Prior to the events of yesterday, I was all set to continue the My List special and reveal team #4. However, the recent developments in the now ex-Seattle Supersonics episode inspired me to stop the series for today, and instead give an opinion and show a post I did earlier this year. The title of the post was "Welcome to the Cleveland Browns of 2008!", and I wrote it on the eve of the Sonics' last game in Seattle (April 16th):

Don't be confused by the title. I'm referring to the Seattle Supersonics, who may very well be playing their last (official) game tonight. Many bloggers are well aware of the acrimonious relations between majority 'owner' (I use that loosely) Clay Bennett and bestest buddy David Stern against practically the entire state of Washington. So I won't go into details. However, this being the first time I've talked about this topic, I'll state my feelings about it.

This situation has been disgraceful from the start. From the moment the Sonics were sold to Bennett's company, the feeling must have been "When", not "If" they were/are going to move. The e-mails that came out recently only solidify that assesment. I'd have more respect if Bennett had said "I really want a team in my hometown, so I'm moving the team there.". At least then he would have a little more of his dignity. But Bennett's position pales in comparison to Stern's.

I commented a while ago on a blog about this topic that Stern needed to consider stepping down as commish because his grip on what's right or wrong was slipping. I comnpared him to Pete Rozelle, who was a broken shell of himself by the time he stepped down as NFL commish in 1989. Well, his actions this morning (on Mike & Mike in the Morning) only confirmed those fears; he actually said the owners had negotiated with the city in good faith! How do you call conspiring to move a "good faith effort"? Isn't that what Art Modell said when he moved the Browns to Baltimore?

And I think a Cleveland-type situation may soon develop here. With the exception of a few owners (most notably Mark Cuban), approval of the move should occur. If that happens, I say "Let the BLEEPing team start over, too!". You do to the O.K. City team what the NFL did to the Ravens; allow Seattle to keep all the history and records, and give the team a new team in the future! Stern was benevolent to Charlotte when the Hornets moved, and Charlotte didn't (and doesn't) have the tradition of the Sonics.

What's right about this picture; Key Arena actually has more capacity than the Ford Center (forgive me if I don't know the O.K. arena's name)! And the situation there is better than Seattle! How is having fewer butts in the seats a better plan? And here I thought Stern wasd a marketing genius! This is more concerning than a refereeing scandal (although that's serious, as well) or the dress code. It shows a lack of logic and respect for the fans, the very same fans you claim to be going after to supoort you.

I can just see this conversation at a dinner banquet:

Year: 2010 (after lease is up)

Clay Bennett sits at dinner with some allies.

Bennett: "Boy, I sure am glad to finally be in O.K. City, now that those damn pesky Seattle people are out of the way. How did your moves go?"

Art Modell: "Oh, it was nasty initially, but after the fans got another team, it was tolerable. Hell, my team won a Super Bowl after five years!"

Al Davis (rises from rocking chair): "Be careful, Clay. My friendship with Pete dissolved quickly after my move, and I ended up back in Oakland because the golden palace had too many (c)racks."

Bennett: "I'm not worried. I duped Seattle from the start!"

ghost of Bob Irsay: "Don't believe the hype. My team was cursed until I passed and Peyton Manning was drafted. I think it was those damn Mayflower vans!"

Bennett: "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Irsay: "You better believe it. If only I had moved before drafting Elway."

Bennett: "Oh my God! Don't let that happen to Durant!!"

Bennett runs to stop his move with Mayflower vans. Scene fades to black.

Should Seattle at least have the right to keep their team name and colors, and get at least an expansion team? Or should the NBA abandon 41 years of great tradition and pack up for Oklahoma? You tell me!

Before I continue, let me say there is an error; the Ford Center does have a higher seating capacity than Key Arena, so I apoligize for the oversight. Now then, I don't toot my own horn, but I nailed it on the head. The city did end up keeping the name, colors, and history, just like Cleveland did when the original Browns moved in 1995. So, naturally, you'd assume that a new Sonics team should be forthcoming. But let's look at that for a moment.

Let's say that the NBA does grant an expansion team to Seattle. That makes the league 31 teams and unbalanced again. Logically, you'd add another team to keep it even. But where? Vegas? Fat chance, especially after Donaghy. And they have tapped every big city I can think of. So, what's left? It would create a sticky situation, to say the least.

But that can be debated another day. Let's look at the key culprits, starting with David Stern. Did you listen to the press conference by the mayor of Seattle? He said that the NBA said a renovated Key Arena could be a viable NBA arena! Wait, didn't the same NBA say prior to the relocation vote that even if Key Arena was renovated, it wouldn't save the Sonics? That's doublespeak! And Stern's rep has taken a major beating this year, and in the last decade, really, as his iron fist has caused more harm than good. I said it in the post Apirl 16th, and I'll say it again; Stern should consider stepping down to save what's left of his legacy.

As for Clay Bennett, he was a #### before this all went down, and now he gets to play with his toys in Oklahoma. For the record, I'm not mad at Oklahoma City; if they wanted a NBA team, they can get an NBA team. But Bennett's biggest mistake is not moving the team, nor really negotiating fairly with Seattle. As I said in the original post, he ####ed up by not being honest about wanting to move; he covered it up, and as has been said, the coverup is worse than the crime! Personally, I hope his team is a miserable failure to the point he sells it, and then they start winning!

Bottom line: the city of Seattle may have harbored this problem by not doing something sooner, but Stern and Bennett really exposed themselves as sleazebags by steadfastly refusing to look at anything but dollars and cents. And the NBA looks bad, which is something I thought Dictator, er, Commissioner Stern, didn't want. I hope for a new Seattle team in the near future, and I hope when it comes around, they kick Oklahoma City's new team (here are some potential nicknames: ####holes, Scum, Liars, Dumb####s and Green, as in the color of money!) #### when they play!