Viewpoints
Two stark differences in viewpoints from two Seattle columnists today.
In this Seattle Times column by Steve Kelley, he points the finger at Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and House Speaker Frank Chopp for not stepping up and approving the $75 million King County tax extension that would help fund a $300 million KeyArena renovation. In this Tacoma News Tribune column by John McGrath, he gives Gregoire and Chopp a pass for not rushing to approve the money and points the finger instead at the prospective Seattle-based owners who, instead of stepping up months ago, waited until the last minute to act as Sonics saviors.
Both are worth reading. McGrath, however, throws out all the what-ifs and focuses on the fact that the ball is in Clay Bennett’s court.
“This is Bennett’s team,” McGrath writes. “It is Bennett’s team no matter how much Ballmer’s idea gains traction in Olympia, and it will be Bennett’s team regardless of the outcome of the June court fight over the two seasons remaining on the KeyArena lease.
“Steve Ballmer can make demands for action and Nickels can point fingers at foot-dragging lawmakers, but it’s all moot: Bennett’s got the ball, and you’ll take it away from him when you pry his cold, dead fingers off it.”
And finally, do yourself a favor and check out the guy who wants to buy the Sonics from Clay Bennett.
-DM-
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Finally, why don’t you do yourself a favor and look at his net worth as compared to Bennett and Co. (PBC).
When are YOU ever going to have as many people paying attention to how you’re making a fool of yourself as HE does?
no doubt about it, thats damn funny! but on a serious note he could buy and sell every last person in oklahoma. and darnell, your turning into the sean hannity of okc sports writers. shameless!! and to think just yesterday i commended your journalistic integrity.
Whoa there fellas,
I’m as big a Sonics supporter as you guys, but DM really hasn’t done anything but present the facts here.
I disagree with DM’s opinion that Bennett’s public comments about not selling the team are anything more than posturing, but DM is doing nothing wrong here at all. You seem to be reading into what he is saying.
Clay Bennett & company have purchased an NBA franchise. That franchise is the Seattle Supersonics. It’s far too simplistic to say that Bennett owns the team so he can take his ball and go play wherever he wants. That’s why we are going through the current process and to give up and say “ah schucks there’s nothing we can do, it’s Bennett’s team” is just what those lusting in OKC would love to hear. That’s why we get guys like DM and Jenni Carlson making the false argument that it’s Bennett’s team and he can do whatever he wants with it.
HE MAY HAVE BOUGHT THE TEAM, BUT, YOU CANNOT BUY HISTORY!! AND ITS THE HISTORY WE WILL DEFEND UNTIL THE END. YEA, BALLMER DOES SLIP-UP IN THE MEDIA EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, BUT, TAKE A GANDER WHAT HE DONATES TO A TON OF CHARITIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOCATED IN OKLAHOMA. ID BE REAL CAREFUL ABOUT MAKING FUN OF A GUY THAT HAS HELPED OUT YOUR STATE!! AND, THE BOTTOM LINE AND WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. HAVE ANY OF YOU OKLAHOMANS TRIED TO BROKER A DEAL OF THIS MAGNITUDE. WITH OIL AND GM LONG GONE, I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN COUNT THAT HIGH. DARRELL HAS BEEN BACK AND FORTH ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT, WE NEED TO GIVE HIM A BREAK. LOOK AT WHO HIS BOSS IS. DUH!! HE HAS GOT TO STAY ON ONE SIDE OF THE FENCE, DUE TO HIS JOB. UNLIKE THE GUY FROM ONE OF THE COLUMNS UP ABOVE WHO JUST RIGHTS THE STORY AND DOESNT WORRY ABOUT HIS EMPLOYMENT. WITH THE LACK OF JOBS IN HIS TINY CITY, I WOULD BE STAYING ON HIS BOSS’S SIDE OF THE FENCE, TOO. BENNETT HAS TO GO THRU THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WITH HIS SO-CALLED TEAM. EVERY OWNER DOES!! SEE YA IN JUNE!!!
MIKE U.
OKC is screaming for a new crosstown expressway that is crumbling–and the cities rich fathers are screaming for an NBA team–it’s not ever hard to see which things in life are “wants” or “needs”. I can see it now in the headlines–”chunk of expressway debris falls on basketball fan enroute to NBA game’.
This is why Okla. is perceived as backward across most of the U.S.
Harry
We are building a new crosstown expressway. You people from
Seattle just can’t stand the idea of us BACKWARDS Oklhomans TAKING your team
Hey You All, its been just over a dozen years since Seattle tax payers divied up just short of a hundred mil to renovate our Coliseum into, to quote Czar Stern, ” the finest NBA facility in the league”. Now, what are y’all gonna do when the taxpayers have no discretionary income to attend the games? We all know they are just for the rich anyways, I guarantee ya, tickets will be much more than Cowboys or Hornet seats, and in a dozen years, Czar Stern says ya gotta pony up more to keep em in town? How will that settle in yer craw? Think about it. Its the NBA way, and there’s no denying it.
I think we need to call a waambulance!! The new OKC “please change the name” NBA team will strive here in our wonderful hick-laden state! We are so backward and crime-ridden?? The people will get on board and ride this horse till she drops! YeeHa! Seriously, again I say: Seattle; ya blew it!! Your 200 member Save our Sonics is awesome! But; 200 people cant sway Clay! Coach Stern wants OKC to have a team and I dont think anything will change that!! I hope you get another team! What a rivalry! Enjoy the Storm!!
Thats right, take your freakin ball and go home ya hicks. We may lose this team but the Sonics will always belong to seattle
Awesome That’s our boy.
A billionaire with a personality, who’d've thunk it?