Bennett - Scumbag? or Genius?

Guys, you should be excited about getting an NBA team to your city.  The scumbag in all this is not Clay Bennett at all, it's the Starbucks IDIOT...Howard Shultz, who is a Seattle native who sold this team to Clay Bennett.  He's the real villian from a Seattle standpoint.  All he did was whine about losing money during his stint as Sonics' owner, yet ultimetly sold the team for $200 MIL more than he bought it for.....oh, poor Howard.....CHUMP.

Anyway, you are mistaken in that Clay gave Seattle a "real" choice in this.  Bennett said Seattle could dump $600+ million of public money to build him the greatest basketball arena on earth.  It was his ONLY option to the goverment of Seattle/Washington.  I'm a big sports fan and just hate to see the Sonics go, but even the good folks from Oklahoma who are dying for a pro sports franchise would have laughed him out of town if that was his ONLY option to have the team

Further, Bennett's partner - Aubrey McLendon let the cat out of the bag several months ago when he said it was this group's goal all along to move the team.....further proof Howard Shultz is the real jerk in all of this (from a Seattle standpoint).  To that point, they've done everything possible since coming to the Northwest to alienate the Sonics' loyal fan base.  They even limit the number of radio interviews on Seattle's most prominate sports radio station for players to one per week just so the fans won't get to know this group of players.  Come on....he's doing everything he can to show the NBA and the NBA fan base Seattle doesn't care, but you need to be in the situation (in Seattle) to get a real feel for what Bennett's done.

Bennett is a shrewd businessman, but the carpetbagger did not give Seattle a fair opportunity to save its team. He set impossible standards for what he wanted and operated on a timeframe he set that would preclude action. All of this was done with the premeditated intent to move the team to his hometown. The Sonics still have a lease to play in Seattle at the existing arena for two years. A proposal is on the table with private financing for $150 million of improvements. The city has found a way to provide $75 million for parking improvements. There's only $75 million left to cover. That's less than the team will invest in next year's lottery pick for the building that will provide the new revenue streams Bennett wants.

What will be interesting to see is what happens in year 3 of the OKC whatevers. Once the newness wears off can a small market team support an NBA franchise that always needs more and more money? You'll notice the Hornets haven't been trying to get in front of Bennett on the relocation effort.

I am not from Seattle nor am I rationalizing when I call Bennett a liar. He lied to the people of Seattle and the season ticket holders of the Sonics. Thus, he is a liar. As far as a scumbag, that is indeed a tad mean spirited and somewhat objective. Its certainly not fair too scumbags to include Bennett in their lot.

My heart aches for the fans of the Sonics, I have always detested these fat cats holding teams for ransom so they can get the citizens of that city to pay huge sums of money to keep their teams. To date, the colts slithering out of town was the slimiest team move, this tops that. I hope the good people of OKC realize their gain is ill gotten and comes at the expense of others breaking hearts. These same maggots can one day break your heart as well.  I have often wondered what I would do if  I resided in a city where a team was relocated from this type of fat cat poaching. I can honestly say I would not support it. I am a fan, thus I am stupid, but I do not like moral fiber, and I could not enjoy this poached team while innocent fans suffer.

Why do the citizens of Seattle need to build a 500 million dollar arena and OKC does not?
What other arena in the NBA cost 500 Million?
Why did the NBA fine Sonic Owner Aubrey Mclendon for telling the truth?
Nice attribute Stern!!!
Yes Bennett is a liar, despicable liar!!