Posted on 08/26/2009 5:50:26 AM PDT by raybbr
DAVIE, Fla. (AP)—The Williams sisters stood at the edge of the Miami Dolphins’ practice field, easy to spot in elegant, color-coordinated beige dresses and high heels that dug into the turf.
The team’s workout had ended, and it was time for introductions. Joey Porter(notes), meet Serena Williams. Jason Taylor(notes), meet Venus Williams.
The NFL and the best of women’s tennis converged Tuesday when the Williamses paid a visit to the Dolphins’ complex as the latest celebrities to buy a small stake in the franchise. Their deal with owner Stephen Ross, first reported last week, was confirmed at a news conference overlooking the field.
Venus and Serena live in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., about an hour’s drive from the Dolphins’ stadium.
Brown envisions the sisters broadening the NFL’s reach.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “I hope they can draw a different crowd to the sport. Hopefully we get some of their fans to be Dolphins fans.”
The Estefans are the first Cuban-Americans to hold an ownership stake in an NFL team, while Anthony is a New York native of Puerto Rican descent.
The sisters are the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in an NFL franchise, the Dolphins said. The league has no African-American majority owner.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
While I kinda/sorta understand their marketing angle, the cynic in me says this was just another way to infuse cash into a static ownership situation....
hh
Backup up linebackers?
Football ping
my husband believes Serena would make a better offensive guard
Does this mean that Dolphin QBs will start using tennis rackets instead of just throwing the ball???
/sarc
Serena, especially, does have freakishly big arms for a chick.
Do the Williams sisters have a cousin from South Africa that runs track?
aren’t there rules about posting pics that could nauseate during the breakfast hour?
NFL ping.
That’s what I wuz thinkin!!
They’re both some pretty hefty honeys, eh?
I just remembered why I watched women's tennis when Chris Evert was playing and do not now.
are they buying or playing?
I think you’re right. Even they can’t believe anyone actually shows up to because of who the owner is, unless it’s some freak show like Marge Schott.
This was all about raising cash, not “bringing in fans.”
the Dolphins don’t have a great history when it comes to signing people named Williams.....still, I think they will give the team a great one-two punch coming out of the backfield.
Yea, I remember the great “upskirt” shots they used to air when she was young. Long time ago, and she used to beat the crap out of fat Martina, pre-drugs.
I don’t know if Pam Shriver (tennis) still has a partial stake in the group Peter Angelos put together to buy the Orioles. I know she bought in.
It may take a year or two before their young pitchers jell and get them out of the cellar.
Which one is Venus and which is Serena?
A few more years on that rear, and it’ll blot out the sun!!
Serena, not so much.
Careful what you say. She could be First Lady some day.
Pam Shriver was in my brother's class at McDonogh. She is a class act from what he tells me. I believe she still has a stake in the Orioles. I haven't paid attention to the Orioles since Angelos bought the team. I can't stand the guy. He has ruined what used to be a classy franchise.
Wheres the barf alert?
Why a barf alert? Not for the Williams sisters? They’re great athletes. Sexy too.
Maybe for NFL? I’ll go along with a barf alert for that. Prima donnas and thugs basically playing rugby with a forward pass and a ton of protective equipment so they don’t get hurt...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.