Clays Talk
Posted on Sunday, November 4th, 2007 at 11:22 am by Brian Robinson
Thanks to the person who linked this in an earlier thread.
Click here to listen to his complete interview:
I know that people think I’m sappy in all this, but I don’t hate Clay Bennet the way other people do. When we were at the game the other night I found myself asking “What is Clay Bennet feeling right now?”
I don’t get the sense that Clay is a guy who wants to break childrens hearts, or hurt the people of this community. I highly doubt he felt good when he heard those chants of SaveOurSonics and it started to settle in what he was doing and the personal toll it would take.
There are lots of reasons for us to criticize the guy. There are some actions here locally that make me understand why most pretty much despise him. I try not to take it personally. If he had more semi-candid conversations like this with the people of Seattle he would probably have built a better relationship with the community. If a Seattle guy were having this same conversation 4 years from now about bringing the team to our market from Memphis or somewhere else we would probably be standing up and cheering him.
Getting mad at Bennett is an effective rallying tool. In the end though we should save our real anger for the electeds here who are simply failing to address the issue.
November 4th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Well I want to let you all know that I am going to be rockin an “SOS (save our sonics)” sign and a “Keep the Sonics in Seattle” sign at the Clippers game today. My girlfriend and I are sitting about 17 rows up behind one of the baskets, and since I know there isn’t a lot of Sonic support down here in LA I thought I would do my part. Thanks for all you guys do on this site and all you fans who keep it going!
November 4th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Speaking of Clay
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071104/SPORTS/711040095/1004/sports
November 4th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Nate-I’m in orange county, can’t make it to game today, but I’m hittin’ the next three (lakers/clips) w/the same idea. All green and gold!!!!
November 4th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
This long interview definately left hope that a viable arena would solve all of this - even hard negotiating is tough on the one instigating. It probably sounded good in Clay’s head (ie. steal the team), but in the end it is tearing him up. If something reasonable comes on his radar he might actually take it.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Here’s what I don’t understand, and also part of why i don’t trust Clay at all (at one point I truly believed that Bennett would get an arena deal done for Seattle)….
Given the opportunity to comment on the $500 million dollar arena price tag, and the public financing to the arena, he only says, “First class buildings are expensive.” Instead of mentioning little known facts like the only taxes that would be extended mostly effected King County tourists (car rental, hotel/motel, and a 3 year extension of the restaurant tax), and that the arena was only going to cost $300 million and the rest went to paying off interest and tens of millions of dollars was going to go towards the arts!
At no point in time did Clay really try to sell his arena proposal to the public. IMO he didn’t want it to succeed.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
I know I come off as a Bennett apologist… whatever. I don’t believe he is the enemy and I believe he still has the preference to get something done here, sell at a profit, then go back to OK City with the expansion team that was pre-arranged with Stern as his reward for being the pawn that brings a new arena to Seattle. We still need to work with Bennett to get something done.
I also don’t believe the politicians are to blame either.
The lack of private investors stepping up is hard to blame as well.
The real enemies here are the NBA corporate monster and the overall apathy this region has towards professional basketball. I don’t know how to fight these enemies.
Even many of the diehards here say they would be done with the sport if the Sonics leave and would not support bringing back an expansion team. Do y’all think there might be a slight chance Stern reads this board, takes note of such comments and shakes his head? Or maybe the politicians will read it and think they might take an initial hit of negative publicity, but the negativity would eventually blow over when everyone is shouting “Screw the NBA!”
November 4th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I was at Olympia when the proposal was made and there were many people from the Seattle arts community arguing for the arena, and for those who don’t believe me about the arena only costing $300 mil… here’s some sources…
http://rentonwa.gov/news/default.aspx?id=9502#Q:_How_much_would_the_arena_cost?
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/2264.HBA%2007.pdf
Why wouldn’t Bennett spin his proposal in the best light possible?
November 4th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
FYI - For those of you w/ Comcast or DirecTV you should be able to check out today’s game on League Pass - They are offering their annual free-trial period.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Brian, Clay is talking from, to, about, OKC, always. He didn’t have that interview in Seattle because it isn’t about Seattle, never has been. Why would he want to endear himself to Seattle now, he didn’t make much of an effort before. His actions do not make sense as long as you view them from Seattle, and not from his office and life in OKC.
He doesn’t wake up in the morning in Seattle, I do. He’s not evil, he’s an Okie. All things being unequal (to Seattle’s advantage) he’d still rather have his basketball business in OKC. There in OKC are little eyes and full hearts warming to the thoughts of a favorite son bringing the NBA to OKC. Right now, as I type, the pro sport in Oklahoma being shown on ESPN is billiards. If he cares for children, it’s little OKC children, he’s seen those little eyes cry with the thought of the Hornets going back to NO.
So, I can’t project my Seattle desires on some guy who has OKC desires expressed in all of his actions.
I agree he isn’t evil, the rest of what you’ve written is likely Brian’s projections of his feelings and logic on a guy who does not share your location, culture, Seattle civic desires. He doesn’t care about you or Ballard (sorry about that one Brian, it’s true), or the little crying eyes in this part of the world.
This is a question of my quality of life in my home town vs Clayton “the renter” Bennett’s quality of life in OKC.
Making it clear to the league that Seattle will provide more revenue for the NBA than OKC will do more to decide if I pay any attention to the NBA or not.
Humanizing Bennett with your morals doesn’t change my view of his actions, motivations, and intentions. Aubrey let the cat out of the bag.
He flew into Seattle for opening night, still didn’t meet with the mayor. 366 days of failure to make a good faith effort IMO.
I have written a letter (email) to the Mayor of Seattle asking that he flip the arena issue on its head, he just had a NOW conference, I proposed making the Seattle Center, that more than 40 years ago was a demonstration of what the future would look like. I asked that the Seattle Center be remade into a green example to the world and transform it into the Green Center of Seattle, including an ultra green arena.
That’s my big picture solution, and vision, I have for seattle Center.
Being green is a priority for the mayor, fitting my priority in with his makes mine more attractive.
This is the Emerald City.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
“Getting mad at Bennett is an effective rallying tool. In the end though we should save our real anger for the electeds here who are simply failing to address the issue.”
Nice stroke.
Dick Tate said:
“I don’t believe he is the enemy and I believe he still has the preference to get something done here, sell at a profit, then go back to OK City with the expansion team that was pre-arranged with Stern as his reward for being the pawn that brings a new arena to Seattle. We still need to work with Bennett to get something done.”
Yes - looks like we’re 2-2 from behind the arc.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Sorry, I dont share the same sentiment here.
Clay has been pretty disingenuous thus far, his “good-faith” effort is only lip-service.
I respect that he wants to bring an NBA team to his hometown, but hijacking another city’s team is not the respectable way to go.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Not that I hate him, but I dislike and distrust him.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
The game’s on NBA league pass free preview!!
November 4th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
OH SNAP THANKS FOR THE HEADSUP
November 4th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Is anyone gonna start a game thread now that the game’s on TV?
Durant looks REALLY good so far in the 1st quarter, knocking down a tough 18″ off te dribble and a quick-lease 3-pointer - shots that weren’t falling much in the 1st 2 games.
Wilkins & Waton continues to be erratic (what’s new?). Wilkins made a couple of shots but they were those “clunked & circled inside the rim but still went down” fluke shots. He really has THE uglest shooting forms in the league.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Pretty ironic considering the thread topic below that Green is having his finest game yet, at least statistically (anyone want to post a link?).
November 4th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Jeff Green got a sick up and under from the baseline. Dude covered mad space on that play.
3 for 4, 7 points 2 boards for Green so far.
Wally commited another turnover.
He is killing me.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Green 3 of 3 from the FT! LOL
November 4th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Comment in moderation from a long time ago….
November 4th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
If I have to watch that POS “where amazing happens) commercial much more I think I will puke.
I have some ideas:
“where point shaving happens”
“where sexual harassment happens”
“where team swiping happens”
“where travelling happens”
“where flopping happens”
November 4th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Mr. Baker if Clay is the guy that u portrayed, then why did he not just come out & say these things from the start. Instead he said the opposite, the he intended to do everything he could to make sure the team stays. He’s taken us all on a roller coaster ride, bcuz of his deception, & call it what u want, but I call deception evil. Good people are honest, & do honest things. Last I checked it was bad people who lied, & were deceptive intentionally(no matter what they look like, or how rich they are). So just as stupid is as stupid does, I say evil is as evil does. What he’s showed this community so far has NOT been good, & don’t get it twisted…
November 4th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
From TrueHoop’s article with Steve:
“Pyeatt is also aware of some conditions of the sale from Howard Schultz’s group to Clay Bennett’s group. Apparently Schultz and his partners could have sold for more money to a group from California, but took less with the condition that the new owners would make a good faith effort to stay. (The terms are expressed, Pyeatt says, in a confidential “side letter” that has not been made public, but may be part of discovery in the upcoming trial.) If Bennett’s group does not make a good faith effort to stay, one of the possible remedies, Pyeatt speculates, is that the previous owners may be entitled to buy the team back — and while Schultz may not be interested, many from that group are.”
Man, I should have thought of that.
If it is discovered to have some clause in it regarding the length Clay had to go to to keep the team here, and if he hasn’t met it… hoo boy, fireworks!
November 4th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
why doesn’t the the local owernship here in seattle come together build the arena with the money they was going to use to buy the team from clay build it on the land in auburn from the muckleshoot. is that a option? could that work?
November 4th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Eps, read the post below your, or click on my name and read my blog, both involve Bennett having a side-letter agreement with the prior ownership group to give a good faith effort for one full year to get an arena deal done here. He had to talk and act in good faith until the letter term expired on … October 31, 2007. He announced he was moving the next legal day. The side-letter was written to all of the owners, including Sabey, Dennis Daugs, and 55 others.
I do not know what was in the letter beyond what Howard Schultz said on KJR’s Mitch in the Morning Show last year.
It may be nothing, it may be the dumbest thing Bennett has done so far, let’s find out.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Mr Baker-I was unable to really check out your whole blog, & the relevance to what I was saying. It’s sounds like an interesting development, & only seems to prove more that he’s a jack@$$. It’s possible I didn’t read your initial post good enuf, & so was off base there, but I will say that I really like the look of your blog (good job with that)…
November 4th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Jay-that’s an interesting idea, & from my naive pov(i’m not a business guy) it sounds intruiging, & a good possible alternative to Bennett choosing not to sell. Another good way to call his bluff, & like I said, I’m no business guy, but owning an arena might be a better business to get involved in than owning an NBA franchise. Also, if their intention is to help the community, then that might definitely help IF Bennett is unwilling to sell(being the inconsiderate) type of person he seems to be..
November 4th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
I agree epx..this guys is like a tooth ache… he dosent go away! the muckleshoots offer the land, local owerns are willing to help the sonics lets put it all together and get the arena done!
November 5th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Here Here!
November 5th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
David Stern presents Bennett into OKC Hall of Fame! [Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:38 pm]
Here is the link:
http://www.oklahomaheritage.com/HallofFame/2006HallofFameInductees/tabid/86/Default.aspx
November 6th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
wow, i want a transcript from that banquet. seriously, i wanna know what david thinks, and has obviously always thought. probably that bennett is doing all he can to help my industry(nba) detach it’s 40 year old roots from a city 1000s of miles away(literally and culturally) and replant here in the dust bowl. stern and bennett have some badddddd karma headed their way.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
j pocker
transplants graveyard buttress stroked shouter.prospectus