It's not their money though, it's a fundraiser. All they really contribute is the use of the stadium, they still had it on the calendar. I trust Luhnow, and winning will eventually make people forget about things, but there's something seriously wrong at the core of this organization and it starts with Crane. I feel like I've seen enough, there was plenty of people with misgivings and incidents that showed him to be the wrong man to own this team in his past and it certainly doesn't help that he doesn't actually have to networth to own the team outright and had to get investors and loans to buy it. I really hope more things fail in an even more spectacular manner until he has no choice but to sell the team.
Meh I have met Crane a few times, dealing with drafting contractual agreements. He is not bad in person, but he is blunt. However he was a man of his word. I think he will be fine IF he hires the right people around him, and let them handle the day to day running of the team and they will limit any PR issues. What the owner needs to realize is that the Astros have been a ****ty franchise as far as winning goes. The Astros have zero titles, and aside from the Bagwell/Biggio era, have been mediocre to bad for most their history. Therefore, it is crucial to keep players like Bagwell, Biggio, Ryan, etc as involved as possible or reasonable. When you cannot produce on the field you need to make sure it is fun to go to the game or play the nostalgia card. Larry Dierker, Jim Deshaies, Bill Brown, Jose Cruz and others cost the Astros pennies but are important to long time fans.
MLB President and CEO Duties (as envisioned by one author): http://books.google.com/books?id=qE...EwCQ#v=onepage&q=mlb president duties&f=false
After hiring some political consulting firm today, they finally have a response: http://houston.culturemap.com/news/...llion-for-at-risk-kids/?utm_source=sf_twitter It essentially boils down to them talking up the Astros Foundation while talking about how inefficient the Wive's club was at raising money for the HAWC "we're going to raise $18 million for at risk youth, while they only raised $4 million in 24 years for battered women..."
What ever do you mean? Bud Adams was a beacon of light that shone upon this dark city. If only the Oilers and Rockets were both playing in the state of the art facility he wanted to lavish upon the denziens of H-town, unemployment would be a 0.5% and both teams would have enough rings to cover all of Mario Williams' ex-fiancee's fingers. DD
If they're going to raise $18 million for their new charity they could surely drop $250k to the previous charity.
The $18M is entirely from the billboards in LF. In fairness, the Astros never ran the charity, but I'm not happy with it. To me, Crane's email said they would take over the gala and then 2 weeks later they said there would be no gala.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Worth noting that while <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> make hints that Astros' Wives Org. not run well as a charity, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> billed the wives for use of MMP</p>— Reid Laymance (@ReidLaymance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReidLaymance/status/334417678561312768">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Most of expenses Astros Wives paid to host the benefit were paid to <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Astros">#Astros</a> for use of MMP, air condition, food, etc.</p>— Reid Laymance (@ReidLaymance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReidLaymance/status/334418230154248192">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Per IRS docs, Astros wives paid $81K in 2011 on banquet expenes and $73K for auction</p>— Reid Laymance (@ReidLaymance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReidLaymance/status/334418753859239936">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Per IRS docs for 2009 thru 2011, Astros Wives expenses for gala have been pretty constant: Around $85K on banquet, $75-80K on auction</p>— Reid Laymance (@ReidLaymance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReidLaymance/status/334421014958190592">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Per latest IRS docs, Astros in Action Foundation, gave $468,527 --- $65K for 26 scholarships, $200K to United Way and $100K to Holmes CC</p>— Reid Laymance (@ReidLaymance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReidLaymance/status/334394760246734849">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>No joke, am hearing Astros will clear their statements on Houston Women's Center through attorney. That's part of 6 1/2 hour delay.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/status/334419562537811968">May 14, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
