Sports Authority
Popularity Contest
As the Kings rolled to their annual demise without the playoffs in sight, my friend Peter Monson, who owns the Fox & Goose pub on R Street, mentioned how things were getting better.
The Downtown arena had delivered on its promise to enliven a neighborhood devoid of charm and relevance. The Kings had shown improvement and potential for next season. But there was something different about the NBA crowds at Golden 1 Center.
“They aren’t the same as they used to be,” he told a few of us at the pub. “They’re just not.”
Bet on Burkle?
How nice it would be to write that Ron Burkle is the ultimate thumb on the scale, the billionaire whose name, reputation and bank account guarantee Sacramento a golden admission ticket into Major League Soccer. Unfortunately, putting the words “Burkle” and “guarantee” in the same sentence turns the story backward. Burkle doesn’t give guarantees. He takes them.
Professional Touch
For people new to cycling, it’s nice to know Mike Sayers and Julie Young are here to help.
They spend hours making sure a new bike fits the rider. They write training plans and advise on everything from clothing and equipment to diet.
Many personal coaches provide similar services. But many coaches are not Sayers and Young.
Sayers coached the U.S. Olympic men’s road cycling team at the London Olympics in 2012 and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. He was a professional cyclist for 13 years, competing across the U.S. and Europe.
Champ Among Kings
Bill Calhoun has vivid memories from his NBA career. He remembers when the league created the rule to stop goaltending. He remembers when they introduced the 24-second shot clock.
And he remembers the last time the Kings franchise won a championship. He played forward for the Rochester Royals. The year was 1951. The team that would become the Sacramento Kings beat the New York Knicks for the NBA title.
