Kings & Hansen saga

[OzSonic]

Hey, pulling a Bennett only exists because Stern allowed it to. If this is the only way to get basketball back in Seattle then this is what you are supposed to do. You don't play by the imaginary rules that declare that you should not benefit as the result of one's misfortune. It sucks for Sacramento, really, but they should be focusing their hatred toward Stern for allowing such a precedent to exist in the first place. This all leads back to Stern, for allowing Bennett to do his thing.

Yeah I know the ugly system that's in place and I know who to direct my hatred towards, still I don't have to think it's fair. Don't get me wrong if this does manage to go our way I doubt I'll even give Sacramento a second thought which is pretty much the same way OKC fans have been from day dot.

[AI]

Hey, pulling a Bennett only exists because Stern allowed it to. If this is the only way to get basketball back in Seattle then this is what you are supposed to do. You don't play by the imaginary rules that declare that you should not benefit as the result of one's misfortune. It sucks for Sacramento, really, but they should be focusing their hatred toward Stern for allowing such a precedent to exist in the first place. This all leads back to Stern, for allowing Bennett to do his thing.

Yeah I know the ugly system that's in place and I know who to direct my hatred towards, still I don't have to think it's fair. Don't get me wrong if this does manage to go our way I doubt I'll even give Sacramento a second thought which is pretty much the same way OKC fans have been from day dot.

Don't Seattle fans hate OKC fans because they brag about how they stole the team? I feel like that's the major root of the hate. Can't tell you how many OKC fans I've not only seen on these boards but on the Sonicsgate videos that comment bashing Seattle when they have no reason to as they won and the team is theirs.

I feel as if Seattle gets the Kings, the Seattle fans would be way more humble toward Sactown fans than how OKC fans are to Seattle fans. I was once on the phone with a DirecTV customer service woman, and she asked me how the weather was in LA. I told her it was pretty nice, and asked her how the weather was where she was located. She told me she was in Tulsa, and the weather was extremely hot. When I asked her if she was a Thunder fan, she told me that she was and that she supported the team greatly. I told her that I do not support anything the Thunder do as I view the team rightfully belongs to Seattle, and after she heard me say that she started getting pissy with me giving me some attitude, just because I had differing views with her. It's sad, man.

Also, to build on what you were saying earlier, the whole situation is just a big mess. There is no longer an appropriate way to get a team to Seattle without hurting another fan base. Is it selfish? Hell yes it is. But if you want something, you gotta go out and get it. Can't do what Seattle has been doing the past 5 years waiting for the NBA to cave in and bring a team to them. Ambition is key. Like I said earlier, playing by the rules will only make you a loser. I fully support what the Hansen/Ballmer/Nordstrom group is doing; they are making their dreams of returning the NBA in Seattle come true and are not stopping in their pursuit. I commend them.

[OzSonic]

Pretty much, I can only comment on what I came across with OKC fans. Since the sale they pretty much trolled every Sonics forum they could find and then bragged about stealing from us after the fact. Probably a small amount but it still cut deep.

[SaveTheHens]

Hey, pulling a Bennett only exists because Stern allowed it to. If this is the only way to get basketball back in Seattle then this is what you are supposed to do. You don't play by the imaginary rules that declare that you should not benefit as the result of one's misfortune. It sucks for Sacramento, really, but they should be focusing their hatred toward Stern for allowing such a precedent to exist in the first place. This all leads back to Stern, for allowing Bennett to do his thing.

I feel as if Seattle gets the Kings, the Seattle fans would be way more humble toward Sactown fans than how OKC fans are to Seattle fans. I was once on the phone with a DirecTV customer service woman, and she asked me how the weather was in LA. I told her it was pretty nice, and asked her how the weather was where she was located. She told me she was in Tulsa, and the weather was extremely hot. When I asked her if she was a Thunder fan, she told me that she was and that she supported the team greatly. I told her that I do not support anything the Thunder do as I view the team rightfully belongs to Seattle, and after she heard me say that she started getting pissy with me giving me some attitude, just because I had differing views with her. It's sad, man.

I find it surprising that you didn't expect that. You're having a friendly conversation with a person & then you bash their team & say it doesn't amount to anything. I would give you attitude too if you discredited a team I was supportive of. Most OKC fans are like regular NBA fans, they're happy to have a team and support it, and they probably don't know the full story on Bennett's robbery. There may be a few rotten bunch who may try to brag about stealing Seattle's team, but this is a small minority.

[AI]

I feel as if Seattle gets the Kings, the Seattle fans would be way more humble toward Sactown fans than how OKC fans are to Seattle fans. I was once on the phone with a DirecTV customer service woman, and she asked me how the weather was in LA. I told her it was pretty nice, and asked her how the weather was where she was located. She told me she was in Tulsa, and the weather was extremely hot. When I asked her if she was a Thunder fan, she told me that she was and that she supported the team greatly. I told her that I do not support anything the Thunder do as I view the team rightfully belongs to Seattle, and after she heard me say that she started getting pissy with me giving me some attitude, just because I had differing views with her. It's sad, man.

I find it surprising that you didn't expect that. You're having a friendly conversation with a person & then you bash their team & say it doesn't amount to anything. I would give you attitude too if you discredited a team I was supportive of. Most OKC fans are like regular NBA fans, they're happy to have a team and support it, and they probably don't know the full story on Bennett's robbery. There may be a few rotten bunch who may try to brag about stealing Seattle's team, but this is a small minority.

Actually, it was not a bashing of the team. It was more so a bashing of the ownership group. And she clearly knew of Bennett's actions when I brought his name up.

[Supersonics41]

Very Nice!!

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 18m
MT @sonicsrising: (Kevin Durant) @KDTrey5 rocking golden #Sonics hat again, at morning shoot before gm 4 Memphis pic.twitter.com/HdBnxuNEe3

[sonic_brazil]

The conference is over. No news for now.

[206]

Apparently they didn't change their minds. Honestly, I don't know where this sudden sentimental streak came from. Owners fought tooth and nail for a fraction of a percent during the new CBA. Now they want to keep the team in Sacramento even if it means less money.

[Supersonics41]

Apparently they didn't change their minds. Honestly, I don't know where this sudden sentimental streak came from. Owners fought tooth and nail for a fraction of a percent during the new CBA. Now they want to keep the team in Sacramento even if it means less money.

Stern & the owners that make up the committee have huge ego's. They made up their mind & no amount of money or bargaining will change their decision. Stern & owners like Mickey Arison are simply grumpy old men.

[AI]

I don't understand the NBA and their flip-flop policy in changing the rules to accomodate whatever Stern wants to do. It's as if there is a resentment toward Seattle by the NBA, just because Washington government told them to piss off five years ago. Fast-forward now, and not only do you have a government in Washington that is ready for the NBA, but you also have investors worth billions of dollars willing to overpay for a bottom-dweller team like the Kings. If Stern was staying as comish for an additional ten years, he wouldn't even blink and would let the H/B/N group buy the team and move it, as it is indeed beneficial for the NBA to be back in Seattle. However, since he's leaving soon, he wants his reputation to stay afloat and doesn't want this to be the last thing he's remembered for. This all leads back to Stern and his selfishness as a commissioner. He needs to leave soon. But it's not like it'll be any better with Silver, as he has been Stern's puppet for the past ten years now.

[AI]

Apparently they didn't change their minds. Honestly, I don't know where this sudden sentimental streak came from. Owners fought tooth and nail for a fraction of a percent during the new CBA. Now they want to keep the team in Sacramento even if it means less money.

Stern & the owners that make up the committee have huge ego's. They made up their mind & no amount of money or bargaining will change their decision. Stern & owners like Mickey Arison are simply grumpy old men.

Is there any truth to the 4-3 vote as opposed to the unanimous 7-0? I keep hearing different stories. If it was indeed 4-3, I wonder which owners voted for Seattle.

[Supersonics41]

Apparently they didn't change their minds. Honestly, I don't know where this sudden sentimental streak came from. Owners fought tooth and nail for a fraction of a percent during the new CBA. Now they want to keep the team in Sacramento even if it means less money.

Stern & the owners that make up the committee have huge ego's. They made up their mind & no amount of money or bargaining will change their decision. Stern & owners like Mickey Arison are simply grumpy old men.

Is there any truth to the 4-3 vote as opposed to the unanimous 7-0? I keep hearing different stories. If it was indeed 4-3, I wonder which owners voted for Seattle.

Yeah several people have indeed reported that.

[Supersonics41]

I don't understand the NBA and their flip-flop policy in changing the rules to accomodate whatever Stern wants to do. It's as if there is a resentment toward Seattle by the NBA, just because Washington government told them to piss off five years ago. Fast-forward now, and not only do you have a government in Washington that is ready for the NBA, but you also have investors worth billions of dollars willing to overpay for a bottom-dweller team like the Kings. If Stern was staying as comish for an additional ten years, he wouldn't even blink and would let the H/B/N group buy the team and move it, as it is indeed beneficial for the NBA to be back in Seattle. However, since he's leaving soon, he wants his reputation to stay afloat and doesn't want this to be the last thing he's remembered for. This all leads back to Stern and his selfishness as a commissioner. He needs to leave soon. But it's not like it'll be any better with Silver, as he has been Stern's puppet for the past ten years now.

pretty much sums it up.

[FNQ]

FWIW, I dont think the NBA BOG showed bias. Stern clearly did, by extending deadlines, working with an outside ownership group to prevent an outcome, etc.

However what Arison said was correct. Although it was thrown together, Sac did what they needed to do, at least in the time allotted. And they'll clearly have the NBA backing them throughout the process, because if they fail in any aspect, the NBA looks pretty damn stupid.

The caveat is that if the Maloof's have a written secondary agreement with Hansen for the sale of 20% if the 65% sale doesn't go down, and the NBA nixes it, its textbook collusion and the Hansen group can get litigious on their asses. Right now, Seattle's hope is expansion or the next team that needs to go, and Hansen being a minority owner gets his name out there more, and ingratiates him with the other owners. And as we're seeing, having the owners on your side is a big +. A reasonable compromise, IMO, is to let Hansen have the 20%, sell the remaining 45% to Vivek + Co, with a 3-5 year buyout of Hansen at market + inflation value, giving Hansen a viable window in which to bring an expansion or relocating franchise to Seattle.

All we know for sure right now is that the Kings are staying in Sacramento (sorry for that typo ), barring a miracle within a miracle.

[206]

^ I think you mean Sacramento in that last sentence and I do agree. Stern gave a clear roadmap for the city to follow this time and made sure he was the puppeteer in the situation.

On another note, I feel like I should express my opinion here rather than the GB on this subject: Your response to ICMTM was amazing.

[FNQ]

I'm just trying to help put some light on the situation, its unfortunate that some fans have taken the situation personally. Hansen's not a bad guy, Vivek's not a bad guy, but the cartoony takes of some over there, and their really inaccurate applications of the law, ought to be corrected.

Unfortunately that means Seattle fans/natives/enthusiasts have to grit it out for the long haul and hope Hansen can get a team here. I believe he can, he certainly has a little Mark Cuban in him, and we've seen what a charismatic and determined leader can do for even the most desolate franchises.

[Supersonics41]

Can the Maloof's & Hansen convince the league to go through with the sale??

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 1h
George Maloof - if we went back to Sacramento - we would try to get an arena done. #NBAKings

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 1h
George Maloof says he would work “in good faith” to get Sac Arena done, and so would H/B if they held 20%. #NBAKings

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 23m
Wally Walker, part of the Seattle group, just entered hotel, says no one is quite sure what will happen tomorrow. #NBAKings

[Dick Tate]

Never trust a Maloof. I expect to see them jumping back in bed with KJ & Co by the end of the day tomorrow. Hansen/Ballmer are being used. This ordeal was all about getting a new arena in Sac town while getting a monster sale price for the team. Mission accomplished for the Maloofs. That was the whole point of the "Backup offer" clause.

[206]

Final pitches in 90min. Not expecting a miracle.

[Supersonics41]

Final pitches in 90min. Not expecting a miracle.

Its evident the team is staying in Sacramento. Some Bay Area reporter last night was tweeting that expansion is on the table for us. I think that's our best case scenario at this point.