"I'm trying to cram as many rich, white people as possible up there!"
The Sonics may suck on the basketball court, the court of public opinion, and most likely even the People's Court, but they won in Olympia on Tuesday.
As Margarita(ville) Prentice, chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee, put it, "The ripple effect [of sports on the economy] defies our imagination." She was referring, of course, to the impact the Seahawks' making it to the Super Bowl had on the local businesses.
She's right! If the Sonics make the Super Bowl, Seattle will win big! Oh, wait, the Sonics can't play in the Super Bowl, it being for another sport and all. But, jeez, the NBA Championship Finals ratings are always through the roof, right?
In any event, the taxes previously used to fund other SafeCo/Quest Field will now be extended to fund Key Arena's transformation into the type of arena that no team will ever leave. After all, no city would ever sell an arena for $23 million 17 years after they spent $60 million to build it, right? Ah, yes, I love this game.
8 comments:
Well thank god they're going to add more luxury boxes! That's the one thing the team needs to go all the way.
Hello Super Bowl!
Regardless of the fact that Ray Allen isn't the greatest defender in the NBA, he's still an extremely productive player (Player Efficiency Rating: +23.0, On-Court/Off-Court +/-: +17.6, & Roland Rating: +12.8); there is no reason to trade him.
Politically, I'm a libertarian; thus, it disgusts me that a huge amount of public money will go to fund the refurbish an arena that doesn't need it. Hell, if Howard Schultz wants to own his own arena, then he should go use his own money to build one in Seattle, Bellevue, or elsewhere.
He wanted to build one up his ass, but found there was no room left there. Oh well.
At least last night's game was exciting for what, 40 seconds or so? But what else can we expect when playing that powerhouse of a team from NO/OK. Oh, wait a minute... I bet we at least convinced OK that even if they do want a team all there own, they don't want the sonics.
Quote of the Year, Legislative Division:
"Let me get this straight, we're cutting funding for parks where people can walk and get some exercise so we can put money into a place where people sit on their butts and drink beer?"
Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish.
That is the funniest caption ever. Someone needs to send this to Shultz
When I read that most of what he wants redone is better parking for high rollers, more club seats, more courtside , it just made me think that all of Howies Rich friends were telling him that they wanted a place to sit at the game and it was very important that they do not rub elbows with anyone NOT making over 250K a year. yuck
Well, since the New York Knicks don't want to take on power forward Kenyon Martin's contract from the Denver Nuggets -- as well as the fact that Knicks center Channing Frye is off of the market -- the Seattle Supersonics need to find another way to make an foundation-shaking trade; the following are some trade proposals:
1.
From Chicago/To Seattle:
Power Forward Tim Thomas ($13,975,000)
Small Forward Luol Deng ($2,443,920)
2006 First-Round Draft Pick
2006 First-Round Draft Pick [Via The New York Knicks]
From Seattle/To Chicago:
Small Forward Rashard Lewis ($8,571,429)
Power Forward Danny Fortson ($6,415,584)
2.
From Denver/To Seattle:
Point Guard Earl Watson ($5,000,000)
From Seattle/To Denver:
Center Vitaly Potapenko ($3,000,000)
Point Guard Rick Brunson ($1,029,873)
Shooting Guard Ronald Murray ($895,248)
Power Forward Peter Fehse (Draft Rights)
Small Forward Mickael Gelabale (Draft Rights)
Point Guard Paccelis Morlende (Draft Rights)
3.
From Minnesota/To Seattle:
Small Forward Ronald Dupree ($719,373)
Shooting Guard Richie Frahm ($719,373)
Shooting Guard Bracey Wright ($398,762)
2006 Second-Round Draft Pick [Via The Phoenix Suns]
From Seattle/To Minnesota:
Power Forward Reggie Evans ($1,100,000)
Center Mikki Moore ($1,020,000)
2005-2006 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS:
Center: Robert Swift ($1,764,480) {24 m.p.g.}
Center: Johan Petro ($936,600) {24 m.p.g.}
Power Forward: Nick Collison ($1,815,000) {32 m.p.g.}
Power Forward: Vladimir Radmanovic ($3,166,155) {16 m.p.g.}
Power Forward: Tim Thomas ($13,975,000) {Inactive}
Small Forward: Luol Deng ($2,443,920) {32 m.p.g.}
Small Forward: Damien Wilkins ($2,500,000) {16 m.p.g.}
Small Forward: Ronald Dupree ($719,373) {0 m.p.g.}
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen ($13,223,140) {40 m.p.g.}
Shooting Guard: Richie Frahm ($719,373) {8 m.p.g.}
Shooting Guard: Bracey Wright ($398,762) {NBDL}
Point Guard: Earl Watson ($5,000,000) {32 m.p.g.}
Point Guard: Luke Ridnour ($1,638,000) {16 m.p.g.}
Point Guard: Mateen Cleaves (N/A) {0 m.p.g.}
2006-2007 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS:
Center: Robert Swift ($1,887,600) {24 m.p.g.}
Center: Johan Petro ($1,006,800) {24 m.p.g.}
Center: Hilton Armstrong (Second-Round Draft Pick) {NBDL}
Power Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge (First-Round Draft Pick) {32 m.p.g.}
Power Forward: Nick Collison ($2,501,070) {16 m.p.g.}
Power Forward: J.P. Batista (Second-Round Draft Pick) {NBDL}
Small Forward: Luol Deng ($2,614,400) {32 m.p.g.}
Small Forward: Damien Wilkins ($2,700,000) {16 m.p.g.}
Small Forward: Bobby Jones (Second-Round Draft Pick) [NBDL]
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen ($14,611,570) {40 m.p.g.}
Shooting Guard: J.J. Redick (First-Round Draft Pick) {8 m.p.g.}
Shooting Guard: Bracey Wright ($664,209) {0 m.p.g.}
Point Guard: Earl Watson ($5,400,000) {32 m.p.g.}
Point Guard: Luke Ridnour ($2,425,878) {16 m.p.g.}
Point Guard: Randy Foye (First-Round Draft Pick) {0 m.p.g.}
I see your point, and so long as you agree that it is acceptable to spend close to a billion dollars on Safeco and Quest Fields, then it is acceptable to spend $200 million on a facility which will receive more use.
But what if it isn't acceptable to spend $1 billion on sporting facilities? To paraphrase the old axiom, two wrongs do not make a right.
Further, yes, the Seahawks only use the facility 10 times a year, but their attendance in those 10 games is roughly 650,000, or the amount the Sonics draw in about 50 games at their current pace. Add to that the average amount the typical Seahawk fan spends relative to the typical Sonic fan.
To me, the final breaking point is that it is painfully obvious that in 10 years' time we are going to be in the exact same position. The Sonics will come to the city, complaining about how lousy a facility Key Arena is, how they need this, that, and the other to compete, and taxpayers are going to be looking at spending another $200-$500 million on upgrading the stadium.
Or, look at it this way. The Sonics have already fleeced the city for about $75 million in 1995 dollars. Add $220 million to that, and we will have spent close to $300 million on Key Arena (assuming it doesn't run over budget, which it, of course, will).
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