Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family may be the owner of the Cubs one day. They may not be the owner one day. The only thing certain is that "one day" isn't terribly close:

The sale of the Cubs to the Ricketts family may drag on past Opening Day, according to Commissioner Bud Selig.

"It's moving forward. There are ongoing discussions with the Ricketts family and Tribune Co. people and that's where it is right now," Selig said Friday while touring the White Sox's new spring facility at Camelback Ranch. "It hasn't moved from there. It still hasn't come close to us [for approval]."

This is still about the financing. As noted here the day the Ricketts bid was "accepted," it was very strange that, after 2 years, financing was still not complete.

What this appears to mean is that the financing is STILL not complete. And, given what's going on right now in the credit markets, there has to be a high level of doubt that it ever will be complete.

This effects the team on the field by locking in the roster and payroll. Sam Zell may have royally screwed this team and its fans by waiting so long to sell in an effort to avoid taxes. The saving grace to all this is that he may have screwed himself as well.