Payton says Seattle will have team in 2011

[jax98]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketbal ... source=rss

Former Sonics star Gary Payton believes the NBA will return to Seattle within three years, and he doesn't plan to let his former franchise, now the Oklahoma City Thunder, retire his number.

"I think I made that clear, I didn't play in Oklahoma, so it wouldn't be anything that I'm looking forward to because I didn't play for the Oklahoma Thunder," he said at the Seahawks game on Sunday, where he raised the 12th Man flag. "I don't think that Oklahoma should get the benefits of seeing me raise my number. I think these people here are the people who have seen me and made me who I am."

(More at the link)

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I certainly hope this is true. I was surprised to read his comment about a lot of teams wanting to move.

[jenn_gp]

Okay I know I'm going to sound weird, but seeing Gary raise the 12th man flag yesterday surprised me so much that I started to tear up.

He was on NWSports tonight talking about his plan as well. GP is already a God in this city, if he brought the NBA back, they should build a statue of him in front of the arena where the next proposed team will play. I've always thought there should be a GP statue in front of the Key anyways, but what do I know? I'm just an obsessed fan.

Gary was my hero growing up. It makes me proud whenever he shows he hasn't forgotten about us fans throughout this whole thing. I was thinking he was going to change his mind about retiring in OKC since who knows when we will get a new team. Glad to see he's still stuck in his old stubborn ways.

[jenn_gp]

OK now I'm pissed, but I should have seen it coming:

According to those close to Payton, he offered to work for the Sonics in a community or coaching role after retiring from the Miami Heat in 2007 but was rebuffed.

Clay Bennett...ARGGGGGGGGGG. I don't know what else to say. Bennett had any and every former Sonic involved with the franhise these past two years leave. It makes me angry on every level that this team, needed as much defensive and offensive coaching they can get, could learn from someone like Gary. To know Bennett brushed him away because he's a legend and would only bring excitment to the fans makes me incredibly pissed. He has always put what is best for him before the team..that's a piss poor way to manage a team IMO, even if you want to relocate them to your hometown.

The sad thing is I should expect nothing less from that pathetic excuse of human flesh.

[Dick Tate]

Sounds like Gary thinks there should be a statue too. I've never heard anyone so obsessed with talking about his number being retired.

[jenn_gp]

^Hahah!

Yeah, but I will defend Gary on this one. Think about this: if you were an NBA player who played 12 1/2 years of your life (including all the years in your prime) in one city and you are a potiential Hall of Famer in the league, wouldn't you worry about where your jersey is retired? It is an honor for any player to get their jersey retired. Gary is in a very difficult situation, one that not very many players get tied up in when they choose to retire. I don't blame him for wanting to retire his jersey in the one place who made him who he is...I'm actually quite proud of him for sticking to it. He could have easily chose to retire his jersey in OKC since they are actually the Sonics (until if/when a new one comes to Seattle). I'm glad that he's fighting for us, even if he's mostly only doing it so he can retire his jersey here. As a GP fan that makes me thrilled.

Gary deserves it just as much as anyone else currently hanging up in the rafters of Key Arena. You can hate his attitude, but you can't deny the man played his heart out night in and night out for us.

When I have my first child and name it Payton (I've wanted to do this since I was younger and my husband doesn't have a say in the matter), I want to be able point up into the rafters of the Sonics future arena and tell them "hey, this is how you got your name."

You can call me crazy or obessed, that's fine. You can even not like Gary as a person. But Gary played his heart out every night he laced them up in Seattle. He's a Hall of Fame caliber player, numerous All-Star bids, trips to the NBA finals, and although he wasn't a champion as a Sonic, he earned a well deserved ring. He deserves to have his jersey retired in Seattle. How would you feel if he up and decided to retire in OKC? I would feel betrayed and pissed off, I don't know about you.

[Dick Tate]

Don't get me wrong, i've loved the Glove for all the reasons you state. I just couldn't resist busting his chops a little since everytime he has talked about the Sonics over the last couple of years, it has been in relation to his retirement ceremony. I hope he's serious about going in on buying a team and that he gets hooked up with the B2 group, because the Nickels-Ballmer plan is going to be a dead end and may only be designed to bring the city another $30 million in five years instead of a team.

[BenjaminH]

Apparently, he's "inside with the NBA a little bit" ... -- Does this mean he has "inside" knowledge?!

[jenn_gp]

^On NWSports Tonight, Gary said he and a couple of other ex-Sonics are looking to come together to buy a new team too, along with other investors. I wonder if that is in addition to Donaldson helping out? They also talked about Donaldson and how he was running for city council. Should be interesting if he's voted in.

Why do I remember him not helping very much while the Sonics were still here. In fact, I remember he almost went out of his way to trash the efforts being made by everyone involved. Do I have my facts straight, I can't remember?

[BenjaminH]

^On NWSports Tonight, Gary said he and a couple of other ex-Sonics are looking to come together to buy a new team too, along with other investors.

Kind of like the way Terry Porter was going to buy the Blazers? (Sorry to be pessimistic.)

[jenn_gp]

We have every reason to be pessimistic about it. There is no guarantee. I had my doubts about it last night but at least he appears to be trying. That's more than we can say for our city and state government leaders.

[Argyle]

When I have my first child and name it Payton (I've wanted to do this since I was younger and my husband doesn't have a say in the matter), I want to be able point up into the rafters of the Sonics future arena and tell them "hey, this is how you got your name."

I've seriously thought about this too. But then people would be like oh how cute, you named your kid after the douchebag payton (peyton?) manning.

[BenjaminH]

Jenn, when you say "it" I assume you mean "him", right? You wouldn't name a girl Payton, would you?

[jenn_gp]

^Why not? I'm an elementary teacher and have come across a few female students with the name of Peyton..spelled the Manning way of course. If I have a girl I probably would definately name her Peyton and not Payton. I would prefer if I had a boy first that way I could just spell the name the way it should be...

[BenjaminH]

I just mean that it is a masculine name. Sure, there are a lot of girls with masculine names - nothing wrong with that.

[jenn_gp]

^I don't know, lately I've seen a lot of girls with that name..moreso than boys actually. Especially within the past year. But I do agree. Payton sounds masculine.

[BenjaminH]

I've never seen it. Perhaps it is because, in part, you teach children. That is, more parents started naming children Peyton after Peyton Manning became famous. But, again, there are a lot of girls with masculine names. So too, there are boys with feminine names. I guess "Payton" could be kind of unisex, but, I agree, it I think it sounds a little bit more masculine.