Dan Gilbert and the Community

by Cleveland Frowns on December 14, 2012

Here’s another gem from the ninth circle of Hell aka the Horseshoe Casino marketing department, who wants the folks around E105th and St. Clair — in a neighborhood where 47% of the households have an annual income under $19K — to know that it only takes one roll to WIN BIG. So have another. And another. And why not just one more small gamble, because it only takes one.

sign for winners

In other Dan Gilbert news, he tweeted out a link this week to a post at a Detroit advertising agency’s blog. “I loved this column,” Gilbert said.

DG love

Naturally, this column is about how all of Michigan’s problems would be solved if only low level employees of large landowners would do more work than what they’re paid for. That’s called “awesomeness,” according to the blog post (seriously, read it), which is (for real) titled, “Right To Work? How About ‘Right To Awesomeness’?”

Gilbert is also upset with actor Sean Penn this week, apparently because Penn used Detroit’s poverty problem as a reference point with respect to the devastation suffered in Haiti due to the 2010 earthquake there. Either that or its because Penn spends so much time in Haiti helping with recovery efforts. Probably both, because why doesn’t Penn know that all Haiti really needs is more “awesomeness”?

just say no to disaster relief

Which is all here this week other than this update on Eric Mangini from SI’s Richard Dietsch. Hope everyone’s weekend gets off to a decent start and we’ll be back on Sunday with a Shurmurball open thread.

  • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

    h/t @cpmack on the “Awesomeness” article.

  • https://twitter.com/jimkanicki jimkanicki

    on the other hand, this.

    i anticipate that somehow the fact of a non-government enterprise investing in a blighted urban area will be painted as exploitative or in some way misanthropic. i dont know why. however, the fact is that gilbert has made a tangible investment in reviving detroit. this affects people’s lives in real ways (as compared to high-profile protest activism). in fact, he has done more personally in the attempt to create a critical mass there than… anyone.

    • http://twitter.com/pheasantpants J.

      “in fact, he has done more personally in the attempt to create a critical mass there than… anyone.”

      In a world where Mike Ilitch and Pete Karmanos don’t exist, sure.

    • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

      So he bought some underpriced office space in downtown Detroit. Call the Pope.

      Any billionaire will be in business that “affects people’s lives in real ways,” and will also be able to point to charitable efforts, and investments that can be called “economic development.” So what? That doesn’t mean he’s not taking out much more than he puts in, or that it shouldn’t be easy to look at things like the Horseshoe Casino campaign and understand that something is terribly wrong here.

      • http://twitter.com/pheasantpants J.

        Oh, not just bought the office space, Frownie. Made it look like the architectural manifestation of Comic Sans!

        http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2012/03/downtown-detroits-new-decor-is-an-atrocious-attention-whore.php

      • https://twitter.com/jimkanicki jimkanicki

        :-/ ok, im going in and prepared to abide by the official ‘freedom of speech’ policies set forth in the sidebar.

        backoffice/callcenter ops can be located anywhere. real estate cost is one factor. others are strong workforce, govt ‘friendliness’, quality of life. im not sure downtown detroit wins out when considering all factors.

        just a couple examples of how this can play without a strong civic patron follow. fidelity has moved at least 5000 jobs from massachusetts to north carolina. mbna had 5000 jobs in a belfast maine campus and it was shuttered when BoA acquired them… devastated the local economy.

        point being, choosing to place 1700 jobs in downtown detroit is nothing to sniff at.

        (i dont know, im asking you all who live there:) i see progressive has hq in mayfield and i understand peter lewis is viewed as a good capitalist. how many jobs has he moved to downtown cleveland?

        • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

          Seriously, call the Pope.

          As an aside, I don’t doubt that Fidelity is terrible, too.

        • BIKI024

          good old Petey Lewis is pro-marijuana too! god bless him

        • nj0

          When did paying people to work for your company so you can make money become a laudable charitable endeavor? Same thing with paying taxes on your earnings.

    • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

      You can attribute Gilbert’s efforts in Detroit to benevolence or the fact that he owns half of the city, but that hardly excuses placing giant billboards that promise vast riches in blighted areas.

    • nj0

      Much like the Confederacy, Danny just needs better PR people.

      • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

        LOL GO REBS.

      • https://twitter.com/jimkanicki jimkanicki

        hah yeah seriously.
        coming soon: the upside of hitler’s Strength through Joy program. or not.

        • nj0

          just for the record, I meant that in good nature. Just going for the joke. I love the frowns community and everybody here.

          • https://twitter.com/jimkanicki jimkanicki

            hah, i got it. it was perfect. like buttoned.

      • bupalos

        Ouch. See that’s why I make sure I stay on njo’s good side. Guy’s always packing.

        • nj0

          I’m watching you.

  • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

    Thanks for the hat tip, Frowns. Obviously as Gilbert is someone from Michigan who happens to own multiple non-union businesses, it doesn’t surprise me that he’d single out an article suggesting that people should spend less time with their families and more time at work. All of this, while presumably supporting the lame duck Michigan legislature’s extraordinary efforts to screw the working class, women, underprivileged voters, health care, and the entire democratic process in general seven ways til Sunday.

    I’ve completely changed my opinion on this guy. Thanks for helping me see the light sir.

    • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

      That Mlive article i linked to will have you absolutely stunned if you haven’t heard about what’s going on recently in that state up north.

    • BIKI024

      i thought Michigan was a blue state? how on earth do they have Republican Gov as well as a Republican-dominated legislature??

      • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

        I thought the same thing. I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but it probably won’t happen again for a while.

        • BIKI024

          maybe @cavsdan has dabbled in some voter fraud? bribery? maybe he gave away some free Wheel of Fortune spins at the THREE casino’s out there. how on earth do they have 3?? 4 if you count Windsor, but not sure how many of that 47% Frownie referred to has a passport.

          • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

            He’s donated money to guys who actively encourage voter suppression. It’s the same as if he pulled the trigger himself.

      • maxfnmloans

        Jennifer Granholm was not well liked, and the pendulum swung the other way

      • munasrevenge

        Michigan is blue in the same way that most midwestern states are blue: a big older city with lots of people, colleges, and huge swaths of less-populated open country. The big cities are enough to carry the statewide elections, but districts are drawn to increase Republican wins. You see the same kind of crap going on all over the midwest (OH, WI, PA).

        • ChuckKoz

          its the same reason why Democrats received more votes for Congress nationwide, but are not even close to controlling the House. gerrymandering is some bullshit. USSC needs to just say that all district drawing should be done by independent nonpartisan boards (like several states including CA and AZ)

  • NeedsFoodBadly

    This is a tertiary point, but I found out last week that Sean Penn cracked a baseball bat across Madonna’s skull back in the 80s and held her captive, brutally abusing her for something like 9 hours. I don’t believe he ever served time for any of that.

    It galls me that someone who has done things like that isn’t a pariah.

    • Shadow_play

      We must run in the same internet circles because I just found that out as well. There is some truly awful, crazy stuff that guy did.

      • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

        “We must run in the same internet circles …”

        HELLO, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS. (lol)

  • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

    http://deadspin.com/5968256/rob-parker-lowers-the-bar-on-first-take-is-robert-griffin-iii-a-brother-or-a-cornball-brother

    This Rob Parker/RG3/”cornball brother” thing is sad, because there really is a legitimate criticism to be made of athletes who don’t stand as much for social justice as they should. Too bad Parker didn’t quite get there.

    • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

      Stephen A. Smith had an excellent view on this (for once).

      Then Stephen A. Smith was asked for his take. He exhaled deeply.

      “Well first of all let me say this: I’m uncomfortable with where we
      just went,” Smith said. “RGIII, the ethnicity, the color of his fiancée
      is none of our business. It’s irrelevant. He can live his life any way
      he chooses. The braids that he has in his hair, that’s his business,
      that’s his life. I don’t judge someone’s blackness based on those kind
      of things. I just don’t do that. I’m not that kind of guy.

      “What I would say to you is that the comments he made are fairly
      predictable,” Smith went on. “I think it’s something that he may feel,
      but it’s also a concerted effort to appease the masses to some degree, which I’m finding relatively irritating, because I don’t believe that the black athlete has any responsibility whatsoever to have to do such things.

      “Let me say this clearly. I don’t know of anybody who goes into
      something trying to be the best black anything. We understand that.
      That’s a given,” Smith said. “But I do think it’s important to acknowledge a level of pride and a feeling of a level of accomplishment for being somebody who happens to be of African American descent, who competes and achieves and accomplishes things on the highest level while also bringing attention – to some degree anyhow – to the pride that they feel being black. Because they’re allowing themselves to be a reminder to those who preceded them, who worked so hard, accomplished and achieved so much, but were denied the accolades that that individual is receiving.”

      • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

        To me that completely misses the point.

        • http://twitter.com/cpmack Chris Mc

          Unfortunately, anything that even resembled a point by Parker was buried under his mention of Griffin’s white fiancée and political affiliation.

          Jim Brown, Ali, and MLK Jr. all had special personalities and charisma that very few people have. If Griffin doesn’t have those traits, or the desire to put them to use, putting him on the soapbox would feel contrived, no?

          • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

            I don’t think “not having the desire” to give voice to important truths is a good excuse for someone who’s in such a good position to do so.

      • humboldt

        Both perspectives frankly made me uncomfortable. Smith at least tried to register his discontent with the ignorant (or at best inelegant) comments preceding him, but ultimately circled back to a hyper-racialized, essentializing perspective that shapes his whole worldview.

        For older generations including the two guests on that show, it is impossible to believe that young black person could develop a sense of themselves not predominantly informed by race. And certainly we should sympathize with the social and historical circumstances that forged the necessity to rally around race as a source of solidarity, unity, and brotherhood. But things are changing, and RGIII is one of many powerful symbols that we may be moving past some old stagnant racial hangups as the generations turn over.

    • ElmerEvans

      Really? Did I miss the passage of that rule?

      Who inferred that obligation, besides the freshman dorm at Oberlin?

      Parker is an inarticulate mess and a class-A example of why sports “writers” are nothing more than pissed off jerks who believe they are better than the group of people they are covering.

      “Dumb, inarticulate and angry is no way to go through life, son.”

  • BIKI024

    what a damn shame that happened in CT this morning, unbelievable! what kind of a sick S.O.B would kill 18 kids???!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!??!?! WTF!

    • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

      Bracing yourself for NRA’s statement in response.

      • BIKI024

        or mental health advocates, this shooter was obviously a complete psychopath.

      • SteamingPileOfCraphonsoThorpe

        I have never been really for or against gun control, although I never really understood Billy Jim Bob owning an AK-47, but still, personal freedom and all.

        But the Founding Fathers would be horrified, they allowed something they saw as an unalienable right so that despots could never place the American people under a tyrannical yoke. They wanted to protect us from the Slaughter of the Innocents being perpetrated on us BY the government. I am heartsick.

        And Biki, there’s “sick” and then there’s “evil”. This most certainly falls under the second term. Thoughts and prayers, folks, thoughts and prayers. Go hug your kids.

        • nj0

          I’ve gotten more liberal the older I’ve gotten. I use to be a staunch gun rights guy. Slowly but surely, I am more and more open to sane gun control.

      • BIKI024
        • Steve

          That’s bordering on yellow journalism. A lot of rifles use .223, including some pretty “normal looking” hunting rifles. And the shooters brought some pistols as well.

          I’m down with the gun control, but it would take a complete scrubbing to remove a lot of these weapons used in these horrific shootings. And there surely would be a black market for weapons for people like this individual who were that intent on possessing one. I’m not sure if it’s as easy as many people want to believe.

          • Steve

            To be clear, I’m referring to the line “Suspect used .223 caliber rifle. This is a picture of a .223 rifle”

            I’m all for them showing the actual weapon used, but not just the most military-looking .223 rifle that google images turns up.

          • BIKI024

            .223 Bushmaster was allegedly used by the monster today, looks just like the pic above

          • Steve

            Fair enough. I still stand by the second paragraph above.

          • BIKI024

            the media def jumped over his bro

          • nj0

            I get your point. How terrifying a weapon looks shouldn’t be the issue. Doesn’t have to be strapped to kill children.

    • CleveLandThatILove

      There’s a lot of rage out there, hard to comprehend it. I enjoy my social media, but I don’t think it’s helping matters.

      • BIKI024

        oh no, was he a Browns fan? this is one of his tweets from 9/27: @Ryan__Lanza When the best player on the browns has been the kicker for years. <<<<

        • BIKI024

          wait a minute, he just tweeted, so it must be a guy with same name, but good lord, read his tweets, this dude needs some help!

    • SteamingPileOfCraphonsoThorpe

      Just so I can expound on my point below, “sick” is pushing someone in front of a bus because voices in your head tell you they’re trying to kill you. “Evil” is arming yourself with powerful rifles, as much ammo as you can carry, throwing on a bullet-proof vest, all to make sure that you can create as much carnage as possible for as long as possible, and then to top off your Sundae of Evil, you decide to inflict your carnage upon the most defenseless people you can find in an area where there is likely to be no one capable of resisting you.

      With all due respect, Frowns, the Ninth Circle of Hell is reserved solely for scumbags like this. Dan Gilbert, as reprehensible as he may be as a businessman, ain’t qualifying for membership in that club. (Not that we know of, anyway).

      • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

        There are four different circles within the Ninth Circle, if you want to get technical. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_%28Dante%29#Ninth_Circle_.28Treachery.29

        • SteamingPileOfCraphonsoThorpe

          I haven’t read Dante’s Inferno since High School, I stand technically shamed. So Mr. Lanza can be passed around from one circle to the next for eternity. Sounds fine to me.

  • Peter

    PATS OVER 49ERS

    RAIDERS OVER BILLS

    ARIZONA OVER NEVEADA

    SEAHAWKS OVER BILLS

    STEELERS OVER COWBOYS

    BROWNS OVER REDs

    Is this game on Fox? Would Bill O’Reilly conclude that these two teams and their fans voted for Obama? Are these two teams a part of a traditional America that is losing its grip on control of the country? Would Mrs Cleaver let the Beav have a poster of RG3 on the wall ? Would Mr Cleaver appreciate that RG3 practiced this week with a sore knee or would the dreadlocks prevent him from seeing RG3s terrific qualities? Will these teams need ID to prove citizenship at the next road game in Arizona? Will the Browns change their uniforms before the Washington NFL franchise changes its name? RG3 has an opportunity to make a difference. Will he forgo short term wealth accumulation for a legacy of leadership and change?

  • luckynokevin

    I think the most shocking thing in the Mangini article is that he still lives in Cleveland. How did I not know that?

    • BIKI024

      he’d probably take a bloodbath if he tried to sell his house.. cost of living is one of the best within a 3 hour door-to-door commute to Bristol. no need to move the kids again when you’re not sure you’re next “permanent” residence.. besides, if he moved back to CT, it doesn’t seem so safe to live in Fairfield County anymore..

      • nj0

        I wonder if he flies Hopkins or CAK? Is he on twitter? Somebody ask him.

        • BIKI024

          my guess is CLE, he’s much closer to that airport and my guess is that ESPN picks up the tab on travel so he doesn’t need to fly discount airlines like AirTran, who btw reduced their flights to LGA down to 2 per day the bastards, they ruined a great thing!

          • nj0

            What suburb does he live in?

          • BIKI024

            not sure, but my guess is east side..

      • http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/ Cleveland Frowns

        I’m sure real estate prices have nothing to do with his decision to stay in Cleveland and it’s probably worth noting that his wife Julie is Mark Shapiro’s sister.

        • BIKI024

          which probably means the kids are closer to their Bubbe.

  • peter

    31 school shootings since Columbine in 1999

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