Supersonicsoul - The Sonics Blog!

Euphemism of the Year Award

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:21:00 +0000

This one comes courtesy of the real estate broker Aubrey McClendon designated to sell his estate on the shores of Lake Michigan.

“What we’re selling is the house and a little over six acres with 500 feet of frontage on Lake Michigan and 700 feet on the Kalamazoo River,” said Dick Waskin, a broker with the ReMax Realty of Saugatuck. “It’s a house that’s built in a location that could never be duplicated.

“It was bought pretty much as an investment,” Waskin said of the lakefront mansion. “He’s come to a point, where it’s time to start reaping back some of that investment.”

He's come to a point where it's time to start reaping back some of that investment. Gosh, when did that point come about? I wish we knew.

(Details courtesy of Michigan Live).

The Loudest NBA Crowd of All Time? It wasn't Sacramento (or Seattle!)

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:59:00 +0000

Whenever one of the inevitable Seattle vs. Sacramento flame wars heat up, one of the things Kings fans like to bring up is the alleged Guinness record held by their old Arco arena as the loudest NBA crowd of all time.

Now, having had my ears drums nearly melted at several Seattle sporting events over the years, I had a hard time believing this. I mean, even with all those goddamned cowbells, how could roughly 17,000 people at Arco be louder than a sold-out Coliseum booing Charles Barkey and the refs in the 1993 Western Finals against the Phoenix Suns? Or the grunged out Key Arena maniacs cheering on the Sonics as they blew out the greatest team of all time in game four of the 1996 NBA Finals? Or the (then) record 40,172 screaming Supersonics fans at the Kingdome in 1980?

Well, it turns out the Guinness Record for loudest NBA crowd of all-time is not held by the Sacramento Kings. Nor is it held by our beloved Seattle Supersonics. Well then, who the hell does hold the record?

(click below to find out)

The Milwaukee Bucks.

That's right. According to the official Guinness Book of World Records website, the beleaguered, rumored to moving at any moment Bucks officially set the record in 2008.

Which just goes to prove two things: 1) Guinness must have a lot of relatives living in Wisconsin, and 2) Chris Hansen really needs to invest in a decibel meter in the new Seattle Sonics Arena.

Flashback: Stern pressured Maloofs to sell Sacramento Kings to Seattle?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Twitter user RW34MVP (wasn't that one of the bounty hunters in Empire Strikes Back? ) posted an article from six months ago by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports stating that the NBA was pressuring the Maloofs to sell the Sacramento Kings to Chris Hansen because Stern was "determined to get a franchise back into Seattle" before his reign as ~~ruthless dictator~~ NBA commissioner ended:

Between now and his departure, Stern is determined to get a franchise back into Seattle, league sources said, and has become a strong ally of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s group to bring back the NBA there. Ballmer’s group has been trying to get the Maloof family to sell the Sacramento Kings, so that the franchise can eventually play in a new arena in Seattle.

From the league office, pressure on the Maloofs to sell has been growing, sources said — just as hopes for a new Sacramento arena have been fading. Seattle Sonics fans will never forgive Stern for his complicit role in Clay Bennett’s deception to move that franchise to Oklahoma City, but make no mistake: Stern desperately wants to return the NBA to one of its great markets and wants it for his own measure of vindication before he leaves office.

As one source involved in the process said, “Stern has enough time to get a team back to Seattle, but he’ll let Silver deal with the crowd [booing] on opening night.”

Yikes. Have times really changed this quickly or was this whole Seattle vs. Sacramento deal a diabolically Stern-esque set-up from the start?

Ultimate poison pill in Seattle Supersonics, Sacramento Kings battle? Keeping Maloofs in NBA

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Sun, 12 May 2013 00:25:00 +0000

When I mentioned a few weeks ago that Team Hanson was about to go into Scorched Earth Mode in their efforts to build Seattle Supersonics 2.0, I was thinking Ballmer might let his rabid pack of Microsoft lawyers off the leash. I don't think anyone dreamed they would truly use the nuclear option. The very last of last resorts. The unthinkable horror of . . . THE MALOOF SOLUTION!

Two sources told ESPN.com the Maloofs have informed their fellow owners that if their deal to sell and relocate the Kings to Seattle is not approved by league owners next week, they will not sell the team to a Sacramento-based group that promises to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Instead, the cash-strapped Maloofs have made a "backup" agreement with the Hansen-Ballmer group to sell it 20 percent of the team for $125 million to allow the Maloofs to continue to operate the franchise.

From ESPN

Oh sweet lordy. PLEASE let this just be more crafty posturing to leverage an expansion team out of the NBA. Seattle does not want these guys owning the Sonics. I think this town has had enough sleazy, awful owners, thank you.

George Karl: Still Fighting

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:34:00 +0000

There is, of course, a lot of sadness if you’re a fan of George Karl today. His team, the Denver Nuggets, were given every opportunity they could possibly hope for by their opponents, the Golden State Warriors, last night in Oakland and yet were unable to overcome a massive second-half deficit.

And with that, the Nuggets were out of the playoffs in the first round, something Karl’s teams have become all-too-familiar with in the past three decades.

In fact, Karl devotees might be surprised (not all that surprised, but surprised) to know that no man in NBA history has failed as often as George Karl in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Quickly, a list of coaches who have accumulated the most first-round losses in league history:

FIRST ROUND LOSSES, BY COACH, NBA HISTORY

George Karl, 14

Jack Ramsay, 12

Jerry Sloan, 9

Lenny Wilkens, 9

Larry Brown, 9

Rick Adelman, 8

It is, in some ways, a list of great coaches. All of them either are now or will be at some point, Hall of Fame coaches, and I include George Karl on that list.

The smart observer will note that total 1 & Dones doesn’t take into account the overall seasons; after all, Ray Allen missed more shots in his career than Steve Scheffler, does that make Scheff a better shooter?

Here, then, is a graph of the top playoff coaches in league history, with the percentage of their playoff runs which ended in 1 & Dones:

It certainly helps Karl’s cause, and the fact that were the Celtics to lose in the first round this season Doc Rivers’ career totals would almost be identical to Karl’s illustrates how tenuous an NBA coach’s playoff career results can be.

But let’s put all of that aside. I come here today not to bury Karl, but to praise him. Denver fans this morning are no doubt morose – their team has failed, once again, in the first round, marking the 8^th time in 9 years they have done so under Karl. The parallels to Seattle’s experience with Karl are astounding – an exceptional regular season squad full of exciting players is booted too early for the home fans, prompting the tittering of dismissal talk throughout the region.

Certainly, there is more than just coincidence to Karl’s failures in the first round. For him to have flopped out so miserably in 11 of his past 13 playoff runs speaks to more than just idle chance, and I am sure that someone more talented than I will be able to figure out just what it is about Karl’s game-planning that leads to his repeated failures in the post-season.

But lest we forget, George Karl is a human being, and a good one at that. Not many coaches would take on the league by sporting a Seattle tie (see accompanying photo) while coaching a visiting team. Not many men in his profession have been through the physical tolls that Karl has been through in the past few years and managed to remain at or near the top of their line of work. And fewer men still have been able to reach the post-season as often as Karl has in his career.

And that, more than anything, is what people should focus on today. Yes, the Nuggets failed in the first round last night, and yes, it is easy to point fingers at George Karl this morning as the culprit. But before you do, ponder this: George Karl has reached the post-season 22 times in his career, the most of any coach in NBA history, alongside Pat Riley and Larry Brown. If the Nuggets retain Karl and reach the playoffs next year, George Karl – not Red Auerbach, not Phil Jackson, not Pat Riley, not Jerry Sloan – George Karl will have led more teams to the playoffs than any single coach in the entire history of the NBA.

There are many things to take away from last night – missed opportunities, missed calls, missed shots – but I, for one, will focus on how George Karl looked as he walked off the court. Quite a bit thinner and a little older, certainly; but not beaten.

Never beaten.

Best Sixth Man in Seattle Supersonics History: EJ, Downtown, or ?

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Paul had a nice mention of Eddie Johnson’s birthday today – which brings to mind the question: Who was the best Sixth Man in Sonic history?

It’s a tough one to answer, tougher still because games started information doesn’t exist prior to the 80s. Assuming that Fred Brown automatically receives a nod as co-champion of this phantom trophy, who else deserves the honor?

Here’s some quick numbers on players who started fewer than 30 games for the Sonics in a given season:

WIN SHARES

7.1, Sam Perkins, 96-97

6.9, Sam Perkins, 95-96

6.8, Antonio Daniels, 04-05

6.7, Shawn Kemp, 91-92

6.0, Vincent Askew, 93-94

6.0, Dale Ellis, 97-98

6.0, Nate McMillan, 93-94

POINTS PER GAME

20.5, Xavier McDaniel, 88-89

18.5, Tom Chambers, 85-86

17.5, Ricky Pierce, 90-91

17.4, Eddie Johnson, 90-91

17.1, Eddie Johnson, 91-92

PER

21.6, Shawn Kemp, 91-92

19.3, Ruben Patterson, 00-01

18.6, Xavier McDaniel, 88-89

18.4, Eddie Johnson, 90-91

17.7, Fred Brown, 82-83

WIN SHARES/48 minutes

.197, Danny Fortson(!), 04-05

.188, Ricky Pierce, 93-94

.177, Shawn Kemp, 91-92

.173, Sam Perkins, 96-97

Best Rebounder: Shawn Kemp, 21.2 TRB%, 1991-92

Best Scorer: Ricky Pierce, 26 points per 36 minutes, 1993-94

Best Passer: Nate McMillan, 9.3 assists per 36 minutes, 1990-91

Best Blocker: James Donaldson, 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes, 1981-82

(You can find the full list here).

I think you’d have to choose Shawn Kemp (1991-92 Edition) as the winner of best performer in a single season. You’ve got a guy averaging (per 36 minutes) 13 rebounds, nearly 20 points, two and a half blocked shots, a steal and a half, shooting above 50 percent from the field, and 75 percent from the line … yes, I think I’ll take that sort of production.

For a career choice, though, it’s a bit trickier. Sam Perkins’ numbers are certainly representative of his overall contributions to the mid-90s Sonics, Nate McMillan’s yeoman’s work for so many years certainly deserves a mention, and who can forget Ricky Pierce’s instant offense in the early 90s, but I think – with no influence from the fact that today’s his birthday – Eddie Johnson deserves the nod.

EJ’s 20+ points a night (per 36) for 3 consecutive seasons is pretty sensational, and unmatched in the team’s (documented) history. With that in mind, I think it’s safe to say that Eddie Johnson and Fred Brown are the two best Sixth Men in Sonic history.

Seattle Supersonics vs. The NBA

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Chris Hansen: You won't like him when he's mad. Aw, who are we kidding? We'd totally still love him.

I have to admit, I was a little relieved the whole thing was over.

I was never really a fan of taking the Sacramento Kings. We'd basically be doing the same thing OKC did to us, only we were using the excuse of being honest about it. Well, just because someone warns you before they kick you in the nuts doesn't make it hurt any less.

But this was how you got a team in the harsh 21st century economic reality of the NBA. Kill or be killed. Every basketball fan for themselves. No survivors. WOLVERINES!

Sure, I wasn't real happy about how this sausage was being made, but after a few years in the NBA wilderness, I'd probably pinch my nose and eat it.

So when the NBA relocation committee (consisting of a whopping seven team owners, including good ol' Clay-face) announced on Monday afternoon they had ruled against the Kings moving to Seattle, I admit I was a little glad I wouldn't have to abandon what little scruples I had left in regards to finally getting a replacement for my dearly departed Seattle Supersonics.

The best chance we had at snagging another city's team was gone. Five years of anxiously hovering like hungry vultures over dying basketball franchises was history. And the NBA had stated clearly that expansion, the only truly guilt-free way to enjoy the Sonics in Seattle again, was not going to happen. So it was over.

Well, at least I was now free to unleash my full hatred upon the NBA. Or, you know, not watch as many regular season games. Perhaps I could finally find some peace. Or maybe even a new sport. I wonder if Seattle has a professional handball team?

But then, something crazy happened.

Chris Hansen, the dashing young rich kid who had swept us off our feet with his dream of bringing the Sonics back to town, was expected by most to quietly defer to the grownups of the NBA and go back home to await an expansion team that would never come. Conventional wisdom (aka cynical old NBA reporters and David Stern lackeys) was that no one with any dream of owning a basketball franchise would ever cross the league. I mean, what was he going to do . . . sue the NBA?

Welp . . .

In 1969, car salesman and future MLB commissioner Bud Selig (What's with these commissioners, anyway?), shanghaied Seattle's new baseball team, the Pilots, and brought them to Milwaukee, where he changed their name to the Brewers. Seattle, going against conventional wisdom, sued the league for breach of contract, since the city was already building the team a brand new stadium, the illustrious Kingdome.

The lawsuit dragged on until 1976, when the league finally gave in and offered Seattle an expansion team. (Unfortunately, it was the Mariners.)

Any of this sound familiar?

Late Monday night, Hansen announced on SonicsArena.com that he was not pulling out from his deal with the Maloofs to purchase the Kings. Even more interesting was this closing paragraph:

When we started this process everyone thought it was impossible. While this represents yet another obstacle to achieving our goal, I just wanted to reassure all of you that we have numerous options at our disposal and have absolutely no plans to give up. Impossible is nothing but a state of mind.

Could it be that Hansen has been playing this angle all along? Maybe Seattle wasn't the pawn after all. Maybe (and I know we're getting into Jesse Ventura Conspiracy Theory territory here, but just hear me out) Sacramento was the pawn.

Maybe, like many Seattle Sonics fans, Hansen felt a little uneasy about taking another city's team and wanted to force the NBA to award Seattle an expansion team by using his greatest weapon: lawyers.

By overpaying for a franchise David Stern desperately didn't want to move, Hansen was basically daring the league to stop him. And when they did, Hansen's team of Ultra Lawyers would be there to greet them.

A lot is made of how rich and powerful the NBA is. You know who's more rich and powerful? Microsoft.

Steve Ballmer, the other half of the dynamic Seattle Superteam, eats billion dollar international anti-trust lawsuits for breakfast. Which is kinda gross. But do you really think a few years in court with the NBA is going to faze the Ball Man? The guy is crazy about basketball (and also just crazy) and one of the richest men in the world. If you've witnessed the way Microsoft has done business over the past 20 years, you will know the Scorched Earth Option is definitely on the table.

So here's my prediction: When all is said and done, Hansen will call Stern's bluff and at least threaten a lawsuit, forcing the NBA to give Seattle an expansion team (even if it means imploding another team or two).

And hopefully, when the trials and flamewars are finally over, our new expansion team will be a little better than the last one we got in a lawsuit.

Seattle: A Bridesmaid Once More

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:45:00 +0000

Today is a difficult day for Sonic fans. Not as difficult as that dark day a half-decade ago, when the team announced it was leaving for Oklahoma, mind you, but certainly not an easy one, either.

There is an ironic twist to this bizarre story, though, and here it is: The Kings are staying in Sacramento for many reasons, and one of those reasons is that the fan base in Sacramento was energized by what happened in Seattle.

They were energized by the threat of relocation, they were energized by the Sonicsgate tale, and they were energized by the emergence of Chris Hansen’s ownership coalition.

Certainly, Sacramento’s elected officials, devoted fans, and possible new owners deserve the lion’s share of credit for what happened today (or, anyways, what should happen; who knows when you’ve got lawyers circling the carcass).

But in many ways, a major reason why the Sacramento Kings are not the Seattle Sonics today is because of the efforts of the people of Seattle. It is entirely possible that were it not for the people behind Save Our Sonics and so on, Here We Stay might never have shown up.

Remember, Sacramento does not have a new arena, it doesn’t have a new ownership group, it doesn’t have anything. It certainly has the promise of those things, but that promise has not, historically, been worth much to the people counting chits in the NBA office. Today, though, those promises were worth enough to the league to forestall a relocation to Seattle.

And so, Sacramento, relish your conquering of the Axis of Evil. For once, the league’s extortion tactics did not require an actual pound of flesh: just the promise of one.

Today in Sonics History: Rick Barry, Leonard Gray, and a Purse

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:48:00 +0000

What would you say is the craziest moment in Sonic playoff history?

40-something fans might opt for the arrest of Dale Ellis and Kevin Williams outside a Houston nightclub in the midst of the second round of the 1987 playoffs. 30-somethings might go for the Ricky Pierce/Gary Payton post-game battle after an inglorious defeat to Denver in the first round of the 1994 playoffs. 20-somethings may side with Jerome James donning his infamous garbage bag cape after a first round win over the Kings in 2005.

But what if I told you those were mere trifles; that the craziest moment involved a livid Rick Barry, players getting doused with refreshments, Leonard Gray’s fists, and a crazed woman with a purse?

---

It was April 1975 and perhaps the only thing riding higher than the Sonics were the Captain and Tenille. Coached by Bill Russell (the Sonics, that is, not C&T), the Sonics and Seattle were NBA Playoff virgins and the city was in pandemonium, caught up in the excitement of a first-round win over Detroit and what had become a terrific second-round series with the Golden State.

The Sonics had knotted the series at two with a 111-95 shellacking of the Warriors in Game 4. Sure, the team dropped Game 5 down in San Francisco, but Game 6 was looming on Thursday, April 24^th at the Coliseum and the Sonics had lost all of two games at home in nearly two months.

Unfortunately for the home green and golds, Fred Brown (broken finger), Tom Burleson (knee), and Spencer Haywood (sprained arch) were all nursing injuries, meaning the team was going to need all the help it could get from its avid supporters.

With the hated Rick Barry (and you’ll see how hated later on) helping the Warriors get out to an early lead, aided by backup center George Johnson, who came off the bench to finish with 18 points and 15 rebounds, the mood amongst the 14,082 in attendance began to get grim.

But the Sonics wouldn’t quit, rallying to tie the game in the second quarter after trailing by as many as a dozen points. Haywood – still ailing, he would only finish with 8 points – watched from the bench as backups Tal Skinner and Rod Derline spurred the comeback.

The recovery was short-lived, though, and by halftime the Warriors were out in front by eight points. Golden State expanded their lead to double-digits in the third quarter, despite the best efforts of Seattle’s Slick Watts; the headbanded wonder turned in what Russell called “one of the great games in basketball,” finishing with 24 points, tying his career-high and marking only the second time all season he had tallied more than 20 points in a single game.

Watts’ tremendous play came at a price, as the diminutive young guard noted afterwards. “They hit me, knocked me around all night,” Watts told the AP later.

Not to worry; Watts’ physical abuse had not gone unnoticed by one Leonard Gray.

For that era’s Sonics, Gray embodied a role later inhabited by Danny Fortson, Maurice Lucas and Frank Brickowski – The Enforcer. While still a rookie, Gray wasn’t afraid of throwing his 240 pounds around. Tutored by Lute Olson and Jerry Tarkanian at Cal State Long Beach, Gray was a big, burly guy with a heart of gold (at least, from the vantage of his teammates and friends; Tarkanian called him “the meanest SOB I ever coached”). Seeing his point guard getting hammered and bludgeoned by the Warriors, Gray went to work, picking as his target the man everyone loved to hate – Rick Barry.

The Sonics had fallen behind by nearly 20 points when Gray and Barry began to tussle. Things got so out of hand that referee Richie Powers was forced to issue warnings to both players – either knock it off, or hit the road.

Well, Leonard Gray was never one to let an opportunity pass, and the possibility of getting the red-hot Rick (he’d finish the night with 31 points) Barry out of the game was just too tempting to pass up.

It was with that in mind that Gray issued the Rump Kick Heard ‘Round the Sound. With Barry facing the opposite direction, the Sonics’ O.G. kneed him in the hindquarters, following it up with a punch when Barry spun around, drawing an immediate ejection from Powers and, it should be noted, a roar of approval from the thousands watching courtside.

It didn’t end there. As soon as Gray exited the premises fans began pelting the court with coins and “other objects,” and events started to get crazy. Spurred on by another Sonic rally which cut the lead to single-digits, the fans were out for blood, and Rick Barry was beginning to look awful tasty.

When George Johnson blocked yet another shot in the final moments, sealing the Warriors’ series-ending victory, emotions got completely out of hand. The visitors scampered for the exits, their path blocked by unruly Seattleites intent on revenge. Half-filled popcorn boxes, beer, and soft drinks rained down on the visitors, and that was the least of it.

At one point, Barry, trying desperately to get to the locker room in one piece, felt someone pawing at him.

“I was leaving the floor and someone was kicking me and hitting me from behind,” Barry said later. “I turned around and it was a woman. I mean, I really couldn’t believe it. I just swung around and pushed her out of the way. But if it had been a guy I would have hit her.

“This is basketball – what do they think we’re playing, soccer in South America?”

Other reports indicated the woman in question had smacked Barry with her purse and – as if that wasn’t enough – even tried to trip him. (To be fair, pretty much everyone associated with basketball in the past 40 years probably wanted to do the same thing to Rick Barry, and that includes his family). Worse, the affair turned truly ugly when fans, players, and police began to mix it up near the entrance to the Warriors’ locker room. In the end, a half-dozen fans were taken away in handcuffs.

The final side note for this crazy story would not emerge until a full six months later. On October 23, Spencer Haywood and Bill Russell settled their long-simmering feud by parting ways and Haywood was dealt to the New York Knicks for a draft choice, cash, and rookie forward Eugene Short; meaning the scant eight points he scored were his final contributions in a Sonic uniform. All the accolades, all the notoriety, all the hysteria of the Haywood Era had ended that night in Seattle with barely a whimper.

20 years later, Watts, who would emerge as a local favorite with Haywood gone, was a little less than complimentary to his teammates when he reflected on Game 6.

“The other guys didn’t come to play,” Watts wrote in his autobiography. “I came to win but the other guys just froze – they kind of choked on me. All our so-called ‘big scorers’ disappeared.”

And there you have it. A beer shower, a hailstorm of coins, Spencer Haywood’s swan song, Slick Watts’ coming out party, a purse careening off Rick Barry’s head – that was NBA playoff basketball circa 1975, and Seattle was falling for it harder than a love-struck teen with “Love Will Keep Us Together” on her bedroom radio.

New Sonics Jersey Found

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:57:00 +0000

There have been plenty of Sonic jerseys in history - you've got your classic championship era jersey, your minimalist early 70s jersey, your Howard schmaltz jersey of the 00s, and so on ... but does anyone else recall this one?

It's from this Ebay sale, if you're interested, wherein the prospective bidders might learn that it is from the 1992-93 season, was never worn (obviously), and is in new condition (also, if you scroll to the middle photo with the finger holding an interior tag, a delightful joke about Shawn Kemp, err, arises).

Personally, the thought is in the right place, but I think the numbering is a little poor and the tightness of the letters makes it tough to read the word 'Sonics.' Still, it ranks in the top half of jerseys, had it actually been one the team wore, and would be better than what we saw on-court during the 1996 Finals.

Thoughts?

Traveler's Guide to the NBA

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:03:00 +0000

The NBA will be deciding the fate of pro basketball in Seattle within a week or two (or three, or four, but who's counting, right?). Since it has been a few years since the league graced us with its presence, here's a rudimentary guide to the NBA for those unfamiliar with the terrain. As always, click to enlarge.

Seattle Supersonics: 1977 World Champs?!

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:23:00 +0000

Someone might want to tell the seller of this ebay item to check the ol' NBA history books (not to mention logos) on this one. I wonder if this is the same person who "officially licensed" Rafael's Supersonicsoul artwork on there a couple years ago.

Haywood Saga, By the Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:50:00 +0000

If nothing else, the Spencer Haywood saga has certainly put his name back into the rotation of current events. Shown below is a Google trend chart tracking references to Haywood from January 2012 until this week:

Short of having kidnapping a Kardashian, I don't think there's much more a man could do to get his name out there.

Haywood, the Hall, and a Great Big Mess

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:04:00 +0000

I suppose I should put in a few words about the Spencer Haywood/Hall of Fame fiasco that occurred over the weekend. What the heck, I’ve already written a few thousand about the situation, what’s 800 more?

As you are likely aware by now, Haywood’s former agent, Al Ross, told a reporter that Haywood told him that he (Haywood) had been told by someone from the NBA that he (Haywood) would be in the 2013 Hall of Fame class.

Got that?

(As a brief aside, the notion that Spencer Haywood would use Al Ross as an intermediary to the press is somewhat humorous if you know the back story of those two gentlemen. In Haywood’s first book, Ross is a hero, someone who helps liberate the young basketball star from the shackles of the NCAA and the NBA and the ABA. In Haywood’s second book, Ross is a con artist who lied about his name and background, and squandered Spencer’s income. As I said, the idea that Spencer Haywood would utilize Al Ross for anything beyond curse words is somewhat humorous.)

In any event, heading into last week, Haywood seemed most occupied in getting word out that he deserved to be in the Hall. Setting aside the fact the vote had already been taken (details, details), the former Sonic tweeted seemingly every notable NBA player of the past three decades about how he deserved to be in, as well as conducting an intense interview with a Las Vegas newspaper.

And that’s where we stood heading into Friday, at which point the Ross story broke. To make matters more confusing, Haywood was planning on being in Atlanta this weekend … but not because he expected to go into the Hall, sources say, but because he had some pre-planned business there. The fact the Hall nominees would be gathering in Atlanta for the Final Four was just a coincidence.

So, you’ve got Spencer Haywood’s new BFF, Al Ross, telling the media Haywood was going in, you’ve got Haywood in Atlanta, you’ve got Haywood telling some sources that he wasn’t going in, you’ve got other sources saying that Haywood thought he was going in, but he had been sucker-punched and he wasn’t really going in, and you’ve got other sources saying … at least point, I think we just give up.

What’s the real story? Here are the facts in evidence:

1. Undeniable: Spencer Haywood is extraordinarily pissed off at not being recognized by the Hall of Fame.

2. Undeniable: The Hall was considering Haywood for the Hall.

3. Undeniable: The Hall did not induct him.

Somewhere between #2 and #3, Haywood got it into his head that he was going in. Bear in mind, this is not the first time this has happened. Haywood told the Seattle Times last year, and a few other outlets as well, that he was going into the Hall. Suffice it to say, it didn’t happen.

All of which leads me to this conclusion: Haywood is either 1) telling the truth and the Hall misled him about the induction (less likely) or 2) trying to pressure the Hall into inducting him (more likely).

I’m not saying Haywood is lying here – it could very well be that someone associated with the Hall (which, I should point out, is about as transparent about their processes as the Richard Nixon-era Republican Party) told Haywood that he was being considered and there was a chance he might get in. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to ascertain that Haywood is desperate for recognition and would cling to any branch of possibility, no matter how flimsy it might be.

Further, for all those calling this a "tragedy" and so forth, calm down and look at this from the perspective of the Hall of Fame. Let's say you are deemed responsible for notifying the inductees. I would imagine that such person has a list of who is getting in and who is not. I would imagine that such person would then phone each person and let them know - without confusion - that yes, you are an inductee, and that you should be in Atlanta this weekend.

In what universe does this person call Spencer Haywood? Are we to believe the Hall is so screwed up that they don't know who is getting in and who is not? That they are so badly mismanaged that the person responsible for notifying the inductees called Spencer Haywood by mistake, and then when he realized his mistake, added to the confusion by not immediately clarifying the situation with Haywood? The same Haywood who, in a previous instance, told everyone he was going in, when he wasn't? You're expecting me to believe that the Hall didn't specifically tell the notification fellow that, whatever you do, DON'T CALL SPENCER HAYWOOD BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO THROW ANY MORE GAS ON THAT FIRE.

I'm sorry, but I'm not buying that, and this is from someone who is as enamored with the Basketball Hall of Fame as he is with collecting Portland Trail Blazer memorabilia.

Regardless, as it stands now, Spencer Haywood is not a Hall of Famer. In my opinion, there are two parties with egg on their faces this morning: Haywood, for obvious reasons, and the Hall. The fact the Hall continues to put this man through this charade is embarrassing. I’ve said it before: Either elect the guy or don’t, but quit prolonging the agony.

Seattle Supersonics great Xavier McDaniel: Ultimate Sonics Fan

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:38:00 +0000

Artwork by Rafael Calonzo, Jr.

Seattle Supersonics legend Xavier McDaniel is just as bitter about Oklahoma as we are.

McDaniel, whose alma mater Wichita State is playing in the Final Four this weekend, had some interesting comments in this great interview with Jerry Brewer:

Lenny Wilkens and the Sonics drafted him No. 4 overall in 1985, and the X-Man averaged 20 points and seven rebounds per game in five-plus seasons as Seattle's highly skilled enforcer.

"Trust me when I tell you that there are only three cities in my mind: my hometown — Columbia, S.C. — Wichita and Seattle," McDaniel said. "Man, I love Seattle. I played in other cities during my NBA career, but I'm all Seattle SuperSonics.

"I don't care. I would never, ever, ever go to Oklahoma City (where the Sonics relocated five years ago). I don't care how many times they invite me. I'll hold my word to that until the day I die."

Like nearly everyone who loves the Sonics, McDaniel has been watching the fight between Seattle and Sacramento over the Kings franchise. He wants a franchise back in Seattle desperately, but he hates the idea that Sacramento might have to be robbed for that to happen. McDaniel still hopes for expansion, even though NBA commissioner David Stern says expansion isn't an option right now.

Read the whole interview here.

BREAKING: Seattle Supersonics Spencer Haywood to join Gary Payton in Hall of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 03:14:00 +0000

Artwork by Rafael Calonzo, Jr.

According to several sources, former Seattle Supersonics star Spencer Haywood is finally getting into the Hall of Fame. Earlier today, it was reported fellow Sonics alumni Gary Payton will also be making the trip to Springfield, the first time two Seattle players have been enshrined in the same year.

They will be joining three other former Sonics in the Hall: Lenny Wilkens (as both player and coach), Dennis Johnson and, I guess, Patrick Ewing technically.

In 2008, both Haywood and Payton were elected to the Supersonicsoul Hall of Fame. Way to catch up, Naismith!

UPDATE: According to Fox Sports writer Chris Tomasson, it turns out Spencer Haywood did NOT make it into the Hall of Fame after all, yet another bizarre and befuddling twist in the story.

1994 Was Terrible

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:18:00 +0000

On January 11, 1992, Nirvana's Nevermind hit number one on the Billboard Album charts, officially putting Seattle on the map. Just over a week later, on January 23rd, George Karl became head coach of the Seattle Supersonics. Both events marked the beginning of an unprecedented and completely unexpected period of success for the band, the team and the entire city.

And then, in 1994, it was all over.

On April 5th, 1994, Kurt Cobain killed himself in his Seattle home. A month later, on May 7th, the Sonics lost to the Denver Nuggets in the the biggest upset in NBA Playoffs history.

Obviously, someone losing their life is a much bigger tragedy than a team losing a game, and in the Big Picture, neither really affected me directly. But, being a stupid 22-year-old at the time, I was utterly devastated by the double whammy. I dropped out of school (take that, Green River Community College!) and got a job working at a video store. I couldn't listen to Nirvana for more than a decade and barely watched the Sonics the next season, fearing they would choke again in the playoffs (they did).

And while the Sonics managed a few more good years and the Seattle music scene survived, nothing in this town seemed as good or as important after 1994.

ESPN Poll: Sacramento vs. Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:14:00 +0000

Sportsnation posted another poll about the Sacramento Kings drama, because apparently Tim Tebow wasn't available. Not exactly scientific, but I thought it was interesting that in California, 55% thought the Kings should move to Seattle, while 45% wanted them to stay in Sacramento. Of course, most of those votes probably came from Lakers fans.

Seattle Supersonics legend Gary Payton going to Hall of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:11:00 +0000

Illustration by Rafael Calonzo, Jr.

It's official (sort of): Former Seattle Supersonics guard and lego figure Gary Payton is going to the Hall of Fame. Congrats to the Glove on this incredible honor, second only, I'm sure, to making it into the Supersonicsoul Hall of Fame back in 2008.

Haywood, the Hall, and Waiting

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:42:00 +0000

42 years ago this month, Spencer Haywood's name was at the top of every sports section in America.

The Man Who Beat the NBA, or words to that effect, were plastered across the nation when Haywood's now-famous, then-infamous lawsuit found its way the U.S. Supreme Court and, eventually, a sympathetic set of ears. In ruling that the league's 4-years-out-of-high-school rule to be illegal, the USSC made a champion out of Haywood, and - let's all say it together - paved the way for people such as Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, etc, etc, etc.

And now, 42 years later, Spencer Haywood is hoping to, once again, be featured prominently in the sports sections of America. Today, tomorrow, this weekend ... some time before Monday night, Haywood will find out if this is the year the Basketball Hall of Fame lets him in the door.

I've written too many words about his case, and come down on both sides of the fence. On the one hand, an in-depth look at his statistics and accomplishments on the court leads me to believe that Spencer Haywood is not a Hall of Famer.

On the other, his off-court accomplishment (and there is truly only one accomplishment that merits mentioning) changes the equation. If you believe that Haywood's lawsuit was history-altering event, and that were it not for his lawsuit the NBA would not be as it is today, then I believe you have to induct him.

While his on-court contributions fall short, his off-court one - when combined, I suppose, with those on-court accomplishments - might just be enough.

For Haywood's sake, I hope so. It is clear that the man desperately wants recognition.

Read this please, its very important for young and old it's our history. Pray for me please. Mr. Early Entry.. m.reviewjournal.com/sports/basketb…
— Spencer Haywood (@SpencerHaywood) April 3, 2013

To his credit, he has reached a good place in his life where this recognition would merely be the icing, and not the cake itself, and for that reason, I hope he gets it.

Seattle Sonics vs. Sacramento Kings: The Cyborg Years

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:03:00 +0000

As our billionaire overlords decide whether Seattle or Sacramento deserves to give them more money, Supersonicsoul cartoonist extraordinaire Rafael "Chunkstyle" Calonzo pointed out on Twitter that our cities have a long history of pummeling each other.

Hansen Group Releases New Seattle Supersonics Rally Video "Bring Back the Sonics"

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:35:00 +0000

To celebrate going over 44,000 on their Seattle Supersonics season tickets wait list, the Chris Hanson Sonics 2.0 group released a new rally video featuring Macklemore and lots of pictures of Gary Payton hugging Shawn Kemp like the Reign Man was his long lost daddy.

Pretty good effort guys, but it's no "Not In Our House". I mean, it's not really a Sonics rap video without Gerald Paddio on the mic, right?

BREAKING: Lenny Wilkens to rejoin Seattle Supersonics as Player/Coach

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Sonics legend and two-time Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Lenny Wilkens will be rejoining the Seattle Supersonics in the dual player/coach role he had in the early 1970s.

"I'm ready to lead, both on the court and off," Wilkens said at a press conference this morning.

Wilkens, the first man to be voted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, had served in both capacities with the Sonics from 1969-1972, leading the league in assists in the 1970-71 season. He was traded in 1972, but later returned (this time solely as head coach) and led Seattle to their only championship in 1979.

The Sonics franchise was moved to an unknown midwest location in 2008, but the team is believed to be returning to Seattle next year, either as a relocated team or an expansion franchise. Nothing official has been announced, however, which makes any personelle moves seem a bit premature.

The man trying to bring the team back to Seattle, Chris Hansen, was asked about this peculiar move.

"Wait," Hansen replied, after spitting water out of his mouth. "What are you talking about?"

Wilkens, who turns 76 this year, appears ready to go. When asked about the prospect of the team returning to Seattle, however, the old coach seemed more amused than nostalgic.

"You're telling me the Sonics left town? Ha! Nice try." Wilkens laughed. "I know an April Fool's joke when I hear one. Next thing you'll be telling me President Nixon resigned!"

King DOH! The short and sad life of the Kingdome

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Merrill) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:27:00 +0000

While I was working on my book about the Seattle Supersonics this morning, fellow Supersonicsoul writer Pete Nussbaum tweeted this about the former home of the Sonics:

"37 years ago today, the Kingdome opened for business. 13 years ago yesterday, it was destroyed. Seattle finishes paying it off in 2016."

What a sad and strange epitaph for what was once the crown jewel of downtown Seattle.

The King County Multipurpose Domed Stadium was originally conceived in the 1950s, but public funding for the massive building was voted down several times (sound familiar?). In 1968, however, King County voters finally approved $40 million dollars in municipal bonds to pay for the dome, which began construction in 1972 and would be finished four years later.

Every major Seattle sports team called the Kingdome home at some point. The Supersonics moved in at the start of their 1978-79 championship season and led the league in attendance for two years in a row. On April 15th, 1980, in a home playoff game against the Bucks, the Sonics set an NBA single-game attendance record with 40,172, the most ever to watch a pro basketball game at the time.

The Kingdome also brought the NFL Pro Bowl and the NBA and MLB All-star games to town, along with the Final Four in 1984, 1989, and 1995. This was a very big deal back in the dark ages of Seattle, when we were only known for Bigfoot and Ted Bundy.

Over time, however, the novelty of watching sports inside a giant cement tomb wore off. As most Seattle teams declined in the late 80s, so did attendance. The Dome, run by King County, was not maintained very well, as anyone who ever had to use the bathrooms there can attest.

The Kingdome wasn't all urinal troughs and sticky floors, of course. The Seahawks had some great moments there (though they were mostly great for the other teams). Edgar Martinez had the most important hit in Mariners history in the dome. Pete and I even played in marching band during the halftime show on Monday Night Football there (Sorry ladies, we're already taken). And of course there was the annual paper airplane contest and the time that crazy guy flew a plane inside the dome.

In the mid-90s, though, the roof started to fall appart, giving the Seahawks and Mariners owners a perfect excuse to extort the city for new, single-use stadiums for their teams. Maybe if the Sonics hadn't moved out in 1985, they could have gotten a new stadium too.

It was too late now, though. The Kingdome was now the city's largest abandoned building. Its empty grey shell looked like the stripped-down ruins of an ancient civilization.

And on March 26, 2000, a day before the 24th anniversary of the Kingdome's grand opening, they blew it up.

So happy birth/death day to the Kingdome, the best and worst Multipurpose Domed Stadium we ever had.

Love the Glove

noreply@blogger.com (PN) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:07:00 +0000

If you're looking for a way to calm the turbulent waters currently flowing between Sacramento and Seattle, might I suggest this?

Yes, it's a Gary Payton "The Glove" hat, and yes, it lights up. Since no one could ever be angry wearing a "The Glove" hat that lights up, I think it might behoove both sides to don one of these suckers and just walk around for a little while. Give David Stern one for the afternoon. Drop one on Kevin Johnson's desk before he heads home from work.

In fact, I think quite a few of the world's problems might be solved if more people started wearing illuminated "The Glove" hats. The situation in the Middle East, for one. The charging/blocking situation in college basketball for another. The possibilities are endless, really.

You're welcome.

(Found via ebay).