okcblunder

SonicsGate at the OKC/Memphis game - GENIUS!

2011-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Those who tuned in to game three of the Oklahoma City Thunder/Denver Nuggets NBA Playoff series on April 23 might have noticed a smattering of green behind the OKC bench, coupled with the sweet sound of cowbell. That would have been Jason Reid, Adam Brown, Colin White and Jeff Scoma, aka the Sonicsgate crew. And it's a scene that the league is only going to see more of, according to the rabble rousers.

Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team--as every Pacific Northwest sports fan should know--is a film that chronicles how the Seattle SuperSonics ended up in Oklahoma City thanks to the shady dealings of ex-Sonics owner Howard Schultz, OKC-owner Clay Bennett, NBA Commissioner David Stern and a handful of other villains.

The folks behind the movie, however, have never been content with just telling people to watch their film or directing them to their website.

Sonicsgate producer Adam Brown most recently showed up at Howard Schultz's book signing event in Issaquah and captured another fan heckling him about selling the Sonics (before Brown himself was thrown out for simply wearing Soncis gear).

Anyhow, back to the playoff appearance. Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd_BRsXpgJw&feature=player_embedded

Seattle Weekly spoke with Sonicsgate Director Jason Reid today. He says the crew's appearance at the game was part of their "No Team Is Safe" campaign, which aims to remind teams across the league that, at any time, their team might be snatched away just like the Soncis were.

"With the Thunder in the playoffs we thought it was necessary to make an appearance and show everyone that we won't be silenced until we get an NBA team back in Seattle," says Reid. "It's really about letting national media know Seattle deserves a franchise back."

Brown also says that he and his supporters plan on shifting their efforts toward convincing local leaders to build a new stadium or to renovate Key Arena.

"Look, we can make all these appearances, but the bottom line is we need to build new arena," says Reid. "And we want to start moving toward realizing that goal. The Sonics army is more fired up and angry then ever. Seeing the Thunder in the playoffs, that should be our team playing at Key Arena."

CAN THE GRIZZ MAUL THE BLUNDER?

2011-05-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Fresh off an upset of the top-seeded Spurs, can Memphis ride that momentum and take down the Zombie Sonics? We'll find out soon enough as the Western Conference semi-final match-up between 8th seeded Memphis and the fourth seeded Blunder tips off on Sunday. The biggest win in franchise history was also their first playoff series win for the team that originated in Vancouver before moving east. Ironically, they are matched up in the second round against the other team from the Northwest that was hijacked and hauled away, the Seattle Supersonics.

Memphis, which has come out of nowhere to suddenly become the hottest team in the playoffs, won the regular season series against the Blunder, 3-1. The teams match up fairly evenly; both are young and athletic. The Blunder made a great acquisition by picking up Kendrick Perkins from the Celtics to provide much-needed muscle in the paint. He’ll be tasked with minimizing Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph's offense down low. Both came up huge in the San Antonio series with Randolph making several clutch shots and free throws down the stretch, a remarkable feat for a big man.

The Blunder have two-time NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant leading the offense. He averaged 32 ppg vs. Denver and will likely be just as unstoppable in this series.

This is the second consecutive playoff appearance for the Blunder since the hijacking from Seattle (where they won their only world championship) and this gives them an edge in experience, which is ironic considering they are among the youngest, albeit most talented, teams in the league. That said, Memphis has momentum and is playing with no fear. Embracing the underdog role - the Grizz have nothing to lose and that can often trump talent in the playoffs. The pressure is now on the Blunder to perform - the first time they have had to face expectations since the move. This should be a great and very hard fought series.

I am taking the (former Vancouver)n Grizzlies to knock off the Zombie Sonics in 6 games and shock the world and advance to the Western Conference Finals...probably against the Lakers.

CONFESSIONS OF A MAD SPORTS ADDICT

2011-04-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

BOOK 1: Rebels & Saints; a Weekend in October. CH 4.

THE LOST ID: PREVIOUSLY IN NEW ORLEANS

I wouldn't consider (myself) us strip club guys, even though I’ve had my share of
adventures in them. While Steve passed on both our road-trip strip club escapades, that didn't stop John and me from another legendary adventure two years ago during our trip to New Orleans for the LSU/Georgia game.

While tearing up Bourbon Street, we stumbled onto Rick’s Cabaret strip club. It really seemed like a great idea at the time. That’s what Bourbon Street and cheap booze do to you; make bad ideas seem brilliant. After several laps up and down the strip and getting thoroughly hammered on beers, hand grenades and test tube shots, we were going in, except Steve who went back to the hotel.

John and I burst inside with big cocktails and even bigger buzzes. We blew past the host stand and made ourselves comfortable at the first open table. Two strippers immediately came over and put on their best charm routine. Having come from the talent agency world where every conversation has an agenda, we found their small-town version adorable. Once they discovered we were from Hollywood, the tables were turned on who was seducing who. One girl was kind enough to let us test drive the feel of her brand new ‘assets’. They seem about as real as the Easter Bunny. Come to think of it, they were fluffy and cute, so…after debating their quality, we gave ‘em rave reviews. We told her she should come to Hollywood and we’d make her a star. Yeah, we were drunk and cocky and seeing how far we could take this rouse...it was truly all in fun.

Their boss came over and took them aside for a quick chat. Apparently they seemed to be enjoying themselves too much. Immediately upon their return, they gave us the hard sell for ‘private’ dances...for only $200, but we were tapped out. Luckily, the girls were kind enough to point us to a cash machine across the street. John and I made a bee-line…him for the cash machine, me for the hotel.

Having had my fill of stripper assets for free and seeing no need to drop $200 after the fact, especially since I was legitimately nearly broke, I wished John luck and went back to the hotel bar where I met a lovely girl. Later that morning, John came stumbling off the elevator and found us. “What the fuck happened to you?” he said. “I go to the cash machine, turn around and you’re gone!” I smiled. “Yeah, I had my money’s worth at that place so I came back here. And look who I met!” I turn to introduce Miss Unknown and then it slipped out; “What was your name again?” She wasn’t thrilled.

I woke up the next morning with a slap mark on my face and John woke up missing his wallet and ID. We spent most of that day tracking down a replacement ID, which included a trip to the police station to report it stolen. We did all of these fun-filled tasks with a harsh hangover. Ah, New Orleans!

CONFESSIONS OF A MAD SPORTS ADDICT

2011-04-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

BOOK 1: Rebels & Saints; a Weekend in October. CH 3.

JERRY

Jerry (last name withheld to protect the guilty) is an entire R-rated story unto himself and his apartment was as unique as him; a gaudy collection of pseudo porn pictures and busts that doubled as ‘art’; dark tapestries, tacky animal rugs (a stuffed tiger was most prominent; it’s full head staring up at us), a red couch that would make Liberace proud. This must be where good taste goes to die, I thought.

The bedroom has a canopy bed in the center and a hot tub in the next room. I could practically hear the 70’s porn music in the background. I want to take a picture to
prove this place exists, but fear for my life if I do. It wouldn’t so much be a picture as it would probably be evidence of some kind. Something about this place makes me think I may need a strong lawyer and an even stronger alibi eventually.

As soon as we meet him we know he’s like no other; a larger-than-life, barrel-chested, good-time guy who is always at the ready with a cocktail, a story and a hint of danger lurking under the surface. We all like him immediately.
Next up is Garrett, Jerry’s pistol-packing sidekick. Garrett’s function is vague, but in his own words “I never leave Jerry’s side” which we found interesting. Based on the tasks we witness, we conclude Garrett is Jerry’s glorified ssistant/sidekick. He laughs at all of Jerry’s jokes and Jerry trusts him. You probably can’t be in his type of business without people like Garrett covering your back. Garrett also functions to perpetuate Jerry’s quasi-gangster image…and it works; none of us want to piss off the Tony Soprano of Memphis.

Jerry wants to be a TV star and John is trying to package a TV show around him and his lifestyle. Jerry is a connoisseur of low-grade strip clubs, owning nearly twenty in the Deep South. The show would be a fascinating look at the seedy underbelly of the strip club business and lifestyle. It's more than tits and ass; it’s litigation, shake downs, crooked cops, fines, threats from the City Council, employee turnover, liquor license issues and that’s all before lunch. Then there’s the tits and ass.

His dancers’ attractiveness was...variable. We are warned in advance not
to look at any teeth. It was sage advice. Employment at Jerry’s clubs obviously did not include a strong dental plan. I take that back; dim lighting in the club was the dental plan.

Knowing we’d be in the South for our football trip, Jerry invited us to Memphis for a night on the town, perhaps his way of auditioning for us. He arranged for our Memphis hotel, limo and the tour bus that would haul us from Memphis to New Orleans. Jerry uses the bus to tour his clubs, keeping things in order and living large in the process. It was actually a practical method of travel; he can work and rest while commuting in style. Jerry’s businesses were spread throughout a 300 mile radius in the South and that’s a lot of driving when you have to visit all of
them in a short time. He lives in Southern California most of the time, so his Memphis trips pack a lot into them.

Ever the good host, Jerry asks us what we all drank. I said 'beer and wine' and
immediately regret it. If his floors weren’t covered in tacky rugs, you could have heard a pin drop. Jack Daniels, vodka Red Bulls and Jagermeister were the only acceptable choices as I quickly learned. Thus, Jerry dubbed me 'chardonnay' which was hilarious and ironic considering I have never even had a chardonnay. Nevertheless, I get to own that pansy nickname the rest of the weekend.

The hard nasty stuff is what they drink, so I force-feed myself vodka and Jaeger
shots and in between I try to understand the appeal of cough-medicine flavored liquor. I drank up the booze and Southern hospitality and enjoy the hell out of both. Knowing this was leading up to a night at Jerry’s Strip Club, this seemed appropriate preparation.

CONFESSIONS OF A MAD SPORTS ADDICT

2011-04-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

BOOK 1: Rebels & Saints; a Weekend in October. CH 2.

Our fourth annual football trip promised to be our most ambitious effort yet; even crazier than last year’s cross-Texas adventure and far less wholesome than Green Bay was. Previous trips have taken us to Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Baton Rouge, Green Bay and New Orleans. This weekend would start in Memphis and end 360 miles later in New Orleans on Halloween. A wise man once said “It’s not the miles, it’s the amount of debauchery packed into those miles that counts.” Ok, it was me that said that and I’m really not all that wise. Anyway, this trip includes debauchery, depravation, beads, busses, hot tubs, hot tub propositions, a liquor locker, and so
much more.

Friday, as we lift off from LAX, I get the coveted picture of Steve slumped over and
sleeping in the most uncomfortable position imaginable on the plane. Getting that picture is a tradition on our trips, so now if felt like we were officially underway.

Memphis, Tennessee

We arrive in Memphis to a limousine waiting curbside. There’s nothing cooler than a
driver holding up a sign with your name on it. Unfortunately, mine wasn’t on it. John’s was. Climbing inside to find a fully stocked bar waiting for us was pretty cool though. We pop cold beers and toast the start of our adventure. This weekend we’re going to Oxford Mississippi for 'Ole Miss/Auburn and then down to New Orleans for the Saints/Steelers Sunday Night game on Halloween.

But our adventure starts in Memphis, the largest city in Tennessee with a population
pushing 650,000. My only previous connection to it was watching Craig Brewer’s masterpiece HUSTLE AND FLOW, a personal favorite movie of mine. It brilliantly captured the humid, gritty tone of the city. Part of the movie was shot in a ‘club’ belonging to our Memphis host Jerry, whom we’re about to meet.

My only other time in Tennessee was in Nashville, a fun and charming city. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Robert Johnson, W. C. Handy, B.B. King all grew up around Memphis, renowned as the birthplace of the Mississippi Delta blues. “Welcome to Memphis, boys” I say. “Let’s try not to lose any wallets or ID’s this weekend, especially in New Orleans. I’m looking at you John!”

Off group laughs, John smiles and gives me a one-finger salute. There was a case of identity loss two years ago in New Orleans, but more on that later. Tonight, football takes a backseat to the indulgence of vices or“human weakness” as Jerry would say.

As we enter our hotel room at the Memphis Hilton we’re hit right in the face with the
smell of spilled bong water and ganja, compliments of the previous tenant or perhaps rogue room service personnel. We promptly switch rooms. Knowing tonight will end up at one of Jerry's clubs, John and I start making bets on when Steve would begin his back-out-of-going-to-the-club plan.

Sure enough, while getting ready in the hotel, Steve starts 'coughing' and mentioning he's not feeling well. I text John "someone is already starting to 'cough'. LOL was the reply. After cleaning up, the cleanest we would be the whole trip, we jump back in the limo and head to Jerry’s to pick him up for dinner.

CONFESSIONS OF A MAD SPORTS ADDICT

2011-04-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

I'm shaking it up. Since the Sonics have gone off on an extended road trip to Oklahoma City, I think it's only fair that we take a look at other sports road trips. The following posts are from my annual sports road trips. They are being organized for a book - but you can read them here for free. I hope you enjoy reading about 'em as much as I enjoyed the trips.

CONFESSIONS OF A MAD SPORTS ADDICT - The Deep South Experience: Me vs. Memphis; Ole Miss vs. Auburn; Saints vs. Steelers.

CH. 1

Road trips and sports – it’s what many guys dream of. Sadly, many guys never get to
experience them. Things like work, family, and incarceration prevent it. This book is for those guys (and girls!) who want to enjoy our amazing trips and adventures and at a fraction of the cost! It’s also for those just starting their own trips; now you can know what to expect and where to go in the great places we’ve been to; the nightlife, restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs, stadiums, tailgating and more. I’ll even throw in tips on how to handle losing your ID moments before boarding a plane out of New Orleans for free! It’s more than an adventure book; it’s an
Idiot’s Guide. That either makes you an idiot for reading this, or me for writing it. So here we go...

I’ll admit it; I may have a problem. I love sports; football to be more precise and college football to be exact. I’ll watch nearly any college game. It starts with, perhaps, a morning Michigan/Ohio State game and ends with me staying late up to catch a Hawaii home game against Utah. The teams may change but the passion for the game remains steady. I’ve lost entire Saturdays to the games on more than one occasion. I can’t help it, I just love the games.

What I don’t love are fantasy sports. Fantasy sports have become a national obsession for many people, an admitted addiction for some. Everyone’s playing fantasy football, baseball, basketball or scrabble these days. So, let me just get this out of the way now; I don’t play any of ‘em. I never have. I love the games for the game itself, not the stats. Strategy, adjustments,fantastic finishes, great comebacks, missed kicks, crucial turnovers and the passion of intense rivalries are what make games great to me. That’s lost in fantasy sports. I admit I participate
regularly in NCAA tournament pools, but am one of the last few who don’t play in any fantasy leagues.

In all that stat crunching, something gets lost; the game itself. How can you root for your home team while simultaneously hoping the other team’s quarterback throws for 400 yards to move you up in your fantasy league? Sorry, that’s divided loyalties and it waters down the meaning of the game. In this obsessed-with-stat-crunching and want-to-participate-from-the-couch era we live in, I totally understand the allure of fantasy sports. I just don’t play them. I grew up playing the real thing. You know what I do now? I go to the games. A lot of ‘em.

These are the stories of our annual sports trips across America...and they are all true. Who are we? Me; Jeff (real name), John, Steve, and this year we added Mark to the mix (Their names have been changed for their own protection). John grew up in Southern California, played baseball in college and works at a major talent agency in the television department. Mark grew up in Georgia, went to Vanderbilt and also works in television with John. I grew up in Seattle playing sports fanatically and going to every sporting event I could; NFC Championship games, NCAA Finals, Rose Bowls, NBA Finals, endless MLB, NBA, NFL and college football games.

College football has always been my passion. Now I write books about sports trips. Steve is from Cleveland, so naturally he is a frustrated Cleveland sports fan (just some of the heartbreaks; LeDrive, LeFumble, LeBron) and he works in the mobile content business. I don’t really know what that means but it sounds cool. We live and work in Los Angeles.

Four years ago we began taking football trips around the country and it all started on a whim. John, Steve, and I all would meet at Mulberry Street Pizza and we’d always end up talking sports. Steve’s father is a former big-time sports agent who represented some Hall-of-Famers, so sports were a natural topic to us. John suggested the first trip. “Let’s go see a game at Lambeau before Favre is gone. Time is running out.” We did it and it was an adventure. We sat on the 50 yard-line and watched Brett Favre lead the Packers to a 34-0 victory over their bitter
division rival. Luckily, that was prior to all the sad Favre drama that would soon follow. Our trips have grown ambitiously since that game, and now you are about read about them.

Are the Clippers the New Lakers?

2011-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Of course not. Don't be absurd.

They have one of the worst owners in the league in Donald Sterling, haven't won a game that mattered in recent memory (or distant memory for that matter) and have spent every moment in LA as the bastard step child to the behemoth Lakers.

However, in spite of their low-rent image, the Clippers are actually starting to build a buzz around Los Angeles, thanks to the new human highlight reel, Blake Griffin. All the guy does is average double-doubles every night, fill ESPN and the news in LA with monstrous dunks clips and make the Clips look competitive! In one week they managed to beat the Heat and the Lakers - a rare feat. Griffin is the real deal and he's carrying a rejuvenated Clipper team on his back to nine straight wins at home. That's the equivalent of a playoff appearance in Clipperland.

Ok, ok, so they're 19-28, but they're only one game back....of third place! As the Lakers continue to age and decline (and dominate LA in totality), could the Clipper rise coincide with the Laker decline to give them a shot at being the new cool-kid on the block? Could Blake Griffin's jersey be the new Kobe jersey in LA? Not likely, but an entertaining scenario.

Come on, think about a world where the Clippers are Kings. Kinda fun to think about. I wonder how Sterling will screw this momentum up...

Hornets to Seattle? This Rumor Again?

2010-12-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

There is chatter again suggesting that the Hornets may be Seattle-bound. That may just be wishful thinking. Or it could be an attempt to gage reaction and take Seattle's temperature on their desire for another team. A Steve Ballmer-owned team. In case you forgot, there used to be a team in Seattle known as the SuperSonics. They won the City's only Championship trophy in 1979 and were bought and sold by a coffee tycoon to an out of state group that moved the team. Remember all of this? Sounding familiar? That was three years ago.

Most seem ready to dump the financial burden on Microsoft Chairman Steve Ballmer's feet to buy a team and fund a new arena. Ballmer tried to buy the team from Bennett to prevent the Sonic’s move and has been long rumored to want to bring a team back to Seattle. Rumor has it he recently cashed in nearly a billion in stock, giving him the immediate capital needed to do both. But with the lockout looming, is this really a good time to buy?

It's a new day and age for both Seattle and the NBA. Seattle is doing just fine. They avoided pumping millions into an arena during the worst economic recession in memory. In hindsight it was a blessing, despite the fact it cost the city a franchise. It was a fiscally responsible decision despite the emotional loss. And meanwhile the NBA is in big trouble; bankrupt teams, a lockout looming, player unrest, the LaBron debacle and the threat of team contraction to stanch the hemorrhaging losses of league revenues.

The Hornets financial woes forced the NBA to buy the team out from notoriously bad owner, George Shin until a new owner can be found. The Hornets continue to struggle in New Orleans. Attendance is down nearly 10 percent despite having super-star Chris Paul and a team in the playoff hunt. Has enough 'post-Katrina' time passed to allow the team to move without it being considered politically incorrect?

Some will try and compare a potential relocation of the Hornets to Bennett's hijacking the Sonics and moving them. That is total nonsense. They'll say supporting the move is hypocritical. Make no mistake - it isn't the same thing. That argument holds no weight or leverage and embracing it is ignorance.

Bennett bought the team and went public from day insisting he wanted to keep them in Seattle, period. Later it was proven via emails he had no intention at all of ever following through on that. His subsequent actions removed any doubt about his agenda the whole time: moving the team to OKC. That was a hijacking. The Hornets situation is different for several reasons; the team is broke and the city cannot support it financially. That was not the case in Seattle. The city always supported the team when the product on the floor warranted it. Like any pruduct, if you make it worth consuming, people will. Offering up the worst product possible, as Bennett did to Seattle, and complaining when they didn't buy it up, is the ultimate hypocrisy.

The Hornets will be leaving New Orleans, period. Destination? Unknown. The NOLA market cannot sustain the team, be it from lack of fan interest or lack of fans with money buying tickets. Make no mistake; this team is gone and it will not be from a hijacking. Whether or not Ballmer is the answer remains to be seen. What

I want to know if Bennett will be cooperative in returning the Supersonic name and logos to Seattle should a team return there. And will Stern tuck his tale between his legs and publicly support both a team and the Sonics name being returned to its rightful place; Seattle.

Blunder Playoff Primer!

2010-04-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Blunder on making the playoffs and to Durant, the regular season scoring leader. That is fantastic for the OKC fans. I am surprised they ended up the eighth seed, as I thought they would go higher. The match-up with the Lakers is an interesting one, with a few variables that will likely determine who advances.

Lakers; 57-25 (first in Western Conference) vs. OKC Blunder; 50-32 (eighth in Western Conference.

Team matchups: The youthful Blunder should be energized for their first playoff series, and appear to be less banged up then the Lakers. In my opinion, Kobe Bryant is fast wearing out and beginning to break down from years of endless games. I think this may actually be Bryant's last chance for a title. Being in Los Angeles I am inundated with Lakers on talk radio, local news, etc, and I really believe this signals the decline of Bryant, arguable one of the top talents to ever put on the jersey. He has simply played too many games in his career - and it's the games outside of the NBA that have hurt him and prevented him from ever fully resting and recovering properly. With Bryant and Bynum banged up, I give the health edge to the youth of the Blunder.

Coaching; this isn't even close. Brooks is nice, but has not had to coach one game that mattered in his entire career - and that is not a knock against him at all. This is his first opportunity and unfortunately for him he's going up against a master in Phil Jackson with his ten rings and Zen master attitude. Jackson will own the refs and the games and give the Lakers every strategic advantage possible to win games and the series. Edge: Lakers.

Intangibles. Unfortunately for OKC, they are also going up against the establishment now, and this is still Kobe and LeBron's league. Durant has had a great season, but all the calls going his way will be going to Kobe and the Lakers. That's just the way the NBA is - they desperately need a ratings bonanza at that'll come only via a high profile and/or big market matchup. That will entail at least Kobe and/or Lebron in the finals. Preferably together. Preferably meaning preferable to the NBA's agenda, which is money, of course.

The Blunder should have a strong outside game and will transition well, but will get killed in the paint as Bynum (injured or not) will make it tough in the paint. OKC has no good answer for their inside game. They will get owned there and at the free-throw line and that'll be the major difference in the actual games, in my opinion. Add in coaching expeerience, playoff experience, the NBA's need for a big market and a Kobe to make a deep playoff run...and these all favor the Lakers.

The NBA also needs as many games as possible for the revenue, and will string this series out to six games, balancing the need for game and TV revenue with the necessity to prevent Kobe from burning out completely. They need the dream match-up of Kobe vs LeBron - it's a series that will maximize ratings and revenue for the league.

I predict the Lakers in six games, perhaps in five if the league feels the need to keep Kobe healthy. It'll be one and done for the Blunder, but what a great season they've given the fans in OKC. Now, sadly, the fans get a look at what the NBA is truly all about...hype and marketing and revenue. Durant vs. Kobe is a nice first round marketing match-up - but the bigger picture is Kobe vs Lebron.

OKC'S Durant Dilemma

2010-03-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

OKC faces its first major decision; when to show Durant the money. The smart move would be to sign Durant now to a long-term max deal and lock up the face of the franchise. Signing him now is a no-brainer. According to a couple of articles I've read, he suggests he is happy in OKC, so sign him now while that's still the case. Protracted negotiations could change his mind. That’s when the true colors from both sides will be revealed.

Of course, KD could just be saying all the PC things we expect athletes to say these days. Is it genuine? There's no way for us to know until the fire gets hotter. Is the OKC brass working on a deal or will they wait for the new CBA to be ratified which will likely lower the price teams can offer up?

This is the dilemma OKC now faces; signing Durant long term now at a higher cost and keep him happy, or wait for the new CBA to reduce the limit, and face alienating the face of the franchise. It's a very interesting situation: OKC's first loyalty vs. business decision...and the ramifications will likely determine the fate of the franchise. The longer the situation plays out, the worse it gets for OKC. Durant's value to the franchise is worth overpaying him, even in light of the likely new NBA economics about to be unveiled with the upcoming CBA.

As Durant's agent applies pressure to get a max deal done before the new CBA deal, his influence could sway Durant to start considering other options if OKC stalls. His handlers can start the process of disengaging Durant from OKC, justified by claiming KD's being slighted or 'disprespected' as is the popular term among players, proven by OKC's refusal to move quickly. If Durant is indeed happy in OKC and can be locked up before he reaches his prime or a better offer emerges, OKC needs to step up now and get it done. If not, you leave the door open for KD to to ponder his value on the open market. He can jump ship to a number of other teams. Any suitors can provoke him by questioning why be loyal to OKC? If they 'value him' so much, why aren't they showing him the money? Pretty simple and effective logic. KD's agent will do what KD wants, but will certainly keep him in the loop on all offers. If it drags out, KD may start listening to them.

Don’t go cheap with the face of the franchise who is already getting less than his market value. Durant is young and impressionable. With a happy Durant in OKC, the team can stay relevant and competitive. Without him, they'll fade into oblivion.

It'll be interesting to see how OKC plays their first big decision.

Blunder Mid Season Report Card

2010-02-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year folks! Step right up and get your Blunder grades!

What a difference a year makes, huh? After Bennett's poaching and first year disaster, Durant and Co have quietly managed a very respectable and competitive season in the dustbowl.

Coaching; B. Scotty Brooks has the team playing well. Is it his coaching, or is it a matter of letting them loose and seeing what happens? SO far that has worked. However, the Zombie Sonics have not yet played any games under pressure. As the season winds down and post-season spots hinge on his coaching and team execution, we will see what Brooks and the Blunder are truly made of. Too early to tell.

Team: 30-21. Upside: One of the surprises of the season, for sure. All Star (and future ex-Blunder) Kevin Durant (29.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg) is playing lights out and carrying this team. Westbrook (16.5 ppg, 7.5 apg) and Green (14.5 ppg are contributing solidly as well. The supporting cast is a mixed bag with no real standouts. Durant gets an A.

Downside: Durant leads the team in rebounding - that is not necessarily a good sign. He is not a big guy and cannot be forced into a physical game...it will eventually hurt his real value – scoring. Come playoff time his supporting cast needs to step it up and be able to rebound and play disciplined half-court sets. Wide open play is great to watch but fundamental play and veteran leadership usually wins out in the playoffs. The Blunder do not have a legit veteran presence to guide them. Riding Durant will win games in the short term, but in the longer run they need an inside presence and a skilled vet to guide the team in crunch time.

Green needs to get more involved in assists. He averages less than two a game and has more turnovers (85) than assists (83) for the season. He's learning and will improve. Westbrook 16.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 7.5 apg is having a solid year and will only get better.

Overall team: B

Outlook: The second half of the season will get very interesting for the Blunder. They have thrived while playing pressure-free basketball and flying under the radar. They get practically no national exposure, a blessing for a young team. However, teams will not take them lightly and will be better prepared for them in the second half - no more sneaking up on teams. This is where their true colors (coaching, etc) will be revealed. The on-court trio of Durant/Westbrook/Green are solid. After that it's a big drop off in production.

Playoff scenario: They are well positioned for a playoff run. The biggest challenge this team will face now is pressure. Can they handle it after nearly three seasons of zero expectations? The media attention will pick up in the second half. I expect this team to play around .500 the rest of the way (48 wins is my expectation) and that could get them into the playoffs. They could be a dangerous team, or they could fold under the pressure. It remains to be seen. They cannot afford to get a first round match-up with the Lakers, so positioning will be everything. They could spell trouble for some teams, but not the Lakers. The grind and physicality of the playoffs could also force an early exit and be an eye opener for the young Blunder.

Presti: A. Good job keeping the ship afloat. He's a good executive who had the rare privilege of blowing up a team to build a new one. It's too bad it came at Seattle's expense, but that is not his fault. It's Bennett's.

Ownership: F. Bennett sucks.

Overall grade: B

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Will Proposed Change Doom the NCAA Tournament?

2010-02-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

Yup, leave it to the NCAA to ruin the greatest college sporting event. According to the SBJ, the NCAA is considering opting out of it's 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS after this year's Final Four ur in April. The deal has three years and $2.131 billion remaining. And that's not even the most obnoxious part.

They are considering expanding the current 65 team format to...get this...as many as 96 teams. That is not a misprint. 96 teams playing in the tournament. The NCAA has its sights set on expanding to either 68 or 96 teams if it opts out of the CBS contract, according to the 12-page RFP. A 68-team field would add three “play-in” games to the current 65-team format, and a 96-team field would expand the tournament’s inventory by 31 games. Seriously?

Obviously this is an attempt to eliminate the NIT. I just gotta conclude this is a staggering act of stupidity and greed. Expanding the tournament will doom it to fan apathy. Too many games, too many teams without any chance of winning and over saturating the marketplace.

Sound familiar? It's called the NBA. And we all see how that's doing these days.

JUST SAY NO! Preserve the tournament!

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/64712

Potential Tebow Fall-Out?

2010-01-29T11:56:00.000-08:00

You have to wonder what the fallout from the Tebow situation may be. Will recruits with legit NFL dreams re-consider the athletic education they receive in college? Will quarterbacks seek out colleges where they are schooled correctly, as opposed to football factories like Florida where mega stats are racked up at the expense of learning the proper NFL skill set?

It’s one thing to win games and achieve stellar statistics, and it is a great achievement. However, we now know it’s not enough at the next level. NFL scouts distance themselves from stat-happy talent (aka RISKY) and lean toward well-skilled (less risky) talent. So, will this lead to a trend that pressures college coaches to TRAIN the athlete properly? How much emphasis will players and parents put into that...the idea of literally getting an education.

Sure, everyone wants to lay at the big high profile schools...there’s no question about that and they will always get huge recruits. Outside of the QB position, it probably doesn’t matter. But it seems like Florida/Tebow is the perfect example of the problem – high profile - many wins – huge stats – lots of trophies – zero NFL career. Who’s the last stat happy Gator QB to play in the NFL? Hell, WSU has put more QB’s in the NFL – Super Bowl winning ones. If you’re a high school QB with dreams of playing in the NFL – will the Tebow situation influence their decision to go to schools like Florida where you win on Saturday but leave behind any chance of playing on Sunday?

Blunder Bulled Over, Drop Third Straight

2010-01-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's the familiar Blunder we know and love - on another losing streak! Chicago reached the .500 mark for the first time this season as they crushed the Blunder in OKC on Wednesday night, 96-86. It was the fourth straight win for the Bulls and the third loss in a row for the Zombie Sonics.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant, led OKC with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Durant and Westbrook combined for 52 points. The rest of the Zombie Sonics combined for a paltry 34 points. Brutal. Five Bulls scored in double figures.

Jeff Green, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds commented about the Blunder's current losing streak, "It's only a three-game losing streak," Green said. "It ain't like we've lost 11 in a row."

No, but they did lose 14 in a row last season. In celebration of that landmark lowlight, the Blunder opened the 4th quarter with 14 straight missed shots. Yay!

Lowlights: Durant and Westbrook both had four turnovers, Nick "Get Me Outta Here" Collison had two rebounds and zero points in 21 minutes.

There was an announced crowd of 17,562...another non sellout for the team supposedly on the brink of the playoffs. Looks like OKC isn't really into the NBA.

Blunder: 21-24 (losses come first!)
Next loss: Thursday vs Denver.
Hilarious "celeb' sighting: Mark Clayton of the Ravens and Tommie Harris of the Bears, former teammates at Oklahoma, sat courtside and each threw an autographed corndog, er, football into the crowd.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Losing Streak Grows as Cavs Dump Blunder

2010-01-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

It's getting ugly out there on the road for the Blunder - Two losses in three nights, 88-86 against Memphis and 100-99 to the Cavaliers, who were forced to start Daniel Gibson for the first time since 2007 due to injuries to to Mo Williams and Delonte West. Not to worry, because Lebron ran the Cavs' offense most of the night, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter and sealing the win with a monster block on Durant with .9 seconds remaining.

It was the 20th loss for the Blunder...21st if you throw in the $1.6 million that shady owner/worldclass douchebag Clay Bennett lost when he 'settled' a lawsuit for ripping off the Seattle fans.

Lebron James was one rebound away from a triple-double as he went off for 37 points nine rebounds and 12 assists. I rarely pimp movies on here, however I highly recommend seeing MORE THAN A GAME, the LeBron James story about his High School basketball team in Ohio. It's awesome - do not miss this movie.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant, as always, led the Zombie Sonics with 34 points and 10 rebounds, his 18th straight game with at least 25 points. The kid can play. It'll be devestating for the franchise when he leaves, as expected.

Lowlights: Nick Collison had 5 fouls in 19 minutes and a paltry 2 points on 1-2 shooting. I think Nick hates it in OKC and I doubt he is back next season. Ibaka had 3 turnovers in 19 minutes. As a team the Blunder shot only 38% from the field, and defensively they were caught cheating (Bennett's influence, no doubt) in the paint and were penalized for a three-second violation.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Blunder: 20-24 (20 losses...losses always come first in OKC!)
Next Loss: Wednesday vs. Chicago.

To Do List: See MORE THAN A GAME.

Bennett Loses Another Lawsuit

2010-01-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE – Professional liar and dirtbag Clay Bennett, owner of the Zombie Sonics, has tentatively settled a federal class action lawsuit brought by the team's season ticket holders, according to Seattle's KING 5 News. Bennett has agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle the claim.

The season ticket holders claim Bennett breached a contract by not allowing them to renew their seats after the team left for Oklahoma City in 2008. Bennett did not deny he was in the wrong. Nor did he deny he was a world-class douchebag.

The settlement affects about 800 people and means the cowardly Bennett won't testify again in Seattle, where he is loathed. A judge just needs to sign off on the deal.

Spur's Rookie Dominates OKC, Blunder Lose Again!

2010-01-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to sound like a broken record around here; Blunder lose again! Weird!

Rookie DeJaun Blair's career high 28 points and 21 rebounds led the Spurs past the the struggling Zombie Sonics on Wednesday night, 109-108. The Blunder, unable to lose in regulation, dragged the game into overtime before conceding defeat.

Blair, the All-American center from Pitt who was passed over in the draft because of concerns about his knees, showed teams that passed on him in the draft what he could do. The Spurs selected him 37 overall. The Blunder, foolishly, passed on him and now will live to regret it. Much like they must regret moving to Tornado Alley where they cannot sell out games, even against elite teams like San Antonio. Damn shame that is.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 35 points on 14-31 shooting in 47 minutes.

And now, the lowlights:
The Blunder trailed by as many as 19 in the first half and scored a season-low 18points in the first quarter. Only four Blunder managed to score in double figures. Nonads Krystac went 0-2 in nine minutes for zero points and one foul. Durant had seven turnovers and Toshe Sefalosha had five fouls in 38 minutes.

Blunder: 21-17, tied for third place.
Next loss: Friday at Dallas.
Weather Alert: A magnitude 3.3 earthquake shook Jones, Oklahoma. Panicked residents were calmed when it was revealed the trembler was merely Clay Bennett's corndogs settling in his stomach.

More corndongs! More losses! More blunder!

Latest Buzz: N.O. K.O.'s O.K.C.!

2010-01-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

The Blunder suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Hornets of New Orleans on Wednesday, 97-92. The team that was once the show in OKC, returned for another ritual beat down of the Blunder. It was the Hornet's 10th straight win against the Zombie Sonics, their fourth in a row overall, pushing over .500 for the first time this season at 17-16.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led the way with 27 points in 39 minutes. He fell short of 30 points for the second straight game after going a franchise record seven straight games scoring 30 or more. Kid's a stud. If, like me, you believe KD moves in free agency, it'll be a dagger in the Blunder fans hearts as the face of the franchise leaves. Unfortunately, such is life in modern sports. Loyalty is a memory.

Lowlights: Collison went 0-for-2 in 18 minutes for zero points. He did have a personal foul. I heard it was a good one. Sefalosha went 1-for-5 in 25 minutes. Jeff Green led the team with four fouls in 41 minutes and Durant had four quality turnovers.

The Blunder certainly have improved over last season's debacle. Of course, improving on a 23 win season is almost a certainty. It's nice to see the players improving

Announced 'attendance' was 17,836. Even with the bloated numbers, it was another announced non-sellout in OKC. Surprising that OKC didn't rally for their beloved Hornets appearance. Then again, like McLendon said, "we'll be happy just to break even".

Blunder: 19-16, tied with Utah for third.
Next loss: Indiana on Saturday the 9th.
Current weather trauma: WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.

Kobe Scores 40; Blunder Score 14th Loss!

2009-12-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

In their first game back from a five game road swing, Kobe Bryant hung 40 on the Blunder in a sloppy 111 - 108 Laker victory. It was their 16th in 17 games. Six Lakers scored in double figures. No wonder they lead the NBA. The Zombie Sonics have never beaten the Lakers, ever, and have lost five of the last six games. No wonder their presence effectively reduces the value of the entire league. No one will even step up to offer sponsorship money to the Blunder arena. That's called supply and demand, folks. Supply = one team in the dustbowl; demand = zero.

With the loss, the Blunder maneuvered back into familiar waters: below .500. Not to worry, there's good news: Bennett leads the league in greediness, starting with the league's most expensive merchandise, led by their 'excellence' polo shirt. Let's examine the excellence, shall we? Sub .500 record, wretched uniforms, logo off a doritos bag, few sell-outs in thier first two seasons, downsized arena, arena deal expiring in 2014, fourth place. Hmmm. That's the opposite of excellent. They're the ANTI-excellent! Bennett's fat rolls spilling over his seat should complete the picture of epic failure and double as an appetite suppressant. Yay!

Let's enjoy some lowlights, kids...

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 30 points before fouling out with 91 second remaining. It was his first time fouling out in the NBA. He likely used the bench time to dream about leaving OKC and playing in a real market. Nick Collison had six fouls and one point in 12 minutes of 'playing' time. Durant led the team with six turnovers. The Lakers scored 24 second-chance points; the Blunder had six. More evidence the OKC/NBA experiment is failing. UCLA alum Russell Westbrook had 21 points, 13 assists and a technical foul when he threw the ball at the basket standard. It was later revealed it was a play designed by Clay Bennett.

Perhaps intimidation contributed to the loss. The LA crowd of 18,997 at Staples is far more than the Blunder are used to playing in front of, as OKC rarely sells out at home in Congressional Bailout Center. All those people and the indoor plumbing can be intimidating! Or it could've been the LA celebrity crowd; Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Diane Von Furstenburg, media titan Barry Diller, and figure skater Michelle Kwan were seen. OKC celeb crowds usually consist of Toby Keith's second cousin, Barry Switzers sweat sock and Garth Brooks' lanced boil. The presence of greatness like Kwan, likely threw their game off. Understandable.

Blunder: 13-14, Fourth place and falling, five losses in last six games.
Next Loss: Wednesday vs. Phoenix.
OKC tornado index: Imminent.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Unlucky 13: Blunder Rocket to 13th Loss!

2009-12-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

Clay Bennett's Blunder enjoyed the familiar stench of defeat on Saturday as they fell to Houston 95-90. The once-storied rivalry has become pathetically one-sided under Bennett's 'leadership' as Houston won it's 13th straight over the Zombie Sonics. Houston hasn't lost to the Thunder since April 4, 2006, when the team was based in Seattle.

Magically, it was also the 13th loss for the Blunder, who are well on their way to another season of mediocrity in the NBA's smallest and dustiest market. They do lead the league in tornado warnings, however.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 13 points on 6 for 18 shooting and had zero foul shots. The road weary Rockets, playing their fourth game in five nights, and still without star center Yao Ming, were still no match for the Blunder. Durant has saved his lowest scoring games of the season for the Lone Star State, scoring only 12 against the Mavericks in a Wednesday loss and only 13 in the Rocket loss. Notice they were both losses. Get used to those, OKC.

And now, the lowlights! Nick "I miss Seattle" Collison had five fouls and four points in 18 minutes, Westbrook and Durant combined for a 10 for 32 shooting performance against the tired but still dominant Rockets. The Blunder also enjoyed a three-second violation.

The Blunder also enjoy the shortest arena lease in the league, set to expire in 2014. The escape clause is for less than 80% attendance. Not sure if it has to be paid attendance. Look for Durant to leave next season and the Blunder to relocate in 2014when the OKC Experiment proves to be a disaster. Also look for the Blunder to be asking for handouts from the NBA's welfare program as they are already operating in the red. Damn shame that is. You can still get a Blunder Excellence Polo on their website for $69 dollars. Nothing excellent about 13-13 or a $69 polo with a dorito on it.

Blunder: 13-13, 4th place and falling fast.
Next Loss: Tuesday vs. L.A. Clippers.
Tornado forecast: imminent

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

These Go To 11!

2009-12-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

Ah, fresh off another Blunder loss, it's time to reflect on the wonderful number 11...

1. Spinal Tap's amps go to 11.
2. In Numerology, eleven is considered to be a Master Number.
3. Eleven is a Portland-based shoe brand, NOT named Nike.
4. Eleven possesses the qualities of intuition, patience, honesty, sensitivity, and spirituality, and is idealistic...all of the qaulities Clay Bennett does NOT possess.
5. Apollo 11 landed the first human on the moon. Since they were all humans, we know Clay Bennett was not among them.
6. United States Constitution has an 11th amendment: The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or Equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.
7. New York, home of the Jets, Giants, Mets, Yankees, Rangers, Islanders Knicks, and the Soup Nazi, was the 11th State to join the union.
8. Na or sodium, is the eleventh element. Sodium, aka salt, often results in high blood pressure, bad for humans, good for Clay.
9. Edgar Martinez, Mark Messier, Norm Van Brocklin, Phil Simms, Larry Fitzgerald all wore/wear number 11.
10. The Sonics won 11 in a row in 1996, until a 106 - 105 loss to San Antonio snapped that streak. The Zombie Sonics have never won more than two in a row.
11. Eleven Blunder losses this season, so far, after a 102 - 93 mauling by the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

Blunder: 12-11, 4th Place.
Next Loss: Tonight vs. Dallas.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

LeBron's 44 Sends Blunder to 10th Loss, Sees Empty Seats

2009-12-13T20:08:00.000-08:00

LeBron's season-high 44 points led the Cavaliers embarrassment of Clay Bennett's Zombie Sonics on Sunday, 102-89. James added 7 boards and 5 assists in the rout.

Future ex Blunder Kevin Durant, one game closer to getting out of OKC, led the Blunder with 29 points in 42 minutes.

Thabo Sefalosha led the lowlights with zero points on a sizzling 0 for 4 shooting clinic in 28 minutes. Durant kicked in seven turnovers and Russell Westbrook enjoyed 4 personal fouls, 4 for 15 shooting, and 0 for 3 from three-point range.

Announced 'attendance' was 18,203. However, even James noticed empty seats. After a layup, James stopped to snag a french fry from the front row.

"There wasn't nobody sitting there," James said, "The french fries had their own seat."

Apparently potatoes are the new 'fan' in OKC. Very Interesting. Give Bennett credit; he has found a way to expand the Blunder fan base by reaching out to the coveted vegetable market.

According to a report in FORBES, several NBA teams have now moved under the $1 million in gate receipts per home game - with OKC leading the way down the drain. After only one season in OKC.

Has anyone else noticed most Blunder home games fall on Fri/Sat/Sun? Weird! Is there someone special this holiday season you'd want to annoy, isolate or enrage? Now's your chance! Treat 'em to the Blunder polo shirt, now on sale for only $64.99!

Blunder 12-10, 4th Place.
Next Loss: Monday at Denver.
Tornado watch: Looming.
Oklahoma 'celeb' sighting: Oklahoma women's basketball coach Sherri Coale sat courtside at the end of the scorer's table.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Potatoes counted as fans!

Nine: The List!

2009-12-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

1. One ass kicking by the Celtics, 105-87. Largest loss in the Bored Center this season.
2. Two points scored, combined, between Sefalosha, Collison and Livingston in 49 minutes.
3. Three rhymes with 'glee', as in a cultural television phenomenon, or that special feeling I get when Bennett suffers another loss.
4. Four Fouls on Durant, Green and Collison, to lead both teams.
5. Five Turnovers by Russell Westbrook, to lead both teams.
6. 'Six' rhymes with "pricks", like Clay Bennett, Howard Schultz, David Stern, Wally Walker, Dick Cheney and the one-eyed trouser monster - that's six pricks!
7. Seven Celtics scoring in double figures, led by Garnett's 23. The Blunder had two, led by future ex-blunder's Kevin Durant.
8. 'Eight' rhymes with 'great', which the Celtics are and the Blunder are NOT! Awwww!

And finally...

9. Nine Blunder losses! More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Blunder: 10-9.
Next Loss: Monday vs. Golden State.
Tornado watch: Imminent.

Hilarious Joke of the Day

2009-12-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

Too funny not to share, regardless of religious affiliation.

Four Catholic men and a Catholic woman were having coffee.
The first Catholic man tells his friends, "My son is a priest, when he walks into a room, everyone calls him 'Father'."

The second Catholic man chirps, "My son is a Bishop. When he walks into a room people call him 'Your Grace'."

The third Catholic gent says, "My son is a Cardinal. When he enters a room everyone says 'Your Eminence'."

The fourth Catholic man then says, "My son is the Pope. When he walks into a room people call him 'Your Holiness'."

Since the lone Catholic woman was sipping her coffee in silence, the four men give her a subtle, "Well....?"

She proudly replies, "I have a daughter, slim, tall, 38D breast, 24" stomach and 34" hips. When she walks into a room, people say, "Oh My God."

Blunder Losses Mount, Drop Eighth Game

2009-11-30T09:43:00.000-08:00

The Blunder continue to pad the loss column as they fell to the short-handed Rockets on Sunday, 100-91. Houston used the adversity of Etan Thomas eye gouging of Luis Scola's to fuel the comeback that put the Blunder in their place - the loss column. After Etan "Bill Romanowki" Thomas's eye-gouge/assault, which knocked Scola out of the game, Aaron Brooks and Chris Landry rallied the Rockets with 21 points a piece to lead Houston, despite having Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and now Luis Scola out.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC, as always, with 25 points on 10 for 19 shooting in 45 minutes, while hauling in nine boards. Jeff Green, 0 for 5 from three-point land, and Serge Ibaka led the Blunder with 4 fouls apiece. Kevin Durant had six turnovers, and Toshe Sefaloshi went 2 for 7 from the field and 0 for 3 from three-point range to finish with six points in 38 minutes to lead the low lights.

The Blunder committed 20 turnovers and were a sizzling 1 for 15 from 3-point range.
The Rockets used a 29-14 advantage on the boards, sans Ming, to rally back from a 54-45 halftime deficit.

And speaking of deficits, there was a noticable fan deficit at the Furd Center. The game was announced as another non-sell out. Damn shame that is. Probably time to rebuild the arena (at taxpayer/suckers expense, undoubtedly).

Blunder: 9-8
Next Loss: Wednesday vs. Philadelphia
Tornado watch: Hazerdous Weather Watch in effect

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Holmgren Returning to Seattle?

2009-11-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

From what I am hearing, it's happening. Rumors are running wild Mike Holmgren is about to be reunited with the Seattle Seahawks. Holmgren, who guided Green Bay to the Super Bowl and Seattle to it's only Super Bowl, has been itching to get back into the game and will reportedly return to lead Seattle as its GM.

So, where does that leave Tom Ruskell? Out. Waaaaay out.

The much maligned GM has come under heavy fire recently as the Seahawks, a disappointing 3-7 this season, have spiraled downward under his watch. He's been blamed for the Steve Hutchinson debacle and his failure to address the huge void it left on the offensive line. That botched deal, where he refused to sign Hutch early in the season and instead 'transition' tagged him (the difference being Seattle would've received two first-round picks as compensation) may be his lasting legacy. Many bitter fans believe that line got the team to the Super Bowl and it's subsequent disintegration has doomed the team. Truth be told, it wasn't entirely up to him, but he'll always own the legacy of the poison pill debacle.

Ruskell's drafting legacy is a mixed bag. While this season he scored high on most boards, his previous drafts have produced only a minimum of impact players, most notable were several busts in the secondary. The linbacking core has been a strength but get's little help up front or behind it. The hiring of Mora while Holmgren was said to be an effort to 'ease the transition' but it was widely reported the team was split in it's allegiances between Mora and Holmgren supperters during the tumultous final year of Holmgren coaching.

Not all the problems are Ruskell's fault. The team has endured staggering injuries the past two seasons and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has gone into decline.

All signs point to Holmgren returning to Seattle and reuniting with Paul Allen. He has had his year off to re-energize and now can tackle the GM job he had to give up while coaching. He'd likely be highly motivated to prove his superior skills over the much-maligned Ruskell's, whom he feuded with over personnel decisions.

Will Jim Zorn be the next Seahawk to return to Seattle is he is fired in DC as is widely expected? Zorn made a name for himself as Seahawk's quarterbacks coach and was whisked away to be the Redskins head coach, a position clearly above him at the time. But that was Snyder's error. The lessons Zorn's learned, at Snyder's expense, could be used back in Seattle. Especially as this franchise rebuilds its offensive line and finds a new quarterback.

What happends with Mora? I imagine he gets another year or so before any decisions would be made. You don't want a revolving door head coaching situation. While his first season is a disaster, I am not sure you pull the trigger yet. Although with well-respected Holmgren as GM, it makes you wonder who he could lure to Seattle should Mora be canned.

Presto! Blunder Bumble to Magical Loss!

2009-11-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

Former Supersonic Rashard Lewis had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in three quarters to lead the short-handed Magic over the Blunder in Orlando on Tuesday, 108-94. The Magic led by as many as 30 points before Magic starters went to the bench early, allowing the Blunder to make it appear respectable.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant was held to 12 points, far below his 32.8 average. He also contributed to the lowlights with a game high 4 turnovers! Tosha Sefalosha poured in 2 points on a scorching 1-4 shooting clinic in 25 minutes of 'playing' time. That's two points more than I scored. The Blunder also managed to give up 40 points in the paint. Solid!

Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke of the Royals was in the audience. Greinke is from Apopka, a suburb of Orlando. Like the rest of America, Greinke was not wearing any Blunder merchandise.

No Tornado Warnings were issued in OKC, nor were there any ZombieSonics sell out warnings issued. In fact, no sellouts this season. I thought OKC 'supported the team'? I suppose a couple more arena rebuilds and an upgraded corndog stand, at OKC taxpayer expense of course, and I'm sure they'll come runnin' to the games! They may have to walk though, because according to Forbes, Oklahoma has the second highest obesity rate in the US.

More Corndogs (literally!) More Losses! More Blunder!

Blunder: 6-6
Next Loss:
Season Outlook: Dry and Dusty. 90% chance of failure.

Blake-less Clippers Beat Down the Blunder!

2009-11-15T19:56:00.001-08:00

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant's 40 points weren't enough as the NBA's poster child for horrible franchise relocation, lost to the NBA's poster child for horrible underachievement, the Clippers, 101 - 93.

Rookie first-round pick James Harden led the lowlights going 0-8 from the field and 0-5 from 3 point range while Thabo Sefalolsho went 1-9 from the field and 0-5 from three point land. Time to talk contract extension for these sharpshooters? Nick Collison had six fouls in 27 minutes.

The Blunder locker room was abuzz before the game at the team's chances to finally get Blake Griffin's autograph. Sadly, the night was deemed a total bust for OKC when it was discovered he did not make the trip due to knee rehabilitation and his total lack of desire to ever see OKC. Unable to regroup from the devastating news, the Blunder quickly gave in. Chris "The Layman" Kaman went off for 25 points to lead the Clippers who snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Blunder showed off their throwback uniforms tonight...throwbacks to last season, that is. Time to start the "where will Durant go" chant. New York? Dallas? Lakers?

Blunder: 5-5
Next Loss: Tuesday at Miami
Tumbleweed forecast: 100% chance or tumbleweeds.

The game was played before another non-sell out crowd in OKC. The local John Deere's truck and tractor pull out drew the NBA again.

ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too

2009-11-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is a re-posting of Steve Kelley's article from his Friday the 13th column in the Seattle Times. An appropriate date to rekindle the evil that was Clay Bennett and the duplicity the sporting community showed towards Seattle fans towards the plight of the Sonics. I have edited some out of the content for brevity and highlighted particularly poignant points.

Throughout the painful, insulting process of losing the Sonics, it always bothered me how little the national media seemed to care.

The same people who always said they loved coming to Seattle, the people who remembered the KeyArena crowds from the 1996 Finals against Chicago as among the most electric they'd ever felt, practically ignored this grand theft.

Almost no one challenged NBA commissioner David Stern's motives. The same people who professed love for this city ignored it when Seattle needed their help the most.

The one loud, insistent exception was ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons. He took up the cause when too few others would. He did his homework. He was the noise in the midst of the media silence.

"It was really a hijacking," Simmons said of the Seattle franchise's move to Oklahoma City.

Simmons is one of the best in our business. He's funny. He's informed. He's prolific. He's a basketball fan who cared about what was happening in Seattle.

"I was kind of dismissive of it initially," Simmons said, "but I got a lot of e-mails from Sonics fans asking me to 'actually look at what's happening out here.' "

Simmons paid attention and called the move "the biggest blemish on Stern's legacy."

"Maybe he didn't willingly conspire," Simmons said by telephone Thursday morning, "but by not doing anything, it made him a conspirator. He's the commissioner and he's supposed to stop stuff like this and didn't.

"It was a case of a guy [Clay Bennett] who bought the team and never really wanted to keep it there and stole the team. I love basketball and I felt like Seattle had really good fans. It just didn't seem fair to me that somebody bought this team with no intention of keeping it in Seattle and the rules were in place so that nobody could stop him. I continue to feel bad for the fans."

Simmons is coming to town Tuesday to sign copies of his new 697-page book, "The Book of Basketball." When he was planning this book tour, the No. 1 city Simmons wanted to visit was Boston, home of his beloved Celtics. But, he said, Seattle was the second city on his list.

"It's hard for me to believe that Seattle's not one of the 30 cities that has a team," he said. "I think there are maybe six, seven, eight cities in the NBA that really got the NBA and really understood the history and it resonated. And I think Seattle was one of those cities."

Simmons promised Seattle's NBA fans he never would mention the Oklahoma City franchise by its NBA-given name. Even now, he calls them the "Zombie Sonics," or "The Team That Shall Not Be Named."

"As I dove into this issue more, I was very surprised that it wasn't a bigger story," he said. "I thought it was the kind of story that should be leading SportsCenter and should be on the cover of S.I. I didn't get it and I still don't get it.

"It's crazy to me, that this wasn't a bigger story, especially when you think of all the stuff we blow out of proportion. This was a story that was at the heart of American sports. The fact that owners can extort fans and get whatever they want."

Zombie Sonics. I love that line.

Seahawk Mid-Season Report Card

2009-11-09T12:40:00.000-08:00
“You’re as good as your record says you are” says Bill Parcells.

3-5 ain't very good. There's plenty of 'bad' to go around on this team right now. However, if they can steer clear of the icebergs, there are some good things for the Seahawks and changes are coming. As ugly as Seattle has looked at times, there are positives; Matt is getting healthy, as is the o-line, there are healthy receivers to throw to, the kicking game is stable, and a very possible change in the GM position looms. This team is not a disaster, but they need to get on a hot streak STAT if the playoffs are to be any kind of reality. Truth be told, that reality is fading fast.

Offense: 22nd in total offense (320.8 ypg. & 20th in scoring. (20.9ppg)
Grade: D+ and rising

Passing game: Amid a plethora of injuries, the passing game has shown it can still be a force. Receiving corp of Burleson, Branch and Carlson are a solid core of consistent receivers. They need to step up their effort full-time with intangibles ie; blocking/finishing routes. This is a good unit that makes catches. Matt is still the franchise and as he goes, so go the Seahawk fortunes. He is still a formidable passer, competitor, and proud Seahawk. B-/C+ and rising.

Running game: Very little productivity. Running backs Jones, Forsett and Griffiths running abilities are at the mercy of a very suspect offensive line. However, out of the backfield as receivers they are very effective. It’ll be interesting to see if the bigger, faster, Louis Rankin will start getting carries and if the line can open some holes consistently. D+/C-. Holding steady.

Offensive line: Injuries and a new blocking scheme have hindered this unit. The loss of Jones is significant, but not surprising. They look horrible one week and competitive the next. They could grow into a decent unit with some help and time together. Draft picks will surely be used to shore up this unit on the off season. D+: Holding steady.

RED FLAG: Where's the red zone offense? Too many field goals. Four against the cowaqrdly Lions and toothless Bears? NFL teams win by scoring touchdowns. This team needs to improve red-zone efficiency via play-calling, execution and sheer desire.

Defense. 13th in total defense (322 ypg) & 13th in scoring (20.9 ppg)
C and holding.

A tough unit to analyze. There’s talent here. They look bad at times yet are in the upper half (13) of the league, statistically. They’ve also been victimized by the Seahawk offense ineptness that goes three-and-out far too often, keeping them on the field too much. Regardless, they need to improve and probably will. The line and 'backers are good. If they can develop and hold their own up front, they'll take pressure off the suspect secondary that is 26th in the leagus against the pass. Once the Seattle offense improves, this defense will have a chance to flourish. C and rising.

Linebackers: Solid group even with Hawthorne filling in for Lofa. He’ll be a starter somewhere next year, maybe even Seattle. I would not be surprised if Lofa’s career declines as injuries take a toll. This is the strength of the team. Is it time to make Kerney a linebacker? B and holding steady.

Defensive Line: ability to pressure the quarterback needs more consistency. Sacks are great, but pressure, containment and fundamental play are what hurt offenses most and lead to three-and-outs and turnovers. They have played some very formidable o-lines this season (Arizona, Indy, Dallas) that can make you look bad. Still, there needs to be more accountability and desire up front. It's time for the new acquisitions to start shining.

Secondary: Continues to be abused when up against big receivers and skillful QB’s like Peyton and Warner. Then again, most secondary’s do. Again, part of the problem is up front where the QB has too much time. Trufant needs to get back to playing speed. The biggest flaw here is that this unit is too small for a division that has a tradition of big physical receivers like Fitzgerald, Holt, Bolquin, etc. Need better coaching and a change in strategy to maximize the talent they have. Head coach Mora was the secondary coach before taking over for Holmgren, yet his students are arguably the weakest link on D. Weird. Need bigger, physical, punishing talent here. D and holding steady.

Special Teams: Sadly, Mare is the team MVP for all the field goals he’s made (14 out of 16) due to the inept red zone offense. There is plenty of speedy talent in the return game. Forsett had a huge blunder against Chicago. They need to step up and break some returns for scores to help the offense. Need better coverage. C+. Holding steady.

I am not swayed by Mora or his staff either way yet. 3-5 is not awe inspiring, but growing pains are to be expected, especially with a new staff, this roster and injuries. Seattle has had brutal losses (Arizona, Indy and Dallas) but also two huge shutouts at home. This team falls somewhere in the middle. This is not a championship caliber team, nor is it a cellar-dweller. They have an interesting mix of youth and veterans. Injuries are hampering this team, along with mental toughness and smart strategy. Consistency, execution, and the player's desire to win is questionable at times. Coaching has to step it up and start getting the most out of this team. 9-7 would be a huge achievement for this team, albeit unlikely.

RED FLAG: Ruskell has not been offered an extension and Holmgren is said to covet the job. Is Tim a lame duck keeping Mike’s seat warm for him until next season? Is this good or bad? This would be three straight years of transition. Continuity is a huge part of success. IS there a plan in place or is this a franchise adrift? Ruskell is replaceable, but let’s hope the team takes a step up in that crucial area.

Overall grade: D+
Games out of first: 2
Playoff forecast: Gloomy
Predicted finish: 7-9
First round draft picks: two
Countdown to Ruskell's likely departure and possible Holmgren reunion: Eight Games.

Blunder Rocket to Losing Record!

2009-11-06T20:39:00.000-08:00
The Houston Rockets extended their winning streak over the Blunder to 11 games with a 105-94 victory on Friday night. Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry had 21 points apiece to lead Houston and Luis Scola added 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Rockets are without injured center Yao Ming.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 27 points and nine rebounds. DJ White, Nick Collison and Tosha Sefolosha led the lowlights with 3 fouls apiece, Westbrook had 4 turnovers, Nonads Krystac was 1-8 for three points in twenty minutes, and Jeff Green was 0-4 from three-point range.

The Rockets wore red and yellow throwback jerseys ala the uniforms they wore when they won NBA titles in 1994-95. The Blunder wore their Knick tribute uniforms.

Blunder: 2-3, 2.5 games out of first place, five game into the season.
Losing Streak: 3 and counting.
Next Loss: Sunday vs. Orlando.

Yankees Win Series: World Yawns

2009-11-05T06:35:00.000-08:00
Baseball loves it's cliches; it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings; Juuuust a bit outside; Yank win series.

Yup, the little-engine-that-could Yanks won their 27th World Series over the over-matched Phillies last night with a 7-3 victory in game six to take the series, 4-2. The defending champion Phillies never seemed much of a threat to the Yankees, who were in control of the series from the get-go.

The Yankees now have 27 more championships than the Mariners!

Matsui, deservedly, was the Series MVP. Speculation is swirling that he may not even be back with the club next year. Nonsense. They'll sign him. This championship was ripe for the cliches: A-Rod, fresh off his 'steroid scandal' and his surgery, gets his first ring; the Yanks christen their new $1.5 billion-dollar ballpark; the Matsui speculation, win one for ailing Steinbrenner, yada, yada, yada.

But those aren't even the greatest cliches. I've saved the best for last:

It's good to see that you can still buy a championship in baseball.

The Yanks payroll for 2009 was over $200 million, by far the highest in baseball. Yup, baseball loves it's cliches.

Yawn......

Blunder Blaze Trail to First Loss!

2009-11-02T09:53:00.000-08:00
"I love the smell of napalm in the morning." Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore.

"I love that familiar stench of defeat." OKC Blunder fans.

The NBA Season is off and running, and so is the OKCBLUNDER!

OKC enjoyed loss numero uno (that's number one for my OKC fans) thanks to the Portland Trailblazers, 83-74. Portland, the lone NBA franchise in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to Clay Bennett's shenanigans, were sparked by Brandon Roy's 16 points. Roy, one of five Blazers scoring in double-figures, enjoyed a 42-point outburst on Saturday. He toned it down on Sunday, so as not to embarrass the Blunder in front of another non-sellout crowd at the Bored Center.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 16 points but was 0-5 from three-point land. Nonads Krystic led the lowlights with zero points in 20 minutes. Nick Collision, not to be outdone, pitched in zero points in 17 minutes. Westbrook did his part for the low-light reel with six fouls and nine turnovers. The Blunder went off on a 3-for-14 three-point effort for a sizzling 21%!

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder! More non-sellouts!

Blunder: 2-1.
Next Loss: Tuesday vs World Champion L.A. Lakers.
Admitted non-sellouts so far: 1
Season outlook: Dry and dusty.

Apathy Draining NBA Fan Base?

2009-10-23T08:19:00.000-07:00
Dear NBA:

We're just not that into you.

Perhaps it's a by-product of the technology age where you have a million different distractions fighting for your attention; games, internet, twitter, facebook, guitar hero. Or is it simply a league in decline? Either way the NBA is experiencing an erosion of it's core fan base. Will it return? Is it the game, the league or the fans?

It's been a long time since the NBA's dominance. When Jordan ruled the league and the league ruled all of sports. Can anyone remember one name so dominant? Then came Bird, Magic, Barkley, Malone, Payton. Suddenly we woke up to a league that was alive and flourishing with talent motivated by their competitive spirit; motivated to win titles, not endorsement contracts and Old Spice commercials. Success allowed that to happen, but it was that win-first mentality that drove it, not the other way around.
The influx of endless tv money drove the league to new heights. It was a new threshold for sports. Maybe even the pinnacle.

You can argue we have Kobe vs. LaBron, but it's not the same. Not even close. Great players, for sure, but not rivals. I cannot even think of a great NBA rivalry anymore. Sure, the propoganda machine will be in full force this season trying to hype it up, but it'll ring hollow for most of us.

With the Sonics gone I have no appetite for the NBA. I live in L.A where it'd be easy to jump on the Laker bandwagon, but that idea is laughable. I will never be a Laker fan. Too many bad memories of Lakers-over-the-Sonics highlight (or lowlights) for that to happen. I respect the hell out of the organization because they are constant champions, but I am a Sonic fan at heart, and they are gone.

I thought this apathy was driven from bitterness of the loss of the Sonics, but I was wrong. It goes deeper, and it's not just me. I've discussed the NBA with several friends as the season approaches and they echo my sentiment. "I'm just not that into it anymore" was what they were telling me. These are fans with childhood teams (Houston, Phoenix, Portland) and a long history of support. The luster is gone and the game is boring. Before this season starts we know the Lakers will likely repeat and the top story all season will be King James rumors about his imminent move to New York.

I also plan to stoke the fires with the imminent move of the NBA OUT of OKC, which I fully expect to happen within five years. I also expect the folding or outright relocation of teams. This league has too many and not all will survive the recession. The natural balance will be achieved. Does Memphis really need a team? What about Charlotte and OKC? They survive because of NBA revenue sharing and other welfare programs that merely stave off the obvious: too many teams, too few real men playing the game because they love it, and not enough appetite for either of them. Apathy is spreading throughout this league's fanbase.

Sorry NBA, we're just not that into you.

Warm regards,

The Fans

P.S. I am now seeing NCAA Football pretty seriously, so stop calling me.

Husky Mid-season Report Card

2009-10-11T08:12:00.000-07:00
What a difference a coaching staff makes. Half way through the Sark Administration's first season at the helm the Dawgs are a surprising 3-3. They could easily be 4-2 or 2-4. 3-3 is a vast improvement over the disaster that was Willingham. He could not glean one win from this same core group in 12 tries last season? He should be punished for the damage he did to the program and the kids.

Overall grad for this team at the mid-season point: C+/B-. Huge improvements, but there is work to be done to get this program back to its place among the football elite.

Coaching Staff: B. Sark and Holt have done a solid job of getting these kids to play hard for four quarters and have instilled a swagger and confidence that went MIA under the previous regime. The defense has been slow to make adjustments at times. The Husky defense had no answer for the Arizona offense which moved the ball at will. Adjustmetns were non-existant. Not until the final 30 seconds did they pressure Foles. UW played safe and conservative, albiet expectedly. Against ND they could not stop Tate who had a career day. Sark has remade this team's image. He has missed some strategic opportunities (goal line offense vs. ND) to prove he can excel with lesser talent. USC is loaded - UW is not. Over all a very impressive turnaround with a team that is not talent-laden - but there is work to be done as we discover this team and its' coaches learning curve. UW has gone from a laughingstock to a respectable and formidable unit that is clearly on the rise. Expect a monster recruiting class next year, a by-product of the turnaround. This staff’s stock is soaring as this team ascends.

Defense: C+. This is not an overly talented unit. They rely on emotion and momentum and play their best when backed up against the wall. They give up yardage but are feisty when it counts. The linebackers are strong and the secondary, led by Trufant and hero du jour Mason Foster, is maturing rapidly but has a ways to go. The line needs to find ways to get pressure inside (aggressive scheming will help) and become more stout against the run. This unit is improving and is taking on Holt's fiery persona - thankfully. They compete for four quarters as seen in all six games.

Offense: B. Locker is improving as a pocket passer and remains a threat on the ground to be reckoned with. He needs to improve accuracy but that will come with time and under the proper coaching, which he is getting. The running game is a work in progress and needs to improve it's consistency to keep pressure off Locker so he can flourish. The O-line is playing above its head despite injuries and often being outmatched. They play hard and do a pretty good job of pass protection, but it needs to improve, and it will.

The major problem on offense is a receiving corp (C-)that continues to drop passes they need to catch. For as many quality catches this group makes, just as many fall incomplete. These are opportunities that need to be taken advantage of if this team is to reach its offensive potential.

Special teams: C-. Another area of concern. Kickoff coverage is poor. Stanford opened with a return for a TD. Bad coverage and poor strategy - why kick it to their most dangerous threat? Bad planning and worse execution. This unit consistently gives up long returns which set up opponents with strong field position. Happened every time against Arizona - giving an offense they could not stop an extra advantage. This area needs to improve quickly. Punting game is good as is the place-kicking team.

Based on last year's F grade, this team has shown vast improvements. With the next Husky win you can start the "Sark for PAC-10 Coach of the Year" hype machine. If they get to a bowl game we're talking National Coach of the Year. Locker is on pace to be the PAC-10's Offensive Player of the Year.

Overall this team and staff are a C+/B- and are likely to only improve as the system takes hold, players naturally improve, confidence soars and they expect to win. This is a a huge improvement in all areas from last year. Purple Pride is back!

6-0 gets all A grades. 0-6 gets F's.

Blunder Notch First Loss!

2009-10-09T09:01:00.000-07:00
The OKC Blunder stormed out of the preseason gates on Wednesday and promptly lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, 99-91. The Blunder picked up where they left off last season: losing! According to future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant "I think [the game] was a step forward." He probably means a step closer to the day he leaves the dust bowl in his rear view mirror. No one loses to the Grizzlies and uses it as a 'step forward'. Durant had 17 points in the losing effort.

Byron Mullins led the Blunder lowlights with one point while top draft pick James Harden went 1-6 from three-point land.

As part of Daid Stern's 'get tough' negotiating policy with the refs, Michael Henderson, was called back as a replacement official during the current lockout and was part of Wednesday's officiating crew. Henderson was fired by the league in 2005.

Stay classy, David Stern!

Preseason record: 0-1
Next loss: Saturday at New Orleans.
Season outlook: dusty

More corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Texas!

2009-09-24T09:51:00.000-07:00
We did our annual football road trip this year in Texas, during the weekend of September 18 - 20. We added a Rangers/Angels game on Friday night and our trip gave us the full Lone Star state experience, and proof that everything is indeed bigger in Texas.

Friday night we did the Rangers vs. Angels baseball game in Arlington. Our hotel was literally across the street from the stadium - a beautiful ballpark. After discovering we had the wrong tickets, because of my blunder, we immediately picked up new ones from the 'ticket broker' on the corner for $20. It all worked out! The seats were great, the game was fun and the Angels prevailed, 2-0 to increase their AL West lead and crush the Ranger hopes of post season play. A drunk in front of us kept trying to get the crowd to chant 'we want October'. A Navy vet talked our ears off. The beers were tasty! Hungry, we went to the hotel bar for food. The food was marginal and the atmosphere was dead.

Saturday we drove to Austin for Texas/Texas Tech football game, after a hilarious battle with the GPS system in our car. We check in to the hotel and were immediately surrounded by burnt orange. We were officially in Longhorn Country. A few Tech fans were present, but it was a sea of orange. It was hot in Austin, and since we were in Texas, we did the obvious; we hit up a highly rated BBQ joint. It was surprisingly average. "This isn't life changing" to quote Josh. We all agreed, although Scott actually went back for seconds.

We hit up the student store on campus and it was sensory overload - a mad crush of people and waves of burnt orange everywhere you looked. It was awesome. Picked up a Texas jersey and other garb and we headed off to the stadium to get our tickets at will call. Got our tickets and made a mad dash to a beer garden to 'prep' for the game. That meant four beers in five minutes. I received many text messages from friends alerting me that Washington had just upset #3 USC, 16-13. That meant more beers! Then it was off to the game. On the way to the stadium we witnessed a random Florida Gator fan waving a Gator towel and singing their praises. It was random and hilarious. Inside the stadium an usher let us get near the field for pictures - literally the front row. The teams entered the field right in front of us. It was awesome. Our seats were great (thank you UT Athletic Dept!) and our neighbors friendly. Attendance was a record crowd of over 100,000. I expected a blowout but Tech played tough and kept it close. The Longhorns won, 34-24, but Colt McCoy was not overly impressive, going 24 for 34 for 205 yards. Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts threw for 420 yards in the loss. It was a great game, great fans and an amazing atmosphere. Back at the hotel we went to the bar for food. Apparently they close the kitchen on Saturday nights at 12:00. No room service, nothing. They offered us popcorn. We declined.

Sunday we drive back to Dallas and catch the end of the Jets victory in our hotel and head to Dallas for the Sunday Night game vs. arch rival New York Giants. We went to the Sheraton Hotel and parked for free, just a few blocks from the stadium. It was awesome. We tailgated with Cowboy fans who were fun and engaging. When asked if they believed Tony Romo could 'get them to the Super Bowl', they all resoundingly said no. Ironically, three of them were wearing Romo jerseys. It was hilarious. Oh, and it was HOT! We made our way to the stadium. The brand new Dallas Cowboy's Stadium. Yes, it is impressive, inside and out.

The atmosphere was that of a rock concert - fun, festive and enormous. Inside it was gleaming and new with plenty of amenities and pretty good food. It was not cheap, though. We managed to go places we probably weren't supposed to go; we worked our way into a luxury suite (our seats were better), the Cowboy's locker room, George Bush walk by us, and got pic's taken with one of the refs in the tunnel. No one even questioned us. The team store was impressive. The game was a blast and the Giants ended up spoiling Jerry Jones Stadium debut as Eli manning marched the Giants down the field in crunch time to kick the game winning field goal. The fans were disappointed, but it was a great experience for us. The attendance was an NFL record - over 105,000 were there. Unfortunately the hype over the new stadium overshadowed the game. But it's true what they say; everything is bigger in Texas.

Why Is This Sooner Bawling?

2009-09-16T21:14:00.000-07:00
Give OKCBlunder your best take on why this 'lil shaver's cryin'!

Like this:

Oh no, the horror! On my left are Uncle Joe's nuts, on my right is Aunt Bertha's butt, and in front of me is the horror of Sooner football! Dear God, take thine eyes! Ahhhhhhhhh!

13 Thoughts on the Week in Football

2009-09-14T19:21:00.000-07:00
1. Too much booth reviewing going on. I saw two college games where fumbles were challenged or reviewed - even though they were recovered by the fumbling team - the result wouldn't have changed possession or made any difference. Wasting time.

2. The Patriots and Bills desperately need to stick with those throwback uniforms - so much better than their current abominations.

3. USC is still the real deal. A lot of turnover on the team but a freshman led them to victory at Ohio State. Impressive. They should crush Washington this weekend.

4. Ohio State still cannot win the big game.

5. Denver Broncos have already experiences their season highlight. They better enjoy this win - they'll be few of them this season.

6. In the NFC West, San Francisco looks much improved and tough; The Cardinals look to be slipping - as expected (c'mon, they're the Cardinals); The Rams look horrible and Seattle looks improved and potentially very dangerous - but how real will they turn out to be?

7. Sucks to be in Chicago - losing that heartbreaker to the Packers while their receivers embarrass themselves, Cutler throws four picks, and Erlacher is out for the season. Ouch.

8. Drew Brees is the man. He toils in near anonymity - yet never complains while hanging up Hall of Fame numbers. Go Saints! I want them to succeed just for him!

9. How much longer does Jake Delhomme have a job?

10. Sure, Tennessee broke the jaw of UCLA's quarterback, but it was UCLA who smashed Tennessee in the mouth - winning in Knoxville and proudly representing the PAC 10.

11. Can Oregon make a run after that Boise State loss? Can Cal make as run at USC this season? Can anyone else win the PAC-10?

12. Washington tasted victory for the first time since 2007. The question is this; how long until WSU, a truly embarrassing program, wins their next game? What year?

13. Any questions about Mark Sanchez? I didn't think so. That offense has some weapons. Yes, the Jets will lose some games, but they are for real. That defense shut out a potent Houston offense.

Off Season Thoughts on The Blunder

2009-09-01T11:15:00.000-07:00
Going into the new season the Blunder should likely be a better team than last season. Of course, making that prediction about a 23-win team is a no brainer - even if that team is run by village idiot, Clay Bennett.

Short term; James Hardin - a decent pick up in the draft. Frankly, there's no perfect fit in a thin draft - outside of their dream scenario Blake Griffin. But Griffin is a Clipper and Hardin is a Blunder. Deal with it. No one knows how he'll fit in until game time. He's a good athlete - chemistry remains to be seen.

The Blunder should be able to climb near the .500 mark this season - another year of playing together and consistent coaching will help. Dumping worst-possible-coaching-selection-of-all-time PJ Carlisimo will surely help. We all know he was never selected to make the Sonics/Blunder good - but a scape-goat/stop-gap until Bennett and his ilk could pry the team from a City that refused to be strong-armed into wasting mega-money on foolish investments. Scott Brooks should be able to gleen 35-40wins from this group of young athletic players. I don't see a playoff appearance for the Blunder next season - they simply do not have the right elements to make a strong enough push - their inside presence is lacking as is overall experience. That'll be tough to overcome in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

A very surprising, and potentially ominous indication of the Blunder's future can be traced back to last season; very few sellouts. Only 18 out of 41 home games were sold out in the Blunder's inaugural season in OKC. Is it because they weren't winning? Lack of local NBA interest? Financial inability of the local market to support the team? Truth be told, all those things probably factored into it.

Looking down the road I see the Blunder playing out their time in OKC and moving on to another city - probably in five years when the Ford Center escape-clause can be triggered, and I think it will be. The team is destined to be a money loser - and poor decisions on things as simple as name and uniforms will doom this team. Sure, the local fans will try and counter that argument with their rose colored view of the world. But the fact is that the Blunder needed someone to create a smarter and more desirable brand to consumers outside of the OKC market - a savvy name and uniforms/color scheme/logo would absolutely increase the teams merchandise outside of the local market. As is, they are bound to only be appealing to the locals, resulting in a revenue stream minimized because of small-minded thinking. You can argue that it make no difference - that these things are trivial. And they may be. But if you look at the bigger picture - it's indicative of this ownership group's inability to maximize the situation.

The Blunder will play on the brink of being competitive for a couple of years - keeping fans hopes alive - and even expanding and growing the fan base locally. However, non-sellouts, shrinking TV money and a gloomy merchandising forecast, make me conclude that this team will lose money steadily until Bennett, etal will finally relinquish it to a more capable and smarter group. I just don't believe they expect to have a team there in the long run. Hope the fans get their money's worth while they are there and that they don't get jilted too badly - like the City that's already paying for upgrades to an Arena for a team that won 23 games. Clay worked a great deal for a desperate town - and they'll pay for it. Right up until the moving trucks haul the team away in a couple years.

Vick to the Eagles - Good Move

2009-08-13T22:05:00.000-07:00
After much speculation, Michael Vick has gone from crashing as a Falcon, to resurrecting himself as an Eagle in Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love. It's almost prophetic. This is a low-risk, high-reward move by the Eagles.
Vick, the much-maligned 29 year-old and former all-pro, who was imprisoned after his conviction for running a dog-fighting ring, has a two-year deal with the Eagles. Year one is a $1.8million deal, with a club option for year two at over $5 million. Meaning any problems and it's bye-bye Vick. Think of how motivated Vick is. Hard to imagine anyone more motivated than this former star.
I like this signing.
First, Vick is an incredible athlete, or he was before going into the Big House. This gives Eagle opponents another weapon to prepare for. In the ultra-competitive NFC east - any edge is welcome. Obviously he brings the Wildcat option to the table, but could also play tailback, receiver and even back up McNabb - in emergency situations or in scrub time. He comes cheap and by getting him now, you prevent him from lining up against you.
Make no mistake - this is McNabb's team - the addition of Vick in no way imperils McNabb's status as the face and quarterback of the franchise. Vick will make an already deeply-talented team even better. A team that reached the NFC Championship game last season. The Eagles just became deeper at offensive skill positions. I believe Vick brings added value as a great practice player - the defense will have to work harder to account for him on the field - in the long run, the defense will be better on game day because of him.

Off the field I fully expect Vick to be a model teammate and citizen. He knows what he lost and I doubt he has any foolishness left in him after suffering the public humiliation of stupendous past decisions.

In the beginning, there will be those who will try to bash and discredit him - but that will fade away as Vick performs and stays clean and proper. He'll prove himself a changed man. He and the team only need to withstand the initial, predictable outpouring of the holier-than-thou who will want bash, trash and attention-grab. After that, you can't keep trashing Vick for his past. To forgive is divine, right? Eventually he'll be forgiven, or he becomes the victim. Sympathy will fall on him if people don't allow him room to grow. No one is saying what he did was right - we all know it wasn't. Vick admitted guilt, did his time, and is trying to get his life back together using his greatest skill - his athleticism. He deserves that chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.

In the roughest division in football - the NFC East - he could be a difference maker. I cannot wait to see what Vick, arguably the league’s most motivated player, will have to show us on the field.

Top Sports Movies of All-Time

2009-08-09T08:58:00.000-07:00
There's been many sports movies churned out by Hollywood. Many under-achieve, like FOR LOVE OF THE GAME. A brilliant idea dumbed down by putting Coster on a pedestal. For all those that fall short, there are unforgettable classics. The sports movie is an American institution, so here is my top-15 starter list - in no particular order.

RUDY - Maybe the greatest American sports movie ever made.
MAJOR LEAGUE - "Juuuust a bit outside..." Cannot beat this movie.
CADDYSHACK - Set the standard for sports comedies.
ROCKY - Perhaps the all-time classic sports movie.
SLAP SHOT - The Hanson Brothers, Newman in a leather suit and a GTO. Brilliant.
EIGHT MEN OUT - Great take on the tragic and true story. Shoeless Joe Jackson mourns.
REMEMBER THE TITANS - Classic coming of age/football story. If you weren't moved, you may not be human.
ROCKY 2 - Very strong sequel - very tough to do.
PREFONTAINE - Great true story and the beginning of the Nike Empire - it's set in the Northwest, where I am from, so it rings true.
THE NATURAL - A classic - my least favorite on the list - yes I'm acknowledging it's relevance.
The SANDLOT - hilarious take from the kids point of view - an underrated classic.
JAWS (if your consider fishing a sport)
JERRY MAGUIRE - Cruise/Crowe showing us the money.
TIN CUP - Costner at his best.
MIRACLE ON ICE - Perhaps one of the greatest sports stories ever told - the young US Olympic hockey team taking on the Soviets at the height of Cold War tensions. This was more than a game, it was America climbing back on top.

Stern Courting Seattle?

2009-07-15T16:25:00.001-07:00
Below are excerpts from an interview with Commish David Stern. A couple of things stand out to me about this. First, Stern didn't have to even address this, he could've walked away. The fact he addressed it at all makes me think he's using this as a way to extend an olive branch to the Seattle media and fans (maybe city leaders) suggesting there is hope for a return of the NBA to Seattle.

That's not to suggest that Seattle is necessarily on the same page as Stern, however.

It's also an obvious lure for Ballmer and his group, keeping them on notice the league like them and their money. It's not a bad thing.

I truly believe Stern would love to be the person who ends his tenure as Commissioner by returning a franchise to Seattle. It's just too good of a finale for him. He gets to mend broken fences, appeal to the fans, penetrate a top 15 market, which the NBA desperately needs, and relocate a failing franchise to a market with a history of success and money. It's a feel good story if he can facilitate it and it's a smart business move - moving a failing franchise to a big market with money and fans. With the economic downturn in full swing, it's likely he needs this for the league. In a game of politics and positioning, this is a good indicator. Stern isn't going to over-play his courtship of Seattle, he'll use a soft touch as he did here, with compliments about the city and praise for Ballmer. He'll test the water to gage reactions.

Stern's willingness to discuss this on the record suggests it's time to move forward. Getting the Coliseum/Seattle Center upgraded is the obvious first step. I imagine the businesses in lower Queen Anne could use the financial jolt the Sonics provided. I imagine the NBA could, too.

Below are some excerpts from the interview.

At courtside of the Thomas and Mack Center, before Griffin's debut with of the Los Angeles Clippers, I asked Stern if I could talk with him for a couple of minutes. Just two minutes for 41 years. Two minutes to talk to Seattle basketball fans. A little respect after showing the ultimate disrespect.

He paused, looked at a member of his public relations staff and said, "OK, two minutes."

He gave me a minute and 43 seconds. I asked him if he would offer some thanks to Seattle for all it did for the league. "It was a great city for the NBA," Stern said, dropping the stridency of last summer. "It supported us very well and we had great teams and great memories. I don't consider it a success that we left Seattle, but a failure of types. And I hope someday, whether on my watch or a successor's watch, that we again have a team in Seattle."

With a public relations staff member tape recording our brief interview, Stern was asked what he thought Seattle should do next.

"The next step is really the right putative owner, who really wants to have a team and is prepared to do what it takes, working together with the city, the state to get an arena and get the job done," he said. "I think ultimately there will be [another team in Seattle]. I really do."

When he was asked if Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, an NBA maven who is part of a group that has offered to make a sizable financial commitment to bring the league back to the city, could be the kind of owner Stern would like to see in Seattle?

"I don't want to put the whammy on him," Stern said, "but he'd be a hell of an owner."

A year ago, when Bennett left town with the team, the idea of even an NBA intrasquad scrimmage coming to Seattle seemed impossible. But in October, the Portland Trail Blazers will play an exhibition game against the Phoenix Suns at KeyArena.

I asked Stern if this could be considered a hopeful sign for those of us who want the league in our town. "I think it's just an attempt by Portland to do the right thing and show fans a good time," Stern said.

He was asked if he was concerned about a possible boycott of that game.

"I think the fans are entitled to do whatever they want to do," he said, beginning to move away. "It is an independent city. It always has been and I hope it always will be."

NBA's Economic Forecast - Gloomy

2009-07-15T10:50:00.000-07:00
In an article by the associated press, NBA Commissioner David Stern acknowledged that the NBA league is in serious financial trouble, with at least half the teams posting net losses last season. Let's not rush to judgement and blame this all on Stern. I dare not give his policy's that much credit. Obviously, many businesses are losing money in the dire economic landscape we are in. But half the teams? Ouch!

The expected reduction in salary cap will help. It reduces expenditures and player salaries, both were escalating at an obscene rate. Now they can be dialed back down to a more market-defined level. The league also expects many teams to offer lower ticket prices to lure more sales. Will it work? That remains to be seen.

As previously reported here, the league has a $175 million dollar 'slush fund' that teams can draw from in times of need. Well, welcome to the times of need. Pressure will be intense on coaches to produce winning teams and to get them to the playoffs. Additional post-season revenues may be the only way teams have a chance to compete fiscally. TV revenues are down and the days of mega-TV contracts appear to be a memory as networks scramble to find new ad revenue sources. Less revenue for networks means less money on the table when tv contracts are up. Trickle down theory, in full effect. Driving the prices down further is the proliferation of so (too?) many distribution methods including tv, cable, internet, radio and satellite. Is saturation becoming a problem? Supply and demand, anyone?

With so many teams suffering, folding teams could eaasily emerge as a possibility. Just as businesses like Starbucks are forced to close weak-performing franchises, will pro teams follow suit? Is this the time when the league finds it's true financial niche, via addition by subtraction?

Only time will tell. Stern's policy's will certainly be scrutinized closely, as he tries to right the ship while simultaneously considering his inevitable retirement.

One idea that could bode well for the league financially would be a proven market like Seattle to have another team, something the NBA should begin pushing for. The City of Seattle needs to get on board and pay the idea some serious attention. Let's put the Stern/Bennett ill-will aside and look at it as bringing a business to town, a business that contributes to other local businesses, the local economy, and creates jobs.

It won't save the league, but it's a place to start.

Nine Thoughts For the Ninth

2009-07-09T10:54:00.000-07:00
9. Lakers will repeat if not three-peat. A world class organization that out-Raiders the Raiders by “just winning, baby”. They talk the talk and walk the walk. They have the most elite scorer in the game in Kobe, and just added arguably its top defender in Artest. Wow.

8. Lance Armstrong – Still has that competitive drive at 37 - where does he rank among the greatest athletes of all time? Is he in the same breath as Ali, Jordan, Drysdale, Howe? Is cycling really a legitimate sport?

7. McNair – Tragic. Now we’ll have to watch his on-field legacy take an endless beating by a bored media and witness as exploiters vie for life rights for the book/movie deal. You want irony? Word out of Tennessee is that state officials were preparing a youth suicide prevention public service announcement featuring McNair before he was shot and killed last week.

6. Houston Rockets – on the cusp of greatness, then lose Yao and Artest, but add Ariza. Huge blow to this quality franchise. If Yao’s injury is as serious as some suspect it is, did playing for China’s Olympic team damage him physically? Did patriotism, even forced patriotism, contribute to the demise of his NBA career? How will this effect NBA/China relations? Probably won't at all, as long as we can sell Kobe jerseys in Beijing.

5. Seattle Mariners – Coming off a 100-loss season, this team is hovering at .500 and staying in the playoff picture on pitching, chemistry and pure guts and determination. Makes you wonder if desire and effort trump talent and ability in baseball. Imagine if the bullpen wasn’t imploding. To be honest, this is not a very talented team - which makes this team's ability to hang around all the more impressive. Looks like the front office, manager and team chemistry have drastically improved. That bodes well for the future of the franchise.

4. Who is America’s team in the NFL? The Cowboys are winless in the playoffs in 12 seasons. The Lone Star ain't shinin' too bright these days. Desperate moves like adding PacMan Jones, tabloid fodder Romo and his head case girlfriend, botoxed Jerry Jones and his need to control have turned this team into a laughing stock and the antithesis of the Cowboy lore created by Landry and Staubach. So, who takes the throne now? Pittsburgh? New England? Anyone else even close?

3. Whose running for the Dawgs? David Freeman and Brandon Johnson have been declared ineligible, adding to a depleted backfield already without Brandon Yakaboski and Terrance Dailey, last year’s leading rusher with an embarrassing 338 yards. Cougar Rueben Mayes had 356 in one game against Oregon by himself. With do-everything Jake Locker maturing into a more pass-oriented mentality, how does this hurt his progress?

2. Favre-to-Vikings speculation. Genius or boneheaded? How much more damage can Brett Favre do to his legacy? He hasn’t finished a season healthy or with a shred of dignity in two years. He’s embarrassing himself....right out of the Hall Of Fame? Not likely, but C’mon, Brett....call it a day and take that cushy gig in the broadcast booth before it’s too late and you’re a walking punch line. Or limping punch line.

1. Blunder did not get Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin. That warms the cockles of my heart. Not because it hurts the fans or denies the team – but because it denies jackass-supreme Clay Bennett the benefits it would have brought to him – like the sappy marketing of a “local boy comes home to play” garb and the potential increase in season ticket sales as a result.

More Corndogs, More Losses, More Blunder!

More Draft! More Free Agency! More Corndogs!

2009-07-06T16:11:00.000-07:00
The draft came and went and the Blunder did not get Blake Griffin. Yes, I breathe a sigh of relief. However, the drafting of James harden from Arizona State has been getting mixed reviews. Even I am not sure what to think on this. He's exciting, athletic and has a rookie contract - all things good for OKC. He's practically a local, if you consider Arizona local.

Rodrigue Beaubois - huh? Jury is out on this guy. Seems like a potentially wasted pick, but this guy will likely be quite cheap, which really fits OKC's needs here. They probably would've traded this pick if any takers stepped up, but in a weak draft, not much you can do here. This guy'll be fun in practice.

Overall, I'll give the Blunder a C+ grade. Harden is good - for sure. How he meshes with OKC remains to be seen, but the guy can play. I even watched him get taken to school, twice, by an overachieving Washington State team.

FREE AGENCY

All Quiet on the Western Front.

On the OKC Free Agency front that is. OKC has been quiet this off season. Check book closed. The only noise so far has been the sounds of the Swiffer on the Ford Congressional Bail-Out Center floor and the Maytag scrubbing OKC's New York Knick tribute uniforms. Better run 'em through twice, folks - the stench of another 59-loss season under Bennett is hard to get off. Oh, and Ford is now bankrupt. Coincidence? I think not.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

The biggest moves in free agency were made by Detroit who corralled Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to play in the city formerly known as Motown. While the city's auto industry is on life support, the Pistons will be revving it up.

Los Angeles Lakers (c'mon, as if I even need to clarify Lakers, here) grabbed Ron Artest, lost Trevor Ariza and get Phil Jackson back. They are still very likely the team to beat.

Orlando signs Vince Carter and loses Hedo Terkoglu. This is interesting. This team was poised to stay atop the Eastern Conference. Losing Turkoglu to Toronto hurts. Frankly it makes little sense at all - he should've gotten a deal done in Orlando or looked at Portland where he could at least live under the illusion the playoffs were a possibility. In Toronto? Nice city, NBA wasteland. Adding Carter looks great on paper, but how much more is he bringing to offset the loss. If it is anything at all Orlando should be poised for another deep playoff run.

Rasheed Wallace to Boston. An aging team just got more physical in the post. They'll add rebounds, push opponents scoring averages down, and lead the league in technical fouls. In addition, they do not have to play against his. Sure he is mercurial, but he's with a savvy mix of veterans in Boston who know how to win. If he can keep from coming unhinged mentally, he'll have a fun ride in Beantown.

Shaq traded to Cleveland. If he can stay healthy and give the Cav's 20 minutes late in games, he'll help LaBron. Maybe Shaq will find a second wind playing with LaBron. A m otivated Shaq is a dangerous thing. Hopefully he spends the off season polishing up his foul shooting. He makes it interestend for Cleveland. It's all about im staying healthy and being able to play the post come playoff time. Clearly a pro-active effort to keep King James in Cleveland.

Clippers Win Draft Lottery - Griffin LA Bound?

2009-05-20T09:38:00.000-07:00
The Los Angeles Clippers won the draft lottery sweepstakes on Tuesday and will get the first pick in the June 25th draft. Oklahoma's Blake Griffin is the standout player in a draft that is not particularly rich in talent this year. Memphis will pick second and the OKC Blunder third. Sacramento, which had the worst record in the league at 17-65, fell all the way to fourth followed by Washington at fifth.

The last time the Clippers had the first overall pick was in 1998 when they took Michael Olowokandi, considered by many to be one of the biggest busts in NBA history. He was taken ahead of stars like Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Mike Bibby, and Rashard Lewis. Olowokandi's career ended in 2007. A 2005 Sports Illustrated article ranked him third on a list of NBA draft busts. ESPN's Bill Simmons claimed someone once described Olowokandi as "the human Ebola virus". Ouch. He averaged less than 9 points a game for his career. Will the Clippers, a franchise known almost as much for their terrible front office as they are their endless losing seasons, do the right thing and take Griffin?

Why I think they do.

This will help wash the stink off the Elton Brand loss, give them a formidable inside presence and bring a fresh face of hope for this horribly moribund franchise. The positive press that Griffin will bring will likely result in an initial ticket sales surge based on the promise of a better tomorrow for the Clippers. Under Donald Sterling's ownership, the Clippers have toiled in the Lakers long shadow, because the Lakers are a franchise dedicated to winning and Sterling is not. This is another chance the Clippers have to wash off the stink from years of futility and right the ship. They may not get another chance.

Why I think they don't;

Because they are the Clippers and cannot help but make the wrong move. It is innate with this franchise, from Sterling on down. Memphis, a team for sale and picking at #2, will not try to move up. They'd rather save the money. The obvious suitor for the #1 spot are the Blunder. They'd be foolish, Donald Sterling foolish, not to go gang busters to acquire that top pick. They can afford to.

They can give the Clippers their third pick and another first rounder and even add next year's first round picks. The question is how far would OKC go? Would they be willing to part with Durant, Green or Westbrook? The Clippers would HAVE to demand one of them and a slew of OKC's first round picks and the Blunder may be desperate enough. They won't part with Durant, but they need to throw a Hail Mary to get Blake -it'll mean everything for that franchise. Local star stays local - that'll warm hearts and sell tickets in OKC. OKC would be quite formidable with him. Presti is smart enough to know that and Sterling is small-minded enough to look past a sure thing for a better deal.

I could not stomach the thought of Blake working for Bennett and how happy that would make him. It would be Bennett's dreams come true, and Bennett ruined many Sonic fans dreams when he moved the team. He deserves NO good karma. Blake being just out of their reach is beautiful poetic justice.

Griffin, Spanish guard Ricky Rubio and Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet are considered the top three picks with Blake being the concensus top pick. Both Rubio and Thabeet are considered projects.

The Clipper franchise needs some good press and a total makeover. This is a face saving move. If they do not pull the trigger, they will sink to even greater depths of futility and embarrassment. Drafting Blake makes sense all around for this team. Common sense says take Griffin, and I think they do.

Unfortunately, common sense does not always prevail in Clipperland.

NBA: Revenue Sharing Plans?

2009-05-12T10:58:00.001-07:00
The NBA is in preliminary discussions to get into the revenue sharing business. Will this help or hurt the league?

NBAPA Executive Director Billy Hunter said that the next collective-bargaining negotiations with the league must include increased revenue sharing among clubs. Hunter wants the NBA's model to resemble the NFL's. In the NFL system, the home team receives 60% of gate revenue and the visiting team gets 40%.

Currently, the NBA's 30 teams get equal shares of TV and merchandise revenue, but do not share gate receipts. The NFL and MLB share gate receipts. Hunter claims the NBA's current revenue sharing plan is the weakest among the four major sports leagues (NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL).

Talks between the league and union will begin this summer, two years before the current CBA expires. Hunter believes the current system works for the players and that the NBA would have to prove to the Union that major changes should be made as a result of the current economic downturn.

Hunter and David Stern began one-on-one, informal talks in February. Hunter says he floated the idea of offering an extension of the current CBA deal, with a little tweaking here and there. He claims they rejected it, saying NBA players are not yet convinced that economic conditions at the league are so dire that the players need to make major changes.

Not yet convinced? The league already has a $180 million-dollar slush fund for teams in dire financial trouble, and more than ten teams were lining up for that money. A full third of the league needs financial help? Isn't that dire financial trouble?

Revenue sharing balances out the leagues - it takes from the rich and gives to the poor. It gives teams outside the New York market place a chance to compete. It also makes you wonder why the league would sanction moves to smaller markets where they would immediately become a drain on the system instead of a contributor. Perhaps Stern still believes large, magical palaces for teams to play in are the key to success. I doubt league owners will go along like lemmings and approve small market relocations once revenue-sharing is put in place. It's a welfare system for the neediest markets (like OKC) that cannot add to the pot, but will line up to draw from it.

Makes Aubrey McLendon's "We'll be happy if we break even" admission, that much more damaging. This is a blatant statement that they'll be in line for the handouts when they are available. These guys are not about doing what is best for the league, but rather for themselves.

"It's up to David and the owners to convince us of the urgency of the situation. We have an open mind, but this is a negotiation, not a one-sided give-away.

Will revenue sharing save the league? Will the large-market owners accept this or fight it? Small markets (ie; OKC, 26th in tv ratings, Charlotte, 30th) make no TV money and are being propped up by their larger market brethren. How will the decision to move to these smaller markets hurt Stern in the negotiation, especially when large markets are available to be exploited? Instead, Stern played small-market ball. The problem is that he doesn't bear the financial burden of these decisions...the owners will. OKC, Memphis, New Orleans, Charlotte; will Stern's only-game-in-a-small-market vision be what sinks him? Be pretty ironic, huh?

Blunder: "Another Disappointment"

2009-05-09T09:02:00.000-07:00
As expected, the Blunder achieved another level of futility; embarrassing tv ratings. No surprise there. According to the Sports Business Journal, the Blunder averaged the second-lowest viewership in the league, with only 8,000 households tuning in to catch Blunder losses...in their FIRST season in Tornado Alley.

From the Sports Business Journal (April 27-May 3);

"Another disappointment came in Oklahoma City, where an average of just 8,000 homes watched the Thunder games on Fox Sports Oklahoma, even though this season was the team's first in the market. The Thunder moved from Seattle before the season started."
Charlotte's dismal numbers were blamed on the Bobcats slow start and the lack of HD telecasts (only 16 games were avail in HD), according to Jeff Genthner, Sr VP and GM for Fox Sports South. he said all of the Bobcat games would be in HD next season.

The Clippers posted the lowest ratings in the league for Prime Ticket, with a paltry 0.51/29,000 homes.

Looks like more than three times as many people 'accidently' tuned in to catch the Clippers, the league's long-time laughing stock, than tuned in to see Blunder games in OKC in their inaugural season. Only three teams had worse ratings than the Blunder. All of them averaged higher household viewership (except Charlotte); Charlotte, Clippers, Nets and Timberwolves.

Cleveland led the league, averaging a 8.76 rating and an astounding 134,000households tuning in. Cleveland is the 17th largest market. The Spurs were second (6.71/55,000) followed by the Jazz (5.60/49,000), Lakers (4.43/250,00, actually LOWER than last season) and the Blazers (4.40/44,000).

More Corndogs, More Losses, More Blunder, Less ratings!

Bulls vs Celtics: Thanks for the Instant Classic!

2009-05-03T08:37:00.000-07:00
The Celtics held off the feisty Bulls, 109-99, on Saturday to advance in the Eastern Conference playoffs in what has to be one of the best and most hard fought series in recent memory. Four games went into overtime to be decided including an incredible three-overtime thriller the Bulls won to stave off elimination at home. This series was a thrill-a-minute battle between the veteran champion Celtics and the young and hungry Bulls, a recipe that usually results in blowout wins by the champs. But not this series. Chicago was unquestionably the Celtics equal for at least this series. The young Bulls, led by rookie coach Vinnie Del Negro, showed poise beyond their years and made it known they will be a force in the East in the future.

Six Bulls averaged double figures in the series, led by Ben Gordon's 24 points and rookie Derrick Rose's 19. Joakim Noah averaged an impressive 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Celtics won the series without star Kevin Garnett, sidelined indefinitely with what I am hearing from inside sources is an infected knee. Will he be ready for Orlando? Only time will tell.

The road for the champs gets no easier as the Magic are every bit as formidable as the Bulls, but a balanced inside-outside game led by all-world Dwight Howard, who averaged 24 points and 16 rebounds in the Philly series. Playoff-tested Rashard Lewis adds veteran leadership.

The Boston/Orlando series could be another instant classic, especially if Garnett is healthy and available. As a former fan, who has dismissed the NBA since the disappearance of the Seattle Supersonics, I found myself drawn into the Bulls/Celtics series and could not turn away. I am not a fan of either team and perhaps my indifference to the teams allowed me to enjoy the actual competition with an unbiased view. Deep down I never thought the Celtics would lose the series as that would erase the coveted Lakers/Celtics matchup in the finals you known the NBA is drooling over. I can already see the predictable marketing onslaught of the Coast-to-Coast rematch and the plundering of the historic Bird/Magic years to build interest in it.

Truth is there is no natural connection between those two dynasties anymore. The NBA is in a completely different era - forced to pimp itself to stay topical. Back in the Bird/Magic days the natural momentum and competition drove the league. Bird, magic, Barkley, Malone, Olajuwon, Payton. It just doesn't feel like that anymore. It all seems...forced. I will be stunned if the Lakers and Celtics do not meet up in the finals. Not because I view them as the best teams, although they arguably are, but because it's the textbook matchup the NBA needs. It's the obvious sequel. Sadly, the league seems less about the game and more about the business anymore.

Anyway, thank you Boston and Chicago for a very memorable match-up. Truly one for the vaults. Probably already re-running the games on ESPN's Instant Classic series.

NBA’s Small Market Dilemma, circa 2009

2009-04-29T16:01:00.001-07:00
As a business strategy, to be the only game in town is a legitimate one. Ask Walmart. The NBA has been trying that strategy for a few years now and with mixed results; abandon large markets that have NFL/MLB/NHL franchises, for smaller towns like Salt Lake City, where they are the only pro sports game in town. The theory is that there will be no competition for the sports dollar. Utah is a success story, but looking deeper tells the story.

The Jazz moved to SLC in 1979, even though it was a smaller market than New Orleans. In SLC’s defense, they had proven they could support a pro basketball team when they hosted the ABA’s Utah Stars from 1970 to 1976. The Stars were popular in SLC, but financially collapsed in their last two seasons, folding in December 1975 after playing only 16 games of what was ultimately the ABA's final season. Jerry Sloane came on board in 1988 and under his tenure they have been a consistent contender, reaching the playoffs in 18 of 20 seasons, including five trips to the conference finals and three to the NBA Championship. They also were lucky enough to have John Stockton, Karl Malone (combined to play 35 of their 36 seasons in Utah; Malone spent his last with the Lakers) and Sloane’s style of play to perfectly compliment their talents and discipline. It was a unique and wildly successful situation. It’s rare that an athlete or a coach stay in one place that long in sports any more. I would consider Utah to be the exception to almost every rule. The NBA flourished under Bird, Jordan, Malone and Barkley. Vancouver, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando hosted franchises as the NBA exploded in popularity.

Flash Forward to 2009.

Vancouver left for a doomed marriage to Memphis. The Charlotte Hornets went to New Orleans and then Charlotte got another team, to replace the team that left to fill the void the Jazz created when they went to SLC in 1979. We’ve come full circle! Oh, and somehow Seattle, a large market team with 41 years of history, was carted off to Oklahoma City because 10 years after giving the Coliseum a $150 million dollar face lift, the City, under pressure by Stern, refused to do it all over again.

How will small market teams be affected now that we’ve entered the age of the recession? Let’s take a look at the new landscape and theorize future affects.

Personal Expenditures during a recession.
These always drop, which means fewer tickets, hotdogs and merchandise. Economics affects expenditures on non-essential items during lean years. More guns = less butter: its econ 101. When you have a smaller pool of potential tickets purchasers, and you have a drop in interest due to recessed economy – you are likely to get hit harder in a small market. In New York where you have 15 million potential ticket buyers and the economy drops – let’s assume you eliminate 50% of you potential sales targets – that still leaves you with 7.5 million potential targets. Now, if your target base is 200,000 and you lose 50%...that is a harder hit, especially in an isolated market. This likely will result in lower ticket sales, which means less concessions and merchandise sales – the primary revenue streams.

TV ad revenue.
This once drove the league. Now, as advertising revenues shrink, networks cannot afford to pay top dollar. The proliferation of cable television helps offset that as there are more local and regional distributors, BUT local distributor means local market value - meaning much less money outside of the top markets. Ad rates are based on market size – so do the math. Even radio revenues are dwindling and that equals shrinking ad rates. If you are in a small market you are already receiving a lesser rate than the top markets – so this squeezes small market teams’ bottom line even more. Larger markets have a much larger revenue stream from local tv and radio.

Twitter Culture!
In our current ‘instant gratification' era, fans have a thousand distractions to deal with. This puts the pressure on entertainment to produce immediate results to an attention-deficit culture. Win now or fans lose interest and move on to the next shiny object vying for their attention...there are so many other things vying for consumer's time and money - a better value can be found elsewhere quickly.

Few of these can be blamed on the NBA – except over expansion. Few saw the recession coming. Where is the NBA headed? Only time will tell for sure. It seems plausible that some teams will fold. Memphis, Indiana and Sacramento are few potential candidates, who are losing big money. I am sorry to disagree with David Stern, but fancy new arenas for bad teams will not turn them around. No one ever got richer because they moved into a big new house. The NBA has a $180 million in loans it can dole out to teams in financial trouble and at least a dozen teams were vying for that money. Surely that figure will grow as financial losses pile up during this tough time.

All of these factors will make it hard for the NBA and small market to sustain, let alone grow. In these incredibly lean times, it’s going to be very interesting to see how the little guys try to stay afloat while the league drowns in debt. It’s tough to own a losing, small market franchise in any economy. In a recession, it may be impossible.

Seahawks Rock the Draft!

2009-04-27T15:00:00.000-07:00
Tim Ruskell shined in the 2009 draft in nearly every area. Drafting Curry, stud linebacker out of Wake Forrest was a solid choice. Many speculated that Curry is the best athlete and surest thing in the draft. Only time will, but it was a great move by Ruskell to solidify one of the strongest linebacking corp in the NFL. It also took any bargaining power away from holdout Leroy Hill as he is no longer an essential sign. That was confirmed when Ruskell wisely rescinded the "franchise" tag on him, instantly freeing up over $8 million in cap space.

Max Unger is another strong move to shore up the interior offensive line with depth and versatility. Unger can play center or guard and puts instant pressure on Chris Spencer to reach his potential at center or get out of the way. A big body at 6'5 and 285, Unger played in the Senior Bowl and his stock continued to rise up until the draft.

Deon Butler broke several Penn State receiving records held by former Seahawk Bobby Engram and is the all-time receptions leader there. He adds depth and speed to a suspect receiving corp upgraded in the off-season with the addition of veteran producer, TJ Houshmazadeh. This new combo should stretch the field for the Seahawk offense and open up the running game and make stud tight end John Carlson even more dangerous underneath.

Cameron Morrah a 6'4 tight end from Cal. A 7th round pick that can spell Carlson when needed, is a strong run blocker and another big body over the middle for short yardage situations. Set the Cal season record for td receptions by a tight end with eight in his junior season. Declared before his senior season and was a starter every game his junior year.

Ruskell also acquired Denver's first round pick in next year's draft and really gave up nothing significant. The only question mark is they did nothing to strengthen the secondary which has been a glaring weakness on this team. Part of last year's meltdown can easily be attributed to injuries, a situation unlikely to repeat itself to the degree it did. Expect the Seahawks to look into free agency to get a big-bodied secondary player - likely Ken Lucas - who will be needed if that unit is going to make any significant steps forward.

Good job Ruskell!

Bennett Closer to Being $30 Million Poorer!?

2009-04-22T14:05:00.000-07:00
According the the Seattle PI:

The Bill designed to get new Seattle NBA team is moving forward in the legislative process.

A state Senate committee on Monday passed a bill that would make it easier for Seattle to get another NBA team - or for the city to collect $30 million from the Sonics-turned-Oklahoma City Thunder owner if professional basketball doesn't return to Jet City soon.

Senate Bill 6116 would allocate a portion of existing restaurant and car rental taxes to pay for the arts and housing for poor people as well as for improvements to KeyArena.

Specifically, the measure says: "If by 2013 the city of Seattle has a lease with an
NBA team the 2 percent car rental tax and the King County food and beverage tax raised
within Seattle must go to pay for bonds for necessary improvements to Key Arena."

The bill must still be approved by the full Senate and signed off on by the House. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn Sunday.

To break his lease at KeyArena and move the team, Bennett agreed to pay $45 million. He also agreed to pay the city another $30 million if the NBA doesn't send a new team to a revamped KeyArena by 2013. However as part of that deal the Legislature has to approve a revenue stream for a facility by the end of this year - or Bennett gets to keep his money.

One step closer to relieving Bennett of his $30 million!

One thing to keep in mind is that the upgrades could be used to help lure other business to the Arena, not just and NBA franshise. This is a good thing all around. An upgraded Coliseum, a potential new NBA tenant, a potentially poorer Clay Bennett!

More Corndogs, Less cash for Bennett, more Blunder!

Blunder Season Finale: Stuck in the 50's!

2009-04-15T15:40:00.000-07:00
Ah, the 50's. A wonderful time in American history. 50's history is repeating itself for the Blunder..in losses! The Blunder finish another 50 loss season under Clay Bennett; 59 losses to be exact.

Ironically, The Blunder dominated the lifeless, listless, useless Los Angeles Clippers in the season finale for both teams, 126-85. In what can only be deemed a shameful performance, the Clippers solidified their place as the league's official laughingstock with a 19-win season. Hats off to the Blunder who came to play as the Clippers shamefully gave a performance so bad, the fans truly deserve refunds and the players deserve to be docked pay for being MIA. An embarrassing display by a pitiful NBA franchise. Eric Gordon led the Clippers with 22 points.

Durant led six Blunder players in double figures with 26 points as OKC went out on a high note, but ultimately failed on their quest for the 60-loss plateau. The former Seattle SuperSonics managed to lose 59 games in their debut season in OKC, a full three games better than the disaster Clay Bennett unleashed on Seattle fans last year. The Blunder has a nice core of Westbrook, Durant and Green and have draft picks aplenty. It will be interesting to see how they use them. They MUST get an instant impact player to keep interest up in OKC and to boost season ticket sales for next season, sales figures that are likely to drop due to the recession. If they do not get the #1 lottery pick, I expect them to package up a trade consisting of multiple first-round picks over the next two seasons in a hail-Mary attempt to land Griffin.

The Blunder will have plenty of cap space, something I deem irrelevant; this team was never in cap trouble. This organization simply cannot AFFORD to max out their cap space, even with new talent. The recession damaged the owner’s pocketbooks. This season's inaugural season ticket sales were expected, but how will the recession treat next season's sales? TV and radio revenues are dwindling and for a small market team that could be disastrous. Teams used to count on that revenue, but advertising money simply isn't there in this economic climate. The Blunder have to stay far under the cap just to pay the bills and keep the lights on. As if this team will ever challenge the salary cap with this ownership group. That's just hilarious.

The Blunder treated Scott Brooks to a solid win, which have been few and far between this season. Blunder 'management' announced Brooks will stay as head coach next season after taking over for P.J. "Scapegoat" Carlesimo who was not hired to win, but to ensure losses and help get the Sonics out of Seattle. PJ did not lose on purpose, but he was clearly the wrong hire to begin with; a very old-school guy with a roster of youth. Bad combination. There were much more logical choices, like Dwayne Casey. Bennett had no intention of being competitive under PJ; their agenda was to distance themselves from the Seattle fans. PJ was the perfect fall guy; too old to coach this young group and instead, alienated them. It was evident in the ESPN game early in the season against New Orleans; PJ had no control over this team.

General manager Sam Presti said Brooks proved his ability to communicate with a young team while demonstrating the necessary passion to help players improve. The Blunder were 1-13 when Brooks took over on November 22, and went 21-47 afterward. What is curious is they only committed to him for next season - no long term deal for job security was put in place. That seems like oddly conflicting messages to the supposed leader of the team.

Blunder: 23-59, last place, three games better than last season. Viva la 50's!
Outlook: Draft positioning.
Motto: More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Blazers Thrash Blunder as OKC Daydreams about Blake

2009-04-14T07:25:00.000-07:00
The Portland Blazers crushed the Blunder on Monday 113-83, a game barely worthy of the term ‘professional competition’ as the Blazers led by as many as 35 in the route.

The Blazers remain locked in a three-way tie for the third seed in the Western Conference with San Antonio and Houston. They close out the regular season at home against the playoff-bound Hornets. The Blunder close out their first season in OKC with a scheduled loss against the Clippers (3-0 vs. the Blunder) on Wednesday.

Amid all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Blunder relocating to OKC and immediately making an impact - it just never happened. The Sonics team that Clay Bennett decimated in a calculated effort to aide his move, has exactly two wins more than last season. The Blunder claim victory at the ticket office. However, it's tough to know accurate attendance figures because they are easily manipulated by teams with agendas, as we all know: by inflating this year's figures to look good to the media vs. last ludicrous years' cries of "OMG...they aren't supporting the team!" Typical propaganda tactics that are convincing to the non-thinking milieu.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant who averages 25.5 points, scored only 10 points in 32 minutes for the Thunder who were led by Earl Watson's 16 points. OKC have lost six of their past seven games as they position themselves nicely for the Blake Griffin sweepstakes. Rookie Russell Westbrook added 15 points and seven assists as Brooks gave the bench heavy minutes.

From CBS Sportsline:

The Blazers stayed on track by building a lead of as many as 35 points against the hapless Thunder for their fifth consecutive victory.

Hapless sums it up nicely. Let's not forget they are hapless by design as the team attempts to build for the future. The problem is that eventually it IS the future and results are necessary to sustain interest after the new-car smell has worn off.
The Blunder needs one more loss to carry them to the 60-loss plateau, again, under Clay Bennett's guidance and vision. While the Blunder do have a nice cache of picks coming up, they desperately need a veteran presence in the middle to make them a serious contender. The trio of Durant, Westbrook and Green are a solid nucleus, but will never be enough.

OKC will face some serious off-season challenges, as all the teams will. They'll likely get a nice pick, but not necessarily one that will make an instant impact. The most intriguing situation will be the season ticket sales figures during a recession. Surely Bennett and Presti are salivating at the thought of Blake Griffin and what he could do on the court and for season ticket sales. Perhaps if they do not get the top pick, they trade this year's and next year's number one picks for it to move up. That's a long shot scenario but one the Blunder may seriously consider.

Blunder; 22-59
Next loss; Wednesday vs. the Clippers.

Oklahoma City's Nick Collison was honest about how his team did against the Blazers: "They play like adults and we don't play like that sometimes." The former Seattle Supersonics were met at the Rose Garden by former fans wearing Sonics' jerseys. One young girl’s T-shirt said "Missing my Seattle SuperSonics."

Blunder Close in on 60th loss; Nuggets Close in on 2nd Seed

2009-04-09T15:33:00.000-07:00
The Denver Nuggets win the season series against the mighty Blunder (3-1) with a convincing 122-112 win in Denver on Wednesday night. Carmelo Anthony had 31 points, five rebounds and assists as the Nuggets won their eighth straight, putting them 27 games above .500 for the first time in their 33-year NBA history. Denver can clinch the Northwest division and the second seed in the Western Conference with a win against the top-seeded Lakers Thursday night in LA.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC as usual with 31 points and 7 rebounds in as the Blunder continued their quest for 60 losses. They have lost seven of eight games down the stretch to conveniently position themselves for a lottery pick. At least Durant (41 minutes) and Green (43 minutes) played starter-minutes this time.

Russell Westbrook went 0-2 from three-point range with five turnovers and four fouls and Nick Collison and Nonads Krystac each had five fouls and ex-Wazzu star Kyle Weaver had 3 points to lead the Blunder low-lights.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Blunder; 21-57
Playoff outlook; "There's always next year"
Next loss; Saturday vs Charlotte

Spurs Plunder Blunder as OKC Focuses on Blake Lottery

2009-04-07T20:04:00.001-07:00
The Blunder continued their late season plunge as the Spurs hand OKC another loss, 99-89. Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 25 points and 15 rebounds as the Spurs played without Manu Ginobili who's been lost for the season with a ankle injury.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led the Blunder with 24 points in 40 minutes and Jeff Green had 16 points in 42 minutes. Seems Blunder starters only play full minutes against the Spurs lately. Perhaps Blunder GM Sam Presti is motivated to beat his former team, at the risk of jeapordizing their coveted lottery status. Durant, Green and Westbrook have each seen diminished minutes during the Blunder's last few games, dating back to their last win - against the Spurs on March 31st. It is interesting the starters log full minutes against San Antonio and no one else. Is the front office only interested in winning games against the Spurs? That's not giving the fans the full effort they are (over)paying for.

If Ninendo wanted to promote an NBA game (featuring the Blunder) on their Wii system, their should be paddle motion option to simulated punching Bennett. That'd boost sales!

The Blunder have lost six of seven games.

Celebs turn out to enjoy some Blunder!

Wayman Tisdale, University Oklahoma's career scoring leader, was honored at the game. He will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in November. Celebrities in the crowd included former Sooners football star Brian Bosworth. Most remember him for his hair cuts and getting run over by Bo Jackson on Monday Night football. His famously short-lived NFL career never lived up to his self-hype. Speculation centered on his steroid abuse as being a key factor in his injury-shortened career. The last time he was semi-dominant was in Tecmo Bowl.

Blunder: 21-56
Next Loss: Wednesday vs. Denver
Playoff outlook: Eliminated
Strategy; "Just lose, baby"

More corndogs! More losses! More Bosworth!

Blazers Thrash Blunder; OKC Tanking Games for Blake's Sake?

2009-04-04T11:15:00.000-07:00
Portland blew past the Blunder on Friday night in OKC, 107-72. LaMarcus Aldridge went off for 35 points and 18 rebounds and Steve Blake added 14 points and 10 assists. With Texas coach Rick Barnes at the game, Aldridge nearly matched his highest scoring total of his career (36) and had a key role in three scoring runs that pushed the Blazers to their fourth straight victory by at least 20 points.
Portland, 48-27, moved closer to clinching a playoff spot.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant, also a Barnes student, led OKC with 13 points as the Blunder put up a weak effort in the lopsided loss.

Are the Blunder tanking games to enhance their lottery status? Is their new strategy to "just lose, baby" to potentially get AP Player of the Year, Oklahoma's Blake Griffin? That would cetainly be a feel-good story for the former SuperSonic franchise that desperately needs one. Consider this; Durant, who usually logs heavy minutes, had only 28, along with Westbrook and Green, their three best players. How are you expected to compete when your strongest chance at winning are all sitting on the bench for a quarter of the game? None were in foul trouble. As the season is winding down so are Durant's minutes. Aren't the fan's paying to see him on the court and the team competing?

Blunder: 21-54
Next loss: Sunday vs. Indiana. If they cannot win this game at home, you know something is going on.

Jay Cutler - Out or In?

2009-04-02T14:22:00.001-07:00
Addendum! Bears trade for Cutler - giving up 2 first-rounders, a third-rounder and Kyle Orton for Cutler and a fifth-round pick.

The Jay Cutler saga keeps getting more interesting. Thursday morning had Cutler backtracking on his trade demands, claiming he never asked out of Denver, nor did he want it to get that far. Meanwhile Denver is reportedly seeking two first-round picks for Cutler and a possibly a player, which makes you wonder if they are intentionally pricing him out of tradability. The Redskins have quickly become the front runner but even Dan Snyder isn't likely up two first-rounders. Are the Broncos having second thoughts? Are the two sides trying to work it out behind the scenes after a silly escalation of posturing? Recent developments, Cutler's comments and Denver's absurd demands, certainly create a good argument for Cutler staying in Denver.

Cutler, who turns 26 on April 29, is coming off a Pro Bowl season. He threw for 4,526yards and 25 touchdowns in 2008.

Tensions between the two quickly escalated after Denver reportedly offered to send Cutler to New England for upstart Matt Cassel who successfully filled Tom Brady's shoes last season. Denver quickly backed away after bruising Cutler's ego but Cutler has played the victim card in all of this.

After repeated damage-control efforts failed, the Broncos made known their intention to try to trade Cutler on Tuesday as owner Pat Bowlen sent out a statement to members of the media. That ended a month long battle between the disgruntled quarterback and new coach Josh McDaniels, the former New England quarterbacks guru.

This is a lose/lose scenario for both sides. Cutler has a good thing going in Denver and vice-versa. Is it too late to work it out? Of course not. Should Cutler remain in Denver and the team rally around him successfully, well that's a great feel-good story for the season. Especially if they can make the playoffs. Yes, we'll get sick of hearing about that, but should it implode the team and morale, that is an even bigger lesson.

Stay tuned for more.

Cavalier Attitude: Bennett Heads for UVA

2009-03-30T16:21:00.001-07:00
From Wazzo to Wahoo.

Washington State men's basketball coach Tony Bennett has accepted the head coaching job at University of Virgina. Bennett replaces Dave Leitao who resigned after four seasons. Bennett helped guide the Cougars to three straight NCAA tournament appearances. He took over for his father, Dick Bennett, and continued the resurgance of the men's basketball program in Pullman. The Cougs had been a non-factor in the PAC-10 for years until the father/son duo resurrected the program with defense, discipline and fundamental basketball. It is unclear if any of his assistants will be going with him.

Bennett took over Wazzu's team from his father Dick Bennett, who made it a condition of his hiring that Tony replace him when he stepped down. He posted a 68-30 record in three seasons with the Cougars. His first two teams made the NCAA tournament and this year's squad was eliminated in the first round of the NIT by St. Mary's.

Bennett was the AP college basketball coach of the year in 2007.

Portland State's Ken Bone, who guided the Pilots to the NCAA tournament this year, is already being considered a top contender for the job. Bone was an assistant for three years under Lorenzo Romar at UW. This would certainly add more fuel to the UW/WSU rivalry. WSU AD Jim Sterk was an associate AD at Seattle Pacific for a year while Bone was men's basketball coach there.

Carolina Rumbles, Louisville Tumbles, Blunder Bumbles

2009-03-29T23:38:00.000-07:00
A big day in hoops as number-one seeded Louisville is ousted by Michigan State, Carolina flexes it's muscles over Oklahoma and The Blunder lost their third in a row.

Michigan State stunned top-seeded Louisville with surprising ease, 64-52 as Goran Suton had 19 points and 10 rebounds. The second-seeded Spartans used a controlled-pace game to perfection to advance to their fifth Final Four in 11 years; tops of any team in the nation during that span. Michigan State heads to the final four at Detroit's Ford Field House for what is essentially a home game against another #1 seed, Uconn, on Saturday. Earl Clark led Louisville, who finish the season 31-6, with 19 points.

Ty Lawson had 19 points to lead North Carolina over Oklahoma, 72-60 in a game that wasn't really that close. Only a late 9-0 run by Oklahoma made the final score closer than the game actually was, as Carolina dominated. Blake Griffin led the Sooners with 23 points and 16 rebounds as Oklahoma finished the season 30-6. The Tar Heels advance to their record 18th Final Four to play Villanova, who upset Pittsburgh, on Saturday in Detroit.

The Celtics dumped the Blunder 103-84 on Sunday using a 32-16 fourth quarter to blow the game wide open for the easy win. The Blunder were led by Russell Westbrook's 21 points, the second straight night future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant did not lead the team in scoring. Nick Collison was back in form, going 1-for-7 in 26 minutes for four points, one game removed from a 21 point outburst.

"We did a pretty good job for three quarters," coach Scott Brooks said.

The Blunder lost their third straight and fifth of six as they position themselves for a run at the lottery pick. Curiously, Durant, who normally logs many heavy minutes, only played 33 minutes in a game the Blunder were technically in until the fourth quarter. Are they resting him for next years playoff push or just ensuring another loss to gain a higher pick? Interesting strategy in OKC; take your best player out when the game is on the line.

In other Blunder developments, The Blunder sent rookie forward D.J. White back for a second stint with their NBA D League team in Tulsa. Ironically, the Blunder are 20-53, which most people consider "D league" already.

Blunder: 20-53, last place.
Playoff outlook: we're tanking games now for a higher lottery pick.
Next loss: Wednesday vs San Antonio.
Outlook: Quest for 60!

BLUNDER LOSSES PROVE RECESSION PROOF

2009-03-28T08:44:00.000-07:00
In a era of tumbling numbers on Wall Street, The Blunder defy the trend as they continue to show growth in the loss sector. Toronto raced out to an early lead and never looked back as they won their season-high third straight game by silencing the Blunder on Friday night, 112-96. Both teams, long since eliminated from the playoffs, are merely playing for pride, or perhaps losing to improve lottery-pick positioning.

Toronto center Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 21 points and 13 rebounds while Shawn Marion added 20 and 11. Nick Collison led the Blunder with 21 and 7, the first time he has led the team in scoring since the former Sonics moved to OKC. Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 18 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Chucky Atkins had 2 points on 1-for-7 shooting in 23 minutes, Durant and Westbrook both had 4 turnovers and Jeff Green was 0-for-4 from three-point range to lead the Blunder low-lights. OKC, 6-29 on the road this season, have not won back-to-back road games this year.

The Thunder had just two offensive rebounds in the first half, which Durant said was an indicator of the team's effort.

"We could have played a lot harder, obviously," Durant said. "That's tough because that's the easiest thing to do in basketball, to play hard. We've got another game coming up (vs. Boston) to redeem ourselves, but this one is tough because we could have controlled the game earlier by playing harder, getting into our offense better and stopping them on the defensive end."

Interim Thunder coach Scott Brooks said his players must produce an improved defensive performance when they visit Boston on Sunday. "Defense is two things," Brooks said. "It's a mind-set and it's also helping each other out and we didn't have either one tonight. We have to make sure we get back to that the next couple of games."

Makes you wonder why Brooks still has the 'interim' tag. Is he auditioning for a contract, or simply a stop-gap until they can find a bigger name? How many coaches would want to coach in OKC? The team has talent and draft picks, so maybe that's the lure they are counting on. With 10 games left, can the Blunder get 60 losses?

Blunder: 21-52, last place.
Playoff outlook: eliminated.
Next loss: Sunday vs. Boston

Area 51: Where Blunder Enjoy Playoff Elimination!

2009-03-25T10:59:00.000-07:00
Fresh off their eliminated from the playoff race, the Blunder padded their losses with a beat-down courtesy of the L.A. Lakers, 107-89 on Tuesday. The Lakers raced out to a 17-point first quarter lead and never looked back, emptying their bench early in the game. Pau Gasol had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Future ex-Blunder, Kevin Durant, led OKC as he always does, with 24 points. Russell Westbrook was 2-11 from the field and had four fouls, while Durant went 0-6 from three-point land and Tosha Sefalosha had a game-high five turnovers to lead the Blunder low-lights. As a team, the Blunder went 3-18 from three point range; that's 16.7%!

Blunder: 21-51; tied for last place.
Playoff outlook: Eliminated!
Anticipating: The draft.
Next loss: Friday vs Toronto.

More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

Top 10 OKC/Bennett Blunders This Season (So Far)

2009-03-22T12:02:00.000-07:00
As the Blunder reach the 50-loss milestone, let's take a look at some of the top OKC Blunders of the season. Yes, the Blunder will eclipse the win totals of last season's decimated-to-move-it-to-OKC Sonic's franchise, but it has been a season filled with bumbling moves. Let's take a look;

10. Losing 50th game of the year to the Utah Jazz! I find myself loving the Jazz this season, something UNTHINKABLE when they Sonics were in Seattle.
9. Getting thoroughly embarrassed in their only nationally televised game (vs. the Hornets, ironically) which prompted the firing of hired-fall-guy PJ Carlisimo, cementing the teams status as a laughingstock for the rest of the season.
8. 14-game losing streak. Ouch!
7. Scott Brooks as interim coach for 70 games? What's the problem here? Give him the green light already. You ain't luring Phil Jackson to the Dustbowl.
6. Botching the Tyson Chandler trade. A perfect compliment to the young Blunder team and giving up next to nothing for him...and then rescinding the trade because of an alleged 'failed health exam'. Please. This felt like buyer's remorse from a bankrupt ownership afraid to take on his contract. Chandler has played great since coming off his injury. He's a consistant, athletic, nine-points/eight-boards a game performer.
5. Bumbling mascot choice. Unable to learn their lesson from #2, they name their mascot Rumble, a mascot which looks eerily similar to the Seattle Sonics Squatch, and ensuring it's nickname would be "Bumble".
4. Silly CBA uniforms that were completely unoriginal, minimizing the national merchandising revenue potential.
3. Revealing a lame, uninspiring Doritos logo that was immediately panned by the majority. It minimized the national merchandising potential of the team.
2. Naming the team "Thunder", which everyone immediately called "Blunder". You really couldn't see that one coming, Clay? Seriously?

1. MOVING TO OKC!

More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

Blunder Get Bulled Over in 49th Loss

2009-03-18T22:01:00.000-07:00
The Bulls snapped a seven-game road losing streak as they dumped the Blunder in OKC on Wednesday, 103-96. Derrick Rose went off for 25 points, 20 in the second half as the Bulls won their 32nd game and maintained their 8th seed by a game and a half game over Charlotte an Milwaukee. OKC maintained their death-grip on last place, one step closer to playoff-elimination. Good times in OKC!

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 28 points in 42 minutes to lead the losing effort. Toshe Sefalosa had six points in 34 minutes, Nick Collison had four fouls and the Blunder as a team were 2-11 from three-point range to lead the lowlights.

Countdown to 50!

Blunder: 19-49
Next Loss (#50!): Friday vs Utah.

More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

Suns Set On Blunder, Sweep Season Series

2009-03-14T22:12:00.000-07:00
Leandro Barbosa's 22 points in 21 minutes led Phoenix to a 106-95 win, pulling them within five games of Dallas for the last playoff spot as they swept the season series with the Blunder, 4-0. Dallas owner Mark Cuban was one of the NBA owners who voted against Bennett moving the Sonics to OKC.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant, back from an ankle sprain, led OKC with 22 points in 39 minutes as the Blunder bumbled from 13 points ahead to notch loss #48. Nick Collison had four meager points in 22 minutes and fouled out, Jeff Green had eight turnovers and Malik Rose had zero points and three fouls in six minutes to lead the Blunder low lights.

Blunder: 18-48, Last place
Next Loss: Monday vs. San Antonio.

Countdown To 50: Mile High Blunder Bumble!

2009-03-11T21:15:00.001-07:00
Bennett's Blunder inched closer to the coveted 50-loss milestone as Denver handed OKC a mile-high beat-down on Wednesday, 112-99. Renaldo Balkman (yes, THE Renaldo Balkman) enjoyed a career night with 14 points and 14 rebounds to lead Denver. Carmelo Anthony enjoyed 22 points. George Karl enjoyed a big gulp and a pizza.

The Blunder played without injured star Kevin Durant, something they better get used to. The face of the franchise is expected to bolt for greener pastures, literally, when his contract expires. OKC is not likely to be able to offer the max contract necessary to retain his services. Oh, but the Lakers and Knicks will.

Damien Wilkins was 0-2 for zero points in 11 minutes, Wazzu-alum Kyle Weaver enjoyed four turnovers, Malik Rose kicked in with four fouls and Thabo Sefalosha was 3-12 from the field to lead the Blunder low-lights. Chucky Atkins, Desmond Mason and Nick Collison did not play...no one noticed.

Blunder: 18-47, last place, 23 games out of first.
Losses to clinch 50: Three
Next loss: Thursday vs. Orlando

Blunder Ironic Factoid:
Blunder "Excellence Polo" on team website: $55. Team record: 18-47, last place.
Los Angeles Laker classic polo: $45. Team record 51-13, first place.
Once again, Bennett gives you less for your money!

Amusing stat from OKCBlunders' CBSsportsline Page:
Oklahoma City Thunder Groups
Oklahoma City Thunder Fantatics
Members: 57
Last Post: 6 days ago

More corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder! More Bumble!

Blunder Dissed, Dismissed, Clinch 46th...

2009-03-08T08:08:00.000-07:00
...46th defeat of the season that is. Hey now! OKC strolled into the Big Easy and were 'Big Easily' dismissed by the Hornets, 108-90, who won their seventh straight, something the OKC Blunder have never done. Nor have they ever beaten the Hornets, who swept the season series, 4-0. That familiar stench of defeat swirled around OKC again as their team-record three-game wimming streak came to an end.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin did not play again due to his ankle injury. Rumors swirl he is worried about 'failing a physical', (ala Tyson Candler) and is resting up for when he eventually departs to LA or NY...or maybe even Chicago. Malik Rose shot 2-9 for four points and added five fouls in 31 minutes; Earl Watson had five turnovers and was 0-4 on three-point shooting while the Blunder, as a team, gave up 54 points in the paint. Tyson Chandler, in the middle, likely could have prevented some of those points, in spite of his 'failed physical'. He was healthy enough to have 12 points and eight rebounds against the mighty Blunder.

Chris Paul led six Hornets in double-figure scoring with 21 points and 13 assists, passing Byron Scott on the teams all-time assist list.

MAXIM hands out another Blunder dissing in March 2009 issue! On page 44 of "Sports", in a brief blurb about shuffling teams to help the league;
"Why not send teams to more deserving cities? No we're not talking about the Sonics moving to Oklahoma City; that was just messed up."

That's twice the Blunder have been given a Maxim beat-down.

Blunder: 16-46, last place, 23 games out of first.
Next Loss: Philadelphia on Sunday.

More Corndogs, More Losses, More Blunder!

Washington Clinches PAC-10 Title; Blunder Enjoy Last Place!

2009-03-07T16:38:00.000-08:00
The Washington Huskies clinched their first outright PAC-10 title since 1953 as they held off the feisty Cougs in Seattle, 67-60. U-dub survived Taylor Rochestie's game-high 23-points, including several clutch three-pointers down the stretch that kept it close. Washington was led by Quincy Pondexter's 16 points and senior Jon Brockman tied his career-high with 18 rebounds while adding seven points. Venoy Overton had 14 points. Washington, 24-7, shared PAC-10 titles in 1984 and '85, but clinched it outright by one game over UCLA, who defeated Oregon today to end the regular season.

Washington State finishes 16-14 on the season, 8-10 in PAC-10 play. Wazzu is arguably the hottest team in the league in spite of the loss, coming off wins against Arizona, Arizona State, and UCLA. They could be the most dangerous team in the league heading into in the PAC-10 tournament, which begins March 11 in Los Angeles.

Regardless of the PAC-10 tourny, Washington will get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, probably as high as a 3 seed. Wazzu needs help just to get into the NIT. However, they could be a serious contender for the title should they get in.

Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, the Blunder remains firmly entrenched in last place, 23 games out of first. They put their 45 losses on the line tonight against the Hornets, winners of five straight since the bumbling Tyson Chandler-to OKC trade was mysteriously rescinded, supposedly due to a failed health exam. I think we know who's health was really in question; the Blunder's fiscal health. Otherwise rescinding the trade makes no sense at all.

More corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder! More Bumble!

Lucky Blunder Number 7; NBA's New Welfare Program

2009-02-28T08:14:00.000-08:00
As in seven straight losses! Fresh off their display of Bennett-like ineptness in losing six in a row, the Blunder of OKC extend it to seven by losing 110-108 in Dallas on Friday night. It was a loss that could've been prevented by having an inside presence like Tyson Chandler, but his $12 million-a-year contact apparently caused him to fail his physical. We'll see how OKC responds after the NBA's $175 million dollar welfare program kicks in. More on that later.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had six points and left the game in the first quarter after spraining his ankle. He is listed as day-to-day by the Blunder 'medical staff' which probably consists of an intern, a cup of ice and a band aid. If he cannot play he'll sit curbside to watch the OKC car wreck. Russell Westbrook missed 21 shots and had four turnovers in 47 minutes, former Wazzu star Kyle Weaver was 1-5 for four points, Nick Collison and some low-rent dude named Thabo Sefolosha had five fouls apiece to lead the Blunder low-lights.

The Blunder improved to 3-25 on the road, 0-7 since "Bumble", their bizarre sasquach/retarded-bison hybrid mascot was revealed. Lower that bar, Clay!

Blunder: 13-45, last place
Next loss: Saturday vs. Memphis "lookin' for a new home" Grizzlies.

NBA Deepens Its Debt; Takes on Welfare Role

The NBA has acquired another $175 million in loans in an effort to create a financial welfare pool for struggling teams to draw from. The NBA polled its teams and found that 15 were desperate for financial help, thanks to David Stern's 'guidance'. The only team that has confirmed it is expecting to draw from the welfare fund is the Orlando Magic. Alex Martins, Magic CEO, said the Magic plans on drawing from the fund because "It certainly helps us bridge the time period between now and when we move into our new events center in 2010." They claim operating losses of 15-20 million annually over the past few years.

If they are operating in the negative, why are they not reducing salaries or front office costs? No mention of any cost cutting measures the club(s) has taken. What are these teams doing to be fiscally responsible other than looking for handouts?

Each team will have a cap of 11.66 million it can draw on to stave off financial disaster. The teams that will be drawing from the pot have not been announced. You have to wonder, with the financial disaster the Blunder owners have incurred and their obvious inability to take on the Tyson Chandler contract, what are the odds Clay Bennett will be reaching for a hand-out in his first season in Blunderland?

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Handouts!

44!

2009-02-25T07:35:00.000-08:00
1. Jim Brown's #.
2. London's international dialing code.
3. Cool indie rock band.
4. Sarah Palin's Alaska is the 44th state.
5. Ruthenium - 44th element. Not sure who Ruth was, though...
6. Cav's Mo Williams career-high in points, scored against Phoenix on 2/11/09
7. Jack Sikma's jersey number...actually it was 43.
8. 1965 (44 years ago) the US sent troops to Viet Nam. 44 years later the NBA sent the Seattle Supersonics to OKC. Critics debate which is a bigger "Blunder".
9. Supersonic win total in 2001.
10. Blunder loss totals (so far this year!)

More Losses! More Corndogs! More Blunder! More Bumble!

A New Arena Plan: Creating a Seattle Center Stimulus Package

2009-02-22T09:31:00.000-08:00
Let's create a stimulus package that creates jobs, upgrades the Center, and creates revenue streams for local businesses and the city while providing jobs.

Getting the legislature interested in the Colieum will require logical thinking, practical solutions, and a smart plan with wide-range benefits. In this economic landscape, everyone, especially the government, is under pressure to be prudent and accountable.

The way get Key funding, and Bennett's $30 million, is to propose an entire upgrade to the Seattle Center, with the Key being a part of that expansion/upgrade plan. A 'stimulus package' for the Seattle Center and lower Queen Anne area, that would upgrade the entire Center with the Coliseum being a part of that plan, while creating jobs in the process. Selling the State o a plan with an agenda of getting a team back is a lost cause and an awful coming off of what just happened and the financial situation we are in. There simply has to be a big-picture benefit to a plan. Let’s explore my idea.

Using the existing tax plan that was offered up (and rejected) as our basic template, let us use that tax formula to upgrade the entire Seattle Center. Earmark the initial flow of funds towards a Coliseum upgrade, but do not restrict it to that. Maybe a 75/25 split of the tax (75% going towards the Coliseum upgrade) until the $75 million threshold is met (ensuring Bennett being on the hook for the $30 million) and then have it revert to a 90/10 split where the 90% is used to upgrade and expand the Seattle Center as needed. The new 10% would be used in a way that is TBD, or perhaps even used as a safety net in anticipation of cost overruns.

After the $75 million is acquired, allow a private-sector investor to take on the rest of the financial risk of the upgrade - acquiring an ownership stake in the Coliseum in the process. Private ownership will be burdened with the task of operating it efficiently - a much better risk than hanging it on the government who have no personal financial risk at stake. Those who have the most to lose financially will work the hardest at creating a profitable and efficient business - something the government has never been accused of doing.

The Coliseum should not be at the center of the debate – it should be a by-product of a larger stimulus package. That would make more sense because the benefits will be on a larger scale, rather than trying to convince an embittered City to chase down another NBA team after the Bennett/Stern debacle. We should not be counting on an NBA team coming here, because that is a real possibility. However, with my plan in place we have still created a winning situation; Seattle gets a sorely-needed upgrade to the Seattle Center, gets Bennett’s $30 million, and could still get a hockey team.

With the announcement about the NBA needing a $175 million fund to keep 15 teams afloat, according to Sports Business Journal, let’s not put all our bets on the NBA returning. I forecast the potential folding of franchises, or their imminent move.

I welcome your thoughts on this.

Blunder Burned in Phoenix - Clinch Losing Record!

2009-02-21T08:41:00.000-08:00
Phoenix, under new coach Alvin Gentry, torched the Blunder 140-118 on Friday night as Leandro Barbosa scored 41 points. The Suns improved to 3-0 under Gentry who took over for Terry Porter and promptly re-installed the Suns hyper-tempo offense that has unleashed 140 points in three straight games.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant scored 35 for OKC which improved to 0-2 under new mascot, Bumble the Bison, ensuring them of a losing season in the dustbowl. I think congratulations are in order to Clay Bennett; a confirmed loser! Chucky Atkins went 1-6 for three points, Durant had five turnovers and Jeff Green picked up five fouls to lead the Blunder low-lights.

Blunder 13-42, last place.
Next loss: Saturday vs. Golden State.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder! More Bumble!

Seattle Stalling Out on Getting Bennett's $30 Million?

2009-02-20T07:34:00.001-08:00
Seattle 'leaders' continue to find ways to help Clay Bennett keep his $30 million! An awfully kind and rewarding gesture towards the man that screwed over 41 years worth of Sonics fans' memories.

Another proposal to introduce Key Arena upgrades to the legislature has been shelved. According to the terms of Bennett's deal for Seattle to get that $30 million, it requires that the Legislature buy into a renovation financing plan before adjourning its 2009 session this spring.

Ross Hunter, chairman of the House Finance Committee said his plan meets that criterion -- by simply providing the city taxing authority it already has. He is prepared to propose a bill that would allow the city to increase Seattle's property or business taxes, with voter approval.

"They asked me not to introduce it." Hunter claims.

Tim Ceis said Hunter's proposal doesn't cut it. However he wasn't giving up hope just yet. "Hopefully, we will be able to work with him to get something that will work," Ceis said.

Hunter says the city is pushing another tax idea, but neither side will discuss it.

"They're working hard at figuring out the details and making sure it's viable," Hunter said. He plans to file a place-holder bill Thursday to avoid breaking a deadline for new legislation. Hunter says it is still possible lawmakers could vet and approve a new idea before adjourning in the spring. "These things are always done in three days at the end of session", according to Hunter.

Is Seattle being pragmatic and thorough or just indifferent to the NBA? Surely the current economic landscape requires prudent thinking, and that seems to be the case here. Isn't acquiring $30 million in free money prudent thinking? Shouldn't this be a no brainer agenda for the city? Regardless of the revenge factor, which should be motivation enough, who doesn't want/need free money? GET IT DONE, SEATTLE!

Now more than ever you cannot afford NOT to.

Two Spectacular Blunders and One Bizarre Backtrack

2009-02-18T07:10:00.000-08:00
Talk about Bizarre!

The Hornets experienced a thrilling victory and a crushing defeat on Tuesday in the OKC. Chris Paul's lay-up with 2.7 seconds left lifted New Orleans over the Blunder, 100-98. The Hornets picked up the win despite future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant's career-high 47 points. Russell Westbrook had five fouls and Earl Watson went 0-6 for zero points to lead the Blunder low-lights. David West went off for 37 points and 13 boards to lead New Orleans. However, the Hornet win despite Durant's career high is not the interesting part of story. That took place off the court.

The Hornets performed their own blunder by trading Tyson Chandler to OKC in exchange for 500 pounds of dead weight known as Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox. A spectacular blunder for the Hornets who lost a valuable 26 year-old inside presence in a suspected effort to dump salary. New Orleans just waved the white flag, conceding any legitimate shot at future franchise stability, or a deep playoff run this year. Is this the dismantling of the upstart, small-market Hornets? The cycle continues to perpetuate a serious problem with sports; smaller market teams eliminated from contention OFF the court, by dumping contracts to stay above water in the financial column, rather than the win column. This must be a painful reminder to all Hornets fans of the state of the game.

Then Sam Presti announced that Tyson Chandler failed his physical, sending him back to New Orleans to a hero's welcome! What gives? Is Chandler's 'sprained ankle' far more serious? Career threatening? Doesn't seem likely. Losing Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox is no big deal, so that cannot be it. Can OKC afford Chandler? Maybe that is the problem. We know the owners are struggling, and unless Presti has some big deal brewing or has revealed Tyson to be permanently damaged goods, this is just bizarre. If New Orleans cannot afford him, how can OKC? Did someone (I'm talking to you Clay and Aubrey!) get cold feet about acquiring a hefty contract? Can bankrupt owners add payroll? Pretty peculiar.

Then things returned to normal: The NBA welcomes the Blunder Bumble Bison!

In keeping with tradition, the Blunder unveiled their new mascot; a bison named Rumble that has nothing to do with Thunder. That's called "OKC sense". It will immediately be called Bumble to compliment the Blunder, who continue their trend of low-rent and bizarre mascot/uniform/team name decisions. Lower that bar, Clay!

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder! More BUMBLE!

Blunder Mid Season Report Card - Seattle Chases Bennett's $30 Million?

2009-02-14T09:25:00.000-08:00
Record: 13-40; 23 games out of first. Second worst record in the league. Grade: D

Key Players: Durant is carrying the team nightly with his 25.5 average. He needs to add some bulk, improve his defense and shooting percentage, all things which will come with time. Grade: B+. Westbrook (15ppg) and Green (16.7ppg, 4.9apg) also deserve B grades. They will likely only get better but this team needs to get into the paint - too much perimeter shooting. Rest of team: C.

Coaching: Brooks has gotten this team off the ground since the embarrassment of the first few weeks. He's getting better effort and improving their confidence - for a young team that may be the most important thing. Why he has an 'interim' tag is another front office blunder. Grade: C+.

Front office:
This team will likely be cash-strapped for years to come and Presti will be under pressure to find cheap talent to keep them competitive. Adding Nonads Krystac was a low risk move. Drafting youth before they can demand high dollars keeps the payroll low. Trading them as they reach peak value (knowing they cannot compete financially with other teams) will keep this in draft picks - but it's an endless cycle. Mining the European leagues for diamonds in the rough will be taxing, though necessary. Expect the Blunder to make a trade for a veteran presence on the downside of his career. Why is Brooks an 'interim'? Bizarre. Overall Grade: C.

Ownership group: When McLendon is selling off his wine collection to pay the bills, your economic future looks bleak. Logically, this should mean the team will have even less money to spend...if that is possible. Between McLendon's staggering losses and Bennett's piss-poor reputation, these guys will be lucky to be in business much longer. If any of this group looks to sell their interest, there will be trouble in this economic landscape. Grade: F.

Corndogs: Corndog prices (CRDG) have soared on the NYSE thanks to the OKC/Bennett influence. Shares have gone from .60 cents to $12.20, due mostly to speculation of a future shortfall of supplies. Industry insiders who wished to remain anonymous claimed Bennett's own consumption has ravaged the nations supply. Grade: F.

Season highlights: 14-game losing streak; getting thoroughly embarrassed on ESPN by the Hornets and firing PJ the next day.

Overall grade: D

More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

Lakers Dump Blunder - Hornets Out of New Orleans Rumors

2009-02-11T07:12:00.000-08:00
OKC took their show on the road to LA on Tuesday and savored that familiar taste of defeat. Kobe had 34 points and seven rebounds to lead the Lakers past the Blunder, 105-98. The Blunder's athleticism kept them competitive, yet their offense continues to revolve around perimeter shooting. No inside presence is just not going to get it done in this league. This is a team that has made strides this season after starting out as a total embarrassment to the league. The former Supersonics are still one of the worst teams in the league, but are showing improvement.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC with 31 points and 10 rebounds but also had five turnovers. Nick Collison has two points in 20 minutes, Kyle Weaver went 1-7 from three-point range and both had four fouls to lead the Blunder low-lights.
The Lakers extended their win streak to seven games.

Blunder: 13-39, last place.
Next loss: Wednesday vs. Portland
More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

Problems in the Crescent City? More Hornets Rumors swirling.

According to the Associated Press - an executive with the group that oversees the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Arena advised lawmakers that the state must find $27.5 million next year to fulfill contracts that keep the Saints and Hornets in New Orleans. The state pays the two teams cash payments each year to retain the clubs. The subsidies are needed to make operating in the relatively small New Orleans market worthwhile, according to the team’s owners.

The money comes from the budget of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, (LSED) which operates the Superdome and the arena where Hornets play. Doug Thornton, senior vice president of SMG -- the company that manages the Superdome and the Arena -- said the LSED won't bring in nearly enough for the fiscal year starting July 1 to cover the expected payments. Does this mean the teams are getting ready to leave New Orleans? Hard to say.

Certainly New Orleans will be a sentimental favorite from the wrath of Katrina. Sympathy will fall on them and any potential movement of their franchises could easily come under the 'insensitive' scrutiny. However, fiscally, times are tough all over and at some point, pro sports franchises that rely on subsidies are going to have to face the reality that in dire economic times, more guns = less butter. States are forced to choose between sports subsidies and street repairs and school funding. The teams indeed contribute fiscally to the local economy through sales tax, and patronage to area restaurants, etc.

Of course these could be stories planted in an attempt to force the state to engage and dig up the money. It could also stir up support for a new ownership group to emerge in an effort to buy the team and move to a stronger, proven market - like Seattle, who just lost their beloved Sonics after 41 years. Ballmer's group will be the carrot on the stick, or the stick, depending on which side you are on. With the potential of another ownership group looming, the pressure will mount on the state to come up with funds 'or else'.

What about the Saints? Rumors swirl about the Saints moving to Los Angeles, where plenty of businessmen are trying to work out a stadium deal. The problem with the LA market is apathy. USC and UCLA sate LA's football needs. No matter how many businessmen crunch the numbers and try to force a team into LA, it simply won't change the fundamental problem in LA: an apathetic fan base. If LA demanded an NFL team, it would be here. There is just no demand. Pro football in LA's main support group are businessmen looking to exploit the media market while ignoring the realities of an indifferent fan base. It's the quintessential problem facing sports; ignoring the wants and needs of the fans - the ones who actually pay the tab. When that fails they will naturally expect handouts from the local government.

And again the tail wags the dog...

The Case Against Signing Griffey

2009-02-08T09:46:00.000-08:00
Desperate Mariner fans continue to debate bringing Griffey back, and it is indeed an intriguing situation. I will present both sides of my case. Since I am opposed to this move, we will start with the cons.

Hollow marketing ploy. This move would be an obviously hollow marketing ploy to sell jerseys and falsely sell tickets. How long can that enthusiasm actually last? Once you get past the initial sales push, then what? You are simply creating a WWE situation where you are selling 'entertainment' not baseball. Selling past Mariner glory is a road we cannot afford to go down - a baseball soap opera - that is bad for the game. Fans go to games, post on blogs and participate because they are primarily baseball fans. Blurring the lines for a falsely-derived, short-term profit taints the game irreparably.

Merchandising. Frankly, expecting Mariner fans who were jilted by Griffey's departure the first time to put down cash for Griffey merchandise is a recipe for disaster. As the losses pile up people will grow frustrated and you will likely endure a backlash. Another round of jerseys? What number would he be this time?

The 'it can't hurt the team' argument is not an argument at all. It is an empty philosophy devoid of practicality and attempts to justify irresponsible actions by the front office in favor of fond past memories. No team, in fact no BUSINESS can claim to be behaving responsibly by hiring someone based on the philosophy that 'they can't hurt the company'. Another disaster in the waiting. Luckily, Jack Z is removed from that Mariner past and likely won't buy into it. Jack’s Brewers saw Griffey extensively over the years as they were division rivals. Maybe he CAN hurt the team.

Expectations. Griffey cannot live up to the expectations. People will inevitably expect him to be the player he was - those days are gone. If/when he underperforms, gets injured, etc, it opens the door for past wounds to be revisited. Griffey publicly demanded, and got, a trade to Cincinnati. He was a tenured player and could decide where he would go. Selfishly he went public with his demand, thus taking any leverage Seattle could have used to get the best deal for him. Cincinnati knew this and they could simply have waited to the end of the season and signed him as a free agent. In the end Seattle got less than market value. It was a classless act by Griffey. It sabotaged the team that he played for for ten years. In effect - he said he wanted to take his prime years elsewhere. These old wounds will be inevitably revisited were Griffey to return to Seattle.

Legacy. All these signs point to a potential tainting of Griffey's Mariner legacy. He brought much to Seattle and in the end, will likely be the most popular and cherished player to ever put the Mariner uniform on. "The Kid". That smile. Sliding across home plate to beat the Yankees. "Belted deep to left field". Those are a cherished part of Mariner lore and blurring the lines can probably only hurt that legacy. Safeco is a pitchers park – not ideal for a veteran who’s power ability is in decline.

It's a great gig for Griffey - he gets a paycheck in a time when the market is failing to find demand for an oft-injured 39 year-old who has been injury plagued since he left Seattle the first time. He is a defensive liability and an injury waiting to happen. All the nostalgia in the world will not bring back “The Kid”.

Memo to Portland; WTF?!

2009-02-07T13:30:00.000-08:00
Most teams can get it up for an arch rival. Apparently not the Blazers. Boston gets it up for the Yankees, The Eagles always get it up for the Giants. So it would stand to reason Portland would want to exact a little revenge on the city that permanently cancelled the Seattle/Portland I-5 rivalry. I expected the Blazers with their fancy roster and dominant record to get it up in OKC. But instead they rolled over and let the putrid Blunder own them. Unbelievable. Unacceptable.

Seriously, Portland...WTF?

I am embarrassed for you. Thanks for blowing the opportunity to trash the corndog machine in the dustbowl and giving Seattle fans a little satisfaction. Thanks for cranking it up just a little bit for Seattle, Nate. Thanks for nothing Portland. A 30-win team with championship aspirations cannot even get it up to exact a little revenge for your northern neighbors. Nice to see you leaving the testacles back in Portland, obviously right next to the vagisil.

Seriously, Portland...WTF?

A Juicy Nugget; Blunder Lose # 38!

2009-02-05T18:27:00.000-08:00
The Blunder made another daring come from ahead effort to lose to Denver on Wednesday night, 114-113. After building up a 17 point lead, the Blunder allowed Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets to make a Mile High comeback for the second straight time in OKC. Viva La Blunder!

Future ex Blunder Kevin Durant had 31 points in 43 minutes to lead the losing effort. Russell Westbrook had four turnovers, Jeff Green had three fouls and Kyle Weaver was a masterful 0-6 from the field to lead the Blunder lowlights.

On a side note - According to a Sotheby's press release - Aubrey McLendon is liquidating his personal wine collection to raise capital. HAving lost over a billion in the Chesapeake crash, the Blunder owner is no doubt trying to raise enough cash to sign LeBron this summer. For clarity purposes - he is selling off his wine collection, not the wine cooler collection.

Blunder 11-38, 22 games out of first.
Next loss; Friday vs Portland TrailBlazers

More corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

The Case for The Grizzlies in Seattle

2009-01-30T13:01:00.000-08:00
The Grizzlies are for sale. That is no secret. Here is why I think it makes sense for them to end up in Seattle. It is practical and satisfies all the necessary criteria. This does not mean I want the Grizzlies to move or that some ownership group should purchase them under false pretenses, but it just makes sense. Let’s take a look at the case for Seattle.

The ownership group. A Ballmer-based ownership group would be good for the league. They are stable, will be able to ride the recession...not unscathed...but rather unbroken. Ballmer's group has the financial and political resources necessary to make it work in Seattle. They've already offered $75 million towards an arena upgrade which means they are serious.

The Arena; Regardless of it being the flashiest arena in the league - the Seattle Center Coliseum is a viable turn-key arena that can quickly accommodate a team on the fly. Does it need upgrades? Yes. What are they and who determines what is necessary? The City? The league? Schultz could not get an arena deal done because it had just been upgraded less then ten years after he bought the team and Seattle was still paying off two other new ball parks. Bennett didn't want an arena deal done - everyone knows that. In this new landscape the city will be more willing to work with a local ownership group who is already putting up their own money and is no threat of leaving. With the other stadiums debt paid off you can justifiably look to start upgrading the Coliseum - again as part of a total Seattle Center upgrade/expansion.

The Seattle market; Seattle is a top 15 market that supported a basketball team for 41 years. The fans didn't push the team away, Clay Bennett dragged them away. It's logical to assume Seattle would embrace another Sonics team and welcome it back into the fabric of Seattle. It's a large TV market with a built-in basketball fan base.

A politically correct move. After the bitterness of the OKC blunder experiment, the NBA could use some good press. Most writers and fans thought it was a huge mistake to morbidly rip a team away to the dustbowl after 41 years. Returning the Sonics would be a great story. A feel good story. The NBA could use that positive press right now - especially Stern. After witnessing the disaster Bennett unleashed on Seattle and it's fans, who would reject Seattle as a prime relocation site?

The Grizzlies need a new home. The team is floundering in Memphis. Will a local ownership group emerge? So far, none have stepped up. The team would be purchased under the condition and with the sole intention of relocating them to Seattle. There would be no illusions of any kind. The headlines would be "Grizz Sold - Off to Seattle". No hidden agenda. It would be done with support from all sides; from Memphis, Seattle and the NBA. There would be some buyout of the lease - likely negotiated before the team was ever sold. A savvy owner would not walk blindly into that negotiation knowing they are at the mercy of that single issue. The lease can be negotiated and I doubt it would be a hostile situation, like it was in Seattle. Ballmer's group would be rescuing a beleaguered franchise, not hijacking them underhandedly. That will lead to positive negotiating environment.

All emotional arguments aside, this is a practical business move for all involved. It relieves Memphis of the burden and drops it right into the waiting arms of a capable, competent ownership group, a hungry fan base and an expliotable market. There will be no expansion. The NBA has too many teams right now. They've over expanded, and as all businesses must do when hurting financially; they downsize, restructure...or relocate. No one wants to pry a team from the fans of Memphis. Sadly, the league has made it clear those voices do not matter.

Some will even argue that the Grizzlies Northwest roots make Seattle the sentimental favorite for their relocation, and that may be true, but that does not make the case on it's own merit. All the other points make the case and make it a practical one as well.

Let me know your thoughts

Witnessing the Blunder Live in LA

2009-01-24T09:01:00.000-08:00
I witnessed the Blunder live or the first time Friday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as they played the league's other laughingstock, the Clippers. An interesting experience to say the least.

Sitting next to Clipper celeb, Andy Richter, we watched the Blunder get out of the gate quickly. An athletic team that surged until midway thorugh the third quarter when the Clippers began to dominate. Have you ever seen "Clippers dominate" in print before? Well, there it is.

Clipper rookie Eric Gordon had a career hight 41 points as the Clippers improved to 3-0 lifetime against the Blunder with their 107-104 win on Friday night. Future ex Blunder Kevin Durant went off for a career-high 46 points and 15 rebounds. @4 points were from the free throw line. It was my first opportunity to witness him live and he was impressive. I did see him make a nice block and then throw up an air-ball, so he is human. Nonads and Nick were non-factors.

The Clipps were without, Zach Randolph (left knee), Baron Davis (bruised tailbone) Marcus Camby (left ankle), Chris Kaman (left arch) and Mike Taylor (broken right thumb). The Blunder were at full strength. The Blunder got out of the gate quickly and led at halftime. The Clipps finally overtook them in the third quarter and the Blunder played hard right to the very end, but fell short. A solid effort by the Blunder but a gutsy game by the injury-ravaged Clippers. OKC displayed some solid athleticism but not enough cohesion or size to keep up. While I did not see Clay Bennett there, I could not find a single corn dog in the house - you do the math.

I received several compliments and praise for the Seattle Supersonics shirt I was wearing and it led to a surprising number of conversations - all of them were pro Seattle. The fans that engaged me all said it was ridiculous Seattle didn't have a team and two guys actually had followed the story pretty closely, and they did not think the NBA in OKC was a likely long-term thing. I was in a box most of the game so I didn't mingle in the crowd, but I could hear fans mocking the Blunder name, relentlessly calling the Blunder franchise 'a joke'. When Clipper fans are calling you a joke - you know you are in trouble.

It is all true and nothing was initiated in any way by me.

Blunder, 9-35
Next loss: Monday vs New Jersey.

Super Bowl Smackdown - Wanting the Cards, Taking Steelers

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00
Leaning firmly towards a Pittsburgh victory. Arizona is talented and riding a momentum wave, but so is Pittsburgh. Two weeks off bodes well for Pittsburgh as they can rest - I think it hurts Arizona more, mentally, as they have two weeks of digesting their situation. Edge: Pittsburgh.

Pittsburg rushing game is simply better. They can run when they have to. Arizona is simply not a rushing threat. Wracking up yards against an already-defeated Carolina defense that padded Arizon's stats to give the illusion of an formidable rushing game, simply is not a good gage of reality. Edgerrin can run the ball aptly but has not struck fear into anyone in years. Not a knock on him - he's simply an older back clearly on the downside of his career. Pittsburgh has better line play and is more likely to be able to grind out yards when necessary. edge: Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals are a passing team. Clearly their biggest weapon is Fitz, and I fully expect Pittsburgh to scheme accordingly, putting a safety on him at the line and bumping him to slow his progress into secondary, where another corner will be waiting to pick him up. They'll likely look to pressure Warner into throwing quickly with creative blitz packages and pass rushes. Slowing Fitz down and speeding up the throwing process will lessen Fitz's down-field contributions, at least in theory.

If I am Arizona, I expect Pittsburgh to try and nullify Fitz, therefore Az will counter scheme to include Boldin, Arrington, Urbane more with underneath routes to lull the defense. This should more create one-on-one coverage situations with them - opening up big play potential while Fitz is being used as a decoy to tie up two secondary players for Pittsburgh.

Warner vs Roethlisberger will be an over-hyped story line. if Pittsburgh can blitz successfully they will nullify Warner. Same with Arizona - they will have to frustrate ben into making mistakes - but it'll be tougher because Pittsburgh has a stronger run game to rely on. The run game gives Ben a slight edge. They always get a trick play, use a creative playbook when necessary, and Ben doesn't make many mistakes. Their ace in the holes will be the runnng game and the short passing game featuring Heath Miller.

Arizona's defense is playing well, but their take-away ratio was dramatically bloated because of Jake Delhomme's random five-interception nightmare. That is not the norm for them at all - so do not be fooled by short-term stat bloating. They could hold Pittsburgh's offense in check, but the Steelers will eventually get some points.

Pittsburgh will win this because it will be a low scoring head knocking game - and that is where they flourish. Arizona can definitely win this game - if they can win the turnover battle and contol the clock effectively. They are a talented team for sure, but I expect Pittsburgh to be more mentally prepared and ready.

Pittsburgh 23 - 16.

Heat Cash Reality Check; Blunder Streak Over!

2009-01-18T20:12:00.000-08:00
There would be no streamers in OKC tonight, only corndog wrappers and the fetid stench of failure as the Blunder lost to Miami, 104-94 on Sunday. A 'sold-out' crowd watched the Blunder's amusing two-game winning streak, their longest since Clayton I. Bennett moved The former Super Sonics to the 45th largest market from the 12th, comes crashing to a halt. Perhaps the "I" stands for 'into another losing streak we go!'

The Miami Heat ended a grueling 12-day seven-game road trip with a win at Congressional Bailout Center as Dwyane Wade unleashed 32 points ten assists and three blocks as the short-handed Heat head home with a 22-18 record.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 31 points in 46 minutes, another heavy-minutes night for him. Earl Watson had 2 points in 24 minutes, Nonads Krystac went 3-9, while Westbrook and Mason contributed four turnovers to lead the Blunder low-lights. Bennett pitched in with four corndogs and a mustard stain on his Blunder 'excellence' polo. He did not receive a discount on said polo.

Blunder; 8-34, 19.5 games back.
Next loss; Wednesday vs Golden State.

Memphis; dnp, (11-28, 15 games back) vs. Detroit Monday.

New Orleans dnp, (24-13, one game back) vs. Indiana Monday

New Jersey dnp, (19-22, 13.5 games back) vs. New Orleans Wednesday.

More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Lopez Nets Career-Highs, Blunder Nets League-High 33rd Loss

2009-01-13T07:01:00.000-08:00
Brooke Lopez' career-high 31 points and 13 rebounds led the Nets over the Blunder on Monday, 103-99. Not to be overshadowed by Lopez' performance, the Blunder flaunted their league-leading 33 losses and Clay Bennett flaunted his league-leading appetite for corndogs.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC with 26 points and nine rebounds in 48 hard minutes. Nick Collison had six fouls, Desmond Mason five turnovers, Jeff Green went 4-15 and Kyle Weaver had two points in 16 minutes to lead the Blunder low lights.

More Blunder by-the-numbers;

1 - Blunder's longest win streak.
2 - Blunder road wins - worst in the league!
6 - Blunder wins - leading the league...in fewest.
14 - January 14 - next scheduled Blunder loss, vs. Utah
19.5 - Games out of first
33 - Blunder losses - leads the league.
55 - Dollars for The Blunder 'excellence' polo; Leads the league in oxymorons.
717,142,948 - laughs the public enjoyed when the Blunder's Doritos-inspired logo was unveiled - another league record!

More Corndogs! More losses! More Blunder!

New Orleans Hornets: 22-12, one game back of the Spurs
Memphis Grizz: 11-26, 13.5 game back of the Spurs

Too Much Pennsylvania! Forecasting a Pitt/Philly Superbowl

2009-01-12T07:16:00.000-08:00
Yep - going with the fav's here, Pittsburgh vs Philly for an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl. I now dread the painful marketing and promotions we will have to suffer through as a result. Ben vs Donovan, yada, yada, yada.

Pittsburgh vs: Baltimore:
Pittsburgh has a stout defense, experience all over, a veteran QB and an offense that makes plays. They have a creative playbook and know when and how to use it effectively. The tight-end play from Heath Miller will make a difference vs Baltimore's stingy defense and their consistantly productive play-action pass will ultimately lead to big plays and a Pittsburgh win at home. If Baltimore stacks the line to shut down the run, Pitt's verticle passing game is likely to make some big plays eventually. Baltimore could pull this off, but out of the two games I feel the strongest about a Pittsburgh win at home. Pittsburgh's experience and opportunistic offensive makes them my pick over a very formidable Baltimore team.

Arizona vs. Philadelphia.
This is the more intriguing match-up. Arizona has something they haven't had in 40 years; no I'm not referring to a deep playoff run, I mean confidence. They've got tons of talent, solid coaching, a Super Bowl experienced quarterback and arguable the most feared receiver in the NFC right now in Larry Fitzgerald. Their defense embarrassed Jake Delhomme at carolina. Rarely is the word embarrassed used and it's not referring to the Cardinals. Confidence. And they get to host the NFC Championship game. If you picked them at the beginning of the season to reach the NFC title game, and you weren't joking, I need your opinions on some stocks I'm thinking of buying. I think they have the talent to get past Philly, but expect the Eagles experience, swagger and physical defense to win out.

Philly knocked out the Giants in NY, mimicking their run last year; by riding the defense and winning on the road. Two years in a row an NFC East team does it. I like Philly's chances here and expect their game to be to contain Fitz, play ball control and get Westbrook out into space to make plays. However, this is a perfect opportunity for Arizona to strike quickly and early, feeding of of the crowd and adrenaline, which could make McNabb force throws, resulting in mistakes. I expect Philly to be more confident and stout on defense and wins a low scoring game in the desert. But don't rule out the cards if they score early and get momentum.Arizona in the Super Bowl? If they can ride their wave of confidence and offensive power, they can.

Super Bowl: Pitt over Philly 29-16

Blunder Bumbles By the Numbers

2009-01-10T10:56:00.000-08:00
1 disasterous season in OKC.
2 point loss to Houston on Friday.
5 "wims' in 37 games.
7 letters in 'corndog', the unofficial team slogan; 'More Corndogs, More Losses, More Blunder!'
12 - Seattle's tv market size, which Bennett and the NBA left for the 45th tv market.
19.5 games out of first place.
32 OJ, Franco, Brown, Marcus, Magic, Malone, Minnesota (32nd state), germanium (32nd element) FDR, Blunder losses.
41 Years in Seattle.
55 dollars for the Blunder "excellence" polo on their website - the worst team in the league, charging the highest price in the league, calling it excellent, thereby putting the moron in oxymoron.
1.1 billion - losses, in dollars, by Blunder owner Aubrey McLendon in the Market crash.

Blunder 5-32, last place.
Next loss: Satuday vs. Chicago.
More Corndogs! More Losses! More Blunder!

Baskin/Robbins: 31 Flavors, OKCBlunder: 31 Losses!

2009-01-08T10:07:00.001-08:00
Another attempt to mimic pop-culture-by-the-numbers in OKC? The Blunder continue their quest into infamy as the three-legged Timberwolves mauled them on Wednesday night, 129-87. The Blunder are the first team in 2009 to reach the 31-loss plateau. The 42-point loss was also a personal high for Bennett's Blunder after relocating to OKC. Perhaps it will pursuade Bennet to rethink the 'excellence' label on the Blunder Polo shirt, or to lower the absurd $55 price tag.

Minnesota wom (yes, wom) it's fourth in a row as Randy Foye led six Timberwolves in double-digit scoring with 32 points. Rookie Kevin Love had 16 points and tied a career high with 15 rebounds as Minnesota improved to 10-25 on the season.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had nine points on a miserable 3-of-13 shooting. Joe Smith had zero points on 0-3 shooting and Earl Watson had three turnovers to lead the Blunder lowlights. Mediocre Russian center Nonads Krstac, acquired to take OKC to the promised land on a budget, made his Blunder debut with six points in 16 minutes. He has yet to make his debut in the Ford Congressional Bailout Center in OKC. The Blunder fell to 5-31 on the season, 0-1 in the Nonads era.

Blunder: 5-31, 19.5 games behind Denver.
Next Loss: Friday vs. Houston.

Memphis update - lost to the Nets 100-89 on Wednesday. OJ Mayo had 26 points and Rudy Gay added 23. Marc Gasol had 10 boards in the losing effort.
Grizz: 11-25, 13 games out of first.
Next game: Friday vs. Toronto.

New Orleans - lost to the Jazz, 116-90 on Wednesday. Chris Paul had 26 points and seven assists.
Hornets: 21-11, second place, one game behind San Antonio.
Next game - Friday vs. Clippers.

Oh No, It's Cinco!

2009-01-07T10:33:00.000-08:00
As in Five Wims! The Blunder continued their dominance of the NBA on Tuesday night as they held off the lifeless Knicks, 107-99. Clearly the Knicks are still hungover from the blunder that was the Isaiah Thomas administration. Or perhaps they were drained from seeing Blunder highlights in their Knick tribute uniforms. Oh wait, that can't be it...what Blunder highlights? New York fell to 13-20.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC with 27 points and 12 rebounds in 46 minutes. Joe Smith had six fouls in 20 minutes while Robert "Notso" Swift had zero points in 12 minutes of uneventful play. No confirmation on the rumor he's out getting a celebratory "Five Wims!" tattoo.

The Blunder are the first NBA team this season to reach five wins (while having 30 losses). Another reason to celebrate in OKC.

Blunder record: 5-30, last place, 18.5 games back.
Next loss: Wednesday at Minnesota.
Blunder excellence polo: $55.

Possible Franchise Relocation Updates:

Memphis: The Grizz lost to Minnesota 94-87 on Tuesday. Hakim Warrick scored 22 points, OJ Mayo had 20 points and eight boards and Marc Gasol had 13 points.

Record: 11-24, last place, 12.5 games behind San Antonio.
Next game: Wednesday vs. New Jersey

New Orleans: Davis West had 40 points and 11 rebounds and Chris Paul added 32 points and 15 assists as the Hornets beat the Lakers (27-6) 116-105 on Tuesday. Kobe Bryant led LA with 39 points.

Hornets: 21-10, second place, 1.5 games out of first behind San Antonio.
Next game: Wednesday at Utah.

Ohio State - Finding Ways to Blunder.

2009-01-06T07:13:00.000-08:00
Another chance to shine for OSU, and another blunder. After last years thrashing at the hands of LSU in the Sugar Bowl, I was skeptical about Ohio State getting yet another BCS bowl invitation. A storied program gaining a rep as a team that can't win the big one. They arrived with a chance a redemption, and left falling 16 seconds short. Tressel cannot seem to get them over the hump.

A slow first half erupted into an improbable barn-burner in the final three minutes as Ohio State scored a td with 2:07 to play. As Ohio State prepared to celebrate the monkey officially off it's back, Colt McCoy cooly led the Longhorns 78 yards in 1:42, hitting Quan Cosby on a 26-yard strike for the 24-21 win.

Where does that leave Ohio State? Underachievers? Over-rated? As expected? They held a supposedly potent Texas attack to 24 points, so they deserve some credit, but are they really BCS-Bowl-worthy? They lost the last two BCS Championship games in blowouts, yet won their previous three bowl (two of them Fiesta Bowls)games, so it's an interesting situation. They lose this year in the last second. How long do they get to ride the coattails of their past glory into BCS Games? They never seem to come up big when it counts. Ok, they did win it all in 2002, but Tony Dungy gets ridiculed for only winning one Super Bowl. Tressell's teams just seem to come up short in the big games. I guess in Columbus, 7-1 vs Michigan is called 'job security.'

OT: Looking Forward to the Mora Era

2009-01-03T16:59:00.001-08:00
As much as I appreciate the Holmgren years, I am looking forward to the Mora regime. Holmy seemed too often checked out, predictable, and lorded over the team in a lackluster manner - it translated to an ill-prepared an substandard product on the field. In no way do I believe it was intentional, simply human nature. You do the same routine for too long and you lose your edge and focus on the field and other coaches know how to prepare against you better. That seemed obvious this season. Seattle was outcoached and outplayed in many games. We all knew to expect the third down draw play. I'd love him back as a GM as he is a great football mind and a great person, a definite asset to Seattle.

Why am I looking forward to Mora?

The end of complacency. Let's face it; Seattle was complacent. They showed no new offensive or defensive wrinkles and no real innovation or forward progress in any area. Predictability will get you many losses in the NFL.

New coordinators. John Marshall will be replaced and that is a long time coming. Seattle's defense never recovered from the loss of Ray Rhodes. Marinelli, if hired, would create an exciting, aggressive, lights-out approach - one that is sorely needed and an upgrade. OFFENSE: It's possible Jim Zorn could come back to Seattle and I love the idea of him being the offensive coordinator. I believe his time in D.C. is directly related to the availability of a high profile hire that Dan Snyder will need to force Zorn out. He would be a force as Seattle's O-coordinator. He'd be coming home and would be very motivated. He was a knee jerk hire by Snyder and his true ability to shine will be as Seattle's o-coordinator.

Conditioning. Seattle was absurdly injury prone and had little second half wind leading me to believe this team was not in peak physical form. Holmgren was probably hands-off in this department, expecting players to take care of business on their own...and rightfully so. Mora will demand more in this area.

Accountability - Endless missed blocking assignments, blown coverages, horrible defensive scheming an a predictable offense, and no real indication of any personal accountability for those failures. Mora will re-instate that.

Fundamentals. Mora will bring back fundamental football. Basic blocking, tackling skills, missing most of last season, will be reinstated. This team lacked fundamentals last season.

Michael Vick factor. The possibility of Vick as a Seahawk will emerge because of his ties to Mora. Vick, the athlete, on the roster as a back-up qb is an intriguing possibility. Seattle needs help at QB and reeiver and a superior athlete like Vick in those roles opens up some intriguing possibilities. Vick will play somewhere, regardless of people's emotional reaction to him. He has done his time and there is no reason he should not be allowed to earn a living at what he is good at. Playing in isolated Seattle would be a good move for him and he could likely be had on the cheap. Huge potential upside, minimal downside. I doubt the franchise goes after him, but Vick in the Wildcat formation or as a receiver is a very intriguing idea.

Fire, intensity and inspired football are what I expect from Mora. He's a local and that translates to a little more hometown pride. I am looking forward to seeing a coach who looks like he wants to be there. Holmy did all he could on the sidelines and brought much to this franchise we should all be very thankful for. But in the end he just seemed bored and set in his ways. It hurt he team as other teams were able to counter-scheme against this team easily. Some of those ways needed changing (third down draw). Now it's Mora's turn. I think he'll do well.

Suns Scorch OKC, Blunder 3-29, Excellence Polo $55.

2008-12-29T20:38:00.000-08:00
The Phoenix Suns, playing without all-star Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, easily fended off the Blunder, 110-102. Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 18 points on a poor 5-for-17 shooting performance. On-the-trading-block forward Joe Smith sat out with a 'leg injury'. Cleveland has expressed interest in Smith to strengthen their inside presence and Smith has expressed an interest in getting out of OKC.

Shaq led the Suns with 28 points and 12 rebounds as Six Suns scored in double figures as Phoenix snapped a four-game losing streak. Seems like everyone's losing streaks end against the Blunder. The Wizards snapperd thier eight game skid vs the Blunder two days ago. Earl Watson had zero points in 17 minutes and Chris Wilcox added five fouls to lead the Blunder lowlights. The Blunder raced out to a 10 point lead as they streaked out to their fifth straight loss. The Blunder, losers of 13 of their last 14 games, have a chance to lose their 30th before ushering in the New Year. Coincidentally, 2009 is also known in OKC's vaunted Chinatown as "The year of many, many, many, many more losses." Weird!

Blunder: 3-29 (.094), 17 games out of first.
Playoff outlook: Grim.
Next loss: Wednesday vs Golden State.

Memphis lost to Minnesota in overtime 108-98
Grizz: 10-21. 10.5 games out of first.

Blunder Lose "Worst-Ever" Match Up - Embrace Oblivion

2008-12-28T10:07:00.000-08:00
In a battle of the 'worst-ever' records, the Blunder clung valiantly to their losing streak on Saturday night, falling to the Wizards, 104-95. Sporting a combined 7-50 records before the game, Washington snapped their eight-game losing streak while extending OKC's to four. The Blunder, trying to confuse the Wizards by playing in their New York Knick tribute uniforms, have lost 12 of 13 games.

Playing without leading scorer Caron Butler mattered little to the Wizards as Andray Blatche had 19 points and a career-high 15 boards and Antawn Jamison had 29 points to lead Washington to their fifth win. OKC lost for the 28th time. Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led the Blunder with 25 points and 11 rebounds in 42 minutes. Another night of 40-plus minutes logged. Robert Swift contributed nothing, literally, as he had zero points, zero rebounds and zero assists in five minutes to lead the Blunder lowlights. Recent acquisition Gonad Krustyac, the $5 million dollar man and future of the franchise, did not play.

Some memorable quotes from the post-mortem:

"Not one guy in this locker room is a loser. Unfortunately, we are not getting wins like we feel like we should." Scott Brooks. Scott, a 3-28 team has plenty of losers.

"We knew they were a good team, way better than their record shows." Jeff Green. Everyone is better than their record shows when they play the Blunder. And you're singling out a five win team for praise. Ouch.

"I was a man possessed to keep the team in Seattle". Clay Bennett. If getting rid of all the team's talent, all the local ties, all former players in the front office, moving the local broadcasts to an unknown station, hiring a PR person from OKC, leaking emails that show intent to move the team from the beginning, and then demanding a $500 million dollar arena be built outside of Seattle were all part of your strategy, I would suggest another one.

This game was so bad that ESPN showed the highlights in black and white as a joke. The Blunder are the first team ever to lose in both color AND in black and white in the same season. Congratulations on another milestone achieved for Bennett's Blunder. The Blunder "Excellence" polo is still selling for $55 on their website. More willful misrepresentation, like calling the Blunder "an NBA team."

Blunder: 3-28, 16.5 games out of first place.
Playoff outlook: Grim.
Wims: few and far between
Next loss: Phoenix on Monday.

UPDATES:
Memphis lost to San Antonio in double overtime to drop to 10-20 on the season. OJ Mayo had 29 points.
Next game: Minnesota on Monday.

New Orleans: 17-9, 1 game out of first place behind San Antonio.
Next game: Indiana on Sunday.

IT'S A BLUNDERFUL LIFE: OKC 3-27

2008-12-26T19:29:00.000-08:00
Amid economic uncertainty and the murky future of Ford/GM/Chrysler, the Blunder remained 'ole reliable', ushering in their 27th loss, 90-88 to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. In these troubling times, it's comforting to see something constant. That something, is another Blunder loss. I wonder if Clay Bennett asked for 27 losses before the New Year as his Christmas gift.

Losses. The gift that keeps on giving.

Giving other teams a shot at the playoffs. Giving embittered and displaced Seattle Sonic fans a good chuckle at the bumbling ineptness that is Bennett's Blunder. Giving the Blunder a shot at the season-loss record. Giving Kevin Durant a reason to leave ASAP. 'Tis the season for giving.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC, as always, with 26 points and eight boards while logging 41 minutes. Another heavy-minutes night for the talented, lanky forward. Russell Westbrook logged an impressive five turnovers in 33 minutes, Kyle Weaver had two points and Robert Swift and Joe Smith contributed three fouls apiece to lead the Blunder low-lights.

Highly-anticipated acquisition Gonad Krustyac, whom the Blunder expect to carry them to then promised land, simply did not play. According to sources he was having problems with the language barrier; mostly the terms 27 losses, corndogs-as-payment, and Bricktown were the most troubling. Losing streak was quickly defined for him; the Blunder currently enjoy a three-game skid and have lost 11 of 12.

Allan Iverson led five Detroit players in double-digit scoring with 22 points and sank the game-winner with eight seconds left.

Blunder: 3-27 (.111%).
Playoff outlook: need a Christmas miracle.
Next loss: Saturday vs. Wizards.

Potential relocation franchises update;

Memphis: came from 17 down to defeat Indiana: 108-105.
Hakim Warrick led seven Grizzlies in double-figure scoring with 21 points. OJ Mayo had 18 points, eight boards and seven assists.
Record: 10-19 - last place.
Next game: Saturday vs San Antonio.

New Orleans: Defeated Houston 88-79. They're tied for first place.
Chris Paul had 26 points, David West added 23, and Tyson Chandler had a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards in 31 minutes.
Record: 17-9.
Next game: Sunday vs Indiana.

Seven Sports Things I am Not Thankful for This Season

2008-12-22T11:12:00.000-08:00
Time to spread some Holiday cheer - so let's cheer for stupidity because that's always fun. Here's my starter kit, feel free to add your reasons in the comments section. And vote!

1. No NBA in Seattle. As much as I am glad to be rid of Clay Bennett and his ilk, I miss the Sonics. They were easily the most dependable Seattle team and my only interest in the NBA was through them.

2. The elimination of the five-yard face mask penalty. A stupid move that basically eliminates the 'punishment should fit the crime' mentality. A rule change that was in no way needed or warranted. An accidental brush with a facemask is now a personal foul? These kinds of rule changes are simply painful in their inherent stupidity. Games hinge on these calls. An additional 10 yards can mean the difference between a field goal and a win or a loss. With games on the line and jobs at stake, the NFL has to exercise common sense and rescind this asinine rule change.

3. BCS games this year. Particularly Ohio State in a BCS game. I am sick of the Buckeyes in BCS Bowl games simply because they have a fan base that'll buy tickets. Year in and year out they prove mediocrity and chokability trumps quality. Florida/Oklahoma is a dream match up and could be one of the greatest games played in years. Texas should be playing Alabama and let Ohio State play Utah. Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati? Seriously? Is anyone gonna bother with this one? Where's Texas Tech or Oklahoma State? They get trumped for Tech vs. Cincy? That makes sense? No.

4. Female sideline reporters who bum-rush coaches at halftime with mind-numbing, nonsense questions. Never have they ever asked a poignant question. The "How do you feel" and "What's it gonna take" questions are forced, obtuse and embarrasing. Making an already stressed coach answer arcane questions to satisfy tv contractual obligations is idiotic. Georgia coach Mark Richt gave one 'reporter' a sarcastic beat-down and it was my favorite play of the year. Stopping coaches to ask softball questions while simutaneously preventing them from getting their job done is just plain moronic. What are they expecting, the coach to reveal some inside strategy to 10 million viewers and the opposing team will be none-the-wiser? No. There's never been any relevent info revealed during these staged ambushes. Let 'em get to the locker room. Enough puff reporting and pink frilly hats. Save it for the Ice Capades.

5. FOX football broadcasts. Replete with distracting gadgetry and endless commercial breaks, FOX has forgotton the actual game is what is important. Those obnoxious robots and too-much-information crawlers...not necessary. Focus on the game not the distractions or Terry's hairline. And just how many commercials can you cram into a game? FOX cuts away every chance it gets. It's obnoxious.

6. The TV timeout. So annoying. Especially that irritating "More Taste League" crap. That's really the best they could come up with? In the age of microbrews, the lightest beer on the market claims to have 'more taste'? More taste than what? Water? Give me a frothy cup of yellow snow over that beer and stupid ad campaign any day.

7. The collapse of football in the state of Washington. I have not seen the fall of anything this fast or this complete since Berlin. UW has a hole, er, crater, to dig out of, WSU needs a hug and the Seahawks are fast tracking to mediocrity for the forseeable future. The philosophical rift between Ruskell and Holmgren has reduced this team to a directionless ship. Injuries have not helped. The fact that Matt Hasselbeck has been injured for better part of two seasons, and the stunning lack of coverage about it in the Seattle press, is perplexing. Isn't anyone concerned? This is the number one story no one is covering; the franchise quarterback's status.

Others receiving votes; Alaska Airlines, OKC's three wims, anything regarding the WNBA, Kevin Costner in FOR LOVE OF THE GAME, endless fascination with Kobe...

Blunder Play Quarters - Embrace 'First-To-25 Losses' Title!

2008-12-22T08:11:00.000-08:00
No confetti fell in the Congressional Bailout Center on Sunday, only the Blunder who 'lost by only 11', and became the first NBA team to reach the coveted quarter-century mark in losses this season. I use the term "NBA team" loosely.

LeBron James had 31 points and seven boards to lead the Cavaliers over the Blunder on Sunday, 102-91. Cleveland led by as many as 18 points en route to their best start in franchise history, at 23-4. Not to be out-done, the Blunder improved to a franchise worst-ever record of 3-25. As always, future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC with 26 points in 43 hard minutes. Local legend Desmond Mason was 0-2 from the line and 1-5 from the field in 32 minutes, while Chris Wilcox had zero points in seven minutes and Joe Smith had four fouls to lead the Blunder low lights.

James also acknowledged he'd consider signing an extension with the Cavaliers. Much speculation has him bolting for MSG and New York dollars at his first chance. He had no comment on the Blunder's Knick tribute uniforms. The Seattle SuperSonics beat the Cavs the last four times they met in Seattle. Doesn't look like that'll be the case in OKC, unless the Cav's bus gets lost in the tumbleweeds on the way to the Congressional Bailout Center.

Blunder: 3-25, Last place.
Next loss: Tuesday vs Atlanta.
Willful misrepresentation update: Blunder "excellence" polos are still $55 dollars. Apparently there's no discount for 'total lack of excellence'. Interesting.

Memphis update: record: 9-17.
Next game: L.A. Lakers Monday night.
Team leaders: O.J. Mayo leads the Grizzlies in scoring at 20.3 ppg and Rudy Gay is averaging 20.2 ppg. Marc Gasol leads the team with 6.8 rpg.
Mystery: What ever happened to the much-hyped Darko Milicic?

New Orleans Hornets: 16-7 - first place.
Next Game: LA Lakers on Tuesday.
Chris Paul leads the Hornets with 20.3 ppg and 11.8 apg. Tyson Chandler averages 8.1 rpg.

Blunder Continue Title Run; Add Krstic

2008-12-20T08:36:00.000-08:00
The title for worst record in the NBA, of course.

"It felt like we won a championship," forward Desmond Mason said after Friday nights victory.

Which, of course, they didn't. The Blunder held off Toronto 91-83 to snap an eight game skid on Friday night in OKC.

With orange and blue streamers falling from the rafters and the crowd standing to cheer, it could've easily been mistaken for a much more significant victory.

It wasn't. 27 games into the season and the Blunder won for only the third time and have that championship feeling. Way to lower the bar, Clay. Future ex Blunder Kevin Durant had 24 points and eight rebounds in 43 minutes, another heavy night minutes-wise for KD. Earl Watson had zero points in 17 minutes, Chris Wilcox missed four free-throws in an 18-second span and Nick Collison added five fouls to lead the Blunder low lights. Grievance counselors consoled the shell-shocked Raptors as they watched the Blunder celebrate at their expense.

Bennett's Low-Budget Blunder continued their title run by signing NBA cast-off Gonad, er, Nenad Krstic to a three-year $15 million dollar deal. In late July, Krstic left the NBA for Triumph Moscow and now he is on the verge of returning to the NBA. Let's hope he hasn't gotten used to the word "triumph". At 7 feet and 240 pounds, he is exactly what the Blunder need in the post...if he can stay healthy. He's coming off torn ACL injury that cost him his job on the Nets. His biggest asset is that he comes cheap for Bennett's Budget Blunder and after playing in Moscow, perhaps he wn't be horrified at playing in OKC.

Blunder: 3-24
Standings: Last
Next Loss: Cleveland.
Win streak: Yeah, right.

Memphis update: Lost to Charlotte on Friday 112-83. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 17 points. Memphis fell to 9-17 on the season - last place. Next game: Clippers on Tuesday

New Orleans update: Defeated San Antonio on Wednesday, 90-83. They're 15-7 and tied with Houston for first place. They host Sacrmento (7-20) Saturday night.

The Number 24...

2008-12-16T22:54:00.001-08:00
Divided by two equals 12, and 12 is a much easier list to make. C'mon, did you really think I'd play that number card twice? Speaking of twice, the Blunder have only won twice this season. The Clippers enjoyed some Blunder, er, Southern hospitality, leaving OKC with a 98-88 win on Tuesday night. Los Angeles improved to 7-17 while watching, in awe no doubt, as the Blunder raced out to 2-24.

Editor's note: '2-24' is not a typo.

Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant led OKC, as always, with 25 points on 9-18 shooting while logging 41 minutes. I don't like Durant, a smaller framed player, logging heavy minutes night after night. I'm concerned they are going to run him into the ground or into an injury. Take it down a little, to around 35-38 minutes. Here's a random list of twelve. If you see a pattern in it, that's because you're insane. There is no pattern.

LIST OF 12

1. Cities without an NBA team from last season. One. Seattle.
2. Blunder wins, Duh.
3. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: 3. Great Movie. It is also the Blunder motto.
4. Fouls by Jeff Green along with 13 points on 6-15 shooting in 29 minutes.
5. Rebounds by Durant, along with 25 points in 41 minutes.
6. Dr J. The man never had to face the horror of seeing a "Thunder" jersey lined up across from him. He is a lucky man.
7. Seven letters in Corn Dog. You know you want one.
8. Eight game losing streak.
9. January 9th. A Blunder loss to Houston to look forward to.
10. I think my point was made on #3, frankly.
11.
12.

Blunder 2-24. Last place. 15.5 games out.
Next Loss: Friday vs. Toronto

Memphis Update: Lost to New Orleans 91-84 to fall to 9-16. Rudy Gay had 30. They have won four of their last five and are in last place, 7 games out.

THE NUMBER 23

2008-12-15T09:30:00.000-08:00
1. A wonderful Jim Carrey Movie
2. My father's birthday in July
3. The Atomic number for Valadium
4. The number of shots Jeff Green took against the Spurs.
5. The 23 Enigma - belief that all events are connected to the number 23.
6. 1923 - The USSR was officially established.
7. Michael Jordan's jersey number.
8. Points the Seattle Seahawks posted against St Louis on Sunday.
9. Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the USA.
10. The number of Blunder losses!

The Blunder lost to the Spurs 109-104 on Sunday to push their losing streak to seven. San Antonio won their sixth straight. Future ex-blunder Kevin Durant had 28 points and 13 rebounds. Russell Westbrook had 2 points in 19 minutes to lead the Blunder lowlights.

Despite the Blunder being anything but 'excellent', their website is still shilling the Blunder 'excellence' polo shirt for a mere $55. 2-23 is not excellent, kids. This is another prime example of Bennett's Blundering and willfull misrepresentation.

Blunder: 2-23
Standings: Last
Steak: seven losses
Next loss: Tuesday vs. LA Clippers

Dirk Drops 46, Blunder Drop a Deuce

2008-12-14T08:37:00.000-08:00
Dirk Nowitzki dropped a season-high 46 points as Dallas held off the Blunder on Saturday night, 103-99. Future ex-Blunder Kevin Durant had 22 points on 8-18 shooting. Center project Johan Petro had zero points on 0-3 shooting in 17 minutes while Jeff Green and Desmond Mason each had five fouls to lead the Blunder lowlights. The former Supersonics lost for the first time in Dallas since the move to OKC, a move Maverick owner Mark Cuban vehemently opposed. Dallas improved to 13-9.

Bennett's Blunder, on their 2008 U.S. Tour of Defeats, lost in their 12th different NBA arena of the season and are now all deuces, falling to 2-22.

According to the OKC Thunder website, you can now scratch-and-lose in the Oklahoma lottery in two different ways! You can scratch and win no money or scratch and risk winning Blunder tickets. Is that even legal? Is this how they intend to urge folks to the game? Where are all the promotions and giveaways? How about Clay's Colossal Corndog deal; three corndogs for the price of three!

And don't forget to piss off that special relative or co-worker this holiday season by gifting them an official OKC Thunder "Excellence" polo shirt. Give the gift that keeps on losing. At a mere $55 and with a 2-22 record, that's $27.50 per win! The first place Lakers sell their polo for $45, just FYI.

Blunder: 2-22.
Standings: Last
Losing streak: 6
Next loss: Sunday vs San Antonio.