Word out of Major League Baseball HQ is that yesterday's meeting among the creditors concerned about Tom Hicks's deal to sell the Texas Rangers to Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan yielded little of note. In short: "no deal killer," says here, which means the $530-$570 million transaction is still on track to get done before spring training, fingers crossed. Which will leave Hicks plenty of time to worry about his Glorypark lawsuits and his soccer team in Liverpool.
Question is: How much longer will Liverpool FC belong to Hicks (and, of course, George Gillett)? Because word out of England this morning is that twosome, well in the red since buying the Reds two years ago, may be forced to sell come summertime by banks tired of carrying all that debt the two men are so fond of restructuring rather than funding. The UK Independent uses the term "fire sale"; the Daily Mail suggests an adios by Easter. At dispute, though, are the Spirit of Shankly supporters union's minutes from a meeting with Reds' managing director Christian Purslow: SoS's notes from the confab say a sale's imminent; his aren't as dead-set. Let's ask Tommy Jr. what he thinks.