To sell or not to sell AEG seems to be on the verge of letting everyone know what's going to happen to the Quakes. Of course, there have been lots of stories in the local paper lately.

Quakes COO Scott Blackmun isn't giving much away except that an announcement should be coming in the next 30 days. He wouldn't say if the team would be sold or not...or moving or not. Sounds to me like they are moving. However, he did say the team wouldn't be sold to Club America. Perhaps the teams owner, Televisa, is the buyer....just a thought.

Anyway, I'm still sticking by my belief that they'll be playing in Houston next season and they are just holding off on announcing this until as close to the end of the season as possible to avoid lost ticket sales this season.

I have to admit, I love reading the editorials in the Mercury News lately. The passion of the media really shines through. I can't see Grahame Jones with the LA Times writing this.

Spartan Stadium isn't the problem. It's the answer. No other facility in the MLS has the same legacy and lore, dating to the old North American Soccer League. Spartan Stadium is the closest thing American soccer has to Lambeau Field. Every great soccer player of the past 40 years -- including Pele, George Best, Maradona, Mia Hamm and Eric Wynalda -- has run up and down the turf on Seventh Street.

Are you telling me that such a legacy and tradition can't be marketed? Instead, the MLS is demanding that the Quakes throw away all that, and build a soulless box of a stadium. The sightlines at Spartan are fine. And as the Club Quake members prove, having fun does not require luxury boxes and club seating.

Obviously, Mr Purdy, has been listening to his Grateful Dead CDs a bit too much lately. I'm sorry, but I've been to Spartan Stadium on several occasions. Bulldozing the place still won't helps it's location. It doesn't matter if it's the Quakes playing there or the Spartan's--I'm a Fresno State grad and have seen my Bulldogs play there a few times as well--the stadium is bad and it's location is worse. Granted, there probably aren't a lot of places in the area which are doable for a new stadium. Perhaps if they went East towards Pleasanton...but rebuilding Spartan still won't make much difference...and they'll still be sharing the facility with an awful Division 1 Football team.  ¶ 3:02 PM