High-end escort service sees business dip with lockout

Most of the grim stories on the effects of the lockout have centered on arena workers and others who are struggling financially because of the strike.

I’ve got to give sports business reporter extraordinaire Darren Rovell of CNBC.com credit for pursuing a new financial angle to the story.

Rovell talked to “Henry,” who runs an escort business in New York City.

“Henry” tells Rovell that business is down about 30 percent because of the lockout. Charges, according to Rovell, are typically $400 to $4,000 per hour, depending on the woman.

“There are replacements but they aren’t as consistent and not nearly as high paying,” “Henry” told Rovell.

People are hurting all over because of the strike. Rovell did a nice job of advancing the story as the lockout continues.

Report: Blair could be headed to Russia to play during lockout

Spurs forward/center DeJuan Blair might be headed to Russia to play during the NBA lockout.

Respected Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski reports that to play for an unnamed Russian team.

Wojnarowski tweeted the deal could be struck later this week sending Blair overseas.

Blair has spent most of the lockout this summer and working out in the Pittsburgh area.

He would become the second Spurs player to play in Russia. Backup point guard Chris Quinn, a team based in Moscow. Quinn’s deal does not have an opt-out clause, meaning he won’t be able to return to play in the NBA if the lockout is settled.

If Blair leaves, it would be one of the biggest departures by an NBA player so far.  The work during the lockout would be good for him, although the Spurs would likely want assurances he could return back home if the lockout ends sooner than expected

Getting there is half the fun; arriving there is a real blast

I’ve been a road warrior long enough to know that when things start to go bad early in a travel day, they tend to get worse before they get better.

After a plume of volcanic ash settled in on Mar del Plata, Argengina, and caused the cancellation of the only flight from Buenos Aires on Monday morning, a band of 42 intrepid basketball fans — including one Express-News reporter — ponied up for a special charter bus for a five-hour trip that took more than six hours.

Dropping my bags at the hotel and hopping a cab to the arena, I discovered media credential pickup had ended and I was told to come back tomorrow to pick up my passes. Somehow, my rudimentary Spanish managed to convince the good folks at the media entrance that I hadn’t come all the way from San Antonio to miss Manu Ginobili’s first game of the tournament. They set me up with a day pass and I assured them I would legitimize myself later.

Finally, when the wireless signal in the press room at Malvinas Argentinas stadium proved to be literally an off and on proposition, I flagged a cab back to the hotel to file a report from the tournament. On its way up a fairly steep hill, the taxi sputtered and stopped running, either  out of gas altogether or in need of a fuel pump that could push the petrol uphill. So the cabbie put the taxi in neitral and backed down the hill, and never mind some fairly traffic.

I paid the meter fare and walked the final four blocks, never more thrilled to be walking into my hotel home away from home.

All things considered, I still think Argentina is an amazing, wonderful place to me hanging out for a couple of weeks of meaningful basketball.