How do I walk this line?
Posted on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 at 9:14 pm by Brian Robinson
Oh good lord. How do I say this…
I think that Tim Ceis hates me. He really, really hates me. Too bad because despite this difficult set of circumstances I actually kind of like Tim. Luckily he’s thick skinned. When we get through this mess maybe we can be friends again.
Maybe not. We’ll see how things continue to go.
Overall the city bought some more time with good results in todays meeting. That does not mean that they were top notch or that everything was perfect. I don’t want to steal anyones thunder by talking about what may happen on Mondays presentation to the Joint Task Force Committee but I will say that I am generally more positive than I was when I woke up today. Pretty good news overall.
I think my point was made and my role defined today. They have to watch out for me. I turned on Clay Bennett and I can turn on the mayor. There is only a small sting I can deliver but I will be damned if I let them give anything less than 110% and place the blame on Frank Chopp. TThey need to know that the onus is 100% on the Mayors office to get this done after accepting the buyout. Sometimes it sucks being the executive. Share the credit, shoulder the blame. That’s how it goes.
There is an huge and glaring need at the state level for economic stimulus in the form of construction jobs. It is up to the city to sell this project as such and if they do so it will get done. Plain and simple. Actually pretty positive reactions from the state legislature today.
I’ll try to provide more tomorow. I want to collect my thoughts.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Well if you’re feeling better about this process, then I’m feeling better. Hopefully you can mend fences with Ceis down the road.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I don’t want to steal anyones thunder
Currently my least favorite expression.
Anyway, I loved the fire in your post earlier. I saw Ceis on the news tonight. He seemed more excited about the possibilty of getting money for the Center in general… oh, and if a team did happen to come, there’d be the funding mechanism available, but he sounded more excited about the other things they could do with it. No, he didn’t say that, it was just my vibe from hearing him talk.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Hahaha! OKC was up pretty big on the Suns in OKC, only to blow their lead and lose by 1. lol.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
BRob said: “I don’t want to steal anyones thunder”
Dead ball foul said: “Currently my least favorite expression.”
ROFL!
Wins the thread!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Steve Nash 20 Points 15 Rebounds 8 Assists!
GO SUNS GO!
Great Win for the Suns!!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Blunders chase for history updated:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/worstteams
They’re currently on a pace for 5 wins this year.
The way they teased their fans with a late 12 point lead before blowing it tonight was particularly sweet.
November 26th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I do not think any of the other proposals turns 1 state dollar into 3 more for a total of 4.
Of size and scope, the firmness of funding, or plan, or schedule, none other could happen any sooner.
75 million in construction turns into 300.
The site is out of date, and 74 acres of underutilized city, county, state, asset.
(I hope they are taking notes)
The resulting improvements not only bring the building on par with many other venues around the county in it’s ability to generate more revenue for sporting events, but for non-sporting events.
For major concerts the customer, city, and state, are not currently getting the same amount of revenue and resulting taxes as is possible in the average arena in any NBA city.
The Seattle CenterMaster plan is estimated to cost 570 million dollars, in order to get the greatest amount of return on that investment is will depend on a healthy Key Arena that in 2005 was providing 38% of the site revenue. It does not do anything like that today or in the future as it is.
It aint that hard.
November 26th, 2008 at 12:23 am
BTW, how Ceis is selling this is exactly how I suggested many months ago they do it.
Sell it as the entire site, there are far more people around Washington state and in Seattle that just want a story they can tell themselves that does not include sports.
If Seattle puts a dollar in one pocket and pulls one out of another to pay for Key Arena it is not going to matter as long as the city can show 75 million in construction on the rest of the site. If nothing else happened on the site there would be a problem, but I think the Key Arena remodel will have a positive effect on the rest of the center master plan.
November 26th, 2008 at 12:31 am
What they do not want to do is ask the state to commit, and sit on, 75 million dollars to a project that might not happen for 5 years. Those dollars need to turn into jobs asap. They have to provide a plausible option for doing that in the spirit of Senate Bill 6638, build something.
November 26th, 2008 at 2:37 am
19,136 in attendance for tonights SUNS/Thunder Game in OKC, is that their first sell out?
November 26th, 2008 at 2:38 am
i’m guessing it would be their second sell out, the home opener must have been a full house..
November 26th, 2008 at 4:01 am
Tims sales pitch for the center over KeyArena and basketball is right on. One thing I do like that he said today is that we know that is the pitch, it’s the right path to take, but we cannot be affraid to talk about keyArena and take on that subject head on. It is too obvious that the two are linked and people will take advantage of things if we try to simply gloss over the link.
I am not critical of the general path they are taking. I am criticial at the amount of resources I see being put into that path. I view my role as being someone who frankly stays critical and drives them harder at all times. This is a big project and they need thepush. Sometimes people need someone else to point at and say “If we don’t do this then that prick Robisnon will be complaining to everybody.” They don’t like me for doing it but in an odd way I give em some coverage to ask for more help or take the extra step.
Sitting up at night and thinking of the people who were at that meeting and some of the things that were said gives me some encouragement. Just as I havea role to push people there are people whose roll and nature is to pushback. I think that when I put my ego aside (hard to do…) I can say that some of the negativity I have been feeling is based on the pushback I get. Since there is a solid feeling that I am going to be critical of many efforts they keep a chunk of those efforts away frmo me, in secret, and thenI get frustrated.
1-14 is truly pathetic. The amazing thing is that this team does not look to be getting any better and I don’t see how they can take advantage of any soft spots in the schedule. They look equally unimpressive when matched up against good or bad teams.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:18 am
They are the soft spot in the schedule.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Brian, thanks for all of your hard work!
November 26th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Has anyone else seen the listing of the OKC Thunder as the SuperSonics in NBA 2K9 or is it just me? The ESPN News like live scoring feed at the bottom of the game listed the score to last nights Suns/Thunder game as Suns 99 SuperSonics 98. I smiled for the first time in a while.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Keep the pressure on!
I still email my representatives at Olympia regularly.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:24 am
This is a big project and they need thepush.
I don’t understand that since the Mayor let this team go why isn’t he jumping through hoops to get this done? His lack of effort confuses me. Maybe it was always about the money and not really getting a team back. We know now that we can’t trust Nickels.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
“There is an huge and glaring need at the state level for economic stimulus in the form of construction jobs. It is up to the city to sell this project as such and if they do so it will get done. Plain and simple. Actually pretty positive reactions from the state legislature today.”
This is exactly what UW is doing to get funding for Husky Stadium. Hope the mayor does Coug this like he did with his testimony at the trial.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
^*doesn’t
November 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Kba, Brian says that they do not tell him everything.
Brian does not tell us everything.
So, do not be so sure of what you do not know.
Maybe they actually think that everything they does not have to be told to Brian, because, just as it is for Brian’s experience, there are so many dead ends. That is as true for the city as it is for anyone else.
November 26th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I am sure that we don’t know everything. And it doesn’t make sense to let everything out of the bag. I was just going on what Brian said. I am sure the people in the know is working this behind the scenes. I do believe that one of there goals is to bring back the NBA but I just want this to get done so we can move on to get a team. It will be interesting next week to see what comes out of the meetings.
November 26th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
“I do believe that one of there goals is to bring back the NBA”
Yeah, sure. I just think it’s about 50th on their list of goals. And that they are as serious about it as they were the old monorail plan.
November 26th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
The amazing thing is that this team does not look to be getting any better and I don’t see how they can take advantage of any soft spots in the schedule.
They aren’t supposed to get better. Their plan was always about next summer. They didn’t go trade for Joe Smith thinking it was going to make them a better team.
November 26th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Eat this, Durant lovers:
http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-thunder-player-kevin-durant-i-want-to-be-here-as-long-as-possible/article/3325408?custom_click=headlines_widget
Durant is firm on his commitment to Oklahoma City.
“I want to be here as long as possible,” Durant said. “That’s what I tell everybody. I want to be part of the organization for my whole career if it can happen. So I’m not thinking about it at all.”
November 26th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
LeBron said all the same things when he was looking at his RFA contract, its a completely different situation with LeBron, Bosh and Wade than it will be for Durant, Horford or anyone in this last years draft class. Sadly, I’m not sure Darnell understands that.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I want to be on a 1-14 team as long as possible.
He is not saying a bad word, not for the boss he has today.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
LeBron said all the same things when he was looking at his RFA contract, its a completely different situation with LeBron, Bosh and Wade than it will be for Durant, Horford or anyone in this last years draft class. Sadly, I’m not sure Darnell understands that.
- Why would Durant come out and say he wanted to leave? It makes no sense. Just like the people who were always wondering why he didn’t speak out during the moving process. Its bad business sense.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I heard a rumor that there was a European team that was willing to play 90 million per year for a player of LeBron/Kobe caliber. Anyone else heard anyone similar?
November 26th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Durant doesn’t foresee teams clearing the books to make a hard run at him like franchises have done to try to land James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh. If their teams don’t sign them to extensions (which is highly unlikely), Durant could be joined by fellow 2007 draft class members Greg Oden, Al Horford, Jeff Green, Thaddeus Young and Al Thornton as potential free agents following the 2010-11 season.
“(It won’t be) like LeBron,” Durant said. “I doubt that. But we’ll cross that bridge once we get to it.”
- Interesting statement. While earlier he says he wants to spend his entire career in OKC he then sums it up at the end by saying “we’ll cross that bridge once we get to it”. Always need to leave some sort of door open.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
“Interesting statement. While earlier he says he wants to spend his entire career in OKC he then sums it up at the end by saying “we’ll cross that bridge once we get to it”. Always need to leave some sort of door open.”
The real question is if AG doesn’t have him sign an extention in 2011, and lets him go to UFA status in 2012. Then you’d have the LeBron situation.
Right now teams won’t clear cap to sign him because OKC can match that offer sheet.
November 26th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Can you think of a single comment Kevin Durant has ever made on the record that was not a well coached, politically correct stage answer? He has good management in the Goodwins. They help him with what to say and he is a smart, bright kid.
He and Jeff Green will say all the right things on the record. Off the record their commentary is very different.
Clay has destroyed the first two years of this kids career. He’s on the worst team with the worst marketing potential in the entire league. Why in the hell would he stay?
November 26th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Meanwhile, over in Damien Wilkens’ head:
““It’s been bad, real bad to know that you’re the laughing stock of the league right now. No one’s saying that, that I’ve heard publicly, but I mean we’re just not relevant besides in Oklahoma City. That hurts.”
It’s taken you how long to figure out how relevant the Chunder were going to be, Damien? Yeesh!
November 26th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I don’t know about you guys but I adopted the grizzlies as my team as theyll be the ones relocating in a couple of years
November 26th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Keep hope alive, Durant lovers.
The Goodwins did an awesome job coaching GP to say all right things.
November 26th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Thanks BR for your hard work and updates!
I’d rather OKC got blown out every game than losing by 1 point. Don’t even making it interesting will kill their fan support faster
November 26th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
the Thunder have some serious issuses…Cavs 59 Thunder 29 in the 1st Half…they are down by 30!!!
There must be some serious issues now in the dressing room, this team is as bad as those Vancouver Grizzlies teams in the mid - early 2000’s.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
i meant to say mid 90’s - early 2000’s…
November 26th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
66-32. hahaha.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
So much for the OKC fans saying it was all PJ. lol.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
“I heard a rumor that there was a European team that was willing to play 90 million per year for a player of LeBron/Kobe caliber. Anyone else heard anyone similar?”
I read a rumor somewhere that a Greek club wants to offer Kobe $80 mill, tax free, for 3 years. Not 90 for 1. But even 80 for 3 is insane. Especially tax free. There are a few Russian billionares over in Europe who own teams who run them like European soccer teams. Nothing but toys. Stern might want to start worrying.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
The Blunder shot their wad last night at home against Shaq-less Phoenix, now tonight they play on the road against Lebron & the Cav’s. You knew they’d get killed tonight.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
79-41 now…go Cavs go
November 26th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Go Cavs. Double them up.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
So much for the OKC fans saying it was all PJ. lol.
Yeah, at least PJ got them a win.
Friday will be interesting, Minnesota is the one team they’ve beaten (barely- by 3 at home). They play them at home again on Friday, we’ll see if Brooks can match PJ’s feat. You’ve gotta think Minnesota will have something to prove, seeing how their the only team ever to lose to the Blunder:)
Cav’s up by 40 now!
November 26th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
repopulate the NW with Grizzlies. They seem to have 1 foot out the door.
Can you imagine how popular Rudy Gay jerseys will be on in this colorful city of ours.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Cavs beat craplahoma by 35 points.
Daniel Gibson attempted a shot in the game’s last possession and made a 30-foot 3-pointer when obviously the game was a blow-out. Gotta love it. Usually I’d think the guy has no class, but he displayed exactly the amount of class & respect that craplahoma deserves.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Nice score. Delonte and Wally Gator both had better games than anyone on the Blunder.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
How does it feeeeel Clay? Soak it in buddy. This is your life until you sell for that big loss.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
fark, I missed the Blunder game. Ah well, not that OKC is interesting to watch or anything.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Flicking to an OKC game is like driving past a car accident right now.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
This talk about the Blunder going maybe 5-77 is the only thing about the NBA that is getting my attention this season. (sigh)
I want my team back!!!
November 26th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Well Clay….You got what you wanted!
I saw the last 2 minutes of the sun’s game last night.
Again Wilcox was short and the suns won by one point!
Durant looked like he was gonna cry, i felt bad for him.
He’s being absolutely ruined.
Westbrook was a highhh reach at 4 and thus far Presti has to be doing the bidding of Clay, he couldn’t possibly be this bad.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
…to be aawwn yorre owwwn
wit’ no deerectshun hoame
uh compleeet unknooowwwn
liaak a rawwliin’ staawwne
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn’t you?
People’d call, say, “Beware doll, you’re bound to fall”
You thought they were all kiddin’ you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin’ out
Now you don’t talk so loud
Now you don’t seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
(dedeecayted to Meesters Bennett and MacClendon)
November 26th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Well Clay….You got what you wanted!
Exactly! That’s a side effect of using the “Major League” tactic when hijacking a team- you end up with a crappy team. In this case maybe one of the worst teams ever.
Also, it’s a good example of leading by example. The Blunder sure gave it their best “good faith effort” tonight.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Blunders chase for history updated:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/worstteams
The Blunder are moving up! Now tied for the 2nd worst start ever!
November 26th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Right now teams won’t clear cap to sign him because OKC can match that offer sheet.
- To be fair…teams also aren’t clearing cap space because he hasnt shown he is worth clearing cap space for yet…
November 26th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Blunders chase for history updated:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/worstteams
The Blunder are moving up! Now tied for the 2nd worst start ever!
- Funniest part about that chart is that it was meant to showcase a completely different team. Now THAT is stealing the Thunder.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Looks like the frivolous ticket holder’s case is winding down to an anticlimactic ending.
At one point, the fans’ group was seeking a remedy that included payment for their travel expenses to Oklahoma City to see games they believe had been promised to them in Seattle. But the recent filings indicate a scaled-back request focusing simply on the right to buy similar priority seating at Ford Center.
-*-*-*-
Tondini noted that the season ticket holders chose not to seek an injunction keeping the team at KeyArena and that “therefore, the Sonics’ tenure in Seattle ended” and owners proceeded to sign up new ticketholders in Oklahoma City.
“Plaintiffs have no contractual right to Ford Center tickets for next season and have no right to stop the PBC from allowing Oklahoma City fans to renew their tickets next spring,” Tondini wrote.
The PBC’s motion claims that the fans’ suit was “hatched” as part of a strategy to force the Sonics to remain in Seattle. But once the city settled its dispute with the PBC and accepted a $45 million lease buyout to allow the team to relocate, the “plaintiffs’ counsel have been adrift with a lawsuit in search of some kind of legally-cognizable claim.”
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/389624_fans27.html
Not exactly shaping up to be a loss for Bennett in the double-digit millions like Coz practically guaranteed. Those three ticket holders have been receiving horrible legal advice and will be in for a rude awakening when they finally open up their bill from Byrnes & Keller. It ain’t a game, kids.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Since the NBA these days has so many teams that are built to tank, it’s only a matter of time before the Sixers record falls. Although with so many teams tanking, they’ll end up getting wins just due to playing each other.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I hope the Rustlers DO get the #1 pick and whoever they choose demands to be traded a la Kiki Vandeweghe or John Elway.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Thanks for all the hard work behind the scenes Brian. Nice to get an update and I for one am still keeping the faith that we will again watch NBA basketball here in town. Seattle Center needs a huge overhaul as well as the Key of course. And you’re right if they can show how many jobs the construction would provide that would be a better selling point.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Nothing they do now is going to work in the short term. The question is how loyal the fan base will be in waiting for this mess to organize itself and introduce itself to the A. If they’re doormats still in a few years I’d like to hear what the outspoken “bring ‘em here” OKC advocates have to say about not caring any longer…
November 27th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Happy Thanksgiving, remember, it is a turkey, not a challenge.
November 27th, 2008 at 3:43 am
From Benditlikebennt.com:
“First up was a kid who said I’m thankful for the opportunity to give LeBron James a high five. He proceeds to walk over to the Cavs huddle before being chased down by the Cavs mascot. The crowd boos for not letting the kid high five LeBron.
The next guy, an adult, says he’s thankful for the Cavalier Girls. The crowd cheers.
Then, a kid says, “I’m thankful I don’t have to watch the Thunder every night.”
- Amen…
November 27th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I’m looking forward to seeing how the Blunder can mess up that market.
———————————————————–
By the way, I invite anyone here who is interested to write letters to the editor of the Seattle PI or the Seattle Times asking for stories about lost business since the Sonics left town. Jalisco’s restaurants is anticipating a loss of over $200,000 this year. I just sent a letter to the editor of the PI today… If politicians won’t listen, maybe journalists will and help us to generate some push…
November 27th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
A redone or new Key is not a Seattle Center linchpin until the Mayor says that first and before all else. It is not a a state economic development catalyst until Gov. Gregoire calls it something other than “the Mayor’s proposal”.
The anti-SPAM word expires far too quickly and quick expiration makes no sense as spam would be quick. Real people may be slow if they are thinking and writing something on point.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
The Ballmer group have done absolutely nothing to change the climate on the issue. But they were told to sit back and let the state work. So what you got state?
Did both sides use the time to plan well and staff / provision for the next few month process or wire the deal? I assume no to the latter and I also assume no to the former.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Ceis should have nothing to do with the next proposal. He failed utterly. So did the Mayor. Bring in other people to do all the legwork or it goes down again unless it is a total walk thru gift.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Want a deal? Load the Key work proposal up with job-training and minority/women or even local business “efforts” to the extent allowed by law. Get a local construction company working on a proposal with a laundry list of local contractors. Competitive bid still but they can win the deal if they really want the work and community infrastructure and economic boost.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Want Lisa Brown, Lynn Kessler and hope against the evidence Frank Chopp? Got to all about economic development, jobs and maybe increase Seattle Center efforts to provide more “family entertainment” even on break even or small loss basis.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
The NBA team is not the reason or the advanced reason for the new or re-done Key, they are just the means to pay a big share of the bills.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Time for the adjacent businesses in the Seattle Center area to hire their own lobbyist on this issue for their profit or survival. If they don’t it is on them for not trying hard enough.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Just posting to break up the string of posts from Crow.
Down with the Thunder.
November 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Brian, I thought Ceis was your ally and now he hates you? In the absence of further details I must assume what I call the Scooby-Doo theory. We are now “that meddling Brian Robinson and his SOS crew.” Why oh why, they wonder, don’t we just go quietly into the night so the Nickels machine can concentrate on what REALLY matters - his reelection. The votes we represent are not even statistically significant. Will couching the issue in a ‘jobs jobs jobs’ context be the answer? Will the impact to the Lower Queen Anne community’s economic health be marginalized to collateral damage? I hope not or this whole exercise will be a farce.
November 27th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I guess sarcasm is hard to put out over the internet.
I think Tim and I have a respectful relationsip in which personally I would say we both like each other, but we’re not on the same team. Every time I think we’re on the same team I get reminded by something that for the purposes of my government interaction I care about this issue and thsi issue only. Every other politician has other considerations.
I ask pesky questions like “Why doesn’t this person have that information?” and “Why haven’t you talked to them and when do you intend to?” I don’t think most people in the room with the deputy mayor are quite so straightforward and that is why I say that he hates me.
Make no mistake, the city would get me out of this if they could because I represent a lot of downside to them. We’re in a similar situation to Clay Bennett here. Clay kept us close so that he could keep an eye on us. We were keeping an eye on him. When he finally wanted to cut us lose it was extremely damaging because we knew a lot about what he had done and could report a great deal. We’ve worked closely with the city. If we say that they’ve done enough they could get a free pass. The longer we stay with them the more a condemnation by our group could be politically damaging for a mayor who has a terrible approval rating and needs all the friends he can get.
My group is small, maybe a couple of percenage points of voters I could sway. Still that couple of points is made up of people that in all likelyhood we could take squarely from the “for” column to the “against” column, just skipping over undecided.
Your scooby doo analogy is a good one.
November 27th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
If you all, the most passionate of fans really want to do something I would tell you right now to call your legislative representatives and request meetings. I was told earlier in the week that a single constituent who will book a meeting, send a handwritten letter, take the time to meet, etc. in advocacy of their cause makes the difference of hundreds of hotline calls or e-mails. They just are deaf to those. You can call your rep. Say you are a constituent, and just go there and tell them that you care about this issue and you don’t know why it is being ignored. It is an interesting and informative way to spend 15 minutes anyway. (that’s all they are going to give you)
November 27th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Maybe I am wrong but I’d think if the Seattle Center really wanted to they could find a way to increase Key events of some kind by 25-50% and build support for the building.
Want a new building, got to committed to using it to the max. Special rates for non-profit users and local artists or whatever it takes.
November 27th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Maybe the Center needs to try to capture more of the event pre and post event gravy. Does the master plan reflect that? Doubt it.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Brian is correct, but to clarify, this is what usually happens with the contact you make with your reps in Washington DC, I suspect it is similar, and on a smaller scale in Olympia.
Phillip Howard, a prof in the Communication Dept at UW has a ton of data, and a book written on the subject of political communication. He gave a lecture and answered questions for an hour+ in one of my classes two years ago. This is what I remember, full of turkey.
On the federal level, it’s like this:
Your email is most likely read/skimmed by a staffer. They catagorize and count them (65 people emailed in support of the omnibus bill, 44 against).
Printed post cards as usually mass mailings and fall into a similar, but slightly higher graded bucket, but still, 20 cards for, 32 against
Phone calls again similar but slightly higher, 55 for omnibus, 5 against. Some typed letters make it this high, form letters fall to the post cart level.
Hand written letters have more value, they have real human labor involved, and a stamp. Your letter, a letter, is a likely sample of what is then sent to the congress person to read or revue with the numbers of the lower valued communication. 20 hand written letters for omnibus, 0 against.
Total numbers omnibus bill is close to even, in how the communication is valued it is clearly the “for” side that is wins.
It is possible that the lower valued communication is revues, but unlikely. But at least a staff person is reading it, and they have some influence.
It is unlikely that you are going to DC and requesting a meeting, though my step-did was in DC for a conference and called his rep and asked to visit, he got 10 minutes, doesn’t sound like much, but that is a lot of unscheduled time to get.
Your state folks get fewer communications. They are more likely to read a larger percentage, usually answer email with a form letter, sometimes it is one that they actually took the time to write.
So, hand craft snail mail if you want to have a greater impact.
My opinion, and the most thorough would be a hand write a letter and hand deliver it to the person’s office, meeting or not. If you can get a couple minutes of their time and leave a written recond of who you are and why you were there: gold.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Right, here is the site for the book that Phillip Howard’s lecture was based on:
http://www.managedcitizen.org
November 27th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
If you wanted to pull out all the stops have Ballmer promise a D league affiliate in Spokane to try to give Lisa Brown something to bring home. Or something on the side of her choice. Let John Stockton be whichever of the following he wants to be owner/GM/coach. Or just get him to comment on the issue (fat chance but try anyways). Surely Chopp wants something he hasn’t gotten.
November 28th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Chopp wants to cover 13 blocks of prime waterfront with a parkway, that is not happening, so maybe a sack full of kittens.
November 28th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
we will get a team in 5 years…i miss the NBA :(…I am hoping Minnesota beats OKC tonight…I Love to see the Thunder lose like this its great!!
November 28th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
This may be a rare win for the Generals tonight.
November 28th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Isn’t it crazy how the team we loved so dearly just a few months ago gives us joy because they have one of the worst records of all time.
Curse the Blunder!
November 28th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
1-16!!!!
November 28th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Mike Miller beats F@cklahoma loses at the buzzer! After KD tied it with 3 sec left. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
November 28th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Lose at home in the closing seconds to a horrible team. It’s got to hurt.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Bwahahahahahaha!
This is the only joy I get out of sports anymore. lol.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
The Bennett has got to be having fun!!!!! NOT!!!!!!
November 28th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Tough lose for the blunder….
Watson is playing AWFUL
Westbrook’s stat line tonight was good - he may be starting by Jan. 1
Green and KD seem to be showing signs of life and growth - but the rest of the team is terrible
They are all paying the price of PJ being with them
It will be interesting… by next season you will continue to see 1/2 of this roster turned over - Watson will be gone if they can deal his short contract.
KD, JG & RW are good pieces to work with - they have a TON of cap money and room next summer and the following year…
1. Will Clay want to spend the money for better players?
2. Will Free Agents want to play in OKC?
November 28th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Mike Miller just said in his post game inter view that its been proven that OK City is a tough place to win……………yeah for the home team!!
November 28th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Yeah, I’m actually really enjoying watching how awful they. I thought it was all PJ’s fault.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I’m sure the Oklahoman will find a way to spin this crushing loss into a valiant effort and another moral victory.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Is Jerome James interested in a second stint??? When is his contract up???
Free Agents won’t mind it in OKC.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Miller just said in his post game inter view that its been proven that OK City is a tough place to win……………yeah for the home team!!
Yeah, only 9 of the 10 teams that have played there have one.
November 28th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Some poor soul of a top draft pick is going to have to call his granny on draft day and say…”Granny…….I’m a Thunder”……Granny responds…”Your a WHAT?!?!?”
November 28th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
“one” should be”won”
November 28th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
nice to see OKC lost again …I get so much peace and joy seeing them this bad…reminds me of those terrible Vancouver Grizzlies teams from 95-2001..
November 28th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Next Up: OKC Thunder @ Memphis
tomorrow night…
November 28th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
it’s the battle of the two teams that used to call the Northwest Home…
I’m hoping the Grizzlies beat them I’d love for OKC to lose another 20 or so straight games..
any bets on what the attendance will be tomorrow night? I’m guessing 4,000 like the Knicks game, maybe even less!
November 28th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
How can Stern possibly believe OKC @ Memphis is better than Seattle @ Vancouver?
November 28th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Green and KD seem to be showing signs of life and growth - but the rest of the team is terrible
- Amazing what happens when they finally start playing Green and KD in the positions we said they shuold be playing from day one. However, i think Green with his 40% shooting is still a ways off from showing anything called “growth”
November 28th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Wow, how small will that crowd be?
They may post negative numbers, kicking people out of the next two following games.
November 29th, 2008 at 7:14 am
“nice to see OKC lost again …I get so much peace and joy seeing them this bad…reminds me of those terrible Vancouver Grizzlies teams from 95-2001..”
My friend and I made the drive north to see one of those teams in ‘97. They played in a great arena and were going up against Denver - a pretty competetive matchup at the time. Even though the crowd was sparse, they were into it the whole way. Neither team was ever able to pull ahead with much authority. As the 4th quarter drew to a close, judging by the crowd reaction, you might have thought it was the 7th game of the championship rather then 2 bottom feeders playing a meaningless game. In the end the Griz somehow pulled it out and everyone went nuts.
It was only one of 12 wins they had that season, but to me it was a thoroughly enjoyable game. You guys got a raw deal, having to put up with Stu Jackson, Bryant Reeves and clueless ownership before your team was hijacked from the Northwest, setting a dangerous precedent for the future. Lotus Land has never been quite the same.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Apple Cup youtub - freakin’ hilarious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI_xCBAv2rk
November 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Kevin Calabro and I think the other is Francis Williams are on the FSNW Husky v Pacific game.
November 29th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
It is great to hear Calabro calling a UW basketball game.
Best in the business.
November 29th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Apple Cup youtub - freakin’ hilarious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI_xCBAv2rk
- As a Husky fan…I know that I have nothing to worry about until WSU fans stop needing to make videos to justify their victories. Pretty well made though…
November 29th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Haha. Exactly Myk.
November 29th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Blunder at the Grizz tonight, I am going to watch sportscenter just to see the empty chairs.
November 29th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
How many people in the state of Jokelahoma do you think are actually watching the Blunder game tonight? Seeing as how it’s going head to head with OU-OSU. lol.
November 29th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Thunder down by 11 at the half 54-43…
GO GRIZZ GO! GO GRIZZ GO!
November 29th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Mayo looks great! Boy there is no one at the game in Memphis. Scattered people around in the lower bowl…good thing they moved Seattle even though 5000 at Griz game…
November 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I think I have a serious problem. It doesn’t matter how many times they lose. Seeing them win makes me way to angry.
November 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Hey, Blunder won their second game, in a mostly empty Memphis arena, while OU and OSU are playing in ABC, so almost nobody in Okieland saw it either.
That’s just too bad.
November 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
how many do you think were in attendance? 2,000?
November 29th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Dwight Howard was huge for Orlando tonight
32 points, 21 rebounds and 4 Blocks!
November 29th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
“Official” attendance was 12K.
I hate to say it but the Blunder looked great coming from behind - both KD and Green excelled.
November 29th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
the thunder will never be great at any time, ever. F those doormats
November 29th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Pretty obvious Memphis was tanking on purpose. What NBA should’ve done is to let ALL non-playoff teams have an EQUAL chance of winning the No.1 pick to eliminate tanking altogether. That’ll create more buzz and more teams’ fans will be talking about the upcoming draft through out the regular season. And you rid of the 5~6 teams that perpetually start tanking at the beginning of the season killing the fan base. And more drama in June when teams find out where they pick.
November 29th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
If there were 12k there then everybody was in the upper bowl or getting a soda.
Bobcats had a handful more.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I’m rooting against the Thunder like everyone else. Unfortunately, I have a feeling they might start playing better with the recent lineup changes made. Westbrook is now the starting PG, and they moved Green, and Durant to play the forward positions, and Wilcox to center. The only chance they have to win is to go small and play an uptempo style game and it seems they are going in that direction now.
Honestly, I was hoping they would keep PJ as the coach, because it guaranteed they would stay awful. He was going with a big lineup and surrounding Durant with a bunch of inept scorers. They were lucky if they got past 85 points on most nights.
I really hope I’m wrong, but it looks like they will at least be competitive with the new lineup changes. There new head coach seems to be putting them in the best position to win games and that’s more than you can say for PJ.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Eli I agree,
The Blunder has more than enough talent to win some games if they stay healthy. They couldn’t possibly replace PJ with anyone as adept at destroying morale. Still, I don’t see them as having a winning record any time soon.
November 30th, 2008 at 1:00 am
They won’t have a winning season this year, but their chances of at least staying competitive in games, will improve with PJ out of the picture.
That being said, I don’t think things will work out long term in OKC. In 4-5 years, I see them being in a similar situation as Memphis, with very little fan support. They have zero chance of ever landing a big name free-agent and most of their top draft picks will bolt town at the first opportunity that presents itself.
November 30th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Except that Kev Pissant currently has a hard on for okc, according to the press.
November 30th, 2008 at 10:38 am
For some reason the possibilty makes them all feel better.
BlunderCentral.com
November 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am
There is about as much chance of a Key Arena proposal passing this Legislative session as there is of me sprouting wings and flying.
http://tinyurl.com/65whvc
Of course there’s already an ignorant shill blaming all the current state budget problems on professional sports spending in the comments … the average Seattlite will never f*cking get it.
On another note my sister was at the Orlando game last night, had seats behind the bench … she sent me some cool pics of the Magic in a huddle and in the game … Howard is an insane physical specimen.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Actually, I think it is recommended by the task force, along with a couple others, then the state takes the whole fund, leaving an IOU should Steve Ballmer secure a team, passing the buck aroung back to Steve Ballmer, and only contribute the 75 million as the last 75 millionof the project efectively punting to the next budget cycle in two years.
It is easier to take the entire fund from “Key Arena” than it is from just 4Culture and youth athletic programs.
All they have to do is approve it, they donor have to provide it for a couple years. Punt.
I do not think they will give the city 75 million just to spend on whatever without the city matching that, not likely.