Hooped Up

According to KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, the Seattle Supersonics ownership have officially ripped the heart out of the once proud Seattle Supersonics franchise by renaming the team The Oklahoma City Thunder.  Thunder?  Really?? The Thunder sounds like one of the selections you have in a video game when making a custom expansion team.  

The Oklahoman conducted a 64-team NCAA Tournament-like bracket contest. Thunder defeated Outlaws in the finals. My guess was the Vipers finished 3rd if it was on the list. Now if they would have named the team the Oklahoma Thundercats…that would have been worth the move in jersey sales alone.  

I wonder what player #35 thinks about the new name?

SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett could end up paying $75 million to move the NBA franchise to Oklahoma City this year, and he won’t be taking the team’s name or colors with him.

Bennett agreed to settle a lawsuit with the city of Seattle, bringing an end to a contentious relationship that resulted in a trial in which the judge was due to issue her ruling Wednesday.

“We believe this is a fair and appropriate resolution to the litigation involving the Sonics and the City of Seattle,” Bennett said. “We are pleased that the uncertainty is lifted for our players, staff and Oklahoma City fans who can now make plans for the immediate future.”

Bennett announced that the settlement calls for a payment of $45 million immediately, and would include another $30 million paid to Seattle in 2013 unless the state Legislature in Washington authorizes at least $75 million in public funding to renovate KeyArena by the end of 2009 or Seattle obtains an NBA franchise of its own within the next five years.

Press Release

The Dolans/Cablevision who own Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks and New York Rangers could be forced out by the NHL. If a judge decides it had no right to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the league it’s bye, bye Cablevision.

MSG sued the league seeking to gain control of the team’s website and other promotions in violation of NHL rules, arguing that the league bylaws violate U.S. anti-trust regulations.

The league argued in its countersuit that MSG had no right to take legal action against it.

“When MSG was accepted as a member in the league it agreed to abide by the NHL Constitution and related rules, policies and resolutions,” the commissioner’s letter filed in court papers in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

“In seeking a judicial declaration that several league rules and practices are unlawful under antitrust laws, MSG has materially breached those covenants,”

Reuters

If they sell the Rangers they can concentrate on destroying the Knicks year round…not good.

Sonics owner Clay Bennett on Wednesday predicted a bleak final two seasons if the team is forced to play out its KeyArena lease.
Wrapping up his testimony in a federal trial over whether he can break the lease before it expires in 2010, Bennett noted he is “not real popular” in Seattle and said the dark cloud hanging over the Sonics would make it difficult to sign players and sell tickets. The Sonics say they will lose $60 million in Seattle if required to play two more seasons here. The team predicts a profit of $17 million over that period if it’s playing in Oklahoma City.

Seattle Times

Get well Larry!

Jazz owner Larry H. Miller is hospitalized with complications from diabetes. A statement released by the Jazz late Monday morning said that “according to his doctors and family, Miller is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.”

Deseret Morning News

Who ya got? The Thunderbirds, Barons, Outlaws or Thunder

With The Oklahoman’s NBA Team Name Contest now whittled down to the Final Four nicknames — Thunderbirds, Barons, Outlaws and Thunder — opinions still vary on what the team should be called. But some, like Moody, are among a growing segment who thinks black and gold could work as the team colors no matter the nickname or mascot. “It’s just different,” said Moody, who designed the black and gold “Oklahoma City Barons” jerseys that appeared on the cover of The Oklahoman’s sports section on April 14 as one of hundreds of reader-designed jersey submissions. But unlike the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose team colors are athletic gold and black, the color scheme used for the popular Barons design is varsity gold and black, closer to the shade found in Notre Dame and George Washington’s school colors.

Oklahoman

Sucks to be a Sonics fan right now in Seattle!

The NBA told Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor on Thursday that his recent comments regarding Kevin Garnett were inappropriate, a league official said. Taylor was not fined. Taylor received the phone call from the league office after he said Tuesday that Garnett “tanked it” by removing himself from the lineup late last season.

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Sen. Herb Kohl said Wednesday that Larry Harris’ contract will not be offered a new contract as general manager and is no longer with the club.

Harris had asked Kohl for an early decision so he can pursue other interests if he wasn’t going to be retained.

“Larry Harris has served the Milwaukee Bucks since 1990 with complete dedication and loyalty,” Kohl said. “I believe at this time it is in the best interest of the Bucks to proceed in another direction.”

“I’m not happy,” Clippers owner Don Sterling said. “The fans aren’t happy, and can’t be happy when they don’t see a motivated performance. “I want to make L.A. fans proud of this team, but if [Elgin Baylor and Mike Dunleavy] can’t make it happen, then I have no choice but to make changes.” Talk about tossing a curveball. Two seasons ago, Sterling sat at the same dinner table in Phoenix with Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers scheduled to play a seventh game in Round 2 of the NBA playoffs the next night against the Suns.

LA Times

Police arrested the co-owner of the Sacramento Kings on charges of domestic violence in a mountain town near Vail Thursday. On December 20, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office arrested Robert Hernreich, 62, of Edwards charging him with Domestic Violence, two counts of Second Degree Criminal Trespass, and Harassment — all misdemeanor charges. The arrest stemmed from a 911 call placed on December 20, 2007 at approximately 11:14pm reporting a domestic in progress.

MyFoxColorado