Bay Area Buzz 10/29: Waterfront Arena Costs Rising; Golden State Warriors Among The Hunted; Michael Vick Not Likely Against Oakland Raiders

March 13, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob told the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce on Monday that the cost of a proposed waterfront arena for the Warriors is rising fast. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Price Tag Rising For Warriors’ San Francisco Arena

"If spending a lot of dough and outsmarting a determined defense is what it takes to get the team a new arena on the San Francisco waterfront, the Golden State Warriors owners say they are game.The cost to rehabilitate the aging piers where the arena would perch – as much as $170 million -“is a lot higher than we originally started with,” co-owner Joe Lacob said at a San Francisco Chamber of Commerce luncheon Monday to kick off the team’s NBA season and promote the proposed $1 billion arena project.“It’s a big number,” Lacob said. “But look, we’re privately doing this, and we’ve made the decision we’re going to do it. It’s more expensive than we thought, but you only live once.”Lacob’s ownership partner, entertainment mogul and part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Peter Guber, said that determination extends to navigating San Francisco’s fractious politics.“Doing anything this large, you have to get a lot of constituencies to all coalesce at the same time,” Guber told the audience of more than 300. “What we’re doing is like trying to get 12 Bulgarian jugglers, and get 12 Bulgarian jugglers to juggle perfectly. It’s pretty hard.”But also galvanizing, he said.“We’ve become dyslexic,” Guber said. “ ‘No’ means ‘on.’ “"

–John Cote, San Francisco Chronicle

Warriors no longer the plucky underdog

"Andre Iguodala, the veteran of NBA playoff battles and Olympic gold medal games, knows the challenges that lie ahead for the Warriors. He also knows his new teammates won’t truly be ready until they experience taking opponents’ best shots.“It’s something you’ve got to experience, getting hit in the mouth,” Iguodala said.When the hits come, how will the Warriors respond? Is this group ready for the pressure that comes with being among the NBA’s hunted? Can they find the extra toughness and consistency required of a true contender? Aside from health, those are the primary questions for the Warriors, who kick off the season Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.Fresh from its exciting playoff run, Golden State suddenly finds itself on the flip side of the rags to riches story. Once the team seeking out NBA Goliaths, trying to earn some respect, the Warriors have become the target, a team being touted as a legitimate contender in the loaded Western Conference.“They’ve got a bull’s-eye on their back now,” said Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Reggie Miller, who picked the Warriors to finish fourth in the West. “There’s no more sneaking up. There’s no more feel-good story … This team has arrived.”The hype isn’t just coming from fans, some of whom are talking Western Conference finals and hoping for a run at a championship. Grantland.com, the website of noted author and sports fan Bill Simmons, pegged the Warriors as the NBA’s most watchable team."

–Marcus Thompson II, San Jose Mercury News

Michael Vick Not Likely To Play Against Raiders

"PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick likely will miss at least another game after reinjuring his left hamstring in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, coach Chip Kelly said Monday.Kelly, who typically does not reveal much about injuries, said he did not know the results of the MRI that Vick underwent Monday.But Kelly said he would proceed as though Vick would not be available for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders — and perhaps longer.“Mike didn’t seem like he was going to be ready this week,” Kelly said. “He felt like, the first time, that he was going to be back after the [Oct. 6] Giants game.“This is the first time I’ve talked to him where he thought he may be out. We’ll see after we sit down and visit, after we get the final [MRI] results.”Kelly said Vick was “day-to-day” after the original injury. After Vick lasted less than one half upon his return Sunday, Kelly said the original prognosis was for Vick to miss 10 to 14 days.It is less clear whether Nick Foles, who left the Oct. 20 game against Dallas with a concussion, will be available this week."

–Phil Sheridan, ESPN.com