Commission this month.

Romney’s campaign said “a more accurate range’’ of his estimated wealth is between $190 million and $250 million.

The Romneys have spent considerable time at their home in La Jolla, a wealthy beach enclave in San Diego. Two of their sons, Matt and Craig, as well as several grandchildren live in the area. And Ann Romney, who has multiple sclerosis, has access to horse riding in California. She believes that riding and the warmer weather have a therapeutic effect.

The Romneys purchased the single-story residence three years ago, according to the Union-Tribune.

Wednesday, 11-May-2011 09:02

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Summit to focus on Quebec hockey

The game of hockey is in good shape in Quebec, but that doesn't means it can't be better.

That was the prevailing point of view Tuesday as hockey officials announced the first Molson Export Quebec Hockey Summit. The twoday gathering will be held in Montreal, Aug. 26-27, and follows up on the international hockey summit that was held last year in Toronto.

Scott Smith, the chief operating officer for Hockey Canada, said he expected the event to be part of a continuing series across Canada, but it's no coincidence the first one will be held in Quebec.

"There's a similar summit in the planning stage in Ontario and several other regions have expressed interest, but there was a feeling that it was important to have a summit where the main language would be French," Smith said.

Sylvain B. Lalonde, the general manager of Hockey Quebec, noted there are a number of challenges facing the game, but emphasized while the development of elite players was one of the topics to be discussed, the primary goal was not to find a way to get more Quebecers in the National Hockey League.

Gilles Courteau, the commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, said the major problem facing Quebec hockey is one of perception. He noted media reports focusing on issues like francophone representation in the NHL and the continuing concern over concussions fail to recognize the positive aspects of the game.

"Hockey is a fast contact sport and there are going to be injuries, but we're doing our best to make players aware of the dangers of things like hitting from behind," Courteau said.

Smith added there is no evidence that concern over injuries has had a negative effect of hockey registrations.

While there is worry in some circles about the relatively small percentage of Quebec players in the NHL, there are about a dozen still alive in the Stanley Cup playoffs and three of the four coaches in the conference finals - Boston's Claude Julien, Tampa's Guy Boucher and Vancouver's Alain Vigneault - all got their starts coaching in the QMJHL.

One word that doesn't pop up a lot in discussions about hockey is demographics, but it will be on the agenda in August.

Hockey Canada's Smith noted about 10 per cent of boys in the 5-6 age group play hockey and that there is a push to get more youngsters involved. Cost and access to rinks are part of the equation, but Smith said the hockey establishment must entice the growing number of new Canadians who didn't grow up with the game.

Statistics Canada projects by 2031 as much as 28 per cent of Canada's population will be made up of people born outside Canada.

The summit will be held at the Bell Centre and will be open to the public, which will have the opportunity to participate in some roundtable discussions.

A full schedule of events, a list of guest speakers and panellists and details on registration will be announced soon.

Tuesday, 26-Apr-2011 06:12

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Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara named a Norris Trophy final

Pursuit of the ultimate team trophy is still the only goal, but a second Boston Bruin found out Monday that he’s a finalist for an individual award.
Captain Zdeno Chara was revealed as one of the top three vote-getters for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s top defenseman as determined by Professional Hockey Writers Association members who cast ballots. If Chara wins, it’ll be his second Norris in three seasons.
“It’s obviously a big honor, and I’m very humbled and very thankful,” said Chara, a finalist for the third time in five seasons with Boston. “I’m just very thankful that people who did vote recognized the definition of the Norris Trophy award.”
That definition states that the Norris goes to “the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” Chara, although all but unparalleled defensively, can be at a disadvantage because his offensive numbers don’t attract as much attention. His 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) ranked 19th among NHL defensemen this season, behind fellow finalists Nicklas Lidstrom of Detroit (62 points, second among defensemen) and Nashville’s Shea Weber (48 points; 10th).
“I think he’s obviously a well-deserving player,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said of Chara. “Everyone knows he plays a lot of minutes (25:26 per game, sixth among defenseman). He also always plays against other teams’ top lines. He’s plus-33 (No. 1 in the NHL) … and offensively, he’s contributed well. So if you’re talking about Norris, talking about defensemen that bring a lot, he’s certainly one of them.”
Chara, first named a finalist in 2004 with Ottawa, takes pride in his shut-down role.
“I’m very competitive when it comes to defending the top lines,” he said. “It’s not an easy job, but I get up for it every night. Obviously, you have five guys on the ice and the whole team helping you, but … yeah, it’s a big motivation for me every night to face such skill and great players.”
Whether Chara wins the Norris or not, his coach thinks he’d win a different type of vote.
“I don’t think there are many players in this league who will raise their hand and say they really enjoy playing against him,” Julien said.
TIME FOR A CHANGE?
Asked again about the Bruins’ scoreless power play (0 for 15 in through five playoff games), Julien said his “guys are so tense right now,” he’s trying “to get them to relax and play with confidence.”
Something more than psychology, though, may be in play in Game 6. Although the B’s used the same defense pairings (Tomas Kaberle-Chara and Dennis Seidenberg-Johnny Boychuk) during Monday’s practice, new forwards were worked into both units: Nathan Horton, recently removed from the top group with Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron, rotated with David Krejci, who has been a consistent first-unit member. On the second group, rookie Brad Marchand alternated with Michael Ryder, with Mark Recchi and Rich Peverley remaining in place.
“We are desperately working on that and trying to rectify it,” Julien said. “We know it’s a major issue that we have to overcome.”
AROUND THE BOARDS:
If the B’s have a third trophy finalist, they’ll find out when Selke Award candidates are revealed on Wednesday. Bergeron is considered a solid candidate. Some believe Tim Thomas will get some Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player) consideration; those finalists will be revealed on Thursday … The Bruins, who hadn’t held a full, formal practice since last Wednesday at Lake Placid, N.Y., had a fifth forward line, a fourth defense pair and a third goalie on the ice Monday at TD Garden. The extras: A line of rookie forwards Jordan Caron, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Arniel, first-year pro Matt Bartkowksi paired with veteran defenseman Shane Hnidy, and goalie Anton Khudobin … Montreal may have to make a couple of game-time decisions before Game 6. Rookie forward David Desharnais took only two short shifts in Saturday’s second overtime because of an apparent knee injury, while second pair/power-play defenseman James Wisniewski was in and out of Game 5 due to an unknown injury. Wisniewski only took one third-period shift, but was on the ice five times in the first overtime, six in the second.

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Saturday, 23-Apr-2011 02:11

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NFL Draft 2011: Seven Truths to Guide 49ers Fans as Big Day Near

There seems to be a basic misunderstanding regarding what San Francisco 49ers' fans should be think about as the 2011 NFL Draft nears.

There is a great deal of talk about things like Alex Smith's future with the 49ers, the availability of cornerback Patrick Peterson to the Niners and the acquisition of veteran quarterbacks even as the NFL labor dispute goes on.

Let's sit back and clear the air -- focus on what we should be talking about in the final days before the draft and agree on the topics that, really, just waste our time and energy in what could be the last truly exciting time for NFL fans many months.

Niners want Smith, but Smith might not want to return

Look, GM Trent Baalke and head coach Jim Harbaugh have, according to the Sacramento Bee, a standing, one-year contract offer on the table for Smith.That's a fact we all have to deal with.

Fans don't have to like the idea that the 49ers' management is sold on Smith as the best available free agent QB, but griping about it serves no purpose. See, Harbaugh probably looks at Smith as thinks, "He has physical skill, athleticism and experience that I can use to make him an NFL quarterback." Harbaugh's looking at Smith the same way he's looking at draft-eligible QBs like Jake Locker -- for what they can do and for how far he thinks he can coach 'em up.

Harbaugh and Baalke aren't looking at what Smith has done for the 49ers. We shouldn't be either.

They're looking at him and looking to the future.
No use wasting energy on Alex Smith now.

First, free agents can't sign contracts until the labor dispute is settled. So, Smith is still a long way from returning to the 49ers. Second, Smith passed up a chance to sign that contract before the labor dispute began so it's clear that he wants to see what other offers he'll get.

Peterson's going before that 7th overall pick

Peter King has the 49ers needing to trade up to get LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. King adds, however, that the Houston Texans might be willing to trade for the 49ers' pick to get Peterson in a swap that would net the 49ers Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara and a low-round pick.

The only way that the 49ers will get Peterson is by trading up. So, time spent talking about Peterson is best spent considering whether he is worth the 49ers trading up to the fourth or fifth overall pick.

Spend some time fiddling around with draft-day trades that might help the 49ers. Remember, though, future draft picks and players can't be dealt until the labor dispute ends.

Luck has nothing to do with it

Andrew Luck returned to play for Harbaugh at Stanford in 2011. Harbaugh left for the NFL. There is no connection between Luck and the 49ers. None.
One reader mentioned that, "I hope that Harbaugh doesn't bomb the 2011 season to try to get Andrew Luck in the 2012 draft."

Harbaugh's job is to win games in 2011, not to tank his first year on the job in the NFL simply to enhance the chances of the 49ers getting Luck.

Leave Luck of the discussion. Just remember that the 2012 QB draft crop will be deep. Study up on those QBs so you won't have to rely on what other people say about them next spring.

Mock drafts are utterly meaningless

Hey, I've done a couple and ... the only way a mock draft can have any real value would be for a writer to pick the brains of insiders in every NFL organization. And, I promise, they aren't doing that.

King is an inside as an insider can get and he wrote of the 49ers trading the No. 7 overall pick and called this, "just a guess." Great. Thanks. We can guess for ourselves.

Mock drafts are just proven ways to lure readers to websites. If they were the result of new information, Mel Kiper Jr. and the rest would be telling us what they've heard from NFL insiders ... and all they're doing is telling us that they're arbitrarily changing their draft order.

Fans know as much as analysts do now.

Thursday, 21-Apr-2011 06:37

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Would-be Coyotes owner shows up for Game 4

Would-be owner Matthew Hulsizer was on hand to watch the Phoenix Coyotes get swept in their first-round playoff series against Detroit, a game that could mark the end of the NHL in the desert if serious roadblocks to the sale aren't resolved.
Hulsizer declined a request for an interview but talked with fans outside Jobing.com Arena before Phoenix's 6-3 loss Wednesday night. The Chicago businessman's appearance, wearing a Coyotes jersey as he cheered on the team, in front of the sold-out crowd of 17,314 solidified earlier reports that he remains seriously interested in buying the team and keeping it in Arizona.
However, a promised lawsuit by the conservative watchdog group Goldwater Institute has held up the city of Glendale's sale of bonds necessary to fill the requirements of the lease agreement reached with Hulsizer.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told Rogers Sportsnet in Toronto that the league is "still focused on trying to make it work in Phoenix."
He said the league could not wait forever on the deal closing but again denied reports that a move of the franchise to Winnipeg is imminent once the Coyotes' season is over.
"Do we have an infinite amount of time? The answer is obviously not," Bettman said. "But we haven't been holding an announcement waiting to see when the Coyotes are done playing, I can assure you of that."
The Goldwater Institute took the highly unusual step of writing traders to warn against buying the Glendale bonds because of the promised lawsuit, which will argue that the city's deal with Hulsizer violates the state's anti-subsidy law.
Hulsizer has been in regular contact with Goldwater Institute officials to try to resolve the situation. Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs and other city officials were to meet with Goldwater representatives on Thursday. The Goldwater Institute had insisted such a meeting be open to the public but agreed to a private session with the unedited transcript to be released afterward.
"We are pleased to be meeting with Glendale in this open manner and look forward to sharing the results of the meeting with you," Starlee Rhoades, the institute's vice president for external affairs, said in a statement released to reporters.
Season-ticket holder and self-proclaimed "ex-Canadian" Irwin Badowich was among the multitude of fans in "white-out" T-shirts cheering on the Coyotes.
"I'm very hopeful it can be resolved," he said. "I wish the Goldwater Institute would have stayed out of it. We need hockey here."
He said he believes the Goldwater threat is "mostly a bluff."
The institute has resisted pressure from Republican Sen. John McCain, among others, to back off of its lawsuit vow.
Meanwhile, the market has driven up the price of the $100 million in bonds the city must sell to complete the transaction. The funds would go to Hulsizer in the lease agreement, then be repaid through parking fees, a key aspect that the Goldwater Institute has opposed.
Last month, Hulsizer said he would guarantee $75 million of the city's contribution, but that did not resolve the Goldwater Institute's concerns.
The franchise never has made a profit since moving from Winnipeg in 1996. The NHL bought the franchise in U.S. Bankruptcy Court nearly two years ago, saying it wanted to find a buyer to keep the team in Arizona.
In his Toronto interview, Bettman would not comment on reports that he has had talks with Mark Chipman, who is heading the drive to bring the team back to Winnipeg.
However, Bettman said that if had to make a deal to move the team "my guess is I probably could arrange it."

Wednesday, 20-Apr-2011 03:57

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The NBA and offensive language

The next time Kobe Bryant feels the need to direct a powerful slur at an NBA referee and wants to avoid the recriminations for it, maybe this is what he should do:

Just call him the N-word.

It wouldn't draw nearly as much attention as the anti-gay slur Bryant called referee Bennie Adams in an April 12 game against the San Antonio Spurs.

If Bryant had called Adams, who is black, the N-word, the five-time NBA champion probably wouldn't have been fined $100,000.

He likely wouldn't have had to make a public apology. And it's doubtful that the NAACP or any similar organization would have issued a press release condemning his actions and demanding atonement.
Of course, I'm overstating it, but it's a point worth making. The N-word is used so frequently on NBA courts that it almost blends in like crowd noise.

And no one seems to be even remotely bothered by it.

Commissioner David Stern did the right thing by fining Bryant so severely for his offensive language. You can't have one of the league's biggest stars saying something so vile.

But if Stern really wants to show that Bryant's fine is about more than just protecting the NBA's brand, he will crack down on players who use the N-word in games, too.

It's bad enough that some black players in the NBA feel so comfortable using it among themselves that they don't bother to edit it out in front of non-black teammates. In too many NBA locker rooms, the N-word is heard so often you might think you're at a Chris Rock comedy show.

Sadly, people have become so accustomed to hearing black people call each other the N-word that it doesn't register when it's said in a game and can be heard from the seats or over the air on a broadcast.

In the Celtics-Heat game on April 10, LeBron James and Jermaine O'Neal got into a scrum after O'Neal hard-fouled James. As I watched players from both teams push, shove and get in each other's faces on ABC's telecast, the microphones pick up what sounded like the N-word several times.

According to NBA spokesman Tim Frank, any NBA player is "subject to discipline if he uses inappropriate language that is heard by fans and/or viewers." Shaquille O'Neal was fined for a profanity in front of a camera, and other players have been fined for cursing at fans.

So, the league rule is strong enough, but I question the enforcement. No players in the Celtics-Heat game were fined, in case you were wondering.

I'm sure some people will think that I'm being uptight and that if black players refer to one another that way, it's no big deal.

That's because some African-Americans foolishly believe that we undermine the N-word's negative power by using it that way.

But to me, by trying to make the word invisible, we make it more powerful than ever.
During the NCAA tournament's national championship ceremony on CBS a few weeks ago, Connecticut star Kemba Walker appeared to say "Damn, n-----" when one of his celebrating teammates leaned into him as Jim Nantz presented the Huskies with the trophy.

Nantz didn't even blink.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The entertainment industry has practically made the N-word mainstream. It's now characterized as a term of affection, and plenty of non-black people have chosen to use it as a term of endearment.

I recently had a conversation with a white friend who admitted that, in high school, she and her white friends called each other the N-word because they wanted to emulate what they heard in rap music. They never saw it as offensive. They saw it as cool.

I'm not here to point fingers at entertainers or turn this into a referendum on rap. I listen to hip-hop, some of which is definitely offensive.

But hearing the N-word in a comedy act, song or movie is different from hearing it while watching a professional basketball game. Movies and music usually are accompanied by a parental warning. When you check out an NBA game, the expectation is that you'll see basketball, not hear slurs.

The fact is, the NBA isn't being responsible by allowing rampant use of the N-word to go unchecked. The game attracts many young fans, and they're learning through the league's apathy that the N-word is just a part of basketball culture.

Besides, let's be real. If a white player ever called a black player the N-word in an NBA game, the outrage would be swift and unfathomable, and Stern would levy a fine just as harsh -- or maybe even harsher -- than the one he gave Bryant. But a black player calling someone the N-word? That apparently isn't news and isn't worthy of a fine or even a reprimand.

It's just another Thursday night in the NBA.

Tuesday, 19-Apr-2011 02:39

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2011 NBA Mock Draft: Wizards Pair Big Man with John Wall, Add Do

When you draft an electric point guard the way Washington did, you have to get him a franchise big man.

Yes, the Wizards have JaVale McGee, who has developed by leaps and bounds this year, wowing us with his remarkable athleticism. Despite that, Washington still has to get an anchor in the frontcourt, a guy who can draw double teams and open up things all over the court as he runs pick-and-roll plays with John Wall.

That man is Donatas Motiejunas. He is the type of player, much like Enes Kanter, who can bang on the inside with the toughest big men, but also draw them out from the paint and shoot with consistency on the outside. That's a rare skill set, and while there may be concern about his concentration, focus and effort, there is so much upside and talent, it's hard to resist.

Washington needs dynamic players like that on their roster and he would work well with Wall and McGee in the starting lineup.

Motiejunas will have to bulk up at the next level, but he has the size and the skills to be a game-changing force for any team in the NBA. The Wizards should jump at the chance to select him if he's available at their selection.

Washington has made some savvy moves, getting out from under some of the most horrendous contracts I've ever seen in my entire life (I'm looking at you, Gilbert Arenas).

Now that the Wizards have a future star at the point guard position, it's time to build from the inside out, and getting a big man that can play anywhere on the floor would be a huge move towards making Washington a contender once again.

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Tuesday, 8-Mar-2011 01:05

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Orioles relaxing their ban on facial hair

Last time the Baltimore Orioles finished a season above .500 was 1997. And in 2009 a Sports Illustrated review of MLB owners concluded that the Orioles' Peter Angelos was the worst of the lot.

So at the very least some policy changes seem in order, and Orioles manager Buck Showalter has received permission for one that should make for a happier -- and hairier -- clubhouse.

Showalter tells the Baltimore Sun he will relax the no-facial-hair policy that has been in effect since Angelos bought the team in 1993. Showalter was concerned that new acquisitions Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero would resent it if they had to shave the goatees that both have worn for years.

"I asked Derrek how long he had that, and he said he couldn't remember when he didn't, and he's one of the really good clubhouse-presence guys," Showalter told the Sun.

Showalter said the players needed to keep themselves "presentable," but didn't offer specifics. The no-facial-hair policy was a somewhat disruptive issue in 2006, when Kevin Millar wasn't allowed to keep his perpetual five-o'clock shadow.

See photos of: Baltimore Orioles, Vladimir Guerrero

Tuesday, 8-Mar-2011 01:05

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Orioles relaxing their ban on facial hair

Tuesday, 8-Mar-2011 01:05

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Orioles relaxing their ban on facial hair