The Web Catches a Lie

My son's birthday party was yesterday and I haven't done any basketball stuff for a few days.

Today I get back on line to discover the following from Storm minority owner, Aubrey McClendon in the Oklahoma newspaper The Journal Record ...

“But we didn’t buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here,” he said. “We know it’s a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it’s great for the community and if we could break even we’d be thrilled.”

Shortly afterword the story was on the front page of ESPN and all of our local papers. Then I find the following response from Clay Bennett and McClendon over at The Tacoma News Tribune in their Sonics blog...

Clay Bennett
“As the controlling owner, I admire my fellow owners and appreciate their support. While they are excited about the basketball operations and the future of the team on the court, they, like me, have been disheartened by the lack of progress we have made to secure a new arena for the Sonics and Storm.

"Aubrey expressed his personal thoughts and, in context of the story, was not speaking on behalf of the ownership group. It is my hope we will see a breakthrough in the next 60 days that will result in securing a new arena for the Sonics and Storm in the Greater Seattle area.”

Aubrey McClendon
“I support our efforts to secure a new arena for the Sonics and Storm in the Greater Seattle area. Clay is the one who speaks for the ownership group. Today's interview in the Oklahoma City-based business newspaper, Journal Record, simply reflects what has been my personal desire concerning NBA basketball in Oklahoma City. It has always been my hope that Oklahoma City would have an NBA team someday.

"That said, I was always aware and understood our number one goal was to work with officials to build a new arena in the Seattle area. I have supported Clay and the ownership group to use our good faith best efforts to secure a new arena and keep the teams in Seattle. I admire Clay's tireless efforts and his persistence to get an arena and keep the teams in Seattle. "I support him completely. The comment about my personal hopes cannot in any way be interpreted to mean the organization has not exhaustively pursued every reasonable avenue to get an arena deal done and keep the Sonics and Storm in Seattle. However, as Clay has consistently stated, a solution to the arena issue must be found by October 31.”

I am really ticked over the whole thing. Frankly I feel lied to and cheated by the whole organization. They are making a big season ticket renewal push right now and it is all leaving a big nasty taste in my mouth.

I renewed my Sonics season tickets (after planning not to do so) when they drafted Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, but felt like a fool when Bennett came out and said he didn't think anything new or worthwhile had come up worth talking about in terms of the teams staying in Seattle.

I feel like an idiot being played by an ownership group who thinks Seattle fans are easy targets...as PT Barnum is perhaps incorrectly quoted, "There's a sucker born every minute...and two to take 'em."

I don't like being made a fool of. I remember the Seattle Reign folding. I don't think the organization legally is required to refund Seat Licenses for events moved to Oklahoma City. Why should I subsidize someone else's seat in Oklahoma? If they get my money and move the team they can sell the first season's seats at 1/2 price and walk away with a profitable season of WNBA basketball in season one!

I want to support the players and coaches, but I am becoming a seriously disillusioned and disatisfied supporter of the ownership and their management team.