NFL News:

• The new Panthers owner is going to be David Tepper, the Appaloosa Management hedge fund creator who is also a minority owner of the Steelers.
  • He’s worth $11 billion, and is apparently paying $2.2 billion in cash.
    • Higher bids were turned down in favour of a single buyer paying 100% of the purchase both himself & up-front.
  • He’s expected to be confirmed at the May owners meetings, once he puts his minority share in the Steelers up for sale.
    • The last purchase of a team was the Bills, for $1.4 billion.
  • He sounds fun to hang around with:
    • “If you look up ‘demented, narcissistic scumbag,’ you’ll see my name calling Trump that,” he reportedly told a student at Carnegie Mellon University last month. “Just Google those three words.”
    • Deadspin has all the dirt, if you want it.

• New Jersey is expected to have its first sportsbook opened by May 28th, in response to yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling.
  • It will be at Monmouth Park race track.
  • Orrin Hatch of Utah is planning to introduce legislation towards helping create the “integrity fee” that the NFL has talked about needing in order to monitor the effect of legalized gambling on its sport.

• Break out the champagne juice boxes – Eli’s memorabilia fraud case has been resolved.
  • A settlement was reached between Eli, the Giants, two equipment managers & the contracted sports memorabilia company and the three collectors suing over being sold “game-worn” equipment that may or may not have been actual game-used product.
    • At the center of the dispute were messages from Manning to a team equipment manager asking for helmets “that can pass as game used.”
      • It would have come down to interpretation:
        • “…that can pass (the test/scrutiny) as game used”
        • “…that can pass (meaning, faked) as game used”
  • No details were announced.
  • No word on whether the League will investigate this, with eyes towards possible discipline.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Lightning at Capitals – 8:00PM | NBCSN / Sportsnet
• NBA:
  • Cavaliers at Celtics – 8:30PM | ESPN / TSN
• MLB:
  • Blue Jays at Mets – 7:00PM | Sportsnet
  • Cardinals at Twins – 8:00PM | FS1
• WWE:
  • Smackdown Live! – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360

Tonight’s NHL drama – “Will the Caps blow their 2-0 lead?”