Too little credit is given to franchise owners who are good for the game. I seem to have developed a frustration toward owners who make decisions as if a sports team is a for-profit business. If you are interested in making money, buy some car washes. There is something pure about athletics that is cheapened when moves are made for money reasons.

For all the criticism he Yankees and Red Sox get for out-spending other baseball teams, you can't say they are not in it to win it. They and others may be judicial in their spending, but they do not make moves to "salary dump." The trading deadline this year valued expiring contracts, and trading for cash in a way that just didn't sit well with me. How can you demand a fan to emotionally invest in a team when it is obvious they aren't doing everything possible to win?

Stern was recently asked which of all the NBA owners in his tenure as commissioner was his favorite. One of those he mentioned was Larry Miller of the Jazz. He cited reasons including the success he brought to the team in the smallest media market, and establishing an environment where a coach could lead a team for 20 years...in the NBA of all leagues They held on to stars like Stockton and Malone, and now have Deron and Boozer. I admit to not being the biggest Jazz fan, but I became a fan of Miller's a few years ago. My most vivid memory of him was a report given by a Sager type before a playoff game in Salt Lake City. He reported that the Jazz owner would not be in attendance. That sounded crazy to skip a home playoff game. What could be more important? It turns out it was because the game was on Sunday, and he wasn't there for religious reasons. That was really cool. This is a must read

I don't know much about Miller, but all the articles since his passing have highlighted his contributions to the community as much as his business success. The NBA lost a great owner, and the community of Salt Lake city lost a good citizen.