Dodgers have "no chance" to make June 30 payroll

Frank McCourt has been playing a dangerous game when it comes to the Dodgers' payroll lately - staving off one potential disaster by getting an advance on some of the team's sponsorship deals to cover the June 1 payroll.

Now the L.A. Times is reporting that while McCourt is expected to be able to cut checks for the upcoming June 15 payroll, don't expect it to happen at the end of the month.

The Dodgers owe about $10 million in payroll Wednesday, according to one of the people, but that figure roughly triples for the June 30 payment as several deferred salaries come due, including more than $8 million to Manny Ramirez. 

The Dodgers appear to have "no chance" to meet the June 30 payroll without a cash infusion from a new television contract, according to a person familiar with McCourt's finances but not authorized to discuss them. If McCourt misses payroll, Selig could make the payments for him, seize the team and put it up for sale.

We posted about the Manny Ramirez payment and how it could affect McCourt's ability to hold on to the team earlier on Monday. To add to McCourt's struggle, his attorneys spent nine hours on Monday attempting to negotiate a divorce settlement with attorneys for his estranged wife, Jamie. Likely any settlement would be contingent upon a June 22 hearing in which McCourt will ask a judge to allow the team to sign a $285 million television contract extension with Fox.

Major League Baseball has been overseeing the team with the constant threat looming that McCourt could be forced to sell. If ownership does fail to make payroll at the end of the month, it could force Bud Selig's hand. Dodger fans are hoping that Mark Cuban's current good mood will make him amenable to making an offer on the team. Either way, it looks like McCourt's running out of outs.

Heat players partied at Liv with the Mavericks?

The Miami Heat bandwagon came to a crashing halt on Sunday night when the Dallas Mavericks closed out the series and won the NBA title. It's tough enough to watch a team celebrate on your own floor. It's even harder when some of your celebrity fans are photographed partying with the team that just beat you.

It's going to get tougher when people find out that some of your own teammates were there, too.

These are some different kinda dudes. I can't even be shocked by anything this team does anymore. They have a party to start the year then throw pity parties when they realize people suddenly want them to fail. At times they look inspired on the floor only to follow it up with periods of offensive incoherence. LeBron proclaims not to worry about what others say then takes a targeted shot at all of the people hating on him.

So maybe it shouldn't be surprising that some of the Heat players showed up at the club after the game. They're the anti-thesis of what everyone thinks they should be. I haven't figured out if it's willful defiance of their critics, a general arrogance or a naive cluelessness. And that's what now has me hooked on this team. Not as a fan or a hater, but just a curious observer. This promises to be one of the most fascinating team dynamics in sports history. The kind of thing that will make a fascinating feature if ESPN decides to do a 40-for-40.

Episode 31: Moving On

This week on NER...

The guys say goodbye to Oprah (sorta). Cacique gets excited about Mike Brown to the Lakers (kinda). Marcas comes to grips with USC's punishment (partially). And Barry Bonds is a good guy (for now).

Mark Cuban takes notice of "Save The Dodgers" movement

As we wrote about last week, a determined Dodger fan has started a campaign to convince Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban to buy the team from embattled owner Frank McCourt.

(For more about the site, check out my interview with Roger Arrieta.)

Turns out, there's been a little movement for the movement.

"I actually heard back from Mark Cuban," Arrieta said in a tweet. "He said he has seen the pics, didnt deny saying he wasnt interested, right now it's Mavs time."

It's easy to understand that Cuban's mind would be on other things right about now. But it's encouraging that he's taken notice of what's going on. Whether it's enough to pique his interest remains to be seen. Regardless, Arrieta has stepped up efforts by seeking donations for a billboard to advertise the website.

At this point, it may benefit Dodger fans to start wearing Maverick blue for the next couple of weeks. Perhaps the rush of winning a championship will convince Cuban to move on to new challenges...namely Major League Baseball. Plus, Laker fans can say they lost to the team that eventually won the title. Either way, it takes their minds off of watching the Dodgers for a few days.

Episode 30: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

NER celebrates a milestone. 30 episodes!

This week the guys talk about respect: why Dirk Nowitzki deserves more, why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar isn't getting more, ask if a pro athlete would get it after coming out and talk with Jerald Smith of Gentlemen Republic about instilling it.

Dodger Fans Court Mark Cuban As Their Savior

Fan frustration is reaching an all-time high in Los Angeles. Owner Frank McCourt is continuing his legal fight to keep control of the team. The franchise is offering deep discounts to try and lure angry fans back into the park. Meanwhile on the field, the team is struggling and losing ground daily in the NL West standings. So the fans of Los Angeles have turned their eyes east, looking for a savior.

LetsGoNico posted a pic of this sticker that was being handed out around Dodger Stadium before Tuesday night's game against the Brewers.

Mark Cuban's name was immediately mentioned as a candidate to buy the team in the aftermath of Major League Baseball taking over operations. He was in town recently while the Mavericks were busy dusting off the Lakers in the NBA Playoffs, but declined to make a statement one way or other about acquiring the team. Certainly he has shown interest previously in trying to purchase a baseball team with failed efforts to acquire the Cubs and Rangers under his belt.

More than anything, this is another show of disgust from an embarrassed fan base toward an embattled owner. The trust between the two sides is so broken that McCourt's double talk, broken promises and continued poor stewardship of one of L.A.'s most beloved institutions is going to make for a nearly untenable summer at Chavez Ravine.

(H/T to TrueBlueLA)

Andrew Bynum Suspended Five Games For Hit On J.J. Barea

The punishment that we all knew was coming has finally been leveled by the NBA. On Tuesday, the league announced that Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum will be suspended for the first five games of next season for his late game cheap shot on Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea. In addition he was also fined $25,000 for removing his jersey before he left the floor.

Bynum should consider himself fortunate that the suspension wasn't longer. Even though Barea was able to walk away from the collision, the intent was purely malicious. 

It completes what was a total meltdown for the Lakers. Ron Artest was forced to sit for a game after clotheslining Barea earlier in the series. Phil Jackson was fined $35,000 for "public comments about the officiating". Now the Bynum suspension and fine...it's going to be a long summer in Lakerland.

NER Playlist: Jason Kidd Drops Dimes...On The Mic!

In his 17th season in the NBA, it's easy to say that Jason Kidd isn't the player he once was. Which is why for the first edition of the New Era Radio Playlist, we're going back...way back.

All the way back to 1994 when J-Kidd was an emerging star out of Cal on his way to sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill. That was also the year Epic Records released "B-Ball's Best Kept Secret" - a compilation album that paired NBA stars with top hip-hop artists. It was a landmark album that paved the way for artists like Delonte West to freestyle at a KFC drive-thru.

Because who wasn't eager to hear Dana Barros, Dennis Scott and Chris Mills drop a rhyme in the mid-90s? But the song that stuck with me was Kidd's gem featuring Digital Underground's Money B (another East Bay product). A smoothed out G-funk style anthem reminiscent of Snoop Dogg's classic "Ain't No Fun", Kidd tells us all about his ability to give assists "like a high school tutor". But that's just the beginning of this nearly four-minute lyrical layup drill. Several of the highlights:

• Kidd touts his ball-handling skills ("Good on the dribble like an infant...")
• He addresses untruths ("Surrounded by rumors like the Timex Social...")
• Contains very likely the only rap reference ever made to former Cal basketball coach Lou Campanelli.

Enjoy your Friday, y'all...