http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...erg_jay_z.html
New Jersey Nets' Mikhail Prokhorov dines with Mayor Bloomberg and Jay-Z, talks of renaming team
BY Erin Durkin and Julian Garcia
May 19th 2010
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Mikhail Prokhorov is a man with tsar power.
The new Russian owner of the Nets made a Steinbrenner-esque splash in his New York debut Wednesday, publicly dumping GM Kiki Vandeweghe without sentiment, sorrow or a heads-up to Vandeweghe.
"His agreement expires in the summer, and I wish him well," Prokhorov said abruptly of Vandeweghe, who was in Chicago to evaluate players for the upcoming NBA draft.
Prokhorov, with a net worth of $13.4 billion, immersed himself in the city with stops in Manhattan, the Bronx and his team's future home in Brooklyn.
The Nets are due there in a new downtown arena for the 2012 season opener.
The 6-foot-8 owner shared a Gracie Mansion breakfast with Mayor Bloomberg and Nets minority owner Jay-Z.
"We are soul mates," he said of the hip-hop mogul. "I'm looking forward to hanging out with him."
He visited the new Yankee Stadium, followed Vandeweghe with his own WFAN-AM interview later in the day and dined at the River Cafe.
Prokhorov even showed a decent sense of humor, doing his best Rodney Dangerfield impersonation for reporters at the Four Seasons Hotel.
"For me, it's a great pleasure to be here as the new owner of the Nets, the team with the best record in the whole NBA," he deadpanned. "Was I misinformed?"
The bachelor oligarch, who officially took control of the team last week, jokingly asked Bloomberg if he'd like to take over as new coach of the NBA's worst team.
Prokhorov even kidded that he might rechristen the team after his ever-evolving roster of girlfriends.
"Every time I change [girlfriends], I change the name [of the team]," the 45-year-old Russian quipped.
TOURING NETS' FUTURE HOME
From there, Prokhorov headed to the Bronx for a tour of Yankee Stadium and an interview with WFAN's Mike Francesa.
Because of his tight schedule and plans to fly back to Russia Wednesday night, Prokhorov didn't stick around for the Bombers' game against Tampa Bay - not that he had any interest.
"I don't understand much of baseball," he said.
Prokhorov toured the site of the Nets' future home in Brooklyn with Bruce Ratner, the Atlantic Yards developer who sold him 80% of the team for $200 million.
The two then headed to the River Cafe for dinner beneath the Brooklyn Bridge with Nets CEO Brett Yormark and other business executives.
Prokhorov promised to turn the Nets into a global brand and said moving the team to Brooklyn will help him achieve that dream.
"Brooklyn is home for everyone from everywhere," he said - except, apparently, for Vandeweghe.
Prokhorov does intend to make the borough a destination for the NBA's top players, including free agents LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
How, exactly?
"I have my own secret," he said confidently.
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http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/...nyet_nyet.html
N-E-T-S, nyet nyet nyet: A great basketball team needs a great new name
Editorials
May 20th 2010
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Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who last week bought the Brooklyn-bound NBA Nets, made his first important pronouncement yesterday: He is contemplating a name change.
No, not from "Prokhorov" - that suits him just fine. From "Nets," which, let's be honest, doesn't suit a New York City basketball team. The word has as much bounce and energy as a dead ball.
You don't call a baseball team the "bats."
You don't call a football team the "goalposts."
Especially not when the team is going to be anchored somewhere as tough, invigorating and full of life as is Brooklyn, New York, a go-getter place that does not idly wait for things to drop in while others play the game.
Especially when the current name is attached to a franchise that has wallowed in ignominy - yes, ignominy (get out your thesaurus, if you must) - for lo these many years.
After a 12-70 season in which you don't even manage to win the draft lottery, despite having the most ping pong balls, it's time to cleanse the palate. Start from scratch.
There's a new owner, who is something of a world beater. There's a new arena on the rise. Let it not be haunted by ghosts of seasons past.
Let there be new uniforms, new colors, new stars (Constellation LeBron, perhaps) - and a new name.
Definitely a new name.
Cut down the Nets.
And be reborn.
The best minds in any sports bar could figure out something better.
You can be sure the result will outdo the lame contest that yielded the Wizards in Washington. What were they thinking? That was only a half-step more inspiring than naming the team "The Washington Lobbyists."
Imagine the debates. Would it be sacrilege to hear an announcer cry, "Now returning to Brooklyn after more than a half-century, the Dodgers"? Or would that provoke pure joy?
Let's see what bubbles to the top of the lager.
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