THALHIMERS RESPONDS TO DIBELLA SUIT

 MORE NOTES (still trying to catch up):

Anyone want to bet your Flying Squirrels, had they known 

what they know now, would have left town years ago and never 

gotten involved with the CarMax Field project? Talk about a 

(not-so) fine mess.

Now, according to “Richmond Bizsense,” Thalhimer’s Realty 

Partners Thursday filed a response to the federal defamation 

lawsuit filed by Squirrels’ principal owner LOU DiBELLA 

against them last month. The response includes a signed 

declaration from ANGIE RODGERS, director of the 

Richmond Economic Development Authority, denying she told 

DiBella that Thalhimer’s JASON GUILLOT told her that 

DiBella threatened to kill him.

So, as expected, it’s come down to she said: he didn’t say … 

which could be hard to shake … except this is Richmond where 

anything is possible, and nothing should ever be discounted.

So, what do you think? Will the Squirrels tell the city what it 

can do with CarMax Park? Or, at the least, consider it?

“They have too much money invested in it,” said someone who 

knows. “They aren’t going anywhere.”

i

FORMER UVA football pass-catching standout with the 1990 

team that was No. 1 for three weeks, DEREK DOOLEY, did 

not receive … sorry about that … enough votes in his bid to 

become Republican nominee for U.S., Senate from Georgia.

A walk-on and clearly an overachiever as a Hoo, the son of 

legendary U. of Ga., coach VINCE DOOLEY, got the 

endorsement of President Trump but, nevertheless, was 

considered a longshot … because his opponent was a member 

of the U.S. House of Representatives … and used to be 

endorsed by Trump … until he acknowledged everyone but 

Trump for his previous success.

THE 2026 FIFA World Cup was less than a week old … and 

Fox already had more than a billion viewers across all of its 

many outlets. I wonder how many complained about (a) 

rushing graphics to the point you had to wonder why bother? 

(Tuesday – and repeated Wednesday – there was a full-screen 

collage of mostly quotes, with MIKE TYSON front and center, 

but why? It was there and gone before you could locate the 

reason.) … and (b) failure to identify the too-many talking 

heads more than once … usually three lines about their playing 

days yet you were lucky to get to No. 3 before they were 

removed. What’s the hurry?

LET’S HEAR IT for KYLIAN MBAPPE … BOOO! … then 

YEAH! … then more YEAH!!!

Or did you miss what he didn’t do in the first half ... then did in 

the second half in France national team’s FIFA World Cup 

opening match against Senegal. The heavily-favored French 

looked lethargic, borderline disinterested … Mbappe, one of the 

world’s best (possibly THE best), most of all.

Then … boy, did he turn it on, scoring with a deft shot, the 

game’s first goal, a wake-up call for the French who proceeded 

to dominate (as expected) … Mbappe completing a 3-1 

decision by picking the upper right corner of the goal from well 

outside the box.

BOY, DID soccer’s stars come out Tuesday. First, Mbappe then 

Norway’s ERLING HAALAND and finally LIONEL MESSI, 

soccer’s G.O.A.T., who scored four goals – the first nullified by 

a silly millimeter of an offsides – as defending champion 

Argentina had its way 3-1with Algeria.

“We’re still in awe, and we shouldn’t be … because we should 

be used to this … but if you ever needed any more confirmation 

when it comes to Argentina … Messi is the system, he is the 

tactic, the formation, he is the identity and the heart … and that 

was exactly what you saw,” Lalas said. “It was something to 

behold.”

Then, to spread kudos around, the former world-class defender 

on two USMNTs nominated Haaland for providing the day’s 

highlight performance. In his first World Cup, the Manchester 

City star “announced his presence,” Lalas said, with a pair of 

goals that have become commonplace in the English Premier 

League.

“The big dude just scores goals … and that’s good news for us 

as viewers and for Norway,” Lalas added.

Until next time …