Slusser's story is here:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/11/SPG5OFMNIL1.DTL

 1) The A's are definitely downplaying the idea that tickets won't be sold in the 3rd deck, even though they aren't denying it's a possibility. That may have something to do with the reaction they got here and on other blogs; they may be rethinking it, at least for Giants, Yankees, Red Sox games.

 2) If they did it, the capacity would be 34,176, just about where they want it in the new stadium. That leads me to believe they do want to do it.

 3) The argument that 3rd deck season ticketholders weren't happy because of all the kids on Double Play Wednesdays... doesn't seem like a real reason they did this.