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We don't understand why people keep writing about this:

Do the $100 million deal with Ratner.

That's what the MTA real estate division recommended yesterday to agency board members, who are expected to vote tomorrow on developer Bruce Ratner's sweetened bid to build a Nets arena in Brooklyn.

Hasn't this been a done deal for, like, months? Didn't the MTA announce forever ago that it would negotiate solely with Ratner, not with the developer behind the other viable bid? And didn't that sort of seal the deal then? What about last week, when there were reports that the MTA would soon meet to approve?

Man bites dog is news, people. Dog bites man — or, in this case, favored and pre-approved dog OK'd to bite MTA — isn't.

And that's our journalism lesson for today.

MTA Unit Backs Ratner's Deal for Nets Arena [NYDN]