Supersonics.....oh yeah....

If you build it, they will come.

FTFY: If you build it, they will come .. but in the intervening 10 years you'll pay $200M in finance costs.

Good on Seattle for having their priorities straight. I've got nothing against the actual players on the now-Thunder, but the owners can DIAF.

I was coached by Joe Hassett growing up. It was pretty awesome.

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It's not much, but you can have the Bucks. When Kohl gets his dander up to sell again I don't think he'll be as adamant that the team stays since he's not seeking re-election anymore. That and the city can't seem to get a place or money for a new arena.

In still other news: The NBA was, at one time, a legitimate athletic competition.

I find it funny that there are 6 more playoff games today possible...(back then the first round was a 3 game series and the 2nd a 5 game series)...yet the season takes almost a whole month more to complete.

I'm surprised the players have allowed their employers to make their in season work year so much longer over the years.

fark schultz. fark stern. fark clay.

for all the johnny come lately sonic fans in okc:



it will happen to you too.

/go spurs

The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

The '96 team could very well have won. George Karl pissed away the series when he didn't put Payton on MJ until it was too late. I understand coaches can sometimes over-think the game, but when you derp that hard you should be fired on the spot, permanently lose all credibility and live on the streets eating shoes and hoping none of the bums huddling around the barrel fire recognize you because even bums know you put your best goddamn perimeter defender on MJ.

doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

Don't forget the 8th seeded Nuggets.

basemetal: If you build it, they will come.

but what if you build schools or repaired crumbling bridges viaducts?

minnesota august 1, 2007:


minnesota august 2 30, 2007:
Twins Ballpark Groundbreaking A Grand Success


it's really tragic that the groundbreaking on a publicly funded baseball stadium had to be delayed because a bridge collapsed. thankfully those poor impoverished owners of the twins did finally get their publicly funded stadium.

Gunny Highway: I was coached by Joe Hassett growing up. It was pretty awesome.

I was coached in high school by his father, the late JH, Sr. Ornery guy and a screamer. He used to wear his son's championship ring, which we all thought was pretty cool.

srhp29: I find it funny that there are 6 more playoff games today possible...(back then the first round was a 3 game series and the 2nd a 5 game series)...yet the season takes almost a whole month more to complete.

I'm surprised the players have allowed their employers to make their in season work year so much longer over the years.

We would be in the Finals or extremely close to it now if it wasn't for the strike.

buckeyebrain: In still other news: The NBA was, at one time, a legitimate athletic competition.

A Fark Handle: fark schultz. fark stern. fark clay.

for all the johnny come lately sonic fans in okc:

[sonicsgate.com image 300x420]

it will happen to you too.

That was a great documentary and pretty much sums it up. Except for all that moaning by Sherman Alexie; that probably wasn't necessary.

Also, fark the NBA, fark it all to hell, but:

A Fark Handle: /go spurs

...for the love of God, THIS.

That Sonics team kind of reminds me of the Pistons of the late 80s. They seemed to run the offense through the backcourt (they had three great guards) and Jack Sikma, a center who could shoot away from the basket. Very tough to cover a group like that.

Good riddance.

srhp29: doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

Don't forget the 8th seeded Nuggets.

That was a different season...obviously.

dragonchild: doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

The '96 team could very well have won. George Karl pissed away the series when he didn't put Payton on MJ until it was too late. I understand coaches can sometimes over-think the game, but when you derp that hard you should be fired on the spot, permanently lose all credibility and live on the streets eating shoes and hoping none of the bums huddling around the barrel fire recognize you because even bums know you put your best goddamn perimeter defender on MJ.

Pretty sure no one is going to get fired for losing the title in 6 games to the best team EVER.

doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

Jazz fan here, I feel your pain. Losing to that team two years in a row hurts twice as much.

Abiderino: doxonrox99: The championship was nice, but the 96 team with Payton and Kemp was the most exciting.

/Damn MJ kept rings off their fingers though...

Jazz fan here, I feel your pain. Losing to that team two years in a row hurts twice as much.

Knicks fan who knows this pain as well.

/Dunk the ball, shmuck!
/Obscure?

So how much of OKC's success would they have if they were still in Seattle, and how much can honestly be attributed to the new ownership?

ArkPanda: So how much of OKC's success would they have if they were still in Seattle, and how much can honestly be attributed to the new ownership?

As a Sonics fan, it pains me to acknowledge that if Clay Bennett hadn't bought the team, Sam Presti probably wouldn't have been brought on board; Wally Walker would still have been prominently involved. And although that Durant pick was such a no-brainer that even Walker couldn't have farked it up, the rest of the roster moves most likely wouldn't have happened.

Super Chronic: ArkPanda: So how much of OKC's success would they have if they were still in Seattle, and how much can honestly be attributed to the new ownership?

As a Sonics fan, it pains me to acknowledge that if Clay Bennett hadn't bought the team, Sam Presti probably wouldn't have been brought on board; Wally Walker would still have been prominently involved. And although that Durant pick was such a no-brainer that even Walker couldn't have farked it up, the rest of the roster moves most likely wouldn't have happened.

Agreed. They have drafted really well and the GM and front office have a lot to do with the success.

Super Chronic: As a Sonics fan, it pains me to acknowledge that if Clay Bennett hadn't bought the team, Sam Presti probably wouldn't have been brought on board; Wally Walker would still have been prominently involved. And although that Durant pick was such a no-brainer that even Walker couldn't have farked it up, the rest of the roster moves most likely wouldn't have happened.

Their most important roster moves have been via the draft. They didn't reach for Durant or Westbrook, the only two guys on that franchise who are literally not expendable. And guys don't stick around in the front office and get to fail for 10 years while keeping their job (unless they own the team or blow the owner). So, while you're right that the team would not be the same, and probably wouldn't be as good at this stage, the future may well have been as bright.

Had they not traded Green for Perkins, the Thunder would be able to win the NBA Championship, because they'd actually have a chance to beat San Antonio. So, yeah, so much for that roster move.

puffy999: Had they not traded Green for Perkins, the Thunder would be able to win the NBA Championship, because they'd actually have a chance to beat San Antonio. So, yeah, so much for that roster move.

Wait, what?

Green's been out this entire season. There a cap space issue with Perkins I'm unaware of? It was pretty obvious that the Celtics lost a step or three when they lost Perkins.

12349876: srhp29: I find it funny that there are 6 more playoff games today possible...(back then the first round was a 3 game series and the 2nd a 5 game series)...yet the season takes almost a whole month more to complete.

I'm surprised the players have allowed their employers to make their in season work year so much longer over the years.

We would be in the Finals or extremely close to it now if it wasn't for the strike.

True, it would be closer, but the last five seasons, the season has ended June 12 (6 game finals)... June 17(7 game finals)...June 14 (5 game finals)...June 17 (6 game finals)...June 14 (4 game finals)...

Even had the Sonics needed all seven games (they used five), the series likely ends on the 5th rather than the 1st of June. Each of the last five seasons have lasted at least a week longer than that which can be attributed to the longer first and second rounds of the playoffs. That is the only reason the seasons don't end for a week or two later than they did in 79 though. All playoff series are best of 7 rather than best of 3 and best of 5 in the first two rounds.

puffy999: Super Chronic: As a Sonics fan, it pains me to acknowledge that if Clay Bennett hadn't bought the team, Sam Presti probably wouldn't have been brought on board; Wally Walker would still have been prominently involved. And although that Durant pick was such a no-brainer that even Walker couldn't have farked it up, the rest of the roster moves most likely wouldn't have happened.

Their most important roster moves have been via the draft. They didn't reach for Durant or Westbrook, the only two guys on that franchise who are literally not expendable. And guys don't stick around in the front office and get to fail for 10 years while keeping their job (unless they own the team or blow the owner). So, while you're right that the team would not be the same, and probably wouldn't be as good at this stage, the future may well have been as bright.

Had they not traded Green for Perkins, the Thunder would be able to win the NBA Championship, because they'd actually have a chance to beat San Antonio. So, yeah, so much for that roster move.

The Westbrook pick was just about at the very end of my era of paying attention to the NBA. As I recall, Westbrook had been one of those "pre-draft risers," thought to be a borderline lottery pick all through his career at UCLA, who suddenly started getting buzz as a possible top-5 pick in the weeks leading up to the draft; and then he was taken like #3 or #4 or something. Is my memory faulty? It may well be, as I have been trying to expunge all of this from memory. In any event, even if it wasn't thought of as a reach, it might have been thought of at the time as an "inspired pick," meaning not the obvious one. I kind of doubt Walker would have made that pick, although I can't recall off the top of my head who the other choices were thought to be at the time.

On the other hand, Serge Ibaka was the kind of pick Wally would have made (he had a thing for unproven big men), so maybe that would have happened anyway.

And Wally certainly wouldn't have done the Ray Allen-Jeff Green move in the Durant draft. I'm almost certain of that.

Super Chronic: I can't recall off the top of my head who the other choices were thought to be at the time.

Kevin Love was taken right after Westbrook. Then Gallinari. Then Eric Gordon. Later: Roy Hibbert, Ibaka, others who are pretty good.

Gunny Highway: Agreed. They have drafted really well and the GM and front office have a lot to do with the success.

That. And Wally Walker sucks.

Hansen's new FB page for Sonics Arena

Do it, Seattle. You deserve it. Bennett wanted to hold you hostage, Hansen wants to work with you. If you don't do it, you're goddamned fools.