On the one-year anniversary of the announcement of his group's purchase of the Sonics, Bennett told those he met he was still waiting on action for a proposed Sonics arena. He reminded everyone that he was serious about relocating the franchise starting Oct. 31, even though it would spoil the basketball season and cost him perhaps as much as $50 million in fees and penalties.
The moment recalled the famous scene from Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles," in which the new sheriff, played by Cleavon Little, escapes a lynching by holding a gun to his own neck and threatening to shoot if he isn't released.
"Oh Lordy-lord, he's desperate," Sheriff Bart says of himself.
"Do what he say. Do what he say."
The townfolk are duped, and Bart walks away.
Marvelous as was the scene, the analogy is imperfect: If something isn't worked out in Seattle, holes get blown in the wallets of the city as well as Bennett.
The absurdity of the dilemma was inadvertently underscored when Bennett, answering a question in a meeting room at the Washington Athletic Club, said in his years as a venture capitalist that included "well over a hundred" major deals, he said, he's never been involved in one like this.
Read the rest here in the SeattlePI
Great job Art, very funny, and I mean it when I say: Greg Nickels as Hedley Lamarr; Lamarr's object of desire being a viaduct replacement (insert euphemistic joke here) and object of political failure (viaduct) playing the role of Lili Von Shtupp.
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Brian Robinson at Sonicscentral/SaveOurSonicsandStorm is without humor today, a little hurt feelings, a little blame the people that should have been doing the heavy lifting. That shouldn't have been you Brian, they pay PR people to do this, and I don't think getting a special feeling by being around THEM, and getting juicy details you can't repeat to your "readers" is payment enough. They blew it with you, the free advocate, and that's putting it lightly.
During the course of the last year I have spent a great deal of time advocating on Clay Bennetts behalf. While I don’t regret that decision I have certainly re-thought it a number of times.
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Early next week A Deal is a Deal, PAC will be filing an initiative designed to enforce the Seattle SuperSonics lease through the 2010 season. After EXTENSIVE legal review we believe this option to be legally binding and virtually assured to pass. The time it takes to get it on the ballet will depent on the number of volunteers and financial contributions we recieve. Most likely the campaign will kick into full gear coinciding with Basketball season and we will publicly ask the mayor to restrain from subverting the will of the people until this matter is voted on.
Read the rest of that, there: SonicsCentral.com
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