Tri-City Herald Newspaper In Washington Misses The SuperSonics
Well Played
The Tri-City Herald Newspaper which is located in Kennewick, Washington holds grudges, and they had no problem letting everyone know about it as can be seen from the front cover of their morning paper.
WTF: Oklahoma City Thunder
When It Rains, It Pours
The Oklahoma City apparel company Warpaint Clothing Co., tried to make a funny with a t-shirt. However it came at the expense of the granola bar, Starbucks drinking community of Seattle and suddenly they received death threats from angry Seattle SuperSonics fans. They have now decided to pull the shirts.
Gary Payton Tattoo
Xavier McDaniel On Other Side?
If you tell me you know of a bigger Gary Payton tattoo in this universe, I would like to see it because as it stands right now this is the largest Payton tattoo known. Dedicated to “The Glove” this gal is a die-hard Seattle SuperSonics and really misses basketball in the Emerald City.
Portland Trail Blazers Players Want Nate McMillan Fired
Outlook Not Good
Reports out of Portland is that players on the Trail Blazers roster are in a mini revolt because they want head coach Nate McMillan fired. Their recent performance against the Boston Celtics in which they were losing by 37 points at halftime.
Sources close to the situation say that McMillan has lost the locker room. According to one source, there’s a growing number of players who would like to see McMillan fired, with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff taking over as interim head coach. Bickerstaff has coached the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats, accumulating 414 wins throughout his career.
The players aren’t the only ones who are questioning McMillan. Sources within the organization have criticized the coach’s rotations and in-game adjustments.
Seattle Trying To Lure The Sacramento Kings North
Let It Reign Once Again
There’s a movement afoot to bring the NBA back to Seattle by Christopher Hansen, a wealthy hedge-fund manager. The Seattle native is having discussions with city officials to build an arena near Safeco Field to help lure a franchise, the Seattle Times reports.
Hansen made his pitch at a Dec. 13 meeting attended by Julie McCoy, chief of staff to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, as well as Ethan Raup, the mayor’s director of policy and operations. The meeting was brokered by Carl Hirsh, a New Jersey arena consultant hired by the city in July, according to the Times.
Hansen has told city officials that a new arena could be built with minimal impact on taxpayers, and he has acquired property on which it would be built. The inability to get approval for a new arena led owner Clay Bennett to move the Sonics from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008.
The city of Seattle is monitoring the Sacramento Kings situation, the Times reports. Sacramento faces a March 1 deadline to present a viable plan to build the Kings a facility. If Sacramento fails to do that, Seattle believes it can lure the Kings and have them playing at Key Arena as a temporary home when the 2012 NBA season tips off next fall, a city hall source tells the paper.
Jeff Green Out For Season With Aortic Aneurysm
And The Beat Goes On
Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green received health diagnosis shortly before the start of the 2011-2012 NBA season that he had an aortic aneurysm. The 25-year-forward will undergo surgery on January 9 and will miss the entire season.
“While we are saddened that Jeff will not be able to play this season, the most important thing is his health, and we were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Jeff’s case,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge in a statement released by the team. “The entire Celtics family supports Jeff during this difficult time in his career.”
Green joined the Celtics via trade last season after playing the first three seasons of his career with the Seattle Supersonics and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Georgetown product has career averages of 13.9 points per game and 5.5 rebounds.
Prior to the physical that revealed his heart condition, Green had agreed to a one-year contract with the Celtics. According to the Boston Herald, the contract will be voided because Green was unable to pass the physical.
Seattle Mariners Bring Back Seattle SuperSonics
It's Just Not OK
Seattle Mariners brought back once members of its Seattle SuperSonics in a celebration of the team and the history of the city over the weekend at Safeco Field. The Mariners honored the history of the SuperSonics before their game against Tampa Bay Rays by bringing back Lenny Wilkens, George Karl, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Tom Chambers, Hersey Hawkins, Slick Watts, Dale Ellis, Jack Sikma, Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown, Gus Williams, Nate McMillan, Michael Cage and James Donaldson.
The Sonics played in Seattle for 41 years before owner Clay Bennett, who purchased the team in 2006, moved them to his hometown of Oklahoma City a year later, leaving the 14th-largest TV market for the 45th.
“We didn’t deserve to lose a team. We lost a team,” said former Sonics forward Detlef Schrempf, originally from Germany. “We’re a major city in the U.S. We should have a franchise. You shouldn’t lose it, not the way we did.”
The former Sonics appreciated the gesture by the Mariners.
“Athletes recognize one another. It’s nice the Mariners did this,” said Wilkens, who led the team to the city’s only championship, the 1979 NBA title. “I’m a Mariners fan, I’m a baseball fan. I grew up in Brooklyn with the Dodgers. So I go way back to Jackie Robinson.”
To get a team back in Seattle has been a mission for Payton as he is trying to muster up support from local leaders to build a new arena.
“We’re not able to talk about a team coming back here yet because the 5-year deal is not over yet. That was part of the deal when Clay Bennett took the team,” Payton said. “When that happens then you can go to David Stern and say, ‘Look, this is what we have.’ We need to get an arena here first. We all know that this is a great city, a beautiful city, but NBA is about show. You got to show them. The history is rich here. The team was here for a long time. Then we broke it. We just gave the team away. This city needs basketball.”
Phoenix Suns President Reveals He’s Gay
Ground Breaking
The New York Times is reporting that Phoenix Suns president and CEO Rick Welts that he wants to break down one of the last significant social barriers in sports and reveled that he is gay. Welts declaration is the latest development on a subject has gained attention in the sports world recently, after Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant’s use of a gay slur on the basketball court and NHL player Sean Avery’s public support of same-sex marriage.
Welts talked to NBA commissioner David Stern, WNBA president Val Ackerman, Hall of Famer Bill Russell and Suns guard Steve Nash before discussing his sexual orientation with a reporter from the Times, the newspaper said. All of them offered Welts their support.
“This is one of the last industries where the subject is off limits,” the longtime executive told the paper. “Nobody’s comfortable in engaging in a conversation.”
The 58-year-old Welts, who began his career as a ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics, spent several years with Stern in the league office. He was the architect of the All-Star weekend and helped raise the NBA’s profile before leaving for the Suns front office.
WTF: Shawn Kemp Condoms
Doing Our Part To Promote Safe Sex
Pick up a 2-pack and what you do with these Shawn Kemp inspired “Don’t Make It Rain, Man” condoms is up to you but it’s better safe than sorry.
Shawn Kemp Calls Blake Griffin’s Car Dunk ‘Weak’
History Repeats Itself
Throughout the season and all the dunks I’ve seen from Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin the more has reminded me of an early Shawn Kemp. Back in his days with the Seattle Supersonics the “Reign Man” showed off tremendous power and pure athletic ability to do all kinds of twisting and turning to be one of the leagues elite dunkers.
So what did the former Slam Dunk participant think of Griffin’s dunk over the 2011 Kia Optima to win the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest over the weekend? The 41-year-old Kemp joined KJR in Seattle with Dave Mahler and Ian Furness and called Griffin’s final dunk “weak.”
“I’m a big Blake Griffin fan, but that dunk at the contest might’ve been the weakest dunk in the dunk contest that I’ve seen in a long time,” Kemp said. “I love the choir and all that stuff was great, but you at least gotta jump over the car though right.”
Kemp also said that he could jump over a car.
“I’m 41 years old and right now I could do it. Two Smart Cars,” he said.
Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant’s All-Star Sneaker
Nice
Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant has made the leap from being his team’s star player to the face of the league as he has lead the Thunder achieving their best season since splitting from Seattle, leading the NBA in scoring and winning gold for team USA at the FIBA World Championships. For his second all-star game he plans on his new Nike Zoom KDIII which will be done in the traditional West red.
Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant Game Winning Buzzer Beater
Oklahoma City Thunders Kevin Durant knocked down his first game winning buzzer beater since his rookie season back when the team was still in Seattle. With just 6.5 seconds on the clock Durant drained a three pointer to defeat the New York Knicks 101-98.
New York Knicks Sign Knicks Sign Patrick Ewing Jr
Coming Home
Patrick Ewing Jr. is back with the team where his father became famous. The New York Knicks signed the Georgetown star but terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ewing was the 43rd pick of the 2008 draft by Sacramento Kings but wound up with the Knicks through a series of moves. He spent the 2008-09 season in the NBA Development League but missed all of last season because of injuries.
The six-foot-eight forward averaged 4.8 points in four games for the Knicks’ summer league team. Ewing’s father played 15 seasons for the Knicks before finishing his career with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic.
NBA 2K11 Looks Way Too Good
NBA 2K11 has Michael Jordan in it, but it also has Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, Terry Porter, Orlando Woolridge, John Wall equipped with his dance of the same name, skinny Shawn Kemp, the Seattle Supersonics and tons of other surprises.
NBA 2K11 Allows Gamers To Play 10 Different Versions Of Michael Jordan
Did You Even See Him Play?
The makers of NBA2K11 have released details the game has a game mode entitled “The Jordan Challenge” which allows you to play 10 different versions of the NBA great.Fans can play whatever game they want in whatever order.
In each game, gamers are charged with different goals, including matching Jordan’s point totals and shooting percentage. Here are the 10 different versions of Jordan that can played, however two of the 10 challenges don’t have specific dates tied to it.
April 20, 1986: Jordan scores 63 vs. the Boston Celtics
March 28, 1990: Jordan scores 69 vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
May 26, 1990: Jordan’s Game 3 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit Pistons
Any date in 1990: Jordan’s battles that season against Dominique Wilkins and Atlanta Hawks
June 2 thru June 12: Jordan’s performance in the 1991 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
June 3, 1992: Jordan scores 35 in the first half vs. Portland Trail Blazers
March 18, 1995: Jordan scores 55 vs. the New York Knicks
June 16, 1996: Father Day Game in 1996 NBA Finals vs. Seattle SuperSonics
June 11, 1997: The Flu Game
June 14,1998: Jordan’s last game in a Chicago Bulls uniform
If you hit six three pointers in a row like Jordan did against the Trail Blazers in 1992, the virtual Jordan will shrug just like he did in real life on that night.
Ewings On The Ewings
Former New York Knicks legend and forgettable Seattle SuperSonics player Patrick Ewing is the head coach of the Orlando Magic Summer League squad and is coaching his son Patrick Ewing Jr to which he wonders “there is no way in hell” he shouldn’t be in the NBA. At home and the bar that question is probably followed by why the hell am I not an NBA head coach?
Former NBA Player Kendall Gill Returns To Boxing Ring
Who Wrestles In Tims?
Very few people outside of Illinois ties will find this news interesting but former Charlotte Hornets,Seattle SuperSonics,New Jersey Nets,Miami Heat,Minnesota Timberwolves,Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks Kendall Gill will be making a return to the boxing ring tonight.
Gill, 41, who’s currently a Comcast Sportsnet basketball analyst will look to improve upon his prefect 3-0 record when he fights at the Chicago’s UIC Pavilion against Miles Kelly, 1-1-0 in a scheduled four round heavyweight bout.
He also has a video crew following him around as he trains for the fight for an upcoming show entitled “Inside the Ropes.” Gill has two knockouts in his boxing career but hasn’t fought since 2005.
Jose Canseco is impressed.
WTF: Oklahoma City Thunder
Green For The Money, Gold For The Honeys
Last night the city of Oklahoma City celebrated their first ever NBA playoff victory when the Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 101-96 to make the overall series 2-1. While the people in Oklahoma celebrate another city in the pacific northwest cannot and more than likely is not basking in the glory of a Laker defeat.Oh yeah there’s still outrage in Seattle.
As much of a Stan I am of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Nick Collison it has nothing to do with them, it’s still hard for me to look at that franchise and realize there’s no professional basketball being played in Seattle. Plus the coolest color combination’s of green and gold is out of the league now, come on that should be enough outrage.
