Sonic Sellout

Is there any reason why a professional basketball team isn't in Seattle?  It is a question I have mulled over and over for sometime and I have come to a few conclusions. 

One being the commisioner of the NBA is not standing in line but leading the line for hand outs from anyone with money that wants a team.  Interesting how he inducted Clay Bennett into the Oklahoma H.O.F.  As well as dangle other franchises i.e. Memphis, Toronto, Charlotte, and New Orleans(until they got good) out for other cities as well.  You stuff his pockets and he will make sure you get a team.

Second being the other owners were forced to vote alike for the commisioner.  Look at Mark Cuban who voted for them too stay in Seattle.  He tries to buy the Cubs and Stern tells Bud Selig don't do it. 

Explain to me how leaving a market as rich as Seattle's ranked number one in the economy that is in disarray worth while as a league?  It wasn't so long ago that GP and Kemp were battling Jordan and Pippen in the '96 championship. 

Now Seattle is the city that lost a long battle over that same team.  The NBA is a league of young and exuberant players who in recent drafts have for the most part gotten the league out of "Thug status" and into the family rooms of American's agai, except in Seattle.  I can remember watching every NBA game on Christmas with my uncles and dad and grandpa in the 80's and 90's. 

Then losing interest with likes of Darius Miles, Ron Artest, and other thugs wasting the league away.  Only in the last couple of years has my love for the game been rekindled in shear amazement over the young talent especially in Seattle. 

Despite a bad agreement with the city of Seattle over how revenue was divvied up, this is a city rich in love for basketball.  David Stern's escape route made it easy to blame the city officials and Christine (I don't care about sports) Gregoire. 

This city is a hotbed for high school prospects for colleges to choose from.  If you think deeper about this, the nearest team to root for is in Portland which isn't too far away.  Yet always a bitter rival it also has three key people there that could sway our market I think fairly quickly.  Those being Martell Webster, Brandon Roy, and Nate McMillan.  All three were on the Seattle Times sports page cover for the last 12 years. 

It makes a Portland hater have a soft spot all of a sudden to see these local hero's triumph.  Stern knew this as well and assumes that Seattle won't miss basketball.  I have news for you Mr. Stern if basketball makes it back to Seattle we won't thank you. 

Steve Stone