Sonics to Oklahoma City

I suppose it's no surprise, but still... I think it's bad for the NBA. Not only because of the history and market of Seattle, but becaue you know the OKC team is going to be named the Cyclones or the Twisters or something stupid like that. I can just see the angry cartoon Tornado logo in my mind.

Anyway, this may not be popular with the Sonics fans on here, but the malicious side of me is going to revel in the fact that after a year or two and the sting wears off, Seattle will be force fed the Blazers the same way Portland is force fed the Mariners and Seahawks. It will be such sweet, sweet revenge for all the miserable years I spend watching Seahawks/Bengals games when I was a kid when the rest of the country was getting the 49ers and Cowboys or whatever. Not to mention 1080 The Fan not only airing every Mariner game but also an hour of pregame and an hour of postgame. Absolutley brutal.

You would hate that you Twinkie lover.....

Stonehouse wrote:
Anyway, this may not be popular with the Sonics fans on here, but the malicious side of me is going to revel in the fact that after a year or two and the sting wears off, Seattle will be force fed the Blazers the same way Portland is force fed the Mariners and Seahawks. It will be such sweet, sweet revenge for all the miserable years I spend watching Seahawks/Bengals games when I was a kid when the rest of the country was getting the 49ers and Cowboys or whatever. Not to mention 1080 The Fan not only airing every Mariner game but also an hour of pregame and an hour of postgame. Absolutley brutal.

Don't start gloating yet. Where does Paul Live?

And the team might still be the Sonics. We still have the Lakers and the Jazz, don't we?

Well Stoney...I think some station around here is going to carry the Mariners since they are the closest team and they have a good sized fan base. And of course, having them on in a year like this is different than 2001. I have heard that the 2 hours of pregame and postgame is something the Fan would like to modify when the contract comes up again.

On the other hand, I'm right there with you when it comes to the Seahawks. As a lifelong 49ers fan I could count on seeing them on Fox...until the Seahawks moved to the NFC. No way would I give up on them just because it's harder to see them. And the constant Seahawks talk on FSN and the radio bugs me too.

Geezer: I think he could live in the fully furnished apartment atop of the Rose Garden if he wanted to...

you know Stoney, you could be like the rest of us and fork out $250 for NFL Sunday Ticket, then you wouldn't have to whine every Sunday morning when the Seahawks game is on. Speaking of football, MInnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans September 28th. I will be there sporting the C.Carter #80.

Oh snap! Dude, get me a ticket. I'll come and wear an A. Carter jersey and it will be amazing.

Or I'll get my Mitch Berger uniform and you get your Gary Anderson jersey, but this time we'll swap and I'll be doing the breaking of the thumb and the ligament damage.

Purplegeezer wrote:Don't start gloating yet. Where does Paul Live?

And the team might still be the Sonics. We still have the Lakers and the Jazz, don't we?

Geezer... my understanding was that they agreed to leave the name, colors, and history of the team with Seattle, kind of like what happened when the Browns left Cleveland and became the Ravens. If Seattle were to get an expansion team or another team moved to Seattle, they would become the Sonics and would be viewed by the NBA as the same franchise that won the 78 title.

As for Paul Allen moving the team... it doesn't make any sense for him since he owns the Rose Garden again. I mean, yeah, he could move the team to Seattle, but then he'd have a huge empty building here in Portland. And on top of that, he'd either have to build a new arena with his own $$$ or have the state build one and he'd have to make payments on a lease. Either way, he'd be out a ton of money.

So no... don't think the Blazers are going anywhere, especially with the roster they have in place. I don't think there's going to be a non sold-out Blazers game in a loooong time.

In addition I think there is some sort of a buyout clause with the city and the Blazers (Hahaha a little more complicated than the Seattle/Key Arena lease).... It would be pretty darn hard to get the team moved, haha not until the team starts losing again.... Which won't be for a very long time :-)

First of all, I hate all Seattle sports teams and am disgusted how they are force fed to us like little children. [Caveat: ONE exception, that being those of you who are truly fans of the Seahawks or Mariners, I'm happy for you that you have plenty of television access.]

(Note: Seattle's teams are like old buddies of mine next to the Satanic Lakers!!! I, until Portland gets an NFL franchise someday a long way into the future, am an avid Steelers fan and only wish in my wildest dreams that I had it as good as you Seahawk fans do. And NOOOOO!!, the Hawks and Sailors are NOT the Northwest's teams. They are the Seattle area's teams. You may choose to be from Oregon and support ANY team, nationwide.)--->Probably TMI, but, oh well, TS.

STILL - the Sonics and their fans got screwed big-time. From the moment Clay Pigeon took Sonic candy from a baby, (Starbuck Man), he was about as transparent about wanting to move the team to OKC as a crystal clear pane of glass! I don't know who to blame more: Pigeon Droppings, Schulzie, voters on not wanting to fund an arena or arena upgrade, or the mayor and his flock.

Bottom Line: There's plenty of blame to go around, but how on Nature's Green Earth could Starbuck be so gullable????????

FANatic - I would have figured you for a Cheesehead...

I don't really blame the voters since I would not want to fund a new arena. Nor would I blame the mayor for not wanting to spend money that is needed elsewhere. I would be fine with MLB coming to Portland, but not fine with the city/state paying for it. But that's just what I think.

I do agree with FANatic in that I gag whenever I see the Seahawks (or Huskies) on FSN, or hear about them on the radio (I actually get annoyed with hearing about the NFL all year round, but that's another post).

Geezer - That was a really cheap shot. You weren't thinking of the Packers when you wrote that, were you?

PurplePrideTrumpet - Some great points made! Put that way about the voters and the mayor, it makes good sense to me. Starbuck was either nuts or financially strained and needed the cash.

But when I think about this I always come back to thinking about one ugly mug: Clay Pidgeon Droppings! Dastardly Villain of the Year in Sports! ---> clay pidgeon

Sadly Starbuck was fed up with the way the business ran, the inflation of payroll with free agencies, and the fact that his coffee shop business model didn't quite work out in the same way on a pro sports franchise... Haha that and the fact that the city wouldn't pay for upgrades to the arena only 7 years since the previous renovation... poor guy... So then he sells the team for a profit to a carpet bagging, swindling, David stern cronie.... Ugh... Haha as for the Seahawks and Husky sports... FSN is based out of Seattle sooooo it would only make sense to show teams from the largest market in the NW from one signal, if you really want your fave team from across the country, go to your local bar or get the MLB or NFL all access package.... although in their defense the do show PDX beavers games and Timbers games now......

Oregon finally got their heads on straight with the Comcast sportsnet deal, now if we can only get more love for the Pilots on that little station. (not to get started with the whole it not being available on dish, blah blah...)

P.S. I hear you on that NFL crap ALL the time... its bad enough when the season is going, but uh..... do I really care or want to hear about every third up and coming player getting charged for a DUI??? Negative ghost rider... that pattern is most definitely full....

DaTruRochin wrote:
Oregon finally got their heads on straight with the Comcast sportsnet deal, now if we can only get more love for the Pilots on that little station. (not to get started with the whole it not being available on dish, blah blah...)

good news and bad news on that front. I just read an article in the Oregonian or Trib about CSN expanding to Seattle and adding UW and WSU. another wag I know thinks they might eventually do cable.

The bad news is that UP will probably be near the bottom of the pecking order. the bigger CSN gets, the smaller piece of the pie we'll get.

I will say they were a bit shocked at the rating and share that the soccer games got, though.