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Sports |
October 2008
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| Sonics legend Gary Payton raised the 12th Man Flag today. He also raised the hopes of basketball fans. GP thinks Seattle will get an NBA team by 2011. According the Seattle Times, Payton is recruiting some former players to help bring the Sonics (not the OKC Thunder) back. I'm guessing it'll have to be another team relocating to Seattle. Commish David Stern has said they don't plan to expand in the U.S. With the rumors of the Bobcats leaving Charlotte, it could happen sooner than 2011. Plus, the New Orleans Hornets are struggling to keep their fan base after Hurricane Katrina and Rita. ...Supersonicsoul.com has posted a blog. It seems like OKC part-owner Aubrey McClendon had a tough day, or past few months, with his company Chesapeake Energy. According to the blog, Chesapeake's stock tanked from a high in July of 70.24 to today's 17.71. That's a loss of $52/share, which, if you have 34,000,000 shares like some people do, in the last three months your net worth has declined by the sum total of $1,768,000,000. -- supersonicsoul.com Here's the link to whole article. Is it petty for me to wish this to be true? Nearly losing 2 billion dollars? If it's wrong of me, then I don't wnat to be right. ...Attention Mayor Greg Nickels and your cronies. Here's a list of the top 10 pro teams likekly to move. This comes from fanhouse.com via forbes.com. Forbes made a list. There are 3 NHL teams and 2 NBA teams. -- Florida Marlins It saddens me to see my Vikings on the list, but I digress. As much as I would hate to see what's happened to the city of Seattle and its surrounding community, they (Nickels and company) should get Steve Balmer on the line and e-mail him the Forbes list. The NBA season (and NHL season) is about to start and I already feel the pangs in my stomach of not having an NBA franchise in town. I seriously wouldn't feel bad if the Bobcats moved. That would mean they've tried twice in the last 20 years. Or If the Coyotes and Predators wanted to head north, that's fine with me too. Not only do all NHL teams belong in the upper half of the U.S. and Canada, but I've never really heard any team complain about stadium issues much.
The Cougars sent over an injury update on quarterback Kevin Lopina. He has a stress fracture in his L4 traverse process of his vertebrae. In other words, it's in his lower back. Kevin Lopina Update
PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University junior quarterback Kevin Lopina suffered a fracture of the L-4 transverse process of his vertebrae, according to WSU Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Training Bill Drake. Lopina was injured during the second quarter of Saturday's 48-9 victory over Portland State at Martin Stadium and left the contest with a deep bruise in his throwing shoulder. Following a series of tests and re-evaluations Sunday, Monday and today, the back injury was discovered. Lopina is out indefinitely and will be reevaluated on a weekly basis.
In unrelated injury news, it was determined Tuesday morning that junior linebacker Jason Stripling will need surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season. The P-I is reporting that the Sonics store in front of KeyArena is closing its doors at 6pm tonight. You can find Sonics merchandise for 90% off. If you want any Sonics memoribilia at a cheap price, you better hurry, there's only 30 minutes left. ...Again, for those who care, and after the Howard Schultz lawsuit was dropped I'm not sure if I care, Bubba Bennett and company unveiled the OKC's team name and logo. They'll be called the Thunder...shocker. Wow, Bennett kept that secret as well as his intention to move the team out of Seattle. If you're extremely bored or feel like you need another shot to the gut, you can read more and see more on today's announcement...click here. ...
I can't believe it. There's gotta be something more behind it. The Seattle P-I reports Starbucks chair Howard Schultz is dropping his lawsuit to bring the Sonics back to Seattle. Is this a bigger letdown than the city of Seattle taking a settlement? ...Don't know if we really care, but Bubba Bennett is gonna name his team next Wednesday. The team is going to announce it simultaneously at a press conference and on their website. They better make sure no one sends an e-mail to Aubrey McClendon...or it'll become public knowledge soon. I hate to lump this in, but Kyle Weaver signs with OKC today. It's a multi-year deal...no terms were released. ...I know this isn't the normal place to blog about high school sports. We usually do that on hsgametime.com. But I think this story is a crossover type of story. Kentwood's Josh Smith is rivals.com's new #1 basketball player for 2010. "Smith is just such a naturally gifted basketball player," national recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer says. "His size, strength and explosiveness around the rim are unparalleled in the class. Beyond that, he has one of the best set of hands I've seen on a big guy and has great shooting touch - if he's not dunking the ball on somebody. "If he grows to be 7 feet tall, as expected, he has a chance to be a truly special big man."
What a night at Big Lo's Benefit Concert. Hundreds showed up to show their support for Seattle's Biggest Sports Fan, Big Lo. Big Lo was recently diagnosed with severe diabetes and has no medical insurance to cover his expenses. In order to help, Seattle's Biggest sports fan, the sonics and seahawks donated auction items to help raise money. The biggest surprise came, when Big Lo announced that Sonics CEO Clay Bennett wrote a check for a $1,000 to help with Big Lo's expenses. Does Clay Bennett have a heart? What do you think, do your thoughts on Clay Bennett now change a little? Let's start blogging away. ...The team formerly known as the Sonics traded point guard Luke Ridnour. It was part of a 3-team deal. Ridnour is headed to Milwaukee. The Robber Barons get PF Joe Smith & SF Desmond Mason in the trade. I'm sure Ridnour is happy to get of OKC (although I think he never went there). PJ Carlesimo buried Ridnour behind Delonte West and Earl Watson early in the 2007-2008 season...just a few years after Luke was asked to tryout for the Olympic team. He obviously wasn't happy under the Carlesimo/Clay Bennett regime. So hopefully, he'll get back on track with the Bucks. ...Darn that Clay Bennett. First he takes the team formerly known as the Sonics to OKC, but then he trades for former Cougar Kyle Weaver after he's moved the team. The Okies sent Charlotte a 2009 second round draft pick for Weaver. It would have been nice to see Weaver in a Sonics jersey at least once. Who knows, maybe that'll come true someday when Seattle gets the NBA again. ...Uni Watch and espn.com did a contest for the team formerly known as the Sonics. I like the one pictured below. It incorporates the Space Needle and a guy, whom I'm assuming, is a robber of some sort. You can find the rest here. Something else I found very funny was an article by The Stranger's Sherman Alexie. It's titled "61 things I Learned During the Sonics Trial." It's pretty darn funny. Especially #13 & 14...it mentions Howard Schultz and Jewel in the same sentence.
Yes, Shawn Kemp may be making a comeback to play pro hoops. According to a couple of websites, an Italian league has offered the Reignman a contract. Hey, former Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Childress and a few other NBA ball players are heading overseas to play hoops, why not the Reignman. thesportcount.com has more on the story including a top 10 Shawn Kemp dunk-a-thon. Kemp didn't really participate in the Battle at the Lake a few weeks ago due to an injury, but by all accounts, he looked like he was close to being back in basketball shape. ...I guess it's en vogue to leave the NBA for overseas hoops. Bostjan Nachbar, Josh Childress, Juan Carlos Navarro, Carlos Delfino, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Jorge Garbajosa, even high schooler Brandon Jennings have left to play overseas. Now former Sonics Delonte West is being courted by a Russian team. According to Yahoo.com, Moscow Dynamo is talking about a 2-year deal worth $10 million. David Stern's posse keeps losing players because of their CBA. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Sorry, that was the bitter Sonics fan in me. But I do find it interesting that players have more options other than the NBA. ...According to a tv station in OKC, Clay Bennett has a new name for the team formerly known as the Sonics. Drum roll please...the new name is...the "Thunder". What, didn't Clay like our suggestion of the Robber Barons? Here's the website with the story. According to the report, Bennett and the Boys haven't given comment on the story. Apparently, the name "Thunder" was the winning name from an OKC newspaper contest. But Clay may get the last word. Oklahoma City owner Clay Bennett has said privately he prefers a nickname that ends with the letter "s" instead of a singular name nickname, but Bennett added that he and his partners would consider several options. - newsok.com 7/20/08
Yesterday the Seattle city council voted to end the KeyArena lease with the Sonics, which takes their attention to the Seattle Storm. Losing the Sonics does more than hurt the fans, it means the city needs to strike up a new agreement with the WNBA team. This is from councilwoman Jan Drago: "It's a sad day to lose the Sonics. Now we need to do what we can to support the Storm, keep them vital and keep them in Seattle."And it may not be a cake walk. The departure of the Sonics actually hurts the Storm, as the PI points out: the two teams used to share operating costs. The current deal between the Storm and the city goes until 2010, with an out clause each September. ...Now that the Sonics are gone, there are few choices for NBA fans as we all wait for the Schutlz lawsuit to play out. TNT? Or the Trailblazers. Ugh. As a longtime Sonics fan, I don't know if I can jump ship to the Blazers, as indicated by SeatownSports.net.
Here's another pompous move by David Stern and the NBA. The league wants former Sonics owner Howard Schultz to end his lawsuit to regain the club. The NBA filed a motion in federal court on Tuesday. The motion claims Shultz's lawsuit would cause the team formerly known as the Sonics a bunch instability. Hmmm, I'm sure that wasn't happening at all since Clay Bennett bought the club. Anyways, here's the story on the Seattle Times. The first hearing for the Schultz case is Friday. It'll be interesting to see if the NBA is allowed to butt in. Hopefully, for Sonics fans, Schultz stays the course.
Since the settlement, covering the Team Formerly Known as the Sonics has been like running into a brick wall at forty paces. Does anyone out there care? Do Sonics fans want to know OKC summer league scores, how Durant is doing, or what the new jerseys look like? Sure, there is a chance that Schutlz's suit may bring the team back -- after next season is played. Sure, there are reasons to keep watching. To keep an eye on the boxscore, to watch the OKC NBA keep losing. But every story, like today's PI article on Kevin Calabro being unemployed, just wrings the knot in my gut a little harder. ...Clay Bennett and the Robber Barons have changed the Sonics website to the Oklahoma City website. Here's the link. Or you can just hit your old Sonics link...it'll take you there. ...The deal between the city and Bennett isn't finalized yet, but get this: it allows Bennett to use the Sonics banners, memorabilia (six retired jerseys) and even the 1979 championship trophy. Say what? Bennett even keeps ownership of the Sonics name, although while he has "agreed" not to use it -- and will "return" it if a team ever returns to Seattle. Hm. When not using the items in Oklahoma City, they'll be kept in Seattle at the Museum of History and Industry. The deal will be finalized on August 1st.
Do you think the NBA will ever come back to the city of Seattle? Or was the Mayor and the city council caught with $ in their eyes, hosing the fans? Who is to most blame for losing the Sonics? Schultz? Nickels? Gregoire and the legislature? Wally Walker? How hard are Bennett and Stern laughing now? Really, how likely is Seattle to see the NBA again? A 50-50 shot? A 5% chance? Or are the Sonics gone forever? ...So what does David Stern, commish of the NBA think of today's deal? Here is the press release: NEW YORK, July 2, 2008 - NBA Commissioner David Stern has issued the following statement: "We are pleased that the Sonics and the City of Seattle have settled their litigation. While the decision has been made to relocate the Sonics to Oklahoma City, the NBA continues to regard Seattle as a first-class NBA city that is capable of serving as home for another NBA team. In order for this to occur, a state-of-the-art NBA arena must be funded and constructed in the Seattle area, a subject that has been extensively debated -- but not ultimately acted upon -- by local political and business leaders over the past four years. We are pleased that the City remains committed to addressing this fundamental requirement for the return of NBA basketball to Seattle and we hope that other elected officials critical to a solution will support the City's efforts. "We understand that City, County, and State officials are currently discussing a plan to substantially re-build KeyArena for the sum of $300 million. If this funding were authorized, we believe KeyArena could properly be renovated into a facility that meets NBA standards relating to revenue generation, fan amenities, team facilities, and the like. Assuming the funding can be committed, the league is willing to work with the City on the design and construction of the re-build to facilitate this result. Under these circumstances, if an opportunity arose in the future for an NBA team to be located in Seattle, we would support that team playing its home games in a re-built KeyArena, if it wished. However, given the lead times associated with any franchise acquisition or relocation and with a construction project as complex as a KeyArena renovation, authorization of the public funding needs to occur by the end of 2009 in order for there to be any chance for the NBA to return to Seattle within the next five years. "We are pleased that Steve Ballmer has expressed the continuing willingness of his group, Seattle Center Investors, managed by Seattle developer Matt Griffin, to be a part of the solution for returning NBA basketball to Seattle. The NBA will keep SCI and the City informed if opportunities arise in the next five years for franchise sale, relocation and/or expansion. Under the circumstances outlined above, the NBA would be happy to return to the City of Seattle."... |
