Hat tip: OklahomaHorizonTV

Related:

USA Today: Knicks win D’Antoni’s debut while Thunder struggle

OKPNS EXCLUSIVE: Stealin’ & Repealin’?? (2/12/08)

Art by Rafael Calonzo, Jr (Supersonicsoul.com)

Can it be done? We are willing to give it a try! Read between the lines for the hidden meanings, inuendos and outright lies below…

Oklahoma City to be third NBA team to own D-League affiliate

TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma City’s new NBA team will buy its NBA Development League affiliate in Tulsa.

Clay Bennett, the chairman of the Oklahoma City team’s ownership group, joined the team’s general manager, Sam Presti, and D-League president Dan Reed for the formal announcement of the deal on Thursday.

When the purchase of the Tulsa 66ers is complete, Oklahoma City will be the third NBA team to own its D-League affiliate. The Los Angeles Lakers own the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the San Antonio Spurs own the Austin Toros.

Bennett said the NBA team will pay $2.25 million for the D-League franchise.

In June, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics changed its D-League affiliate from the Idaho Stampede to the 66ers. The Tulsa team had also been serving as the minor-league club for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bennett said that by purchasing the D-League team, Oklahoma City will be able to oversee the 66ers’ business operations and better develop Oklahoma City’s younger players who might be sent to Tulsa.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Our Analysis:

When Bennett said “will pay $2.25 million dollars”, he was really thinking that the Oklahoma Legislature should provide incentives in the amount of $2.25 million, creating more corporate welfare for Bennett and his buddies.

When Bennett said “might be sent to Tulsa”, he was actually thinking of a more southeastern locale such as Broken Bow or Idabel.

Your analysis welcome…

Related: NBA.com story

Wary of a ruling that could force the team to play two more years in Seattle, the Sonic’s Oklahoma City ownership team settled the case at the last minute. ESPN contends the Sonics got outmaneuvered legally, but the NBA is headed to Oklahoma City, where the taxpayers will pick up the slack. “The rubes got their fannies paddled legally, but thanks to their corporate welfare bonanza in the Oklahoma legislature, they won’t feel the pain quite so bad,” a legal expert deeply involved in the case tells OKPNS.

Developing…………

Art by Rafael Calonzo, Jr (Supersonicsoul.com)

“It is not our interest to move or relocate the team”

“We fully intend to fulfill our obligation to KeyArena”

“I don’t think having a franchise that is leaving town is very good for anybody.”

“I am absolutely committed to the teams and committed to keeping them in the Seattle region.”

Related:

Paul Jacob: “My question is — Why should any government entity ever be spending taxpayer money on stadiums? There are tickets and promotions and things that raise mucho dinero for franchises. Top players scoop up millions in salary. If big-time sports are not financially viable operations, what could be? And if sometimes owners lack as much money as they might like to spend on a stadium, why should a taxpayer who never watches a game have to pay for it? Read more…

It’s been the “homer” trial for the past few days: local writers and reporters, some who have never covered a trial, filing reports that dismiss the day’s big picture and suck up to the local powers. Here’s the best report we’ve seen, and it comes from the Seattle media.

We’ve had a number of e-mails asking our opinion of the best and worst. The aforementioned piece is the most solid report we’ve observed, but the worst reporting has come under the head of commentary, and the worst commentary has been performed by lawyer Irvin Box for News9’s coverage.

We’re not critical of News9’s reports, but Box, who practices criminal law and does a solid job in that regard, is in way over his head, and is doing a disservice to the News9 coverage, which is anchored in Seattle by the always solid Alex Cameron. Day after day, Box offered slanted and out-of-perspective commentary.

The top-ranked television station deserved fair and balanced commentary, and Box used the opportunity to suck up to local power brokers instead of giving viewers what they deserved.

It’s no surprise that there are major differences in how the Oklahoma City and Seattle media are covering the approaching trial. Does the word ‘homer’ mean anything?

Clayton Bennett, right, stands with Aubrey McClendon, left, during an NBA basketball game between the Seattle SuperSonics and the New Orleans Hornets in Oklahoma City on April 4, 2007

The fact is, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but the Oklahoma City media will welcome the advertising dollars the Sonics will bring more intensely than Seattle will miss the revenue, since Seattle has two other franchises it loves much more than the Sonics, and no media organization there actually owns a piece of the club.

As promised, OKPNS will keep tabs on the reporting from both towns and sports media. You can only chuckle when you review a sample of stories over the past couple of days: the Sonics’ OKC ownership proffering in their legal briefs that Seattle doesn’t really care about the team, and Seattle coverage featuring a story demonstrating the intense love for
them.

Check out the two sides’ legal briefs and strap yourself in. OKPNS blow-by-blow coverage begins Monday

While much of the public’s attention has focused on the corporate welfare orgy being orchestrated by public officials in connection with the move of Seattle’s basketball team to Oklahoma City, insiders say another ‘screw job’ designed to pad big life insurance companies’ profits at the expense of older investors is stealthily making it’s way through the legislature.

Insiders say if the effort is successful, some current investment practices, mostly those made by sick and elderly Oklahomans, will become felonies. As incredible as it sounds, the proposed law would have made at least one investment decision made by Ronald Reagan in his last years a crime.

Developing……

The screw-job that is the NBA Sonics coming to town will explode in more detail this week, insiders tell the Oklahoma Political News Service.

Gov. Henry floated a trial balloon yesterday for the millionaire owners of the Seattle Sonics, who continue their double-cross of Oklahoma taxpayers.

Henry is quoted today as saying that Oklahoma must “do more” to bring the NBA to Oklahoma City, despite the fact that Sonic ownership has repeatedly told the Seattle media that the Sonics are coming to Oklahoma City, period.

Insiders say some outrageous liberal proposals will be introduced in the next few days. First, the state’s Quality Job Programs, an incentive to lure new business to Oklahoma, will be expanded to include professional sports teams. Second, the incentive will be expanded from 5.% of a company’s taxable wages to 5.5%. Third, an outrageous state income tax ‘rebate’ will be quietly included, which will result in the Sonic’s multi-millionaire players sending their Oklahoma state income tax not to the state treasury, but rather to the pockets of the team’s owners.

Watch for more trial balloons this week. Our insiders say Republicans will carry this latest taxpayer rip-off legislative effort, and that members of all caucuses are divided as to what to do about this brazen money grab. Once insider tells OKPNS that if the taxpayers ever pay attention to what’s going on, “There will be blood.”

To refresh your memory, it was OKPNS who broke the story of the sell-out to millionaires.

Stay tuned to OKPNS to see how state leaders spin and dissemble on the public. For the latest in Sonics propaganda/corporate welfare news, click here.

Related:

Lazy OK Press Follows OKPNS Lead (2/18/2008)

OK Media Wakes Up: Double Crossers In Cross Hairs? (3/ 07/2008)

Clay Bennett with Sonics legend Lenny Wilkins

This excerpt is from a Seattle Sports fan’s blog:

A Sonics fan says he was ejected from last night’s game after shouting a few choice words up at Clay Bennett, who was watching the action from his luxury box. Here’s the fan’s transcript, prefaced with the caveat that he may have been “a few beers deep.”

Sam: Clay, you’re a thief!

Clay: shrugs, smirks and blows me a kiss (I swear to God this is no lie)

Sam: I’ve been a season ticket holder since age 10. Don’t steal my team!!!

Clay: makes a face of mock pity

Sam: You are overweight and ugly! Sell the Sonics!!!

Clay: walks to the back of the suite, never to reappear.

Read more…

Related:

The Seattle Times Sonics Blog: Fan given the boot?

Graphic courtesy of okiedoke.com

From Protrade.com:

If you have ever seen the movie Major League? You know the situation. A jerk owns a professional sports team and wants to move them so they can make big money. However, the only way the team can be moved is if it is run into the ground. In Seattle this is going on right now. Here is an update as to what the Clay Bennett is doing in an attempt to move the team to Oklahoma.

Clay started off by alienating the City Counsel in Seattle making enemies of the board members, who are now completely against even working with him.

He then proceeded to demand that the county build him a brand new state of the art stadium. (In the case of most county owned arenas teams lease the arena for games, Bennett wants the county to give him the stadium.)

Bennett’s next genius move was to present to the Washington State legislature to get money for the arena. However, instead of getting someone with experience to do this he got Lenny Wilkins, who is a Sonics hero, but has no idea how to work in politics. Needles to say this failed miserably (the legislature would not even give Lenny a chance to present). Read more…