Dein erstes Forum » had to agree to sell the franchise to Ranadives g

While everyone has Olympic fever (thankfully that is not a side effect of Zika) this week, the countdown to the Games has to be bittersweet for fans of softball. The sport was discontinued from the Olympics after 2008, and it has suffered since losing its most high-profile event.Nobody knows that better than Jennie Finch. The legendary pitcher was a member of the U.S. Olympic teams in 2004 and 2008, and she was devastated after the team lost in the gold-medal game in Beijing.While the sport looks certain to make its Olympic return in 2020, Finch will never forget the disappointment she and her teammates felt after failing to stand atop the podium in their last attempt. She wrote about that feeling in a piece for Vox on Wednesday. Even now, eight years later, Im not completely over it, she wrote.It was horrible. I felt that wed let down the tradition of USA Softball. That wed fallen short for all the women whod paved this golden tradition for us.Finch goes on to compare the life of a softball player to one of her male, baseball-playing peers, and she helps provide a stark contrast that, while nothing new, is definitely worth reading today.See something entertaining on social media that you think deserves to be shared? Let me know on Twitter, @darcymaine_espn.John Hannah Patriots Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Andre Tippett Patriots Jersey ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Irving-Fryar-Super-Bowl-Jersey/ . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Tedy Bruschi Patriots Jersey . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. Steve Grogan Womens Jersey .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago.A new owner is in place. A new coach is on the way. And for the first time in 14 years, Sacramento Kings fans can celebrate a new era. The Maloof family completed the sale of the Kings and Sleep Train Arena to a group led by TIBCO Software chairman Vivek Ranadive on Friday, officially transferring ownership of the NBA franchise. Ranadives group acquired a 65 per cent controlling interest in the team at a total franchise valuation of more than $534 million, topping the NBA record of $450 million that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the Golden State Warriors for in 2010. "We are pleased for both the Maloof family and the Ranadive group, but particularly pleased for the fans of the Kings," NBA Commissioner David Stern said. Brothers George, Joe and Gavin Maloof also released statements thanking NBA owners, Stern and the familys limited partners with the Kings. George Maloof specifically praised Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and the City Council "for their efforts and loyalty to the Sacramento community." Ranadive already has been busy making moves to rebuild the fallen franchise. The Kings have an agreement in place with Warriors assistant Mike Malone to become their head coach, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly, said Malone was Ranadives top choice. Malones hiring officially ends Keith Smarts tenure. Smart took over the Kings for the fired Paul Westphal in January 2012 and had one year remaining on his contract. Ranadive, formerly a minority owner or the Warriors, still has to hire a general manager -- a move that typically comes before finding a coach; the contract for president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie ends June 30. In a statement released through the Kings, Ranadive thanked all involved. "Mayor Kevin Johnson and the leadership group of Sacramento should be commended for their relentless efforts, hard work and tireless drive to keep the Kings in the city where they belong," Ranadive said. "We also extend our thanks to the Maloof Family for their support and co-operation throughout the sale process. Because of their efforts, this team has risen to an impressive legacy, which includes the most passionate fanbase in the NBA. "Again, thank you to Sacramento Kings fans for their unwavering commitment and loyalty to myself and this organization. Without them, this success would not have become a reality. At the end of the day, this team belongs to the people of Sacramento, and our mission is to support them. We are excited to begin the process of building a 21st century franchise that will be a source of pride and excittement for years to come.dddddddddddd" The sales completion capped a comeback few outside Californias capital city believed would happen. After owners blocked the Maloofs agreement with investor Chris Hansen to buy and relocate the Kings to Seattle earlier in May at a total franchise valuation of $625 million, the family pushed ahead with the "backup offer" to sell the team to Ranadives group. The Sacramento group also includes 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov, former Facebook senior executive Chris Kelly and the Jacobs family that owns communications giant Qualcomm. "We congratulate Vivek Ranadive and the entire Sacramento investor group for their willingness to come forward and purchase the franchise for the people of Sacramento. We are confident they will provide the stewardship necessary to continue to guide the organization to successful levels," George Maloof said. The transfer of the team ended the Maloof familys topsy-turvy reign as majority owners of the team. The Kings reached the playoffs for the first seven years under the Maloofs and missed each of the last seven. Sacramento won back-to-back Pacific Division titles in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, advancing to the 2002 Western Conference finals, when it lost in heartbreaking fashion to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. After that, the franchise started its slow and painful decline. The Maloofs, once the toast of Californias capital city, fell out of favour with fans. The suburban arena aged rapidly. Ticket sales declined. And the family explored moving the franchise to Las Vegas, Anaheim and Virginia Beach over several years until announcing an agreement with Hansens group in January. Led by Johnson, Sacramento fought back and made it too difficult for NBA owners to allow the Kings to move to Seattle. The mayor, a former NBA All-Star guard, got the Sacramento City Council to approve a non-binding financing plan for a $447 million downtown arena with a $258 million public subsidy. The Maloofs still had to agree to sell the franchise to Ranadives group. And in the end, they did -- after raising the value of the franchise to a record price. "The success of the Sacramento Kings has been due largely in part to the dedication and enthusiasm of our team members, coaches, players, and fans," Joe Maloof said. "Since our family has owned the franchise, the people of Sacramento have warmly brought the Kings into their hearts and for that we will always be grateful. As we look forward to an exciting new chapter in our family business enterprise, we will never forget the people of Sacramento and everything they have done for the Kings organization." ' ' '