If Oklahoma City really is as small as the hearts and minds of its local sportscasters, Clay Bennett is gonna have a helluva tough time making a profit while meeting the payroll of a competitive team. Just take a gander at the neeter-neeter-neeterism that passed for journalism over at KOCO’s Sports Blog in the wake of the NBA approving the Sonics move:
Why does the city of Seattle want to keep the Sonics for two more lame duck seasons? Why wouldn’t the city want to take a huge lump sum payment and keep the Sonics name?
Why? Arrogance.
Seattle leaders and state legislators never really believed the Sonics would leave. Somehow, someway an arena deal would get done. Why would a team and a league abandon the 14th largest TV market in the country? There’s no way the team would leave the greatness of Seattle for the blandness of middle America, right? For some reason the “haves” in Seattle just thought it would all work out, now the city “has not” when it comes to a NBA future.
The city of Seattle wants to drag this thing out, to make it as painful and costly as possible for Bennett. Hopefully, they think, Bennett will sell the team to someone local and the Sonics will stay. Arrogance at its finest. As we say here in Oklahoma, “That ain’t happening.”
Talk about arrogance. Just remember that in a league where money easily trumps a 41-year history of fan loyalty, what goes around comes around.
And then there’s this thoughtful commentary from yet another KOKO sportscaster, who advises lifelong Seattle Sonics fans to just “deal with it.”
I am getting really tired of everyone else from Seattle crying about this move. If you really cared about the Sonics, then why didn’t you buy a ticket or even better yet approve payment on a new stadium?
One fact of life is that there are always consequences for your actions, and Seattle is now learning that lesson. But, so is OKC: It acted by supporting the Hornets. It acted by saying, “Sure, tax me,” to improve the Ford Center, and now they get the NBA.
Sorry, Seattle, but you had your chance and failed.
Now, we Okies get a shot to prove we really are a “Major League City” and can support an NBA franchise. Don’t worry, though: You still have the Seahawks and Mariners.
Yeah, well, I hope all you Okies enjoy paying a one-percent sales tax to build luxury boxes for the wealthy in your five year old Ford Center… a tax that will no doubt expire right around the time Bennett demands yet another new arena or renovation. Neeter, neeter, neeter.
AH HAHAHAHAHA I can’t wait til Bennett pulls the bait and switch on OKC! They have NO idea what they are in for! Give him 1 year and he will demand a BRAND NEW $500 million tax payer paid arena because he will not be making enough money in the Ford Center!
Yea, the OKC newspaper last week was crowing about how Oklahoma taxpayers voted for the 167 million band-aids on their arena, “a committment the Seattle fans were unwilling to make”. The comments boards were rather dismissive of Seattle posters as coming from the “left bank” of the nation, not worthy of consideration.
Obviously, their boosterism has allowed them to swallow the Bennet/Stern line hook, line, and sinker. They didn’t want to be bothered with the facts of what really happened in Seattle.
I’m all for supporting the locally-owned Seattle Storm in Key Arena, and proving that Seattle will support a local team which puts good product on the court, and the Key Arena is just fine as a basketball venue, thank you.
@2
Storm … all the way!!
Where is that Seattle spirit of difference and imagination?
Screw the Soonics, Celebrate the STORM!!!
Fort a pittance of the filthy money the Sonics ned to feed their hungry owner’s mouhts, we can invest in the Storm and turn this into a unique franchise.
I propose:
1 We need a WINTER festival, why not call it Winter Storms, with a bumbershoot style celebration of mid winter at Seattle Center. Imagine the festival of lights!
The Storms Festibal would of course feature awards to Washington State athletes, compedtitions at the college and high school level, AND a Sorm Festival game .. perhaps a special edition of the Storms vs last years’ champs or a college all stars team.
The down town merchants would LOVE a storm fest. The Seattle Center would make a bundle.
And it would be FUN!!!
Who are the Okies going to sell those luxury suites to?
@4 Bennett and friends LMAO!
@4 Oh and David Stern too! :)
Neeter?
I always thought it was neener. The better to rhyme with weiner for preadolescent teasing purposes.
SJ @ 3: I like the idea. Kind of a SeaFair in reverse, held six months earlier in February, perhaps. That would place it right in the middle of the dreary gap between the December holidays and the arrival of spring (whenever that occurs around here).
Yeah, it’s going to be great to hear them bellyache next time Bennett extorts them. At that point, we can give them all a collective “Boo Fucking Hoo! Call the Whaaaambulance!” along with an “I told you so!”
I do wish we could keep the name in reserve, though. I could see the team staying the ‘Sonics’ or ‘SuperSonics’ if it had moved to, say Kansas.
Hey, why don’t we try to come up with some more appropriate names for the Oklahoma NBA franchise? Like, maybe, “DustBusters.”
DustBunnies? (with apologies to RR)
I see we have a “Soonics” recommendation by SJ.
And at the risk of repeating Goldy: Tlazolteotl to OKC sportscasters: bite my hiney!
@9 AMEN SISTER!!!!!!!!!
Seattle arrogant?
Please say it isn’t so.
They seem to think they’re perceived as hicks from a hick town in a hick state.
They should.
Personally, I’ve never cared for the “Sonics” or “Supersonics” name anyway. It’s just a reminder that the team is named after an airplane that was never built.
“If you really cared about the Sonics, then why didn’t you buy a ticket or even better yet approve payment on a new stadium?”
We did… it’s called Qwest Field… Oh, you meant ARENA.
“The city of Seattle wants to drag this thing out, to make it as painful and costly as possible.”
Yeah, that’s how we do. Now you deal with it.
Reading what those Okies have to say, who’s calling what whom? Pot, meet kettle.
Arrogance and naivete. A dangerous combination, that is. Sounds vaguely familiar, can’t quite place it……………
Poor saps from OK don’t even know they have been had – Bennet never intended to stay in Seattle – he knew he could manipulate OKC much easier. He dismantled the team and gave us an offer we had to refuse (gee- pony up a half million or I’ll move…) – that is negotiation OKC style – and who is arrogant?
The tax the Okies will be paying for a sports playground also means the Grandmas/Grandpas eating dogfood (just trying to survive) ALSO get to pay for their stadium. What on earth are they cackling about?
Pathetic.
How about the team name “Starve ‘Em Senior Sooners”?
@19 – you meant a half BILLION