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In discussing the dismissal of his coach, Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi made a casino analogy that explained why the team folded under Terry Murray and what kind of coach the Kings will wager on next.

Its a lot easier playing with the houses money, he said. Were at the stage of the franchise where youre going to be judged on wins and losses and playoff rounds. And thats where you strive to be for. Its a lot easier when theres no expectations and, like I said, with every win you can get a parade. Were not there right now, so it comes down to wins and losses.

Murray was the right guy for the house money phase: Working with young players, establishing a defensive ethos. He was the coach who could make this team good enough for the playoffs; the coach of small victories and steady progress.

But after consecutive first-round playoff losses, and with roughly $63.5 million committed to salary against the cap, the stakes were raised and the Kings were anteing up. So Murray went bust.

Based on Lombardis presser, one gets the feeling interim coach John Stevens is as temporary a solution as they come. (Of course, the Kings ripping off a winning streak could alter that decision, if Stevens is given the chance.)

If Stevens is merely a band-aid, whos the next Kings coach?

Darryl Sutters name keeps coming up.

Rich Hammond was right out of the gate with the Sutter speculation, writing:

Keep an eye on the whereabouts of Darryl Sutter in the next few days. Dean Lombardi is very close with Sutter and, as GM in San Jose, hired Sutter in 1997. Sutter left the coaching ranks after the 2005-06 season, as he went from coach/GM to GM, and he left that role last December.

So would Lombardi reach out to Sutter?

Theres no timeline and were looking at all our options.

Is there a short list of candidates that he may or may not be on?

I think its fair to say when youre in this situation, its a very short list. Youre with your team, right in the middle of the fray, I think you have a decent idea of what you think might do it, jump-start [your team].

When Lombardi hired Sutter to replace Al Sims in 1997, he spoke highly of his new coachs substance over shtick:

One thing Ive learned, said Lombardi, who also hired Sims, is theres a big difference between delivery and substance. Darryl is about substance. Players see through delivery. Darryl is not a politician. Hes not a guy with great delivery or a guy who can knock you off your feet.

But would Sutter be what the Kings need? Murrays out because the Kings are offensively challenged, last in the NHL in goals-per-game. Sutter isnt an offensive coach — hes as defense-first as Murray was, maybe even more so. Its foolhardy to expect Lombardi to suddenly seek out some fire-wagon coach thatll unleash Anze Kopitar as an offensive dynamo.

Hes hired defense-first coaches throughout his time with the San Jose Sharks and the Kings. Its a shared philosophy.

So theres a better chance itll be a coach more in the mold of Sutter than, say, Tony Granato, the former LA King player who is now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. (The LA Times said the Kings havent asked for permission yet.)

Of course, theres another veteran coach in the Sutter mold that recently lost his gig in SoCal. Darren Dreger believes it could come down to what the GM wants and what ownership wants: Darryl Sutter vs. Randy Carlyle. Either move would make life very interesting in the Western Conference.

Check out The Royal Halfs remembrance of Terry Murray, and Eric Cooney explaining what Murray meant to the Kings.

Related: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks

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  Proving that dog runs aren’t just for the city’s canine population, dog owners Robert Klus (left), Penny Arsenault and Kacey Baines strike up a conversation yesterday at Lansdowne Dog Park. The University of Waterloo is releasing a study soon on human interactions at dog parks in Montreal.Photograph by: MARIE-FRANCE COALLIER THE GAZETTE, The Gazette

The quality of social interactions among two-legged users of Montreal-area dog parks is the focus of a new study out of the University of Waterloo.

As time constraints and technological gadgetry encroach on the tradition of the neighbourly chat, a research team is studying the human benefits to canine-inspired camaraderie in a city where disputes over dog runs regularly degenerate into protracted turf wars.

Preliminary research indicates that while most interactions are positive, there are sometimes issues with discipline and hierarchical park politics among the human pack.

“In a time where humans seem to be increasingly more disconnected in terms of face-to-face conversation, dog parks are able to facilitate human social interactions,” masters student Taryn Graham said.

Graham is leading the study along with Waterloo professor Dr. Troy Glover from the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

Dogs, Graham notes, provide a common interest and serve as a social buffer that makes people feel able to approach one another.

While generally beneficial to humans, dog-inspired interactions are not necessarily positive for the animals.

“Some are complaining that owners may be socializing at their dog’s expense, failing to pay attention to their pet’s whereabouts and needs,” Graham said.

Others have noted a pecking order can set in among dog-park regulars, with more domineering members asserting control over the group much in the way of a wolf pack.

The complaints, researchers noted, are similar to those found in research conducted on groups of mothers who would gather regularly with their infants.

The study’s aim is to offer guidance for future dog-park planning and management, and to stress the need for humans to pay attention to their animals’ well-being while engaging in leisure activities.

Montreal was chosen because of the city’s well-publicized and multifaceted battles over dog runs.

Certain municipalities, like Westmount, have added restrictions that require a $40 ID tag for outside residents to use their dog parks. Some boroughs have restricted certain breeds, like pit bulls. Many municipalities feature dog parks, while others, like Montreal West and Dorval, don’t have designated areas, Graham said.

In Hampstead, the creation of an enclosed run became a key plank in municipal political campaigns and prompted a lawsuit against city council.

“Since dog parks greatly vary from one place to another, this study seeks to understand what seems to be working vs. what needs improvement,” Graham said.

Montreal was also chosen because Quebec lags behind other provinces in animal welfare laws, said Graham, founder of PAWSitive Leadership, a program that brings dogs into classrooms and community centres to stimulate learning and development.

Critics of dog runs – often residents who live near the parks – complain of noise at all hours, owners who don’t pick up after their pets, and unleashed animals that attack people and cats.

Proponents argue a patch of green space where dogs can run free is a small price to pay for the physical and mental well-being of pets and their owners.

The researchers’ questionnaire asks about the owners’ and dogs’ behaviour at the park, and asks respondents to describe positive and negative interactions they’ve experienced.

On the positive side, dog owners have written about the social aspect – making new friends or business partners and learning French, for example. One owner’s dog-run friends took over his dog-walking duties while he was recovering from surgery.

On the negative side, respondents note excessive cellphone use, owners who talk so much they ignore their dogs, the formation of cliques who dictate new rules for the park, and the inability to say something about it because one lacks status in the group.

“It’s quite interesting the politics that form sometimes,” Graham said.

Researchers are also hoping to find whether doggie racism extends to owners.

Graham has made many connections in Montreal while walking her St. Bernard, a breed typically portrayed as kind and friendly. But owners of pit bulls have told her they have trouble socializing with other dog owners. When they enter the dog park, many people immediately take their pets and leave.

The results of the study are to be presented at a conference on leisure studies in New Zealand in December.

To participate in the study, email researcher Taryn Graham at taryn. graham@uwaterloo.ca

rbruemmer@montrealgazette.com

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette   

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But his efficiency dropped off, too. His field goal percentage plummeted from an impressive 58.1% to a middling 52.7%. He also fell off badly in rebounds per-36 minutes, going from 9.3 to 7.9, so it wasnt just his shooting that suffered. Before you think I am probing the possibility of Marc Gasol falling in drafts, there are a lot of things that still need to be taken into consideration

First off, what will Gasols role be in the offense this season?

The Grizzlies did very well in the 2011 NBA Playoffs without max contract All-Star Rudy Gay. His return makes a lot of experts wonder if the Grizzlies will still be the same team that shocked the Spurs last year and hung with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 7 games before falling on the road to the more talented Thunder.

Whether or not Gay is a part of the picture going forward dramatically affects the makeup and the offensive focus of the Grizzlies team. When Gay is in, the ball will be on the perimeter more and it will leave Gasol relegated to mostly scoring garbage buckets. Since his offensive rebounds fell off from 3.0 per game to 2.1, that means roughly 2 less points than he had in 09-10, and he is going to have to find a way to get his field goal percentage back up over 55%, like a talented big mans should be.

Zach Randolph emerged as more than just a solid player last season and had a career year. Mike Conley began to become more than just a mediocre point guard, also posting a career season. Free agent signee Tony Allen worked out brilliantly, providing great defense, while sophomore Sam Young provided a spark off the bench, as well, not to mention the shot jacking scoring prowess of Darrell Arthur and the leadership skills of Grevious Vasquez. In all, Memphis had a very deep and very good team.

But all in all, Gasols role probably wont change much. His primary reason for being on the court is to provide effective defense (1.9 blocks per game, 1.0 steals per game), and his scoring is pretty decent too. Neither I nor most others ever expect Marc Gasol to reach the levels of his brother Pau, but maybe that goes without saying. I dont think well ever be looking at any kind of top 25 player in Marc, but that isnt to say he doesnt have a lot of value. Its just that all things considered, we probably cant expect much of a change one way or the other for Marc Gasol next year.

If Gay is on the team, maybe 12 points per game versus 14 if Gay departs, but that is a factor that may or may not be even as pronounced as I am making it sound here. Its just about the only consideration, other than an increase in minutes. If Gasol could go back to seeing 35 minutes a game, or even just 33, it would help his value a lot more than the mere 31 he saw last season.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – Where can you have fun and learn something at the same time? The Forest Park Zoo!  Teralyn la chance is the assistant education director at the zoo and she brought some fun creatures for us to play with and we got up close and personal with them right here in studio 1A. 

THE FOREST PARK ZOO

The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center is a non-profit organization governed by the Forest Park Zoological Society. Situated in Forest Park, a 735 acre woodland park in Springfield, the Zoo features exotic and indigenous animals representing a large variety of species found throughout the world and in North America.

The Zoo is dedicated to wildlife education and offers a variety of educational programs and special events for children and adults. Zoo On The Go, Guided Tours, and Discovery Programs can be adapted to all age groups and interests. Different events almost every weekend allow guests to explore all aspects of science, while having a good time. Animal Tales in July and August introduces the mystery and excitement of nature through literature. Zoo Camp, during both winter and summers school vacations all children ages 6-11 to explore nature, discover wildlife and meet exotic creatures.

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Money Managers Cut Bets on Lower London Cocoa Prices By 55%
December 12, 2011, 10:00 AM EST

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By Isis Almeida

(Updates with robusta coffee in third paragraph.)

Dec. 12 (Bloomberg) — Money managers reduced their net- short position, or bets on lower prices, on cocoa traded in London by 55 percent in the week ended Dec. 6, data from NYSE Liffe, the derivatives arm of NYSE Euronext, showed.

Net-short positions fell to 2,695 from 5,995 futures a week earlier, according to the weekly commitments of traders report published on the exchange’s website today. Prices dropped 3.6 percent over the same period.

Money managers reduced robusta coffee net-short positions by 12 percent in the period. Net-short positions fell to 6,263 contracts from 7,083 futures a week earlier, exchange data show. Prices rose 3.1 percent over the same period.

In white, or refined sugar, money managers were net long, or betting on higher prices, by 799 contracts, the data show. That compares with 801 futures a week earlier. Prices for the sweetener rose 3.5 percent in the same period. Money managers reduced bets on higher prices for a fourth consecutive week.

In feed wheat, money managers decreased their net-short position to 216 futures, from 306 the previous week. Money managers have been net-short feed wheat for 12 consecutive weeks. Feed wheat prices fell 1 percent in the period.

–Editors: John Deane, Sharon Lindores

To contact the reporter on this story: Isis Almeida in London at ialmeida3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at ccarpenter2@bloomberg.net

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The second annual Bayside Senior All-Star football game concluded with team South defeating team North 38-22 on a very dry, chilly Saturday evening at Sea Gull Stadium.

For many of the high school seniors, this last game under the lights was not only to a time to put on a display for college recruiters across the country, but also a chance for them to enjoy playing the game they love most in front of family and friends for the final time in their high school careers.

Its very competitive between the South and North — we want to win, but at the same time we just want to come out here and have fun, said Wicomico High School running back OJ Byrd, the Souths Offensive MVP. Im glad (we) won and had a good time (doing so).

Byrd finished the night with 114 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns.

The game was tied 14-14 at halftime. The teams seemed to rival each other drive for drive, both rushing and through the air. The game remained close until the fourth quarter, when, with the South squad ahead 31-22, Wicomico wideout/kick/punt returner Corray Heath returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown with 6:36 left to play. The play came on the heels of a team North touchdown.

Team Souths defense stepped in from that point on and sealed the victory.

When we came together as a team, it seemed like we played well, said Stephen Decatur High School linebacker John Lewis, team Souths Defensive MVP. We (showed) teamwork. Everyone did their job.

Lewis finished the night with 13 tackles (four solo), with one tackle for a loss.

Decatur coach Bobby Knox, now in his second year coaching the South team, thought his players showed a great team effort.

The kids played hard, he said. All the kids got to play. I think they had a lot of fun.

At the end, members of both teams met each other at the 50 yard line and congratulated one another, wishing each other well before heading off the field for the last time.

Sportsmanship is great, Knox said. The players are fortunate enough to have coaches in this conference who (are willing) to volunteer their time to (come together) so they could have one last hurrah.

There was a little trash talk (during the game), but whats football without (it)? Lewis asked. At the end of the game everyone was like, Yeah, its over. It was a good game. It seemed like all the rivalries had ended.

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The owners of the Mets, needing cash and unable to turn to Major League Baseball for more financial help, received a $40 million loan from a major bank in the past six weeks.

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Lm Otero/Associated Press

Jose Reyes left the Mets and signed with the Marlins for $106 million over six years.

Keep up with the latest news on The Times’s baseball blog.

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The team described the arrangement as a bridge loan, meant to aid the team as it tries to raise money through the sale of minority stakes in the club.

The loan marks the second time in a year that the Mets have received an infusion of cash. A year ago, the team’s owners, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, received a $25 million loan from Major League Baseball, but they have not been able to repay it. Meanwhile, Sandy Alderson, the club’s general manager, said last week that the organization had lost $70 million in 2011 alone.

Earlier this year, the team’s owners appeared to have a plan to address their financial problems: selling a roughly $200 million stake in the team to the hedge fund tycoon David Einhorn. But after months of negotiations, the owners called off the deal in September, in part because they did not want to give Einhorn a path to becoming the team’s majority owner.

At the time, Wilpon and Katz said that “ownership has provided additional capital to cover all 2011 losses and is moving forward with the necessary resources to continue to operate the franchise.”

And the owners said they were confident they could easily raise the $200 million they needed by selling 10 minority shares in the team for $20 million each.

The $200 million was going to be used, they said, to pay off debts to their banks and to Major League Baseball, and to finance team operations.

The recent $40 million loan suggests that the effort to sell minority shares in the team was not generating the cash that the owners needed in the near term. The owners, through a spokesman, said the loan had been approved by Major League Baseball and the other banks to which they are already indebted. Bank of America was the source of the $40 million loan, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

This month the club lost the free-agent shortstop Jose Reyes, widely considered its best player, to the Miami Marlins, and its extremely modest player acquisitions in recent weeks suggest the team is not operating like a big-market, marquee team.

The implications of the team’s latest outside financing are not easy to forecast. But two people with knowledge of the team’s finances said that if a full lineup of minority stake investors was not in place by next spring, and cash not in hand, Wilpon and Katz might have to confront the prospect of selling the team entirely.

The men first had to face that possibility last December when they learned they were the target of $1 billion lawsuit brought by the trustee representing the victims of Bernard L. Madoff’s fraud. The trustee has accused the men of having turned a blind eye to the possibility that Madoff was a fraud while they enriched themselves with his steady, outsize investment returns.

Wilpon and Katz are facing a possible jury trial this spring at which they could be forced to explain themselves, and their years of investing with Madoff. Their potential liability could be hundreds of millions of dollars.

People familiar with the team’s situation have said the owners had firm commitments from at least seven investors interested in buying a small share of the team for $20 million apiece. Still, until all are sold, none of the investors have had to turn over cash. Vince Gennaro, a consultant to several major league teams, said that the $40 million loan “says to me that their finances continue to be tight, that there is a cash pinch.”

He added: “The team underperformed, and this tides them over until they get their money. They need cash flow.”

Now, Gennaro said, between the bridge loan and the $25 million owed to baseball, “the first $65 million has to go out the door” should the owners sell an adequate number of shares in the team.

Joseph Ravitch, a veteran sports banker who is a partner in the Raine Group, said the ability of the team’s owners to secure another $40 million in loans established that the team was still considered a valuable holding.

But, Ravitch added, a bridge loan usually carries a high interest rate, and he said that bridge loans were very clear “about their ability to recover the loan against an asset.”

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Alec Baldwin isnt one to let a scandal just blow over! The 30 Rock star paid a visit to Saturday Night Live on Dec. 10 to make fun of American Airlines for ejecting him from a flight last week for continuing to play WordsWith Friends on his phone.

During the Weekend Update news segment, Seth Meyers introduces mustachioed American Airlines pilot Capt. Steve Rogers (Baldwin in costume), who says hes there to publicly apologize to Baldwin.

It was very important for me to come here tonight and on behalf of every one at American Airlines and issue an apology to Mr.Alec Baldwin, Rogers says in his thick Southern accent.

Alec are you sure this is the right way to handle this, Meyers stage-whispers to Baldwin, who breaks character and replies Yeah, keep going!

Then, the apologetic Capt. Rogers continues to ask for Baldwins forgiveness.

Mr. Baldwin is an American treasure, and I am ashamed of the way he was treated, he continues. What harm would it do to let him keep playing his game? Not any game, mind you, but a word game — for smart people!

When Seth asks, But dont phones interfere with the planes communication system? Rogers is dismissive.

Would you really get on an airplane that flew 30,000 feet in the air if you thought one Kindle switch would take it down? Come on! Its just a cruel joke perpetrated by the airline industry!

There you have it, folks. Baldwin is unlikely to receive a real apology from American Airlines, so he made one up himself!

Watch the sketch below!

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Just over half of American pet owners will buy gifts for their pets this holiday season, and they`ll spend an average of $46 on their animals, with toys and treats topping the list, according to a new AP-Petside.com poll.

USAToday.Com

Buying Christmas gifts for friends and family is a living nightmare, half of them don`t like the gifts you buy for them, and the other half don`t give you gifts in return.

But purchasing presents for pets is always a pleasure, I`ve never had my cats or dogs complain about the gifts I buy for them. My cat Ebony and my dog Mandy are the only names on my Christmas gift list. I`m not going to spend more than a few bucks on Ebony and Mandy — Ebony will be satisfied with a couple of new toys and Mandy will be thrilled if she gets a bone and a new collar.

Any pet owner who forgets his pets on Christmas is a stingy Scrooge who doesn`t deserve to have any animals in his home.

Who is always thrilled when you come home? Who slobbers you with love when you are feeling down? Who is never ashamed or embarrassed to walk by your side? Who will eat whatever you serve him for dinner without complaining? Who is always more than willing to join you for your evening jog? Who will snuggle on the sofa with you, and not complain that you have a penchant for watching chick flicks on the Lifetime channel?

Your pooch of course! Don`t forget your pets this Christmas!

Follow Robert Paul Reyes on Twitter: http://twitter.com/robertpaulreyes

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Are holiday shoppers tapped out?

A new national survey suggests consumers are reining in their gift-buying earlier than usual.

A promising surge last month in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales has given way to disappointing mid-December shopping, said Britt Beemer, chairman of retail analyst Americas Research Group.

Americans spent out on Black Friday, he said. They had money to spend on the big deals and bargains. They spent it, and now theyre done. They simply have no money.

The survey of 1,000 consumers conducted Friday through Sunday by Americas Research Group and UBS Global Equity Research showed 40 percent are done with their holiday shopping, compared with 28 percent at the same time last year.

To keep cash registers ringing over the next 12 days, retailers will have to remain aggressive with price discounting and promotions, Beemer said.

While Beemer attributes the survey results to the weak economy, other analysts say the relatively long holiday shopping period this year 30 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas means consumers may just be finishing their shopping earlier.

Anecdotal reports suggest weekend shopping in metro Denver was strong.

I was out shopping, and I can tell you that the stores were really packed over the weekend, said Shannon Butler of the Colorado Retail Council.

At the Streets at Southglenn, weekend retail-sales totals were not available, but another indicator the number of skaters at the outdoor malls ice rink was at a near-record level, said spokeswoman Megan Campbell.

Diana Hunter, shopping Monday on the 16th Street Mall, said she has barely done any holiday gift-buying.

Im just getting started, she said. Im really going to need all the time I can get. Ill probably be shopping on Christmas Eve.

While the Saturday before Christmas typically is huge for shopping, having it occur this year on Christmas Eve will make it a weak sales day, Beemer said.

Not so, according to Kathy Grannis of the National Retail Federation.

The ability to shop on Dec. 24, she said, is a procrastinators dream.

Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com

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