On days like today, I'm glad we've got our ownership.

by AtomicGarden on Jul 2, 2008 6:58 PM PDT Comment 37 comments

Between reading Art Thiel's book "Out of Left Field" (well I'm right up to the end of the '95 season), and following the ongoing drama with the Sonics vs Seattle, I'm really glad we have owners who saved the Mariners from relocating. Sure, I dislike Howard Lincoln for many reasons, but because of him and Yamaguchi (among many other things), Seattle baseball was saved in the early 90's.

This post is more about the horrible dissapointment of the Sonics news today. I'm not a huge basketball fan, its way behind baseball and football. But this new is still heartbreaking to me. Howard Shultz buys team, everyone happy. Howard Shults realizes he overpaid for a team that is losing money, sells to an out of town owner who will "try real hard for a whole year" to get a new arena. We all know the rest.

The owners were not the only ones who betrayed us. The state and city politicians failed us many times. The worst was today. They settled. They gave a big "fuck you" to sports fans. I don't really understand it. The day of the verdict, they decide to sell out. I heard all the reasons Greg Nickels stated in his press conference, but it's all pretty lame.

At least we've got the Mariners and Seahawks. I also am looking forward to 10-15 years from now when OKC owners threaten to move unless the public is forced to pay for a new arena.

At least I've got Washburn to cheer me up tonight.

Fuck.

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Maybe I should have listened when it said "Your browser is not supported, we STRONGLY recommend you change to..."

Here’s how the post should read, durr:

Between reading Art Thiel’s book “Out of Left Field” (well I’m right up to the end of the ‘95 season), and following the ongoing drama with the Sonics vs Seattle, I’m really glad we have owners who saved the Mariners from relocating. Sure, I dislike Howard Lincoln for many reasons, but because of him and Yamaguchi (among many other things), Seattle baseball was saved in the early 90’s.

This post is more about the horrible dissapointment of the Sonics news today. I’m not a huge basketball fan, its way behind baseball and football. But this new is still heartbreaking to me. Howard Shultz buys team, everyone happy. Howard Shults realizes he overpaid for a team that is losing money, sells to an out of town owner who will “try real hard for a whole year” to get a new arena. We all know the rest.

The owners were not the only ones who betrayed us. The state and city politicians failed us many times. The worst was today. They settled. They gave a big “fuck you” to sports fans. I don’t really understand it. The day of the verdict, they decide to sell out. I heard all the reasons Greg Nickels stated in his press conference, but it’s all pretty lame.

At least we’ve got the Mariners and Seahawks. I also am looking forward to 10-15 years from now when OKC owners threaten to move unless the public is forced to pay for a new arena.

At least I’ve got Washburn to cheer me up tonight.

Fuck.

by AtomicGarden on Jul 2, 2008 7:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't just ownership though

Slade Gorton and other legislators were able and willing to pull budgetary strings to get Safeco built. Ditto, to some extent, Qwest Field with the Seahawks. The money or the capability to draw it was there.

Whether or not legislators are as passionate about the Sonics, I’m not sure the City/County has the money anyway. I don’t think it really matters who’s in office.

Ultimately, the person mostly responsible for this is Schultz, for willingly selling to out of town investors stationed in a city that was looking for an NBA team. He should have had the sense to see the writing on the wall, no matter what promises they made about keeping the team in Seattle. I ultimately don’t think he cared who bought the team or what they planned to do with it, as long as got every dollar he could from the highest bidder.

Also, obligatory ZOMG POLITICS comment.

by Gomez on Jul 2, 2008 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Kingdome sucked balls

The Key Arena really isn’t that bad. I don’t blame Schultz. I’m just pissed at the new ownership and the NBA for letting this happen. Fuck Stern and fuck Oklahoma City. I can’t believe and I’m a little ashamed to think that our team is moving to there because they think for some reason its a good idea. What is good about Oklahoma?

by Edgar for Pres on Jul 2, 2008 9:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

... uh...

... there’s nothing else to do?

by Gomez on Jul 2, 2008 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much.

Stern prefers that the NBA be in one pro team towns where they can milk all the corporate money they can, thinking of how it’s worked in Sacramento, Portland, Utah and San Antonio.

Of course, it’s not working in Memphis, Charlotte (twice), and the thing is that when it comes to national TV, a Western Conference finals of Oklahoma and Memphis…. blech.

by eponymous_coward on Jul 3, 2008 8:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just saw the news.

Fuck Stern
Fuck Bennett
Fuck Schultz
Fuck McClendon (or whatever the fuck his name is)
FUCK.

by redwolf75 on Jul 2, 2008 7:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The Sonics are leaving Seattle? You'd think we'd have a diary about this.

by Matthew on Jul 2, 2008 8:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's called Sickness

I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jul 2, 2008 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see your point though...Whoosh to me.

I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jul 2, 2008 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

sigh...

The Sonics started the 1995-96 season in a newly remodeled Seattle Center Coliseum, now named KeyArena. Wouldn’t you know it, the Sonics went to the NBA Finals that year only to run into the 72-10 buzzsaw of a Chicago team. Yes, it was the best of times. The glory days faded away after George Karl was shown the door and Shawn Kemp was traded, but glory days they were.

The Sonics got their new/remodeled arena before the Mariners and Seahawks did, but what’s amazing is how short the shelf life was on KeyArena. It’s only been 13 years since the remodel, for goodness’ sake. Of course, there’s something to be said for all the money going into the ultra-fab luxury suites at Qwest Field and Safeco Field, therefore sucking the same monies out of KeyArena. Part of that might be economy, part of that might just be the Sonics not really being that good since the Payton/Kemp years.

And yes, it does irk me that David Stern could let his league turn its back on 40-plus years of pro basketball history in Seattle. The sick thing is that his protege, Gary Bettman, probably showed him the ropes on the whole league-turning-its-back-on-cities thing, and now there’s all sorts of markets in the south where hockey is behind only football, basketball, college football, college basketball, and auto racing in the give-a-crap hierarchy. Next thing you know, they’ll move the Memphis Grizzlies to the town of whatever D-League team that has highest paid attendance.

Maybe this tail of a story is wagging the dog of the Tim Donaghy thing, who knows?

Jesus, maybe I should get back to running the blog again…

Sports and Bremertonians. Because we can.

by wackomann on Jul 2, 2008 11:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's because the Sonics have been terrible.

Worst record ever this year, worst two year stretch ever the last two years, and since 2000, one playoff series win and two appearances.

Presti’s got his work cut out for him, too. The Trailblazers are well ahead of the Oklahoma City Corporate Whores in the rebuild process (I’d say 1-2 years), and they aren’t close to making the playoffs yet, probably a year or two away. Basically, OK got an expansion team.

by eponymous_coward on Jul 3, 2008 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

An expansion team with Kevin Durant

remember, the Bobcats expansion player was Emeka Okafor. Big difference.

by seattlebruin on Jul 4, 2008 9:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nuggets & Mariners Fan Here

Long time reader, first time poster. I hate saying that, but it’s true.

Anyway, my heart breaks for you guys. The Sonics have always been one of my favorite teams, as I was a teenager when Kemp & Payton were running them. I’m at a complete loss for words.

I hate this.

The artist formerly known as Nuggets4.

by JLucas4092 on Jul 3, 2008 10:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs