This Thursday, arguments between the City of Seattle and the Sonics come to a close, and the decision as to whether the team remains in Seattle for the foreseeable future falls into the hands of Judge Marsha Pechman.
There are other factors involved – will the city appeal a verdict and thereby postpone the movement, will Howard Schultz’ pending lawsuit delay relocation, will Clay Bennett staple Aubrey McClendon’s mouth shut, and so forth – but this Thursday is obviously a large step in the future of the team.
Sadly, it is entirely possible Pechman will rule for the team. Observers indicate the city failed to effectively persuade an impartial observer the Sonics provide intangible benefits to the region. Further, the now-infamous “Poisoned Well” PowerPoint file – created with the best of intentions to help keep the team – may wind up being yet another impediment to that goal.
All of this is for the judge to decide. And while my influence over her decision is equivalent to my influence over PJ Carlesimo’s roster decisions, allow me to make one argument:
Allowing Clay Bennett to walk away with the Sonics would be a disgrace.
Set aside the legal arguments for a moment, and approach this situation from a viewpoint a mile up into the clouds. Bennett bought this team with two partners with the intention of moving it to Oklahoma City. Only a naive person would believe otherwise.
At all forks in the road, Bennett and his group have consistently opted to take the path which hastened the team’s departure from Seattle.
Present a half-baked proposal to the legislature? Check.
Gut the team’s roster to save money? Check.
Repeatedly make comments indicating your intentions to move? Check.
Work in coordination with Oklahoma City to move while simultaneously telling Seattlites you’re a “man possessed” to keep the team here? Check.
Apply to the NBA to move a full year ago? Check.
In all instances, in all aspects, Bennett has lied, deceived, extorted and manipulated, all with the knowledge and willing participation of David Stern and the NBA. If the ongoing trial was an argument over whether Bennett’s group is pack of despicable liars with the moral authority of a Capitol Hill lobbyist, Pechman would have ruled for the city five minutes after opening arguments concluded.
Yes, Bennett has a legal argument the city worked hand-in-glove with local businessmen to forestall his departure. Yes, Bennett may be correct that the team would be sufficiently satisfying the remaining two years of its lease with a cash settlement.
But this case is a mirror upon one of the greatest ills of American society circa 2008 – the patronizing way in which the general public is treated by those in power. When faced with a housing crisis, the Washington power-brokers quickly acted to aid those making the bad loans, while ignoring those who were truly suffering. Opinion polls routinely show an American public completely and utterly sick of Washington, and a hopeless feeling spreads across the land like a case of West Nile Virus run rampant.
I understand Judge Pechman’s ruling will do little to remedy those problems. But still, would it not be nice, for once, to see the manipulative David Stern be forced to swallow a dose of medicine? Would it not be satisfying to watch Clay “The Extortionist” Bennett crawl back to Oklahoma City and admit defeat?
The evidence in this case is far from overwhelming for either side. For once, just once, let us hope the general public gets a chance to feel what it’s like to be a winner.
Wednesday, June 25
Tuesday, June 24
Sonic Drafts
Which players drafted by the Sonics had the most success, historically speaking? There are a number of ways to evaluate success, but the easiest is games played.
After all, the man who knows the best whether a player is contributing is the head coach. Well, except when that coach is PJ Carlesimo, but I digress.
So, herewith, the leader in games played at each position by Sonic-drafted players (with year drafted and total games played):
PG: Gary Payton (1990), 1335
SG: Dennis Johnson (1976), 1100
SF: Scottie Pippen (1987), 1178
PF: Shawn Kemp (1989), 1051
C: Jack Sikma (1977), 1107
And, yes, that small forward slot is still painful to look at. As a side note, that’s one hell of a team, and not in an all-star starter at every position kind of way. I mean in the sense that that group of five men would probably win a championship every season. You’ve got tenacious defense at four of the five slots, good shooters at all five spots, three great ball-handlers ... I mean, it’s almost a perfect team, right?
Best of all, how’d you like to be the point guard bringing the ball up against DJ and the Glove. How many violations for not getting the ball past the half-court line in time would those two create in a game – 5, 10, 30? Just a beautiful lineup.
Of course, you can’t have the good without the bad, so here’s a list of the worst starting lineup (and I use that term loosely) of Sonic draftees (I’m restricting this to first-round selections only):
PG: Frank Oleynick (1975), 102
SG: Bud Stallworth (1972), 313
SF: Sherell Ford (1995), 28
PF: Mo Sene (2006), 41
C: Rich King (1991), 72
Perhaps I’m being unfair to Mo Sene, inasmuch as he hasn’t been given much of a shot in the NBA thus far, and the guy is still in his early 20s. Still, if you’re headed to Las Vegas to place a bet on a player’s future, I’m guessing you’re not sinking $250 into the Mo Sene bet, now are you?
After all, the man who knows the best whether a player is contributing is the head coach. Well, except when that coach is PJ Carlesimo, but I digress.
So, herewith, the leader in games played at each position by Sonic-drafted players (with year drafted and total games played):
PG: Gary Payton (1990), 1335
SG: Dennis Johnson (1976), 1100
SF: Scottie Pippen (1987), 1178
PF: Shawn Kemp (1989), 1051
C: Jack Sikma (1977), 1107
And, yes, that small forward slot is still painful to look at. As a side note, that’s one hell of a team, and not in an all-star starter at every position kind of way. I mean in the sense that that group of five men would probably win a championship every season. You’ve got tenacious defense at four of the five slots, good shooters at all five spots, three great ball-handlers ... I mean, it’s almost a perfect team, right?
Best of all, how’d you like to be the point guard bringing the ball up against DJ and the Glove. How many violations for not getting the ball past the half-court line in time would those two create in a game – 5, 10, 30? Just a beautiful lineup.
Of course, you can’t have the good without the bad, so here’s a list of the worst starting lineup (and I use that term loosely) of Sonic draftees (I’m restricting this to first-round selections only):
PG: Frank Oleynick (1975), 102
SG: Bud Stallworth (1972), 313
SF: Sherell Ford (1995), 28
PF: Mo Sene (2006), 41
C: Rich King (1991), 72
Perhaps I’m being unfair to Mo Sene, inasmuch as he hasn’t been given much of a shot in the NBA thus far, and the guy is still in his early 20s. Still, if you’re headed to Las Vegas to place a bet on a player’s future, I’m guessing you’re not sinking $250 into the Mo Sene bet, now are you?
Monday, June 23
No Bayless?
Hope you haven't already ordered a Jerryd Bayless Sonics' jersey. According to draftexpress.com:
Is Jerryd Bayless as much of a lock at 4 as everyone thinks? A number of NBA teams we’ve spoken with don’t think that’s the case. Almost everyone at this point in fact has Brook Lopez slated be picked by Seattle, with Bayless dropping slightly to the Knicks at #6. If Lopez doesn’t go 3rd, 4th of 5th, he will be taken by a team that did not work him out, as he only agreed to be seen by those three teams.
Link here.
Just throwing this out there, but I'm guessing that the sound at the draft party (is there a draft party this year?) will sound awful familiar to people attending Mariner games at Safeco Field this season.
And, no, they won't be saying "Broooooooooooook."
Is Jerryd Bayless as much of a lock at 4 as everyone thinks? A number of NBA teams we’ve spoken with don’t think that’s the case. Almost everyone at this point in fact has Brook Lopez slated be picked by Seattle, with Bayless dropping slightly to the Knicks at #6. If Lopez doesn’t go 3rd, 4th of 5th, he will be taken by a team that did not work him out, as he only agreed to be seen by those three teams.
Link here.
Just throwing this out there, but I'm guessing that the sound at the draft party (is there a draft party this year?) will sound awful familiar to people attending Mariner games at Safeco Field this season.
And, no, they won't be saying "Broooooooooooook."
Friday, June 20
Tough Offseason
In trying to follow the Sonics this off-season, I’ve often tried to search for a metaphor that best explains how unnerving the past few months have been.
In a perfect world, all of our energy would be focused upon the six draft picks the team holds in next week’s draft, in addition to the future of the existing roster. Trading Chris Wilcox or Luke Ridnour, looking at mid-level free agents, and so forth ... that’s what fans do in the off-season, and, in some ways, it makes the off-season almost more enjoyable than the regular season.
Obviously, that has not been the case this spring and summer. With the trial hanging over our heads, it’s difficult to muster the energy to study possible draft picks. In a way, it’s akin to being a child at Christmastime, but a child with parents on the verge of divorce. He tries to care about the flyers that arrive in the Sunday newspapers, wants to figure out which Star Wars action figures he hopes to get, talks the talk with his friends at school, but all along an immense cloud of sadness follows him as he walks to and from school.
Mind you, I’m not trying to ask for sympathy here. After all, this is a sports team we’re talking about, not something that will cause irreparable harm to our collective psyches the way a divorce would to a 12-year-old.
Still, I think it’s the best metaphor to use for the situation here (and, to be fair, I’ve heard this metaphor from some our commenters previously; so, whoever came up with this, consider this your acknowledgement (update: it was mcwalter)). And, just like in a divorce, even if the judge tells the parents to stick it out for two years, it’s not as if those two years are going to be sunshine and lollipops.
No, we just want to get past it, to get on to being just plain, old regular fans again, like all the other fans in the neighborhood.
In a perfect world, all of our energy would be focused upon the six draft picks the team holds in next week’s draft, in addition to the future of the existing roster. Trading Chris Wilcox or Luke Ridnour, looking at mid-level free agents, and so forth ... that’s what fans do in the off-season, and, in some ways, it makes the off-season almost more enjoyable than the regular season.
Obviously, that has not been the case this spring and summer. With the trial hanging over our heads, it’s difficult to muster the energy to study possible draft picks. In a way, it’s akin to being a child at Christmastime, but a child with parents on the verge of divorce. He tries to care about the flyers that arrive in the Sunday newspapers, wants to figure out which Star Wars action figures he hopes to get, talks the talk with his friends at school, but all along an immense cloud of sadness follows him as he walks to and from school.
Mind you, I’m not trying to ask for sympathy here. After all, this is a sports team we’re talking about, not something that will cause irreparable harm to our collective psyches the way a divorce would to a 12-year-old.
Still, I think it’s the best metaphor to use for the situation here (and, to be fair, I’ve heard this metaphor from some our commenters previously; so, whoever came up with this, consider this your acknowledgement (update: it was mcwalter)). And, just like in a divorce, even if the judge tells the parents to stick it out for two years, it’s not as if those two years are going to be sunshine and lollipops.
No, we just want to get past it, to get on to being just plain, old regular fans again, like all the other fans in the neighborhood.
Thursday, June 19
Rumor Mill
A couple of tidbits to throw at you from the Sonic/Draft Day rumor mill.
1. According to draftexpress.com, the Sonics are looking at dealing Chris Wilcox and the #4 pick to Miami for Mark Blount and the #2 pick. Conceivably, the Sonics would be getting Michael Beasley. Blount's deal runs through next season (about $9 mil), with an early termination option for the next season. I'm not sure if Blount's option is guaranteed if the Sonics waive him next year, but let's assume it is. In which case, Blount's deal would be pretty unwieldy to trade until the year after next. If Sam Presti feels that Beasley is as good as statistics would lead you to believe, this is a great trade for the Sonics, even with Blount's contract considered. Look at it this way: if they draft Beasley to go with Kevin Durant, the Sonics - in the span of two years - would have acquired the two most statistically promising players from the NCAA in the past decade.
2. The Lakers are interested in the Sonics' high-second round pick (#34). If only the Sonics had extra 2nd-round picks to deal ...
1. According to draftexpress.com, the Sonics are looking at dealing Chris Wilcox and the #4 pick to Miami for Mark Blount and the #2 pick. Conceivably, the Sonics would be getting Michael Beasley. Blount's deal runs through next season (about $9 mil), with an early termination option for the next season. I'm not sure if Blount's option is guaranteed if the Sonics waive him next year, but let's assume it is. In which case, Blount's deal would be pretty unwieldy to trade until the year after next. If Sam Presti feels that Beasley is as good as statistics would lead you to believe, this is a great trade for the Sonics, even with Blount's contract considered. Look at it this way: if they draft Beasley to go with Kevin Durant, the Sonics - in the span of two years - would have acquired the two most statistically promising players from the NCAA in the past decade.
2. The Lakers are interested in the Sonics' high-second round pick (#34). If only the Sonics had extra 2nd-round picks to deal ...
Flopping, By The Numbers
On Sunday, Henry Abbott at TrueHoop ran an interesting piece on flopping in the NBA, including a strong argument from Carlos Morales of ESPN Deportes, who took issue with American complaints of foreign-born floppers.
Morales’ contention was that Europeans did not introduce flopping to the NBA, as has been so often alleged (including by yours truly), but that it has been present in the league as long as there has been an NBA. He even alluded to quotes from Red Auerbach as proof of the longevity of flopping.
Soon after, 82games.com put up their annual “Taking the Charge” column, which lists the league leaders in fouls drawn and committed, and, further, breaks those fouls down into specific categories. Among those categories is “offensive fouls drawn,” which is, obviously, the number of flops a certain player has taken during the course of a season.
While the list is informative, it is raw data, meaning that it does not take into consideration the number of minutes played. I thought it might be interesting to test Mr. Morales’ contention by seeing just how many foreign-born players there were at the top of the chart.
(Note: I only used the top 75 players ranked in offensive fouls drawn; beyond that, and you’re getting such minimal numbers that the information is not all that helpful, at least for this exercise’s purpose).
Top 10, Total Offensive Fouls Drawn:
1. Derek Fisher, 54
2. Andrew Bogut, 53
3. Mikki Moore, 51
4. Kyle Lowry, 47
5. Joel Przybilla, 47
6. Allen Iverson, 46
7. Jermaine O’Neal, 45
8. Mike Dunleavy, 42
9. Monta Ellis, 42
10. Luis Scola, 42
So, out of 10 players, three were foreign-born. To further expand the list, out of the top 20, six were from outside North America, 14 from the U.S.
But, as I said earlier, that doesn’t account for minutes played, so it’s a flawed ranking, right? A more accurate system would determine how many offensive fouls per 36 minutes played. Thankfully, we can access that information quite easily. With that in mind, here’s another list.
Top 10, Offensive Fouls Drawn/36 min.
1. Jarron Collins, 1.7
2. Jermaine O’Neal, 1.3
3. Leon Powe, 1.3
4. Joel Przybilla, 0.9
5. Anderson Varejao, 0.9
6. Derek Fisher, 0.9
7. Kyle Lowry, 0.8
8. Mikki Moore, 0.8
9. Luis Scola, 0.7
10. Fab Oberto, 0.7
Not too much difference, right? Now we’ve got four out of 10 foreigners, not a major change. Out of the top 20, though, we’ve added two more to the previous six, meaning that eight of the top 20 are from outside the U.S.
I’ll write that again, with emphasis: Out of the 20 players who drew the most offensive fouls in the NBA this season, eight were born outside the U.S. That’s 40%.
I don’t know the exact percentage of NBA players born outside the U.S. It could be 10%, it could be 20%. But I’m pretty darn sure it isn’t 40%. (If you know the number, please feel free to drop us a line in the comments).
So, what can we learn from all of this? One, this is pretty limited information, and it’s only based on one season. If I feel the urge, perhaps I’ll run the numbers for the last couple of seasons and see if there is any pattern.
Two, if you look at the players as a whole, it’s pretty clear that foreign-born players average more offensive fouls drawn than American-born players. In fact, the numbers are probably much higher than I found, simply because I failed to count players who drew very few offensive fouls. Including them would further skew the numbers in that direction.
Three, the previous discussions on white referees giving calls to white players (and black refs for black players) may come into play here, as most foreign-born players are white, and, therefore, they may receive beneficial calls from (predominantly white) officials. That’s a nut too hard for me to crack with my limited research skills (and budget; seriously, Paul, can’t you get me an assistant?).
Fourth, and, of the most interest to me, this seems to refute the argument of Carlos Morales that foreign players are no more likely to be floppers than American players. As I said before, more studying of these figures would give us some more information.
But the simple fact that nearly half of the top 20 floppers in the league were foreign-born seems to give at least some credence to the argument that Vlade Divac’ disciples are continuing his legacy.
Morales’ contention was that Europeans did not introduce flopping to the NBA, as has been so often alleged (including by yours truly), but that it has been present in the league as long as there has been an NBA. He even alluded to quotes from Red Auerbach as proof of the longevity of flopping.
Soon after, 82games.com put up their annual “Taking the Charge” column, which lists the league leaders in fouls drawn and committed, and, further, breaks those fouls down into specific categories. Among those categories is “offensive fouls drawn,” which is, obviously, the number of flops a certain player has taken during the course of a season.
While the list is informative, it is raw data, meaning that it does not take into consideration the number of minutes played. I thought it might be interesting to test Mr. Morales’ contention by seeing just how many foreign-born players there were at the top of the chart.
(Note: I only used the top 75 players ranked in offensive fouls drawn; beyond that, and you’re getting such minimal numbers that the information is not all that helpful, at least for this exercise’s purpose).
Top 10, Total Offensive Fouls Drawn:
1. Derek Fisher, 54
2. Andrew Bogut, 53
3. Mikki Moore, 51
4. Kyle Lowry, 47
5. Joel Przybilla, 47
6. Allen Iverson, 46
7. Jermaine O’Neal, 45
8. Mike Dunleavy, 42
9. Monta Ellis, 42
10. Luis Scola, 42
So, out of 10 players, three were foreign-born. To further expand the list, out of the top 20, six were from outside North America, 14 from the U.S.
But, as I said earlier, that doesn’t account for minutes played, so it’s a flawed ranking, right? A more accurate system would determine how many offensive fouls per 36 minutes played. Thankfully, we can access that information quite easily. With that in mind, here’s another list.
Top 10, Offensive Fouls Drawn/36 min.
1. Jarron Collins, 1.7
2. Jermaine O’Neal, 1.3
3. Leon Powe, 1.3
4. Joel Przybilla, 0.9
5. Anderson Varejao, 0.9
6. Derek Fisher, 0.9
7. Kyle Lowry, 0.8
8. Mikki Moore, 0.8
9. Luis Scola, 0.7
10. Fab Oberto, 0.7
Not too much difference, right? Now we’ve got four out of 10 foreigners, not a major change. Out of the top 20, though, we’ve added two more to the previous six, meaning that eight of the top 20 are from outside the U.S.
I’ll write that again, with emphasis: Out of the 20 players who drew the most offensive fouls in the NBA this season, eight were born outside the U.S. That’s 40%.
I don’t know the exact percentage of NBA players born outside the U.S. It could be 10%, it could be 20%. But I’m pretty darn sure it isn’t 40%. (If you know the number, please feel free to drop us a line in the comments).
So, what can we learn from all of this? One, this is pretty limited information, and it’s only based on one season. If I feel the urge, perhaps I’ll run the numbers for the last couple of seasons and see if there is any pattern.
Two, if you look at the players as a whole, it’s pretty clear that foreign-born players average more offensive fouls drawn than American-born players. In fact, the numbers are probably much higher than I found, simply because I failed to count players who drew very few offensive fouls. Including them would further skew the numbers in that direction.
Three, the previous discussions on white referees giving calls to white players (and black refs for black players) may come into play here, as most foreign-born players are white, and, therefore, they may receive beneficial calls from (predominantly white) officials. That’s a nut too hard for me to crack with my limited research skills (and budget; seriously, Paul, can’t you get me an assistant?).
Fourth, and, of the most interest to me, this seems to refute the argument of Carlos Morales that foreign players are no more likely to be floppers than American players. As I said before, more studying of these figures would give us some more information.
But the simple fact that nearly half of the top 20 floppers in the league were foreign-born seems to give at least some credence to the argument that Vlade Divac’ disciples are continuing his legacy.
Wednesday, June 18
Mock Draft, Vol. I
The draft is just more than one week away – and with all the coverage of the Sonics’ ongoing trial you’d almost have forgotten all about it.
Considering that Sam Presti will be picking six (6!) players in the draft, that’s not something we should take lightly. Granted, the odds of the Sonics actually drafting six players is pretty slim, and it is much more probable that at least one of those picks will wind up being traded.
But, for the sake of discussion, let’s assume the Sonics go ahead and take six players. Who will they be? Here’s the first edition of our SONIC MOCK DRAFT. Feel free to chime in (or "mock," if you will) with your opinions in the comments.
#4 – Jerryd Bayless, Arizona. It seems more and more likely that 1-2-3 will be Rose-Beasley-Mayo, and if rumors are to be believed, the Sonics have not expressed any interest in moving into the upper trio of picks. In fact, there are some reports Seattle has even inquired about trading down. Assuming they stay put, Bayless is the consensus selection of draft experts.
#24 – Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis. Both draftexpress.com and nbadraft.net have the Sonics taking Serge Ibaka, but I’m hoping they go for CDR. He can shoot the deep ball, he’s big enough to play the 2 or the 3, and he comes from a winning program. What’s not to like.
#32 – Mario Chalmers, Kansas. Everyone knows Chalmers because of his great title game, and while he’s on the small size and not a pure point guard, I think he’d be a great off-the-bench guy for an NBA club. Assuming the Sonics deal away either Ridnour or Watson this summer (oh, please, make it so), Chalmers would be more than adequate in a reserve role, in much the same way as Dana Barros was back in the day. Whether Chalmers drops this far is another question, though.
#46 – Ante Tomic, Croatia. An athletic 7’2” center, Tomic is strong in the post with a variety of moves, but weak on defense. Hopefully, he can learn the defense, but it’s a stretch. However, considering the Sonics’ have a total of zero players with any post offense at the moment, perhaps there’s a role for him. If not, stash him in Europe and hope he matures.
#50 – Jamont Gordon, Miss. St. I’ll agree with the illustrious Jonathan Givony on this one and lean towards Gordon, a 6’3” SG/PG who’s not much with the offense. However, he shines on defense and on the boards, two attributes that a Presti-led organization will always value. As a reserve, he’d be a nice fit.
#56 – Mantas Kalnietis, Lithuania. Kalnietis is a 6’5” PG with speed to burn, but the rest of his game has yet to catch up. The prototypical late second-rounder to stash overseas.
Considering that Sam Presti will be picking six (6!) players in the draft, that’s not something we should take lightly. Granted, the odds of the Sonics actually drafting six players is pretty slim, and it is much more probable that at least one of those picks will wind up being traded.
But, for the sake of discussion, let’s assume the Sonics go ahead and take six players. Who will they be? Here’s the first edition of our SONIC MOCK DRAFT. Feel free to chime in (or "mock," if you will) with your opinions in the comments.
#4 – Jerryd Bayless, Arizona. It seems more and more likely that 1-2-3 will be Rose-Beasley-Mayo, and if rumors are to be believed, the Sonics have not expressed any interest in moving into the upper trio of picks. In fact, there are some reports Seattle has even inquired about trading down. Assuming they stay put, Bayless is the consensus selection of draft experts.
#24 – Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis. Both draftexpress.com and nbadraft.net have the Sonics taking Serge Ibaka, but I’m hoping they go for CDR. He can shoot the deep ball, he’s big enough to play the 2 or the 3, and he comes from a winning program. What’s not to like.
#32 – Mario Chalmers, Kansas. Everyone knows Chalmers because of his great title game, and while he’s on the small size and not a pure point guard, I think he’d be a great off-the-bench guy for an NBA club. Assuming the Sonics deal away either Ridnour or Watson this summer (oh, please, make it so), Chalmers would be more than adequate in a reserve role, in much the same way as Dana Barros was back in the day. Whether Chalmers drops this far is another question, though.
#46 – Ante Tomic, Croatia. An athletic 7’2” center, Tomic is strong in the post with a variety of moves, but weak on defense. Hopefully, he can learn the defense, but it’s a stretch. However, considering the Sonics’ have a total of zero players with any post offense at the moment, perhaps there’s a role for him. If not, stash him in Europe and hope he matures.
#50 – Jamont Gordon, Miss. St. I’ll agree with the illustrious Jonathan Givony on this one and lean towards Gordon, a 6’3” SG/PG who’s not much with the offense. However, he shines on defense and on the boards, two attributes that a Presti-led organization will always value. As a reserve, he’d be a nice fit.
#56 – Mantas Kalnietis, Lithuania. Kalnietis is a 6’5” PG with speed to burn, but the rest of his game has yet to catch up. The prototypical late second-rounder to stash overseas.
Well, what I meant to say was ...
Clay Bennett, June 18, 2008, in Federal District Court:
Players can choose where they want to play, and we are in uncertainty and that is a very difficult element in developing a team. Players want to know where they are going to play. They want to know where they're families are going to be. ... The team is their second home and their life.
Clay Bennett, 2007, via email to Brent Gooden, in response to Gooden’s comments that he had heard certain players were upset about the possibility of relocating to Oklahoma City:
Boo hoo.
Players can choose where they want to play, and we are in uncertainty and that is a very difficult element in developing a team. Players want to know where they are going to play. They want to know where they're families are going to be. ... The team is their second home and their life.
Clay Bennett, 2007, via email to Brent Gooden, in response to Gooden’s comments that he had heard certain players were upset about the possibility of relocating to Oklahoma City:
Boo hoo.
48 Hours
Let me sum up. In the past 48 hours:
-Tiger Woods wins the US Open on a broken leg on the 91st hole
-The Celtics knock off the Lakers and make Kobe cry
-My ancestral home of Italy knocks off France, gets a must-lose from Romania, and moves on
-4,000 people shout "Save Our Sonics!" at the top of their lungs in downtown Seattle
-One of my best friends gets to meet our childhood hero, Xavier McDaniel
That's a lot for one man to digest in 48 hours, wouldn't you say?
In all seriousness, my sincere congratulations to Ray Allen. I don't think Sonic fans ever completed wrapped their arms around and accepted Allen as one of their own, and I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it was because of the miserable teams on which he played; a fan favorite almost always comes part and parcel with a playoff-caliber team.
Or perhaps it was Allen's personality. Perfectionists are always difficult to love, and Allen's smooth exterior never provided a handhold for Sonic fans to grab onto. Always admired, seldom beloved, that was Ray Allen's tenure in Seattle from my perspective.
Regardless, he is/was one of the greatest players in Sonic history, and one of the classiest men as well. To see that combination be rewarded for his efforts — and to see his one-time enemy suffer on national television simultaneously — well, that was a pleasure to watch.
And, for those keeping track at home:
NUMBER OF SHAQ-LESS TITLES
Ray Allen: 1
Kobe Bryant: 0
-Tiger Woods wins the US Open on a broken leg on the 91st hole
-The Celtics knock off the Lakers and make Kobe cry
-My ancestral home of Italy knocks off France, gets a must-lose from Romania, and moves on
-4,000 people shout "Save Our Sonics!" at the top of their lungs in downtown Seattle
-One of my best friends gets to meet our childhood hero, Xavier McDaniel
That's a lot for one man to digest in 48 hours, wouldn't you say?
In all seriousness, my sincere congratulations to Ray Allen. I don't think Sonic fans ever completed wrapped their arms around and accepted Allen as one of their own, and I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it was because of the miserable teams on which he played; a fan favorite almost always comes part and parcel with a playoff-caliber team.
Or perhaps it was Allen's personality. Perfectionists are always difficult to love, and Allen's smooth exterior never provided a handhold for Sonic fans to grab onto. Always admired, seldom beloved, that was Ray Allen's tenure in Seattle from my perspective.
Regardless, he is/was one of the greatest players in Sonic history, and one of the classiest men as well. To see that combination be rewarded for his efforts — and to see his one-time enemy suffer on national television simultaneously — well, that was a pleasure to watch.
And, for those keeping track at home:
NUMBER OF SHAQ-LESS TITLES
Ray Allen: 1
Kobe Bryant: 0
Tuesday, June 17
Only Fair
Recently, we had a piece on Chris Wilcox' concealed weapons arrest near his home in North Carolina. To be fair to Wilcox, it's only right that we link to a piece about Big Weezy hosting a basketball camp in Whiteville, North Carolina, including this quote:
Lawrence Flemming, a grandparent, said, "I think the world of Chris, and a man with that type of money, I mean riding around the way things are today, I'd have had one too."
Now that's the saddest statement of all.
Lawrence Flemming, a grandparent, said, "I think the world of Chris, and a man with that type of money, I mean riding around the way things are today, I'd have had one too."
Now that's the saddest statement of all.
In Our Dreams
We now join an episode of Judge Judy already in progress ...
JJ: So let me get this straight – according to an email from your friend Mr. Kneeland, you overpaid for your franchise, do I have that correct?
CB: Well, ma’am, it’s a bit more ...
JJ: Sir, you want to say something to me? Then say it. Did you overpay for your franchise or not?
CB: Yes, ma’am, that is correct. It was a rushed situation and that fella David kept pressuring me, and, well, I guess I just acted foolishly. But that shouldn’t ...
JJ: I didn’t ask for your cockamamie excuses why you acted like a fool. Remember, beauty fades, but dumb last forever. I just wanted to know if you, in fact, overpaid for your team. You answered yes. Now let’s move on. As I understand it, you’re telling me that the reason you couldn’t contribute any money to a new stadium is due to the fact you overpaid for the team. Is that correct?
CB: Yes, that would be correct.
JJ: So let me get this straight, because you acted like a teenage boy with too much allowance money, the taxpayers of Seattle are now responsible for paying hundreds of millions of dollars for a new arena?
CB: Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that, ma’am. You see, we’ve got plenty of other cities out there that want us to move in, and ...
JJ: Just what exactly does that have to do with the price of tea in China, sir? Are you telling me that you think you can extort Seattle taxpayers by using some other municipality? Is that what you are telling me?
CB: Well, you see, I really was a man possessed to get something done in Seattle, and ...
JJ: You mess around with me, young man, and I’ll wipe the floor with you. We already covered that “man possessed” bit before the last commercial, and I don’t think you want to take a drive down that road again, now do you?
CB: No, ma’am, I do not.
JJ: So, back to what I asking you before you tried to re-direct the conversation. The fact you wanted to pick this team up and move it to your backyard does not have anything to do with this case, do you understand that? What I am trying to ascertain here is if you are required to fulfill the obligations of the lease you signed with the city of Seattle. Now, according to testimony we heard earlier, you said that Oklahoma City would derive $180 million in benefits from the Sonics relocating there. Is that correct?
CB: Um, yes, yes, that is correct, I did say that.
JJ: And you told someone else that the city of Renton would receive an “economic turnaround” from having a new arena. Is that correct?
CB: Yes, ma’am, that is correct.
JJ: But you don’t feel that Seattle would receive any benefit from your presence? Is that what you want me to believe?
CB: Well, you see, Seattle is such a real big city, and I just don’t think they would miss the Sonics all that much.
JJ: Sir, don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. That’s a nonsense argument and you know it. I’m going to ask you again, and I’ll remind you that you’re under oath, are you telling me that Oklahoma City and Renton would derive hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits from the Sonics, but that Seattle would get zippo? And because of that it’s all right for you to pick up and move the Sonics in the midst of a lease that you signed?
CB: Um, well ... let me check my papers, here ...
JJ: Hey, I’m the boss, applesauce! You keep your eyes up here! You know what, I’m tired of this. I can’t believe you’re wasting my time and the time of all of the people gathered here with this ridiculous case. I’m not even going to bother reviewing the rest so let’s just put an end to this nonsense once and for all. I’m finding for the city, and that’s the end of it.
CB: Um, your honor, do I get my $100 for showing up? Your producer, I think her name’s Jenny?, she told me I’d get $100 for being on the show. You see, my wife told me if I lost this case that I might as well get a hotel room ‘cuz of all the money this is costing us, and well, I could really use that $100 ...
JJ: So let me get this straight – according to an email from your friend Mr. Kneeland, you overpaid for your franchise, do I have that correct?
CB: Well, ma’am, it’s a bit more ...
JJ: Sir, you want to say something to me? Then say it. Did you overpay for your franchise or not?
CB: Yes, ma’am, that is correct. It was a rushed situation and that fella David kept pressuring me, and, well, I guess I just acted foolishly. But that shouldn’t ...
JJ: I didn’t ask for your cockamamie excuses why you acted like a fool. Remember, beauty fades, but dumb last forever. I just wanted to know if you, in fact, overpaid for your team. You answered yes. Now let’s move on. As I understand it, you’re telling me that the reason you couldn’t contribute any money to a new stadium is due to the fact you overpaid for the team. Is that correct?
CB: Yes, that would be correct.
JJ: So let me get this straight, because you acted like a teenage boy with too much allowance money, the taxpayers of Seattle are now responsible for paying hundreds of millions of dollars for a new arena?
CB: Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that, ma’am. You see, we’ve got plenty of other cities out there that want us to move in, and ...
JJ: Just what exactly does that have to do with the price of tea in China, sir? Are you telling me that you think you can extort Seattle taxpayers by using some other municipality? Is that what you are telling me?
CB: Well, you see, I really was a man possessed to get something done in Seattle, and ...
JJ: You mess around with me, young man, and I’ll wipe the floor with you. We already covered that “man possessed” bit before the last commercial, and I don’t think you want to take a drive down that road again, now do you?
CB: No, ma’am, I do not.
JJ: So, back to what I asking you before you tried to re-direct the conversation. The fact you wanted to pick this team up and move it to your backyard does not have anything to do with this case, do you understand that? What I am trying to ascertain here is if you are required to fulfill the obligations of the lease you signed with the city of Seattle. Now, according to testimony we heard earlier, you said that Oklahoma City would derive $180 million in benefits from the Sonics relocating there. Is that correct?
CB: Um, yes, yes, that is correct, I did say that.
JJ: And you told someone else that the city of Renton would receive an “economic turnaround” from having a new arena. Is that correct?
CB: Yes, ma’am, that is correct.
JJ: But you don’t feel that Seattle would receive any benefit from your presence? Is that what you want me to believe?
CB: Well, you see, Seattle is such a real big city, and I just don’t think they would miss the Sonics all that much.
JJ: Sir, don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining. That’s a nonsense argument and you know it. I’m going to ask you again, and I’ll remind you that you’re under oath, are you telling me that Oklahoma City and Renton would derive hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits from the Sonics, but that Seattle would get zippo? And because of that it’s all right for you to pick up and move the Sonics in the midst of a lease that you signed?
CB: Um, well ... let me check my papers, here ...
JJ: Hey, I’m the boss, applesauce! You keep your eyes up here! You know what, I’m tired of this. I can’t believe you’re wasting my time and the time of all of the people gathered here with this ridiculous case. I’m not even going to bother reviewing the rest so let’s just put an end to this nonsense once and for all. I’m finding for the city, and that’s the end of it.
CB: Um, your honor, do I get my $100 for showing up? Your producer, I think her name’s Jenny?, she told me I’d get $100 for being on the show. You see, my wife told me if I lost this case that I might as well get a hotel room ‘cuz of all the money this is costing us, and well, I could really use that $100 ...
Rally Notes
Probably, oh, 1/4 of the crowd (?) waits for the guests of honor to arrive (photo: Ravenal "Chunk's Brother" Calonzo)
by Rafael "Chunkstyle" Calonzo
Staff Cartoonist/Unabashed Homer
I can't pretend to know how many people were in the courthouse plaza yesterday afternoon. After all, I was a short dude standing at probably the lowest elevation on the entire block, surrounded on all sides by a sea of green and gold.
If I had to guess, I'd say the crowd easily broke 4 digits; when I relocated the family from one side of the plaza to the other a little before 4:30, we had to squeeze through a solid mass of people that spanned the width and depth of the plaza. The OKC media estimates of "a few hundred" must have been observed at two in the afternoon.
However many people were there, they were making enough noise to rival a sold-out Key Arena crowd with the Supes holding "the lead and the leather." Chants of "Save Our Sonics! (clap-clap, clap-clap-clap-clap)" and "Super! Sonics!" were near-deafening. And when Gary and X stepped to the mike, the volume became nigh ear-splitting.
What our beloved ex-Sonics actually said was suitably thrilling and sentimental, but really, they didn't have to say anything to cast a spell on the crowd. Just the fact that they were there, perched gingerly on a newspaper box (well, GP was, X stayed on the ground), was enough to make the mob go bananas. It's also worth noting that Spencer Hawes was the only current pro who braved the League's wrath by appearing at the event. Gotta love it when the local boys stay true to their hometown.
I'm actually pretty amazed at how many people attended, and the passion that was on display. I've been asked by folks, "What's the point of going to this rally?," as if to say, "They're gone, you're not going to change anything by going." All my blind optimism aside, I disagree. Of course a rally does nothing (and really, should do nothing) to sway a judge's decision. But that wasn't the intent of the event. The rally is a symbol of unity, a gesture of affection. It's something you can point to and say, "People do still care, so stop with the 'no one cares about the Sonics' nonsense."
No matter the outcome of this whole ordeal, I firmly believe the fans have already changed the League's intended course for the franchise. Without the fans, the team would have left last year, no incriminating emails would have been revealed, there wouldn't even be the whisper of a possible replacement team, and there would be jeers from the rest of the country that we rolled over and let someone steal our history.
Finally, much respect is due to Brian Robinson, Steven Pyeatt and the feisty band of volunteers who made the rally happen. If they can put an event like this together for a court case, I can't wait to see what they do for a "Sonics Stay" party.
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