City Basketball Court Day 2: The Bennett E-mails & Tim Ceis on Key Arena
posted by on June 17 at 13:21 PM
Sonics owner Clay Bennett has been on the stand all morning, and he’ll be on again when the trial resumes after lunch.
Bennett was grilled by the city’s attorney Paul Lawrence about the infamous email exchange where Bennett told his co-owners that he was “a man possessed.” (The e-mails seemed to make it clear that Bennett was angling to move the team to Oklahoma City all along):
“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.Bennett replied: “I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!”
Ward: “That’s the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here [in Oklahoma City] next year.”
McClendon: “Me too, thanks Clay!”
Bennett stuck by the explanation he gave in his deposition, saying this morning that he meant he was “a man possessed” about keeping the team in Seattle.
Lawrence asked Bennett why he didn’t email his colleagues back to say, “Now, hold on boys, you misunderstood me…”
Bennett said there was no need to because he was well aware of his cohorts’ feelings on the matter.
Lawrence then called the court’s attention to what Bennett did in the days following the e-mail exchange: He contacted the NBA about the possibility of moving the team to Oklahoma City. “Within a few days of being a ‘man possessed’ about keeping the team in Seattle,” Lawrence said skeptically, “you were talking to the NBA about moving to Oklahoma City.”
Bennett explained that he was simply “exploring that option” in case his bid to stay in Seattle failed.
Bennett was also asked why he never tried to re-negotiate the KeyArena lease. Bennett said repeatedly that he “had no interest in KeyArena.”
His plan, he said, was to find a new arena and then negotiate with the city for a new lease there.
This round of questioning about his lack of interest in KeyArena turned up the best quote of the morning—or at least a quote of a quote.
Bennett related the story of his first meeting with Mayor Greg Nickels and Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis at Wild Ginger. Lawrence asked if Nickels made it clear to Bennett at this meeting that the city was interested in re-negotiating the lease at a renovated KeyArena. Bennett repeated that his group had “no interest in KeyArena, so that conversation didn’t last long…” and then added this gem: “Tim Ceis did say that he thought ‘KeyArena was the best basketball arena in the country,’ and I knew we were off track.”
Tim Ceis thinks KeyArena is the “best basketball arena in the country” ?? This is totally rad. Talk about framing the debate!
Observation: While the Lawrence did score some big points for the city this morning (like this game winner: “[Mr. Bennett], do you know of any provision in lease that allows you to leave early … under any circumstances,” to which Bennett replied, “No”) Lawrence has a pretty grating style—alternately unctuous and snippy—which seems to be bugging Judge Marsha Pechman to no end. I know it’s not supposed to be related, but she has been sustaining Team Bennett’s objections to Lawrence’s evidence all morning. And the one time she let Lawrence proceed over an objection, she sighed, warning him that she really didn’t think his line of argument was relevant.
These Slog updates on the case are the best coverage of the trial hands-down of all the "papers" in town. I really appreciate this coverage!
I wouldn't be too worried at Team Bennett's objections being sustained.
Sometimes a Judge just wants to create a clean record, giving the losing side as few opportunities/issues for appeal as possible.
it IS the best arena for pro ball in the league. because it prioritizes the spectator, and because the architecture doesn't pander to corporate concerns, it kicks ass.
unc·tu·ous
1. characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, esp. in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.
Great stuff, Josh. As one of the few Slog readers that cares about the Sonics, your stuff has been really insightful.
I will now remove my nose from your ass.
See, this is why Sen John McCain doesn't use computers or email.
No email, no computers - no trap.
It's not like anyone will bust through the private security his beer baroness wife has to YouTube him betraying America.
As to the arena ... personally, any baseball team that whines about the state of their arena needs their heads replaced - the winning Olympic teams this year practice in high school gymnasiums one-tenth the size, and have personal gyms that smell like old sweatsocks.
The Sonics, quite frankly, just suck.
Big time.
If they didn't, they'd have no problems with ad revenues or admissions or restaurant/bar splits.
"I'll allow it, but you better be going somewhere with this, counselor."
-Every judge in every movie or TV show ever
It's all about the schadenfreude.
1. I hope "we" "win".
2. I hope "we" "lose". And OKC gets its buyer's remorse.
It's a bench trial, not a jury trial.
The judge doesn't particularly have to sustain any evidentiary objections at all, as she's already the arbiter of what's relevant or not.
Sidebar:
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AAAA
What No. 10 said.
Fuck @10.
Even I know that's not just too long, but totally insane.
@10: Dude, we've talked about this. Take your meds. I want to help you, but if you can't do the minimum required of you to stabilize your mental health, I don't think I can be your friend any more. It just hurts too much.
Josh, I like how you send posts to yourself, complimenting your coverage using various fake names. Nice touch.
Basketball, Schmasketball - the Key is still most definitely a world-class concert venue, and Neil Diamond, Nine Inch Nails, and the Foo Fighters aren't demanding that we build them a streetcar, let alone a brand-new stadium.
O
#14 - I like how you are the biggest douche of all. Your last comment - nice touch.
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