I'll take the old crowd.

I think that most people I run into find it interesting (our image) and colorful. I live in Texas now, and have in the past... but I spent close to 40 years in Oklahoma City & Tulsa. The Texans do not worry about part of their image being "Cowboys & Native Americans" at all, they are damned proud of it as they quite proud of all the other parts to their image. They do not see themselves as defined by outsiders, but rather by themselves, i.e., as a mix of the old and new the past and future. When I go out, I have a choice, I can go to Gilleys or some Jazz place, it's America ! Some people will be surprised what they call 'old' one of these days soon --- If you're alive, you're young. Enjoy it !

Well Yee-Haw!

Certainly if Seattle think there is a reasonable chance the Sonics will win, they should be negotiating right now for a big buyout:

Sonics think $10M should buy out Seattle lease
The Associated PressPublished: June 12, 2008

SEATTLE: The SuperSonics' argument for why they should be allowed to move to Oklahoma City next season is succinctly stated in the trial brief for the team's upcoming court battle with the city of Seattle.

"Leases are generally not specifically enforceable," reads the first sentence of the Sonics' brief, obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday night after it was filed in federal court in advance of a trial set to begin here Monday.

The Sonics, Seattle's oldest professional sports franchise with 41 years in town, are seeking to break the final two years of their lease at KeyArena by paying the city a sum of no more than $10, which the team believes would satisfy the rental agreement with the arena. The team's states it lost $30 million this past season, when the Sonics were 20-62, their worst-ever record.

The city, which also filed its brief Wednesday, argues the lease requires "specific performance," that is, the Sonics need to play in KeyArena through the 2009-2010 season.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman is presiding over the non-jury trial, expected to wrap up June 26.

"Damages in the form of rent make the landlord whole," the Sonics' brief states. "The facts show it is time to end the relationship (with the city of Seattle), not continue it by force. Both parties will be worse off financially with forced performance, and there is no offsetting benefit."

In a deposition taken in April, Sonics owner Clay Bennett testified he and his co-owners would lose between $61 million and $65 million if forced to play in Seattle for two "lame-duck" seasons. Bennett said the Sonics would make $18.8 million should the court allow the team to play in his hometown beginning this fall.

"While the city relies on the interests of the public at large, the public is not a party to the lease. As nonparties, their interests are legally irrelevant," the team's brief states.

"The great majority of the public has a yawning indifference to the Sonics' departure," the brief adds.

While attendance decreased last season to 28th in the league, the team still officially drew an average of 13,355 fans per game — 78 percent of capacity in the NBA's smallest venue.

The brief counters that the actual in-house attendance per game was 9,146 last season. The team says that 28 percent of ticket holders paid for a seat but didn't go to the game.

"In other words, nearly one-third of those who paid for a ticket did not attend," the brief states. "This is, unfortunately, compelling evidence of the level of disinterest."

The brief cited a survey taken by the polling firm Field Research in November, 2007 — just after Bennett announced he was applying to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season. The survey said 66 percent of Seattle's residents believe it would make no difference to them if the team left or they would be "better off."

The brief, filed for Bennett's Professional Basketball Club LLC, also warned that if Pechman rules against the Sonics, she will be creating more work for her court.

"If forced to stay, the PBC may be forced to drastically alter its business methods," the team said. "There is little doubt that this would involve the court in a challenge to the team's business methods."

The team also reiterated its belief the city is trying through "forced bleeding" to push Bennett into selling to more Seattle-friendly investors — such as previously interested Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, who is mentioned by name later in the brief.

The brief also reminded the court that the Sonics under Bennett's ownership will leave Seattle after the lease expires in 2010 anyway, since the NBA has already approved the team's move to Oklahoma City.

Take that "City of Seattle".

Some good news for us until the trial starts on Monday.

That position sounds tenable.

It is actually $10 million.

__________________
Oklahoma City - The surprise your family has been looking for.

If you were referring to me, I just meant it looks good in our favor, however I'll feel more confident when the trial starts and things leak out of the courtroom.

Nah, I just meant in general that I felt those statements directly and effectively addressed the pertinent legal issues. I can't wait for this drama to be over!

ESPN.com covered the same AP article, however they have a poll to vote when or if you think the Sonics will play in OKC. The Seattle people are trying to skew it in their favor. Let's go rock the vote as well.......


ESPN - Sonics say both sides worse off if they're forced to stay - NBA

Voted!

Rock the vote, I voted 2008 of course - because that is what will happen.

__________________
Oklahoma City, RENAISSANCE CITY!

HOTROD, what's the latest on the street. I know we read the wires, but whats the mood like, etc. You haven't commented in quite awhile.

If all you youngsters want OKC to be more modern and cosmo, then get to it. What's stopping you?

Trial starts today. Glad this thing is almost over.

Me too, although it's the Schultz lawsuit I REALLY want to be over. This one is just about "when", and I've waited a long time for a team and would prefer not to wait any longer, but can deal with it. It's the suit over ownership that I wish we could get past.

No doubt, Betts. I just can't imagine Shultz winning but stranger things have happened, I guess......but even then, that decision would have to survive appeals.

But I'm with you, even if this thing continues to drag on, this will be a lot easier to stomach if we get past the Shultz suit.

Agreed. At least that suit has a decreased chance of succeeding compared to this one.

So does anyone actually think Shultz has a chance to rescende the sale?

He doesn't want to rescind the sale, actually. That would require him taking back the team and coughing up the huge profit he made on the sale back to PBC. What he wants the court to do is make a "constructive trust" which would force the sale of the Sonics from PBC to a buyer in Seattle...which is pretty ridiculous. I don't think he has a chance in hell of getting that remedy, but I think he has a good shot at delaying this crap more...

Here's a minute-by-minute blog of the trial.

Minute-by-minute: Day 1 at Seattle vs. Sonics trial | Special Report | KING5.com | News for Seattle, Washington

I highly doubt a court would even grant a preliminary injunction to prevent the Sonics from moving in that case.

__________________
It's a friendlier OKCTalk!

From the PI:

PBC attorney Brad Keller revealed damning evidence, exposing a meeting between former Sonics president Wally Walker, Microsoft mogul Steve Baller and former senator Slade Gorton in the winter of 2007 to “increase the pain of staying” for Bennett and force him to sell the team to a group led by Ballmer.

In a meeting Keller tabbed “THE PATH FORWARD,” he said Baller and Gorton met at Walker’s house and 1
1) “increase the pain of staying” (financial and reputation).
2) Decide if there is a buyer (for the team)

Keller said on Dec. 12, 2007, the group wanted to push litigation to force the Sonics to stay and forcing bleeding of about $20 million per year. He also said the city was on board with the “bleed them until they sell” philosophy.”

Keller then revealed a Wally Walker email to billionaire John Stanton on July 24, 2007

“I met with the city today and felt better about my message of fighting Clay’s attempt to leave. Make it too expensive and too litigious for him. I get the impression that they were in total agreement and that they (administration) understood the value of buying more time.”

I agree, esp. if PBC wins this first suit. Doesn't Judge Pechman have both cases on her docket now? Or did i make that up...