Deadspin
Since they bought the Seattle Sonics, Clay Bennett and company have claimed that they did not have the initial intention to move the team to Oklahoma City. (They even told David Stern as much.) No one has ever believed them, and now there's proof.
Early emails have been released as a part of court papers, and they're definitive evidence that the group always planned on shipping the team to Oklahoma City. Which is no news to anyone; it's just nice to have proof they lied.
Email from Clay Bennett to David Stern, 8/17/07: "As absolutely remarkable as it may seem, Aubrey and I have NEVER discussed moving the Sonics to Oklahoma City, nor have I discussed it with ANY other member of our ownership group." But, and there's really no other way to put this, Bennett was lying. He'd talked about it at least four months earlier.
Email exchange between [Sonics owners] Tom Ward and Clay Bennett, 4/17/07: Ward: Is there any way to move here for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle? Bennett: I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!
Owners have learned their lesson from Art Modell. The way to move a franchise is not to sneak out in the middle of the night. It is to slowly demoralize and decimate the fanbase, to the point that people can't wait for you to leave. Make yourself not be missed. We hope Oklahoma City enjoys their team, and that they don't so much as utter a peep with this shit happens to them in 15 years.
Clay Bennett Lied To David Stern [Enjoy The Enjoyment]
Comments
That's the kind of bold flavor they enjoy in Albuquerque!
The power of Stern compels you!
The mom from "Family Ties" is not happy about the man behind her jackin' it with the hot dog.
It continued:
Ward: Check out the video tour of the proposed new arena in Oklahoma City.
+ Watch video
Bennett: Aw, hell. You Rick Rolled me!
Much of SE Texas misses the Oilers, but not Bud Adams.
Is that picture from "Earnest Goes to a Sonics Game?"
Oh, and Tom... Don't cum yet.
/X-man
Thou shalt not speak thy name of whose name we do not speak of!
/fuck Modell
15 years? They should be so lucky. Clay will have sold the team for a profit and the new ownership will be making googly eyes at Omaha or some other podunk shithole with big-league aspirations in eight years, tops.
@Spanish Necktie:
You know what I mean VERNon Maxwell?
See how many of Shawn Kemp's offspring you can spot in that picture. I count at least three.
Which Seattle company was busted by Internal emails showing that they planned to do something shady, despite public claims of innocence, all while ramming a shitty product down the public's throat?
Microsonics?
Clay Bennett could have taught Sean Kemp a thing or twelve about pulling out. Timing is everything.
As someone who lives in Oklahoma I would love to see a Pro franchise here. Although I really wish it wasn't the NBA and even more so I don't want the deal to go down like it is with the Sonics.
Seatle can keep their underachieving franchise for all I care.
I second that sign.
-Timothy McVeigh
Owners have learned their lesson from Art Modell.
Especially the part about moving your franchise to the STD capital of the world.
Jim Ballsillie admires Bennett's desire
@7-8 Deville: The Long Island Browns?
Let's look on the bright side: at least the Sonics won't be pretentious and/or Asian anymore.
I vote the Sonics be forced to wear Baltimore Colts and Charlotte Hornets jerseys at home and Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers jerseys on the road for their first season in OK City. Ya know, to remind folks what ass-eaters Bennett and Ward are.
@7-8 Deville: Bennett tried, but the Nassau Coliseum just couldn't handle an NBA franchise.
Why my main sports allegiances remain with college. I'm pretty sure my alma mater is not up and leaving its current digs.
@Doug Llewelyn, Court Reporter:
As do I.
- Community Theatre Attendee
It looks like Jim Varney is alive and well and pretty pissed off about the Sonics moving.
Just give them the goddman Knicks. Nobody in NY wants them anymore.
@David Hume: I think you meant Microsonicbucks.
Shocking Newsflash: Clay Bennett Is A Liar
Also this just in, the Falkland Islands have been invaded.
"Owners have learned their lesson from Art Modell. The way to move a franchise is not to sneak out in the middle of the night"
Because then you'll never win a championsh...
Did you miss me? I missed you too...I missed you so much I followed you today. Yeah, that's right...now close yo mouth, cuz you're cold busted!!
"Owners have learned their lesson from Art Modell. The way to move a franchise is not to sneak out in the middle of the night"
Because then the deprived city will never get back their old te...
How much money do you think they'd lose if they sold no tickets next year?
@twoeightnine: 13 dollars?
@Dany Heatley Speedwagon: This just in: General Francisco Franco is still dead.
@Suss--: @Suss--: ouch and ouch. Well played.
@Dany Heatley Speedwagon: Joe Morgan, still an idiot.
@Dany Heatley Speedwagon: @DennyCrane: @ghostsoftheSCupcountry:
Chris Berman, still.
@EDogII: So you're saying you saw Clay Bennett and OKC walking in the rain?
@Im a people person. Who drinks.: Were they holding hands?
Oklahoma City SuperSonics? Nah.
Clay Bennett: Talk to me! I am a man possessed! I'm 40!
To slowly demoralize and decimate the fanbase, to the point that people can't wait for you to leave.
I think this has been in the Jets' operating agreement since 1970.
@FoxHoundADAM: I am with you. As an Oklahoma resident I would love the idea of having an NBA team, I loved the two years with the Hornets. The way that the city is funding the arena is wrong and that is what bothers me.
@EDogII: SuperSonic-y Oklahomans > Jazzy Utahites
So less Art Modell/Colts more Rachel Phelps/Indians
@Little Lebowski Urban Achiever: That's alright. Soon Seattle will get the Hornets and the OK Sonics will move to the Big Easy. Payback etc.
@MattinglysSideburns: You know me, Ill be quirky
@EDogli +1 for the Oran Juice Jones reference. You without me is like corn flake without the milk!
@MattinglysSideburns: Joel Duffman at the The Newsly Times said the whole thing is just a smear campaign. oh yeah!
I'll be quirky.
Clay Bennett makes Art Moddell look like Mother FUCKING Teresa. In case David Stern and his shit-eating grin are concerned, the NBA is fucking dead to me, and that includes any phony-ass Replacement Sonics he brings to Seattle later on. Both of them can suck a big, fat pile of syphilis-infected cocks!
Bill Belichick lost all his emails in a tsunami. He told me.
--r. gooddell
Fuck Clay Bennett and Fuck Howard Schultz. May you both have a slow painful aids riddled ending.
I hope you enjoy your fucking draft picks Oklahomo.
The way to move a franchise is not to sneak out in the middle of the night.
I would humbly suggest that be called the Shinn Rule. Sorry bastard.