Dodgers' owners Frank and Jamie McCourt to separate, placing ownership in doubt

SamAdams:

It sounds like now that Fuller's ex stands to get a nice increase in alimony and child support, she is recanting the previous physical abuse accusations.

I really have a problem understanding how someone in line to inherit the Pillsbury fortune or part thereof, could take a job as a "driver".

The first mention I had of him stated that his mother was a Pillsbury heir. Somehow that has morphed into him being an heir. Maybe he's just related and not in line to get any of the fortune.

LOL, what a freakin' embarrassment Jamie and Frank have become for the Dodgers and MLB.

Looks like Jamie got conned by her driver into thinking he was an heir of the Pillsbury fortune.

I can't see Selig sitting around too long if Jamie and Frank continue to tear into and slander each other.

Hopefully, its World War III in the court room today and more mudslinging ensues.

doctyper:

Looks like Jamie's reinstatement request was denied, per Dylan Hernandez.

From a legal standpoint, I don't know the validity of this decision. From a Dodger fan's view, Hell yeah, we won the first battle! I think it would have totally disruptive to the franchise if she had been reinstated as president.

Another good thing about Jamie not being reinstated is that it should increase her efforts to make the Dodgers part of the community property and, thus, force Frank into a sale.

If she had been reinstated, it may have induced her to maybe try and work out a truce with Frank due to the fact that she would have been able to draw her large salary and get all the benefits and perks of being the CEO of the Dodgers.

Now that she's been rebuked, she will probably employ the "scorched earth" strategy and try and get Frank to sell the Dodgers so that she can get her share of the equity in the club.

Die-Hard Dodger Fan:

Another good thing about Jamie not being reinstated is that it should increase her efforts to make the Dodgers part of the community property and, thus, force Frank into a sale.

If she had been reinstated, it may have induced her to maybe try and work out a truce with Frank due to the fact that she would have been able to draw her large salary and get all the benefits and perks of being the CEO of the Dodgers.

Now that she's been rebuked, she will probably employ the "scorched earth" strategy and try and get Frank to sell the Dodgers so that she can get her share of the equity in the club.

That is gonna make that long flight to Montreal more comforting, tomorrow. Maybe, by the time I am back on Tuesday, the Dodgers will be on the market. <hope, pray, work the beads>

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring.
FM--Hello, Frank McCourt.
JM--Frank, this is Jamie. Y'know, I've been thinking.
FM--Did it hurt much?
JM--No, really, Frank, we need to talk.
FM--You have my attorney's number.
JM--Can I just come home and we'll forget all about the last few months.
FM--What? Forget about winning the division and the NLDS sweep? Are you nuts?
JM--No, forget about all that stuff about my Pillsbury Dough Boy.
FM--You mean he's not driving it home like he used to?
JM--Stop it, Frank. It was temporary insanity. I don't know what I was thinking. Must have been a late middle aged crisis, or something. He swept me off my feet. Temporary insanity. Now, I realize what a fool I was.
FM--Well, that's good. You've caught up with the rest of the world, compliments of TMZ.
JM--So, can I just come home and we'll cuddle?
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM (sound of dial tone)

To be continued.

grabarkewitz:

Still several battles left in this war. I love the line from her lawyer that Hot Lips lives, breathes and eats Dodger baseball.... of course she does, how else would she support her lifestyle? I seriously doubt whether she would know the players without a scorecard.

Wonder if she even checked the scores during her three week summer vacation in Europe?

I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. So far the dirt has all been about Hot Lips' indescretions, which seem to have caused the recent fall-out. However, both members of The Brand seem to suffer from much the same delusion of grandeur and entitlement. Frank may prove as pure as the driven snow, but on the surface he seems to exude arrogance.

So, I expect that right about the time this situation seems to quiet down a bit another bombshell will land.

DoppelgangBang:

Update from DT ...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/2009/11/fired.html

Basically anyone that was hired by Jamie is getting the axe ... that brings the front office death toll to 8. 8 persons involved in the marketing of the Dodgers are gone ...

Quite honestly, I thought the Dodger marketing efforts the last few years were lame. Bleacher Beach? Try to get me to pay 40$ for the worst seats in the house and you'll throw in some BBQ chicken? No. Same with the all you can eat pavilion. Stupid.

With that said, we've got another huge round of turnover in the organization and its just getting so annoying.

I'm firmly behind getting these ass-clowns out of LA. Can we write letters to bud? We need to wake that guy up.

I gotta feeling that Bud Lite is in a bunker hoping everything (McCourt divorce, Tom Hicks, Umpires, etc....) goes away quietly. Here's a heads up for Bud - It ain't happening. He best be earning his bloated salary this winter or he could be an unemployed used car salesman/baseball commissioner.

blulyd:

Good article from the Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2009/11/08/in_la_mccourts_second_act_may_be_just_about_up/?s_campaign=8315

Nice to see one of our own contributors in that article.

DoppelgangBang:

That article made me want to vomit.

Pretty much everyone hates these people ... I'm completely turned around now from a "wait and see" to a "get them the hell out of town now" approach.

Dontcha just love the part about the high-flying aggressive contract attorney now claiming that she didn't know what she signed when she signed the agreement in 2004 making Frank solely responsible for any liabilities associated with assuming control of the Dodgers ?!?

These two have been schemers from the very beginning, including with each other, but their very risky moves kept working out. It just seems that such driven people tend to drive themselves off a cliff at some point.

kennerbuggy:

Dontcha just love the part about the high-flying aggressive contract attorney now claiming that she didn't know what she signed when she signed the agreement in 2004 making Frank solely responsible for any liabilities associated with assuming control of the Dodgers ?!?

These two have been schemers from the very beginning, including with each other, but their very risky moves kept working out. It just seems that such driven people tend to drive themselves off a cliff at some point.

It's a laugh-a-minute. She should know that she'll be laughed out of court with that one. However, I'm no family law expert, but I have to think a CA court might be open to challenging that document, considering he used assets they acquired while together to purchase the team. Why would she sign that in the first place?

I've been out of town and away from the computer for a few days, but two things:

1) one of the 8 people that got let go was a former college roommate of mine. When I wasn't trying to hang myself over the fact that he ended up with basically my dream job, i was able to get some info info. No more.

2) glad to see someone noticed me in the Globe!

Mike Scioscias tragic illness:

I've been out of town and away from the computer for a few days, but two things:

1) one of the 8 people that got let go was a former college roommate of mine. When I wasn't trying to hang myself over the fact that he ended up with basically my dream job, i was able to get some info info. No more.

2) glad to see someone noticed me in the Globe!

Any info from him/her on the firing? What's the environment like?

DoppelgangBang:

Any info from him/her on the firing? What's the environment like?

Not good. "Bad" and "A complete mess" were the terms used.