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New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has not achieved his goal of winning the World Series in three-to-five years since buying a majority stake in the squad for $2.5B in 2020.
But ownership of the Mets enabled Cohen to rehabilitate his public image, and land one of the three gambling casino licenses in NYC.
His previous hedge fund, SAC Capital Advisors, in 2013 pleaded guilty to insider-trading charges and paid a fine. Cohen was temporarily barred from managing people’s money for years.
The Mets have been PR gold for Cohen. Growing up a Mets fan, Cohen is brutally aware of the team’s history of dramatic highs and lows.
Since assuming majority control, he has spent more money than any other baseball owner to make the National League team a consistent winner.
He shelled out big bucks for the young superstar Juan Soto, outfielder Starling Marte, and pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Simultaneously, Cohen has made development of the once woeful Mets farm system a top priority.
Cohen has engaged with fans on X. and is a fixture at Citi Field. That back and forth with fans has earned Cohen the nickname “Uncle Steve.” That moniker is priceless.
He also has retired the numbers of Mets heroes, such as Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez, Daryl Strawberry, Doc Godden and David Wright. Previous team ownership had snubbed those fan favorites.
Since Cohen took control, the Mets lost the National League championship to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, and the wild card to the San Diego Padres in 2022.
Cohen had said he would be “slightly disappointed” if the Mets failed to win the World Series in 2025.
Though the Mets struck out on Cohen’s World Series dreams, the $8B Metropolitan Park casino complex right next to Citi Field should cheer Uncle Steve up. LGM.
Hit the road. Donald Trump relished calling President Biden “Sleepy Joe” during the campaign, but the shoe is definitely on the other foot these days.
The 79-year-old Trump has been filmed dozing during his Cabinet meetings in which members are supposed to sing hosannas to him.
“Dozy Don” has held nine of those sessions since January. It’s amazing that he is the only one caught on camera taking a cat nap. We are watching you, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
Trump needs a new PR schtick. The gilded Oval Office has been reduced to an old-age home for the president.
He should kill the Cabinet TV shows in favor of rallying before what’s left of the MAGA faithful.
Get out on Washington, and avoid Mar-a-Lago while you are at it. It’s time for you to hear from Americans hurting from the “affordability” crisis, which is not a Democratic “con job.”
Another tip: take a hiatus from Truth Social. On Dec. 1 from 7:09 pm to 11:57 pm. You wrote 160 posts bashing a wide assortment of perceived Democratic enemies.
That’s nuts, and may lead some people to believe that one or two screws in Trump’s head may be loose.
PR blooper of the week goes to Art Carter, CEO of the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, operator of a database funded by real estate brokers and agents.
In response to a New York Times article about Zillow axing a feature that shows risks that a property faces from extreme weather, Carter said: “Displaying the probability of a specific home flooding this year or within the next five years can have a significant impact on the perceived desirability of that property.”
Ya think?
Zillow stopped displaying the risk information after scores of complaints from Carter’s group.
Understatement of the Year: FIFA president Gianni Infantino concedes mistakes were made in his scheme to sell-out the World Cup... Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch charges Israel with deliberately targeting and attacking journalists in Lebanon... It will take images of US soldiers throwing rocks at the People's Liberation Army as it invades Taiwan before Trump admits the munitions shortage.
Donald Trump, who earned more than $2B last year, accuses oil companies of making too much money... Rocket science isn't easy, according to SpaceX chief Elon Musk... The volatile Jeanine Pirro has the edge over smarmy Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in the battle over blame for The Reflecting Pool mess... Omnicom CEO John Wren credits clients for adjusting pretty well to the disruptions caused by the Middle East, Ukraine and tariff chaos. 
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s audacious scheme to sell stakes in a new subsidiary that will manage the World Cup is the payoff for his obnoxious pandering to Donald Trump... PwC's "thought leadership" pieces on AI and electric vehicles are riddled with "hallucinations."... 
As Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet with Donald Trump, the influential Israeli media outlet, Haaretz, has called on the country to end of the country’s influence ops campaign targeted at the US.
Donald Trump falsely clams that his Iranian war disaster won't have an impact on him... Pvt Isabella Gonzales, the 19-year-old killed in action in Jordan, would have flunked Pentagon Pete's T-level tests... The Conservative Political Action Conference inaugural session in the UK flops. Brits are turned off by weak speeches and prayer sessions... Establishment Partnership for NYC heaps kudos on the Democratic Socialist Big Apple mayor... Prologis issues quirky press release in its takover bid for Segro... New York Mets are down but not yet out.
