Greg Johns has the write-up here.
Obviously, Slade Gorton is not a fool, and if he senses that David Stern would be willing to commit a future expansion team to Seattle in exchange for a new and/or remodeled arena, he feels it is worth pursuing that option.
Kudos to Gorton for having the dignity not to take Stern's ridiculous insults personally, and for looking at the big picture. Personally, I think the favored options for Sonics fans would be, in descending order:
1. The current team stays, we keep Durant, Green, et al, Bennett sells at a loss to Steve Ballmer and rides back to Oklahoma City with his tail between his legs.
2. The current team leaves for Oklahoma City, Seattle gets an expansion team.
3. The current team leaves, we steal a team from another city.
4. The current team leaves after two years in Pacific Northwest Purgatory. We get neither a replacement nor an expansion team.
It's easy to say, "this team or nothing," and a large part of me wants to say that, simply because of the disgraceful way the NBA has acted. Another part of me, a much smaller part, admits that any team is better than no team.
And, remember, if the "Sonics" move to Oklahoma City, won't that give us at least one game a year where we can boo the living heck out of a visiting team? Can you imagine a greater scenario than screaming "Oklahoma Sucks!" at the top of your lungs while the NewSonics beat the OldSonics?
Something to think about, anyway.
Tuesday, April 22
Monday, April 21
Stern Gets Punked
I saw this video first in the SonicsCentral comments section, and then on the Seattle Weekly Buzzer Beater. You can go there now to view it.
Basically, it involves Mitch Levy and David Stern, with Stern opining about how wonderful the brand-new KeyArena is. Funny how 13 years can change things.
[Edit: Credit should go to "camhusky," who found the video. It's rare to be able to find something which illustrates your point so effectively, and rarer still to find a blowhard such as Stern being hoisted so completely on his own petard. As camhusky writes at the YouTube link, "I post this video to show fans in Oklahoma that what David Stern and Clay Bennett are saying now, about how wonderful the Ford Center will be with a remodel, in 10-12 years' time, they'll be coming after you. Just like in Seattle, that remodel will not be good enough anymore. You're going to have to go through it all over again. And if you say, "enough!", you will probably lose your team too." Good job, cam!]
Basically, it involves Mitch Levy and David Stern, with Stern opining about how wonderful the brand-new KeyArena is. Funny how 13 years can change things.
[Edit: Credit should go to "camhusky," who found the video. It's rare to be able to find something which illustrates your point so effectively, and rarer still to find a blowhard such as Stern being hoisted so completely on his own petard. As camhusky writes at the YouTube link, "I post this video to show fans in Oklahoma that what David Stern and Clay Bennett are saying now, about how wonderful the Ford Center will be with a remodel, in 10-12 years' time, they'll be coming after you. Just like in Seattle, that remodel will not be good enough anymore. You're going to have to go through it all over again. And if you say, "enough!", you will probably lose your team too." Good job, cam!]
Fans No More?
One item never in short supply during this arena saga has been rhetoric. Whether from the league, the new owners, the local media, or your friendly neighborhood blogger, so many venomous words have been spewed you’d have thought Donald Trump owned the Sonics and Rosie O’Donnell was the mayor of Seattle.
Admittedly, and regrettably, yours truly has done his fair share of this. To be honest, this is an emotional issue for all of us, and emotional issues tend to produce venom from even the friendliest snakes.
But one particular aspect I’ve heard repeatedly is the one from local fans works along these lines, “If the Sonics leave, I’m done with the NBA.”
That’s a jarring statement to make, considering how important following basketball is to Sonic fans. Yes, we’re Sonic fans, but we’re also basketball fans. It’s not as though as soon as the regular season ended we gave up on watching hoops. With the staggering Western Conference matchups in the first round this season, you can’t help but watch, right?
Is this really an honest assessment, that you’d go cold turkey on the NBA if the Sonics headed off to Oklahoma City?
Having lived in three states and one province in the past 15 years, I think I have a different perspective than someone who has spent his entire life in the Northwest. While I love the Sonics, I’ve moved around enough to have spent times in my life where I couldn’t easily access information on the team. During those periods, I’ve learned to broaden my horizons a bit, and pick up information on whatever the local media was providing (except hockey; a man has to have his principles). I’m not going to say I’m better than someone who has never moved away, but it’s just a fact of life that it’s not as easy to follow the Sonics in Los Angeles or Vancouver as it is in Seattle.
So, rabid Sonic fan reading this site today: How angry are you? Are you truly willing to cast off the league that gave your memory Kareem’s skyhook, the Iceman’s finger rolls, and Dominique’s 360s? Can you really say that if the Sonics were already gone that you’d pass up the chance to watch Phoenix and San Antonio battle this spring?
Enlighten us, Sonic fans. How angry are you?
Admittedly, and regrettably, yours truly has done his fair share of this. To be honest, this is an emotional issue for all of us, and emotional issues tend to produce venom from even the friendliest snakes.
But one particular aspect I’ve heard repeatedly is the one from local fans works along these lines, “If the Sonics leave, I’m done with the NBA.”
That’s a jarring statement to make, considering how important following basketball is to Sonic fans. Yes, we’re Sonic fans, but we’re also basketball fans. It’s not as though as soon as the regular season ended we gave up on watching hoops. With the staggering Western Conference matchups in the first round this season, you can’t help but watch, right?
Is this really an honest assessment, that you’d go cold turkey on the NBA if the Sonics headed off to Oklahoma City?
Having lived in three states and one province in the past 15 years, I think I have a different perspective than someone who has spent his entire life in the Northwest. While I love the Sonics, I’ve moved around enough to have spent times in my life where I couldn’t easily access information on the team. During those periods, I’ve learned to broaden my horizons a bit, and pick up information on whatever the local media was providing (except hockey; a man has to have his principles). I’m not going to say I’m better than someone who has never moved away, but it’s just a fact of life that it’s not as easy to follow the Sonics in Los Angeles or Vancouver as it is in Seattle.
So, rabid Sonic fan reading this site today: How angry are you? Are you truly willing to cast off the league that gave your memory Kareem’s skyhook, the Iceman’s finger rolls, and Dominique’s 360s? Can you really say that if the Sonics were already gone that you’d pass up the chance to watch Phoenix and San Antonio battle this spring?
Enlighten us, Sonic fans. How angry are you?
Saturday, April 19
Tactics
There are two opposing views on the best path for Seattle to take in the dispute between the city and the Sonics. Both have valid arguments, but I think that, to an objective viewer, there is only one real option.
Option one is the one proposed by Mayor Greg Nickels. Essentially, it is to litigate the situation to buy time for the city to come up with an adequate (to the NBA) arena. Considering his bag already contains $150 million from Steve Ballmer & Co. and $75 million from his own city, he is 75% of the way there already. While it is difficult to find ways to come up with $75 million in a time span of one month, it is not difficult to find ways to obtain that much money in the time span of two years. Is $300 million the true cost of the arena redevelopment? Of course not, these estimates are always far short of reality, but that is not the point. The $120 million for the Ford Center redesign is a pie-in-the-sky figure as well, as is the money being trotted out for the new arena in Orlando. The key element to this option is the availability of funding, not only for the arena, but for the team itself.
Option two is the one proposed by Ron Sims, Pete von Reichbauer, and the NBA. Essentially, it entails the city engaging in settlement talks with Clay Bennett for the remaining two years of the lease. In this situation, the city would lose the team, receive somewhere in the ballpark of $50 million, and then hope that David Stern can convince another owner in another city to extort that city's taxpayers.
In other words, we would pull a Bennett.
Let's be honest, another expansion team is extremely unlikely at this point, as David Stern himself has stated on numerous occasions. If the city were to surrender the Sonics to Bennett, the only way for we as fans to obtain a new team would be to pull the same garbage on another city which Oklahoma City is currently pulling on us (and, yes, OKC, your hands are absolutely bloody in this mess; Clay Bennett may have ordered the hit, but you carried it out).
So, we have two options: first, hold our ground and wait for Bennett to cave, or, second, cave in and hope that we can screw over another city.
In the meantime, option one costs the city $75 million in exchange for a completely refurbished KeyArena. Option two nets the city something in the neighborhood of $50 million, an improvement of $125 million, but costs us $150 million in lost income from the Group of Four.
I'm sorry, but I can't see how anyone could go for option two.
Unless, of course, you happened to be a man possessed.
Option one is the one proposed by Mayor Greg Nickels. Essentially, it is to litigate the situation to buy time for the city to come up with an adequate (to the NBA) arena. Considering his bag already contains $150 million from Steve Ballmer & Co. and $75 million from his own city, he is 75% of the way there already. While it is difficult to find ways to come up with $75 million in a time span of one month, it is not difficult to find ways to obtain that much money in the time span of two years. Is $300 million the true cost of the arena redevelopment? Of course not, these estimates are always far short of reality, but that is not the point. The $120 million for the Ford Center redesign is a pie-in-the-sky figure as well, as is the money being trotted out for the new arena in Orlando. The key element to this option is the availability of funding, not only for the arena, but for the team itself.
Option two is the one proposed by Ron Sims, Pete von Reichbauer, and the NBA. Essentially, it entails the city engaging in settlement talks with Clay Bennett for the remaining two years of the lease. In this situation, the city would lose the team, receive somewhere in the ballpark of $50 million, and then hope that David Stern can convince another owner in another city to extort that city's taxpayers.
In other words, we would pull a Bennett.
Let's be honest, another expansion team is extremely unlikely at this point, as David Stern himself has stated on numerous occasions. If the city were to surrender the Sonics to Bennett, the only way for we as fans to obtain a new team would be to pull the same garbage on another city which Oklahoma City is currently pulling on us (and, yes, OKC, your hands are absolutely bloody in this mess; Clay Bennett may have ordered the hit, but you carried it out).
So, we have two options: first, hold our ground and wait for Bennett to cave, or, second, cave in and hope that we can screw over another city.
In the meantime, option one costs the city $75 million in exchange for a completely refurbished KeyArena. Option two nets the city something in the neighborhood of $50 million, an improvement of $125 million, but costs us $150 million in lost income from the Group of Four.
I'm sorry, but I can't see how anyone could go for option two.
Unless, of course, you happened to be a man possessed.
Friday, April 18
Press Conference Recaps
There will be much more discussion of today’s events to come, but allow me to give a few bits of my opinion, based on the pieces of the press conference I was able to watch.
1. David Stern tried very hard to play the role of Regretful Leader before the press, but his animosity towards the Northwest is very evident. His description of Slade Gorton’s efforts to keep the team in Seattle as a “scorched earth policy” was illustrative of how he views the proceedings. At another point, he described his interpretation of the way the pro-Sonic faction in Seattle acted towards himself as “We’re gonna kill you” if you try and take our team.
2. Stern also wound himself up to avoid answering Chris Daniels’ questions regarding the emails. Much has been made of Stern’s lack of analysis of these emails, especially in regard to the fact that Clay Bennett was less than forthcoming about his group’s discussions of the team relocating to Oklahoma City. In a previous press conference, Stern claimed he had not studied the emails and was therefore in no position to comment upon them. Daniels pressed Stern today to see if he had managed to find the time to study them yet, but Stern dodged the question, and when Daniels attempted to redirect him towards an answer, Stern angrily cut him off, commenting, “Live or not, I am not going to be interrupted. I did not interrupt you when you were speaking. Let us proceed to another question.” Considering the vital nature of those emails, it is disappointing that Stern would hide behind petty rules of etiquette to avoid answering the question.
3. Stern also would not rule out a return to Seattle at some future date (“I never say never”), but indicated it would be unlikely given the current situation.
4. The meatiest part of the conference was, obviously, Clay Bennett’s attempt to clear up any “misunderstanding” of the emails he exchanged with partners Tom Ward and Aubrey McClendon in April of 2007. In those emails, as you all know, Bennett stated, and I quote:
"I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started."
This was written in response to Ward’s email, in which he wrote:
“Is there any way to move here [Oklahoma City] for next season [2007-08] or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?”
Incredibly, Bennett said the intent of his email was completely opposite of what the press and the public interpreted it to be. “That exchange took place after the bill died in committee,” Bennett said, referring to the failed proposal in Olympia for a new arena in Renton. “When I said I was a man possessed, I meant I was a man possessed to get this done in Seattle.”
Obviously, Bennett’s comments defy logic, especially when you consider the response Ward wrote to Clay after his “man possessed” statement. To wit:
“That’s the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here next year [emphasis added].”
So, apparently, not only were the public and the press “misinformed,” but Bennett’s partners as well, as they obviously interpreted his claim of doing anything he could to mean doing anything he could to get the team in Oklahoma City.
5. Even more curious, Bennett admitted that, “Aubrey and Tom wanted a team to be in Oklahoma City all along, but that it was not to be the Sonics.” He went on to say that, “They were behind me every step of the way.”
Huh? I know, it sidesteps any pretense of logic. Why would Ward and McClendon be interested in giving their money to buy a team they could never watch? If they really wanted a team in Oklahoma City, why would they “be behind [Clay] every step of the way” as he tried to keep the team in Seattle?
There was much, much more to get from the press conference, but I honestly couldn’t watch the entire conference due to work constraints. I’ll leave it to the reporters on the scene to fill in the blanks.
1. David Stern tried very hard to play the role of Regretful Leader before the press, but his animosity towards the Northwest is very evident. His description of Slade Gorton’s efforts to keep the team in Seattle as a “scorched earth policy” was illustrative of how he views the proceedings. At another point, he described his interpretation of the way the pro-Sonic faction in Seattle acted towards himself as “We’re gonna kill you” if you try and take our team.
2. Stern also wound himself up to avoid answering Chris Daniels’ questions regarding the emails. Much has been made of Stern’s lack of analysis of these emails, especially in regard to the fact that Clay Bennett was less than forthcoming about his group’s discussions of the team relocating to Oklahoma City. In a previous press conference, Stern claimed he had not studied the emails and was therefore in no position to comment upon them. Daniels pressed Stern today to see if he had managed to find the time to study them yet, but Stern dodged the question, and when Daniels attempted to redirect him towards an answer, Stern angrily cut him off, commenting, “Live or not, I am not going to be interrupted. I did not interrupt you when you were speaking. Let us proceed to another question.” Considering the vital nature of those emails, it is disappointing that Stern would hide behind petty rules of etiquette to avoid answering the question.
3. Stern also would not rule out a return to Seattle at some future date (“I never say never”), but indicated it would be unlikely given the current situation.
4. The meatiest part of the conference was, obviously, Clay Bennett’s attempt to clear up any “misunderstanding” of the emails he exchanged with partners Tom Ward and Aubrey McClendon in April of 2007. In those emails, as you all know, Bennett stated, and I quote:
"I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started."
This was written in response to Ward’s email, in which he wrote:
“Is there any way to move here [Oklahoma City] for next season [2007-08] or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?”
Incredibly, Bennett said the intent of his email was completely opposite of what the press and the public interpreted it to be. “That exchange took place after the bill died in committee,” Bennett said, referring to the failed proposal in Olympia for a new arena in Renton. “When I said I was a man possessed, I meant I was a man possessed to get this done in Seattle.”
Obviously, Bennett’s comments defy logic, especially when you consider the response Ward wrote to Clay after his “man possessed” statement. To wit:
“That’s the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here next year [emphasis added].”
So, apparently, not only were the public and the press “misinformed,” but Bennett’s partners as well, as they obviously interpreted his claim of doing anything he could to mean doing anything he could to get the team in Oklahoma City.
5. Even more curious, Bennett admitted that, “Aubrey and Tom wanted a team to be in Oklahoma City all along, but that it was not to be the Sonics.” He went on to say that, “They were behind me every step of the way.”
Huh? I know, it sidesteps any pretense of logic. Why would Ward and McClendon be interested in giving their money to buy a team they could never watch? If they really wanted a team in Oklahoma City, why would they “be behind [Clay] every step of the way” as he tried to keep the team in Seattle?
There was much, much more to get from the press conference, but I honestly couldn’t watch the entire conference due to work constraints. I’ll leave it to the reporters on the scene to fill in the blanks.
It's Official
Supersonicsoultoon: Behind the Scenes at the NBA Owners Meeting
(click picture to enlarge)
Sorry, no color this time.
-chunk
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Press Conference Televised
According to Eric Williams at TNT, the league will be holding a press conference in NYC between 1 and 2 pm East Coast Time (10 to 11 here), although Percy Allen at the Times expects the conference to be later than that.
Of note, the press conference will be broadcast on both NBA TV as well as nba.com. Stay tuned; if we find a link we'll throw it up on the site.
However, being that Clay Bennett and David Stern will be giving the conference, it might be considered NSFW.
UPDATE: Press conference has been delayed until no earlier than 12 pm Seattle time. Apparently, Clay and David still had some things to do.
Of note, the press conference will be broadcast on both NBA TV as well as nba.com. Stay tuned; if we find a link we'll throw it up on the site.
However, being that Clay Bennett and David Stern will be giving the conference, it might be considered NSFW.
UPDATE: Press conference has been delayed until no earlier than 12 pm Seattle time. Apparently, Clay and David still had some things to do.
Decision Day
It is now just after noon in New York City, and while the owners of 30 NBA teams lunch on whatever millionaires and billionaires lunch on (caviar? $100 bills?), the fate of the Seattle SuperSonics, somewhat, hangs in the balance.
I say somewhat because, as we all know, that fate will be more concretely decided in mid-June during the court case between the team and the city.
But today’s vote will be interesting nonetheless. A number of possibilities await, among them:
-A unanimous or near-unanimous vote of YES to relocation (most likely)
-A vote of YES, with a condition attached related to the outcome of the trial (equally likely)
-A postponement of the vote (less likely)
-A NO vote (as likely as the three of us attending Karl Malone’s Hall of Fame induction)
Somewhere in between all of those options is the reality. In a numbers game, how many votes will Seattle get? Mark Cuban seems to be likely to say no, Paul Allen has been reported as leaning towards abstaining (way to take a stand, big fella), and the rest are seemingly on side with David Stern and Clay Bennett.
I’m putting the over/under on NO votes at 3. Feel free to chime in with your expectations.
UPDATE: Eric Williams at the TNT notes in his blog that the owners will be giving a press conference shortly, indicating the vote has already been held.
Sene Out for Next Season
It appears Mo Sene fans will have to wait an entire year before seeing him lace up his shoes for the Sonics.
The Senegalese center made great strides in the D-League this season, but that achievement has been tainted with news late yesterday that he underwent microfracture surgery on Monday, the same surgery which sabotaged Greg Oden's chances at glory this season.
Sene was already under the knife for a tear in his right knee when doctors found out about the additional injury.
The Senegalese center made great strides in the D-League this season, but that achievement has been tainted with news late yesterday that he underwent microfracture surgery on Monday, the same surgery which sabotaged Greg Oden's chances at glory this season.
Sene was already under the knife for a tear in his right knee when doctors found out about the additional injury.
Thursday, April 17
Non-Arena News
Just to remind us all that this is a basketball team we're following, and not a conglomeration of lawyers and court cases, a bit of on-court news to report:
1. Scott Perry will not return as the Sonics' Asst. General Manager next year, having taken a position with Detroit Pistons, from whence he came to the Sonics a year ago. Perry is expected to be named the VP of Basketball Operations for the Pistons.
2. Gary Washburn reports in the PI that Sam Presti failed to confirm - not once, but twice - that PJ Carlesimo will return as the Sonics' head coach next season. I'll allow you to read Washburn's piece to get the rest of the story, but the bigger question is, Does it mean anything?
Perhaps not. After all, Carlesimo is a big enough boy to be able to withstand a few days or weeks of uncertainty, so it's not as though he'll be anxiously awaiting every text message and phone call he receives in the next little while.
On the other hand, Presti can't be terribly enthused with how the season went, especially the way in which the team seemed to tune out their coach and go on early vacation in numerous games in the second half of the season.
The franchise's utter lack of certainty in any aspect of its existence has more than a little to do with that, of course, but shouldn't Carlesimo's avowed dedication to defense shown up on the court at some point this year?
Luckily for PJ, both Kevin Durant and Jeff Green showed improvement in their games as the season went on, for if those two keys to the team's future failed to show any increase in skills after 82 games under Carlesimo, then that might have been it for the long-time assistant.
One other aspect to consider, naturally, is Gary Washburn's obvious disdain for the entire situation. It's only human nature to grow weary of a lousy situation, and covering the Sonics this year was a lousy situation no matter how you looked at it. GW, perhaps inheriting the Bitter Baron title from the since-departed Frank Hughes at the TNT, seemed to take the Sonics' failures down the stretch more than a little too close to heart, and his frustration at the season may have played a role in the quotes he obtained.
1. Scott Perry will not return as the Sonics' Asst. General Manager next year, having taken a position with Detroit Pistons, from whence he came to the Sonics a year ago. Perry is expected to be named the VP of Basketball Operations for the Pistons.
2. Gary Washburn reports in the PI that Sam Presti failed to confirm - not once, but twice - that PJ Carlesimo will return as the Sonics' head coach next season. I'll allow you to read Washburn's piece to get the rest of the story, but the bigger question is, Does it mean anything?
Perhaps not. After all, Carlesimo is a big enough boy to be able to withstand a few days or weeks of uncertainty, so it's not as though he'll be anxiously awaiting every text message and phone call he receives in the next little while.
On the other hand, Presti can't be terribly enthused with how the season went, especially the way in which the team seemed to tune out their coach and go on early vacation in numerous games in the second half of the season.
The franchise's utter lack of certainty in any aspect of its existence has more than a little to do with that, of course, but shouldn't Carlesimo's avowed dedication to defense shown up on the court at some point this year?
Luckily for PJ, both Kevin Durant and Jeff Green showed improvement in their games as the season went on, for if those two keys to the team's future failed to show any increase in skills after 82 games under Carlesimo, then that might have been it for the long-time assistant.
One other aspect to consider, naturally, is Gary Washburn's obvious disdain for the entire situation. It's only human nature to grow weary of a lousy situation, and covering the Sonics this year was a lousy situation no matter how you looked at it. GW, perhaps inheriting the Bitter Baron title from the since-departed Frank Hughes at the TNT, seemed to take the Sonics' failures down the stretch more than a little too close to heart, and his frustration at the season may have played a role in the quotes he obtained.
Bennett on the Attack
No matter your opinion on the ongoing saga between Clay Bennett, David Stern, and the City of Seattle, you cannot disagree with the sentiment that this situation has become much, much more difficult than either of the first two parties anticipated.
Whether you believe Seattle is reaping the fruits of years of ignoring the “problems” with the KeyArena lease, or if you believe Bennett is fully within his rights to pick up and move the Sonics, you must also believe that Clay Bennett – and David Stern right alongside him - is sweating bullets these days.
How can I be so sure? Because people who are convinced they are going to win court cases do not start slinging wild accusations in federal court, that’s why.
Bennett’s lawyers filed motions in Federal District Court on Wednesday, a number of which are sealed at the present time, but the motions in essence question the integrity of the City of Seattle, whether the city truly is revealing the true cost of the remodeling of KeyArena, and whether there is collusion between the proposed ownership group and the city. (You can find the a PDF links here).
Looking at the documents, you can only come to one conclusion – this entire situation is going to give the National Basketball Association a black eye unlike anything it has ever seen. Already, months before the court date, acrimonious charges are being bandied about, by both sides. From the city:
“When the current owners bought the Sonics, the NBA required ... that the new owners make ‘good faith best efforts’ for a year to keep the Sonics in the Seattle area. ... In the midst of the ‘good faith best efforts’ period, the owners deceived the NBA about their actions and true intentions, which from the outset were to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City. As an apparent result of this deception, the NBA began taking the new owners’ side by endorsing their claims about the Lease and KeyArena.”and
“The NBA refuses to produce responsive documents [the city was referring to financial records pertaining to profit and loss] ... The NBA cannot involve itself in the events underlying the litigation and simultaneously refuse to provide necessary discovery.”And on and on. Further, reading Mayor Greg Nickels’ deposition, and the adversarial tone taken by Bennett’s attorney, you can only imagine how the events will proceed in court, when Slade Gorton and his crew get the opportunity to cross-examine Clay Bennett and David Stern.
Nope, Brian Robinson was right all along – the NBA doesn’t want anything to do with a court case, and the city – as well as the rest of us, now – knows it.
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