Sonics

There is really no need for an intro to this Deadspin post.

On the weekend before the NBA finally returns to action after its six-week sabbatical after the NBA Finals, we must take one more moment to remember one city that will not be joining the rest of us in our journey this season as Oklahoma City tries to pretend they can support both an NBA franchise and a Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill restaurant

In doing so, Deadspin runs the fantastic “NBA Fan Resignation Letter” that was sent to them by a long-time Sonics and general NBA fan who “watched Jerry West play before he became the logo.”

I suggest you read it all, but here are the highlights from the letter by David Betz.

I witnessed the migration of teams like the Jazz, Kings, Hornets, and Braves, and Grizzlies. In almost every case, these were younger franchises moving towards expanding markets, reflecting America’s population migration. (Which also brought me west to Seattle 15 years ago).

In all of my years, I cannot recall a backwards franchise erasure or a league equity mistake like the one you just perpetrated with the Seattle Supersonics. You remember the story; the new ownership wanted the team to remain in Seattle, but just could not find a satisfactory venue. They had no choice but to take the team back to their home in Oklahoma. Who could blame them?

Mr. Stern, I don’t for one second believe that ours was a venue or a market problem here in Seattle. The real problems were a dysfunctional product and leadership, a blatant disregard for the truth, and complete betrayal of the public trust.

Betz continues:

When the inappropriate behavior of a few individuals undermines the game, the league, or the Brand, that is usually when the Commissioner’s office steps in. I saw Michael Jordan solve your post-Bird/Magic void, when you were struggling with an attendant thug and drug perception problem. I experienced first hand when your predecessor stepped in to create the “Ted Stepien Rule” to prevent any incompetent owner from driving a franchise into the ground with unconscionable trades.

That is why it’s been amazingly disappointing for me to witness your decisions and your demeanor throughout the Seattle franchise sale, dismantling and move. What happened here makes you complicit in just the sort of hegemony, short sightedness, and thuggery that your office was created to police.

Commissioner, you failed me, my team, my city, and the league. I quit.

It really is a tragedy that there is no longer a team in Seattle. I have to believe, however, there will again be a team there someday, although that clearly will never make up for eradicating a team with decades upon decades of history and the franchise that brought Seattle its last major sports championship.

So even though it will be like replacing the family dog that your uncle ran over with his truck, Gary Payton is at least doing his part to speed up the process in getting the city another NBA franchise.

That’s something at least, I guess, sorta, right?

Known Associates: David Stern, Sonics, The Glove, The Logo, Thunder

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