The newest installment of the Sentinel's Seminole series is about Tribal leaders living in huge houses while most members live in modest homes. They have aerial shots of the Cypress brothers' mansions to bring it, uh, home to the reader.
I liked it, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking, why don't we do the same thing to CEOs across America? Have you seen Huizenga's unbelievable spreads on the New River in Fort Lauderdale? I know he built his business empire, but these guys who run the big companies all make hundreds of millions of dollars and live like filthy kings. When it becomes known that a CEO is taking way too much booty (i.e. Terry Semel at Yahoo last year) the tribal members -- er, I mean shareholders -- can sometimes get pissed too.
The Miami Herald, meanwhile, did its own version of the story. The newspaper cites the Sun-Sentinel, but very pointedly does not give it credit for the federal investigation. Here's the lede from Amy Driscoll and Mary Ellen Klass:
The Seminole Tribe, owner of the Hard Rock chain with more than $1 billion a year in estimated revenue, remains under federal scrutiny by the National Indian Gaming Commission years after initial reports surfaced of lavish expenditures within the tribe.Commission Chairman Philip Hogen characterized the current investigation as ''a continuing inquiry'' into the way the tribe uses its revenues. Under federal law, the tribe must spend its gambling revenues in broad areas that benefit the tribe as a whole. Non-gaming revenues are not federally regulated.
''This is an ongoing process,'' Hogen said Monday. ``Great progress has been made, but I don't know that we're there yet.''
In other news, Sean Taylor is dead, bringing another tragedy to the University of Miami football program, which has already had more than its share. The Herald's Linda Robertson goes down the list:
The list of tragic incidents to befall UM grows again, just more than one year after senior defensive tackle Bryan Pata was slain at his apartment complex in Kendall. His killer is still on the loose. Police need a new lead.UM linebacker Marlin Barnes and a friend were beaten to death at his campus apartment in 1996. Shane Curry, a lineman for the Colts, died violently when he was shot in the head outside a Cincinnati bar in 1992. Jerome Brown, Al Blades, Kevin Gibbs and Chris Campbell died in car accidents. All these men were in their 20s.
Not to make light of a horrible event, but you can't help but feel that one group of people in this world are feeling a little bit of relief at the news: NFL receivers. Taylor could flat out hit.
And, while we're in the football world, Joey Porter's brilliant performance against Pittsburgh last night proved once and for all that he is still a great player. Too bad it's only when he damn well feels like it.
