OKC Thunder make NBA finals (Seattle, Renton: sale, to move, arena)

[pw72]

Not sure how to feel about this. These, of course, are the former Seattle Sonics. One part of me is cheering them on, one part of me wants them to lose. Howard Shultz should be very embarrassed. What a monumental blunder in Seattle sports history.

[W & C]

They truly have a great, great nucleus of young players. The scary thing is I believe Durant, Westbrook and Harden aren't even near their prime yet. They could be a dynasty for many years to come, winning multiple titles.

How sad for city of Seattle - and I'm not even a Sonics fan.

I kind of feel the same way as you. A part of me hates that they're so good while another part wants them to win - if for no reason than to raise the awareness among Seattle sports fans and have the city push harder for another franchise

[pw72]

Originally Posted by W & C

They truly have a great, great nucleus of young players. The scary thing is I believe Durant, Westbrook and Harden aren't even near their prime yet. They could be a dynasty for many years to come, winning multiple titles.

How sad for city of Seattle - and I'm not even a Sonics fan.

I kind of feel the same way as you. A part of me hates that they're so good while another part wants them to win - if for no reason than to raise the awareness among Seattle sports fans and have the city push harder for another franchise

Yes, agreed. Their success reveals that Seattle squandered away a franchise that would of gone on to greatness. Enough said. Oklahoma City should always be proud of Seattle, to provide them with an NBA championship team. Oklahoma City really should thank Seattle for their NBA entitlement.

[W & C]

Well, I don't think that it was the city of Seattle that squandered it away. It was Howard Schulz that pulled the trigger on the sale and David Stern that facilitated the move

[spotlesseden]

i though it was Seattle who didn't wanted the team, so they tried to move the team else where.

[swerver]

I haven't watched this but this guy at work that is a big sports fan said it's pretty good.

Sonicsgate

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by spotlesseden

i though it was Seattle who didn't wanted the team, so they tried to move the team else where.

Not exactly. Schultz, as owner, was responsible for making the team worse. Fans don't like to pay big money to see their team lose, so attendance was down. But Seattle had a long history of being a big basketball town. It is true that the city council and voters weren't willing to be extorted by the owner to subsidize them by building a very expensive new arena, and the citizens, I think, felt a bit burdened after paying for a nw baseball and football arena while still paying the debt on the now torn down Kingdome.
When Schultz sold the team to the douchebag from Oklahoma City, it was announced that the team was staying in Seattle. It was only after the voters rejected the 500 million dollar arena in Renton for the Sonics did the team move. Many people conjectured that, given that the proposal to the voters was probably the worst ever from a taxpayer point of view, that they knew it would be rejected and was simply a ruse allowing them to move. There's lots of bad guys in this saga. Mayor Nickels was a minor bad guy. Schultz a much worse guy, and Clay Bennett a total douche. Which is why I can't root for the Thunder. Like the players, hate the owner.

[spotlesseden]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Not exactly. Schultz, as owner, was responsible for making the team worse. Fans don't like to pay big money to see their team lose, so attendance was down. But Seattle had a long history of being a big basketball town. It is true that the city council and voters weren't willing to be extorted by the owner to subsidize them by building a very expensive new arena, and the citizens, I think, felt a bit burdened after paying for a nw baseball and football arena while still paying the debt on the now torn down Kingdome.
When Schultz sold the team to the douchebag from Oklahoma City, it was announced that the team was staying in Seattle. It was only after the voters rejected the 500 million dollar arena in Renton for the Sonics did the team move. Many people conjectured that, given that the proposal to the voters was probably the worst ever from a taxpayer point of view, that they knew it would be rejected and was simply a ruse allowing them to move. There's lots of bad guys in this saga. Mayor Nickels was a minor bad guy. Schultz a much worse guy, and Clay Bennett a total douche. Which is why I can't root for the Thunder. Like the players, hate the owner.

the samething is happening for the Sacramento Kings. Maybe Seattle can steal it. If Seattle gets a new team, they need to building a new arena. No new arena, no chance of getting any team or keeping your team. This is just how it works.

[SitoUK]

again I recommend sonicsgate.org for more detail on the story and a pretty good documentary, you can watch it on youtube.

I would have loved for SAS to beat OKC but so what, I'll root for anyone who beats the Heat in the finals :-)

[lovingthegreen]

Originally Posted by swerver

I haven't watched this but this guy at work that is a big sports fan said it's pretty good.

Sonicsgate

Yes, watch this. Very well made and very informative. Definitely worth the time invested.