General

The Banality of ‘Me Too, Thanks Clay!’

Apr 10, 2008, 4:04 PM UTC

If you were waiting for a smoking gun, or a vast right-wing conspiracy, at the heart of Sonics-gate, you’ve got it. The Seattle Times has gotten it hands on some emails given to the city’s lawyers as a part of court case #473984729834. Plenty of documents at the link, but here are some highlights:â†µ

â†µOn April 17 last year, team co-owners Clay Bennett, Aubrey McClendon and Tom Ward talked about whisking the Sonics away to Oklahoma as soon as possible even though it would mean breaching the KeyArena lease, according to the city's motion filed in U.S. District Court in New York City.â†µ

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â†µ"Is there any way to move here [Oklahoma City] for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?" Ward wrote.â†µ

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â†µBennett replied: "I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!"â†µ

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â†µWard: "That's the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here [in Oklahoma City] next year."â†µ

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â†µMcClendon: "Me too, thanks Clay!"
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â†µâ†µMcClendon didn’t realize that local papers now have worldwide reach; apparently, this entire bunch didn’t know that email is forever. Anyway, here’s what Bennett told Stern after McClendon’s shoot-from-the-hip gaff:â†µ

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â†µ"I would never breach your trust. As absolutely remarkable as it may seem, Aubrey and I have NEVER discussed moving the Sonics to Oklahoma City, nor have I discussed it with ANY other member of our ownership group."â†µ

â†µâ†µSo there you have it. They were supposed to make that good-faith effort up through October 2007, and they most certainly didn’t. It would be hilarious if, after all the “Save Our Sonics” drum-beating, what turned this case around were some silly emails by over-eager amateurs. Then again, I kind of feel the way I did during the darkest days of the Bush Administration, when everyday some new bombshell would hit, I’d expect revolution in the streets and instant public inquest, and instead, nothing.â†µ

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â†µ(H/T Enjoy the Enjoyment)â†µ

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â†µEd. Note: We have a fancy blockquote style, I promise, and what you see within this post isn't it. Add it to the list.
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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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