Seattle Center Arena Reboot

I have moved on to prod the arena along. I'll write about the Sonics again if there is a Sonics again, maybe.
Find me here:
http://seattlecenterarenareboot.blogspot.com/

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

City takes a Dive, Bennett bleeds Money, Seattle Fans still get nothing

SEATTLE - The City of Seattle took the cash today, rather than enforce the lease for the next two years.

Statement by Mayor Nickels on the settlement of the City's lawsuit with the Seattle Sonics
Today, I [Mayor Nickels] am announcing a settlement with Mr. Bennett and the Professional Basketball Club. Our goals for the settlement were two: To protect the taxpayers’ investment in KeyArena and have a long-term future for professional basketball.

In exchange for terminating the lease two years early, Mr. Bennett has agreed to settlement package with a payment up to $75 million to the City of Seattle. Under the agreement, $45 million will be paid to the City immediately. That covers rent and loss of tax revenue, and allows us to pay off outstanding debt on KeyArena.

Our agreement calls for Mr. Bennett and his co-owners to pay an additional $30 million in 2013—if the NBA has not approved a team to play in Seattle.
The NBA was an important part of our negotiations—agreeing that a renovated KeyArena can be a competitive NBA facility. This is a crucial point for us. A KeyArena with professional basketball is a cornerstone for a vibrant Seattle Center.

The NBA has committed to helping us secure a future team—informing us of any sale, relocation or expansion opportunities.

Committed local ownership is critical—and we are grateful that Steve Ballmer and his group, represented here by Matt Griffin, are working to secure a new team.

The city is ready to do its part. Local investors have stepped up. Now, the State Legislature must act. If it fails to approve public funding next year to remodel KeyArena, we will lose our rights to that $30 million payment if we do not get a team.

I believed all along that enforcing our lease would create time for a better deal. We now have that deal.

The Sonics name and history stay in Seattle. Seattle is a natural home for professional basketball—loyal fans, and a rich, 40-year tradition.

Working together, we are now in the best position to continue that legacy in Seattle.

No team for the fans, cash for the city, an IOU from Clay Bennett if we cash the IOU from the State of Washington, nothing for the fans.

We were screwed. That offer was not going to get worse with time, with a court win, the took money from somebody that has money, but the mayor, Mayor Nickels, said it wasn't about the money in his testimony, it was about enforcing the lease, and retaining NBA basketball in Seattle; neither happened.

Thanks for almost rising to the challenge Mayor Nickels.

I hate Clay Bennett, I watched him lie, and now I watched Mayor Nickels let him get away with it.
Thanks to Brian, Steve, Xteve, Grif, everybody that fueled SaveOurSonics.org

I have maintained that it has not, and is not, because of the fans that any of this is happening. The owners, the politicians, and especially the NBA, all have failed you.

Shame on them.

You hold him, I'll hit him!

SEATTLE - As noted in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer story, written by Greg Johns, Settlement unlikely as Sonics, city head to trial, a settlement is not expected in the case that begins on Monday, June 16, 2008. It has been my contention that there isn't a meaningful benefit to settling for either side since Howard Schultz filed his case against Clay Bennett's ownership group.
The fraud that is the Bennett's ownership group, as alleged by Howard Schultz' lawyer, Richard Yarmuth, put the city in the position of collecting depositions it had, and had planned prior to Schultz making his claim, and moving on to the subject that it actually owns, the two years left on the current lease. The city has its own reasons to keep the NBA playing in Seattle (once they get out the door it is unlikely you are going to get the NBA back), so they are able to stick to the part of the case that they can win and would result in getting what they want. Had the city gone after the fraud the result would have been, at best, a judge not having a direct party in the case having a claim to the team, other than as an occupant of a custom remodel to a public building.
The city doesn't have as much leverage as it could have after winning the court case. Removing the buyout as an option that is only available IF the city, the mayor in particular, thought that would be acceptable. The problem for the mayor, and the city, is that it has many leases to enforce and it just can't have public money spent on a custom remodel for a unique tenet and have that tenant break a lease and leave. That's bad policy, it is bad politics, consider that he wants to remake the entire Seattle Center site, including Key Arena (warning, big file).
Having an anchor tenant is a priority, knowing that there is at lease one person willing to gift $150 million to Key Arena is motivation enough. Imagine trying to sell the idea of remaking the Seattle Center with many public/private partnerships while Clay Bennett is acting as the worst example you could find.
It just makes sense on a bigger scale to enforce this lease, maintain continuity with an anchor tenant in a custom building.
Schultz will follow up with the other question of the actual team, the fraud part of Bennett's business model.


On the Bennett side, he only has one team to bargain with. Give it back to Schultz and he is out a team, worst case in the city trial is that he waits out two years and then leaves. If the NBA really would leave Seattle as the largest edia market in the United States of America without and NBA team, then their threats make sense, that they would not return. So, Stern and Bennett could care less about burning this bridge, they are chasing short money in Oklahoma City.
They have nothing to lose as long as you assume, as I do, that they have no dignity to begin with. They simply do not care about you, get over it.

Bennett's biggest problem is that he will have to return to face the same judge in the Schultz trial, after having shown his ignorance of the lease, and lied through his teeth to remake the past efforts to relocate to OKC ASAP as something other than they clearly are. Bennett got some no-so-good advice from David Stern's NBA before the end of the 12 month good faith best efforts period had ended, rather than warn Bennett that his efforts to relocate to OKC for the 2007-2008 season are a breach of good faith best efforts, the NBA simply said there wasn't enough time to ram the request through the NBA Board of Governors, and relocation committee. The league, in the Schultz trial, is a participant with Bennett, it has teams it wants to move from markets that want them gone.

If Bennett is going to let go of the Sonics it will not be without a promise of another team for OKC. It isn't Seattle waiting on a promise, I think it is Bennett. That promise can not be made, or kept, until everybody moves on the the Schultz trial. If Bennett loses the Sonics to Howard Schultz he, Bennett, can point to the league as assisting him with his relocation efforts that lead to him losing the team.

Who is a direct party to which case? Who has more than one team or can create new teams? Answer those questions to find your answer, and you will not find it as a direct party in next week's trial.

The City of Seattle vs. Clay Bennett, Aubrey McClendon, is not where this situation can be solved. A missing part of all of this is the Fall elections, and the State of Washington living up to its signed letter and fund the rest of the Key Arena remodel. The NBA simply can not complete a resolution, short of losing the trial, without remodel funding committed to the project.

Enjoy next week's show everybody, but that is just not where the resolution resides.

I appreciate the hopeful expectations of all those at SonicsCentral.com , I share your optimism for a resolution that sets things right for the City of Seattle, NBA, Sonics, more importantly the fans, I just have not ever seen this trial not happening. They have no shame, this is not about shame, this is about having a legal right to keep the team here (an owner getting bad advice from the NBA), for Bennett to have a team (more bad advice from the NBA, and the NBA becoming a direct party to court action that would be resided over by Judge Marsha Pechman, the loss of control of the league and ownership of a team by the NBA would be unbearable.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone (which will be turned off if I am in the courtroom, I promise).

Schultz suit against Sonics delayed until July

The Schultz vs Bennett trial has been delayed, postponed until after the City of Seattle vs. Bennett concludes.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

Next Defense for Clayton Bennett: Evil Twin?

While reading the variety of truthy accounts of Clayton Bennett's deposition, I was doodling, thinking, what will be the next defense for him. Then it came to me: Evil Twin.

Bennett: "I'm having a conversation that is raising the notion of Oklahoma City as a potential relocation option, notwithstanding my ongoing commitment to efforts in Seattle." - Clayton Bennett, as reported by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times.

That appears to be the best defense for somebody, or two bodies, to work best efforts in two different states, that is, to be of two states of mind. What better way to show two different states of mind than to claim (as in many soap operas) that there is an evil twin. The real Clayton was the guy in Olympia, Renton, near Seattle, in fron of the NBA Board of Governors, emailing David Stern, signing purchase agreements with Howard Schultz that claimed that his goup would provide a long-term ownership presence in the Seattle area as a condition of sale.
It was an evil twin he could call something that sounds like Clayton, has a cheesy mustache, and is actively working against the good faith best efforts of the real Clayton Bennett.

Lawrence followed up: "Did you write back to Mr. Ward and say, 'Oh, Tom, you've got it wrong, I'm not -- I'm not saying anything about wanting to get the team to Oklahoma City, I'm talking about my commitment to keep the team in Seattle'?", as reported by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times.

At this point the evil twin wrestles the computer away from Clayton. . .

Bennett: "No, I did not. I just dropped off. I knew where Tom and Aubrey were relative to their interests and I knew where I was and that was the statement I made, so I dropped off. And also I think I was responding to other e-mails at the time.", as reported by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times.

That is a puzzle, how could Clayton get out of this one?

Bennett: "No, I did not. I just dropped off. I knew where Tom and Aubrey were relative to their interests and I knew where I was and that was the statement I made, so I dropped off. And also I think I was responding to other e-mails at the time.", as reported by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times.

No Clay, no! Go for evil twin, just yell out EVIL TWIN, squirt out some crocodile tears and reallly feel the boo hoo words you used to mock the fealings of your employees.

"So, just so it's clear, four days after you were a man possessed to keep the team in Seattle, you were asking discussions with the NBA about the option of relocating the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Is that fair?" Lawrence asked.

Bennett: "I'm having a conversation that is raising the notion of Oklahoma City as a potential relocation option, notwithstanding my ongoing commitment to efforts in Seattle.", as reported by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times.

NO, NO, NO!!! EVIL TWIN, not "I'm having", but "The EVIL TWIN is having".
Forget it, never mind. The judge would likely see right through the Evil Twin defense.

Love the team. The owner, not so much.
I would be happy to have the team here for two more years, as long as the owner doesn't plan to put on a uniform and play. I can differentiate.

Originally posted at SonicsCentral.com (story#1939, 2008-06-07 1:17:56 pm), user comments caused it to be removed from view.

It’s on you, Clay and OKC

As reported today in the Oklahoma City newspaper, The Oklahoman ( NewsOK.com ), staff writer Randy Ellis reports that the attorney for Howard Schultz has responded to the letter sent by OKC to the Schultz group back on May 8th. The letter from May 8 claimed that the owner of the Sonics, Bennett or Schultz, would be responsible for the remodel of the Ford Center that is being done in preparation for the relocation of the Sonics.

The response by Schultz's attorney, Richard Yarmuth, is of the opinion (shared by many, here, there, and those not recently kicked in the head by a horse) that the agreement is with the Bennett group and not with whomever owns the Sonics.

"It is not correct that Oklahoma City has contracts with ‘the owners of the team, whomever they may be...,” Yarmuth wrote. "The city's contracts are with the Bennett Group, and no one else.
"If the Bennett Group is successful in retaining ownership of the Sonics and moving the team to Oklahoma City, then your contracts presumably will be valid and enforceable against them. However, if it comes to pass that the Bennett Group loses its franchise rights — as a result of the ...(Schultz) lawsuit or otherwise — then your contracts with the Bennett Group will be of no legal force or effect against any other party who winds up owning the team.”
Dan Mahoney, spokesman for the Sonics' current owners, said Thursday they would have no comment.
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett also declined to comment . . . NewsOK.com

Here is the gist of the OKC claim:

In Oklahoma City's earlier letter to the Schultz Group, the city stated it would be spending as much as $120 million on projects to upgrade the Ford Center and build a practice facility in anticipation of the Sonics arrival.

Back to Mr. Yarmuth's points:

Yarmuth said he believes Oklahoma City has at least three choices.

•Wait until the lawsuits affecting the team's status are resolved before spending public funds.

•Continue spending public funds on improvements, knowing that "from a taxpayer perspective...betting on the Bennett Group poses a real risk, given the uncertainty of future events.”

•Ask the team's Oklahoma owners to indemnify the city against any losses it could sustain before spending any more money.

"While Oklahoma City may be eager to begin improvements and construction of its sports facilities, the city has no existing obligation in this regard and cannot expect to hold anyone else responsible for the city's choice if the city's choice turns out to be wrong,” he wrote.
At least three lawsuits are pending that challenge efforts by Sonics owners to move the team to Oklahoma. NewsOK.com

Well, duh.

Clay, you lose to Howard, you may owe your hometown $120 million dollars. The PBR will enjoy the upgrades!
Originally posted at http://sonicscentral.com

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

The Court Case has been Filed for the Trial on June 16

Eric Williams in his Tacoma News Tribune blog has posted a link to some court filings, including the points each side is planning to argue in the trial that is to begin June 16, 2008.
Mr. Williams provides us with a brief outline and a link here (please, see his blog post here for more).

The city’s argument is pretty straight forward: The Sonics signed a lease to play all of its games in KeyArena until Sept. 2010. The KeyArena lease contains a specific performance clause stating that fact, and the city wants the team to honor its contractual obligation.

The city does not want to let the Sonics buy their way out of the lease because the city believes they are a unique tenant that cannot be replaced, and they bring intangible benefits to the city that cannot be reasonably calculated.

The Sonics will argue that the city will not be impacted economically by the team leaving and a buyout of the lease can be reasonably calculated. They also will argue that the city has unclean hands, pointing to its relationship with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s group that tried to get Clay Bennett’s ownership group to sell the Sonics to them. The Sonics also will argue that the specific performance clause would impose undue hardship on the franchise.

The case as filed is 54 pages long, includes familiar arguments, some familiar names, and a table of exhibits that takes up nearly half of the document (please, click here for a direct link to the case document Mr. Williams has posted on the Tacoma News Tribune).

Mr. Williams also provides a link to the city's filing that argues for Mitch Levy and Sherman Alexie (you are going to have to go to his blog and click the link there, he did the work to get it and post it).

I do not have a problem with the team playing here, the players do not have a problem playing here, how the owner of the team feels about the city is not my problem, and not the court's problem. Suck it up Clay, crybaby.

I have clean hands, and that's all you need to know about me.

Originally posted at http://sonicscentral.com/

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

“it will be a bloodbath in that courtroom”

Greg Johns, of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, has some entertaining quotes from a lawyer not involved with the City of Seattle vs. Profession Basketball’s court case. Nothing new, or nothing that you haven’t been warned about by regular writers and posters on SonicsCentral.com, “it will be a bloodbath in that courtroom” - Longtime Seattle attorney Randy Aliment

He says this:

Aliment said both sides have hired the best trial lawyers in Seattle and he expects a no-holds-barred situation should the case proceed as scheduled.

“You’ve definitely got a three-ring circus going now,” Aliment said. “From a straight legal standpoint, this thing is just about unprecedented. I’m thinking one of the only other comparable situations was when Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders filed suit and things got stupid down there. That one actually went to trial.”

And he says that:

Is there room to settle?

“From the city’s standpoint, forced occupation here is going to be a difficult proposition because the team would only be here two years, the NBA is going to be upset and the prospects for a team long-term are problematic,” Aliment said. “Some type of mediated solution where Bennett can take his toys back to Oklahoma and the city gets a different team, or Bennett gets a new team and we keep our Sonics, would obviously be the best.

“But it’s going to take participation by the NBA and other owners to approve something like that,” he said. “That’s a tall order, as evidenced by the fact it hasn’t been done yet.”

But this isn’t anything like what’s really going to happen. The Al Davis trial happened in 1982, pre-ESPN ruling the world, pre-internet, pre-hyper news cycles.

David Stern has a “three-ring circus going”, only, he isn’t the lion tamer, or ring master, but by choice as the circus clown.

Read the rest of A Sonics trial may get ugly — expert. NBA should push for fast settlement, veteran lawyer says by Greg Johns of the Seattle PI.
Originally posted at http://sonicscentral.com

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

Pulling the Rug Out from Under them

It’s the lease, stupid!

As the City of Seattle’s case against the Professional Basketball Club starts to pick up steam as it races toward the court date we are presented with the final motions that each side presents to argue what should, or should not be included in the case. These motions are presented to the judge to rule on (in limine).

Greg Johns of the Seattle PI has a good summary (here)

With both parties filing “motions of limine” at the final deadline requesting the court to prohibit certain testimonies, Judge Marsha Pechman now has until June 6 to determine which motions she grants for the June 16 trial.

. . .

Among the Sonics’ primary charges is that the city’s lawsuit is part of an orchestrated plan to force Clay Bennett’s ownership group into an untenable money-losing situation in Seattle for the final years of its lease.

The team’s lawyers have said the city developed a “Machiavellian plan” intended to bleed Bennett’s Pro Basketball Club financially and force a sale to an ownership group led by Microsoft’s Ballmer and Seattle developer Matt Griffin.

If allowed by Pechman, this week’s motion would strike at the core of that defense strategy.

The motion argues that the city has a right to enforce its lease, there is nothing wrong with having discussions with a local group interested in bringing an NBA franchise to a renovated KeyArena, and therefore, all the Ballmer-related evidence is irrelevant and inadmissible.

“PBC cannot credibly attack the City’s motives, as PBC’s motives were the same — to bring the benefits of an NBA team to its members’ hometown of Oklahoma City,” the motion states. “The difference is that PBC is trying to benefit Oklahoma City by breaching its Lease. The city is trying to benefit Seattle by enforcing the Lease.”

This case started out with just the city filing a fairly broad argument, in October of 2007, after Clay Bennett demanded arbitration in September of 2007 to terminate the lease and leave. The case trundled along, arbitration was denied (no shock there), the case was formed in February of 2008. A lot happened though April 22, 2008, when Howard Schultz filed his case. Then the scope changed for the city, limiting it to just the lease.
Originally posted at http://sonicscentral.com/

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

“Boo hoo” back to you Clay Bennett

Greg Johns in the Seattle PI has an interesting story on the Sonics, Kevin Durant should click right HERE to read the whole story. Clay has a message for you.

Among the hundreds of thousands of words transcribed on 470 pages of depositions taken by lawyers for the upcoming trial between the city of Seattle and the Sonics’ ownership group over the team’s KeyArena lease, there are two Clay Bennett would surely love to take back.

Boo hoo.

In an e-mail to Oklahoma-based public relations consultant Brent Gooden after hearing some of the Sonics players were upset about the prospect of moving the franchise to Oklahoma City, Bennett responded by writing, “Boo hoo,” according to a line of questioning by city of Seattle attorney Jeff Johnson.

To which Gooden replied, “Great response. I would play wherever for half of the lowest paid player on the team.”

While Bennett’s own deposition is almost entirely redacted in the documents released last week via a public-records request, this particular e-mail exchange was contained in Gooden’s deposition.

Under questioning from Johnson, Gooden said he remembered that correspondence with Bennett and then tried to explain his own response.

Get ready!

The plaintiffs (ths city) pretrial statements were due on 5/23/2008, and the defendant (the alleged two faced liars from Oklahoma City) pretrial statement is due 5/29/2008, accourding to the schedule set back in April.

On 5/21/2008 the judge had ruled/filed a statement (Minute Order) that said ALL motions to admit or suppress evidence are due on 5/27/2008, that would be tomorrow, Tuesday. This is Motion in limine. I thought we should learn something along the way to recovering our team.

By the end of the week the trial statements will be filed and all the stuff that can be used will be known by both sides.

Originally posted at http://sonicscentral.com/blog/?p=1920

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

SuperSonics Are Moving. Or Are They? - New York Times

SuperSonics Are Moving. Or Are They? - New York Times

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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NBA's Stern: Sonics need taxpayer help (Seattle PI)

Seattle PI story from 2005 on Stern helping Schultz on a remodel of Key Arena.

Read it here!

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Nothin' But Profit: Seattle PI story a reminder

Here is a dated, but comprehensive look at the arena issue from 2006.

Seattle PI story here!

The Key Arena remodel would make it a little larger than the Pepsi Center in Denver.
What happens to the Kings if they can not get a new arena built?

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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AdAge Article, Rename/Rebranding

It is very likely to happen, if/when Oklahoma City takes an NBA team, that they will name them something else. I like the "Rustlers" as that fits in with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. So, Clay Bennett offering to leave something behind that he does not want to pack up and move with him is an empty gesture. I dare Bennett to keep the name and all that, and live with the constant reminder of the past year and the next two years of getting horrible press in an entertainment industry. He is burning a bridge and then offering to leave behind the smoldering ashes.
That is just dumb.
The name "Sonics" is so soiled by Clay Bennett that Steve Ballmer might to go back 15, or so, years and rebrand the Sonics back to the "SuperSonics".
For that matter, the reason for naming something is to reflect the image you want the team to project, or of the community. Well, why keep calling them the Sonics? The Bullets are the Wizards.

AdAge story here!


Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Dino Rossi supports the Key Arena Fwd: Tell Dino Comment

Strange bedfellows.

Have a great day,

Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Dino Rossi" <telldino@dinorossi.com>
Date: March 10, 2008 7:02:07 PM PDT
To: <>
Subject: RE: Tell Dino Comment

Thank you for your email.  Please take a look at the below statement we released in favor of the proposal earlier today.

 

Sincerely,

Dino

 

<image001.jpg>

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                        Contact: Jill Strait

March 10, 2008                                                                                                          425-498-2008

 

 

Rossi Supports New Proposal to Save the Sonics

 

Redmond, WA – Gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi today endorsed the new public-private Key Arena proposal after a briefing this morning by potential investors in the project.

 

"No one, including myself, wants to see the Sonics leave Seattle. We all have been waiting for a viable public-private plan to renovate Key Arena and keep the team here. Last Thursday, we got that plan," said Rossi.  "I have been skeptical about stadium plans in the past, but this is the best proposal I've ever seen in this area.  No new state or county tax would be levied, and public money would only be spent on the public areas of the arena."

 

The plan would allow the King County Council to vote to continue collecting a tax on rental cars through 2016 and bars & restaurants through 2013 for Key Arena renovations.  The taxes are already authorized through 2016 to pay for Safeco Field and would only be levied in King County.

 

"It is important for residents statewide to understand that the state will not be paying a dime for the new arena, but will be gaining millions in revenue," said Rossi.

 

The county's share of the cost would be $75 million. Much of that money would be recouped by the state:

·         Over $20 million would be collected in state sales tax from the $300 million renovation of the Key Arena.

·         Approximately $25 million over 10 years through sales and B&O taxes on Sonics-related operations.

 

Christine Gregoire has indicated that she has no intention to act during this legislative session to help keep the Sonics in Seattle. Sunday's headline in the Oklahoman newspaper reads: "Washington governor gives up: Official says there is no saving Sonics."

 

"Oklahoma City is ready to embrace the team with open arms," continued Rossi. "The NBA Board of Governors will be voting in April on whether or not to approve the transfer. Gregoire has already conceded defeat and is waving the white flag. I believe we must at least pass a plan that will give the NBA a reason to keep the team here. Gregoire's inaction is costing us our last, best hope to save the Sonics. She must act, and she must act now. It is possible to still do something during this legislative session."

 

"I commend the local investors for their leadership and commitment to save the Sonics. It's time for our state leaders demonstrate courage and show that same commitment."

 

# # #

 

 

From:
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 1:55 PM
To: telldino@dinorossi.com
Subject: Tell Dino Comment

 

Mr Baker at () has submitted the following comments;

Dino, I am hoping that you will support the latest effort to remodel Key Arena and keep the Sonics in Seattle. Slade Gordon said that the time is now, so, I hope that you support this with a public statement now. Thanks for your time, Mr. Baker Seattle, Wa

Faithfully mine, the Sonics

SEATTLE - Reported in the Seattle PI today Greg Johns outlines (here) the City of Seattle's request for written communication (electronic) between the new owners of the Seattle Sonics, prior to and after the sale of the team.

Lawyers for the Sonics filed a Rule 37 objection this week to the city's request for access to e-mail files of eight members of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ownership group, with the city countering with an extensive explanation of why it would like to see communications among owners both before and after the team's purchase.

The Sonics have agreed to provide access to pertinent e-mails belonging to team chairman Clay Bennett and minority owner Aubrey McClendon, but contend that providing the "responsive e-mail" files of six other requested owners would be unnecessary and perhaps even illegal, given the co-owners work at various private companies and use those firms' own e-mail systems.

The NBA has also objected to the city's subpoena of some of its records in the discovery process currently underway.
...
A magistrate, or independent judge, will likely settle the e-mail dispute so the discovery process can continue and depositions begin with the questioning of key figures in the case.
...
Lawyers for the city are also searching for documents concerning the KeyArena lease, details of the purchase, financial performance of the team, pursuit of other arena options and whether good faith efforts were indeed made to keep the franchise in Seattle.

This week's documents contain precise information on the ownership structure of the Oklahoma group, with Bennett, McClendon and Tom Ward each owning 19.23 percent of the club, with numerous other owners holding significantly smaller shares.
...
Sonics lawyers contend that some of the other owners might have exchanged e-mails either between themselves or with third parties that weren't sent to Bennett and McClendon and that such searches wouldn't be any more burdensome than those already being conducted on the archives of Bennett and McClendon.

The Sonics already have obtained city e-mail documents, as those are available via a public records request for a government agency.
Sonics in e-mail skirmish, by Greg Johns, Seattle PI

What does it matter if the eight members of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ownership group did not give a good faith effort?
1) The City of Seattle and the eight members of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ownership group, are business partners in sharing revenue from the sale of luxury suites for Sonics games. IF eight members of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ownership group, acted in bad faith and intended to reduce revenue then they are acting against the shared interests, limited as they may be.
The city could collect damages from the minute the owners chose to act.

2) There was a "side letter" agreement between eight members of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC ownership group, and the Professional Basketball Club of Seattle, LLC ownership group.

The simpleton (that's me) thinking goes: If there was a side-letter agreement written to all of the owners that bennett would give a good faith effort for one full year then it's not to hard to argue that he didn't give that effort. He backed off the 10/31/07 date by one full and legal day, I do not think it had ANYTHING to do with not overshadowing the home opener (yes, I'm calling Clay Bennett a big, fat, liar even if some will not), and that it had a LOT to do with 366 days passing since taking ownership. Think about it for one second, when has Bennett acted not NOT overshadow the team's presence in Seattle by throwing cold water on any upbeat and exciting moment for the team? Answer: NEVER!
He backed off the 10/31/07 date for the same reasons he's done anything involving the Sonics, that's to cover his legal ass so he can take the team back to OKC.

So, how about that letter, and how about a person from the former ownership group stepping up to buy the team. We have one of those things on day one of taking the team back from Clay Bennett, from here on out know as the Renter of the Sonics, Clayton Bennett.
Dennis Daugs makes offer to buy and keep Sonics in Seattle, by me, here, 11/2/07, linked here!

SEATTLE - There has been a sentiment in various places that whenever something good or positive is happening with the Sonics Clayton Bennett finds a way to throw cold water on it, either by design or randomly. Today is no exception, in today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer there is a story about odd couple Brian Robinson and Chris Van Dyk working on a plan to remodel part of the Seattle Center, build an arena, parking, revenue generating lease spaces to help pay for it, good times, great hopes ... and on the same day what falls out of Clay Bennett's ass? He has filed papers to demand arbitration in hopes of breaking a lease that expressly states that arbitration is NOT something the city has to agree to.

Two quick things:
I would not count this as part of the good faith effort he agreed to when he purchased the team less than 1 year ago, Howard.

It is true, once you take your customers to court it’s tough to go back to a good relationship.

So, what do we need to really keep an eye on now?
It is true that a solution to the arena has to be in place in order for the Sonics to be here past 2010. The difference now, as of today, is that something acceptable to a new owner needs to be in the works, but it does not have to be the palace Bennett was demanding. Bennett has taken himself out of the picture in Seattle past 2010 no matter what happens.
It’s all or nothing for Bennett, he’s chosen nothing and is doing everything he can to leave nothing.
Don’t let him. Don’t let him stop people from imagining a new arena and a new Seattle Center, and the Seattle Supersonics here in 2010 and beyond.

Forget Bennett, he's forgotten about you, the fans. Think about you in your good future with the Sonics past 2010 and work toward that goal.
Pitchforks and Torches!, by me, here, 9/21/07, linked here!

I am interested in the "discovery" of the side letter agreement, what does it say, and if the city is making the case for a former owner to become the next owner.

Leverage.

Seattle Storm: A step closer? Seattle PI

Seattle - Storm ownership and the mayor of Seattle will have the approval of the Seattle City Council to negotiate a long term lease for Key Arena.
Very good news for basketball fans and the city.
Read about progress here.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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OKC March 4 Vote.org, the "NO" argument

Thanks Sonicsman.com for posting the link.
http://www.march4vote.org/

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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ESPN - Sonics owner wants public to pay for upgrades to Oklahoma City's arena - NBA

Clay Bennett finally gives a good faith effort to get an arena deal done, too bad it is in Oklahoma City. The arguments for and advantages of having the Sonics he never made in Seattle, he is making in OKC, and saying the advantages do not exist in Seattle because, well, no reason. He is making the court case for the City of Seattle, while making the case for OKC as an NBA city. Thanks Clay. This is not 100 years ago, and you are not running a railroad. You can not say one thing in one part of the country, and say the opposite in another. Welcome to the information age, jackass!

read the ESPN story here.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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SonicsCentral: Seattle Supersonics 24/7! » Blog Archive » 1/9/08

For the record, I have played hundreds and hundreds of games, from Boys Club up through high school. My school was not large enough to have a team, though we played a pickup game everyday after school, students vs gym teachers and teachers, we only had an annual tourniment ("organized") against similar schools every year.
I went to college on an academic scholarship.
Do not let some scrub of life distract you from being civil, or from your opinion. We all see different things, I see where others try, progress, and have enough future left to make effort payoff. Johan Petro is trying, he just turned 22 years-old. Let us not cast his future lot in life so soon, or so quickly, that we ignore any signs of progress. I took a lot of trash from some bitter ex-player on 1/9/08 for saying that Petro is showing something, and that he is pretty young. I am glad to see Petro showing more signs to more people lately.
Not every draft pick is going to be a starter with a variety of go-to moves. That does not mean they can not learn skills that could make them useful to the team. I was not a 7 foot tall 19 year-old, and three coaches in three years did not give me mixed messages, and conflicting instructions.
Good luck Johan, like Larry Bird told Michael Cooper, "luck counts too".

http://sonicscentral.com/blog/?p=1639#comment-361500

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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June 16 trial date for city of Seattle vs. Sonics | Seattle Times Newspaper

SEATTLE - Trial start date set for June 16.
Sit on it Bennett.
Let the games begin!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004151895_websonics29m.html

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Sonics | Petro has developed game little by little | Seattle Times Newspaper

SEATTLE - Johan Petro is 22 years-old, a 7-foot tall power forward that is getting one-on-one instruction from assistant coach Mark Bryant, is reducing his fouls, and improving. Does Jayda read my ramblings on Sonicscental.com ? If so, shoulda helped me out a little with the former NBA scrub that argued that he has no future. 22, no future?
We share a small part of our view of our own lives in our opinions of others so young.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004150953_soni29.html

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Art Thiel gives you his version of my theory that Bennett will trade down with the Hornets

SEATTLE - Art Thiel of the Seattle PI spells out the trading down Clay Bennett would be wise to do if he really wants a return on his investment. I have been saying this for a few months, it is a clear path to the fans, and those hoping to get their money, in all three cities getting what they want. Seattle keeps its Sonics, Oklahoma City gets the team they rooted for over two seasons, New Orleans get to focus on chearing for the team they love, the Saints.
Shinn can not afford to stay and only the NBA can say where he can go. Thiel does say people involved with all three cities are talking behind the scenes, all we need is an arena plan, that is all we have needed for the past 3 years.
Read the Thiel story here. Or read my blog posts from December.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Sonics: City wouldn't miss us | Seattle Times Reports

SEATTLE - Sonics owners are arguing in Seattle that there would not be an economic impact if they left, while at the same time they lobby the citizens of Oklahoma City for $100 million dollars in public tax money to remodel the Ford Center because an NBA team is such a valuable asset for a city to have. Pick one, worthless and not worthy, or valuable and a loss if you left. An interesting part of this story involves the City of Seattle being open to arbitration if the Sonics ownership would include remodeling Key Arena in the discussion. An impatial arbitration that could judge the remodel of Key arena as the best outcome. Either way, Clay Bennett will be required to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help him god. Aubrey McClendon, you are next.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004131860_sonics18m.html

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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MAPS for Millionaires in Oklahoma City

Why the big rush? OKC didn't want to look too much like they were weasels.

http://newsok.com/article/3192115/1200178198

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Orlando Woolridge with 20 more pounds of muscle?

SEATTLE - Jeff Green reminds me of Orlando Woolridge, a little.

link to basketballreferenc.com Orlando Woolridge stats

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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Sonics | Sonics' Watson can't quiet doubters | Seattle Times

SEATTLE - Percy Allen from the Seattle Times asks: What's wrong with Earl Watson?

My answers: he over-dribbles (also known as "Shammond-ing" the ball, named after a former Sonic); he delivers passes late to players catching and shooting; he drags his defender into team mates that have the ball causing a big clog for the offense; his passes do not hit players in the hands; his entry passes into the post player are so poorly delivered that the player often loses some post position (causing the player to re-post); he pounds the ball long enough to reduce possessions to one shot attempt, if it is the post player and he attempts to repost there isn't time on the clock for the post player to get the ball back; his defense is not good enough to compensate for his sub-par offensive play making.

I've got a few more, but you get the point.

Sonics' Watson can't quiet doubters

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

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In Oklahoma City an Emergency arena vote set for early 2008

SEATTLE - As double-secret planning is going on behind the scenes in Seattle (and New York) on the formulation of an arena proposal the citizens of Oklahoma discuss the "Emergency" vote planned to take place before the NBA Board of Governors meets. Click below to lurk in on them.
Oklahoma's Forum > OKC Metropolis (& Norman) > City Issues > Topic: Emergency arena vote set for early 2008
If memory serves, then the Ford Center remodel is step one. Clay Bennett said when he filed to move that the Ford Center, with some minor upgrades, will be fine in the short term, but a new world class facility would eventually have to be built. Maybe Bennett thinks a remodel is enough now (that would be good for Seattle's eventual offer) or he has not changed his mind and just doesn't want to freak out the hometown folks by telling them that the $96 or so million dollars that get spent in the Ford Center is just a short term fix.
I'll have to dig up that quote and share it with my fellow Americans in Oklahoma City. They may go for 121 million dollars in taxes, but what about another 400+ million for a new facility, and when will Bennett demand that of the citizens of Oklahoma City?
Let's make sure that question gets asked a lot before they vote.
Have a great day,
Mr Baker
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