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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