Afternoon Line

My thumb is down to the outgoing city council in Glendale, Arizona, many of whom are outgoing for a reason. Last week, they city voted for a 20-year, $308 million arena management fee for the future owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, assuming that particular unicorn ever turns out to be real. It's a municipality blackmailing itself on sunk money, and it's incredible. The city has already made cuts to services; it may make more. The deal is contingent on the team being bought by January 31, so the lockout could scuttle it, but if it goes through, your worst-case scenario is this: Phoenix makes the Stanley Cup final, attracts fans, loses, and doesn't have police or fireman when the riots begin. -Bruce Arthur of the National Post at TSN.