OT: Govt. Shocked, SHOCKED, that Bennett lied to Seattle

by Shrug on Apr 11, 2008 11:15 PM PDT

From the Seattle Times, verification that you, the sports fan, are smarter than most state and local officials in these matters, and definitely smarter than would-be sports team owners who still haven't learned never to correspond via the internet: The long-rumored emails indicating that Clay Bennett was planning to move the Sonics to Oklahoma City long before he was supposed to legally start talking about it.

Um, question. Little question here. How exactly was it that I, a poor schlub erstwhile fake sportswriter, figured out that this was Bennett's plan within hours of the announcement that he'd bought the team?

And I am to believe that local government officials are truly stunned, and not feigning indignation, that these self-proclaimed rednecks were not operating in good faith, but in fact fucking liars?

You mean, we really are smarter than the people we're electing? Wow! I thought that was just a gimmick to make us watch more cable!

Good lord. This is hilarious.

I'm not saying anything more. It might sound like I'm bitter.

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A contradiction

Are we smarter than the politicians? If we were truly smarter than them, why on earth did we vote them into office to begin with? No my friend, the politicians are smarter than us, because they fleece the public on a daily basis, while they are preparing to get their pensions for life...
For them to react with shock at this news is all show. If they didn't act shocked, they'd be exposed for the frauds they truly are. They will act however they think you want them to act, if it will bring in more votes and $$$.

Mike Holmgren, please do the right thing...

by silkybrown on Apr 12, 2008 1:11 AM PDT reply actions

No love for politicians

I have no great love for politicians and I was with you on calling Bennett a liar from the get go, but I think they are feigning disbelief.

Heck, part of their job description is to channel public outrage and the being lied to - whether we all recognized it or not at the time - ticks people off. Secondly, it seems that most of the politicians have made the calculation that being perceived as giving large sums of money away to Bennett or sticking your neck out at the last minute on the stadium deal is bad politics.

I have no idea if they are right about it, but it hardly makes them stupid. It is easy to vent on politicians but we shouldn't mistake their public comments with their analysis.

by brokejumper on Apr 14, 2008 7:27 AM PDT reply actions

I'm pretty sure the Government knew all along

They only say shocked to get more sympathy, and they probably mean they're shocked that Clay Bennet would be so stupid as to leave evidence out there

by LantermanC on Apr 14, 2008 1:36 PM PDT reply actions

(takes off sarcasm-o-vision glasses)

I agree, the pols knew all along; my overstated shock is kind of a commentary that we knew they knew. When I saw Gregoire's commentary that she was stunned by the release of the ownership emails, I honestly laughed. Everybody knew what the Bennett group's true motives were from just about the get-go.

I'm amazed how sloppy the Sonics owners are, though. Seriously, if you don't know to keep your correspondences off the email record, then how you gonna manage a team, etc. etc.

I dunno. This doesn't hit me as hard as what would happen if the Seahawks or Mariners left town, which I suppose helps their rationale in moving the team to OKC. But that's just me.

They're going to move, unless the ownership does something so gloriously stupid that the NBA owners have to question them. The ownership group has to prove itself as a dysfunctional unit that will just continue to do stupid things once the team moves. They just have to prove that they're really raving morons.

I do not think that will happen. But at least now I believe they're capable of it.

--Shrug

by Shrug on Apr 15, 2008 12:53 AM PDT reply actions