E-mails reveal Sonics owners intended to bolt from Seattle
- Thread starter TONY206
- Start date
Howard Schultz #1 enemy in all this
David Stern #2 enemy in all this
Clay Bennett & his inbred friends #3 enemy in all this
(Not that I think this would happen anyway knowing the Siccness demograhic), but if any of you guys are upset over this but set foot in a Starbucks for the rest of your lives, then you're straight horseshit.
David Stern #2 enemy in all this
Clay Bennett & his inbred friends #3 enemy in all this
(Not that I think this would happen anyway knowing the Siccness demograhic), but if any of you guys are upset over this but set foot in a Starbucks for the rest of your lives, then you're straight horseshit.
Kevin Calabro says tonight is his final Sonics game if team moves next season
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
If the Sonics move to Oklahoma City next season, then longtime play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro will be calling his final game tonight.
"I agonized over this for a few days, whether or not to say anything, but the fans have been so great to me and my family over 21 years and just to suddenly not show up for the final game on Sunday and disappear from the scene didn't seem quite right," Calabro said during a telephone interview from San Antonio. "That's not the way I wanted to go out."
Calabro will not attend Sunday's home finale because several months ago he committed to calling the San Antonio-Los Angeles Lakers game for ESPN radio. He also will not attend the regular-season finale Wednesday in Oakland, Calif., against the Golden State Warriors because FSN is not broadcasting the game.
Calabro's contract with the Sonics expires in October, but if the team were to remain in Seattle, he said there are provisions that he would resume the role he began in 1986 when he succeeded Bob Blackburn.
"It's been a dream job and it continues to be a dream job," Calabro said. "Like any job, it has it ups and downs but I'm working in the toy department and you can't get a better job than that. No regrets. A lot of great memories. Good experiences and good relationships.
"I would like to continue my association with the NBA in some way as a broadcaster and I'll pursue that if they do move out of town."
Calabro said he's staying in Seattle because he's unwilling to uproot his family. He and his wife Sue have four children.
"It's just a great market here," he said. "It's home. We got roots. Sue and I have raised four kids in the community. We have friends in the community and are involved in the community. It doesn't make sense to leave and it doesn't make sense to commute.
"And frankly, I'm a Seattle guy. My allegiance is to Seattle. It's not to another market. I do have an allegiance to the NBA as well and would like to work in the NBA, but at some point there's a price that's just too big to pay and the disruption of family life would be too big to pay."
Calabro, who is calling tonight's game alongside Marques Johnson, said he'll tell the television audience of his plans.
"Basically I'm just going to thank a bunch of people," he said. "It has been a wonderful, wonderful ride."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004343084_websoni11.html
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
If the Sonics move to Oklahoma City next season, then longtime play-by-play announcer Kevin Calabro will be calling his final game tonight.
"I agonized over this for a few days, whether or not to say anything, but the fans have been so great to me and my family over 21 years and just to suddenly not show up for the final game on Sunday and disappear from the scene didn't seem quite right," Calabro said during a telephone interview from San Antonio. "That's not the way I wanted to go out."
Calabro will not attend Sunday's home finale because several months ago he committed to calling the San Antonio-Los Angeles Lakers game for ESPN radio. He also will not attend the regular-season finale Wednesday in Oakland, Calif., against the Golden State Warriors because FSN is not broadcasting the game.
Calabro's contract with the Sonics expires in October, but if the team were to remain in Seattle, he said there are provisions that he would resume the role he began in 1986 when he succeeded Bob Blackburn.
"It's been a dream job and it continues to be a dream job," Calabro said. "Like any job, it has it ups and downs but I'm working in the toy department and you can't get a better job than that. No regrets. A lot of great memories. Good experiences and good relationships.
"I would like to continue my association with the NBA in some way as a broadcaster and I'll pursue that if they do move out of town."
Calabro said he's staying in Seattle because he's unwilling to uproot his family. He and his wife Sue have four children.
"It's just a great market here," he said. "It's home. We got roots. Sue and I have raised four kids in the community. We have friends in the community and are involved in the community. It doesn't make sense to leave and it doesn't make sense to commute.
"And frankly, I'm a Seattle guy. My allegiance is to Seattle. It's not to another market. I do have an allegiance to the NBA as well and would like to work in the NBA, but at some point there's a price that's just too big to pay and the disruption of family life would be too big to pay."
Calabro, who is calling tonight's game alongside Marques Johnson, said he'll tell the television audience of his plans.
"Basically I'm just going to thank a bunch of people," he said. "It has been a wonderful, wonderful ride."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004343084_websoni11.html
Yeah I know, over under on the number of siccness members who have set foot in a Starbucks in the last 10 years: I'll put it at 2.5.
Just thought I'd throw it out there, all of my friends, all my brothers, my parents, everybody knows that if I see them going in a Starbucks ever again they're getting punched hard (in the biceps).
Just thought I'd throw it out there, all of my friends, all my brothers, my parents, everybody knows that if I see them going in a Starbucks ever again they're getting punched hard (in the biceps).
On another note, b/c they were playing the Mavericks, I was actually able to watch the game on local Dallas TV, and the Mavs announcers were very classy on the issue. They acknowledged the history of the franchise, showed some old highlights from the 70s and 90s, and said rather politely (and tamely) that they hoped something could be worked out to keep them in Seattle.
Doesn't mean a whole lot, it was just a pleasant anecdote, especially coming from the general region of the country that they may be moving too.
Doesn't mean a whole lot, it was just a pleasant anecdote, especially coming from the general region of the country that they may be moving too.
Mark Cuban:
"I'll do what I can to help keep it here... it's not over until it's over, so we'll see," Cuban said. "I just finally saw some numbers and I'll vote against it for sure. I just think it's about Seattle vs. Oklahoma for the NBA, and I don't think there's any question after seeing the numbers that it's Seattle. The only certainty that I have is (the team should be) in Seattle. Would I like to see Steve Ballmer involved in the NBA? Absolutely, positively ... he's crazier than I am, and smarter than I am and he's got more money than I do and those are all great things for the NBA.
"There's an equity value of (41) years from a team that you can't quantify when you discuss a move that has real economic value. When we look at relocation - as best as I can tell - we ask, 'Is (Oklahoma City) capable as opposed to the best choice?' I'm standing up and saying I don't think it's the best choice. I'm saddened. I'm not perplexed because I've been in the NBA eight years now and ... welcome to the NBA. That's why I get in so much trouble because we just do things just to do them sometimes. To me my job as an NBA partner and a member of the Board of Governors is to give feedback on what I think is the best for the NBA. To me what's best for the NBA looking from every variable is to keep the team in Seattle.
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Kahn_Games/2008/04/14/Sonics_backers_find_allies_from_the_past
So, if the other owners actually read "the numbers" and do their job as an NBA partner, the vote should be "no". However, how many of them are actually reading "the numbers" and take their job as an NBA partner seriously. I would imagine at least one other would be Paul Allen.
"I'll do what I can to help keep it here... it's not over until it's over, so we'll see," Cuban said. "I just finally saw some numbers and I'll vote against it for sure. I just think it's about Seattle vs. Oklahoma for the NBA, and I don't think there's any question after seeing the numbers that it's Seattle. The only certainty that I have is (the team should be) in Seattle. Would I like to see Steve Ballmer involved in the NBA? Absolutely, positively ... he's crazier than I am, and smarter than I am and he's got more money than I do and those are all great things for the NBA.
"There's an equity value of (41) years from a team that you can't quantify when you discuss a move that has real economic value. When we look at relocation - as best as I can tell - we ask, 'Is (Oklahoma City) capable as opposed to the best choice?' I'm standing up and saying I don't think it's the best choice. I'm saddened. I'm not perplexed because I've been in the NBA eight years now and ... welcome to the NBA. That's why I get in so much trouble because we just do things just to do them sometimes. To me my job as an NBA partner and a member of the Board of Governors is to give feedback on what I think is the best for the NBA. To me what's best for the NBA looking from every variable is to keep the team in Seattle.
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Kahn_Games/2008/04/14/Sonics_backers_find_allies_from_the_past
So, if the other owners actually read "the numbers" and do their job as an NBA partner, the vote should be "no". However, how many of them are actually reading "the numbers" and take their job as an NBA partner seriously. I would imagine at least one other would be Paul Allen.
Nick Collison:
Unless a Seattle judge rules in June that the Sonics must occupy the arena for the final two seasons of their lease, Bennett will take them to his hometown of Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season.
But nobody's convinced Sonics forward Nick Collison this was the end, either.
"I'm still optimistic something will happen to keep us here," Collison said an hour before the game.
Collison just bought a house up the hill from KeyArena. The former star at Kansas is married and wants the family he is just starting to grow up in Seattle.
"It will be a sad, sad day if that happens," Collison said of moving to Oklahoma. "It would be a tough thing for a city that has been so good to the NBA.
"There's not a lot of positive things we can say as players about this situation. But I'm still optimistic."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3345805
Unless a Seattle judge rules in June that the Sonics must occupy the arena for the final two seasons of their lease, Bennett will take them to his hometown of Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season.
But nobody's convinced Sonics forward Nick Collison this was the end, either.
"I'm still optimistic something will happen to keep us here," Collison said an hour before the game.
Collison just bought a house up the hill from KeyArena. The former star at Kansas is married and wants the family he is just starting to grow up in Seattle.
"It will be a sad, sad day if that happens," Collison said of moving to Oklahoma. "It would be a tough thing for a city that has been so good to the NBA.
"There's not a lot of positive things we can say as players about this situation. But I'm still optimistic."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3345805
Gary Payton:
"The simple fact is we want to try and save the team," he said. "It's not gone yet. Everybody has to try and buckle down in the next couple months and see what can happen. It's not looking good, as people are saying, but you always want to try. It will be a disaster if they move them after 41 years. I don't think these fans deserve that. But anything is possible, and everybody just needs to keep their hopes up, and it will work out."
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/sonics/archives/136420.asp
"The simple fact is we want to try and save the team," he said. "It's not gone yet. Everybody has to try and buckle down in the next couple months and see what can happen. It's not looking good, as people are saying, but you always want to try. It will be a disaster if they move them after 41 years. I don't think these fans deserve that. But anything is possible, and everybody just needs to keep their hopes up, and it will work out."
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/sonics/archives/136420.asp
Wow...i really feel like David Stern has lost his fuckin mind...what a goddamn DOUCHE BAG
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2008-04-14-4203197656_x.htm
Stern stands behind SuperSonics owner despite e-mails showing plans to move team
By Jeff Latzke, AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite the release of e-mails that SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett exchanged last year with partners about moving the team to Oklahoma City, NBA commissioner David Stern says he is convinced Bennett made a good-faith effort to keep the team in Seattle.
Bennett and ownership partners Aubrey McClendon and Tom Ward exchanged e-mails in April 2007 in which they discussed whether there was any way to avoid further "lame duck" seasons in Seattle before the team could be relocated.
Bennett, who had promised to negotiate with Seattle for a full year before deciding whether to move the Sonics, responded: "I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys."
"I haven't studied them but my sense of it was that Clay, as the managing partner and the driving force of the group, was operating in good faith under the agreement that had been made with (previous owner) Howard Schultz," Stern said on a conference call Monday. "His straight and narrow path may not have been shared by all of his partners in their views, but Clay was the one that was making policy for the partnership."
Stern fined McClendon $250,000 last August after he told an Oklahoma City newspaper that "we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here." The e-mails released last week as part of the city of Seattle's efforts to enforce the SuperSonics' lease at KeyArena shed further light on the ownership group's thought process prior to Bennett's self-enforced Oct. 31 deadline to determine the team's eventual home.
After purchasing the team from Schultz in July 2006, Bennett promised to spend one full year after the purchase was approved to seek a viable home for the Sonics in Seattle. The NBA approved the sale of the Sonics in October 2006.
Stern repeatedly has said that Seattle's KeyArena is not a suitable home for the Sonics, and rejected a recent attempt led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to renovate the arena to keep the team in Seattle. That effort subsequently fell apart when it wasn't backed by the city or the state legislature.
Stern said it's too late at this point to seek other owners who would keep the Sonics in the city where they've played the past 41 years.
"I think it's fair to say that extraordinary efforts were made to seek ownership interests when Howard sold the team, including from people who became involved in the effort - the recently unsuccessful effort - to get the state to extend the sales tax for the purposes of retiring the arena debt," Stern said.
"It happened already. There was no one who was interested in buying the team, including the very people who stepped forward at the last minute."
NBA owners will vote Friday on Bennett's proposed relocation to Oklahoma City. A subcommittee of three owners visited Oklahoma City last month and recommended league approval.
During that visit, Stern suggested that Oklahoma City - when combined with the presence of Tulsa less than 100 miles away - could be a viable market even though Seattle has a higher population and television audience. On Monday, he downplayed Seattle's role as an entry into Asia.
"I would say that we don't ever like to leave a city," Stern said. "We don't like to leave a city as robust as Seattle, but the Asian cities that we're tending to focus more on have names like Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
"It's disheartening simply to leave the city, as it would be to leave any city."
A June trial is scheduled concerning the city of Seattle's lawsuit to enforce the lease and keep the team at KeyArena through 2010.
The Associated Press
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2008-04-14-4203197656_x.htm
Stern stands behind SuperSonics owner despite e-mails showing plans to move team
By Jeff Latzke, AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite the release of e-mails that SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett exchanged last year with partners about moving the team to Oklahoma City, NBA commissioner David Stern says he is convinced Bennett made a good-faith effort to keep the team in Seattle.
Bennett and ownership partners Aubrey McClendon and Tom Ward exchanged e-mails in April 2007 in which they discussed whether there was any way to avoid further "lame duck" seasons in Seattle before the team could be relocated.
Bennett, who had promised to negotiate with Seattle for a full year before deciding whether to move the Sonics, responded: "I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys."
"I haven't studied them but my sense of it was that Clay, as the managing partner and the driving force of the group, was operating in good faith under the agreement that had been made with (previous owner) Howard Schultz," Stern said on a conference call Monday. "His straight and narrow path may not have been shared by all of his partners in their views, but Clay was the one that was making policy for the partnership."
Stern fined McClendon $250,000 last August after he told an Oklahoma City newspaper that "we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here." The e-mails released last week as part of the city of Seattle's efforts to enforce the SuperSonics' lease at KeyArena shed further light on the ownership group's thought process prior to Bennett's self-enforced Oct. 31 deadline to determine the team's eventual home.
After purchasing the team from Schultz in July 2006, Bennett promised to spend one full year after the purchase was approved to seek a viable home for the Sonics in Seattle. The NBA approved the sale of the Sonics in October 2006.
Stern repeatedly has said that Seattle's KeyArena is not a suitable home for the Sonics, and rejected a recent attempt led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to renovate the arena to keep the team in Seattle. That effort subsequently fell apart when it wasn't backed by the city or the state legislature.
Stern said it's too late at this point to seek other owners who would keep the Sonics in the city where they've played the past 41 years.
"I think it's fair to say that extraordinary efforts were made to seek ownership interests when Howard sold the team, including from people who became involved in the effort - the recently unsuccessful effort - to get the state to extend the sales tax for the purposes of retiring the arena debt," Stern said.
"It happened already. There was no one who was interested in buying the team, including the very people who stepped forward at the last minute."
NBA owners will vote Friday on Bennett's proposed relocation to Oklahoma City. A subcommittee of three owners visited Oklahoma City last month and recommended league approval.
During that visit, Stern suggested that Oklahoma City - when combined with the presence of Tulsa less than 100 miles away - could be a viable market even though Seattle has a higher population and television audience. On Monday, he downplayed Seattle's role as an entry into Asia.
"I would say that we don't ever like to leave a city," Stern said. "We don't like to leave a city as robust as Seattle, but the Asian cities that we're tending to focus more on have names like Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
"It's disheartening simply to leave the city, as it would be to leave any city."
A June trial is scheduled concerning the city of Seattle's lawsuit to enforce the lease and keep the team at KeyArena through 2010.
The Associated Press
