HUGE NEWS! Clay Bennett & Co. buy Supersonics!

[betts]

Actually, I think it was West Coast Hornet who broke the story on the Seattle Times. He's the crackpot who hates OKC and has lived in New Orleans and Seattle in the past. He may have posted it himself, or he may have posted it using one of his many identities that appear to be from Oklahoma. He makes up screennames in order to make it look like OKC posters are over there being obnoxious. But, he didn't break the story on the seattlep-i forum, although he may have read it there. That came from someone from Oklahoma. It was also on the Hornets Nest forum, and he occasionally stops by there as well. I sincerely doubt he reads on this forum.

Nonetheless, responding to him, whether it's his identity of couillion, Doug Barebacker, Doug Dawg, shawn rooker, justin willmett, pd22, poobottle or some of the others he's assumed that I'm currently forgetting just gets him more riled up. You cannot argue with him, as it generates six to ten more posts that just worsen the situation. If you see the word "meth" or any other slurs towards OKC you can be pretty sure it's WCH. Ignore him and he just might go away. We can only hope. Argue with him and it makes the honest Seattle forum members think we are worse, as he almost always uses his assumed OKC personas to make things worse.

I don't know if this would have ended up in the national media or not, but I sincerely believe people from OKC have no business posting anything on the Seattle forums that implies that OKC is getting the team, or even that the owners want the team here. It adds fuel to the fire, gives them reason to write David Stern and complain. Does anyone honestly think the Save our Sonics or SonicsCentral administrators have any compunction about alerting the national media? The media that is always looking for stories to write? We are not helping ourselves by giving them ammunition, and we are not being kind to the true Sonics' fans in Seattle by rubbing their noses in any news that is pro-Oklahoma. Keep it here, please!

This is my only soapbox, but I feel pretty strongly about it.

[Easy180]

Actually, I think it was West Coast Hornet who broke the story on the Seattle Times. He's the crackpot who hates OKC and has lived in New Orleans and Seattle in the past. He may have posted it himself, or he may have posted it using one of his many identities that appear to be from Oklahoma. He makes up screennames in order to make it look like OKC posters are over there being obnoxious. But, he didn't break the story on the seattlep-i forum, although he may have read it there. That came from someone from Oklahoma. It was also on the Hornets Nest forum, and he occasionally stops by there as well. I sincerely doubt he reads on this forum.

Nonetheless, responding to him, whether it's his identity of couillion, Doug Barebacker, Doug Dawg, shawn rooker, justin willmett, pd22, poobottle or some of the others he's assumed that I'm currently forgetting just gets him more riled up. You cannot argue with him, as it generates six to ten more posts that just worsen the situation. If you see the word "meth" or any other slurs towards OKC you can be pretty sure it's WCH. Ignore him and he just might go away. We can only hope. Argue with him and it makes the honest Seattle forum members think we are worse, as he almost always uses his assumed OKC personas to make things worse.

I don't know if this would have ended up in the national media or not, but I sincerely believe people from OKC have no business posting anything on the Seattle forums that implies that OKC is getting the team, or even that the owners want the team here. It adds fuel to the fire, gives them reason to write David Stern and complain. Does anyone honestly think the Save our Sonics or SonicsCentral administrators have any compunction about alerting the national media? The media that is always looking for stories to write? We are not helping ourselves by giving them ammunition, and we are not being kind to the true Sonics' fans in Seattle by rubbing their noses in any news that is pro-Oklahoma. Keep it here, please!

This is my only soapbox, but I feel pretty strongly about it.

I hear ya...Just disagree is all

[Saberman]

This does't come down to who leaked a story to another forum. Like was mentioned, it was in a newspaper, "in print". This story was going to get out at some time.

This story may play for a while, then it will die just like the others.

Seems to me CB and AM are pretty smart guys. This sounds like a last minute stunt to light a fire under the people of Seattle, to see if they are going to do anything to keep their storied team or not...

If they get the deal they want from Seattle it will be the end of a long strangle hold the city has had on the team, which prevented the team from growing and progressing, ie increasing revenue. If not the team loads up the trucks and moves to OKC.

[metro]

The story and the discussion of it appears to have been deleted off Newsok unless I'm just missing it somewhere

Watching Channel 5 news last night the sports guy spun it as validating what many Okies hoped was the case...Didn't mention the Seattle uproar at all

Anyone see any different coverage of the story on the other local news stations?

Easy 180, first off, I wasn't stating you broke the story on the Times, but you are a regular poster that sometimes pisses them off with more info than they need to know.

I do agree with you about the Channel 5 spot last night. That was a fluff spot. That guy is clueless to how this city or anything is run for that matter. He even called the Journal Record the Journal World. He spun that story so bad it made me puke. And I'm in OKC's favor!!!

[HOT ROD]

metro. I saw the story on Channel 13 news last night and it wasn't actually very bad or one sided. They just reported that OKC minority owner Aubrey McLendon wants to move the team to OKC, basically that was it. There was no crying or no political posturing. In fact, It seemed as tho the news was from New York or Chicago, somewhere other than OKC or Seattle, who would not give a care at all where the Sonics end up.

I for one, was very happy to see the story. My fiance looked up at me when it broke and I said, "like we didn't all know that. .." And then we went on,

Seattle made it clear (with the passage of I-91) that they dont want a team. No way Bennett will settle for anything less than an arena in Seattle (or his site in Renton, which no longer exists by the way, so renton is OUT).

If we had not passed I-91 (I didnt vote for it by the way), then Im sure Bennett would have been more ACTIVE here in getting an arena built in the city of Seattle. But I-91 sent a message to him and the NBA, dont waste your time on Seattle - we dont care about the NBA. Wether those fanatics like it or not, that is the reason why Bennett is cavalier in his approach to an arena deal here. He knows it's not gonna happen, so why bother.

Now, as for Aubrey's actions, perhaps he agrees with the aformentioned, so why not let the cat out of the bag. But in reality, all it did was piss of the zelic Seattle fans (only a handfull of them by the way) who were already pissed about this or that anyways.

As for the Seattle Times forum, dont think that the posts from those 'fans' represent the majority in Seattle. You should note that those negative OKC posts are from the same old people, who have nothing better to do than to vent against OKC or Bennett to try to make themselves feel better.

All of the Seattle is bigger, Seattle market is Better, the board wont approve, Bennett is a whatever, bla bla bla is said over and over. But in reality, the board is in OKC's favor because at least they know the Sonics will break even in OKC and not continue to lose money here in Seattle. And they know Bennett very well, so I think the zelic Seattle fans are just shooting for stars, trying to say something - which usually comes out elitist or holier than thau OKC - to try to make themselves feel better. Then some other idiot joins in.

But I dont fault the OKC people who show up to defend the city. I also offer my two cents, I had to change my login because I was banned as Hot Rod given my pro OKC information. .... go figure.

Perhaps there is some truth into the conclusion "seattle fans are not as concerned about losing the team as they are to WHO they are losing it to". There might be some truth in that, Im sure there would be considerably less fiasco if it were San Jose or KC even. But that's ok, OKC needs to stand up for itself.

I dont see OKC people as boasting, most of the time, just trying to inform the otherwise ignorant Seattle fans. No harm in that. And no harm in defending your city either! This is the information age and Im sure they'd be doing the same if Bill Gates bought the Chicago Bulls and Chicago fans was calling Seattle a Hick Backwater!!!

By the way, I seriously doubt there are hundereds of thousands of Sonics fans. If there were, then an arena would have been approved. !!!

Having a bigger population doesn't mean anything as long as the majority think differently than those zelic hard-core fans.

[Easy180]

Of course I agree with your post...Been on the PI one for a while and have established a a pretty good rapport with a few of their most frequent posters on there

You won't find anything posted by me on there that would add fuel to the fire...Basically enjoy a little defense of our fine city and discussing the situation with them in a civil manner is all

That and it's just plain slow at work these days

I know we like to think OKCTalk is an important part of OKC and all, but let's not try and make sports forums more important than they really are...They have and will continue to have ZERO factor in how this plays out

[HOT ROD]

Guys, I found this on the Seattle PI website,

The Journal Record - Article <--Click here!!!!

Go to the Oklahoma Journal-Record article on McClendon and POST YOUR THOUGHTS at the bottom!!!

I was wondering why the poll there shows a NO with regard to whether OKC will get the Sonics. We need to counter this and post our support for the Sonics in OKC. And if nothing else, dont let these zelics come to OUR paper and ruin OUR poll!!!!!!

PLEASE, GO TO THE JR AND POST YOUR SUPPORT FOR OKC'S MAJOR LEAGUE STATUS!!!!

Just click the link above!!

[Easy180]

The ESPN Truehoop threads went from 306 on yesterday's column to 77 on today's

Dying off big time already

[betts]

Stern may be too busy thinking about the ref being charged tomorrow. He's not said a word, and I hope he won't. If he's quiet, it probably will die out. Hopefully.

[HOT ROD]

Im positive Stern wont address this publicly. There's really nothing to address.

They all knew all along that if Seattle didn't come along within a year, nothing would get done.

Oh, by the way, Bennett bought the franchise in July 2006 NOT October. So in reality, the year deadline was over in July - Im sure that is why Aubrey is saying something now at this point; there's really no time left unless a miracle happens

that being somebody from Seattle fork over their own private money for an arena where Bennett gets all of the proceeds. Sorry aint gonna happen, and nothing for Stern to address.

Seattle's going to learn the hard way that being elitist in attitude is not good for a city that can't even back it up (by building a freaking arena to keep their team). In fact, they're all (fans that is) crying that Stern is active in Sacramento but not here in Seattle. Go figure!!!

Seattle is a big rich market, shouldn't have to do anything here to get an arena, right?!! Isn't that what those pompass jerks keep saying that Seattle is so this and that?? Such a DESIREABLE?? and Wealthy place as Seattle should not need coaching from Stern for the team to stay here.

What would Stern say? The Leg let it be known that they will not build an arena. Renton ist dead. I-91 forbids building in the best locn, city of Seattle. what message does that give to Stern?

If Bennett (et al) are OK with at least breaking even in OKC (vs losing $$ in Seattle) than so be it. Lose the 14th largest media market. Create a new one in OKC, that actually might be more profitable! Esp with the winning team that the Sonics will be once they mature.

Like I said, elitism comes back to hurt you in the 'rear' end!!!

[jbrown84]

That's got to be the most comments ever on a JR article. lol

[metro]

Funny you mention the JR article and the comments section. I noticed today the JR has already changed the policy when you post. Now the "editors" have to "review" comments before they post them.

[HOT ROD]

looks like everything has died out on the Aubrey 'slip'

JUST like we predicted!!!!

No big loss, or response from Seattle!!!

or the NBA.Should tell you somrthing...



OKC is getting the Sonics!!!!!

[betts]

There's a great article supporting Aubrey and his interview in the Journal Record last week, in the Journal Record this week. Leave a comment if you want to support him. The last article primarily had comments by angry Seattleites.

The Journal Record - Article

[metro]

I wouldn't call it a great article. I would call it something we already knew. I just hope our local media doesn't add fuel to the fire. We need to stay on the down low until Nov. 1st. THEN if no progress has been made we can start taking pride and boasting about the Sonics.

[metro]

Largent on Sonics: Business is business

Steve Largent, a pro sports legend in Seattle and former Oklahoma congressman, has weighed in on the Sonics debate.
Interviewed Monday by the Seattle Times while playing at a golf tournament, Largent said that if former Sonics owner Howard Schultz wanted to make sure the team stayed in Washington, he shouldn't have sold it to out-of-state buyers.

[Easy180]

Hoping someone smarter than myself could shed some light on this if it were to get passed

By Sharon Pian Chan
Seattle Times staff reporter

The Seattle City Council is considering passing a law to hold the Seattle Sonics owners to their lease at KeyArena and barring them from buying their way out of the contract.

Council members Richard McIver and Nick Licata are asking the city's lawyers to review the ordinance, modeled after Initiative 93, which a fan group hopes to place on the February ballot.

"We need to make it clear we don't want the owners to buy out of their contract," McIver said. "Maybe it will get the league to look at the market in Oklahoma and whether it can support a team." He plans to introduce the ordinance when the council meets next on Sept. 4.

Mayor Greg Nickels has said several times that he will hold the Sonics to their lease through September 2010.

Brian Robinson, co-founder of the fan group Save Our Sonics & Storm, which filed the initiative, said he's happy the council might adopt the measure without waiting for a public vote.

"There is universal support for this," he said. He said Sonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon's recent statement that the owners always intended to move the team to Oklahoma has galvanized public sentiment against allowing the teams to leave town easily.

The proposed law says the city cannot take any action that "would allow vacation of the leased premises before the end of the term of such lease."

Any Seattle citizen, the proposed language says, would have the right to challenge any action violating the ordinance.

Councilmember Sally Clark says she supports it. "I like the idea of saying, 'You signed a lease, and we expect you to be here until then.' "

[y_h]

The ordinance is unconstitutional as it would in essence compel involuntary servitude. It might drive the exit price up, but there is absolutely no precedent whatsoever for compelling a business to continue its operations anywhere it doesn't want to be. This doesn't mean they can't be forced to pay some sort of monetary damages as fair compensation and that's really what this is all about.

[Pete]

You can enforce the terms of a lease (such as forcing the tenant to pay rent) but you can't stop someone from moving.

The Sonics will get a very sweet short-term deal from OKC because overhead for the Ford Center is very low... So worst case, they continue to pay rent if Seattle doesn't want to be bought out.

Of course, it would be silly for them to do that because if the Sonics are still paying rent, it means they have some control on how the arena is used.

The whole thing is silly and goes to show how desperate and resigned people in Seattle have become.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

..."We need to make it clear we don't want the owners to buy out of their contract," McIver said. "Maybe it will get the league to look at the market in Oklahoma and whether it can support a team."

I guess this quote alone shows how much basketball this person has watched in the past couple of years. One would think that if this person paid any attention that this wouldn't be an excuse to try to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

[HOT ROD]

I agree with what has been said, this is just a fool-hearty attempt at the city council to "show" their support for the Sonics Fans. Like was said, the law would be unconstitutional and would only need to be brought to the State or Federal Supreme court for interpretation. Im sure a quick decision would go against the city, and surely the city lawyers should not allow this to be approved.

I think McIver is out-of-touch on the situation and it really does show how 'in-the-dark' and elitist people in Seattle are. Still, most dont care and would be happy to see/hear that the city DID SOMETHING even if it were not successful.

I think Bennett should put some people here (in Seattle) to act in his behalf. But certainly, all Bennett would need to do on Nov 1 or shortly thereafter is file with the NBA board, get their approval, then show up in Seattle with the rent money thru 2010.

If the city does not accept (or cant due to the "ordinance"), then bennett just goes to FEDERAL court and files an injunction and review. I assume the court would accept and rule quickly that the "ordinance" is un-lawful and that would set a precedence that the city is not acting in good faith.

so, I actually think the city doing this ordinance actually works to OKC's advantage a big - in that, we need Seattle to act deceit-ful to counter the statements made by McLendon. We need Seattle to have some more negatives, which would prompt the NBA to certainly approve the relo and show the courts that it is Seattle who has acted in bad faith.

Like I have said, Im sure if Seattle did not tie Bennett's hands initially (with I-91 and the city not even willing to discuss an arena with Bennett at that time), Bennett probably would have been more active and vocal in Seattle in trying to get an arena. But with those obstacles (and this "ordinance"), I can guarantee you that:

Bennett will for sure move.
and that move could take place for the 2007 season, in fact.

I honestly hope the city does move forward with the stupid ordinance, maybe then it could void Bennett's Oct 31 'deadline' then, and he could file in Sept and possibly move the team prior to the start of 2007.

Im sure that would show McIver that OKC can support a team, which the league already knows. ... what a dumb-a##.

[okclee]

The lease has already been signed therefore a new law would have to result in a new lease in order for this to go into effect.

Nice try though.

[Kerry]

To me this looks like the City of Seattle is not negotiating in good faith and Clay should file for relocation on Thursday morning.

[HOT ROD]

Exactly what I was getting at Kerry.

It looks like the city is doing what other's accused Clay of. I think he WANTED to negotiate in good faith but the city has done NOTHING but put up road-blocks and even told him to get lost (when he first bought the team). Now, they want to talk??? Please.

I say, relo for 2007!!! Hopefully, the city will do this stupid thing and it will convince the NBA to go forward with the move NOW!

[betts]

McClendon was just fined $250,000 by the NBA for his statements. I doubt he'll speak in public about the team again, but if he does, it would be wise for everyone in Oklahoma to make as little noise about it as possible.