Sonics/NHL/New arena thread

[Subzero717]

Why would the NBA expand with arenas like Milwakee and Charolotte empty every night? Thats like putting NHL teams in Atlanta and Phoenix.

 

[Throwdown]

Well the Bobcats suck, and so do the Bucks, that happens when teams suck.

 

[Subzero717]

The Bobcats are 1 game over .500

There are too many teams that suck to be adding more teams. Look at tge Eastern Conference. How many teams below .500 are going to make the playoffs? The fact that the San Antonio AARP Cardholders are one of the best 3 teams if not the best is telling. The league could retract 4 teams and be more competitive.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I'm just trying to say, it doesn't make sense at this point with a situation like Milwaukee to announce expansion out the pure kindness of his heart, even if it was to right a wrong, I wouldn't even do that, it takes a big boogy monster that everyone knows the league wants to fix out of the picture. I really think we have to wait for this Milwaukee thing to get resolved before we can even think about a team coming to Seattle, whether its expansion or the Bucks coming here.

I get people are angry with the NBA, I'm just annoyed with how we don't put more blame on the people in charge here in WA/Seattle. They royally blew it so hard by not even trying to work it out with Stern. I get the anger, I don't like him either because I feel like he gave up on us so easily, and didn't even lift a finger when those emails leaked that were between Bennett and his guys that they weren't serious about keeping the team here. It should've never even gotten to that point, I don't get how the bummy Mariners can get a stadium (from what I recall, people didn't even want to have a Safeco Field they had the go ahead from the people to leave), and the Seahawks when they hadn't been anything for years in the 90's could get new stadiums, but when it was the Sonics everyone wants to tell them to piss off (SEATTLE EVEN PASSED A LAW TO TELL 'EM TO GO TO HELL!) and that the NBA brought nothing to the table here. Now look at us because of those local leaders, we got nothing to do watch on the weekdays from Oct to June (well there is the Mariners if you're still on that ship that smells like rotten greed and stale ideas, and moldy promo nights). But for folks like me? I got no sports on weekdays, I just have the Seahawks on mondays and thursdays when they schedule those, and it sucks, and I barely watch the Huskies basketball because I just don't all the time.

This whole situation has really tainted my view on Seattle, and I'm from here, born in Renton, and grew up in a mix of Federal Way, Tacoma, and Spanaway. Seattle just kinda sucks because of it in my opinion. They didn't want to even make this arena deal with Hansen, and if you don't think they signed off on it because of pressure from the public, you're sadly mistaken, ask Richard Conlin how it went when he tried to stand in the way, ask Peter Steinbruek how his mayoral campaign went when he was in kahoots with the Port to derail the arena plan. People want their Sonics back, and they want the extra sweetener of an NHL team, and Seattle leaders didn't even want to do it. I bet if they had their way there would be a Tampa Bay Mariners and a Los Angeles Seahawks, they already played a major factor in the beginning of the OKC Thunder.

I get people want to believe Stern has his hand up Silver's ass, but he's only been commish for 2 months, and its stupid business to announce expansion when you got a team in a situation like the Bucks. It just is, if you're looking for something to be handed to you from the jump, you're being unrealistic of the entire situation, the NBA is bigger than Seattle and it can survive without it, and Seattle can survive without the NBA. But I know Seattle wants the NBA, and I got a feeling that the NBA wants Seattle. Its going to take time, this whole thing that was started by Hansen wasn't about getting it done fast. The Kings thing happened quickly when the Maloofs realized they wanted out, couldn't find a local buyer or they were being spiteful, whatevz, I don't know and I don't care seeing as it didn't happen and its over. I think it was the right thing to do for the NBA to give Sacramento a chance to keep their team, means that they learned from the mess that happened here. But I do think Stern tried to protect his first big move when he took over (Moving the Royals to Sacramento to become the Kings) before he left out the door, he couldn't go out like that, his little big ego couldn't take a hit like that, he needed that small town move to work? yes I do.

I dunno take my opinions as you may, i dunno /rant.

I don't think anyone is letting the tards that are/were the Seattle politicians off the hook, or the former governor for that matter. It irritates me to no end the vision in my head of them giggling on stage like little schoolgirls because they were able to pay off a portion of the key arena debt by letting Clay Clay buy his way out of the lease. They are even bigger idiots in believing Stern's lies saying if they didn't do this Seattle would never have a chance of getting another team and getting a team back in 3 or 4 years was very possible if they cooperated. Chances are slim to none Seattle gets an NBA team back before the MOU runs out and once that happens that book is closed forever.

BUT with that being said Stern screwed the city of Seattle so his "cabana boy" Clay Clay could have a team in podonkville! Then when H/B/N tried to buy and move a struggling Sacramento team, Stern bent over backwards to keep that team there, and it looks like Silver is going to do the same with the Bucks.

Where was the league's effort to stop Clay Clay when Seattle moved? Where was the interference we saw in the Sac situation? I understand Silver has been only running things for 2 months but nothing has indicated to me he is no different from little Napoleon. Stern could have stopped the Sonics from moving just like he did in Sacramento but chose not to.

I'm tired of Seattle being used as a pawn for this crap league, this why I was hoping after the league interfered on Sac's behalf, Hanson/Balmer would have gone scorched earth and sued the living bejesus out of then and gone after their anti-trust status in the process. Remember Hanson/Balmer had BOUGHT the kings, it was the POS Stern that denied league approval.

Stern would have caved if he was forced to open the books and have to be on the stand and be truthful under oath, and I believe it would have been settled out of court before it got to that point with Seattle getting a team via settlement. That was the ONLY leverage Hanson/Balmer had IMO, and if it didn't get settled, the NBA loses and is left as a smoldering clump of crap.

I love the effort, time, and $$$ invested by the H/B/N group, but their biggest mistake was being truthfull about their future actions and "playing nice" with a scumbag POS like Stern!

IMO the NBA and the folks that run it deserve every ounce of criticism and nastiness thrown their way and more, they've more than earned it thru their actions.

 

[Throwdown]

I don't get what else Stern could've done if the leadership just wasn't going to do anything. I think the team was gone the day it was sold to Bennett, and stern helped facilitate that, no doubt. Local leaders made the NBA give up on Seattle.

Milwaukee is getting a chance to keep its team, how is that screwing Seattle? The Bucks owner has to want to sell the team to Hansen, and everyone knows Hansen's motive. Herb Kohl has always made it clear he will only sell to owners that'll keep the team in Milwaukee, for like ever. Our hope is that Milwaukee's leaders continue to suck like seattle/washington's did and then theirs no choice.

I think Stern ran interference to protect his last season from another relocation, I can tell you Kevin Johnson wasn't thinking about Vivek Ranadive when he was grasping for a potential ownership group and Ranadive was already a partner with the Warriors.

 

[Throwdown]

The Bobcats are 1 game over .500

There are too many teams that suck to be adding more teams. Look at tge Eastern Conference. How many teams below .500 are going to make the playoffs? The fact that the San Antonio AARP Cardholders are one of the best 3 teams if not the best is telling. The league could retract 4 teams and be more competitive.

Your right, the nfl should also contract Jacksonville, Cleveland, and Oakland huh?

MLB should contract the mariners, royals, and Astros too

Too many teams for a fair chance, right?

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Football is so competitive and the hard cap makes it so that any team can reinvent itself quickly, so no need for contraction there.

Honestly, contracting a couple teams in MLB would be fine with me, but it's not totally necessary.

On the other hand, the NBA is a mess in terms of competitiveness. In the last thirty years, the list of teams that has won a championship is: LAL, DAL, SA, HOU, CHI, DET, BOS, MIA. I don't think I missed anyone, either. Eight teams out of thirty-two or whatever have won a title in the past thirty years? Time for a contractin'.

 

[Subzero717]

The Bobcats are 1 game over .500

There are too many teams that suck to be adding more teams. Look at tge Eastern Conference. How many teams below .500 are going to make the playoffs? The fact that the San Antonio AARP Cardholders are one of the best 3 teams if not the best is telling. The league could retract 4 teams and be more competitive.

Your right, the nfl should also contract Jacksonville, Cleveland, and Oakland huh?

MLB should contract the mariners, royals, and Astros too

Too many teams for a fair chance, right?

Its retract but Rolands back so I wont go there.

How many teams make the playoffs in football that are below .500? I will give you a hint one team did it for the first time in 2010. Not 3/4 of an entire division on a year in year oit basis.

How many teams have a chance to win the Championship in baseball and football every year? Another hint, all of them that make the playoffs. Look at how many wild card teams in each respective sport have won it recently. How many 5,6,7 or 8 seeds have won an NBA ring?

Who is the top 5 elite players in the NBA? Bron, Durant and thats the top five.

 

[Throwdown]

I'm stumped, I was gonna let the initial contraction thing slide, but I just wanted to show how much I want the m's to die.

Sorry

 

[Smelly McUgly]

It's "contraction," not "retraction." Not that it matters because Calihawk is probably right about teams needing to be contracted in the NBA anyway.

The Ms can't die. Sure, they were rooting against the return of the Sonics, but then again, so was David Stern, so it didn't really matter.

Besides, what would I follow after the NFL season if the Ms left, and no, "be a Sounders fan" is not a reasonable answer to that question.

 

[Subzero717]

I feel stupid.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I don't get what else Stern could've done if the leadership just wasn't going to do anything. I think the team was gone the day it was sold to Bennett, and stern helped facilitate that, no doubt. Local leaders made the NBA give up on Seattle.

Milwaukee is getting a chance to keep its team, how is that screwing Seattle? The Bucks owner has to want to sell the team to Hansen, and everyone knows Hansen's motive. Herb Kohl has always made it clear he will only sell to owners that'll keep the team in Milwaukee, for like ever. Our hope is that Milwaukee's leaders continue to suck like seattle/washington's did and then theirs no choice.

I think Stern ran interference to protect his last season from another relocation, I can tell you Kevin Johnson wasn't thinking about Vivek Ranadive when he was grasping for a potential ownership group and Ranadive was already a partner with the Warriors.

What do you mean Stern couldn't have done anything in the Seattle situation??? He could have blocked he Sonics from moving just like he did with Sacramento. He let his ego, his butthurt, and love for Clay Clay blind any rational thought.

 

[Sports Hernia]

It's "contraction," not "retraction." Not that it matters because Calihawk is probably right about teams needing to be contracted in the NBA anyway.

The Ms can't die. Sure, they were rooting against the return of the Sonics, but then again, so was David Stern, so it didn't really matter.

Besides, what would I follow after the NFL season if the Ms left, and no, "be a Sounders fan" is not a reasonable answer to that question.

Like it or not the M's are locked in to Safeco for the long term.
It would be nice if Howard Lincoln would take a permanent vacation, the sooner the better.

 

[Throwdown]

I don't get what else Stern could've done if the leadership just wasn't going to do anything. I think the team was gone the day it was sold to Bennett, and stern helped facilitate that, no doubt. Local leaders made the NBA give up on Seattle.

Milwaukee is getting a chance to keep its team, how is that screwing Seattle? The Bucks owner has to want to sell the team to Hansen, and everyone knows Hansen's motive. Herb Kohl has always made it clear he will only sell to owners that'll keep the team in Milwaukee, for like ever. Our hope is that Milwaukee's leaders continue to suck like seattle/washington's did and then theirs no choice.

I think Stern ran interference to protect his last season from another relocation, I can tell you Kevin Johnson wasn't thinking about Vivek Ranadive when he was grasping for a potential ownership group and Ranadive was already a partner with the Warriors.

What do you mean Stern couldn't have done anything in the Seattle situation??? He could have blocked he Sonics from moving just like he did with Sacramento. He let his ego, his butthurt, and love for Clay Clay blind any rational thought.

Sacramento had an arena plan by the end of it, did Seattle in 08?

Ballmer came through at the last second with one that would've rid us of Bennett and got a new arena, washington leaders wouldn't even give it the time of day. There was no incentive to keep the team here other than being a nice guy. The team was playing in an outdated arena, losing money, and our politicians weren't willing to work something out. What other course of action could he have taken to help get the team back on its feet and get it an arena that wasn't a complete money hole so that the team could be successful?

 

[Sports Hernia]

I don't get what else Stern could've done if the leadership just wasn't going to do anything. I think the team was gone the day it was sold to Bennett, and stern helped facilitate that, no doubt. Local leaders made the NBA give up on Seattle.

Milwaukee is getting a chance to keep its team, how is that screwing Seattle? The Bucks owner has to want to sell the team to Hansen, and everyone knows Hansen's motive. Herb Kohl has always made it clear he will only sell to owners that'll keep the team in Milwaukee, for like ever. Our hope is that Milwaukee's leaders continue to suck like seattle/washington's did and then theirs no choice.

I think Stern ran interference to protect his last season from another relocation, I can tell you Kevin Johnson wasn't thinking about Vivek Ranadive when he was grasping for a potential ownership group and Ranadive was already a partner with the Warriors.

What do you mean Stern couldn't have done anything in the Seattle situation??? He could have blocked he Sonics from moving just like he did with Sacramento. He let his ego, his butthurt, and love for Clay Clay blind any rational thought.

Sacramento had an arena plan by the end of it, did Seattle in 08?

Ballmer came through at the last second with one that would've rid us of Bennett and got a new arena, washington leaders wouldn't even give it the time of day. There was no incentive to keep the team here other than being a nice guy. The team was playing in an outdated arena, losing money, and our politicians weren't willing to work something out. What other course of action could he have taken to help get the team back on its feet and get it an arena that wasn't a complete money hole so that the team could be successful?

Go back and read the part of my thread where I trashed the local politico's , sacramento's arena plan is built on a house of cards, with very little vetting of said plan, they said they had a plan and stern said "good enough".

Let me ask you this, who has a stronger ownership group and arena plan, a literally thrown togather at the last minute Sacramento group (much like Balmer was before the sonics left) or the HBN group with Seattle's arena plan?

If you are saying Stern gave Seattle the same opportunity as he did when he bent over backwards to keep a team there, you are simply wrong. Stern did very little to keep a team in a city that had 41 years of history. He was butthurt the idiot politicians wouldn't build Clay Clay a billion dollar palace of an arena at the taxpayers expense. As a commish he should have had a thicker skin and realize that most politicians are tards, instead he acted like the butthurt little ussypay lawyer he is!

Whether you want to admit it or not the NBA situation is rigged against Seattle, all because of little Napoleon's ego. The NBA will forever be kicking itself once the MOU expires and the Seattle market is forever gone and they can't use Seattle as a pawn anymore.

And like I said in the past I wish HBN would flip the NBA the bird and say "Enough!, Go #%&$ yourself!" ......and watch the crap league continue to circle the drain. The NBA is really screwing it's future by rejecting a great ownership group (HBN).

My main hope is the NHL and if by some small miracle we could get the NHL without bringing in the NBA I'd be ecstatic.

 

[Throwdown]

Lol we're just gonna keep going round and round with our opinions of what went down, bro.

 

[m0ng0]

You guys kill me with this whole the NBA OWES you a team, your team left.......DEAL with it, the only way a team is coming back is if you build an arena and with the local politics going on that ain't going to happen. Hate the Mariners, hate the NBA, hate whomever you want but until YOU can get an arena built its all bullsh*t!

peace and love from Portland :th2thumbs:

 

[Sports Hernia]

Lol we're just gonna keep going round and round with our opinions of what went down, bro.

It's all good. We will never see eye to eye on this issue.

 

[IndyHawk]

I'm kind of seeing it more the way SportsH puts it but Throw does make some good points..In the end like Mongo says "No Arena nothing happens"...On Key Arena wasn't it just 5 years prior that it was renovated
for like 80 million?How was really outdated when Stern before said he liked it?In 5 years???

 

[Sports Hernia]

You guys kill me with this whole the NBA OWES you a team, your team left.......DEAL with it, the only way a team is coming back is if you build an arena and with the local politics going on that ain't going to happen. Hate the Mariners, hate the NBA, hate whomever you want but until YOU can get an arena built its all bullsh*t!

peace and love from Portland :th2thumbs:

Too bad this isnt the smack shack or I'd tell you where to shove your jailblazers. imp:
Oh trust me there is a lot of parties to HATE in this situation as I've already covered that. I'm done with the NBA and have been since the Sonics left, they can go bleep themselves for all I care.

The only reason this topic is of any interest to me is the tie in with a potential NHL team, which won't play "permanently" in key arena which is a horrible hockey venue due to configuration issues. I've seen minor league hockey (t-birds) and one end of the arena seatingwise is useless. Which was designed that way by Barry Ackerly a former sonics owner who didn't want the competition from a future NHL team.