With the Sonics about to embark on the worst season in their 40-year history in lame-duck city, I’m starting to think it all through. I started at anger, then denial, and now, I’m at acceptance (I forget the other two steps to how humans react to things like this??).
I imagine there will be tons and tons of articles written in the coming days and months about how big of a failure this thing was, but first, I want to deal with this loss.
I’m happy that we have the M’s. They have a sparkling palace of a ballpark (no matter how flawed it actually is on the field) and it’s a wonderful place to take the kids. I just went to the M’s game a couple of weeks ago on a postcard Friday evening, and man, win or lose, you just soak it all in and appreciate what we have. They aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, probably in another 20 years or so when the Safeco lease expires. 🙂 While the M’s aren’t true contenders today, it’s easy to argue for the idea that they are in fact headed in the right direction. And who knows, a few shrewd moves over the winter and they might even be the AL west favorites going into next year.
I’m thrilled we have the Seahawks, for obvious reasons. I pointed it out before, but the moment Paul Allen hoisted that flag and waved the towel before the NFC title game was the biggest single moment in Seahawks history, and a top-3 in the history of the city. So symbolic of so many years of frustration, all wiped away with Paul Allen and the city showing each other love, and tears streaming down the cheeks of Allen, knowing that was the moment, THE MOMENT, that all team owners must dream of. Well, that and hot 18-yr old nannies, but that’s another story…..But they have a fabulous stadium as well, just raved about by many in the NFL and the passion is back in some ways, bigger than it was in the 80’s. It’s that good. On a quick side note, I heard Ken Lucas interviewed on the radio a couple of weeks ago. He said that, without question, that was the loudest he has ever heard any stadium, ever, in his life. He said they couldn’t even hear each other on the sideline when Carolina had the ball, that he and the DB coach were screaming at each other but just couldn’t hear anything. It wasn’t until late in the game when it was over that they could actually hold a conversation. He also said to make sure Seattle fans know that they were a huge part of that win, and that several players all said after the game, privately of course, that they were the loudest crowd ever, louder than they ever dreamed, and they were almost in shock at all of it. They were completely out of their game, espeically the “veteran QB couldn’t even think out there” is how he put it (wonder if there are some sparks out there with Delhomme? He is an emotional dude.).
And we have our Cougs. Not in Seattle of course, but they are a huge passion.
So, in times of loss it’s important to be happy for what you have and not just dwell on what you lost, right??? RIGHT!??!?!?!?! 🙂
I’m going to ease off my harsh riding of the M’s of late. I’m not going to rail against the Cougs after they blow a few games this fall, and I’m certainly not going to call for Doba’s job (I wasn’t going to anyway). And I won’t be too crazy when the Seahawks take a few small steps back and most likely won’t be repeating in the NFC. It’s all ok, because they are OUR teams and they aren’t likely to leave!
Real quick, but seriously now, can you FRIGGIN’ believe this day came?? Can you believe they couldn’t figure something out locally?? And worst of all, can you actually believe a word this new owner has to say about making a real effort to keep the Sonics here??? Why in god’s green earth would they even say such things when it’s a horrible joke that they not only won’t try to keep the team here, but they’d be moving RIGHT NOW if it wasn’t for the Hornets taking up space!?!? Please. Are we that dumb? I wasn’t born yesterday, but I also wasn’t born the day before yesterday either! This is not going to end pretty, in fact it’s already ugly and they haven’t even played a second of the exhibition season. The last lame duck NBA team was the Charlotte Hornets, while the whole season everyone knew they were moving but Shinn to the end denied it, and boy was that a mess.
How can this happen in a metropolitan, educated, wealthy area like Seattle?? 3 million people in the general area, the most educated big city in America actually, and certainly one of the wealthiest, how the hell can we get to this point? The only thing I can think of is that the lack of leadership on a local level is beyond alarming. From the monorail mess to the near-disaster of losing the M’s AND the Seahawks all in the last 10 years, their lack of leadership is horrendous. For the Seattle City Council leader to say a few months ago that the Sonics contribute “nothing to the economic impact of Seattle, and nothing to the cultural environment” is pathetic. I hope they all sleep well tonight, knowing a team with 40 years of tradition and an NBA championship is leaving town because they lacked the foresight to figure something out. Period. End of story. And end of the Seattle Supersonics.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your Oklahoma SOOOOOOONER-Sonics!” 🙂 I actually stole that from someone today, it made me laugh. The early leader in the clubhouse for team name is actually the Oklahoma Pioneers (no Oklahoma City in the name). I heard a sports radio guy from back there on the air as I drove home, and he could hardly stop from giggling from happiness to actually speak, but he said he was told t-shirts were already being printed to welcome the NBA to Oklahoma City in 2007.
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