Part of the public relations game between the city of Seattle and the NBA is being played in the media and by the media. And, it's not surprising at all that Oklahoma City is taking a whipping from big city columnists.

However, the opinions of Dave Zirin and Mike Celizic, for example, are completely based on ignorance.

I shouldn't even pretend that these two morons are the only offenders; however, they're two of the most egregious and well-known.

In Zirin's piece on Monday for SI.com, he writes, "Without shame, Bennett is holding economic hostage a city with serious education and health care shortfalls."

Wow. Sorry, but it seems to me that Bennett gave the city more than a year to get its act together and at least pretend like it could come to a resolution. He made this clear from the beginning when he purchased the team.

Zirin added: "Stern is siding with a man who has made it his intention from Day 1 to break Seattle's heart by any means necessary. Bennett hasn't acted in bad faith, he has acted in no faith."

Clay Bennett is not Aubrey McClendon, and while it's fine to presume Bennett's intention was to move the team to OKC no matter what, his words and actions have shown otherwise. Bennett has been tremendously patient with a stubborn city government, and his words have been calculated and even frustrating to some of us in Oklahoma, who for sure would love to see the team head this way.

Then there is this from Zirin:

"Bennett has already filed for relocation. His minority partner Aubrey McClendon said in August that Bennett's group "didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle." There is a slight problem, however, with the plan to put the team in Sooner country: The Sonics' lease at Seattle's KeyArena lasts through the 2009-2010 season.


Bennett has thrown a tantrum in the face of this stubborn fact, taking a scorched-earth approach of insulting Seattle fans until they beg him to leave. His lawyers have called Sonics boosters agitating to keep the team a 'disturbing fringe element,' and also claimed that 'a majority of the public has accepted the team's imminent departure. The sentiment among many is, 'Who cares?' ' Amazing how clear a view of Seattle Bennett can have from across the country."

I'm not sure where Zirin has gotten his information, but my sources are just as good, and even if Bennett said these things, his general attitude toward Seattle has been aboveboard and fair. Besides, Zirin doesn't examine the possibility that the 'Save Our Sonics' crowd isn't a "fringe element," not representative of the majority of Seattle residents.

Zirin's idiocy continues:

"By siding with Bennett and McClendon, Stern is also giving the back of his hand to the WNBA. The Seattle Storm's two high-profile stars, Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird, have shown no interest in moving to Oklahoma City. Additionally, the WNBA, with its substantial lesbian fan base, probably wouldn't be thrilled to see McClendon in the owner's box, a man who teamed with fellow minority owner Tom Ward to give more than $1 million to an organization called Americans United to Preserve Marriage, a group that opposes gay marriage."

Ha! We host the damned College Softball World Series. It doesn't get any mroe lesbian-friendly than that.

Celizic has always been a rabble-rousing idiot, but in his column from Nov. 9, he surmises that the Sonics won't survive in Oklahoma City.

"Besides, if the team leaves for Oklahoma City, as seems inevitable, think of the fun Seattle can have watching the franchise wither and die in that city, as if inevitable. If Seattle can’t support a team, how is Oklahoma City going to do it? And don’t tell me they successfully hosted the Hornets last year – that’s a novelty deal for one year. Wait until the team plays mediocre basketball at New York City ticket prices for a few years and then tell me what a great market it it."

My sisters and brothers of Oklahoma City, all 1.2 million of us across the entire metro area, we're going to have to listen to these jack-asses from now until the team is here, presuming that the Sonics still land in Oklahoma.

However, the history of the Association is that it has found some of its greatest success in markets with only one pro team. Look at San Antonio. Look at Salt Lake City. Look at Sacramento.

First, Oklahoma City successfully hosted the Hornets for two years, not one. Furthermore, we sold out most all the games, while New Orleans can barely fill 70 percent of the New Orleans Arena. Seattle attendance has been piss-poor to start the year also.

Second, athletes liked being here. Chris Paul was inundated with endorsement opportunities, and at least one major company still has him under contract, and he doesn't even play here any more. However, for all the other players, great homes went for less cash than in other markets, and their overall buck went a lot further.

Furthermore, for athletes with families, Oklahoma provided an atmosphere I'd describe as the antithesis to the big city. While we all know the NBA is an urban league, the Association has done very well in more family-oriented markets.

Finally -- and this just burns me up how ignorant these people are -- have you noticed just how high gas prices are right now? Who do you think produces that oil?

Oklahoma.

We're rolling in money right now. Well, I'm not rolling in it. However, this market probably has more people with an abundant supply of disposable income, per capita, than any other market this size, Furthermore, Oklahoma City is significantly more cosmopolitan than you'd believe, particularly its downtown area, which (like Seattle's) is thriving right now.

Anyway, plenty of ignorance being peddled right now, but it's nothing Oklahomans aren't used to. We should remind media members who act quick to talk crap about Oklahoma.

This state ended Connie Chung's news career. Look it up.

We're way more powerful a market than what you think, and we Okies love, love, love being underestimated. So, bring it on.

The bad news: The Sonics fall to 0-7, the worst start ever for the franchise.

The good news: Again, this club was in the game most of the night, even tied at 99-99 at one point late. Seattle lost to Detroit 107-103, on the heels of a 103-101 loss to Utah on Friday night.

So close, yet winless.

Earl Watson did not play Sunday night, so the Sonics opted for Luke Ridnour at the point. And, Jeff Green had his second impressive ball game in a row with 17 points and eight boards.

Seattle embarks on a road trip, starting with Orlando on Tuesday, Miami on Wednesday and Atlanta on Friday. An 0-10 start is definitely a possibility, but I'm here to tell you this club is close to putting a win together.

NBA commissioner David Stern is in Oklahoma City tonight to induct Sonics owner Clay Bennett into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

That will raise eyebrows in Washington, making folks think that Stern and Bennett are colluding to relocate the Sonics to the Sooner State. Heck, folks already believe there is an under-the-table deal to bring this team to Oklahoma.

However, Stern promised to do this for Bennett a long time ago. So, you can put aside the conspiracy theories, although it doesn't bode well for Seattle that Stern had some harsh words for the city.

In an AP story, he said that if Seattle loses the Supersonics, the NBA will not likely return. This is significant for at least one reason: Besides, perhaps, giving Seattle a bit more urgency in terms of trying to save its franchise, it means the name, "Sonics," is probably coming with the team should they relocate.

One thought had been that, as part of a deal, the name, "Sonics," could be retained by the city for a future franchise. However, a future franchise is not part of the equation.

Kyle Lowry hit a trey with 11 seconds left to lift Memphis to a 105-98 win over the Sonics on Wednesday night in Seattle.

The club is now 0-5, and the symptoms that befell them in their first four losses did again tonight, with some differences. In this game, Kevin Durant really looked like a rookie.

What sealed the deal for the Grizz is the third period. Down 57-49, Mike Miller and his crazy hair led Memphis on a 38-24 run. The Sonics hung tight in the final period but couldn't get the win.

Sonic of the game: Chris Wilcox with 21 points and eight boards. I watched the Maryland alum quite a bit when he was with the Clippers, and I like the way he plays. He also had a steal late in the game that gave the Sonics a chance.

Team grade: D This was kind of a must win, and it was disappointing they couldn't get it done at home. Memphis is not a great club, and the Sonics have to win at least a few of these if they expect to win 15 this year.

Next up: Utah, Friday. 0-6 is very likely, but this team has stil hung with every team it's faced so far, so why not get the first W of the year?

Oklahoma City, do you still want this team?

The Sonics managed to blow a 20-point lead Tuesday night, losing to the Sacramento Kings 104-98 at Arco Arena, thanks in part to a huge corner trey from Francisco Garcia with 29.2 seconds left.

P.J. Carlesimo's team falls to 0-4 on the season, and I quipped to a colleague today that Seattle will be lucky to win 20 games this year. I firmly see this team going about 17-65, and it starts with one reason: turnovers.

However, like the first three games of the young NBA season, there was plenty of good for the Sonics. They shot 63 percent in the first half against the Kings, who failed to sell out their home court for the first time in 354 games. Wally Szczerbiak scored 23 points in about 12, 13 minutes of playing time in the first half, and was on fire.

Jumpers, Running shots. Treys. The guy looked like he did back with KG and the Wolves back in 2002.

Having taken a 61-48 lead into the half, the Sonics let the Kings take control early in the second half. In fact, the Sonics didn't score in the third period until there was 8:40 left. Furthermore, the Kings were in the penalty just 25 seconds after that.

Sacramento also figured out the key to stopping this Sonics offense. Force them to play half-court. They're so dependent on transition offense right now. They have no real post presence, and it honestly pains me to watch Robert Swift, who makes Chris Kaman (a player I really do like) look like the second coming of Bill Walton.

The Sonics made rookie mistakes, too. Up 69-67, Jeff Green let the 24-second clock expire. Kevin Durant had several turnovers, as well, and took some bad perimeter shots. Not that all was lost on the young phenom; he drew another comparison to George Gervin tonight, by the Sacramento television announcers.

The end of the third quarter was a plus for the guys in green, as the Sonics managed to take a 78-72 lead on the strength of a Durant steal and slam.

Sonic of the game: Wally Szczerbiak. Coming off the bench, he had 32 points on five of eight from behind the three-point line and 12 of 16 in front of it.

Team grade: B Seriously, this team isn't that bad in terms of its individual pieces. For the fourth consecutive game, the Sonics played well for 40-plus minutes before letting things slip away. Sure, that will have to change at some point, but this is a young bunch, and I still don't see a floor leader out there. The Sonics desperately need at least a minimal post presence.

Next up: Memphis, Wednesday. Outlook is pretty good for a win. It's at home, and Memphis isn't exactly a world beater. However, Pau Gasol could kill us in the middle.

There was a brief discussion last week centering on the notion that Sonics owner Clay Bennett might sell the very team he plans to relocate back to local Seattle owners, if the price were right.

Every man has his price, no?

Well, I can't envision a man who is about to be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame this week selling a pro team central Oklahoma has coveted for so long. He's already a bad guy in a foreign land; why would he risk such status in his home state?

However, the relationship between Bennett and Stern seems telling. In one of the story links I posted below, the columnist notes the close tie between NBA commissioner David Stern and Bennett, noting they go back to Bennett's days with the San Antonio Spurs.

The story notes that Stern has stepped in to speak well of Sacramento while openly lamenting Seattle's situation. Fact is, David Stern is a man ready to adjust as the winds of public relations dictate. If the city of Seattle were to step up and build this team an arena the way Bennett proposed more than a year ago, this debate would be over because the team would have fallen into favor with Stern, whose influence is undeniable.

However, the city hasn't, and it won't.

There will be maverick owners try to buy the team back, yet it's not for sale.

There will be Indian tribes try to build arenas on land outside the city limits, and that will not be acceptable.

What there won't be is a publicly funded modern arena built within a timeframe keeping Bennett from hightailing it to Oklahoma City, and the fault lies with Seattle, a city already beaten down by arenas and tax-supported athletics.

Yet the argument Seattle residents are making now is that they will tie Bennett up in court to the point he bleeds money so profusely that his partners would back out. This is perhaps the lamest argument, the most bogus notion of them all.

Bennett has already said that if the courts say the Sonics must fulfill the agreement at Key Arena, he'll keep his club there through 2010. He has no intention of fighting back in the courts, which means the ball is clearly back in Seattle's court.

It's a publicly financed modern arena in Seattle proper, or the Sonics are headed to Oklahoma City. And while I feel for Washingtonians about to lose their oldest professional franchise, I have to say that with all the columns, article and blogs I read from them regarding this issue, I can't help but think they just don't get it.

It's a publicly financed modern arena in Seattle proper, or the Sonics are headed to Oklahoma City.

Everything else is merely up to negotiation.

But if Seattle can fulfill its part of the deal, watch the NBA commissioner fall back onto their side of things. And in this league, that means everything.

***

As frustrating as it might be, the Sonics were in it against the L.A. Clippers for three quarters on Sunday before falling 115-101 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

That leaves the club 0-3 for the first time in 22 seasons.

The Clips only led by 2 going into the final frame, but this year's edition of the L.A. Clippers likes to push the ball. They like to run, and that was too much for a Seattle team that committed 22 turnovers. It didn't help that Tim Thomas drained three treys in the span of a minute late in the game.

But check this out: Seattle hit 47 percent of its shots, compared to 46 for the Clippers. They were even with L.A. in terms of three-point percentage, and they shot a better free-throw percentage. However, the Sonics committed 22 turnovers compared to 12 for the Clips.

That's a killer.

Yes, Kevin Durant is as good as advertised. Clippers announcer Ralph Lawler compares him to George Gervin. Jeff Green had his moments in the second quarter, too. However, this team does not have a floor leader. It's a group of young, talented players without a ton of floor direction.

Sonic of the game: Kevin Durant. He had eight defensive boards and 24 points for the game.

Team grade: C-. Truth is, this team is close. No, not to winning it all or to making the playoffs. They're close to winning a game, to putting it together for all four quarters. The key word here is "patience."

Next up: Sacramento, Tuesday.

With a press release on Nov. 2, 2007, the potential for a new era has begun the realization process in Oklahoma sports. We're a step closer to having an NBA franchise of our own.

Sure, Oklahoma City hosted the Hornets for a couple of seasons while New Orleans tried to rebuild and recover from Hurricane Katrina. Many of us in the OKC area thought the Hornets would never leave.

Most of us are not convinced the Hornets can survive in New Orleans. One colleague today told me that the Hornets had thousands of fans dressed up as empty seats for their Halloween opener against Sacramento, a 104-90 win.

However, Oklahoma City's focus is on the Sonics. Yet, this blog in particular is about more than some gloat-filled diatribe about getting Seattle's franchise. First, there is a long process before OKC sees any more NBA basketball, and Seattle fans have shown a willingness to fight back, at least recently. Second, there is still an NBA season to play, one in which basketball fans in two cities are now taking interest.

I'll document the relocation process and the battle between the city of Seattle and Clay Bennett. I'll cover the Sonics and their 2007-08 campaign, with an emphasis on helping to make Oklahoma City fans more familiar with this franchise and current squad. Lastly, I'll explain to the rest of the world why, oh, why a professional sports team would want to relocate to Oklahoma City at all.

There are many stories to tell, so let's just start with what we know:

1. Relocation papers have been filed. Bags aren't packed yet.

Stability has been a hallmark of the NBA, with only four franchise moves in the past 30 years: New Orleans to Utah, Kansas City to Sacramento, Vancouver to Memphis and Charlotte to New Orleans. However, filing paperwork to move is just the first step to doing so.

A committee has to be formed, and there is litigation in the city of Seattle that could preclude any of this from happening just yet. Ideally, from Oklahoma City's perspective, the NBA board of governors would meet in March 2008 and approve owner Clay Bennett's move request. The city of Seattle would let the Sonics out of their lease, and Kevin Durant would be in the Sooner State by next fall.

However, several weeks ago, executive businessman Aubrey McClendon made the mistake of saying that the ownership's intention all along was to move this franchise to Oklahoma City. This was a diplomatic faux pas that only served to awaken a city that now realizes it could lose its beloved team.

Having been a sports fan all my life, in my estimation, the Supersonics are Seattle's most-beloved franchise, even if the relationship is sour now. Heck, they're the city's only champion, having won back in the days of Dennis Johnson, in the late 1970s.

On the other hand, NBA commissioner David Stern has outwardly spoken in tones of resignation with regards to Seattle's situation, calling their facilities the worst in the league and unacceptable by modern standards. To know the NBA is to know that what Stern wants, Stern gets.

Furthermore, Stern is grateful to Clay Bennett and his crew of leaders for what they did to help out the NBA in 2005. What can't be forgotten though is how well Oklahoma City pulled through in terms of fandom while the Hornets were here. Furthermore, that Oklahoma City would be a one-sport metropolitan area has historically proven to be an advantage for an NBA existence.

However, as fans have posted to news sites all day today: The battle has just begun.

2. The battle might have just begun, but Seattle doesn't really have much hope of retaining this franchise.

First, the city government has hardly been progressive. They've worked diligently to ensure that its constituency isn't strapped with the bill for a new arena.

Second, all these last-minute proposals wreak of desperation, and the league knows it. There is an Indian tribe who wants to donate land. There is a group of business leaders who want to buy the team. What's not mentioned by those who point to this progress is that the city of Seattle was given 18 months to get its act together -- and they didn't.

Bottom line is that the city might fight; however, Bennett is equipped to buy out the lease at a price steep enough to satisfy the city. He can make it a bargain, a no-brainer -- and, perhaps, with the promise that if the city gets its act together, David Stern might award them another franchise, these boys can be in Oklahoma City for 2008.

What has to be underscored here is that the city of Seattle has already been uber-generous with its tax dollars, building a new ballpark for the Mariners and a new stadium for the Seahawks. Seattle's residents have probably had enough.

3. The team still has a season to battle it out for a playoff spot.

Oh, yeah. There is still an NBA season to be played, and rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green will be marquis players for years to come, I suspect. In fact, one close NBA watcher told me the club already looks better than they did with Ray Allen.

Of course, the Sonics lost to Denver and Phoenix this week, and they'll lose probably another 45 this season. A finish of 35-47 would be a four-game improvement from last year while having become much younger. All in all, it would be a nice improvement and quite the way to begin their new lives in Oklahoma City.

Oops. We're getting way ahead of ourselves. Welcome to ocitysonics.com. Feel free to post your comments, and check back here daily for posts about relocation, the process, any news, game highlights and info, etc.