Howard Schultz drops lawsuit

[Sweezo]

Well, there's officially nothing left to talk about...

Former Sonics chairman Howard Schultz withdrew his lawsuit against Clay Bennett's Professional Basketball club on Friday, ending the last remote possibility of returning the NBA franchise to Seattle.

In a letter to his former Basketball Club of Seattle ownership partners, Schultz said two recent rulings by Judge Marsha Pechman made his case more difficult and as a result, "our legal team and I no longer believe we can be successful with this litigation."

Schultz had been seeking to unwind the 2006 sale of the team to the Oklahoma City group, hoping to get the team placed into a constructive trust that would allow it be re-sold to a buyer intent on returning the franchise to Seattle.

Pechman ruled last week that the NBA would be allowed to intervene in the suit and also knocked down Schultz's efforts to split the case into two separate trials.

Schultz said he'd also received feedback indicating that a "continuing adversarial relationship with the NBA" could be a hindrance to the city's efforts to land a future franchise.

"Thus the prevailing wisdom of many in the Seattle community and the advice of key members of the BCOS is that Seattle's best chance for a professional basketball franchise is to end this litigation and allow the City, State Legislature and other parties to begin the necessary fence mending with the NBA.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/377089_schultz30.html

[TheUrbanZealot]

I don't think that case had a realistic chance to begin with, but still for those fans with their hearts hanging on an unsecure string, I do feel for them.

I think this will be a good opportunity for a lot of people on here to go on a hiatus. Sometimes change is good you know. Maybe in a few years the Sonics will have a team again and everyone can reunite like high school.

I don't really foresee realgm keeping this board around much longer...

Well, at least we can get excited about the Seahawks. They should be back near the top of the NFC again...

[jenn_gp]

I don't think that case had a realistic chance to begin with, but still for those fans with their hearts hanging on an unsecure string, I do feel for them.

I think this will be a good opportunity for a lot of people on here to go on a hiatus. Sometimes change is good you know. Maybe in a few years the Sonics will have a team again and everyone can reunite like high school.

It wasn't about trying to keep our former Sonics team for me. This case looked like it would be good to use as leverage to try and get a new/different team back here in Seattle IMO. Stern was scared, why else do you think he was threatening Schultz to drop the suit or pay all the NBA's attorney fees regarding the case?

That's what makes this so heartbreaking. I guess I was too niave or was just hoping that this case could result in something, anything that involves us getting basketball back. Howard is a full on, 110% schmuck. I despise the man and will NEVER contribute a dime of my hard earned money at any of his establishments. I hope the man goes bankrupt to be quite honest. That's the very least that could happen to him in my mind.

[Hardzy]

This makes me want to stab people.

[BigFlorida]

Look on the bright side. No more delusions about the Thunder moving to Seattle. Time for Seattle basketball fans to fully embrace the Blazers, I guess.

[wiff]

Well I guess I won't be ending my boycott on Starbucks coffee anytime soon. I haven't had a sip of that crap ever since he sold the team.

I agree with Jenn, I didn't really think some how the Sonics would be back in Seattle in a year but I did think there was a good chance for Seattle to have some sort of ground work for a another team to roll into town.

I'm still stunned that the Sonics won't be playing in Seattle this coming season.

God I hate Bennett, Shultz, Stern, Nickels, Gregroire, and anyone else who had a hand in this fiasco.

Well I guess it's time for me to move on to Gonzaga Hoops. Did you hear a final four prediction coming from me? Oh yes, yes you did. With Pargo returning they should have their best and deepest team ever. Keep your eye on Austin Daye.

Honestly if the Sonics were still in Seattle I probably would watch a fair amount of Blazer games because I do like what they have going on down there. But I'm so disenchanted with the NBA I just can't support any part of this business.

Best of luck to all of you but I don't think I'll be around much. I've really enjoyed the forum and all the people who contributed. I also want to thank Sweezo for doing a great job at being a mod. Seems like a bit of a thankless jobs at times.

If Seattle does get another NBA team and I manage to put my grudge a side I hope I see all of you in here again.

[Shrunk]

very well said wiff, i lurk on this board and loved the sonics, but i must leave also. hopefully all of you can move on eventually, as i hope i will be able to. Not trying to be to judgemental here, but jenn-gp, please let go of your anger, the team is gone now, and some of your post's don't transfer well with regular basketball fans here and other boards, frankly they can be embarrassing sometimes, but go in peace just the same.

[jenn_gp]

^Who are you again? What other boards are you talking about? I only post on here...

[SonicsFool]

Well, i have not posted on here since Basketball broke my heart, but seeing as the last ditch effort has fallen, i feel as though i should say something, because, more than likely, this group of intelligent Sonics fans are soon going to be without a board to share their thoughts.

I just wanted to thank all you guys for creating such a great place to be Supes fan. This was my basketball home, i will be sorry to see it go.

Oh, and i will never root for the Jailblazers. (Brandon Roy excluded)

I guess its all about the Zags now.

But again, thanks everyone, especially those who have been around and welcoming for so long.

[BigFlorida]

very well said wiff, i lurk on this board and loved the sonics, but i must leave also. hopefully all of you can move on eventually, as i hope i will be able to. Not trying to be to judgemental here, but jenn-gp, please let go of your anger, the team is gone now, and some of your post's don't transfer well with regular basketball fans here and other boards, frankly they can be embarrassing sometimes, but go in peace just the same.

riteous. It's time for this board to go. It's mostly trolls and then like... 4-5 actual Sonic fans and they are all heartbroken, hostile and defensive. Nothing left to talk about. Time to move on.

[Dick Tate]

Guess i'll just hang out and watch Larry Bird get banned a few more times.

[Downtown]

Honestly, I never believed anything other than what Jenn mentioned would come out of the Schultz lawsuit. My best case scenario was that a little better assurance from the league about giving Seattle preference if certain conditions were met in return for dropping the suit was about it. And even that was a longshot in my opinion.

I still think all signs point to Schultz as the root of the demise of the Sonics and that Clay Bennett, proven to be a dishonest liar, simply did whatever it took to get the team to Oklahoma. I said as much right from the beginning that this was going to happen and it was as obvious as the nose on our face. I wish nothing but misfortune on Bennett and the biggest travesty of the whole ordeal was the way he dismissed the loyal fans as absolutely nothing and basically spat on every fan that supported the Seattle Supersonics. The manner in the way he conducts himself is that of a lowlife and all the money in the world can't make him a better human being. But I hold nothing against him in the way he dealt with politicians and officials of Washington. That long list of losers were pathetic at best and Bennett treated them the way I probably would have as well.

But I'm not going to dwell on it day after day. I moved on a long time ago and although I will still watch the NBA since I do love the game, I probably will never have loyalty or support for any one team. I've been following the Grizzlies closely and have taken a little interest in them. I'm a Baron Davis fan and I'm hoping that the Clippers have a good season. I've always been a big fan of the Hornets and since they did so well last season I think they'll be on TV more. And being from Canada and subscribing to Raptors TV I'll see just about every game they play although I don't feel that much of an attachment to them and really could care less about the Eastern Conference.

OKC Thunder are not on the radar and to be honest I don't care if they win or lose. But I will say this. Sweezo, I think until the beginning of the season at least you should keep this site open, unless it is a burden on you. I've seen other teams sites that don't have as much traffic as this one. A firm deadline date makes it a clean cut. I know I'm going to miss most of the posters here and probably will never have any contact with them for the rest of my life, which is a sad thing for sure.

[TheUrbanZealot]

i am glad that people are now realizing the source of where to direct any frustration if necessary. Say what you will about Bennett, but I can't be mad at someone whose true intentions were pretty much known from the get-go. It's not like he could tell Seattle fans upfront that he is going to move the team and risk a boycott. He played the PR card as well as he could in lieu of the situation- by making it seem like he was trying to secure a ridiculous arena deal which, by the contract, still qualified as a "good faith best effort". Bennett may be a liar, but he's no worse a liar than any other multi-millionaire businessman who is determined to get what he wants...

..thus, we come back to Schultz. Schultz is a shrewd businessman. I have to give it to him. He sold the team at the right time for an inflated amount. He found an owner desperate for a franchise. The problem is Schultz is Seattle based and completely 2 faced his town, TWICE! Now I know this latest shindig was to help paint him a hero, albeit temporarily, but to go through making it seem like you are going to fix everything and then bow out- he shouldn't have bowed in to begin with. In any sense, Schultz completely sold out the Sonics, and all of your guys' frustrations, if you feel the need to direct them (which you really shouldn't, but whatever), should go to Schultz

[BenjaminH]

We will play fantasy basketball together and should leave this board open for discussions, which, in turn, will probably lead to a lot of discussions about other teams and players.

[Sweezo]

I'm not sure what should be done with this site...it's served it's purpose as an outlet for grieving fans, but at this point it seems little more than a place for trolls to take their cheap shots. Watching what's happening to this board is a slow, agonizing process...I can't say I enjoy being a part of that.

[CatchNShoot]

Close it down, Sweezo. It's time to move on.

I recommend opening one last thread for a week notifying everyone of the date it will close down. It will allow everyone a last chance to say whatever they want - kind of like a wake before laying the board to rest.

[jenn_gp]

I agree with what Benjamin said in the Off Topic thread. Keep it open at least until the season starts. The boards are always slow during the off season.

[CatchNShoot]

I'm cool with that, Jenn. The grief will resurface when the season is about to start, so that's a good time to have a wake and put this board to rest. If Sonic fans are looking for a place to congregate, there are plenty of localized alternatives, like Sonicscentral, Supersonicsoul, etc.

If we don't end it on our terms, I imagine RealGM will do it for us. They can't keep a board open for a team that no longer exists.

(Incidentally, I wonder if anybody has a forum for teams that have been relocated? E.g. the Brooklyn Dodgers, LA Raiders, LA Rams, Kansas City Kings, Philadelphia Athletics, Seattle Pilots, Washington Senators, Houston Oilers, Minneapolis North Stars, Hartford Whalers, Seattle Supersonics, etc. Probably wouldn't get much/any traffic, but still...)

[Sweezo]

Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself I think the plan is to close this before the season starts, then have the forum moved as a 'sub-forum' of the M's/Boards. I suppose we could leave this open until the season starts, but I'd prefer doing the transition sooner rather than later. The admins are pretty cool about how they're handling it, and after the Schultz suit was dropped and seeing the sentiment around here (or lack thereof) I indicated it was probably a good time to move on. I'll let you guys know when there's an update...

[bennith13]

I have to admit that I have been slacking on coming to this board in favor of the mariners, seahawks, and current events/media boards. I do think there will be more talk in here once the season starts. Even when we did have a team the summers always seemed long and dull.