In case you missed the half-page graphic on the front page of trailblazers.com, NBA Commissioner David Stern will be in town tomorrow to check out the goings-on here in our fair city. What's more, he'll be
participating in an online chat during which you can ask him all kinds of questions, which he may or may not answer. If you're by a computer tomorrow at 2:45 p.m., consider checking it out.
First off I am a Blazer fan through and through...but I wanted the commish to answer a question about the Sonics. Maybe he can tell us why any time an owner wants to move a team that's the owner's perogative?
ReplyDeleteSeems a little ridiculous if you ask me.
Just think of the this line of logic...if PA wants to move the Blazers to Seattle or Orange County he should be allowed to do it? I mean, hey he's the owner, and pretty much can do whatever he wants. Screw the fans...the only thing that matters is what daddy warbucks decides!
Seattle is not some expansion team that has been in a city for a few years...they have been there over 40 years. I'm sorry, but the fans of the Sonics have more ownership over the team than Clay Bennett's Oklahoma business group who's been involved with the team for what...2 years?
If David Stern allows the Sonics to be stolen from Seattle, I think it sets a dangerous precendent. Basically, the line will go like this from owners to the city "either you pay for a new half billion dollar arena that I want every so many years (so I can make even more money), or I will hijack your team out of here." Does that seem right? Fans are already paying for tickets and merchandise...they also are required to puchase half billion arenas as well?
If Clay Bennett's group did not like the Sonics in the Seattle, then they should have not bought the team in the first place and should sell it. It's not like a pre-existing deal was set in place to build a new arena before they purchased the team. Clay Bennett and his group knew the sitation going in. David Stern should demand that Clay Bennett sell the team to someone else...which seems like the the most reasonable solution if you ask me.
I don't live in Portland, but Blazer fans attending the game Stern is showing up to should raise signs or start chants in the Rose Garden displaying our disgust with what Stern is allowing Bennett to do to Seattle.
Here is a great article on the situation written by Bill Simmons of ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080228&sportCat=nba