Politicians local and federal flex their muscle at 49ers

[zach49ers]

TALK OF CUTTING SERVICES AND TAKING AWAY TEAM NAME (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/football/nfl/san_francisco_49ers/16015271.htm?source=rss&channel=mercurynews_san_francisco_49ers)
Two of San Francisco's most powerful politicians fired another salvo at the 49ers on Tuesday, promising to make life unpleasant for the NFL franchise if the team persists in its attempts to move to Santa Clara.

In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city might withdraw financial support for police overtime and city traffic control for 49ers games on Candlestick Point, and suggested other punitive steps, such as refusing to run city buses to the stadium. Newsom plans to meet with 49ers owner John York today to restart talks on a new stadium deal for San Francisco, a week after York suddenly declared Santa Clara the team's destination.

``We're going to be looking at all our legal options,'' Newsom said. ``We're going to strategize about making it more challenging for the 49ers to leave than they otherwise would like it to be, because we are committed to keeping them.''

Niners spokeswoman Lisa Lang declined to take issue with Newsom's threats.

``Our focus on Sunday is to get our fans in the stadium and focus on winning the game,'' she said. ``We hope everyone who comes from San Francisco or outside the area are able to ride the buses, park their cars and ride the elevators.''

In Washington, sounding very much like the former mayor of the City by the Bay, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said her staff is researching a bill that would allow a jurisdiction to prevent a major league franchise from taking a team name when it moves.

``You can't move to Santa Clara and call yourself a 49er,'' Feinstein told a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on NFL broadcasting issues. ``You'd have to be the Santa Clara Chips,'' she added with a smile in a brief hallway interview, referring to the product that gave Silicon Valley its name.


intresting article

[Jay Bee]

freakin politicians are like a bunch of little kids.

[linkboy]

:francis: (City of San Francisco)

:down: (My opinion of them)

Gavin Newsome and his cronies, are doing the best they can to drive the team not only out of San Francisco, but the Bay Area itself (to bad the morons can't see that).

He wants to cut public transportation to the stadium for games, is he retarded. Yea, smart one there buddy, not only piss the team off, but the fans as well. Not only that, but cutting public transportation is only going to make the traffic issue at Candlestick even worse.

Give me a break, the city is really doing a great job here (not).

If the city is going to act like a bunch of babies fighting over a toy, then they no longer deserve the 49ers.

[Giedi]

:francis: (City of San Francisco)

:down: (My opinion of them)

Gavin Newsome and his cronies, are doing the best they can to drive the team not only out of San Francisco, but the Bay Area itself (to bad the morons can't see that).

He wants to cut public transportation to the stadium for games, is he retarded. Yea, smart one there buddy, not only piss the team off, but the fans as well. Not only that, but cutting public transportation is only going to make the traffic issue at Candlestick even worse.

Give me a break, the city is really doing a great job here (not).

If the city is going to act like a bunch of babies fighting over a toy, then they no longer deserve the 49ers.

They have to talk tough, after York talked tough and basically blindsided them with this Santa Clara issue. But on a positive note - *THEY ARE TALKING* and that's a **** good sign. If they weren't talking - I'm pretty sure Santa Clara will have won. Right now it's a toss up and will probably be a toss up for at least weeks if not months.

Giedi

[49Faithful]

TALK OF CUTTING SERVICES AND TAKING AWAY TEAM NAME (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/football/nfl/san_francisco_49ers/16015271.htm?source=rss&channel=mercurynews_san_francisco_49ers)


intresting article
:throw:

:cowboy1:This starting to look like their playing a game of who will screw the fans the worst:pullhair: I say we form a lynch mob for the the both of them!!! :pards:

[linkboy]

They have to talk tough, after York talked tough and basically blindsided them with this Santa Clara issue. But on a positive note - *THEY ARE TALKING* and that's a **** good sign. If they weren't talking - I'm pretty sure Santa Clara will have won. Right now it's a toss up and will probably be a toss up for at least weeks if not months.

Giedi

Giedi, you're right the city has to talk tough. However, there is a difference between talking tough and acting stupid.

The state and federal government should not be involved in this mess (as its a local issue between the team and city). Also, the city should not threaten to cut public transportation to games as that only hurts the fans (but shown by the cities handling of the issues at Candlestick, that doesn't surprise me).

The way the city is acting, its doing more harm to them then it is the 49ers.

What the city should have done is kept all of this between the team and themselves. Instead the mayor pulled a "TO" and went straight to the media with a threat to take the name away (that didn't help an already fragile situation). As a result, you now have the federal goverment involved and a bill being researched that not only will effect the 49ers, but every other sports league (if this bill is passed, what's to stop cities like New York or Dallas from charging the Giants/Jets and Cowboys to use the name). Another issue that comes up is how quickly its going to be expanded to stuff other than sports. You know that some city will try to use this bill on more than just a sports team (think Rice-A-Roni and the city of San Francisco)

This is a city that has repeately shown that they will not help their local sports teams when it comes to stadiums. We saw it with the Giants (they had their bags packed and were waiting at the airport to go the St. Petersburgh) and we're seeing it again with the 49ers.

Personally, I don't care where the new 49ers stadium is built, as long as it stays in the Bay Area. Santa Clara or San Francisco, its doesn't matter to me. I just want the 49ers to have a stadium that they deserve.

[Niner Jan]

LinkBoy,

You are right on! Good job! I can't believe how childish the mayor is acting.

As for Diane Feinstein, I'm writing her to let her know that she has gotten MY last vote by what she said she'd do in legislating a new law. Don't senators have more important laws to pass than worrying about the names of football teams?

How can senators enact laws prohibiting some teams from moving and keeping their name (without the city boundaries) when at least 4 other NFL teams have already done that--without any problems from the states in which they resided?

I'm writing to her today! :throw:

Furious Fan Jan :boxing: :hunter: :wild: