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metro
04-15-2008, 07:36 AM
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Reports: Schultz to claim Sonics owners breached terms of sale

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services

The former owner of the Seattle SuperSonics plans to sue the current owners to get the team back, arguing they breached a condition of the sale to make a "good-faith effort" to keep Seattle's oldest pro sports franchise from leaving town, according to Seattle-area media reports.

Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz, who sold the Sonics to an Oklahoma City-based group led by Clay Bennett, will not seek monetary damages, but wants the team back, according to his attorney, Richard Yarmuth.

"It's not money damage. It's to have the team returned," Yarmuth said, according to The Seattle times. "The theory of the suit is that when the team was sold, the Basketball Club of Seattle, our team here, relied on promises made by Clay Bennett and his ownership that they desired to keep the team in Seattle and intended to make a good-faith effort to accomplish that."

The team's ownership group has sought NBA approval to move the team to Oklahoma City for next season. The city has taken the team to court to enforce its lease at Key Arena, which runs through September of 2010.

The lawsuit, expected to be filed in the next two weeks, comes after the city obtained and made public e-mails among members of the Sonics ownership group, in which they are seen privately discussing a move to Oklahoma City at the same time they were publicly pledging to continue "good-faith" efforts to remain in Seattle.

After purchasing the team and the WNBA's Seattle Storm from Schultz in July, 2006 for $350 Bennett promised to spend one full year after the purchase was approved to seek a viable home for the Sonics in Seattle. The NBA approved the sale of the Sonics in October 2006.


Bennett's trips to Washington state to lobby for a a proposed $500 million arena in suburban Renton and his hiring of a Seattle-based lobbyist and architectural firm have no bearing on the lawsuit, Yarmuth told the Times.


"We're talking about fraud at the time the contract was signed," Yarmuth said, according to the newspaper. "It's not merely what activities, good faith or otherwise, were engaged in after the contract was signed so far as lobbying for a new stadium."


Bennett and ownership partners Aubrey McClendon and Tom Ward exchanged e-mails in April 2007 in which they discussed whether there was any way to avoid further "lame duck" seasons in Seattle before the team could be relocated.


Bennett responded: "I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys."


Four months later, after McClendon was quoted by an Oklahoma publication that "we didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here," Bennett told NBA commissioner David Stern in an e-mail that the group had not discussed a move to Oklahoma City.

"I haven't studied them but my sense of it was that Clay, as the managing partner and the driving force of the group, was operating in good faith under the agreement that had been made with Howard Schultz," Stern said on a conference call Monday. "His straight and narrow path may not have been shared by all of his partners in their views, but Clay was the one that was making policy for the partnership."

The NBA's owners are expected to vote on the proposed Sonics move Friday. The league's relocation committee has already approved the move.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kerry
04-15-2008, 07:55 AM
Just more distraction. There is no way Schultz is going to get the team back. If he was going to file the suit he would need to have done it back during the first year. Otherwise, what would stop him from filing a lawsuit 25 years from now to get the team back? It just doesn't work that way.

Dustbowl
04-15-2008, 08:00 AM
Just more distraction. There is no way Schultz is going to get the team back. If he was going to file the suit he would need to have done it back during the first year. Otherwise, what would stop him from filing a lawsuit 25 years from now to get the team back? It just doesn't work that way.

Have you ever heard of something called "statute of limitations"? Look it up.

OKCTalker
04-15-2008, 08:14 AM
Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Schultz. Even though it ain't gonna happen, getting the team back in Seattle would be your worst nightmare.

autoMATTic
04-15-2008, 08:18 AM
Specific performance of contract is extremely frowned upon nowadays. This applies to both Seattle's efforts to "make the team stay" and this news of Mr. Starbuck trying to "give the team back to the city." Ask any lawyer. This is a distraction and a way to save face for Schultz and the city. By not seeking monetary damages (Schultz) and not accepting monetary damages (the city), the plaintiffs have left a gaping hole. This is PR. Save this post. Both lawsuits will end in the same result.

soonerfever
04-15-2008, 08:42 AM
Would this even have happened if Schultz wasn't back as CEO of Starbucks? Now he is going to turn Starbucks around and save the Sonics for Seattle.

BDP
04-15-2008, 09:21 AM
Have you ever heard of something called "statute of limitations"?

Usually 6 years for contracts of sales, possibly 10 years for recovery of property.

The real question is whether discussing a move amongst themselves constitutes a breach under the good faith clause. I would think that would be pretty hard considering how much they did do to attempt to actually keep the team there. It can be a pretty subjective thing and they will have to show that he concretely undermined the process or never had any intention of honoring any aspect of their terms proposed during negotiations. Since they did negotiate with the state and the city and the state and the city basically refused to negotiate with them, how can it be proven that they negotiated in bad faith?

I think this is really another stall to try and find another way to keep the team there. I doubt that Schultz will get the team back based on any good faith violation, but it may serve to delay any ruling on the lease suit beyond this year.

Kerry
04-15-2008, 10:08 AM
Dustbowl - Stautes of Limitations on a side letter that was not part of the sale? Schultz might have a case if the good faith clause was part of the sales contract but it wasn't.

The Schultz group had 57 people in it. If this was even remotely probable don't you think one those other owners would have tried this by now. This is the Seattle version of a hail mary. Chances are it will fall to the ground at about the 20 yard line. DB, I know you are self hating Oklahoma but this lawsuit won't help you relieve any guilt.

Drake
04-15-2008, 10:18 AM
Be careful you guys. You are just asking for a possible ass kicking at the Iron Star around noon time.

jbrown84
04-15-2008, 10:23 AM
I would think that would be pretty hard considering how much they did do to attempt to actually keep the team there. It can be a pretty subjective thing and they will have to show that he concretely undermined the process or never had any intention of honoring any aspect of their terms proposed during negotiations.

That was exactly my thinking.

CrimsonOberon
04-15-2008, 10:40 AM
Be careful you guys. You are just asking for a possible ass kicking at the Iron Star around noon time.

:lol2:

solitude
04-15-2008, 10:52 AM
Has the exact wording of the side agreement between Bennett and Mr. Schultz ever been made public?

By the way, this is now on the front page of MSNBC. It links to this story:
Report: Ex-Sonics owner will sue to regain team - NBA - MSNBC.com (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24125526/)

metro
04-15-2008, 10:56 AM
I agree that the whole Schultz lawsuit might not have a chance, but if nothing else, all new developments (emails, Schultz, and others yet to come) are definitely making us wait longer to get a team rather than sooner.

OKCMallen
04-15-2008, 11:15 AM
Save this post. Both lawsuits will end in the same result.

I don't know- the lease suit is legit. This just seems ridiculous. He made like $150mil on the sale, didn't he? He wants to disgorge that??

venture
04-15-2008, 11:17 AM
This is why you don't put anything in writing in emails unless you are okay with it eventually going public. Had Clay and the boys kept their feelings to themselves our out of writing, this would be all for nothing right now. If anything this will now be tied up in the courts until the lease is up.

The damage to the public reputation to OKC is definitely not helping. Say what you will...but people read headlines without investigating them more. So far OKC has been seen as the bad guy coming in and trying to steal a storied team from one of the country's great cities.

Yes OKC would love to have an NBA team here, but at the cost of our image and character...is it worth it? There will be those that are blinded by the situation and say "hell yes" and "screw what they say, we deserve it".

Our arena will be around what...$200M in total cost once the renovations are done? They were demanding $500M from Seattle? I don't really think the cost of doing business is inflated that much. Common sense would dictate that Bennett and Co purchased the team to move and wanted the bar set high, that if they reached it, they would be forced to stay.

The whole deal is shaddy...and that includes EVERYONE involved. From Schultz to Bennett to Stern. Unfortunately if this does go the wrong way for OKC, we are forever going to have the black stamp on us about how we will do whatever we can to get a team - honest or not.

OKCMallen
04-15-2008, 11:23 AM
Our arena will be around what...$200M in total cost once the renovations are done? They were demanding $500M from Seattle? I don't really think the cost of doing business is inflated that much. Common sense would dictate that Bennett and Co purchased the team to move and wanted the bar set high, that if they reached it, they would be forced to stay.



Apples and oranges dude. The Ford Center was built WITH IMPROVEMENTS INTENDED. That's why it's so much cheaper. We have a bigger footprint than KeyArena, as well. KeyArena is old, with a smaller footprint, which makes it more costly to bring it up to date. Think about what you're saying before you imply that Bennett & Co. was shady about the amount needed to make KeyArena suitable for now and the future, because you're slinging mud but your implication relies on a fault assumption (i.e.- the cost of fixing up the Ford and Key should be approximately the same).

Besides, do you think Bennett got out his sliderule and some graph paper to design it himself and came up with this number. Probably scores of people had to do with designs and estimates, and you'd be pleased to know, that the company he hired to do it was independent from himself.

sgt. pepper
04-15-2008, 11:33 AM
I would think that would be pretty hard considering how much they did do to attempt to actually keep the team there.
I was thinking this too. All this is crazy, Shultz just dose not want to be one of the "bad guys" in the eyse of the Seattle fans. Bennett has made many attempts to stay in Seattle hasn't he? Bennett and his group are business people. They are not going to spend millions of dollars on a team and take them some where just to lose all of that money just because they want a NBA team in OKC, They believe in OKC. They believe there is a market here or they would not have persude it. Who wants to own a NBA team where they are not wanted? Seattle fans and Schultz should blame thier own legislators and THEMSELVES if they don't like what is happening to the Sonics, NOT Bennett. Seattle has the third lowest NBA attendance in the league...behind New Orleans ESPN - NBA Attendance - National Basketball Association (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance). Seattle fans should just shut up and face the fact that they thenselves kicked the Sonics out of town and quit bashing OKC!.....imo

betts
04-15-2008, 11:37 AM
Not to mention, giving up the lawsuit and selling the team is not going to change national perception. It's too late for that. Those people who think negatively about us already do, based on what's happened over the last two years. I seriously doubt anything that happens now will change much. I suspect if you were to stand on streetcorners around the country, you'd find most people don't even know about this, of the ones who do most would prefer the Sonics stay in Seattle but they don't care that much. Most of the people who are truly agitated about this either live in Seattle and are Sonics fans (not everyone in Seattle by a long shot) or they're from Seattle and they're Sonics' fans. If the team moves here, this will be brought up by sports journalists every once in a while, and as far as negativity goes, it's certainly no worse than what happened in Baltimore when the Colts left. That gets Indianapolis a negative comment or two during significant games when the announcers are looking to fill space.

Remember as well that the Muckleshoot Indians also hired someone to look at possible arena costs, and they were very close to Clay Bennett's figures. The Orlando arena will cost $450 million, and the Brooklyn arena is up close to $600 million. A house in Seattle costs three times what a comparable house in Oklahoma City costs, so there are obviously differences in construction costs, whether they be land costs, permit costs or labor costs.

OKCMallen
04-15-2008, 11:46 AM
Agreed betts, and to reiterate what I said above, the projects aren't even the SAME project, so you can't expect the costs to stay proportional to the cost of living/building discrepancies.

MikeLucky
04-15-2008, 11:48 AM
I agree with the above posters about this being a PR stunt...

Ballmer didn't even really want this team.... he has enough money to buy the team for twice what Bennett did, build his own $500 million dollar arena and not even register a blip on his bottom line.... but he didn't. So he comes in at the last hour with a "proposal" that hinges on the state doing something it was never going to do anyway AND puts a deadline on it..... and now he is perceived as a hero trying to save the day when in reality he was never in jeopardy of ever having to spend a penny....

This attempt by Schultz is pretty much the same thing.... he's trying to save face and keep selling coffee to Seattleites....

sroberts24
04-15-2008, 12:02 PM
this is pathetic and almost funny!!! clay bennett and the boys have spent more time and money to try to keep the team there than he has in his lifetime, now this garbage!!!! its just a PR stunt so he can be back in good standing with the people of seatle.... and he is making it harder for seatle to ever get a team again!!

adaniel
04-15-2008, 12:04 PM
What legal merit does Howard Shultz have in suing Bennet? This isn't elementary school bro, no doevers or makeups. I seriously don't know that much about law, but there was nothing in the contract between Shultz and Bennet that said plans couldn't be made if the negotiations wouldn't work out. And I'm pretty sure that relocation was brought by Bennet on numerous occasions when negotations repeatedly stalled. Last time I checked Starbucks stock was down 40 percent. Maybe he should focus on that.

For what its worth, I see a lot of people worried about how the nastiness of this whole thing is affecting OKC's image. Kelly Ogle gave a "My Two Cents" piece a few days back, and I almost barfed on myself for agreeing with Kelly Ogle on anything. He said that people in Seattle are more offended by the fact that their team is being taken away by a bunch of "stupid Okies" more than the fact that they are being taken away at all. They have a massive superiority complex up there and are now being outdone by someone in "flyover country". Who cares what people in Seattle think? I know thats a blunt assesment, but seriously. Another poster in a thread said that OKC is often too timid to take things on, and I would tend to agree with that assesment. I seriously doubt that people in Houston were worried about image when Ananadarko came up and bought Kerr McGee. Nor do I believe that leaders in Dallas and other cities who saw Oklahoma's college grads move into their cities to start their careers say, "bad deal, we shouldn't be taking their graduates." So why do we as citizens and leaders have to be all touchy-feely when we're trying to seize upon an opportunity for ourselves?

bornhere
04-15-2008, 12:58 PM
He said that people in Seattle are more offended by the fact that their team is being taken away by a bunch of "stupid Okies" more than the fact that they are being taken away at all. They have a massive superiority complex up there and are now being outdone by someone in "flyover country". Who cares what people in Seattle think? I know thats a blunt assessment, but seriously.

Well, evidently you and Kelly Ogle care what people in Seattle think.

No one ever went broke pandering to Oklahoma City's sense of persecution. But these sweeping condemnations about Seattle, or for that matter, every other city in America having a 'superiority complex' because they don't have as many crew cab pickup trucks per capita as we do or because they have a higher literacy rate or whatever are completely off the mark.

Most people in OKC and Seattle don't care either way about this. You'll get a false sense of its relevance if you just rely on comments here or on the various 'Save Our Sonics' boards. Most people in OKC and Seattle, I'd wager, don't think much at all about this 'us vs. the world' thing. As I've said before, I've never lived in a place where people were so convinced the rest of the world was out to get them.

John
04-15-2008, 01:14 PM
With all of the shennanigans, it's looking more and more like the team will be the Oklahoma City Supersonics.

Seattle will never get another NBA team while David Stern or his immediate sucessor is in charge of the Association.

mmonroe
04-15-2008, 02:30 PM
Last ditch efforts.. bunch of losers.

OKCMallen
04-15-2008, 02:55 PM
I think we ought to send Mike Gundy up there for a tirade.

You say Clay Bennett did not give a good faith effort....THAT AIN'T TRUE! How you gonna go and get on a guy that does EVERYTHING RIGHT!? Makes me wanna puke!!!

http://kjrhimg.dayport.com/img/dp_thumbs/thumb_1190518590215_0p9577015066677685.jpg

dalelakin
04-15-2008, 05:26 PM
OKCMallen


*golfclap*

:lol2:

metro
04-15-2008, 09:27 PM
Maybe we can give Seattle Jenny Carlson in exchange for the Sonics?

betts
04-15-2008, 10:09 PM
Here's an interesting interview with Schultz back in 2006. If I'm not mistaken, he's given the Sonics' owners a contract out himself, with his "balloon payment" statement. That doesn't resolve the "best effort" issue, however.

http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SEATTLE-WA/KJR-AM/Howard%20Schultz%20in%202006.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=SEATTLE-WA&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=645&STATION_ID=KJR-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Mitch_In_The_Morning&PCAST_CAT=Entertainment&PCAST_TITLE=Mitch_In_The_Morning_OnDemand

There is no definitive statement by Schultz in here at all saying they are obligated to stay for the entire four years regardless, because he is asked by the interviewer if they are contractually obligated to stay the entire four years, and after the interviewer said, "So, without a deal cut between them and Seattle, they can't play anywhere else until 2010....." and Schultz says, "I don't believe so, unless the city and the mayor's office would accept a balloon payment to buy out the lease."

Schultz also says,"If they leave, and I don't think they will, the burden of that is not on Clay Bennett, the burden of that is on local and state officials."

andy157
04-15-2008, 11:40 PM
With all of the shennanigans, it's looking more and more like the team will be the Oklahoma City Supersonics.

Seattle will never get another NBA team while David Stern or his immediate sucessor is in charge of the Association.Does Commissionor Stern, or his possible sucessor for that matter, call the shots on which city gets, or doesn't get an NBA team, or do the owners make those ultimate decisions? I'm just asking. Never is a long time.

John
04-16-2008, 02:16 AM
Does Commissionor Stern, or his possible sucessor for that matter, call the shots on which city gets, or doesn't get an NBA team, or do the owners make those ultimate decisions? I'm just asking. Never is a long time.

Yes and no. Stern has a lot of influence in the league, and amongst owners.

If the city would accept a payout of the lease, etc. then they would look favorably to Seattle when/if an expansion/relocation came about in the future.

As it is now, with all thats gone on, leaving the 'Sonics' team name/colors/history is looking slim.

Laramie
04-16-2008, 04:48 AM
Schultz' grandstanding won't hold water, the case will be thrown out of court, I just hate that they are getting the Seattle fans all worked up!

A side letter would be like me selling a house with my grandmother's ashes underneath the floor board of the living room, what does the new owner do with the ashes:

Burn them too!

LOL!

Kerry
04-16-2008, 06:05 AM
This is very simple. Slade Gorton needed something to take to the BofG meeting to help keep the Sonics there. First he thought it would be an approved funding plan passed by the state but he didn't get it. Then he thought it would be a local ownership group and he didn't get that either. Then they went with a ficticious arena plan but that fell apart also. In a final despirate attempt, he got a former partner of his to allow Schultz to be used in a fake lawsuit.

At the meeting on Friday Gorton will have 3 things to present to the BofG.

1. A letter from government official asking for more time
2. A threatened lawsuit against Bennett from Schultz
3. A threatend lawsuit againt the NBA from Seattle

The Sonics will go to the meeting with the following

1. One of the premier NBA arena that is debt free and tax payer funded
2. A favorable lease
3. A debt free practice arena
4. State income tax rebate (Quality Jobs)

If you were the NBA where would you rather do business?

Open comment to Schultz - you should think about moving Starbucks operations to OKC.

kevinpate
04-16-2008, 06:08 AM
Kerry, why you mad at us ... we have more than enough overpriced overhyped overtinkered coffee here. :)

Kerry
04-16-2008, 06:21 AM
Hey - If Seattle doesn't wasn't the Starbucks corporate headquarters then I say we take them also. They will need to pay for their own corporate building though. The tax payer funded seed money has to stop some where.

sethsrott
04-16-2008, 06:51 AM
I agree with the above posters about this being a PR stunt...

Ballmer didn't even really want this team.... he has enough money to buy the team for twice what Bennett did, build his own $500 million dollar arena and not even register a blip on his bottom line.... but he didn't.

$350,000,000.00
+ $500,000,000.00
_________________
$850,000,000.00

That (^^) is close to 1 billion ($1,000,000,000.00) and for a guy that has a net worth of 15 billion, that will register a 'blip' on his bottom line. Look at the numbers before you start saying mindless stuff like that. He might have wanted it but it wouldn't make business sense to sink $500,000,000.00 in a private arena just for the Sonics, you don't know what Ballmer does and doesn't want and for you to assume so is arrogant.

Laramie
04-16-2008, 06:54 AM
Kerry:

I read somewhere this morning that Gov. Chris Geogoire asked Shultz to file a lawsuit (probably pressured).

Schultz had the foresight to write a side letter and put it with the contact to cover himself in the future; although he knew it wouldn't hold water. That's why it will take two weeks to file.

The BOG will act on the resolution for relocation this week and they will not allow themselves to be distracted by these last ditch efforts by Seattle (elected) officials to show good faith in trying to keep the Sonics.

MikeLucky
04-16-2008, 07:42 AM
$350,000,000.00
+ $500,000,000.00
_________________
$850,000,000.00

That (^^) is close to 1 billion ($1,000,000,000.00) and for a guy that has a net worth of 15 billion, that will register a 'blip' on his bottom line. Look at the numbers before you start saying mindless stuff like that. He might have wanted it but it wouldn't make business sense to sink $500,000,000.00 in a private arena just for the Sonics, you don't know what Ballmer does and doesn't want and for you to assume so is arrogant.

While I was presenting the most extreme possible solution, even it is VERY attainable for Ballmer. He has enough money to make this entire situation go away..... but yet he doesn't do it. He leveraged his proposal against the state legislature coming up with $75 million..... and, big surprise, they didn't budge an inch....

But, Ballmer is still a hero and he didn't have to spend a penny. That makes him VERY smart.... but I fail to see how realizing this makes ME arrogant.....

Kerry
04-16-2008, 08:50 AM
sethsrot - you are assuming Ballmer was going to pay cash for everything. Several NBA arenas are owned by the teams owners and they have far less money than Ballmer. My house cost 2X what I earn in a year but I can still make the house payment.

metro
04-16-2008, 10:41 AM
Not that it will probably impact anything, but a class action lawsuit against Bennett was successfully filed in court today.

I'm wondering with all the pending court cases, if it would be better for him to announce his intent on staying in Seattle until 2010 until he has full right and no binding agreement to hold him in Seattle. I want the NBA as bad as anyone, but all this bad press and lawsuits aren't making Oklahoma look any better.

Kerry
04-16-2008, 11:13 AM
I would be all in favor of Bennett staying in Seattle until 2010 and walking away then and giving them nothing - not even the name Sonics. Don't be surprised if that doesn't happen next Monday.

Step 1 - get league approval to move
Step 2 - sign lease in OKC taking effect in 2010
Step 3 - announce that they are staying in Seattle until then.
Step 4 - See how fast Seattle can offer a buy-out. They stand lose about $25 million if the Sonics stay in Seattle.

venture
04-16-2008, 04:48 PM
Apples and oranges dude. The Ford Center was built WITH IMPROVEMENTS INTENDED. That's why it's so much cheaper. We have a bigger footprint than KeyArena, as well. KeyArena is old, with a smaller footprint, which makes it more costly to bring it up to date. Think about what you're saying before you imply that Bennett & Co. was shady about the amount needed to make KeyArena suitable for now and the future, because you're slinging mud but your implication relies on a fault assumption (i.e.- the cost of fixing up the Ford and Key should be approximately the same).

Besides, do you think Bennett got out his sliderule and some graph paper to design it himself and came up with this number. Probably scores of people had to do with designs and estimates, and you'd be pleased to know, that the company he hired to do it was independent from himself.

Wow people don't read. The $500 million for Seattle was for a NEW arena. So i'm comparing our relatively NEW arena to the new facility they wanted in Seattle. I doubt the costs have risen to much to where if there Ford Center was build today, that it would cost $500 million. That's what i'm comparing to, not an upgraded Key Arena. Eeesh.

edcrunk
04-16-2008, 05:28 PM
i just read that now 2 senators from washington sent a letter to the nba as well... this is becoming ridiculous.

Kerry
04-16-2008, 07:34 PM
Just for the record - when the Muckelshoots prepared their arena estimates they came back at $470 million and that was with the free land in the country. Plus, Bennett's plan was actually $450 million. The Seattle media rounded up to the even 1/2 billion. The latest arena plan drawn up by a 3rd party cost $1.2 billion (although that did include more than just a stadium).

Platemaker
04-16-2008, 09:34 PM
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The former owner of the Seattle SuperSonics plans to sue the current owners to get the team back, arguing they breached a condition of the sale to make a "good-faith effort" to keep Seattle's oldest pro sports franchise from leaving town, according to Seattle-area media reports.


FOR SALE:
1990 Chevy Silverado

Conditions:
"Good faith effort" to not drive it over state lines... keep the speed under 50 mph... must remain a non-smoking vehicle... no drivers other than the purchaser... OR I'LL SUE!!!!

...what a crock.

Kerry
04-16-2008, 09:48 PM
Platemaker - just be sure you get a side letter.

edcrunk
04-22-2008, 09:21 PM
well, schultz did go ahead and file. looks like they found an email that bennett will have a difficult time defending as misconstrued. i still think it's a long shot.

OKCMallen
04-22-2008, 09:34 PM
I disagree. The email about the sweet flip shows that Bennett would NOT take the team out of Seattle if he couldn';t lawfully do so. He'd just sell it back. At no point does the sweet flip email say he wont' make a good faith effort to keep the Sonics in Seattle...just that if they are staying there, he might not own them indefinitely.

Laramie
04-22-2008, 09:59 PM
Even if Shultz could get the team back, a judge couldn't allow him to sell to locals without NBA approval.

Be careful what you ask for...

Ballmer is apparently footing the bills for all of this, do you think the NBA will accept him as an owner? And Shultz could get stuck with the team. Would Seattle be willing to build him a new arena.

Let's say Bennett's intent was to move the team all along, did he not make an good faith effort to keep the team in Seattle. A bigger effort than Schultz.

Had Seattle built a suitable arena, the team would still be in Seattle.

Another analogy: A basketball referee wants one team to win, it doesn't mean that he isn't going to make the right calls.

Shultz at one time threatened ned to move the team and sold it to Bennett, let us did up some e-mails, you're going to be surprised when all of Shultz grandstanding comes out.

Bennett is not going to play this out in the press their will be some surprises if this does go to court! All this grandstanding is just something Shultz is trying to do to further surpress his decling coffee sales.

Shultz is going to give it his best effort; however, I would bet that Ballmer is behind all of this.

Saberman
04-22-2008, 11:02 PM
According to this suit, Shultz is saying that PBC never intended to own a team in Seattle. They were going to try to get an arena deal then flip it for bucks, if not they would move the team.

1. Didn't Bennett pretty much say that from the beginning. "You got 1 year to have an arena deal or I'm going to hold my breath?"

2. Since when can you tell some one who is buying your team, what they can do with it once you sell it. That is all subject to what the NBA says.

This is all so silly. No one in Seattle wanted the team when it was for sale. If the guy from San Jose would have bought it for $450 million, they'd be gone.

Patrick
04-23-2008, 12:56 PM
There would've been nothing wrong with Bennett getting an arena and then flipping the team for bucks.

The only thing Bennett was asked to do was try to work with the city of Seattle on an arena deal to keep the team. He did that. It failed, thanks to Seattle.

Blazerfan11
04-23-2008, 01:07 PM
two bald men fighting over a comb

I miss the Hornets

Patrick
04-23-2008, 01:09 PM
Schulz traded his baseball card, and is now asking his mommy to step in to try to get it back.

mmonroe
04-23-2008, 01:55 PM
Laramie, must you BOLD everything?!

traxx
04-23-2008, 02:59 PM
Doesn't anybody use the phone anymore?!

1st rule of Professional Basketball Club: Don't leave a paper trail
2nd rule of Professional Basketball Club: Don't leave a paper trail

These guys are certainly rich enough to afford any long distance charges that might be incurred during these conversations.

On an interesting side note, someone on the OU insider boards said that the NBA would have to approve any sale. If Schultz wins and the NBA doesn't approve the sale to a local party then Schutlz is stuck with a BBall team he doesn't want that's losing money left and right. Good point, I thought.

srkboy23
04-23-2008, 10:12 PM
Doesn't anybody use the phone anymore?!

1st rule of Professional Basketball Club: Don't leave a paper trail
2nd rule of Professional Basketball Club: Don't leave a paper trail

These guys are certainly rich enough to afford any long distance charges that might be incurred during these conversations.

On an interesting side note, someone on the OU insider boards said that the NBA would have to approve any sale. If Schultz wins and the NBA doesn't approve the sale to a local party then Schutlz is stuck with a BBall team he doesn't want that's losing money left and right. Good point, I thought.

If Bennett is ousted as owner, then to keep Schultz as owner would not be smart for the other owners. Why keep Schultz as the owner when you can allow him to sell to someone like Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft, who would become the 2nd wealthiest owner in the NBA?

As for the e-mail, this and the side letter by themselves show that Bennett did not make a good faith effort. Bennett says in the side letter that his #1 goal is to keep the Sonics in Seattle. The e-mail proves this is a lie because in it he says his #1 goal is to move to OKC and if by some freak chance, his pathetic arena proposal is put into action, then he will sell.

But what this e-mail tells me more than anything is that there is more damning evidence against Bennett coming on the way. It shows there is more out there than what was in the original document of Bennett's e-mails, which is good for Sonics fans because it means the best is yet to come.

BTW, another e-mail is expected to be released tomorrow.

mmonroe
04-23-2008, 10:46 PM
srkboy23, the side letter stated that he was keeping in good faith over the next coming year, and would keep the team there, if an arena was in the works. That was july 18th 2006, and he waited till the middle of october 2007. Try again, I bet you're from seattle.


But then again, why is seattle's lead attorney looking at a settlement from bennett?

Patrick
04-24-2008, 07:17 AM
With the way things were going at the time, and the lack of support Seattle was showing, I think the emails were justified. The emails were just stating the obvious...that Seattle wasn't going to come through.

Bennett made a good faith effort to keep the team there. Had Seattle built an arena, Bennett wouldn't have moved the team. I don't see what else you could ask of him. He made a good attempt complete with deadlines to try to get the city of Seattle and the state of Washington to fund a new arena.

edcrunk
04-24-2008, 09:11 AM
hey M, srkboy is from seattle... he's our pal that started the "board of governors vote is irrelevant" thread.

mmonroe
04-24-2008, 09:47 AM
Ed, you can always pick who's from seattle just by there statements.