INTRODUCING THE SEATTLE CLIPPERS

via shatteredbackboard.com

The Seattle Supersonics left town under a cloud of Oklahoma dust.

An ownership group made a run at the Sacramento Kings. Have they given up?

The Milwaukee Bucks were interesting enough to hope for, but they decided to stay put.

One thing we’ve all learned about the modern NBA the past few days is how un-modern some of the owners are.

I’m looking at you, Donald Sterling.

The biggest lesson Seattle can take from the Clippers owner? Make sure anyone talking about putting money up for a new team in the Emerald City has some distance from the early 1800’s.

Moving forward, it’s important for new owners to understand the concept of ownership. You own a team, a brand, not a soul, not a first born, and certainly not the city your team calls home.

The previous owner of the Sonics didn’t get the team part and the connection with the community. Clay Bennett looks nothing like a robber baron, but he pulled a great heist moving the Sonics and renaming them the Thunder.

They’ve been a great addition to Oklahoma’s professional sports menu. What are the other teams?

Going after the Clippers once the playoffs end adds an NBA team to a major league city where they’ll join the Mariners and Seahawks fight for fan loyalty. Thunder fans don’t have that split loyalty problem.

Since Seattle already has their name waiting for a team, the sorry legacy of the San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers will fade from view. What better treatment for a name dragged through the mud by a less than decent owner. How indecent is Donald Sterling?

This is an 81 year old rich man dating a 30-something woman who looks as stunning as any NBA lady should look. Near her he gives the expression of a man happy to have the company of a beauty any NBA player would like to meet when they come to town.

While it may not be an LA thing of rich man vs gold digger, Sterlings wife of 50 years sees it that way.

What this sports fan sees is a bitter old man holding onto his youth with hair paint, man tan, and a leather coat. It’s an act that’s worked for decades.

Where have we seen this picture before? Aged white man in shades and slicked hair ruling a kingdom of professional athletes in LA. Al Davis comes to mind, but he didn’t go racial hot dogger. He did what came natural, which was run the once proud Raiders into the ground, then move back to Oakland.

Sterling has gone racial hot dogger with his LA style, but his team hasn’t failed him. He failed them. Now it’s time to take a page from the Raider book and head out of town.

Seattle would welcome the Clippers to town with open arms. They’re dying for a team to cheer for that isn’t the Seattle Seahawks. They want the only team that mixes with Portland’s only major league sport.

The I-5 rivalry would be reborn with a vengeance, except this time with less police involvement on the drive south.

Will the NBA owners make a joint decision to ease the old babe magnet out of the ownership club? Stay tuned for details from tomorrows news conference.