At this very moment, Sam is sitting in the parking lot outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth, where, moments ago, details concerning the auction of Your Texas Rangers were announced. Sam reports that the auction will take place at 9 a.m. on August 4 in Judge Michael Lynn's courtroom. The winner will be confirmed at 10:30 that morning by Chief Restructuring Officer William Snyder (who wasn't in the courtroom today). If Snyder approves it, that, as they say, is that. And if he doesn't OK the winning bid, well, at that point, it's close to football season, so whatever.
Sam also reports back: Houston's Jim Crane has indeed been approved by Major League Baseball to bid on the team; so too has Dallas real estate developer Jeff Beck. It was also confirmed that both Beck and Crane attended mediation proceedings last week.
"If you all leave unhappy," Lynn said at the conclusion of today's hearing, "then perhaps I've done something right."