Gina almost wanted to go to the game tonight. Good plan with Indiana Jones 4 instead.
The role of Carlos Silva tonight was played by Jetay Barber.
To all my Mariner fans out there, how’d you guys feel about McLaren’s morse code exhibition?
Yeah, I can’t resist posting this one.
[media=youtube]vWgQH_T2SvY&feature=related[/media]
Just remember, the Blazers were one of the franchises that voted against the move. Seattle’s getting jobbed by an inside deal.
Stilt - Blazers and Mavericks to be exact
Deezo - about fucking time we see something that resembles passion from the Mariners organization
In celebration of Griffey hitting #600, I’d like to take a moment and reminisce. Some of you reading this right now might be pretty young, or didn’t grow up in Seattle, or weren’t into baseball until recently. If so, odds are you’ve still heard about Griffey, but probably wonder about his impact on Seattle sports.
So let me tell you about a time before Safeco and Ichiro, when both the Mariners and Seahawks played in a concrete monstrosity called the Kingdome. Back then, the now-immortalized legends of Seattle baseball were found not on a plaque or mural, but on the field. Guys like Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson, and a kid named Ken Griffey Junior. Griffey was drafted in 1987, at a time when baseball in Seattle was little more than an afterthought. The '80s were not kind to the Mariners. Imagine the last five years (minus 2007) and expand that to an entire decade. The team had no presence abroad or locally; attendance averaged a mere 7~8 thousand.
Griffey changed everything. Right from the start, he was a monster hitter. He made baseball matter in Seattle, culminating in the magical '95 season and a trip to the ALCS. And he didn’t go unnoticed, either. Junior singlehandedly captured the national media and finally put Seattle on the map. Along with the '95 team’s impact and his popularity, Griffey helped build both Safeco and Quest. Without him, odds are the Mariners and Hawks leave the city years ago. Even when the Ms sucked, he made them fun to watch. The only real blemish on Griffey’s career was his struggle to stay healthy in his late 20s and early 30s. Were it not for the injuries, it could very well be Junior sitting atop the all-time homerun list. It’s a testament to his skills when we find ourselves thinking “what if” when talking about the greatest player of his era and a sure-fire entry in Cooperstown.
So here’s to you, Griffey. Thanks for all the memories and helping build a new era in Seattle sports. You may not be with us anymore, but you’ll always be a Mariner in our hearts. No matter what, we’ll never forget that smile.
Amen.
#24 Forever…
Griffey.
He brought it to the table.
Bill Bevasi - Fired! Discuss…
I was SHOCKED shocked I say to see the Mariners lose a game after their starting pitcher once again put up a good game. Thinking about the Mariners makes my head bleed. It just doesn’t seem like they even have a chance right now. I’m about to go pretend that MLB 08 is the actual baseball season. =P
MLB08 provided the greatest baseball season known to man
who is that, and why am i him?
Sonic’s trial day 2 - Clay Bennett testimony
KJR AM 950 www.950kjr.com
Clayton Bennett set to testify today
4:50pm - Day two just finished up and with Zimbalist being called to the stand, Bennett was unable to finish his testimony. Bennett will finish up tomorrow with Brad Keller and then Paul Lawrence will re-direct.
Paul Lawrence met with the media after the completion of the second day. There is some good stuff in the audio - you should really take a listen. Basically, in not so many words, Lawrence and the city feel like they have bascially made their case because of the testimony of Bennett. Lawrence said he feels strongly that Judge Pechman will rule this case on the issue of whether or not the Sonics can break their lease. If Judge Pechman is not influenced by the other evidence presented by the Sonics and she simply looks at it as one party trying to break their lease, I get the impression he feels the city is way ahead.
4:42 - The city just cross-examined Zimbalist and we learned that the PBC tried to hire Zimbalist for their case, but he obviously went to work for the city. Greg Narver for the city questioned Zimbalist about whether or not he would change his defintions on certain theories, and Zimbalist said that it makes no sense to re-write those defintions that’s why he simply used the same language.
With that said, it certainly did not seem like it went all that well for the Zimbalist and his testimony to the Sonics.
3:46- I don’t know how damaging this is to the city’s case, but Paul Taylor of the Sonics is showing two reports written by Zimbalist. The first report was written two years in regards to the Angels in Los Angeles and the second report was written in Seattle.
Except for a very few changes, the verbiage used in the report are identical. Zimbalist testified earlier that he wrote the Sonics report on the impact in Seattle from scratch. Seeing the evidence present by Sonics it is pretty clear, at least to me and others, that Zimbalist used the same report but just changed the names and some numbers.
3:30pm - Zimbalist continues to testify for the city and as he speaks he confirms the reason why I never attended a econ class at Washington State! A lot of theories are being thrown out by Zimbalist, things like: extranalities and compensating differential.
When Zimbalist wasn’t giving us terms on economics, he said a sports team brings a community together. A sports team can lift the morale of the city and give it a sense of pride.
3:09pm - The testimony of Clay Bennett has been put on hold because one of the city’s witnesses, Andrew Zimbalist, a teacher at Smith College in New Hampshire, has to get back home so he must testify today. Zimbalist’s background is sports economics. Zimbalist has published 10 books on the subject and has been teaching at Smith College since 1974. Here is a bio on Zimbalist.
Andrew Zimbalist
2:46pm - Bennett continues to testify and answer questions from the Sonics lawyer, Brad Keller… On a number of occasions Bennett contacted Steve Ballmer, via e-mail, asking Ballmer for help with the folks down in Olympia. Even with the supposed help from Ballmer, the issue died in Olympia, Bennett testified today that he became very disappointed.
Sonics arena proposal in Renton
Keller asked Bennett, “What did you do?” Bennett responded by saying, “I became a man possessed.”
After that proposal failed in Olympia, Bennett exhausted every effort and met with a number of people, including the Muckleshoot Tribe.
2:10pm - Paul Lawrence pointed out that the Sonics lost $26 million in 2006-2007. $40 million in 2008-2009 and and estimated $52 million in 2009-2010.
Lawrence and Bennett disagreed on whether or not the team can move to Oklahoma City next season if they lose the trial. Lawrence pointed out Article 7 of the NBA states that the team must reapply to move the team to Oklahoma City. Bennett disagreed and said the team can file a procedural renewal. Basically I think Bennett is saying the NBA can look at their case and just approve the move, but not take up a vote with the Board of Governors.
The city provided an email from Bennett to his lobbyist, Jim Kneeland. Gov. Christine Gregoire told Kneeland that “cannot expect taxpayers of Washington to solve their problems by constructing an arena.”
Bennett testified that he had no specific plans for cost overruns and had no funding options set up.
Brad Keller of the Sonics, in cross-examination, asked Bennett, “why buy the team?” Bennett said the team was ripe for a turn around and thought he could step in and be effective. Also, Bennett said his group would be more effective because they had the leverage of a potential move in their back pocket.
Bennett testified that Larry Nichols was another potential owner that backed out because Bennett informed his potential investors that he would make a “good faith” effort to keep the team in Seattle - Nichols wanted no part of that.
1:31 - Back from lunch…Bennett is still on the stand as the proceedings have just begun.
12:00pm - They just broke for lunch. I’m taking a break. I’ll be back shortly.
11:50am - Paul Lawrence just introduced the “man possessed” email. Bennett is sticking to the point he made earlier in which he said he was “possessed,” he was talking about getting a deal done in Seattle, even though he knew that Tom Ward and Aubrey McLedon wanted the team in Oklahoma City.
Bennett sent the “man possessed” email on April 17, 2007. On April 23, 2007, Bennett sent an email to Joel Litvin, the President of Basketball Operations for the NBA - he reports directly to David Stern. In that email and Bennett testified today that he asked Litvin what he and the PBC can do to move the team to Oklahoma City the following season.
11:46am - Bennett just testified that the PBC would not cover cost overruns in regards to the $500 million dollar proposed arena. Bennett said they didn’t feel it was necessary because it was a public building.
11:43am - Paul Lawrence continues question Bennett about how much money he spent toward a new arena. Bennett will not answer the question, he keeps saying that the group pledged $100 million dollars, but that would also be generated from taxes and ticket revenue and other finances, however, Bennett would not give an actual figure of how much money the PBC spent with their own wallet. Lawrence kept asking if Bennett told any legislator or made any public statement about how much money the team would spend, but Bennett kept coming back to the $100 million, but would not acknowledge how much they personally spent.
11:35am - Bennett testified that his group did not have the proper legislation before the Feb. 8, 2008. Bennett did not give the Gov. and Speaker of the House a detailed plan to the Legislature. Bennett testified that they did not plan to extend the Oct. 31 deadline. Jim Kneeland, who worked with Bennett as a political consultant, was ordered by Bennett to stay away from ever mentioning how much money the PBC had spent.
11:23am - Bennett testified that some potential PBC owners did not come on board because they didn’t like the “good faith” effort to keep the team in Seattle. Paul Lawrence just presented an email between the other owners Tom Ward and Aubrey McLendon in which Bennett said the “good faith” effort was beneficial because if the team stayed in Seattle it would provided the ownership group with a “sweet-flip.” Bennett testified that they would sell the team if they built a new arena and they didn’t want to stay in Seattle.
11:18am - Bennett testified to an article in USA Today from Feb. 2006 in which he said it was his long-term aspiration to have a NBA team in Oklahoma City.
11:13am - Judge Pechman allows the city to show a document in which Bennett told the Oklahoma City Legislation that there would be a profit on an annual basis if the team moved there. Bennett said the city could gain $171 million dollars a year. The city in their opening statements said the city earns around $187 million a year.
10:45am - The early testimony from Clayton Bennett just wrapped up. So far it appears the city has Bennett right where they want him. Bennett has acknowledged on several occasions that he was aware of the financial constraints of the Sonics before he purchased them.
Bennett testified that there is no provision in the current lease that allows Bennett to leave before that lease runs out.
In addition, Bennett testified that he was told by the NBA before purchasing the team that Bennett and his group may be entering in a “lame-duck” status because of the financial struggles of the team.
Bennett said he intended to honor the lease, in fact, when he had a conversation with Mayor Greg Nickels on the day the PBC purchased, Bennett never informed Nickels that he would opt out of the lease a year later.
In a memorandum sent from Bennett to investors of PBC, Bennett gives information on the risks of the investment. Bennett says the team expects to incur operating losses. Also, there are no assurances that the city will agree to a proposed revisions to the lease agreement or even find a suitable alternative playing site.
In the early testimony, Paul Lawrence tried to establish the wealth of Clayton Bennett, he admitted that he can sustain the financial losses over the next two years, he said it would not hurt him.
Bennett said the only way to establish a profit would be by building a new arena, but he testified that a new arena would not be built immediately and that he would have to spend several years at KeyArena while the new arena was being built.
The city played a video of testimony to the Senate Ways and Means Committee down in Olympia made by Bennett. In that testimony, Bennett said that KeyArena may work for the next five, seven or 10 years but it will not be suitable in the long-term.
9:26am - The day of the trial picks up where it left off yesterday with Jyo Singh, the Commercial City Events Manager, he was previously the manager of KeyArena.
Singh is testifying about the amenities inside KeyArena, which includes concessions, suites and lounges. Sonics lawyer Paul Taylor continues to ask Singh about the improvements made inside the arena. Taylor informed Singh that the Sonics paid for improvements to the FSN Lounge and the family lounge. The city paid for the improvements to the suites.
It seems on the surface that the Sonics were unable to really get the information that they wanted out of Singh. The ciy redirected and asked if any of the amenities have changed since the Sonics bought them and Singh said no.
KJR Reporter Jason Puckett (relayed by Nathaniel Montes)
He’s a pitcher for the Mariners. In that game, he gave up 83 runs in the first inning. It was pretty breathtaking.
Speaking of MLB2k8, I think its kinda funny that in my MLB08 team, the computer would always try to put Vidro in the 3rd spot in the lineup. Much like he is now. Its like it was a vision from the future.
The only difference is, for some reason, he didn’t suck complete ass on MLB2k8
Sad year for the Mariners continued: at the Pro Club tonight, none of the TVs (including the dedicated “Sports only” TVs) were showing the Mariners. Just some college baseball and Sportscenter. Ouch! No love there.
Thats pretty jacked up there zach…:crybaby:
So… Bavasi fired, McLaren fired, the Sonics trial still ongoing in hopes of keeping the team in Seattle two more years and pray that they can convince somebody local (Ballmer?) to buy the team back to keep it in town in that time.
The editorial cartoon image I’m having of Seattle sports right now is floating in a rubber raft with an outboard motor labeled “Seahawks” right now, taking on water labeled “Sonics to OKC” on the one hand and a puff of air as the thing’s deflating labeled “Mariners” on the other, and the sole passenger labeled “Seattle sports fan” is simultaneously trying to bail water, reinflate the raft by mouth, all before it goes down enough that the outboard motor gets swamped while you’re at it. If anybody draws that for a Seattle paper, I want royalties.
Discuss.
McLaren got fired!? WTF!
Yup. Just came up on NBC sports web about an hour and a half ago. McLaren gone too. Mariners management is pretty much doing its house cleaning with dynamite right now.