The Washington State Legislature appears today to have dealt the death knell to the tenure of the Seattle Supersonics (NBA) and Seattle Storm (WNBA) in the Emerald City.

Owner Clay Bennett, Board Member (and Hall of Famer) Lenny Wilkens, and other members of the ownership/management team received the news personally from legislators this afternoon.  They were told that no vote for taxpayer funding of the proposed new arena complex in Renton would be taken this year, and there would not be any consideration during the 2008 session either.

That being the case, it is likely that the team will petition the NBA by early next year to be able to move both franchises to the Oklahoma City area, where a majority of the new ownership group reside.

This is not to say that this will be an easy process for them, because the team has a binding lease with the city of Seattle for tenancy in the Key Arena through 2010, and they are planning to exit town after the 2007-2008 season.  The city does not plan to let them leave without a fight and quite a bit of monetary damages to cover the losses that will result from their flight: the fate of Key Arena and the whole of Seattle Center are likely to be in doubt, the jobs of seasonal workers who depended on this income, taxes and other revenues generated by tickets, parking and concessions, to mention just a few.

It should be remembered that these are the only two teams who have managed to bring league championships home to their Seattle fans: the Sonics in 1979, and the Storm in 2004.  One might imagine that this will demoralize already depressed Seattle sports fans even more than they already are, to whit:  the Seahawks window of opportunity for a Super Bowl repeat and win is narrowing by the day, and the Mariners don't look ready for prime time/the World Series just now, either.

I, personally, believe that these wealthy gentlemen could manage to arrange for majority private funding for their wonderful new arena--Paul Allen managed it for QWest Field (he and his holding companies own 51% of that facility)--but they have not offered to do so, any more than their predecessors, including Starbucks magnate Howard Schultz.  If, as they profess, they really want to keep the team in Western Washington, rather than take them to OKC to replace the departing Hornets, why don't they do this?  The Legislature might be a bit more willing to speak with, and assist them with some funding (the state stadium authority is, after all, the owner of the other 49% of the Q), if they did so.

Adieu Ray, Lauren, Sue, and the rest of you.  Hope you enjoy it in OKC.....

The Seattle Supersonics and Seattle Storm have just announced that they will NOT file the paperwork required to relocate the teams by next week's deadline.  This means that both teams will remain in Seattle for at least one more season each.

But what does this REALLY mean? The likely answer is that the new ownership group wants to spend some time schmoozing with the legislature before their spring adjournment, attempting to solidify rather shaky support for public funding of $200MM (give or take a dollar or two) for a new multipurpose arena in Renton (on land which the current owner doesn't want to sell to them).  And they aren't alone in the schmoozing attempts--NASCAR is also there, attempting to revive a racetrack in Kitsap County (a County which doesn't want THEM there, either).

If they are going to go (and I think they ultimately will, because the public monies won't be forthcoming), they should just get it over with, rather than prolonging the fans' suffering unnecessarily, not to mention all of their seasonal employees who are wondering what will become of their jobs.

The loss of the NBA will diminish an already bleak and mostly depressing sports scene in Seattle, but I doubt that anyone will perish because of it, nor will they because it will mean that the NHL won't be coming, either.  But, one hopeful thought remains, I suppose.  They might actually improve next year and bring a post-season berth or, heaven forfend, a championship to the city in their last season here (who do I think I'm kidding, right?). I can see it happening now, just to make everyone feel a little bit better about the loss of the team. (Well forget it, this isn't Baltimore and the Sonics ain't the Colts).

I think I'll just go back to that piece I'm working on about applying the franchise tag to a kicker, and forget that I even heard about the Sonics announcement.

Today's post will be reader interactive, just for fun. Your mission, should you choose to accept it (yeah, I know MI-III just premiered, that's why I said that) is to say (in 100 words or less) what you would do to or for your favorite team if you were it's owner (and had access to unlimited funds, of course). This can be in any sport (e.g. MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, or whatever)

I'll start:  If I were the owner of the Seattle Mariners, I would:

*  Fire Howard Lincoln and bring in a CEO with proven baseball acumen who would not be afraid to spend money (within reason) to make the team better and not worry about profit so much (because better team = more profits)

*  Find the next Billy Beane or Theo Epstein and make him/her the GM

*  Make some deals to get a TOR pitcher and at least one big, comptetent bat NOW, not wait until the trading deadline

*  Do whatever it took to get Lou Piniella back as the manager, or failing that:

*  Tell Hargrove that he has to get mean more often

OK, ladies and gentlemen, it is your turn, have some fun with it and be creative......

This week, at least, Thursday means that the Mariners have a day off and I don't have to agonize over whether to watch the game or not. Now, I do have to admit that last night's game, watched at 3 am this morning, was considerably better than the one the night before--that I just deleted from the TIVO without watching it (the final score was Sox 13, M's 3--does that sound like something that a person with an ulcer can watch--nope, I didn't think so, either).

The sky is mostly blue, it is nearly 70 degrees outdoors, Storm season home opener tickets are about to go on sale, and opening day of the boating season is right around the corner.  All things to be thankful for on this fine Thursday afternoon.

No more silly articles in the paper about the laughable notion that the Sonics might move to Renton (if they do, they will have even fewer glutei maximi in the seats than they do now).

But, wait.....there was an article in this morning's Post Intelligencer that the Mariners' pitching staff actually LEAD the majors in strike outs with  165?  (Of course the Mariners batters have just about as many, so do the two nullify each other?). And Ichiro and Beltre are tied for second in the AL for stolen bases, with 6 apiece, just one behind the first place Brian Roberts of the O's.  And their closer of the future (Soriano) has an ERA of just barely above noticeable (0.99 as of last night). So why the heck can they not seem to be at least at .500 by now?

And we have the NFL draft to look forward to this weekend. Of course, the Hawks don't get to pick until 31st in the first round, but it should be interesting just to see who goes where and how right (or wrong) I've been with my guesses.

My fantasy baseball team is steaming right along with a collective BA of .333 and an ERA of under 2.50--another thing to be grateful for (maybe I even have a chance to win something this year).

All in all, a good day. Think I'll go out for a walk and watch the sailboats bobbing across the Puget Sound before bed. After all, tomorrow is Friday and it's back to business as usual.

We all know at least one (or maybe we are one)--a fair weather or bandwagon fan. You know, the guy (or gal) who is all hot to go to every game when their hometown teams are winning, but who totally disappear from the scenery when they have a losing season (or two, or three, or 86), all the while complaining about how the teams' ownership and management have it in for them--why else would the team be losing, if not to spite them? We certainly have a lot of them here in Seattle.

 In 2001 the Mariners made a record tying run to 116 wins--amazing, exciting, and a lot of fun to watch and be a part of.  Sure, they didn't make it to the World Series that year (and they should have), but let's don't go there, I'm still a little ticked off about it. Everyone on the team had a career year all at once. The house was packed for every home game. People talked about it on the streets until well into late October (season extended due to 9/11). And they still talked about it after it was over, just like they still talk about the 1995 "Refuse to Lose" season (where is Refuse to Lose when you need it, like now?). Then, slowly but inexoribly, the team started to go downhill. Faster and faster, like a snowball turning into an avalance, until they had two 90 +/- loss seasons in a row in 2004 and 2005. Despite this, the Mariners boasted attendance figures in the top of MLB thorughout that period.  Suddenly, the last week, there have been three of the "lowest attendance games ever," averaging a little over 17,000 per.  (I guess whoever said "ever" forgot about all of those games in the 80's where you could rattle around inside the Kingdome without meeting anyone for days).

Yes, I fully realize that a lot of people are trying to send the front office  a message--do something about the quality of the team, or lose that $10MM+ annual profit that you have become accustomed to, and I don't necessarily disagree with that philosophy, to a certain extent.  But, let us also remember what happens to cities that fail to support their sports franchises over a long period of time--they leave, or at least threaten to--except for NCAA teams, who don't really have too much choice about where they are-- (witness the Sonics current situation--they will probably be gone at the end of their facility lease in 2010, and the vehement blessings of the Commish, David Stern).

Right now, in Seattle, the hot ticket is the Seahawks, of course, because they were NFC champions last year and went to the Super Bowl (nuff said, no comment about those other issues that swirled around here for months after that). Why? Because they are riding a winning record.

The Sonics had a winning record last year, and had the crowds to go with it. This year, not so good, and the crowds have dwindled. Do I detect a pattern here? Seems so.

My mother taught me that, if you are a true sports fan, you celebrate the good times, but you stick with it through thick and thin (and she ought to have known, she was a Cubs fan for a long time).

I may not physically go to the games now as often as I did two years ago, but I DO go when I can afford the time and the ticket prices, and I watch every game that is televised (sometimes not until two days later, but I do watch). I agonize over the losses, and wonder when and if the winning will start again, but I couldn't do that effectively if I didn't see what is actually happening.

Do I criticize the offseason moves, or lack thereof? You bet, and in a number of different ways. By e-mail to the front office (and, yes, I do get answers), by some of my postings here (see the Howard Lincoln/George Steinbrenner post for an example). But I'm going to stick with the M's, the Hawks, the Sonics, the Storm and the T'Birds, no matter what.

Now for the "opinion poll" of the day......which type of fan do you see yourself as being, and why?