Seattle’s losing a part of their identity as the SuperSonics prepare to leave town

SCOTT JACOBS

This isn’t a sports story. Not anymore.

Once upon a time ago, it was about sports. But sports is business. And business is cruel. And cruel is painful. And painful is Seattle losing their Sonics. I’ve never been to Seattle, not even close. I’ve barely gotten to California, and that was when I was three. But I am old enough now to understand that sports and teams and all those foam number one fingers are more then just sports and teams and foam number one fingers. Nope, it’s clear now: they represent a bond. A passion, a way of life. They give us something to look forward to. Something to be miserable over. Sports used to be a game. Now, it’s a partnership, being a fan. It’s like that unofficial handshake you have, that says you’ll be there, and they’ll be there in return. But for Seattle fans, that handshake is nothing more then a faded memory. For Seattle is on the verge of losing their Sonics.

To Oklahoma City nonetheless…

It’s a sad tale, whether it comes from sports writers who grew up with the team, or everyday people who had something to cheer for. It’s a sad tale for a city that’s had the Sonics for 41 years. One championship, green and yellow, a team that they could call their own. Until now. Money’s the reason of course. KeyArena is considered the worst lease in the NBA, and efforts to renovate it failed miserably. Clay Bennett, on the verge of becoming Art Modell, wants to move Seattle’s SuperSonics to his Oklahoma City.

He wants the 12th biggest TV market’s team, moved to a city that is barely a blip on the sports radar. Oklahoma City (OKC) is fun. It’s hip. It’s in the “in” place, after the crowds they gave New Orleans for two years. But on a long term basis, it’s a minor league city that doesn’t really deserve a major sports team. And the Sonics? Seattle’s first pro team? That’s like asking a mother to give up her first born child for some fans. Yeah, Seattle still has the Seahawks and the Mariners (and both those teams are safe, thanks to huge amounts of money in building them new stadiums) but it just won’t be the same without the Sonics.

Pouring over countless articles, and numerous Sonics fan reaction this year has really tug at my heart-string. A beloved team that has been there since day one is about to walk out the door. And there are no assurances of getting a team after they bolt.

It’s an ugly divorce, Seattle from their Sonics. Politicians stood firm that they don’t want to fork over the hundreds of millions of dollars that Bennett desired, and Clay simply decided “thats good enough for me, when can we get out of our lease.”

As a huge and passionate sports fan, I couldn’t imagine a city that’s had a team that long losing their team. That would be like Miami losing the Dolphins. Could you imagine? Phoenix losing the Suns. I could go on. You never forget your first, but Seattle’s about to lose there’s.

For goodness sake the Seattle Times ran a coping article so people that loved the Sonics wouldn’t completely lose it. That’s not just a sports team and a city. That’s a bond, and if you don’t believe it, read some of these. If you don’t care about the Sonics, just read through some of this stuff Sonics fans and writers have been saying.

“PLLLEEEEAAASSEEEE IF ANYONE RELEVANT READS THIS HELP US!!! I CAN’T LOSE MY SONICS!!! THEY ARE MY HEART. A SOLUTION CAN HAPPEN. THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS STEPPED UP. DONT DESTROY 41 YEARS OF LOYALTY, MEMORIES, HAPPINESS ON A STUPID VOTE IN 1 AFTERNOON….HEELP US!!” - Sonics fan on an ESPN Page 2 Message Board

“I took my 7-year-old daughter to Sunday’s game, hoping the joy of watching her experience her first NBA game might distract me from the funeral atmosphere in the building. That idea — like most things associated with the Sonics this season — was a colossal failure.” – ESPN Page 2 Writer Kevin Jackson

“What’s being done to the Sonics is criminal, and each of [Stern, Schultz, Bennett] these is to blame,” – Peter White, Sonics fan

“Forty-one years. Our first professional team. Our only championship. And they want to take this away from us. Why? Can anybody give us a good reason? Is basketball failing here? Is the market the team is getting moved to so much larger or better? Nobody can give any good reason why this should happen except some crap about an arena. The sad thing is that the outcry over this is so muted” – Steve Hamilton, Sonics fan

One Sonics fan even wrote a Song.

And it goes on, and on and on…

Seattle needs their Sonics. Pizza needs sauce. And peanut butter needs jelly. You wouldn’t ban your kid from seeing his best friend would you? You wouldn’t send off something you loved to another place? Well, it’s the same idea with the Sonics. They’re a fabric in Seattle, and the NBA would be weird without them.

One final thought before I wrap this up and let you the readers chime in. If Charlotte, who had little history, no titles, no championship appearances, and no fans, can land an expansion team after their fans completely turned their back on that team, why can’t Seattle, a city that has drawn the fifth worst crowd in the NBA this year (New Orleans which is a West power now is third worst) even with the worst record in that team’s history, keep the team they’ve loved since day one?

Now your emails, questions, rants. I really want to know what people think.

UPDATE:
Former Sonics owner Howard Schultz is on the verge of suing the team in an attempt to get them back and keep them in Seattle. You can read that story here. In the meantime, one of the more messy stories that we’ve seen in sports recently just keeps on getting dirtier.

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