I didn’t know her name an hour ago, but Sue Cain, the Metro Nashville law director, is at least a candidate for my holiday* card list next year. Here’s why, courtesy of The Tennessean:

The debate could hinge on legal interpretations of the word “consecutive.” The arena lease says that after the Predators’ first five full seasons were completed, “any two consecutive full seasons (determined cumulatively)” below 14,000 paid attendance would trigger the escape clause. But an NHL lockout and the year after the lockout wouldn’t count. The Predators’ fifth full season was 2002-03. They failed to reach the 14,000-ticket threshold in 2003-04, and then the 2004-05 NHL season was wiped out by a lockout. So 2004-05 and 2005-06 didn’t count. In 2006-07, the Predators’ ticket sales fell short of 14,000 again.

So the question is whether 2003-04 and 2006-07 are considered “consecutive full seasons.” Cain, the Metro law director, said no. “Consecutive seasons to me means consecutive,” she said. “And I think a court would agree.”

This sounds like an emerging hurdle to help keep the Preds in town. As a diehard fan whose heart is cracked (if not broken) after the past few days, I’m looking for every one of those I can find right now. Go Sue go!

*Just hoping to begin the War on Christmas early this year.

Karl Dean is apparently not a fan of school uniforms, but he’s not looking to rock the boat. When asked today by blogger Marty Kennedy whether he supports the recent school board decision to require uniforms in Metro schools, Dean hesitated with a punctuated “umm” as he pondered his response before saying, “I’ll give you an even more evasive answer.” Dean went on to say that he was aware that the school board had spent a lot of time and energy in making its decision and that he intends to fully support the board as mayor.

These remarks resulted in a confusing conversation about school vouchers and school choice between Dean and Kennedy. Dean eventually made it clear that he does not support vouchers (”I don’t want to be reimbursed for my payments to a private school.’) but that he does favor other forms of school choice, such as charter schools and single gender schools (not systemwide, just to provide the option for parents).

I have a good feeling after today that Dean prefers choice not only in educational options but also when it comes to standard school attire. Dean continues to intrigue me with his candid remarks and his quick wit, including the evasive answer remark, and it’s apparent to me today that he is looking to support the school board and other government in making tough decisions, even when he hasn’t necessarily agreed with the choices made. That may be a recipe for sound and effective leadership.

Adam Kleinheider and Mary Mancini participated in what was a small group of bloggers joining Dean for lunch today, although it should be noted that the group was slightly smaller than Catherine McTamaney hoped it would be.

Karl Dean, mayoral candidate, season ticket holder and self-described “hockey fan,” said today that he wants the Predators to stay in town. As mayor, Dean said, he would take a “proactive” approach to keeping the team in town, stopping just short of “making house calls door-to-door to sell tickets.”

Dean went on to say that as mayor he would look to rally corporate leadership to reinvest in the team through ticket sales and sponsorships. He described the city’s past few years of strong economic growth and made the point that Nashville’s economic base and its business community are stronger than ever. “In the past two years,” he added, “there have been more opportunities [for corporate support via relocating companies] than ever before.” He also pointed out that industry magazine Expansion Management named Nashville the top city in the nation for corporate relocation two years running.

This is about more than a sheet of ice and a vulcanized rubber disk. It’s about civic pride and the continuing development and momentum of our city. [That's me talking, not Karl, though this is one point we agree on.]

Some reassuring words from Eklund in the comments on his blog:

“leipold was the only reason for the preds in the first place…there is so much this guy did that i truly believe there isn’t an owner in any sport alive that would have worked harder…hpckey [sic] in nashville sure isn’t easy…and this story isn’t written yet….selling to basillie may end up his best act yet when it comes to saving hockey in nashville…trust me on this one..there is more to this…be careful to wait a bit prior to passing judgement here…

i so i wish i could tell you all i know tonight , but all i can say is dont trade in your hockey jerseys yet preds fans….plenty of hope…”

I don’t know what to think after today, but I am at least mildly encouraged by this. I’ll do the best I can to wait for tomorrow’s news conference. I will agree with Eklund’s comments that Leipold has bent over backward trying to make hockey successful here. Perhaps there is more to this transaction than we’ve heard so far.

Eklund, whom many hockey fans know as a behind-the-scenes source who emerged during the NHL lockout, has weighed in on the Preds ownership change this evening on his Web site:

The source went on to say that Craig was very upset with having to sell the team and that the team would remain in Nashville for at least another year, but after that he couldn’t guarantee anything…

Two ways to look at this… both just speculation on my part right now, but you would have to think that Basillie would not get involved with anohter NHL franchise if he wasn’t allowed to move it. OR…perhaps he has realized that he can’t move a franchise, and that since Nashville has the building and a fresh new naming rights corporate deal.

Either way, not a fun night for Preds fans who really deserve a franchise. Many of you know that I fell in love with this city and the entire organization last year when I visited. The only thing holding back the Preds in Nashville is the lack of the Music Industry stepping up. They could sell more than 14,000 seats easily if they were all priced like upper level seats…it is the expensive corporate seats that has been the thorn…

I’m growing more concerned as this begins to soak in, and reading Eklund’s “at least another year” phrasing just feels like a punch in the gut. I’m astonished at what has happened today. I have little doubt that Craig Leipold sank not only his fortune but also his heart and soul into this franchise during the last decade, and I am really saddened to see him walk away from it. I just hope the Preds aren’t ultimately going with him.

Ken Whitehouse at Nashville Post just broke a shocker:

NashvillePost.com has learned that Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of Research In Motion (makers of the Blackberry electronic communication device) is purchasing the Predators from Wisconsin businessman Craig Leipold. Leipold has owned the club since it first took to the ice in 1998.

The sale of the Predators, Nashville’s first major league sporting franchise, was apparently discussed today in New York at a meeting of the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors. It is believed as of now that the team will remain in Nashville for the forseeable future.

I want to believe the last sentence of that quote, but this information about Balsillie from Wikipedia has me cautious about this move:

On October 5, 2006, Balsille made a bid to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins, an NHL franchise, for US$175 million from former player Mario Lemieux and his partners.

At the Penguins’ home opener that evening, Balsillie appeared in the TV booth with broadcasters Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey during the second period. Upon hearing that Errey was from Peterborough, Balsillie’s hometown, Balsillie responded with an expletive that went out over live TV[1].

The announcement came at a time that the Penguins were attempting to build a new arena. The team had reached a deal with casino operator Isle of Capri Casinos, where a new $290 million privately-funded facility would be built across the street from Mellon Arena, should the company receive a slots casino license from the state of Pennsylvania.

While Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell created an alternative to the funding plan should the casino proposal fail to materialize, Balsillie said that only the Isle of Capri plan would guarantee the Pittsburgh Penguins’ future in the city.

His statements drew skepticism from fans, who believed Balsillie intended to move the team to Canada. While Balsillie refused to rule a move out, he asserted his commitment to Pittsburgh, should a new arena be built.

On December 15, 2006, Balsillie withdrew his bid to buy the team[2]. He made the decision after receiving notice from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that the league would restrict Balsillie’s control over the team. The move was geared at preventing Balsillie from moving the team. [Emphasis added]

Though he has been candid about the Preds’ struggles throughout the team’s nine years in Nashville, Leipold has been playing things a little closer to the vest lately, especially not saying one way or the other whether the team would exercise the clause in its contract that could lead to the city paying for unsold tickets and ultimately to the team’s relocation. Even though there have been rumors of the Preds’ being for sale over the years, none of them have had any weight until now. I am very curious to see how Leipold, the team and its new owner spin things at an expected news conference tomorrow morning.

I heard Nashville advertising agency owner David Bohan speak as part of a panel yesterday evening at a Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce meeting. The panel focused on job hunting and interviewing, and Bohan provided this (paraphrased) advice for the human resource professionals in the audience:

The perfect question for someone interviewing for a sales position is this: Who sold the merchandise for your fund-raising sale in the fourth grade? Did you sell it, or did your mother and father hawk it for you in their offices? If the answer is the latter, the interviewee isn’t cut out for sales. If it’s the former, you probably have a winner.

I’m no salesman in the true sense of the word, but I thought this was an outstanding question. I’m not sure that passing a magazine or cookie sale off on your parents in elementary school means you can’t or won’t sell, but I agree that anyone who racked up major totals without mom and dad’s help is probably going to make a good salesperson.

Bohan later made the good point that, whether we recognize it or not, we are all constantly in the persuasion business. No one on the panel, which also included restaurateur and insurance broker Tom Loventhal (owner of Noshville) and Caterpillar human resources executive Jamie McDaniel, suggested that audience members seek out a future in plastics.

Perhaps the Great Escape could have picked a better date to open for business than May 30, 1977, but in my opinion it would have been awfully tough. Opening five days after the original Star Wars film debuted in theaters, the Nashville comics and collectibles shop opened at virtually the beginning of the pop culture explosion that followed. My childhood was filled with trips to the Great Escape to buy first comic books and later CDs, and I have many found memories of the place. It added fuel to the fire of my already vivid imagination, and I’ve been reaping the rewards ever since.

Owner Gary Walker is interviewed in today’s City Paper regarding the store’s upcoming 30th anniversary. He talks about the store’s origins and, more importantly, its future:

“CD sales are down this year some 20 percent from last year, and last year they were down from the year before,” he says. “The future for this business is somewhat bleak, because the business model has changed drastically. We’ve moved as a society to an iPod and downloading culture, and we’re all losing a lot of business. But we’ve come up with some strategies to deal with these changes.”

“I saw attitudes start changing about 10 years ago, “ Walker continues. “The biggest thing we’ve done over the last five years in response to a lot of what’s happened is build up and improve our Internet service, starting with the Web site. I had to go to school on that whole cyberspace world, but it was a necessity. Now we’re steadily emphasizing Internet sales, and also expanding into eBay sales and eBay auctions.”

I’m glad to see the Great Escape adjusting to the changing consumer landscape, and based on the great timing of its original launch date and its subsequent success, I wouldn’t bet against the little shop that could. Here’s looking forward to many more great years of making trips to Broadway. Happy birthday, Great Escape!

How does one year-old wedding cake taste? It’s a little dry, despite having spent the past 365 days in our freezer, but it wasn’t half bad. I only managed a couple of bites Sunday evening when Carrie and I participated in this time-honored marriage tradition. We were just happy that our lovely white cake from May 2006 was still white rather than green or some other unwelcome color.

We didn’t eat much because we had an outstanding dinner at Germantown Cafe, the site of our first official date in April 2004, before heading home to check out the wedding cake. We had a feeling that, though we wanted to try the cake, we might not want a whole lot of it. Instead we somehow topped off the huge portions at the Cafe with a delicious chocolate torte and vanilla ice cream. It was fantastic, but we were rendered semi-conscious by such a huge meal upon leaving the restaurant.

It’s been a fun and challenging and rewarding 12 months, and I can’t believe the time has gone by so quickly. Here’s looking forward to another great year–and another chocolate torte. I seriously doubt the torte will wait until next May, but the anniversary has no choice.

For all the lip service we like to pay from time to time about mercy, forgiveness and humility, I believe Hutchmo is right:

And they came to him again, and said, ‘No really, who IS our neighbor’?

And He said, ‘that bag lady on the corner inexplicably talking on a cell phone’

The more leftist of the group kind of liked that answer, but they all wondered how in hades the bag lady could afford an honest-to-god flip-top cell phone.

But, then He had more to say, ‘Jerry Falwell was your neighbor’…

One of the more vocal of the bunch exploded: “you’re f***ing kidding me.  That jackass set the movement back three hundred years.   He is the poster child of how people confuse the church with your message.  I’m glad that guy finally bit the big one’.

He said, “I didn’t say you had to like him.  Do you want to hear more about your neighbors”

Suddenly they all had appointments and things that must be tended to and left the mountaintop.   One of them was heard muttering as he descended to the valley, ‘If that prick was really my neighbor, I’d move’.

It ought to be easy enough to have compassion for a bag lady or anyone else in rough circumstances, though sadly for those of us who aren’t named Charles Strobel, it often isn’t. There are plenty of worse people on this planet than Jerry Falwell, and I hope forgiveness lies in the future for every single one of them.

Even the ones we think we’re better than. Thanks for the reminder, John.

Not that Yzerman. Mark Yzerman, brother of former NHL superstar and current Detroit Red Wings vice-president Steve Yzerman, is moving to Nashville, where he will begin working for a health care company in Cool Springs later this month. No word yet on whether Mark will be buying Preds season tickets, but if he does, I think it’s safe to guess which jersey he will be wearing when Detroit comes to town this fall. Mark co-authored the book, “Believe: The Official Book of the 1997-98 Red Wings Stanley Cup Championship,” which according to Amazon.com is currently out of print.

I heard recently that John Mellencamp will likely be booked in the near future for a show at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. This would be a great venue to hear a great artist, especially if Mellencamp plays all or part of the show acoustic, so I hope this works out. I’ve been in the SSC about five times now for receptions and for meetings, but never for music. It is a spectacular building visually, and I can only imagine how good music must sound inside the concert hall. Nashville is fortunate to have such an amazing venue.