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5/27/08
Even More Emails Burying Clay Bennett And The Sonics' Move To Oklahoma
I Have A Feeling This Email Will Come Back To Haunt Clay Bennett
Some of you may think that I've gone overboard in my criticisms of Clay Bennett and his group of dumbasses that bought the Supersonics.

But I don't care.

I'm just going to keep swinging. And with today's new hilarious revelation of yet another dumb thing Bennett did, criticism seems more valid than ever.

As you know, Seattle is suing to keep the Sonics in town. They're going to lose, but in the process they're pulling out every single piece of dirt on Bennett and his group imaginable.

Bennett's been nailed for emails before, but this new one is particularly bad.

In an e-mail to Oklahoma-based public relations consultant Brent Gooden after hearing some of the Sonics players were upset about the prospect of moving the franchise to Oklahoma City, Bennett responded by writing, "Boo hoo."

Bravo Bennett. Don't try and solve that problem in any rational way.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I don't know why in God's name any semi-decent NBA player would ever want to go to Oklahoma City to play. Hell, half the Sonics already don't want to move there. You really think come free agency people will be saying "Man, I really want to go to Oklahoma City!" Of course not.

One of the most important things about having a team in any city is does the team even want to be there? That may sound ridiculous, given how much athletes are paid, but seriously, think about it. Wonder why the Vancouver Grizzlies failed? Partly due to fans, of course. But it was also due to the fact that no one wanted to play there - ever. They were an anchor pulling the NBA down. They were never going to field a competitive team ever. They either had to be moved or contracted. Those were the only viable options for the NBA to deal with the Grizzlies.

But I digress. There was of course a return email from Gooden, who remember is a public relations guy. So what did he say to Bennett's "boo hoo" email?
"Great response. I would play wherever for half of the lowest paid player on the team."
Great response indeed. By the way, what Gooden did is called public relations at its worst. As in take a swipe at players on the team THAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO BRING INTO YOUR CITY. And you never deleted the email. Moronic beyond belief.

The larger point here is that when you combine most of the current Sonics roster's reluctance to play in Oklahoma, along with dumb emails like Bennett's and Gooden's, it doesn't make anyone want to come play in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is counting on Kevin Durant to bring in the fans, which he'll do for as long as he's in town.

But as soon as his rookie contract expires, he'll be gone faster than you can blink your eyes. And you know what, Oklahoma City won't see a player of his caliber ever again.
23 comments
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404 days ago
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I am starting to really not want the Sonics here. Mostly because the owner is a dumbass. I think the Sonics have a bright future but the owner seems like such a douche bag. I am sure most pro owners are douche bags but this guy is so bad at hiding his douche bagness.
 
404 days ago
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RenegadeLG wrote:
Most owners are psychos, but most owners don't have a city of embittered and suddenly aware fans on his ass to dig up proof.  Once he's settled in you won't hear a peep.
I really hope so. The bad part is this whole situation is that it makes Oklahomans look bad with how he handled this whole thing.
 
403 days ago
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(Edited 05/28/08 12:18AM by kantwistaye)
Jubanator14 wrote:
I really hope so. The bad part is this whole situation is that it makes Oklahomans look bad with how he handled this whole thing.
True, but unfair.  Its not like you guys tried to take the Sonics away from Seattle.  Eventually this will all go away.  Plus, New Orleans is going to need a new home in a few years, and if Seattle shapes up and gets a new arena they're as good as bet as anyone to land the Hornets.
 
403 days ago
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(Edited 05/28/08 4:08AM by tdbrought)
RenegadeLG wrote:
Haunted?  Maybe by Dickens-esque ghosts in his dreams, but the team is leaving Seattle.  Even if he flashes his junk while wearing a Nazi uniform in an elementary school yard.  Stuff he does personally isn't going to affect that bumbling city from losing the team they abandoned a long time ago.

Where the hell are you getting this info, that the players are reluctant to play in Oklahoma?  Seattle is bigger, but it's just as blindingly white.  And even people who barely know anything about basketball know the CBA allows OKC to pay Durant more than anybody else can.

Bring up Vancouver is especially stupid.  It had nothing to do with nobody wanting to play there.  It's one of the most liberal cities in the world.  It's a stones throw from Seattle, this place you're fictionally touting as the epicenter of awesomeness.  Weed is legal in Vancouver for chrissakes.  Steve Francis wouldn't play there because they sucked, because ownership was incompetent, and they didn't show a commitment to improving.  The fans were there.
Umm most NBA players are from Europe or are African American.  I don't know how familiar you are with these demographics, but let's just say they don't typically trend Republican.  The reason Francis refused to play in Vancouver is because the exchange rate in Canada cost him money, not because the team stunk.  The city is about the same distance from Seattle as OKC is from Dallas, the big difference being... IT"S ANOTHER COUNTRY! You know, with a different kind of money, and passports required whenever his family wanted to come.

I didn't see WCK mention the players not wanting to play in Oklahoma City due to its' whiteness. That is your issue, not his.  If that were the issue, black players would never sign in Portland, Utah, or Indiana.  I don't think there is a minimum percentage of blackness these players require.  What's more important is living in a city they like.   They don't want to play in Oklahoma City because it's in Oklahoma, and most of these players want something more interesting than a rodeo to pass the time on days off.

I know all you Oklahoma fans are just the greatest evah and will always support your team no matter what (not like those terrible fans in Seattle that have supported three pro teams for three decades), but I've got a sneaky feeling when this genius of an owner continues to throw out 20 win teams year after year, OKC will end up JUST LIKE Vancouver/Memphis or Charlotte before the Bobcats.  After five years of losing, you'll all trot back over to the Sooners and the team will draw what every other team in a comparable situation does -- 10-11,000 if you are lucky, with the added ""plus" of a much smaller corporate base than Seattle to sell club tickets to. 
 
403 days ago
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Why do I have a sneaky feeling that Stern's career is going to start a downward spiral once this whole project fails... what no one in OkC is realizing right now is that Bennett's hell-bent tanking project is going to bury this team for the next 10 years... which means they'll have already been in and out of Oklahoma by the time they're any good again (outside of Green and Durant, who are both gone once their contracts are up).

 
403 days ago
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tdbrought wrote:
Umm most NBA players are from Europe or are African American.  I don't know how familiar you are with these demographics, but let's just say they don't typically trend Republican.  The reason Francis refused to play in Vancouver is because the exchange rate in Canada cost him money, not because the team stunk.  The city is about the same distance from Seattle as OKC is from Dallas, the big difference being... IT"S ANOTHER COUNTRY! You know, with a different kind of money, and passports required whenever his family wanted to come.

I didn't see WCK mention the players not wanting to play in Oklahoma City due to its' whiteness. That is your issue, not his.  If that were the issue, black players would never sign in Portland, Utah, or Indiana.  I don't think there is a minimum percentage of blackness these players require.  What's more important is living in a city they like.   They don't want to play in Oklahoma City because it's in Oklahoma, and most of these players want something more interesting than a rodeo to pass the time on days off.

I know all you Oklahoma fans are just the greatest evah and will always support your team no matter what (not like those terrible fans in Seattle that have supported three pro teams for three decades), but I've got a sneaky feeling when this genius of an owner continues to throw out 20 win teams year after year, OKC will end up JUST LIKE Vancouver/Memphis or Charlotte before the Bobcats.  After five years of losing, you'll all trot back over to the Sooners and the team will draw what every other team in a comparable situation does -- 10-11,000 if you are lucky, with the added ""plus" of a much smaller corporate base than Seattle to sell club tickets to. 
Where did you get your information that all that people do in Oklahoma is up to rodeo's? I've lived here for over 19 years and have never ever been to a rodeo. Your point about the Sooners is wrong too because they will not lose anyone to the Sonics. People will go to both if anything.
 
403 days ago
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RenegadeLG wrote:
Again with the bolting.  Learn the CBA.  If Durant and Green leave they'll be taking a paycut.  The team that drafted them has their Bird's rights and can sign them for however much they want, regardless of the cap situation, which will be fine anyway.
Well, that certainly kept Shaq in Orlando, and McGrady/Vince are still doin their thing in Toronto, right?  Helped the T-Wolves hang on to Garnett too.  Oh they moved to larger markets?  To be on a winning team?  Oh well, I'm sure Durant would never sacrifice a few bucks to win a title.  That's not why they play the sport or anything.
 
403 days ago
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And I would think Oklahomans have a good knowledge of the C(ontinental) B(asketball) A(ssociation).  It will only improve when the majors leave and y'all are back to the minor leagues.
 
403 days ago
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(Edited 05/28/08 6:22PM by tdbrought)
RenegadeLG wrote:
Wow, your argument is doubly stupid.  The people before that were talking about Durant bolting did so because the assumed he wouldn't want to have to play/live in OKC.  They'll have a ridiculous amount of cap space to go with another top-flight rookie, they're going to get good in a hurry. 

Horrible comparisons by the way.  Orlando was completely mismanaged in the 90s, ownership wouldn't commit to Shaq.  McGrady rode the pine in Toronto - and turned into the only good move Orlando made in their existence up until that point.  Vince demanded out of Toronto because he didn't want to live in Canada anymore, and Garnett was running from the fact that he faltered when given ample opportunity with that purchased should-have-been-Champs team with Spree and Cassell.
So the Sonics are going to magically get competent management in there, rather than waste money like they always do?  Sorry, but until I see actual evidence that their ownership has a clue (and moving to the Dust Bowl isn't a sign) I'm not buying that.  From all the evidence we have the ownership/management in place there is a lot closer to the horribly mismanaged Orlando team you thought I was out of line for referencing than they are to Jerry West.  And it continues to boggle the mind you freely admit players like Vince and Steve Francis wanted out for not liking the city or team they were in, but you continue to assert that would never happen in Oklahoma.  Because Oklahoma City is so much nicer than Toronto.  Or something.
 
403 days ago
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He went from Washington DC to Texas to play college ball, dunno why OKC is such a reach.

Ever been to Austin?  It's a lot closer to Seattle or DC than Oklahoma (and I'm not talking geography).  Besides, he did leave there after a year, after saying he'd be around for a while.  Not exactly a track record of laying down roots.
 
403 days ago
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Good lord man get off the race thing.  I'm talking about liberal/conservative.  Oklahoma is so puritan they only sell near beer.  Professional athletes are, in addition to everything else, 20 something year old men who like to party.  OKC ain't known for it's nightlife.
 
403 days ago
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tdbrought wrote:
Good lord man get off the race thing.  I'm talking about liberal/conservative.  Oklahoma is so puritan they only sell near beer.  Professional athletes are, in addition to everything else, 20 something year old men who like to party.  OKC ain't known for it's nightlife.
Norman is a suburb of OKC and the nightlife isn't terrible. There are a lot of clubs and there is a River Walk like thing called Bricktown where the arena where the Sonics would play. It really isn't a terrible town.
 
402 days ago
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(Edited 05/29/08 1:50AM by tdbrought)
RenegadeLG wrote:
The only reason I'm sticking up for OKC is because I heard the same argument from idiots against Denver.  "Melo won't play for Denver"  "AI won't accept a trade to Denver" "Melo will bolt the first chance he gets" "Denver is nothing but corn fields" "Denver is bordered by Wyoming, only cowboys live there" Etc Etc.  You're obviously not that retarded, but there's a similar case to be made for each.  There's plenty to do in Denver.
Yea we get that a lot from northeasterners about Houston too, usually from idiots who live in a town half its size.  I certainly think Denver is capable of hosting any pro sports team.  And it's pretty obvious players don't mind playing there.  I'm just not sold on Oklahoma as an NBA hub, particularly with an owner who has shown no commitment to building a decent team.  Like I said, I think the NFL would be extremely successful there.  Also it would annoy Jerry Jones to no end, something I'm always in favor of.

I have also been to Denver and OKC many times (my stepfather is from Denver, so I've got family there.  My brother went to OU, so I've been there many times).  Anyone who thinks Denver is nothing but corn has never been there.  OKC is, however, quite dull compared to most major cities.  Sorry to be so harsh, and I know it's more exciting than any other city within 200 miles, but about the only cities I spent time in that bored me more were Omaha and Des Moines.  Nice people, boring towns.
 
402 days ago
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RenegadeLG wrote:
We've been over this.  Oklahoma City is 16% black and Seattle is 8%.  Not sure what else you could be talking about.

Ok, I'll try to answer this all in one shot.  1) The whole "OkC has more black people than Seattle" is definitely not taking the subrubs (with Tacoma pretty much being a 'suburb') into account, which skews those numbers much closer... actually if you include Tacoma then the higher minority switches favor to Seattle (and I do have experience in this, considering I was the only white person in the complex I grew up in near Seattle). 

 

2) I'm not saying OkC could never support a team, but the ownership that's supposed to take the city to the major leagues is destroying that team to do it.  In 5 years they're still going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA, Green and Durant WILL bail to go win a championship (and I guarantee the teams that get them will get them compensated), and no one will care because the team will absolutely suck.  At least Memphis made the playoffs a couple of times, the Sonics will still be 10 years away.

 

3) Comparing OkC to Denver is like comparing a hill in Florida to the Cascades.  Yes, I realize easterners try to think like that, but it's like anything west of Chicago save LA is no-man's land... yet cities like Denver, Seattle, and Phoenix are amongst the highest growth rates.  OkC, not nearly as much.  Nice people, but as far as things to do in the city it pales to Indy and Milwaukee, which are probably the two most "boring" cities in the NBA (and before anyone gets on me, I use boring in the loosest sense, and I've lived in both).  Denver has a lot more going on than anyone out East realizes, I've been there plenty of times (and to OkC as well) for hockey, not to mention my gf's from there, so I know how much they have going on compared to OkC.

 
 
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