Eric Williams has the anticipatory look at what Judge Marsha Pechman will and will not allow in the upcoming Sonics vs Seattle trial, set to begin June 16 in this fair city.
That debate about whether Sherman Alexie and Mitch Levy will be allowed to testify? Decided today.
The argument of whether the city was in bed with Steve Ballmer and orchestrated the entire situation to force Bennett to sell? Decided today.
Should the survey which showed Seattle cares little about the NBA be included? Decided today.
Are Nick Licata's comments about the lack of cultural value of the Sonics important? Decided today.
And so on. As you can see, it's an important day for the future of the franchise in this city, especially in one regard: How the judge rules will be the first solid indication of how she feels about the case. If later today it is revealed that Levy and Alexie will be forbidden to testify, it will be an indication she may be leaning towards the Sonics' side of things, and, contrarily, if a whack of the Sonics' evidence is denied entry, then it could be supposed the judge is leaning towards Seattle's side of things.
Should make for an interesting day.
Friday, June 6
Video Protest
Seattle Weekly has a great piece up right now, put together by Jason Reid and Damon Agnos, showing Reid's visit to the NBA offices in New York. Well done all around, with just the right mixture of indignation, sentimentality, and Freddie Mercury. Any Sonic fan should absolutely check it out.
Thursday, June 5
Breaking It Down
I’m still struggling with who to root for in the Finals, and with tip-off merely a few hours away, I thought I’d break it down and see who I liked best at each position.
Remember, this isn’t who I think is the better player, it’s who I would root for in a one-on-one matchup.
POINT GUARD
Rajon Rondo v Derek Fisher
I don’t know why, but I’ve never liked Fisher. Maybe it’s an anti-lefty bias, or perhaps just leftovers from the Laker 3-peat, but I just don’t care for the guy. Rondo, on the other hand, is fun to watch and always capable of doing something exciting.
SHOOTING GUARD
Ray Allen v Kobe Bryant
Um, gee, that’s a tough one. Bottom line: I refuse to cheer for someone who 1) gave himself a nickname, and 2) made that nickname “Mamba.” Go, Ray, go.
SMALL FORWARD
Paul Pierce v Vladimir Radmanovic
Another easy one. How can you root against a guy so obviously willing to make himself look foolish? Do you think Pierce would be willing to sport this outfit? Of course not. Edge, Radman.
POWER FORWARD
Kevin Garnett v Lamar Odom
I’ll admit, I love Kevin Garnett. I love his intensity, I love the way he sort of resembles a creature from another planet, I love his -5% body fat. Can you think of two more diametrically opposed personalities in the entire league than Garnett and Odom? I’m rooting for KG, thank you very much.
CENTER
Kendrick Perkins v Pau Gasol
I like Spain, and Spaniards in general, but I’ve never warmed up to Pau. Maybe it’s because he always looks as if someone stole his moped, but I just can’t get excited about rooting for him. Perkins, alternatively, is fun to cheer for, simply because he’s almost like a real, old-fashioned NBA center. I like that he is 0-for-6 in his career in 3-point attempts. I like that he has more in common with Earl Cureton than Earl Monroe. Centers are supposed to push people around and get rebounds, right?
RESERVES
Celtics v Lakers
Well, Boston’s got PJ Brown, who I’ve always enjoyed, as well should-have-been-a-Sonic Glen Davis, who’s sort of a Danny Fortson for the Facebook generation. The Lakers have Sasha Vujacic (ick), Luke Walton (double-ick), and Jordan Farmar (who the what now?). If it wasn’t for Ronny Turiaf I could honestly say that I have no positive opinions about anyone on the Laker bench. (Although, I have to admit that I had a feeling back in February that Vujacic would become famous in June for making a 3-pointer at one point in the Finals; you just get that Steve Kerr-ish feeling from him). Definite edge to Boston here.
COACH
Doc Rivers v Phil Jackson
I know the Zen Master is annoying, but I like that he admits he’s annoying, or at least admits that the whole press-coach relationship is a bit of a game. I’m siding with Mr. Jeanne Buss.
INTANGIBLES
Boston vs Los Angeles
On the one hand, you’ve got Boston, which seems to have marked its territory around every major sporting event. On the other, you’ve got late-arriving Laker fans. Can I just call it a push?
So, the calculator says Boston wins, by a score of five to two. Which means, yours truly will be rooting for Boston for the next week or so.
That, and for a certain someone special to have to make a plane trip to Seattle. That would be extra sweet.
Remember, this isn’t who I think is the better player, it’s who I would root for in a one-on-one matchup.
POINT GUARD
Rajon Rondo v Derek Fisher
I don’t know why, but I’ve never liked Fisher. Maybe it’s an anti-lefty bias, or perhaps just leftovers from the Laker 3-peat, but I just don’t care for the guy. Rondo, on the other hand, is fun to watch and always capable of doing something exciting.
SHOOTING GUARD
Ray Allen v Kobe Bryant
Um, gee, that’s a tough one. Bottom line: I refuse to cheer for someone who 1) gave himself a nickname, and 2) made that nickname “Mamba.” Go, Ray, go.
SMALL FORWARD
Paul Pierce v Vladimir Radmanovic
Another easy one. How can you root against a guy so obviously willing to make himself look foolish? Do you think Pierce would be willing to sport this outfit? Of course not. Edge, Radman.
POWER FORWARD
Kevin Garnett v Lamar Odom
I’ll admit, I love Kevin Garnett. I love his intensity, I love the way he sort of resembles a creature from another planet, I love his -5% body fat. Can you think of two more diametrically opposed personalities in the entire league than Garnett and Odom? I’m rooting for KG, thank you very much.
CENTER
Kendrick Perkins v Pau Gasol
I like Spain, and Spaniards in general, but I’ve never warmed up to Pau. Maybe it’s because he always looks as if someone stole his moped, but I just can’t get excited about rooting for him. Perkins, alternatively, is fun to cheer for, simply because he’s almost like a real, old-fashioned NBA center. I like that he is 0-for-6 in his career in 3-point attempts. I like that he has more in common with Earl Cureton than Earl Monroe. Centers are supposed to push people around and get rebounds, right?
RESERVES
Celtics v Lakers
Well, Boston’s got PJ Brown, who I’ve always enjoyed, as well should-have-been-a-Sonic Glen Davis, who’s sort of a Danny Fortson for the Facebook generation. The Lakers have Sasha Vujacic (ick), Luke Walton (double-ick), and Jordan Farmar (who the what now?). If it wasn’t for Ronny Turiaf I could honestly say that I have no positive opinions about anyone on the Laker bench. (Although, I have to admit that I had a feeling back in February that Vujacic would become famous in June for making a 3-pointer at one point in the Finals; you just get that Steve Kerr-ish feeling from him). Definite edge to Boston here.
COACH
Doc Rivers v Phil Jackson
I know the Zen Master is annoying, but I like that he admits he’s annoying, or at least admits that the whole press-coach relationship is a bit of a game. I’m siding with Mr. Jeanne Buss.
INTANGIBLES
Boston vs Los Angeles
On the one hand, you’ve got Boston, which seems to have marked its territory around every major sporting event. On the other, you’ve got late-arriving Laker fans. Can I just call it a push?
So, the calculator says Boston wins, by a score of five to two. Which means, yours truly will be rooting for Boston for the next week or so.
That, and for a certain someone special to have to make a plane trip to Seattle. That would be extra sweet.
Wednesday, June 4
Wilcox Arrested
Percy Allen at the Times reports that Chris Wilcox was arrested last Saturday in North Carolina and charged with carrying two concealed weapons.
Normally, we'd have some snarky comment to make, but articles involving concealed weapons and jail time kind of put the kibosh on that sort of thing.
Normally, we'd have some snarky comment to make, but articles involving concealed weapons and jail time kind of put the kibosh on that sort of thing.
Order, Order
Items to which the Sonics objected in the pre-trial order (PDF found via Eric Williams’ blog at the TNT):
“The 2006-07 season marked the Sonics 40th anniversary in Seattle.”
“The Sonics won the NBA championship in 1979 ...”
“The Sonics are part of the Sonics & Storm Foundation which supports community programs that teach, encourage and motivate children.”
“The earth revolves around the sun.”
“The Foundation recently awarded $10,000 in scholarships .. [as part of] the newly named Dennis Johnson Memorial Scholarship.”
“The Sonics actively supports [sic] the NBA’s Hip to Be Fit Program.”
Okay, I made up one of those, and, to be fair, the Sonics are not objecting to the veracity of those statements, they are objecting to their relevance to the trial. Still, you have to admit the humor in a team objecting to the phrase “The Sonics won the NBA championship in 1979,” if only on a Rumsfeldian level.
Speaking of enjoyable pieces of information, the order also reveals the city will be calling Andrew Zimbalist as a witness. Zimbalist, an economist, is best known for his intricate explorations of sports from an economic perspective, and is often cited by anti-stadium activists for his arguments against the economic benefits of building new stadiums. The fact a city is using Zimbalist in a court case – a gentleman who has argued so effectively that cities are foolish to think that stadiums will cure their economic woes – is more than a little ironic.
Other witnesses slated to testify include Clayton Bennett, James Donaldson, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Aubrey McClendon, and the NBA’s Joel Litvin. There is no information in the order as to whether David Stern will be required to testify.
Among the pages of evidence to be presented is an email from McClendon to KM8881@ aol.com, with the subject heading “The Oklahoma City Sonic Boom (or maybe Sonic Boomers!) Baby” and another email from “Steve Balimer” [sic] to Clay Bennett (from February 2007).
As in all legal proceedings, the order is heavy on details and light on enjoyable reading, but it still serves as yet another essential piece of the future of the Seattle SuperSonics.
“The 2006-07 season marked the Sonics 40th anniversary in Seattle.”
“The Sonics won the NBA championship in 1979 ...”
“The Sonics are part of the Sonics & Storm Foundation which supports community programs that teach, encourage and motivate children.”
“The earth revolves around the sun.”
“The Foundation recently awarded $10,000 in scholarships .. [as part of] the newly named Dennis Johnson Memorial Scholarship.”
“The Sonics actively supports [sic] the NBA’s Hip to Be Fit Program.”
Okay, I made up one of those, and, to be fair, the Sonics are not objecting to the veracity of those statements, they are objecting to their relevance to the trial. Still, you have to admit the humor in a team objecting to the phrase “The Sonics won the NBA championship in 1979,” if only on a Rumsfeldian level.
Speaking of enjoyable pieces of information, the order also reveals the city will be calling Andrew Zimbalist as a witness. Zimbalist, an economist, is best known for his intricate explorations of sports from an economic perspective, and is often cited by anti-stadium activists for his arguments against the economic benefits of building new stadiums. The fact a city is using Zimbalist in a court case – a gentleman who has argued so effectively that cities are foolish to think that stadiums will cure their economic woes – is more than a little ironic.
Other witnesses slated to testify include Clayton Bennett, James Donaldson, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Aubrey McClendon, and the NBA’s Joel Litvin. There is no information in the order as to whether David Stern will be required to testify.
Among the pages of evidence to be presented is an email from McClendon to KM8881@ aol.com, with the subject heading “The Oklahoma City Sonic Boom (or maybe Sonic Boomers!) Baby” and another email from “Steve Balimer” [sic] to Clay Bennett (from February 2007).
As in all legal proceedings, the order is heavy on details and light on enjoyable reading, but it still serves as yet another essential piece of the future of the Seattle SuperSonics.
Redd Faced
Check this out and tell me if it doesn’t make you a bit nauseous:
“There’s a lot of talk about acquiring Michael Redd from the Milwaukee Bucks, and it might be realistic. ... A lineup that includes Delonte West and Redd at guard is pretty appealing.
“Redd will make $15.8 million, $17 million and $18.3 million (player option) the next three seasons. The Cavs have Szczerbiak’s $13 million and Damon Jones’ $4.5 million in expiring contracts to work with.”
In case you failed to read between the lines, Sam Presti could have acquired the following by packaging Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West (or Luke Ridnour or Earl Watson) this summer:
1. Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble, and Adrian Griffin,
Or
2. Michael Redd.
How does that taste, Sonic fans? I’ll tell you what it tastes like to me, it tastes like garbage. The Sonics have already let Newble walk away, and Griffin’s deal expired, leaving Marshall’s $5 million expiring deal to show for what will be the starting backcourt for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Care to take a guess as to what the Sonics will do with a $5 million expiring contract at the trading deadline next February? Considering that Kurt Thomas’ contract was worth almost twice Marshall’s, and considering that Thomas had twice the value of Marshall as a basketball player, I’m guessing that Sam Presti will be lucky to get a fourth round pick for Donyell, and that’s only because there’s only two rounds in the draft to begin with.
Worse yet, the Sonics essentially threw away Delonte West simply because PJ Carlesimo couldn’t figure out how to use him. Let me get this straight, Mike Brown – who is nowhere near the brightest mind in the NBA coaching academy – can figure out how to use West, but PJ can’t? What does that say about the future of the Sonics?
Granted, the due date on PJ’s library card might be next February, but, still, shouldn’t the guy running the team have a modicum of insight into how to utilize his assets? Of course, that’s assuming the people running the team placed a higher emphasis on the win/loss column than on Clay Bennett’s legal bills, which is a foolish assumption to make, I know.
But let’s assume that wasn’t the case, and the Sonics were run by people who were trying to win games. The starting lineup this November could conceivably look something like this:
PG: DJ Augustine
SG: Redd
SF: Durant
PF: Wilcox
C: Collison
Plus, coming off the bench we’ve got Green, someone like Chris Douglas-Roberts, the remainder of The Watson/West/Ridnour Trio, and The Francisco Elson All-Stars. Plus, if the Sonics trade down from #4 to, say, the #10 pick to get Augustine (according to Chad Ford, they’re already exploring the possibility of dealing down), they might pick up another first-rounder in an upcoming draft, or an expiring contract. Plus, Chris Wilcox will be playing out of his mind next season in order to cash in during the summer, so you know the Sonics could easily pick up something valuable for him at the trade deadline. Plus, even though you’re overpaying Redd, his deal will come off the books by the time your superstar draft picks start getting their extensions.
This isn’t some pie-the-in-sky scenario that involves other teams trading superstars for your retreads, it just involves regular, everyday NBA trades. Now, it could be argued that Milwaukee would be less likely to part with Redd if they had to take back Ridnour/Watson/West's contract in return, but what if the Sonics sweetened the pot with one of their 37 draft picks in the next three seasons? Are you telling me the Bucks would say no to a $13 million expiring contract, a #1 pick, and a servicable point guard in exchange for a guy they already want to get rid of?
What’s most frustrating of all isn’t that Presti didn’t make the move because he’s a moron, it’s that he didn’t make the move because his boss is more interested in saving money than in winning games.
The irony in all of this is that Sonic fans have waited a dozen years since Bob Whitsitt skipped down I-5 to Portland for a savvy GM, and now we’ve finally got one, only his genius is hamstrung by corrupt ownership. At least when Rick Sund and Wally Walker were stocking the roster with 7’ stiffs we knew they were doing it with the mindset of improving the team.
Now? Now we’ve got a boy genius who could be composing symphonies, only his dad won’t let him listen to anything but Conway Twitty.
Morning News
Interesting read in the PI this morning from Greg Johns, wherein the city explains the necessity of KJR's Mitch Levy taking the stand, despite the team's vociferous opposition to that.
Essentially, the city's argument is that Levy is uniquely qualified to testify as to how the team neglected to properly promote the franchise, using as an example the failure of the team to allow Kevin Durant to appear on KJR (an all-sports station) more than once the entire season. The city argues that Levy would be a good person to compare Durant's treatment to someone such as Ken Griffey.
Also in the PI, Gary Washburn has an amusing story about Ronnie Craven, a Boston area man who lied to a woman in an online dating service, claiming to be a Sonics' front office employee. Craven was less than contrite when contacted by Washburn:
"I lied to her. Does that mean I can go out there and represent the Sonics? No. Does that mean that I did it to get some (sex)? Absolutely."
Gotta love it.
Essentially, the city's argument is that Levy is uniquely qualified to testify as to how the team neglected to properly promote the franchise, using as an example the failure of the team to allow Kevin Durant to appear on KJR (an all-sports station) more than once the entire season. The city argues that Levy would be a good person to compare Durant's treatment to someone such as Ken Griffey.
Also in the PI, Gary Washburn has an amusing story about Ronnie Craven, a Boston area man who lied to a woman in an online dating service, claiming to be a Sonics' front office employee. Craven was less than contrite when contacted by Washburn:
"I lied to her. Does that mean I can go out there and represent the Sonics? No. Does that mean that I did it to get some (sex)? Absolutely."
Gotta love it.
Tuesday, June 3
Flapjacks
In Full Court Pressure, Curt Sampson’s tale of the Karl/Kemp/Payton era Sonics, there’s an interesting anecdote about Detlef Schrempf, the team’s resident perfectionist at the time.
As the story goes, a friend stayed at Schrempf’s house while the German forward was on vacation. Upon returning, Det berated the friend for leaving an oil stain on his otherwise pristine driveway.
It spoke volumes to the way Det prepared for everything and to why he was such a successful player so beloved by his coaches. After all, what coach doesn’t want a player who knows his opponent’s plays better than his teammates know their own?
In many ways, Ray Allen and Detlef Schrempf are branches of the same tree (a well manicured one, presumably). Superb three-point and free-throw shooters who glided smoothly on the court in spite of whatever chaos surrounded them, they also must have made terrible roommates because of their devotion to perfection. Call me crazy, but I would hazard a guess that the majority of 25-year-old athletes are less than enthusiastic about engaging in conversation about the last time they scrubbed the bathroom sink, or why there are three forks resting in the sink, when clearly they should have been put away last night after dinner, and would it kill you to replenish the toilet paper roll once in awhile?
Last year, I came across an article about Ray Allen in the Seattle Times, one of those Sunday Lifestyle puff pieces that are heavier on style than substance. The story is predominantly a Q&A about cooking, wherein the reader learns that: 1) Allen only uses Aunt Jemima pancake mix and 2) baked chicken and rice are always on the game-day menu.
But skip over those facts to the end of the story, to where you are educated about Ray’s only “kitchen disaster.” To wit:
But if you think about it, it’s not surprising at all. If you read Jackie MacMullen’s piece about Allen in the Boston Globe, you’re aware he’s borderline OCD, so perhaps it is less than revealing to find out his obsession to routine extends to the domestic front. Oddly disconcerting, yes, but not surprising.
Ray Allen. Detlef Schrempf. The Felix Ungers of the NBA.
As the story goes, a friend stayed at Schrempf’s house while the German forward was on vacation. Upon returning, Det berated the friend for leaving an oil stain on his otherwise pristine driveway.
It spoke volumes to the way Det prepared for everything and to why he was such a successful player so beloved by his coaches. After all, what coach doesn’t want a player who knows his opponent’s plays better than his teammates know their own?
In many ways, Ray Allen and Detlef Schrempf are branches of the same tree (a well manicured one, presumably). Superb three-point and free-throw shooters who glided smoothly on the court in spite of whatever chaos surrounded them, they also must have made terrible roommates because of their devotion to perfection. Call me crazy, but I would hazard a guess that the majority of 25-year-old athletes are less than enthusiastic about engaging in conversation about the last time they scrubbed the bathroom sink, or why there are three forks resting in the sink, when clearly they should have been put away last night after dinner, and would it kill you to replenish the toilet paper roll once in awhile?
Last year, I came across an article about Ray Allen in the Seattle Times, one of those Sunday Lifestyle puff pieces that are heavier on style than substance. The story is predominantly a Q&A about cooking, wherein the reader learns that: 1) Allen only uses Aunt Jemima pancake mix and 2) baked chicken and rice are always on the game-day menu.
But skip over those facts to the end of the story, to where you are educated about Ray’s only “kitchen disaster.” To wit:
A long time ago, Shannon [his fiancée] moved in and was making banana bread — you know, you make it when bananas are going bad. But I told her, "I don't like banana bread; don't make it." But then we went out, and when we came back after the game, she still had the bread in the oven. Luckily, we caught it at the smoke stage.Roll that over in your mind for a few minutes. I don’t know about the rest of you, but when someone asks me about my worst kitchen disaster, I’m thinking of the time I used too much lighter fluid and nearly Yul Brennered myself, not about the time I left the banana bread in the oven for an extra three minutes. Am I the only one who thinks it a bit odd that in all of Ray Allen’s life, the worst thing that ever happened to him in the kitchen is some crispy banana bread?
But if you think about it, it’s not surprising at all. If you read Jackie MacMullen’s piece about Allen in the Boston Globe, you’re aware he’s borderline OCD, so perhaps it is less than revealing to find out his obsession to routine extends to the domestic front. Oddly disconcerting, yes, but not surprising.
Ray Allen. Detlef Schrempf. The Felix Ungers of the NBA.
Big Money
According to Sports Illustrated, Kevin Durant was the 13th highest-paid athlete (using both on- and off-court income) in the U.S. last year.
In addition, Durant is the youngest man in the entire top 50, as well as the only teenager. Including endorsements, SI lists the young Sonic’s take at $25.9 million this past year, including the $12 million signing bonus he received from Nike (just edging the $0.12 signing bonus I received from Editor Paul on my last contract).
Even more amazing, Durant is younger than all but three of the 14 “Future 50” candidates SI trumpets in another section of the website. Only Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and Brazilian soccer star Alexandre Pato are younger than Durant. He finished sixth among NBA players.
Among others, Durant received more money than Tom Brady, Jeff Gordon, Manny Ramirez, Tim Duncan, and Rich King.
Sonics fight: It's gonna get ugly
I thought I might be able to go a week without having to read about the Sonics Situation. I was wrong.
The Seattle P.I. asked Seattle lawyer Randy Aliment what he predicted for the upcoming Sonics trial. His answer? There Will Be Blood:
"Here you've got breach of lease, you've got breach of contract, you've got fraud. But bottom line, what you really have is a fight. Somebody is trying to steal the team, somebody wants to keep the team, and that's all the city knows and all Clay Bennett knows.Read the rest in today's Seattle P.I.
"That's why the NBA has to be looking at this thing saying, 'We've got to put a stop to this' or who knows where the fallout will end? Because once that fistfight erupts in court, it's like a bar where eventually it spills out into the street. You'd think somebody would want to stop this before it goes that far."
Monday, June 2
Anatomy of a Feud
The Kobe Bryant-Ray Allen subplot to the Finals is beginning to get a bit of attention from the national media, but still not as much as I might have expected, given the lengthy delay between the conference finals and the championship series. For those who are unaware of the conflict, here’s a brief synopsis.
OCTOBER 2004
During an exhibition game between the Sonics and Lakers, Ray Allen receives an elbow from Kobe Bryant and the two exchange words.
OCTOBER 2004
After an exhibition game against the Blazers, Allen questions Kobe Bryant’s leadership skills to reporters, especially in light of the recently departed Shaquille O’Neal. “He feels like he needs to show this league and the people in this country that he is better without Shaq,” Allen says. “He can win championships without Shaq. So offensively, he's going to jump out and say, 'I can average 30 points. I can still carry the load on this team.' If Kobe doesn't see he needs two and a half good players to be a legitimate playoff contender or win a championship, in about a year or two he'll be calling out to Jerry Buss that 'We need some help in here,' or 'Trade me.’ And we'll all be saying, 'I told you so,' when he says that."
Allen concludes by stating, “He has the talent [to lead a team], he can do it. But is his attitude going to allow him to take a back seat and let Lamar Odom shine and let Caron Butler have his nights and bring those big guys along with him?”
Obviously, Allen was proven right, as this past summer Bryant demanded a trade or some immediate help.
OCTOBER 20, 2004
Bryant allegedly phones Allen and tells him “I’m gonna bust your ass.” Bryant is referring to an upcoming exhibition game between the Sonics and Lakers. Allen denies the phone call ever took place. Bryant does as well, and also adds, “Don’t even put me and dude [Allen] in the same place.”
The two would continue to battle on-court while Allen was with the Sonics (including this memorable block by Bryant on an Allen dunk and this other brilliant Bryant game), but obviously the “feud” moved to the back burner when Allen was dealt to the Celtics this past summer.
In total, the two have tangled ten times since their tete a tete in October 2004. In those ten games, Allen’s team is 6-4, but Kobe clearly wins the individual game with 29.4 ppg to Allen’s 22. Ray does get bonus points for playing fewer minutes and for tallying more rebounds, but no matter how you look at it, Bryant has bested Allen in the individual matchup.
It’s tough to say, though, how much of the greatness attributed to Bryant lately is due to his play and how much is due to his surroundings. Bryant has been tremendous this season, but this is still the same man who received catcalls from the balcony of NBA fandom for much of the past few seasons. It makes you wonder, is it Bryant who has changed, or our perception of him?
Likewise, the perception of Allen has changed, and in one season he has gone from a feared offensive weapon to an aging gunslinger. When Allen first came to Seattle, I expected a one-dimensional shooter, basically a younger and slightly more athletic version of Dale Ellis. I was surprised to see, however, a uniquely skilled offensive player who was capable of getting 25-5-5 on just about any night. In addition, he showed us his cold-blooded nature in the 2005 playoffs by putting up lights-out numbers for three rounds.
With double ankle surgery this past spring and the presence of two strong offensive players alongside him, Allen saw his numbers drop dramatically this year, and his playoff woes are well documented. As does Bryant – as does any athlete – Ray Allen has pride, but unlike Kobe, Allen’s pride is muted. In all the time I’ve watched him play, I’ve never seen Allen thump his chest or stare down an opponent in a menacing fashion. Ray Allen would never petulantly refuse to take a shot for an entire half because it simply would never occur to him. Perhaps it’s just not his nature.
Whether or not Allen can find enough magic elixir in his bag of tricks to put up some 25-point games this Finals remains to be seen, but I have a feeling that the now-simmering feud will add some fuel to his engine. The question remains: Are the wounds to his pride deep enough to stimulate the great offensive player still inhabiting that body?
For those of us counting on a Laker loss, it’s the best we can hope for.
(Information was gathered from The Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, and Seattle PI).
OCTOBER 2004
During an exhibition game between the Sonics and Lakers, Ray Allen receives an elbow from Kobe Bryant and the two exchange words.
OCTOBER 2004
After an exhibition game against the Blazers, Allen questions Kobe Bryant’s leadership skills to reporters, especially in light of the recently departed Shaquille O’Neal. “He feels like he needs to show this league and the people in this country that he is better without Shaq,” Allen says. “He can win championships without Shaq. So offensively, he's going to jump out and say, 'I can average 30 points. I can still carry the load on this team.' If Kobe doesn't see he needs two and a half good players to be a legitimate playoff contender or win a championship, in about a year or two he'll be calling out to Jerry Buss that 'We need some help in here,' or 'Trade me.’ And we'll all be saying, 'I told you so,' when he says that."
Allen concludes by stating, “He has the talent [to lead a team], he can do it. But is his attitude going to allow him to take a back seat and let Lamar Odom shine and let Caron Butler have his nights and bring those big guys along with him?”
Obviously, Allen was proven right, as this past summer Bryant demanded a trade or some immediate help.
OCTOBER 20, 2004
Bryant allegedly phones Allen and tells him “I’m gonna bust your ass.” Bryant is referring to an upcoming exhibition game between the Sonics and Lakers. Allen denies the phone call ever took place. Bryant does as well, and also adds, “Don’t even put me and dude [Allen] in the same place.”
The two would continue to battle on-court while Allen was with the Sonics (including this memorable block by Bryant on an Allen dunk and this other brilliant Bryant game), but obviously the “feud” moved to the back burner when Allen was dealt to the Celtics this past summer.
In total, the two have tangled ten times since their tete a tete in October 2004. In those ten games, Allen’s team is 6-4, but Kobe clearly wins the individual game with 29.4 ppg to Allen’s 22. Ray does get bonus points for playing fewer minutes and for tallying more rebounds, but no matter how you look at it, Bryant has bested Allen in the individual matchup.
It’s tough to say, though, how much of the greatness attributed to Bryant lately is due to his play and how much is due to his surroundings. Bryant has been tremendous this season, but this is still the same man who received catcalls from the balcony of NBA fandom for much of the past few seasons. It makes you wonder, is it Bryant who has changed, or our perception of him?
Likewise, the perception of Allen has changed, and in one season he has gone from a feared offensive weapon to an aging gunslinger. When Allen first came to Seattle, I expected a one-dimensional shooter, basically a younger and slightly more athletic version of Dale Ellis. I was surprised to see, however, a uniquely skilled offensive player who was capable of getting 25-5-5 on just about any night. In addition, he showed us his cold-blooded nature in the 2005 playoffs by putting up lights-out numbers for three rounds.
With double ankle surgery this past spring and the presence of two strong offensive players alongside him, Allen saw his numbers drop dramatically this year, and his playoff woes are well documented. As does Bryant – as does any athlete – Ray Allen has pride, but unlike Kobe, Allen’s pride is muted. In all the time I’ve watched him play, I’ve never seen Allen thump his chest or stare down an opponent in a menacing fashion. Ray Allen would never petulantly refuse to take a shot for an entire half because it simply would never occur to him. Perhaps it’s just not his nature.
Whether or not Allen can find enough magic elixir in his bag of tricks to put up some 25-point games this Finals remains to be seen, but I have a feeling that the now-simmering feud will add some fuel to his engine. The question remains: Are the wounds to his pride deep enough to stimulate the great offensive player still inhabiting that body?
For those of us counting on a Laker loss, it’s the best we can hope for.
(Information was gathered from The Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, and Seattle PI).
Long Time Gone
Game 7.
June 2, 1996.
It may have been twelve years ago today, but it seems like one hundred. Can it really have only been a little more than a decade since a Utah-Seattle matchup meant so much?
Is it really possible that Greg Gumble mused that Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp were about to take the mantle from John Stockton and Karl Malone as the pre-eminent inside-outside tandem of the next decade?
If you haven’t already, go ahead and click that youtube link above. Okay, have you watched the entire thing? Now, roll up your sleeve and check: Are the goosebumps there?
No, how about now?
Of course they are.
That series had everything a Sonic fan could want, everything a basketball fan could want. The key to any classic series – to any classic event – is a hero and a villain. For a Sonic fan of the mid-90s, there was no greater hero than Shawn Kemp and no greater villain than Karl Malone.
While Stockton and Hornacek were certainly despised in Seattle, they weren’t on the same level as Malone, a 250-pound behemoth of a power forward who flopped on defense like a corn stalk in a gentle breeze. Lord, we hated that man. We hated his 18-foot jump shot, which he took while standing in a perfectly straight line, angled slightly backwards, as if his feet were tied to the floor and he was wavering around that axis.
We hated the way he whined the referees for (pick one) not getting calls or getting too many.
But, more than anything else, we hated the way he seemed to take 17 minutes to take a foul shot. The deliberate way he bounced the ball while adjusting his feet, the excruciating muttering while he spun the ball in his hands. While I always wondered what the heck Malone was saying to himself while he readied his shot, I can say with certainty what thousands of Sonic fans across the northwest were saying:
“I hope you miss this shot and tear your achilles while backpedaling down the court, you no-good SOB.”
It was the time he took, though, that came to be his undoing in that 1996 series. That season, Malone shot 72% from the line, but that success vanished in the playoffs. While Malone struggled even before reaching KeyArena (he shot just shy of 60% in the first two rounds), he bottomed out in Seattle, managing only 1 of 6 in Game 1.
That failure was exacerbated by the taunts of 17,072 fans, who began counting down an imaginary 10-second clock every time Malone approached the foul line. Did that countdown impact Malone’s success at the line? It’s difficult to say, but while he rebounded to hit 12 of 16 in Game 2, the big man sputtered in Game 7, hitting only 6 of 12, and, considering the Sonics won by only four (90-86), it’s not out of the realm of possibility to say that the fans had a direct impact on who would play the Bulls for the title that season.
It was one of the biggest moments in Sonic history – not only did the Sonics qualify for the NBA finals for the first time since the 1970s, but they did so by knocking off their arch nemesis, with that nemesis’ greatest weapon being forced into embarrassment.
Quantifying the value of a sports franchise on a city is exceedingly difficult. Financially, the numbers are never really there, and the justification for outlays of millions of dollars for stadia falls apart.
Sometimes, though, you can throw the logical arguments out the window and embrace the emotional ones. Sometimes, you ignore the rational reasoning.
Sometimes, you get the Sonics beating the Jazz in 1996.
June 2, 1996.
It may have been twelve years ago today, but it seems like one hundred. Can it really have only been a little more than a decade since a Utah-Seattle matchup meant so much?
Is it really possible that Greg Gumble mused that Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp were about to take the mantle from John Stockton and Karl Malone as the pre-eminent inside-outside tandem of the next decade?
If you haven’t already, go ahead and click that youtube link above. Okay, have you watched the entire thing? Now, roll up your sleeve and check: Are the goosebumps there?
No, how about now?
Of course they are.
That series had everything a Sonic fan could want, everything a basketball fan could want. The key to any classic series – to any classic event – is a hero and a villain. For a Sonic fan of the mid-90s, there was no greater hero than Shawn Kemp and no greater villain than Karl Malone.
While Stockton and Hornacek were certainly despised in Seattle, they weren’t on the same level as Malone, a 250-pound behemoth of a power forward who flopped on defense like a corn stalk in a gentle breeze. Lord, we hated that man. We hated his 18-foot jump shot, which he took while standing in a perfectly straight line, angled slightly backwards, as if his feet were tied to the floor and he was wavering around that axis.
We hated the way he whined the referees for (pick one) not getting calls or getting too many.
But, more than anything else, we hated the way he seemed to take 17 minutes to take a foul shot. The deliberate way he bounced the ball while adjusting his feet, the excruciating muttering while he spun the ball in his hands. While I always wondered what the heck Malone was saying to himself while he readied his shot, I can say with certainty what thousands of Sonic fans across the northwest were saying:
“I hope you miss this shot and tear your achilles while backpedaling down the court, you no-good SOB.”
It was the time he took, though, that came to be his undoing in that 1996 series. That season, Malone shot 72% from the line, but that success vanished in the playoffs. While Malone struggled even before reaching KeyArena (he shot just shy of 60% in the first two rounds), he bottomed out in Seattle, managing only 1 of 6 in Game 1.
That failure was exacerbated by the taunts of 17,072 fans, who began counting down an imaginary 10-second clock every time Malone approached the foul line. Did that countdown impact Malone’s success at the line? It’s difficult to say, but while he rebounded to hit 12 of 16 in Game 2, the big man sputtered in Game 7, hitting only 6 of 12, and, considering the Sonics won by only four (90-86), it’s not out of the realm of possibility to say that the fans had a direct impact on who would play the Bulls for the title that season.
It was one of the biggest moments in Sonic history – not only did the Sonics qualify for the NBA finals for the first time since the 1970s, but they did so by knocking off their arch nemesis, with that nemesis’ greatest weapon being forced into embarrassment.
Quantifying the value of a sports franchise on a city is exceedingly difficult. Financially, the numbers are never really there, and the justification for outlays of millions of dollars for stadia falls apart.
Sometimes, though, you can throw the logical arguments out the window and embrace the emotional ones. Sometimes, you ignore the rational reasoning.
Sometimes, you get the Sonics beating the Jazz in 1996.
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