Howard Schultz filed suit Tuesday to rescind his sale of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. Schultz had indicated previously that he was considering the move, but apparently decided today to press forward. The decision to press suit was apparently motivated by the discovery of emails between Bennett and his partners in the Bennett's Professional Basketball Club organization which were ... ahem ... slightly duplicitous regarding Bennett's previously stated intentions to stay in Seattle, which were revealed by a report from the Seattle Times.
"Ward: Is there any way to move here for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?"Apparently, Schultz's lawyers find that a little bit ... awkward. In the suit filed today, they stated that Bennett's public statement that the club had every intention of trying to remain in Seattle was "false from the moment it was made."
"Bennett: I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!"
It would appear that Schultz is not willing to go down without a fight, though it may ultimately be in vain.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-23-2008 @ 8:38AM
frank said...
What will happen if in Oklahoma City nobody show up for the games ? No fans, not interested ? then the Seattle Supersonics will go back to Seattle??
At least they ( Seattle) has a following in Seattle.
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4-23-2008 @ 10:11AM
Buvi Duvi said...
Seattle is where the Sonics belong. OKC is way to inbred, ignorant, and ugly. They can't even comprehend the game of basketball there. It would explain why Bennet looks so retarded, not to mention he sucks on Sterns cock. So I guess people in OKC are homosexual too. Isn't today like gay day or something? It must be a national holiday down there.
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5-22-2008 @ 4:57PM
Chummy24 said...
Wow. You're kind of stupid aren't you Duvi? We can't comprehend basketball? Basketball is a staple in the midwest. The national championship winning coach of this year, Bill Self, was born and raised in Oklahoma. I'm sorry we don't have 700 Starbucks in one town. But as far as people not attending games. We've already proven that we will sell out games with our 2-year NOOCH tryout. And that was a rental team. This team will be as popular to the people here as the packers are to Green Bay, the Kings to Sacramento, and the Jazz are to Utah. We aren't inbred and only a slight majority of us are ignorant and ugly. This state needs this team. It will thrive in OKC because there is nothing else there. The city was on fire when the hornets were there. And ask Chris Paul how he liked it there. He has said time and time again how much he has enjoyed his time in the City. I honestly can't wait until we get a team. And whats this "Proud history" shit. One championship in forty years? I'm sorry that's not enough to stay. Slick Watts, Sikma, and the x-man be damned. The main landmark from the sonics' history that sticks out to me was the ugliness of the jerseys when they had Pat Ewing.
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4-23-2008 @ 2:28PM
tdbrought said...
Oklahoma's NBA team will be successful until the Jacksonville Jaguars move there, at which time they will become about as popular as the Hornets are in New Orleans (read: a DISTANT second place in a town that is too small for two teams, and which prefers football anyway).
It's sad to see Seattle lose their team, though I'm sure they will get another. I wouldn't be surprised if the city goes for their new MLS team in a big way. There are a lot of internatiional immigrants in Seattle, and it's demographics are of the type that enjoys soccer anyway. I think soccer has overtaken basketball as the nation's third most popular sport already, and now that ESPN will be relentlessly promoting their product, I expect the sport to only grow in popularity here.
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4-23-2008 @ 5:41PM
hoodoo said...
Does Howard really want the team back? He can't sell it to anyone else without permission of the NBA Board of Governors, and so he'll have the arena-less, losing millions team back. Worse, the Seattle and Washington government will know they don't have to build an arena to keep the team there, because who's going to buy it if the NBA won't give him permission to sell or move it?
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4-23-2008 @ 10:45PM
JP said...
tdbrought, RE: Jaguars in OKC? Boy you guys really are getting high on your on supply. If the Jags go anywhere they're going to L.A.. Pick up a newspaper once in awhile....Provided you can read that is.
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5-29-2008 @ 3:10AM
lenny said...
I would love for the Sonics to stay in Seattle. I've been a fan for 30 years and will remain so regardless of where they play. Oh well, now I have more money to spend on Seahawks and Mariners games. I think Clay Bennett should have been more honest about his intentions; but if Howard Schultz had kept the team or looked toward Washington State investors, we would not have this mess.
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4-27-2008 @ 3:06AM
tdbrought said...
JP. I would think typing a coherent sentence proves I can read. Then again, you managed to spell all your words correctly, but you are still an idiot, so maybe it doesn't prove much.
LA could have had several teams over the last decade. Instead of running to Los Angeles, the NFL went to Houston, Baltimore, and Nashville -- not tiny towns sure (each has at least one other major franchise -- kind of like Oklahoma would), but not the size of LA either. What did they do that LA refuses to? If you answered "build a free stadium," you might not be a total idiot (note: reading newspapers frequently makes someone even stupider than if they just used common sense, with the added negative that they THINK they are smart. Kind of like FOX News viewers thinking they understand politics).
LA won't give the NFL billions in free money. LA will not get a team. What they WILL get is the chance to be a weapon every few years when a team threatens to move to LA unless they get a new stadium. Remember when the Colts were definitely going to LA? Then they built a stadium. Now they stay. It's the Jaguars' turn now. When Jacksonville, Oklahoma, or Las Vegas is dumb enough to bankrupt themselves, the Jags will have a home. I guarantee you that home will not be in Southern California.
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