Tim Leiweke leaving MLSE

[MightyDM]

Curious. So who were we going to sell an injured Defoe to and get the invest back?

Shackled to a Jozy that scored as many as Defoe when the golden boot winner was on the same team?

That's an interesting view.

How short memories are! There were rumours at the time Defoe ( hurt and all ) had been sold but it didn't happen. Turns out they were true, at least that's what I have heard. And having sold Defoe we may or may not have gone after Jozy, but we would have been in a far better situation with the cash in hand and roster flexibility. Might have kept Gilberto, for example, or got Jozy on a better deal, a different striker, or a DM. etc. As it was the Jozy deal looked like about the only way we could deal Defoe and keep our investment.

[Ivy]

You guys are coocoo if you think one of the highest revenue generating teams in the league is going to get sold / moved.

[Fort York Redcoat]

How short memories are! There were rumours at the time Defoe ( hurt and all ) had been sold but it didn't happen. Turns out they were true, at least that's what I have heard. And having sold Defoe we may or may not have gone after Jozy, but we would have been in a far better situation with the cash in hand and roster flexibility. Might have kept Gilberto, for example, or got Jozy on a better deal, a different striker, or a DM. etc. As it was the Jozy deal looked like about the only way we could deal Defoe and keep our investment.

So what?

Why am I going on a rumour as a lock? Even doing so doesn't mean that value would've been acceptable. Putting conjecture on a rumour and saying we could've been better off is a hell of a stretch.

[OgtheDim]

MLS is not going to let this team be sold and moved. Any conjecture on that is tin foil hat land.

[MightyDM]

So what?

Why am I going on a rumour as a lock? Even doing so doesn't mean that value would've been acceptable. Putting conjecture on a rumour and saying we could've been better off is a hell of a stretch.

not saying it's a lock, but saying it was from someone who was in a position to know. I believe it to be true. And the main point was not about Defoe per se, it was about Larry Tanenbaums influence - that he said no, personally. And that's interesting given the other management politics at the organization.

[Areathrasher]

It's an actual fact that there was a bid for Defoe.

It was from QPR. Their owner confirmed it on Sky Sports News in the UK. He referred to it as a "done deal" and then we pulled out.

[ryan]

You guys are coocoo if you think one of the highest revenue generating teams in the league is going to get sold / moved.

It's posts like those that make this place simulatenously hilarious and impossible to stomach. #JustCantGetEnough

[Fort York Redcoat]

not saying it's a lock, but saying it was from someone who was in a position to know. I believe it to be true. And the main point was not about Defoe per se, it was about Larry Tanenbaums influence - that he said no, personally. And that's interesting given the other management politics at the organization.

It's an actual fact that there was a bid for Defoe.

It was from QPR. Their owner confirmed it on Sky Sports News in the UK. He referred to it as a "done deal" and then we pulled out.

There you go Mighty. Thrashers got yer back on the bid.

SO...I can say it was a lock and still have no idea if we would've been better from what we could've got afterwards. And from the Tanenbaum aspect he must've agreed. (Not that I like it from any pov but business sense)

[ensco]

Wow. Leiweke was on a contract these last few months.

Some good stuff in here on eavesdropping limo drivers and Tanenbaum pulling back PTBarnum's personal seats, and the like (how did Fake Tom Anselmi never comment on any of that?).

Leiweke still selling hard the idea that he had a real transfer deal done for Defoe. I dunno. I know a lot of people believe it, but Leiweke needs that narrative, because he paid $10M for Defoe, who was then given away for free months later. The facts make his judgment look bad. (Really? Defoe actually faked an injury to go back to England to try to get out, but after that couldn't face up to telling Tanenbaum when asked directly upon his return? How could Kelly print that as though it makes sense?)

This story about how he was always only coming for a short time, and that was the basis on which he was hired, feels suspect too. Again, Leiweke needs that story, because it sure looks like he cut and ran early. (I wonder if Leiweke is doing enough arm waving to cause Cope to talk - he might be.)

Too bad Kelly didn't get him to comment on Peddie's peddlings.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle27876606/

[Beach_Red]

^ It would be interesting to hear from Cope, that's for sure.

[Beach_Red]

Wow. Leiweke was on a contract these last few months.

Some good stuff in here on eavesdropping limo drivers and Tanenbaum pulling back PTBarnum's personal seats, and the like (how did Fake Tom Anselmi never comment on any of that?).

Leiweke still selling hard the idea that he had a real transfer deal done for Defoe. I dunno. I know a lot of people believe it, but Leiweke needs that narrative, because he paid $10M for Defoe, who was then given away for free months later. The facts make his judgment look bad. (Really? Defoe actually faked an injury to go back to England to try to get out, but after that couldn't face up to telling Tanenbaum when asked directly upon his return? How could Kelly print that as though it makes sense?)

This story about how he was always only coming for a short time, and that was the basis on which he was hired, feels suspect too. Again, Leiweke needs that story, because it sure looks like he cut and ran early. (I wonder if Leiweke is doing enough arm waving to cause Cope to talk - he might be.)

Too bad Kelly didn't get him to comment on Peddie's peddlings.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle27876606/

"What he did was create an intoxicating sense of possibility in a country unused to this sort of loud American vigour."

It's as if Cathal Kelley has no idea how inundated we are by American media every minute of the day and how well we know, "this sort of loud American vigour." PT Barnum is the right description.

[ensco]

"What he did was create an intoxicating sense of possibility in a country unused to this sort of loud American vigour."

It's as if Cathal Kelley has no idea how inundated we are by American media every minute of the day and how well we know, "this sort of loud American vigour." PT Barnum is the right description.

PTBarnum was my first nickname for Leiweke when he joined. Although I quickly moved on to his bigsoccer nickname, The Ultimate Entertainer, which seems to capture it better....

[OgtheDim]

That "story" only happened because Leiweke didn't like the Peddie article.


Dueling puff pieces has a long tradition in the Globe.

[Petor]

Wow. Leiweke was on a contract these last few months.

Some good stuff in here on eavesdropping limo drivers and Tanenbaum pulling back PTBarnum's personal seats, and the like (how did Fake Tom Anselmi never comment on any of that?).

Leiweke still selling hard the idea that he had a real transfer deal done for Defoe. I dunno. I know a lot of people believe it, but Leiweke needs that narrative, because he paid $10M for Defoe, who was then given away for free months later. The facts make his judgment look bad. (Really? Defoe actually faked an injury to go back to England to try to get out, but after that couldn't face up to telling Tanenbaum when asked directly upon his return? How could Kelly print that as though it makes sense?)

This story about how he was always only coming for a short time, and that was the basis on which he was hired, feels suspect too. Again, Leiweke needs that story, because it sure looks like he cut and ran early. (I wonder if Leiweke is doing enough arm waving to cause Cope to talk - he might be.)

Too bad Kelly didn't get him to comment on Peddie's peddlings.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle27876606/

This quote from Kelly's article made my stomach churn.

"After the Defoe spat, Leiweke and Tanenbaum resumed an amicable business relationship. Both were preoccupied with bringing the Toronto Argonauts into the MLSE/BMO Field nexus – that helped things."

[ensco]

With this maelstrom of NFL in Los Angeles activity going down, interesting that Leiweke had absolutely no seat at the table in the end.

[molenshtain]

Maybe he bet on the wrong horse? Didn't think the LA thing was happening in the foreseeable future so he decided to help out the with the Miami expansion instead?

Either way, I'm happy as long as he's still here.

[GabrielHurl]

Either way, I'm happy as long as he's still here.

errr ..... he isn't

[molenshtain]

errr ..... he isn't

He hasn't officially left yet has he? He's here until we name a predecessor is he not?

[Phil]

He hasn't officially left yet has he? He's here until we name a predecessor is he not?

He left in December. Once Bill Manning was installed that sealed it.

[molenshtain]

ah. Don't know how I missed that.

[Phil]

Technically he was done July 1st but stuck around unofficially. It kind of made a press release hard and somewhat awkward for all parties. Just me reading into it.

[GabrielHurl]

Michael Friisdahl was appointed as President and CEO in October and took over in December

[ensco]

Leiweke got used by the NFL in LA for years, so blatantly that his boss turfed him. So he turns around and makes $5M or whatever for a couple of years here, all the while using MLSE's balance sheet to build up his personal cred with agents, so that he can start his quasi-agency event rep business.

It's hilarious really.

No wonder Bogers hired the boringest person they could find.

[Ivy]

Oh yah!! Isn't that the air canada guy??

[billyfly]

Leiweke got used by the NFL in LA for years, so blatantly that his boss turfed him. So he turns around and makes $5M or whatever for a couple of years here, all the while using MLSE's balance sheet to build up his personal cred with agents, so that he can start his quasi-agency event rep business.

It's hilarious really.

No wonder Bogers hired the boringest person they could find.

What the hell you know Eugene?

[ensco]

What the hell you know Eugene?

It all, of course! ;-)