Seattle could have tried harder to work with the Sonics owner if Seattle truly wanted to keep the Sonics.
Oklahomans worked hard while the Hornets were here to make it work for them EVEN though we KNEW they almost certainly would go back to N.O. . We fell in love with the Hornets even though at the time they came to us they did not have the best win/loss ratio. Under our extended hands of help and our support - the team began to flourish. It is true that the Hornets made that happen, however I truly believe they were encouraged by our overwhelming support of them and our clean city style.
Sure OKC is not a perfect city -I don't know of any perfect cities - however we do offer alot of support and fan base, mild weather, and being centrally located, we also make it closer to get to most other parts of the country where team players may have their main home.
So if you feel the need to use foul language and curse - bear in mind that if YOU were not an active part of the solution to try and keep the Sonics in Seattle, then you really have no one to blame but yourself.
I was an active part in the Sonics coming to OKC as I voted to pay the sales tax to build and support the arena they need AND I will buy tickets and cheer them on whether they are in first place or last place.
For those who are not personally familiar with OKC here are our Vison, Mission, and Core Values Statements:
Mission Statement:
The City of Oklahoma City's mission is to provide the leadership, commitment and resources to achieve our vision by:
Offering a clean, safe and affordable City.
Providing well managed and maintained infrastructure through proactive and reactive services, excellent stewardship of public assets and a variety of cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities that enhance the quality of life.
Creating and maintaining effective partnerships to promote employment opportunities and individual and business success.
Advancing a model of professionalism that ensures the delivery of high quality products and services, continuously improves efficiency and removes barriers for future development.
Vision Statement:
Oklahoma City is a safe, clean, affordable City. We are a family-friendly community of strong moral character, solid values and a caring spirit. We strive to provide the right balance of cosmopolitan and rural areas by offering a well-planned and growing community that focuses on a wide variety of business, educational, cultural, entertainment and recreational opportunities. We are a diverse, friendly City that encourages individuality and excellence.
Core Values Statement:
“We are The City of Oklahoma City.
Public Service is our purpose. It is why we are here. We commit to provide competent, dependable and efficient service to all by knowing our jobs and our City.
We value dependability and accountability in our relationships.
We value tactful, useful, informative and honest communication among ourselves and with our community. Listening to the needs of others is a critical part of our communication process.
We honor diversity by respecting our customers and fellow employees.
We commit to continuous improvement and growth through visionary, proactive leadership and technology.
We set these standards of quality service by upholding our core values.
The Purple Princes4u
So you'd have thought it more appropriate for the citizens of Seattle to pay out even more money to keep a lyin' sack of excrement in the city ? Especially when the likes of Stern were less than helpful tothe city in trying to come to an amicable agreement.
You may well have been magnanimous with regard to the Hornets. As it was the right thing to do. But Bennett from the outset was less than forthright with the city of Seattle. In the end perhaps it's good thing that they left. 'cause then he can pile on the ineptitude that he's shown when the franchise become operational in Oklahoma ?
we shall see, if the gang?? and the gang meaning the fans, in oak??? get their collective butts to games... simple but true, in order to keep a team?? you have to have fans... add , subtract, multiply, divide??? weve been lucky or blessed here in oregon, with trail blazers being here so long... the long stretch, if you will, with the tag put on us , the jail brakers??? with the criminal ball players we had, seemed liked forever... but now(KNOCK ON WOOD) we might be?? getting better with greg oden coming to finally play!!!!! and i do agree with what you said about seattle, blame it on the fans!!! hey no support.. no team.. i just wait for owner paul allen to get happy feet someday and sell the blazers... but i think maybe?? its because we here in oregon, 1. have one NBA team.2. no MLB baseball here. and 3. have no NFL teams here.. so good luck with the oaklahoma?? whatever you come up with????
I'm sorry. but I have voted yes on every stadium, ball park and arena deal ever thrown our way in Seattle.
Seattle taxpayers are paying for:
*Kingdome- Doesn't even exist anymore
*Key Arena Renovations from 1996
*Safeco Field- Most exspensive ball park in history
*Qwest Feild- Voted loudest football stadium in the NFL
Bennett asked for a 500 million dollar arena in a small suburb of Seattle. We offered a renovation plan and Bennett said "No". Did you not follow the trial? The Muckleshoot Indian Reservation offered 23 acres of free land, Bennett said "No". Did you not follow the trail? Bennett waited to the last minute to push his plans through state legislation, which the state denied because they needed time to review his plans. Bennett never resubmitted his plans, therefore, we in Seattle never had a chance to vote. Did you not follow the trial?
Us fans in Seattle never had a chance to save this team and now, neither will you if they ever decide to move.
Hey, hey, hey, first off i don't agree with what you are saying about the fans of the Sonics. They supported the team every year. Even this year the attendence was over 90% per home game, and you say they did not try to keep the team. The fans never got the choice to vote on a new arena because the local gov. did not even try to commit to a new arena because they are still paying on the renovations of the Key. You did not vote for a new sales tax on the renovations to the arena, you voted to keep the tax that has been in place. I live in OKC and I think we could have waited another 2 years to get a team with less history and less fan base. There have been SUPERSONICS fans world wide for decades. Memphis is going to lose their team in the next couple of years and I would rather have them because they have NO local support and dont have the history that Seattle has. Under you about me sig. it says you love NBA basketball, how can you love what the NBA did to one of the most historic franchises? Yes I am excited to have a team, but I could have waited another year or 2 to get one that no one wanted.
No need to defend your city, there is no question the CITY deserves a team, the deal was just a bit underhanded. And as far as cities go, Most arenas are smack in the middle or in close vicinity to bad, dirty areas. Most cities do their best to keep the immediate surroundings clean, but lets face it, they are not going to build arenas on the land of rich people, rich people are the ones they want at the games, they wont #### them off. Instead they, in the words of Lupe "give them Coca Cola for their property" and build there. Stray too far from American Airlines Arena or Dolphin Stadium in Miami...you may never find your way back, or at the very least some of your belongings wont. Congrats OKC on getting a team, Seattle, get over it.
I do not spend my life on here, I approve comments as Fox sends them and I have time to be on here to read them first and can get to them. If you were more brief, and if I were on here more and if Fox would let me navigate better, then your comments would be approved faster. If you don't like it too bad. This blog is not my life.
