The Shocker! Howard Schultz to sue Bennett to get Seattle Sonics back!!!
Posted on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 11:01 pm by Mr. Baker (thinking good thoughts for George Karl))
The Shocker!!! Howard Schultz, the often reviled, sometime punching back, steps up BIG!
(Dear reader, you are asked to imagine the voice of Morgan Freeman when reading the words below, thanks.)
Nearly two years after selling Seattle’s NBA franchise to Oklahoma City investors, the Starbucks mogul has hired a lawyer and is preparing to file a lawsuit against Sonics chairman Clay Bennett to rescind the July 2006 sale.
Attorney Richard Yarmuth confirmed Monday that his Seattle-based law firm, Yarmuth Wilsdon Calfo, is representing Schultz and plans to sue Bennett’s Professional Basketball Club in the next two weeks.
“The damages that are being sought is to rescind, unwind the transaction,” Yarmuth said a day after the team played what could have been its final home game in Seattle.
“It’s not money damage. It’s to have the team returned. The theory of the suit is that when the team was sold, the Basketball Club of Seattle, our team here, relied on promises made by Clay Bennett and his ownership that they desired to keep the team in Seattle and intended to make a good-faith effort to accomplish that.”
When Bennett purchased the Sonics and its sister franchise in the WNBA, the Storm, for $350 million, he agreed to a stipulation that he would make a good-faith effort to keep both teams in Seattle. He has since sold the Storm to four Seattle women who will keep the team here.
Percy Allen of the Seattle Times has the full-on story here!
And a belated Happy Yom Kippur Howard!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
THANKS BAKER I WAS GONNA POST IT IF YOU DIDN’T!!!
Woah, this goes a long ways to a vote to DELAY by the BOG.
Cheers - thank you Howie for the good news….
I’m goin’ to bed
April 14th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
to sue Bennett I think u meant to say in the title…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
“We’re talking about fraud at the time the contract was signed,”
FRAUD
FRAUD
FRAUD ALERT
CLAY BENNETT IS A FRAUDULENT MOFO
WHERE IS ROB MCKENNA NOW?
April 14th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I am stunned.
Go buy some frickin’ coffee.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I love the thought of this guy squirming…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Hopefully this is followed up by a letter by Ballmer and company, as well as something with teeth from the local government. A perfect storm indeed.
Welcome back to Seattle Schultz.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
I said it on the other thread, I’d consider buying stock in Starbucks based on principle alone…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
FU Bennett!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
After thinking about it for a minute, here’s my question.
Is Schultz doing this because he actually think he can win, or is he doing it so the fans get off his back so to speak?
Don’t get my wrong, I think this is great and can’t hurt, but I just wonder.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
i was hoping that this was gonna happen..looks like kjr folks got their wish. i dont get why it would be hard for the to prove that clayton didnt add in good faith
April 14th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
i was hoping that this was gonna happen..looks like kjr folks got their wish. i dont get why it would be hard for the to prove that clayton didnt add in good faith
April 14th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Ok Howard. You got the first step down in trying to make ammends. Now see that you handle this the right way and don’t simple use it as a PR stunt.
I’m not so sure if this thing has any shot in hell. But like others have said, it’s sure to affect things a bit. And at the very least add a bit of ammo to our national media war against Clay and Stern.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I admire the gesture catch22 regardless. It’s one thing to make a mistake, or even do something shady, but to try to right that in a situation like this, and at a time like this does something for me regardless of his intention.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Was this Brian’s news?
Anywho - this is a win-win situation for Howard. If he loses the case, then he at least has saved face and has a way of saying “I tried.” If he wins, he sells to Balmer and we keep the Sonics.
Not to mention, the BoG now has to vote with TWO possible lawsuits surrounding the team. YES!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Do you think that Schultz enjoyed looking like a fool around the country? Don’t think so. This will go a long way to improve his reputation.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
This news made my day. I’m going to Starbucks tomorrow to celebrate!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Is Schultz doing this because he actually think he can win, or is he doing it so the fans get off his back so to speak?
I am sure its a little of both, I am sure in the end, the few thousand dollars that he loses because of the boycott, in the end, wasn’t what drove him to file a lawsuit.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Wow …
April 14th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
The beauty of this lawsuit is that it will only help to make this whole ordeal a major story on the National level.
More bad publicity for the league. Just imagine if the right investigative reporter starts digging. I may try and contact Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports (who broke the Reggie Bush scandal).
I really would like to see Congress get involved in some fashion. Get David Stern in a Congressional hearing and make him squirm.
There’s too much shady behavior going on with this league to not have some sort of inquiry.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
If Schultz’s suit actually goes to court, I sure hope the city shares all the dirty laundry emails that they are holding back on. Or maybe by that point it will already be all made public.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Jerry Brewer in the Times quoted a law professor as saying this is a long shot. But right now I don’t care. Kudos to Schultz.
We’ve wondered for a long time just what was in that “side letter” that Howard always referred to - maybe we’ll find out after all.
This week’s BOG vote just got even more interesting. Will they really have the stones to approve relocation when a question has been raised re: who actually owns the team?
April 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
# Catch-22 Says:
April 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm e
After thinking about it for a minute, here’s my question.
Is Schultz doing this because he actually think he can win, or is he doing it so the fans get off his back so to speak?
Don’t get my wrong, I think this is great and can’t hurt, but I just wonder.
Yes, and yes, and there is a third very real thought I have had, if he could have Bennett eat two years of losses, be the bad guy, and end up with his original proposal for the team that could actually turn a profit in this market, it is just good business too.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I am sure it is very appealing to come in on a white horse to ’save’ seattle.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
All right, it’s time for Howard Schultz to redeem himself!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
The other thing that bears mentioning here is the fact that Schultz indicated (when he spoke about the deal on the radio with Mitch on KJR) that the side letter agreement for a good faith effort also included an agreement that the Sonics would play in Key Arena through the 2010 season and honor the lease.
You can go to kjram.com and listen to it, I think it’s on Mitch’s page right now.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Yeah. The good faith effort..might be more difficult to prove…but you are right..it sounded like a promise to not break the lease. That would be MUCH easier to prove.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
BTW, Griffin said that they really don’t care who owns the team, they didn’t get into it to be team owners, but are willing to buy the team if that’s what it takes. Howard stepping in to give this a try still fits the Ballmer/Griffin/Stanton reason for getting this going, to have an anchor tenent for the Key Arena and to spark the Seattle Center rebuild.
There is right, there is wrong, I just don’t think anybody, including Howard, can stand by after Stern looked the other way with his comments today.
I can not tell you how happy this makes me, that he is trying.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrybrewer/2004349281_brewer15.html
Jerry Brewer pretty much nails it IMO. I hate to be a cynic. But I don’t see how this thing actually has any shot. Still though, like I said earlier, it’s good in that it makes this whole thing by Bennett and Stern look even dirtier when the seller is also pissed off.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Me too Mr. B. The statement better late than never rings true here imo…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
And I love Brewer’s “Oklahoma Raiders” designation for Bubba Clay’s team. lol.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Who knows Schultz motives here… but as far as I am concerned its a win-win for him and for us. Even if he loses he gets good publicity and people like me that have been boycotting since the day he sold will now buy coffee again.
And for fans - even if Bennet somehow gets out of the trial for breaking the lease here is another shot to air all the rotten lies of Bennet. Now not only does he have Slade on him but whomever Schultz choses as well.
The only thing that loses is my pocketbook becuase now I feel compelled to go to Starbucks to show my support for Schultz doing this!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
It might seem like a longshot on the surface, but we don’t know about all the other emails, & other evidence that could show up in a court case. It also makes the extraction tougher on Clay Clay, and it should be tough(what he’s trying to do), bcuz he was wrong for even considering trying to pull off this whole charade in the first place…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Get the fuck outta here!
This is great news isn’t it!??
April 14th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
EVERYONE WEAR SONICS GEAR TOMORROW
April 14th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Schultz….hahahah now he wants to play role of hero.
Thank god for Howard Schultz
April 14th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Can this cause the BOG to delay their vote on relocation?
April 14th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
My dad just brought up a good point… I wonder if Howard Schultz has some friends left among the NBA owners that would veto the relocation vote so he could own the team again.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Howard’s next move might be to try to go in front of the BOG and request that they delay their vote. As a former owner, i’m sure he established enough connections amongst the owners to get them to hold off until he can plead his case.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Well, we always wanted to know what was in the side letter…maybe now we’ll get to find out.
Even if this is a long shot, you’d think it has to make the BOG think twice about outright approval this week.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Now the season ticket holders just need to sue Bennett and we will have the trifecta.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Since Howard resumed his position as CEO of Starbucks, he has been on a mission to reinvent and restore the company to greatness. He must have realized how difficult this would be when people in his home town despise him and consider him to be a traitor.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_16/b4080000943927.htm?campaign_id=rss_topStories
If he follows through with this, I think it can help our cause as much as it helps his own. And as mentioned by others, in a perfect storm, he may end up coming out of this a home town hero.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Nothing against Jerry Brewer, but, I do not care why Howard is doing it, I do not care if it is a long shot, the FACT Jerry is that he is doing it, there is a shot (no matter how slim) and Percy totally scooped you dude.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
I find it very interesting to look at what may be motivating Shultz.
July of 2006: Seattle gets PUNKED
2006-http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2522944
July 2006 to Today: Seattle Punks back.
[TINYURL.COM - use it, know it, love it]
KARMA IS A BITCH. But you can make it right!!!
Hey Stern and Clay you had better ‘duck’ into you tornado shelter and make love like its the last time, there is a storm coming and it has nothing to do with Sue Bird!!!
SWEET DREAMS SEATTLE SONICS FANS
April 14th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Better late than never…I may go to Starbucks once in awhile and if this actually works..I am there everyday!!! Thank God…I have missed Starbucks!! Come on Howie fix this mess you made and show some love to the city that made you rich.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Better late than never…I may go to Starbucks once in awhile and if this actually works..I am there everyday!!! Thank God…I have missed Starbucks!! Come on Howie fix this mess you made and show some love to the city that made you rich.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Yeah, all the busters in the media need to stop with the cynicism. We’re going thru enough as Sonics fans as it is, so they should show a little consideration, & speak positive, or keep their mouths shut…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Looks like we’re back on the rollercoaster…
If Howard Schultz actually follows through with this lawsuit, win or lose, my 18-month boycott of Starbucks is officially OVER!!!
Yes, Howard always has an eye on the PR aspect of everything he does. Nevertheless, I’ll still give the guy major respect for recognizing the bad karma he created, and for coming clean.
It really doesn’t matter whether or not Schultz wins - and I’m absolutely certain he recognizes this: the point is to cast ever greater doubt and national media glare on the lack of integrity and viability of Bennett’s ownership group.
SeeJ said:
“If he loses the case, then he at least has saved face and has a way of saying “I tried.” If he wins, he sells to Balmer and we keep the Sonics.”
Exactly. I don’t think Schultz actually wants to own the team again; he’d just flip it to Ballmer and walk away a hero to the fans, or perhaps hold a small minority interest.
Either way, this is another huge step for the fans.
THANK YOU, HOWARD SCHULTZ!! SEE YOU AT STARBUCKS!!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
well, I’m off to an OKC board, and then to sleep.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Gotta love this day!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Thank You Howard! I had a feeling this would happen, just didnt know if it really would. I am so pumped once again! Last night its GP and Save Our Sonics chants leading Supes to victory, now its Schultz stepping up and droppin’ a bomb on that bastards ass!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
If anything, this makes things a whole helluva lot more interesting.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
In the spirit of our ongoing campaign to email everyone who might be able to help us Save Our Sonics, it seems only fair that we should send Howard some love for this bold move…
Anyone got Howard’s email address? I owe him that, after all the bashing I’ve done here…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
I can imagine Howard in court testifying saying David Stern praised the package at KeyArena 2 years ago and now says its not, putting a real damper on his agenda!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I found this movie quote fitting for tonight’s announcement…
“Just when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself! …
Harry to Lloyd - Dumb & Dumber
April 14th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I don’t even think Schultz wants the Sonics, he just wants to improve his image and his Starbucks company. If he pulls this miracle off he would likely sell the team for $350 million to Steve Ballmer and Schultz would be a hero with happy Starbucks Company!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I HOPE CLAYTON FINALLY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS OURRRRRRR TEAM NOT HIS!!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Now, I can sleep contently knowing there is another hedgehog up Bennett’s butt that he needs to deal with.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
This is awesome! Finally some good news on this board, the negativity was getting really depressing to read. Now can we get a lawyer to handle a class action suit by the season ticket holders also?
BOG must vote for Clay to relinquish sale of team back to local ownership and put him in line for a freakin expansion team.
Time for Starbucks to break back out those Sonics cups again.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
the good news keeps rolling in..I think last night game really had a impact on everybody here in seattle and across the nation..Im happy the mr. starbucks finally woke up got off his ass and did something for the city that made him rich
April 15th, 2008 at 12:00 am
hschultz@starbucks.com
letters of encouragement lord know I will give my time to file paper work at the law firm or hell run coffee. can I help sue this bastard back to OKC!!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:03 am
courtsense, go to starbuck (do it) and fill out a customer comment card,
hey, everybody, if you find yourself in a starbucks, fill out a customer comment card, just say thanks Howard for trying to get the sonics back. Getting a bunch of cards like that would be a nice gesture, after all of the other gestures he’s gotten over the past two years.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:05 am
If this Schultz thing is the real deal and he can pull it off (I’d really like to know what that side letter says now) then he might turn into just one of my favorite people on earth
My initial response…. Howard ain’t an idiot. He sees a chance at owning Durant, Green, picks up the ass, and potential for 2 different arena options. I’d jump on it too.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Chikiboy, great line - one of my all-time favorites. This is what needed to happen - kudos to Howard for stepping up big regardless of his motives. This might tip the BOG vote back to us. Even if not, it puts Bennett in a horrible spot. He’s got to be crapping his pants knowing that he and his lying slimeball partners could potentially be called to testify in court regarding their intentions, not to mention Stern. My guess is they would do just about anything to avoid exposing them for what they are and what they have said to each other. I think our chances are now better than 50-50 of keeping the Supes. Howard the villain could become Howard the Great. Time to start drinking Starbucks again and buying back my stock!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Brewer is lame for commenting like that without knowing what the side letter actually says. Maybe it has serious teeth and everything is spelled out in detail. Maybe it doesn’t/isn’t. Until we all know its iffy to jump on or off the bandwagon.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:12 am
I think that there is a chance this works. I am guessing that they are going to argue, in the letter it says they must try and find a solution for 1 year in Seattle. Instead after the Renton deal fell through they did not try to find another solution in Seattle.There is an email trail that proves they were looking to relocate well before the OCT 31st deadline. Plain and simple.
Wow who would have thought this when you woke up this morning?
April 15th, 2008 at 12:13 am
its a good time to buy.. I would wait a bit longer though. typically stocks are flat during tax season. wait a bit longer see what happens.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Do a little dance…
Make a little noise…
Chutzpah baby. I am glad to see this town start to wake up. If you want to keep something you love you have to fight for it. Even if you lose, at least you fought.
Props to Tom Carr and G. Nickels for bringing the bats and backbone. Props to Slade for the gravitas and one of the largest law firms in the world. And now props to H. Schultz for swinging for redemption.
As John Stewart would say “Snap. Oh, its on.”
April 15th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Brewer isn’t a lawyer nor does he have a copy of the contract. It sounds like there were some performance clauses: the Sonics had to honor lease (they aren’t) and had to invest their efforts in the first 12 months to save the Sonics (they didn’t and were looking to move in that time frame. They violated the contract.
Bennett should just sell the team to Ballmer and get this over with before he looks even worse and costs himself an expansion team or a piece of the Hornets.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:17 am
National media was pusihing the big guns here in the NW.
Questions like, “With Microsoft and Starbucks up there I dont see how they wouldn’t keep them?”
April 15th, 2008 at 12:17 am
This is great news! Great job SOS guys.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Kingdome, I completely agree. Brewer is not an attorney and gives no rationale for why this is the “longest of longshots”. If this does nothing more than tips the BOG vote it has served its purpose. It won’t get there but I’d kind of like to see a trial - be better than a lot of Supes games this year.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:21 am
i saw the title of this post and thought it was a cruel joke.
holy shit!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:21 am
SHUT THE HELL UP !!!!!!!!!!
WHAT???????
I swear to god, I was in the bathroom today and saw an opened magazine. Of all people in the world, it was Howard Shultz. My natural reaction was “that son of a biiatch”.
5 hours later, I am sitting here thanking him.
I’m pretty sure he is doing this for his own agenda but I would never in a MILLION YEARS thought Shultz would do this.
Particularly after he said “I’ve moved on” in recent interviews when asked about the sonics situation.
IS THIS FOR REAL? IT BETTER NOT BE A LATE APRIL FOOLS JOKE.
SEATTLE IS READY TO BATTLE
April 15th, 2008 at 12:31 am
I wonder if Bennet and his owners are sending some emails to each other right about now??
April 15th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Two words I don’t like in this new story…
From the Times - “preparing”
From the PI - “considering”
I want to see “filing”
April 15th, 2008 at 12:39 am
I am so ecstatic to hear this. I’m afraid to get too excited though.
PLEASE HOWARD. GET THIS DONE!!
You will go from #1 villain to #1 hero literally overnight if you do this.
SAVE OUR SONICS!!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Laporbo-It’s past the point of no return now. If he bails his rep goes from bad to worse, so I don’t think there’s any turning back for him at this point…
April 15th, 2008 at 12:43 am
in the words of KC “GET ON THE MAGIC CARPET AND RIDE!!!!
This has been a very emotional couple of days, weeks and months!
I never thought Howard would do this but, I am happy to be proven wrong. I feel the more litigation the better. This litigation won’t be cheap for the OKC crew. The bad PR for the NBA is on our side as well.
Save our Sonics!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Here we go…that’s all I got to say.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:46 am
GOod point epx..
his ass is DEAD if he bails on this now.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:46 am
“Two words I don’t like in this new story…
From the Times - “preparing”
From the PI - “considering”
I want to see “filing” ”
The Times say he plans on suing in the next 2 weeks. I think the only reason they said anything before the suit is filed is to get it out there before the BOG meeting.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:53 am
I have a meeting at 8:30 in the morning. How the hell am I supposed to sleep now?
And props to sonicscentral posters for quoting 2 of my favorite movies today. Home Alone and Dumb and Dumber FTW!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:54 am
It appears Mr. Yarmuth has “considerable expertise” in these types of cases…which is nice.
blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sonics/index.html#027303
April 15th, 2008 at 12:55 am
If this works, I will top my Starbucks boycott and by a triple-shot-grande-bucks-erino-mocha-vanilla-frappa-iced-latte every day from now until eternity.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:55 am
I guess Schultz realized the nearly 4 million potential coffee drinkers he’d lose here was worse than the 1.2 million potential coffee drinkers he’d lose in OKC.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:04 am
The real beauty of Schultz’s lawsuit is that it rightly focuses on keeping this Sonics team - our Sonics team - here and now.
None of this “just promise us an expansion team in 5 years and we’ll let you steal our team” bullshit.
None of this “maybe we can steal the team from Memphis or the team from Charlotte to replace the team the NBA stole from us” bullshit.
No - we want this team, our team, the only team we’ve ever had, or ever cared about, with our history and our tradition.
Kudos to Howard for recognizing and being sensitive to that.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Great idea above… anyone going to Starbucks in the next few days should fill out a customer comment card and thank Howard to supporting the effort to keep the Sonics here
April 15th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Man I hate that its so late and there is nobody to talk to about this stuff.
So Brian, was the the big news you mentoined at Ozzies or is there more coming?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:13 am
howard shultz is the man
April 15th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Anyone who is worried or cynical about this lawsuit because they think proving “Good Faith” is to vague & hard to do & thinks Howard does not have a chance of winning the case is missing the whole point. And, it is not just about Howard trying to get good PR IMO.
And I wonder (Hope) Howard is in communication with Ballmer - hope they are working together.
This case helps increase the chances of the soncis staying in many ways:
1. It simply complicates the NBA’s effort to approve moving the team or even if they do - to actually move them
2. It pisses Stern off even more because of the PR nightmare & the fact that he does not have total control. This could help push him to ditching Clay to just clean this mess up. OR - Contradicting myself - maybe Stern is so pissed at Clay he is happy about Howards lawsuit and can use this as more reason to ditch Clay once an arena funding plan happens.
3. It increases the chances of the NBA BOG meeting either rejecting Clay’s request - or probably more likley - postponing a vote on it until things get cleared up.
4. It shores up Nichols & city Council members to hang tough knowing they have more ammo to pressure Clay to sell.
5. Howard was an NBA owner for several years & he likley has some friendships among current owners & this might influence some of them to vote against Clay B.
More reason for sure - but this is good news. Remember - Most lawsuits never get to court. People sue all the time to force another party to negotiate a settlement. This lawsuit will likely never get to court - Howard just wants to add it to the overall picture to put more pressure on the NBA to keep the Sonics here.
Meanwhile - I hope this does not cause Gregoire to whimp out and think because Howard is doing something she can do less. She is so clueless - She might think the arena funding now can be delayed until 2009.
More than ever - Now is the time for her to step up - hopefully tomorrow - and get the arean funding done. Before this news I thought if the arena funding happens it would seal the deal - now i think it would do so even quicker.
Great news - we need more from gregoire tomorrow
April 15th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Courtsense… You & I are totally on the same page — no expansion etc. - that is BS. The total focus needs to be on keeping this team here - period.
Some have suggested Stern may try & pressure Seattle leaders by saying… “You better play our game & be nice and let this team leave to OKC because if you don’t we’ll never put another NBA team in seattle because you would not go along with us in 2008 on this move.”
My response ot that would be to stare Stern right in the eyes and say… “No worries David… if you move this team to OKC now we would not want the NBA back in seattle anyway.”
Either keep this team or get the NBA out of Seattle - No expansion or franchise swaping.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:29 am
I thought it was a late (and evil) April Fools joke too.
Wow.
Did anyone (as in David Stern) see this coming? It’s like fantasyland– I never anticipated that Shultz would do this. Never came to mind. Not once. Shultz just equaled disdain.
Now he’s my boy. I’m backing Shultz– and by the way, Starbucks at the Maui Mall today was so packed, I left and went next door for a Jamba Juice. I had never left a Starbucks because it was too busy.
Maybe it’s the new Pikes Place Roast. Roots baby.
Anyway, brilliant marketing by Shultz. Thanks Craig for sending the business week article. Can we dream again of having a future like Portlands with a crew of brilliant young guns of our own up here in Seattle?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Good, I’m glad that Howard is finally stepping up and doing something. I suspected that he would because of the pending disaster and Howard is the only other one who can sue Clay Bennett besides the City of Seattle, although someone mentioned that we, as fans, may also be able to sue him for systematically trying to destroy the Sonics and create mass apathy among the fans in Seattle (it’s not really working, though, and I don’t think that we will be filing a class-action suit or anything, although it’s really tempting). A couple days ago he was quoted as saying that he had no comment about the Sonics and that was in the past as far as he was concerned.
Now he’s singing a different tune and that’s great and I think it’s because of our efforts and the game on Sunday with the incredible fan participation and the growing media coverage of this Clay Bennett-David Stern debacle, and I also think because of the growing anti-Starbucks sentiment & Starbucks Boycotting that he knows will only get worse if the Sonics actually leave Seattle. I don’t think he wants to see what that’s going to be like. He can actually step up and be a hero. I wonder if he’s bold enough to attend the NBA Board of Governors meeting on Friday as the rightful owner of the Sonics and challenge Clay Bennett’s ownership right there in front of all the other owners and ask the other owners to vote this down because he would be moving the Sonics back to Seattle anyway once the courts award him ownership. That would take balls and it would REALLY make Howard Schultz a hero. It would also be fantastic theatre and would REALLY INCREASE THE MEDIA EXPOSURE OF CLAY BENNETT AND DAVID STERN’S CONSPIRACY TO ROB SEATTLE OF THE SONICS. It would make it way too hot for them to stand, and Clay would be forced to do something - probably sell. I don’t really think that Howard is that bold, but it sure would be cool if he would do that. What does anybody else think about that?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Totally agreed JJ. It’s THIS team with KD and JG or it’s F You to the NBA. If a new comish comes in and apologizes for the way this went down then maybe we can discuss things. Right now it’s about OUR Sonics or NO NBA.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Comic relief:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlHSFSDZjwc&feature=related
April 15th, 2008 at 1:42 am
KD didn’t pick anything, or eat it. He was just scratching the inside of his nose, & then since his hand was right there he decided to chew his fingernail. Ha ha, not funny Zonics…
April 15th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Zonics, that’s pretty funny. Poor Kevin. I’m not completely sure that that’s what he did. I wonder if he’s seen that video and how he might explain that.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:44 am
If they stay in Sea he can pick my nose if he wants.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:45 am
If the decision to move the sonics was completely up to you, and Bennett offers you 25 million to allow him to move would you still make them stay? Im a teenager now, and grew up watching the sonics. I have vague memories of Payton and Kemp, but mostly memories of crappy seasons (with the exception of 2004), the one ficture being Lewis. As much as i want them to stay, I have to admit that in the situation previously mentioned, I would have to take the money. If Bennett’s plan was to make fans lose interest and not care anymore, Its working with me. Even with good news lately I’ve already made my peace with the sonics and its hard to get re-excited about the sonics. the rollercoaster is getting to me. Another setback is probably around the corner. And Im getting off the ride.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Good, I’m glad that Howard is finally stepping up and doing something. I suspected that he would because of the pending disaster and Howard is the only other one who can sue Clay Bennett besides the City of Seattle, although someone mentioned that we, as fans, may also be able to sue him for systematically trying to destroy the Sonics and create mass apathy among the fans in Seattle (it’s not really working, though, and I don’t think that we will be filing a class-action suit or anything, although it’s really tempting). A couple days ago he was quoted as saying that he had no comment about the Sonics and that was in the past as far as he was concerned.
Now he’s singing a different tune and that’s great and I think it’s because of our efforts and the game on Sunday with the incredible fan participation and the growing media coverage of this Clay Bennett-David Stern debacle, and I also think because of the growing anti-Starbucks sentiment & Starbucks Boycotting that he knows will only get worse if the Sonics actually leave Seattle. I don’t think he wants to see what that’s going to be like. He can actually step up and be a hero. I wonder if he’s bold enough to attend the NBA Board of Governors meeting on Friday as the rightful owner of the Sonics and challenge Clay Bennett’s ownership right there in front of all the other owners and ask the other owners to vote this down because he would be moving the Sonics back to Seattle anyway once the courts award him ownership.
That would take balls and it would REALLY make Howard Schultz a hero. It would also be fantastic theatre and would REALLY INCREASE THE MEDIA EXPOSURE OF CLAY BENNETT AND DAVID STERN’S CONSPIRACY TO ROB SEATTLE OF THE SONICS. It would make it way too hot for them to stand, and Clay would be forced to do something - probably sell. I don’t really think that Howard is that bold, but it sure would be cool if he would do that. What does anybody else think about that?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:51 am
Amazing news tonight! I’m very happy about this whether this actually forces a sale back to Howard or not. I’m glad we’re all fighting so hard for this.
I can feel it you guys … we’re right in the middle of actually Saving OUR Sonics.
It’s going to feel sooo good when we do! Thanks to everyone who’s been supporting this for as long as they have!
April 15th, 2008 at 1:52 am
I wake up in the middle of the night to this!? Please tell me I’m awake and not having some Twilight Zone kinda dream! WOW!
Now we need The Gov to step up with her Promisory Note type letter and we are off!
This is great great and unexpected news. Again, WOW!
Let’s keep the heat on Seattle, let’s get this done.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:02 am
To Be Completely Victorious in this Battle, we have to expose not only Clay Bennett and his band of Cowboys (not the good kind
), but also David Stern, because he was in on the theft and fraud from the beginning. We want as much light and as much heat on David Stern as possible. We need to dig up even more dirt than just this on him, and I’m sure that there is plenty. The man is a first-class weasel. Maybe second-class. We need to do what it takes to get this done.
We need to help Howard and Steve Balmer and Wally and whoever else with our volunteer efforts to bring the bastards down. We need to do what we can to get Howard Schultz to attend the NBA BoG Meeting on Friday and address his fellow owners about what he plans to do to stop this now. I wonder if Christine Gregoire called Howard? Maybe he’ll let us know when he’s interviewed. I hope he’s going to use some of the talent here at S.O.S. / Sonics Central to help out in the recovery efforts (and maybe give some of us jobs when the Sonics come under the new ownership).
April 15th, 2008 at 2:03 am
To Be Completely Victorious in this Battle, we have to expose not only Clay Bennett and his band of Cowboys (not the good kind
), but also David Stern, because he was in on the theft and fraud from the beginning. We want as much light and as much heat on David Stern as possible. We need to dig up even more dirt than just this on him, and I’m sure that there is plenty. The man is a first-class weasel. Maybe second-class. We need to do what it takes to get this done.
We need to help Howard and Steve Balmer and Wally and whoever else with our volunteer efforts to bring the bastards down. We need to do what we can to get Howard Schultz to attend the NBA BoG Meeting on Friday and address his fellow owners about what he plans to do to stop this now. I wonder if Christine Gregoire called Howard? Maybe he’ll let us know when he’s interviewed. I hope he’s going to use some of the talent here at S.O.S. / Sonics Central to help out in the recovery efforts (and maybe give some of us jobs when the Sonics come under the new ownership).
April 15th, 2008 at 2:05 am
Oh man. Bubba Clay isn’t going to like this. Remember in his love letter to Stern when he complained about how Howard was being so mean to him by pulling his sponsership and courtside seats? Bwahahaha. Suck it Clay. Oh wait. You already are.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:08 am
We need more emails to pop up, revealing more so we can fuck them.
April 15th, 2008 at 2:52 am
The key to this to me is for everybody on the Seattle side to fight Bennett and Stern in unison. Slade, Howard, Nickels, Gregiore, Cies, SOS, the fans, everybody need to be on the same page. People can’t be backing down because others step up. Make sure the gov doesn’t think she’s off the hook because of Howard’s suit. And more importantly, we need to make sure the different parties do not get in the way of the others. This needs to be a unified front. As individuals, it’s tough to stand up to Bennett and Stern. But as one we can do this. Go Supes! Go Seattle!
April 15th, 2008 at 3:12 am
[...] o; The Shocker! Howard Schultz to Bennett to get Seattle Sonics back!!! franchisefool wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNearly two years afte [...]
April 15th, 2008 at 3:15 am
this reminds me of the movie count of monte cristo when edmund reads on the wall god will give me justice……….def fits here
April 15th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Wow! I just woke up to the news! Maybe he saw our sign sunday night, lol…This just gets more interesting, and just in time for the BOG. I’m sure the long shot chance he wins, he would just sell it back to Ballmer. I am just stunned, I didn’t expect this! Great news!
April 15th, 2008 at 3:57 am
I cannot say that I am stunned here, I thought it would be Stanton but quietly this momentum has grown.
Great for Howard. The chance to redeem himself. This is why you don’t get too ugly in your personal attacks. Now the guy has a chance to be our hero.
Have I ever mentioned that this is a roller coaster?
April 15th, 2008 at 4:25 am
I still think that Howard Schultz is a two-faced, close-fisted scumbag; however, I’m willing to withhold my final judgement on him at this moment. Schultz has yet to completely regain his dignity, but at least now he’s on the right track to redemption.
April 15th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Wow it sounds good !
I don’t know a damn thing about US Law but do you think he can win on the court ? At least Stern and Bennett are looking worse and worse…
April 15th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Major League 3: Back to the D-League
The SuperSonics and their fans arrive in the third comedic installment to “Major League,” where greedy men conspire against the home team.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:14 am
I can’t believe all the people that been blogging all night.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:14 am
I can’t believe all the people that been blogging all night.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Went to the game sunday and felt good about seeing all the support for our supes but still felt empty knowing it could have been the last time….This news however is UNBELIEVABLE! Could care less if its a publicity stunt or not, its just another hurdle in clay’s way. Big up’s to mark cuban for his support of the sonics!!
April 15th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Unreal!! I wake up to this news in Philly and have nobody to talk to it about!! I told my wife she can go back to Starbucks now and get whatever she wants! WHEN the Seattle Sonics stay in Seattle where they belong, if their is any justice or Karma in this world we will get the #1 pick and take Beasly!! He is already friends with Durant and Green, Durant and Beasly would be unstoppable in 2 years!!
April 15th, 2008 at 6:12 am
This stops the BOG vote. We’ve got a fighting chance. Even if he all dis was buy us some time, Howie’s OK in my book again. Stopping at Starbucks in the morning…
April 15th, 2008 at 6:13 am
At the time of the sale, Schultz said he had included a side letter to the sales agreement that he called a “deal breaker.”
“As part of the negotiation, I asked for something that was a deal breaker in negotiation,” he said in a KJR (950 AM) interview then. “What I asked for was a side letter to our ownership group and to me … that said basically he would honor the four-year lease in terms of the 2010 terms, and use his best efforts over the next 12 months … to get something done.”
——————————————–
Interesting…
I didn’t know there was a “promise to honor the lease.
I just hope this is not a way for Schultz to save face knowing that he can’t win.
April 15th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Can we have a division with Seattle and Dallas only? The Outlaw Division? Looks like Cuban is going to have a partner in the owners’ club now. Breaking back into the clubhouse isn’t going to please all those guys, especially Her Commissioner. Tough. Get use to it. We’re back and, yeah, we’re a little pissed off. What, David, are you saying you were thinking about retirement anyway?
April 15th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Schultz doesn’t have to win. This is another lawsuit the NBA does NOT want. An old owner suing a current owner over who owns a team. They will never let this go to trial. (These kinds of lawsuits almost never go to trial anyway.) I want to see those jokers drug into court under oath to tell us exactly what they did and when, but I have a better chance of walking on the moon. And I now have a real chance of going to Sonics games in Seattle until the day I die…
April 15th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I agree with Glennpdx. Howard does not need to win this. This is bad pub for the NBA and could expedite a solution in Seattle.
While I believed, if we lost them, we would get a team back. This complicates the removal of this team from Seattle. The roller ocaser is moving again, and probably won’t stop until next season.
Already making headlines elsewhere.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3347564
April 15th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Even better on a national perspective, good timing before ESPN’s outside the lines which will run tomorrow. You better believe this is only going to thicken the plot and give the story even more legs!
April 15th, 2008 at 7:15 am
This is NOT a long shot.
Winning on the “good faith” clause is likely to be difficult. While there are lots of cases that cover and describe what “good faith” is, it is highly fact specific, and a judgement would be based heavily on the judge’s views of what constitutes good faith. We don’t know all the facts, so the “good faith” case is very difficult to evaluate from a distance.
DO NOT put much faith in the pundits’ commnets on likelihood of success here. Unless the pundit is an insider, he really knows very little about how the “good faith” case will play out.
I’d assume a 50 / 50 chance of winning on good faith. But, the case would likely be here in Federal court, and that’s a good thing and could increase the odds.
But, the better news is that “good faith” is not the only basis for a claim. The other basis, as mentioned by courtsense [I think] is FRAUD in the inducement. Basically, that case will be:
“If I [Howard Schulz] had known that they weren’t serious all along, and would do what they have done, I would never have sold. The “good faith” efforts were a material consideration in my decision to sell, and had I known that would do what they did, the deal would never have happened.”
This is a pretty powerful argument.
And, you KNOW that there will be copious evidence showing that the OKies never intended to undertake reasonable, good faith efforts.
Recission is an extraordinary remedy. Courts don’t grant it lightly. But, it is designed exactly for this type of situation.
In short, this is a really bad day for Clay. Think about how his partners are reacting today. I’m guessing that they are really happpy with him. Right?
No doubt David Stern is also really upbeat.
Not a long shot. Not a slam dunk. The City’s case is probably significantly stronger. But, handicapping this from the outset, I would put Howard’s case at no worse than 50 / 50, and possibly much better.
Think about what these two cases taken together mean to the OKies investor group.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:24 am
What are the chances we can get a permit to protest outside the Board of Governors meeting in NYC. The wife has given me permission to go on Friday.
Andy in Virginia
April 15th, 2008 at 7:28 am
OK, so now I feel a lot better about having continued to go to Starbucks since the sale of the team. In my defense, its the closest coffe shop to my house and I know everyone who works there. I think deep down I always new Howeard would come through. Or maybe I just told myself that to make myself feel better. Anyway, as WaMu would say. WOOHOO!!! I am so glad I went to bed early last night! I would have still been up reading and posting. This is awsome. I say Howard sets a court date for sometime in November, ensuring another season here. I already filled my complain with the AG, so the more we can pile on, the better. I am not sure what movie this was from, but a buddy quotes it all the time. “you gonna kill me?”"hell no, this is America son. We’re gonna sue your ass”
April 15th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Isn’t it crazy that since this story broke late monday night, no national coverage of this has even been mentioned… Which goes to show its all about us in the Northwest supporting OUR teams which are continuously overlooked in the national(east coast) sports news. Always an underdog in this part of the country which I accept and relish. Here’s to the fact that we might be able to continue to listen to the best announcer of our time. KEVIN CALABORO!!!!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Howard Schultz is the man! imagine if he wins!!! this is awesome stuff to wake up to! thank you Howard!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Finally Howard has the balls to step! Glad to see him redeem himself!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Never posted here but have been reading a lot. Ever since people said Schultz was smirking whenever someone brought up the Sonics I had a feeling he was planning on something. Great to know I was right.
If Seattle gets to keep this team this whole ordeal/story will make one great book.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Howard I might buy starbucks again if you get this done OMG I’m speachless right now.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:27 am
A great book sold exclusively at Starbucks! Enjoy reading it with the new Pike Place Blend!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:31 am
I’m giddy. This is fabulous news.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:04 am
I am shocked. Eating crow for breakfast. I can’t believe the Okies left a hole in their contract. They were seriously desperate to acquire a team. What kind of lawyers did they have…..they should all be fired.
Nice PR move Howie. But I don’t care…….save the team. Its all about the bottom line.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Time to get me some white chocolate mocha - iced.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am
This is a no brainer..its about time howard!!this will probably save your ass from everyone in seattle hating you for that move..please redeem yourself
we are loaded with draft picks,and have a solid future no doubt about it. thanks mr. schultz!
April 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Zonics I am gonna ban you if you don’t quit posting ginormous links. We’ve asked you to stop it repeatedly.
April 15th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I will ride the rollercoaster! I will go to Starbucks! I will be a man possessed!
But I will always hate Stern.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Greeting Sonics Central / SOS…
Stayed up all night putting this video together…It’s time to Sacrifice Seattle!
Let’s keep OUR team here in the GREAT NORTHWEST!!!
Without further ado…The sequel to Seattle Sonics: “Don’t Stop Believing” Remix…
Seattle Sonics: “Never Gonna Give You Up” Remix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYPzBX0H0cg
Hope you all Enjoy!
Reidster Reid (2R Sonics)
April 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Yes! Long shot or not this is great! I want the Sonics in Seattle BUT what I really want at this point is to have Clay Bennett, David Stern and the NBA to eat shit. If the Sonics leave for OKC I want the franchise tainted and bringing up all the underhanded ways in which they were stolen will do just that.
Thank you Howard!!!
April 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
i agree, this is great. the overall point is to create an absolute boiling cesspool of a mess for the nba, giving them lawsuits and other crap to worry about, and making it clear that they can’t simply skate clean away from seattle & the supersonic legacy.
not only can i go back to starbuck’s, which is practically the only coffee around here in dowdy central penna, but this blows more sand into the nba’s eyes.
the ‘grand fix’ should be to keep our sonics where they are and let clay have another patsy play around with.
i lived for many years in texas, so let me slightly alter a popular motto: “DON’T MESS WITH SEATTLE!”
April 15th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Who People miss Apeman Stuff Sonics?
April 17th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Seattle had numerous opportunities to ensure that the Sonics would remain. These are just last ditch efforts that don’t have any legs. The notorious emails were after the deadline. They mean nothing. I’d suggest they take the deal to keep the name in Seattle and hope for an expansion team. People can hate Clay et al all they want, but they will liked in their home city, and that’s all they care about.
Too little, too late.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Why Do Outdoor Allergies Make Me Tired
Thanks for this post!
May 29th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
At Home Infertility Treatments
Your blog makes very interesting reading. I’m sure others will think so too I look forward to reading their comments.