Notes from last night’s game – the 11th (!) consecutive loss for your Seattle SuperSonics.
1. Houston outscored Seattle 24-16 in the 3rd quarter. Not that that’s unusual; during the Sonics’ 11-game skid, they have been outscored in 3rd nine times, by a cumulative score of 295-242. The two exceptions were the other night’s game against Dallas (where the Mavs lead by 400 points at halftime and were obviously on cruise control), and the first game of the streak when the Sixers let the Sonics sort of get back in the game. The Sonics won that third in convincing fashion, 28-27. I believe that third quarter will be available on the 2nd disc of this season's DVD. I'm especially looking forward to the bonus features, where Mickael Gelabale gives the french language version, Wally Szczerbiak provides hair grooming tips, and Mo Sene fills us in on the Senegalese cuisine available in the NBA D-League.
2. Nick Collison now ranks 5th in the league in rebounds per 48 minutes in January (18.5), trailing Joel Pryzbilla, Erick Dampier, Marcus Camby, and DeSagna Diop. And, yes, you could have gotten 1,000:1 odds that that would come true had you walked into Bally’s last October.
3. Luke Ridnour is now averaging 11.9 assists per 48 on the road and 7.9 per 48 at home. Do you think Earl Watson calls Luke's hotel room and hangs up at 4 am the day of the game? Me, too.
4. Wally S. averages 13 ppg in Sonic wins and 13.2 ppg in Sonic losses, and also shoots almost the exact same percentage from the field, the only Sonic registering sizable minutes to do that. I believe that’s called “getting yours” in the vernacular, yes?
5. With yesterday’s loss, the Sonics have equaled Dennis Kucinich’s win total for 2007. At this point, I’m not sure who I expect to get one sooner.
Tuesday, January 22
Monday, January 21
Wally to the Rescue
Not sure if anyone else caught this (from Jayda Evans' blog at the Times):
When the idea [of talking to the Daily Oklahoman] was explained to him, he gave a crazy look and a firm "No" to the interview request. Szczerbiak also declined to speak to locals following the game, however, stating he didn't want to say anything that would get him "fined or suspended."
(Read the rest here)
So, there are two ways to look at it. One, Wally S. thought the idea of talking to the Oklahoman (the piece was to be a 'Here are the Sonics!'-type deal) was wrong, and he said no. Or, he was primed to make some nasty comments about the way the team is being run (either on-court or in the owners' box) and decided to keep his mouth shut.
Either way, doesn't it make you like Wally Szczerbiak just a little bit more?
When the idea [of talking to the Daily Oklahoman] was explained to him, he gave a crazy look and a firm "No" to the interview request. Szczerbiak also declined to speak to locals following the game, however, stating he didn't want to say anything that would get him "fined or suspended."
(Read the rest here)
So, there are two ways to look at it. One, Wally S. thought the idea of talking to the Oklahoman (the piece was to be a 'Here are the Sonics!'-type deal) was wrong, and he said no. Or, he was primed to make some nasty comments about the way the team is being run (either on-court or in the owners' box) and decided to keep his mouth shut.
Either way, doesn't it make you like Wally Szczerbiak just a little bit more?
Friday, January 18
Strange, But True
Sometimes, strange times bring enemies closer. Sometimes, people make comments they never dreamed they would make. Sometimes, in the midst of lies, they tell the truth.
One of those times was this week, when the Sonics put – in writing, mind you – the same argument anti-stadium activists have been making for the past two decades; the argument that the economic benefits derived from professional sports teams is a great, big pile of nothing, that every dollar spent on a team is a dollar which would have been spent elsewhere.
Did I mention that it was the Sonics who made this argument? Here, if you don’t believe me, read this:
“Entertainment dollars not spent on the Sonics will be spent on Seattle's many other sports and entertainment options. Seattleites will not reduce their entertainment budget simply because the Sonics leave.”
That quote is taken (via Jim Brunner’s article in the Seattle Times) from the Sonics’ legal papers filed in US District Court this week. And, yes, the papers were delivered to the court with flying pigs which had to dodge the snowballs emanating from Hell.
Obviously, the quote is rhetoric, especially considering the Sonics argued the exact opposite in all their previous utterances. It is rhetoric designed to convince the courts the Sonics are not an integral part of the city’s fabric, and that the judge presiding in the case will allow the team to flee to Oklahoma City.
You know Okalahoma, the city being asked to spend $100 million on refurbishing their new stadium so that they might enjoy the economics benefits of a pro basketball team?
For Clay Bennett’s sake, I hope the internet’s down in OKC.
One of those times was this week, when the Sonics put – in writing, mind you – the same argument anti-stadium activists have been making for the past two decades; the argument that the economic benefits derived from professional sports teams is a great, big pile of nothing, that every dollar spent on a team is a dollar which would have been spent elsewhere.
Did I mention that it was the Sonics who made this argument? Here, if you don’t believe me, read this:
“Entertainment dollars not spent on the Sonics will be spent on Seattle's many other sports and entertainment options. Seattleites will not reduce their entertainment budget simply because the Sonics leave.”
That quote is taken (via Jim Brunner’s article in the Seattle Times) from the Sonics’ legal papers filed in US District Court this week. And, yes, the papers were delivered to the court with flying pigs which had to dodge the snowballs emanating from Hell.
Obviously, the quote is rhetoric, especially considering the Sonics argued the exact opposite in all their previous utterances. It is rhetoric designed to convince the courts the Sonics are not an integral part of the city’s fabric, and that the judge presiding in the case will allow the team to flee to Oklahoma City.
You know Okalahoma, the city being asked to spend $100 million on refurbishing their new stadium so that they might enjoy the economics benefits of a pro basketball team?
For Clay Bennett’s sake, I hope the internet’s down in OKC.
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