Sherman Alexie: Sixty-One Things I Learned During the Sonics Trial
Posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 11:09 am by Mr. Baker (thinking good thoughts for George Karl))
Sherman Alexie, the only Seattle Sonics fan to testify in the trial between the City of Seattle v. Professional Basketball Club LLC of Oklahoma, lists 61 things he learned during the trial.
He did not learn #2 from me. I said here at Sonicscentral that I would have done it differently, but not any better, and I thanked you. But to be absolutely clear, you bet your ass I could have testified.
Caution, he uses cursive language.
http://www.thestranger.com/Seattle Sherman Alexie
Have a great day,
Mr Baker
Sent from my iPhone to my blog.
I have a new poll, please vote at my blog, thanks.
Seattle Center Arena Reboot
Poll question, finish the statement.
A plan for Seattle Center made before the election
will influence my vote.
may influence my vote.
may not influence my vote.
will not influence my vote.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:21 am
I love Sherman aka Lester.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:32 am
tomorrow is the settlement day.
In a complicated way PBC (Bennett) and the City of Seattle share the name and history of the Sonics.
Now we have two groups to save our sonics from.
That’s how I look at it.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Nice work, Lester. It’s funny how many POVs I share with Sherman. His last article prompted a couple of the Lukaholics on the PI site to accuse me of being him, lol. Like him, i’m also trying to justify the thought of now becoming a Blazer fan. Hey, it’s the NBA, what’s a fan to do?
Poll question, finish the statement.
A plan for Seattle Center made before the election…
Could you please finish the question?
July 31st, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I dont need Sherman F**king Alexie to tell me that as well as being a sonics fan[and he'll forgive me for a year] that he’s a basketball purist as well.and now he’s moving on and has bought a ten package of Blazer tickets.
My take is how much of a sonics fan can support the trailblazers?! I’ve been w/ sonics for 41 years and this hurts bad every day.
I have a question for all of you. please justify to me howyou could watch an nba game this year?
July 31st, 2008 at 12:21 pm
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008081439_webcarded30.html
July 31st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
marco, its called coping, without a team to root for, we can do as we please. i love pro basketball, the highest level of the greatest sport. excuse me if i’m supposed to have “principals” in enjoying a game. when the sonics died, so did the rivalry with portland. tessio did the right thing to align with the rivals when don corleone died. are you going to go michael and assassinate us too?
July 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I’m still trying to justify how I could watch a game last season. Especially a team that was built and coached to lose as many games as possible.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Yes I can, Dick, the question not asked yet is next, has this issue changed your vote? Then I count to 67 those responses, moving 67 votes 4 years ago might have changed things.
Every vote and opinion counts.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I’m registered outside of King Co so my voting power is limited in this issue. I’ll be voting for the same gubernatorial candidate as I did last time and i’ll hope that 67 fewer dead people in King Co are allowed to cast votes.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I knew we’d get to mafia movie references sooner or later on this site. I just thought they’d involve David Stern.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I’m genuinely interested in how Durant and Westbrook and Green are doing.
But everytime I read the words “Oklahoma City,” it’s a stab in the heart.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
“My take is how much of a sonics fan can support the trailblazers?! I’ve been w/ sonics for 41 years and this hurts bad every day.
I have a question for all of you. please justify to me howyou could watch an nba game this year? ”
I can see your point because I don’t want to support the NBA either. But I’m not just a Sonic fan but an NBA fan and so I’ll watch a blazers game if I feel like it. And they are making it waaaay easier by doing a great rebuilding job down there.
I don’t intend to pay for any NBA tickets or items and I usually don’t watch the adds any more than I have to either.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Other than reading this blog I have spent zero brain power on the NBA. Thats the way it will be until I die unless we have a team here again.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I read this on the bus yesterday. I love it. haha
July 31st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I absolutely love watching basketball however part of me can’t get as excited knowing that the Sonics will not be here this season. If Boston plays on TNT or ESPN I will tune in to watch Ray Allen. And I hope Portland does well because I am still a fan of Nate McMillan. Right now I’m trying to not even think about the fall and winter and what I will do when I can’t go to games anymore. Still holding out hope that it will just be a season or two w/o a team here!
July 31st, 2008 at 2:50 pm
http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2008/7/31/583642/tulsa-66ers-to-move-to-okl
Ugh….
July 31st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
“I’m still trying to justify how I could watch a game last season. Especially a team that was built and coached to lose as many games as possible”
That’s a pretty simplistic view, especially coming from you, one of the few bright lights on this board.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
chncasper
dont talk to me about principle.you go right ahead and cope w/ a league that doesnt give a shit about you.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I have been trying to see if there is anyway I could watch NBA basketball without throwing up.
One option I am thinking about is becoming a temporary Raptors fan, only watching games on CBUT.
That is as close as I can get, but I likely will not bother.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
oh, and by the way,while you are watching the best,cope with that oklahoma city team.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
nope, the league doesn’t care about me, nor does mcdonald’s or coca-cola or nike
July 31st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
This book by Alexi is awesome if you haven’t read it yet; it’s award winning:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/18-9780316013680-0
His recent interview on PBS was also great if you get a chance to see it.
————————————————————–
I think it’s okay to temporarily become a Blazer’s fan as long as you don’t give up the fight for our team. One of the things that really annoys me in sports is when ownership groups dis people with local ties to teams. I’ve never been a fan of the bashing of Nate or Lenny Wilkins because those guys gave more to my team than I ever could in swet, blood, and tears. I’m just a blogging fan who went to some games and hopefully will again.
Portland has so many ties to this area now with Nate, Roy, Webster, and an owner who lives in Seattle. We really missed out in not having Allen as an owner for the Supes. I hope that Ballmer will be as good of an owner as Allen has been. I’ve got so much respect for Allen and Cuban, the only 2 owners who voted against the move. They’re studs in my book.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I think we should take a poll as to whether tessio did the right thing.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Memphis bleeding money, will stay around the 44.1 mil minimum
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9652
July 31st, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I’ve said since 2006 when asked by my In Laws, Extended Family, and Friends down here in Utah who I would cheer for if the Sonics did actually leave, Go Blazers.
I’ve posted here a couple times on this issue. The Blazers and their Fans they’re like Family. We can pick on them and bust their chops because they are our Northwest Brethern. Let anyone else do it and Bam it’s on!
James B you mention the current ties to Portland, the ties weave deeper than that. Lenny, Kemp, Maurice Lucas, heck even Wally Walker have been involved with That Team Down South. Antonio Daniels, The Kobe Stopper/ Nanny Chaser Ruben Patterson all been both places. We’ve shared the High’s and Low’s of Trader Bob. We’ve got ties.
So if you’re an NBA Fan… Scratch that I don’t think any of us are currently NBA Fans. If you’re a Hoops Fan. Enjoy The Trailblazers until we can get some Green and Gold back in Seattle.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I think we all need to help show support to the Bouncer at the bar in Olympia who refused to let CG in without ID. If you haven’t heard about the story it was part of the Fox News -Special Report with Brit Hume “Grapevine Segment”.
Apparently this cat didn’t let her in cause she wasn’t packin’ ID. Classic. The kid’s like 23 and it sounded like his boss was giving him some grief for doing it.
I think it’s AWESOME!!!
July 31st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
thanks 4020.I feel a little better.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
All I can think about is the Seahawks truthfully, i’m so upset about the sonics but the Seahawks is my temporary relief
July 31st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
“I think we all need to help show support to the Bouncer at the bar in Olympia who refused to let CG in without ID.”
Who is “CG”? I’m guessing Christine Gregoire, due to the Olympia reference, but in an NBA-related blog I was also running through possibilities such as Chris Gatling, and trying to think of owners, NBA officials, etc. whose names started with G.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Yeah, it was the 61 year old Gov.!
July 31st, 2008 at 5:08 pm
O/T, Griffey traded to White Sox
http://tinyurl.com/griffeysox
July 31st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Rachit, agree with you entirely - I’m fascinated to see how Westbrook will turn out in this league, but everytime I read “Oklahoma City”, I curl up into a ball.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Lester Lives!!! I sure to like that guy..
Hey Sherman, you speak the truth.. thank you.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I’m not personally down with rooting for Portland, but people can spend their money however they choose.
Nobody here would give two shits about the Blazers if Brandon Roy & Nate weren’t involved, so that’s strictly an exercise in homerism rather than a genuine commitment to a franchise IMO. No thanks. Rooting for a rival as hated as the Blazers seems to give credence to the notion that the NW is more of a soft regional market. That’s like Cubs fans rooting for the White Sox.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
come on xteve, be a Canadia tv watching Raptors fan, talk me into it while your there.
Just kidding. It’s tough, it is going to be 2 or 3 years of August, rain or shine, Sonics-less.
I really do see this as now having to Save Our Sonucs from Bennett and the Washington political rats.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:29 pm
BTW, the same reasoning the leads to the Blazers should lead people to the Knicks, and it will.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:56 pm
you must mean Jamal Crawford…
July 31st, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Would Cubs fans root for the Sox if the Cubs moved to Oklahoma? Maybe not - Chicago folks are a kinda nutso. Personally, while enjoying the rivalry, i’ve never hated on Portland.
Fuck the Knicks. The local tie make-up has nothing to do with me turning to the Blazers. It’s more that they are now the closest thing I have to a home team. Sort of like folks from Portland who root for the Seahawks.
July 31st, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I think there’s a big difference between 2 teams in the same region and 2 in the same town. Plus, how many would change stripes in Chi Town if one of the 2 were to go away? I don’t think a lot cause it runs pretty deep but there would be a few.
In Chi-town it’s the fans leaving town not the teams. Joke! I’m referring to the amount of folk’s I’ve met from Chicago living in the warmer climates of Vegas and Az!
The thing is for me personally while always loving the Supes first and foremost (heck I’ve got a kid named Shawn and yes he’s mine not Kemp’s) I’ve always been intrigued by what’s going on in Portland. I don’t know why but it’s like I check the Supes stat line then the Blazer’s. So I guess that’s why it’s not that hard for me.
Also, in speaking earlier of ties between the 2 Teams I forgot That Det finished up in The Rose City.
July 31st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Alexie is funny, he came to my school and talked.
“All I can think about is the Seahawks truthfully, i’m so upset about the sonics but the Seahawks is my temporary relief”
Same, I also can’t wait for the schultz case
July 31st, 2008 at 7:24 pm
“Rooting for a rival as hated as the Blazers seems to give credence to the notion that the NW is more of a soft regional market.”–Xteve.
I see your point, Xteve. Normally, I’m a bit of a harsh rivalry guy and a hater. I want to see the Packers lose as many games as possible this coming year, and I don’t really give a damn about how Favre ends his career (after our loss to the Packers next year). I love seeing the Ducks and also the Trojans lose since I’m sort of an old school UW fan… and I root against the old AFC rivals of the Hawks, especially the Raiders.
But, it’s really tough for me to be a hater of the Blazers because our own organization dissed Nate, and it’s hard to dislike Brandon Roy. Plus, Allen supported us with Cuban in the 28-2 vote when no other owners did. I’m still surprised about that vote; there are a ton of doushbag owners in the NBA. All they care about is their own rights to move teams without really giving a damn about their cities. Anyway, as jaded as I am about the NBA right now, I could temporarily root for the Blazers without feeling remorse. Allen and Cuban were allies toward our cause, and right now it’s important for me to root for the teams with good ownership.
July 31st, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Hawks and Sounders FC are my temporary relief. It feels weird to me to grieve the loss of basketball and celebrate the MLS coming to Seattle in the same year. My heart has been ripped out of my body and put back in a different place…
July 31st, 2008 at 7:36 pm
nba gave me the finger, i will give it right back. go wake forest. its strictly college hoops until the sonics are back in seattle. i will spend no money or time on the nba other that perusing this board. go howard, correct you massive mistake or take stern the fat arrogant ******* down trying.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I will not be watching the NBA this year. Actually Im kind of dreading the time for the season to start becuase I know I will want to know whats going on with all the teams but Im so turned off by the NBA right now and I dont want to see one second of Oklahoma City. However, I am rooting for Portland to do well and MAYBE I will drive to portland for a game just because I will miss going to games so much. They are going to be a good team and fun to watch if you want to watch it at all this year. Those of who say that people arent true Sonics fans if we support Portland-you are wrong. Guess what theres no rivalry anymore we dont have a team and especially with all the local ties there is nothing wrong with becoming a Blazers fan!
July 31st, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I need to get with the program and learn all I can about this fasinating man named Alexie. Sounds like he is THE man. Sheesh. Seems like a nice guy. Great fan and a wordsmih.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I’m going to learn to become a hockey fan. This year, I’m rooting for the Stanley Cups.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
TLK says… “nba gave me the finger, i will give it right back.”
This reflects my mindset & heart right now too. I will continue to watch the Howard case with High interest.
I may or may not pay much attention to any NBA hoops this year - likely not much if any until the playoffs. For myself - I have no interest in participating in the effort to partner with Nickels and stern etc. to get state money for a new arena. I lobbied Olympia hard last winter - but for a number of reasons doing it again in this context is something I am not excited about. I know many on this board will jump on that effort - but I’m just not there. I think the NBA’s middle finger in my face along with Nickels and Gregoire’s was and is too much.
Looking forward to football season too.
Go Howard Go! I’m all for him standing up to Stern - chalenging Sterns BS - and trying to stick it to Clay.
More power to Howard.
July 31st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
“Nobody here would give two shits about the Blazers if Brandon Roy & Nate weren’t involved, so that’s strictly an exercise in homerism rather than a genuine commitment to a franchise IMO. No thanks. Rooting for a rival as hated as the Blazers seems to give credence to the notion that the NW is more of a soft regional market. That’s like Cubs fans rooting for the White Sox.”
I find the idea of a “genuine commitment to a franchise” a bit ironic after all that has happened here. As I ponder these deep identity issues I am reminded of Artest’ quotes today about his identity. “Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about. If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.’ Well hopefully we’re all capable of change, because whatever we imagine of our feelings to be, they are only important to the NBA as a means of tapping our wallets. Since it is probably not possible to stop the sale of NBA merchandise in Washington, perhaps it could be burdened with a sin tax. Perhaps it could be used to fund a new arena for hockey.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I have subscribed to NBA League Pass the last few years, but this year I’m not gonna do it. I hope the NBA sees red when they look at their revenue from Seattle.
I’m a big fan and I still have my favorite players, so I will still watch games on regular TV, I just don’t want to give the NBA any of my money. I understand why some of you are giving up the NBA completely.
I’m so used to watching 7 or 8 games a week on League Pass that I don’t know how many games I can expect to watch per week on regular TV. Anyone know what the TV coverage here in Seattle will be like?
July 31st, 2008 at 11:55 pm
has anyone heard anything about the ticket sales in OKC? cuz i havent and i wonder if they are gonna have any impact this year….im very upset about this whole thing the sonics moving…basketball is my favorite sport and i cant stand it leaving seattle..i grew soo excited when we drafted durant and green then westbrooke..damn i was all sorts of excited…and now im constantly catching myself thinking about next season..but then remembering i wont be able to watch them in seattle….ppl that i talk to constantly say things like good riddance when i talk about them but they say it jokingly..but it dont matter to me…it really hurts…that was my team..but now its like damn…wat am i gonna do?…theres always the seahawks…and i hate the mariners soo im not watching them…ugh i jus would of like to have seen the sonics then went right into seahawks season…now ive got nothing to keep me entertained ugh….idk how ill react to a new team…dont want a relocated team…if ne thing i want the old team back (eh not likely) or an expansion team…well these r my thoughts…read this blog site everyday and i thank you all who have contributed to this site and trying to keep the sonics in seattle (i.e brian robinson) thank you again…the battles over but the war has jus begun.
GO SONICS!!!!!
August 1st, 2008 at 12:50 am
More of the Portland connection: Detlef Schrempf, Clemon Johnson, Danny Young & Bucky Buckwalter.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:46 am
If I choose to watch the league this year, I’ll be a Washington Wizards fan. Gilbert Arenas’s blog alone makes them worth following, add in his new million dollar pool and the fact that his favorite hotel in the world is also mine…
Can’t root for Portland.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:03 am
I have decided to play indoor soccer this winter and not pay any attention to the NBA until its return to Seattle. I will stay active in SOS if needed and continue to check the blog, but as hard as it wil be to not watch the NBA, I can’t patronize a business that treated me like crap. My money and time will continue to go where it is appreciated, as in all transactions in my life. The NBA has been added to list of businesses I no longer deal with due to poor customer service/bad value/unfair business practices. Until we have an owner I can value, the whole league is tainted and I can’t watch. The only caveat is to become a potential, albiet temporary, fan of the Blazers or Mavs. The only teams that have owners with integrity when it comes to doing what is right.
August 1st, 2008 at 11:32 am
Get a job!
Karen Bryant has to put together a front office, negotiate a lease.
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/04/story2.html
August 1st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
BrUiSeR Says:
July 31st, 2008 at 11:55 pm
has anyone heard anything about the ticket sales in OKC?
I heard that they had about 16000 requests for seasons tickets, or something crazy like that.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3497641
Searching for “Oklahoma City” hurt….
August 1st, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Mr Baker,
Kindof not related to this at all. Just wondering if you’re using a specific app on your phone to put up these blog posts or if you’re just using the default browser.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Anything with a link I email to my blogspot blog, I then go into a browser there and edit the line breaks and rename to link text that my phone’s email program puts in.
I used an actual computer to copy and paste that story here.
iphone does not copy and paste
iphone does not click and drag
So, anything with blockquotes here I use a pc
Anything with a link here was copied and pasted in using a computer, keying in urls is a challenge I often avoid, though I have done it a couple times.
otherwise, I just use the browser and type here or on my blog. The Safari browser does not show some of the functions in the wordpress menu, like the “more” tag
I sent a very long email to a WSJ reported about a month ago, I think he felt obligated to reply since I tapped it all in.
The vast majority of my posts are done on my iphone, 95% or so.
typepad is offered for iphone, I have no use for it.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Any news on the Aug 1 settlement finalization?
August 1st, 2008 at 8:01 pm
WST at 9:03…. I feel similar
Cat in Hat… I suspect league pass sales will be down in seattle - I can totally understand your move. I would guess plenty of Blazer games will be on TV in the Seattle area this year.
Scott - I love gilbert too - more power to him.
Go Howard
Bring on the NFL season - Go Seahawks
August 1st, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Herr Commissioner: I Didn’t Threaten Howard Schultz:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/373267_trial02.html
One more reason I will not attend any NBA games or watch even one minute of NBA basketball next season. I can’t stand the thought that even a fraction of one red cent of my money would go to line the pockets of David Stern. Nope, not anymore, not again. I’m finished until there is real change (Stern is gone, Seattle has a team). I’m done…
August 1st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Scott - Abe Pollin, owner of the Wizards, voted for the Sonics’ move. Paul Allen, owner of the Blazers, voted against it.
Go Blazers!
August 1st, 2008 at 8:53 pm
“Stern said in the sworn declaration he told Schultz he didn’t understand why the former Sonics chairman “would go to the hassle and expense of continuing to pursue this case” and that the NBA couldn’t fulfill Schultz’s hope of a commitment from the league to locate a team in Seattle in the future.”
This makes the mayor look even more like the ass he is.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
he did not deny a word that Howard said, he just denied he thought of it as a threat.
The answer to the actual motion did not make a very good argument to be in the liability partion of the case, they make a reasonable point about their interest in the remedy, as Schultz agreed.
Just because the NBA has a signature on the same paper as Bennett and Schultz, that does not entitle them to participate in the fraud portion of the case if they are not even going to bother to make a claim in it’s filing to the honesty of the person being sued, Clay Bennett. They want no part of that portion of the case, the judge might as well break the case in two parts.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Clint at 8:53…. Exactly
Stern says in this what everyone with a brain - Not Nickels of course - understands…
The NBA’s statements in the settlement of the lease case mean NOTHING
The idea that Seattle had somehow won over the NBA leadership in this settlement so they will be nicer to seattle in the future - more open to Seattle in the future for another team is totally meaningless.
Gregoire screwed us last winter
Nickels and Seattle Council screwed us this summer
Stern screwed us from start to finish
More power to Howard - anything to stand up to Stern and to try and make Clay’s situation problematic is fine with me. I hope he takes his case to the limit. Don’t know what the remedy might be if he wins the fraud - but I would love to see it play out & it would not be good for Stern or Clay - and that sounds good to me right now.
August 1st, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Ya, Sherman is an eccentric guy, but I will tell you, a bunch of people tonight at a Seattle restaurant were laughing in enjoyment at Sherman’s column in The Stranger. A table at the restaurant were loving it when Sherman wrote (a little paraphrasing here) “If the NBA were the govt. the U.S. would send U.N. peacekeepers.” The N.B.A is getting a reputation as being a little bit out of control. Well, Sherman made a Leno/Letterman point that certainly relates to the Seattle relocation situation.
August 2nd, 2008 at 9:13 am
Great article Mr Alexie. Nice to see he was a part of Brandon Roy’s education. He is by far my favorite sports athlete. Class and poise to go along with his all-star quality talent. One of the most uselfish allstars in the NBA. A true leader who’s team clearly WANTS him to lead. That is rare in itself.
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
off topic - we need a new thread for this article about fan’s suit vs Bennett:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2008087198_soni02.html
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
new threads are up, have a great weekend everybody!