Please dont hate OKC, Seattle people!

[ktalbert98]

God these comments r so long

[ChrisHoyt]

The new owner knew from the beginning that he was going to move the Sonics...and David Stern was behind it all...Key Arena was just updated about 10 years back...umm Madison Square Garden is outdated..yet the Knicks are still there...well all in all...we got shafted...and hopefully sometime soon we will get a new team.

[cashox3]

i feel so sad for all you footbal freaks ... lol, glued to a fucking ball, like flies to shit !

[hollywoodfilms23]

hey bro, shut the fuck up. This is real insulting you would even have the balls to make a video like this nigga. You know how mad people in seattle are still and you okc fan making this video is jus so wrong and prolly gonna get people more angry. focus on sci fi movies bro. u dont know anything about sports. nobody cares about okc's apology. as far as im concerned. okc and seattle are enemies cuz of ur fat hick ass owner. who never worked and got lucky with his wifes money. for real.

[o0xst]

@hollywoodfilms23 Did you listen to the whole thing, Skeeeeeeeeeeeeel-dAwg 8 da hard way..or whatever your name is?

[83ghostman]

I want the Seattle supersonics back!!!!!!!!!! D:-

[The096757]

i don't mind football but all other profesional sports teams are parasites.

[o0xst]

@MrToke66 Which is why bus boys, call center employees, street sweepers, etc... shouldn't have to subsidize the billionaire owners of the team! It was going to come regardless, it would have been a PR nightmare for the NBA had Stern denied them the move....

[ThunderUpOKC89]

@o0xst You are so right. The Thunder have been horrible for this city. The community pride and millions dollars of revenue they contribute to our economy is terrible. Aubrey McClendon is a weasel too. What kind of monster would work his whole life building a company that provides jobs for thousands of Oklahoman's and also provides energy to thousands more... I'm tacking from your video that you are not intelligent so just in case you didn't catch it Im being sarcastic. ThunderUp! Dumbass...

[cackums]

I could care less about OKC, its your teams lying fucking owner who needs to be stripped naked and fed to leaches.

[o0xst]

@cackums Bennett is a real turd.

[BronchoKyle]

Who the hell are you to speak for Oklahoma City. Shut up.

[o0xst]

@BronchoKyle got 42% of the vote for mayor ol girl...

[csrivalry]

LOL offer an apology - like you are the person chosen to speak for the city from your one bedroom apartment before your shift starts a blockbuster video.

[o0xst]

@csrivalry Tell everyone at church I said hello sunday, Billy Bob.

[csrivalry]

It must suck to be one of the few liberals in Oklahoma. What a big load of tripe. The Thunder brings money into the city and creates the revenue to improve schools and roads. The residents of OKC voted on sales tax for the Ford Center. You are in the wrong town liberal. Seattle may be a nice place for you to relocate.

[o0xst]

@csrivalry Sounds good pal!

[Dankychron]

We need more people like you on this planet. Thanks for your condolences. It's been extremely depressing not having a franchise here. I mean, I can understand how it would be easy to move some teams but our Sonics had so much history. Not many NBA teams have been in the same place for 4 decades. And like everyone else is sayin, we're not mad at OKC people. Just pissed at the snakes like Stern and Bennett along with Schultz for running the team into the ground and selling it to Bennett

[astar334]

Where did you get that shirt? Badass.

[slyness1561]

Bennett must die.

[o0xst]

@slyness1561 Gaylord actually threatened to kill him a few times. I have talked to a handful of people in the know that say he was very serious.

[slyness1561]

@o0xst I just want my team back from that snake lol

[o0xst]

@slyness1561 I hear ya. Just be happy of all the great stuff you have, in lieu of giving him millions upon millions to stay. I know it hurts, but what you have there is so much better than the economic nightmare - reminiscent of the pre Great-Depression insanity here in OKC. I really think I should move out there if I wasn't so busy fighting these monsters here.

[slyness1561]

@o0xst haha move to seattle lol

[ShaneDawg021]

thanks man... still stings

[Tokorai]

I live in Oklahoma and am moving to Seattle and the end of summer, I'm going to have a bad rep now =(

[o0xst]

@Tokorai Have fun! Eat some delicious seafood for me...

[Tokorai]

@o0xst Eating for two is always a good excuse. =p

[MrMusikman24]

For the most part the people here in Seattle don't hate Oklahoma City. You showed with your treatment of the Hornets after Katrina that you deserved an NBA team but it didn't seem right for it to be the Sonics. It should have been a team like the Clippers, cause honestly nobody in LA gives a fuck about them haha. It was all Clay Bennett not the OkCty people. You earned the team but Seattle got screwed. At the end of the day it was just business.....

[o0xst]

@MrMusikman24 Thanks. OKC folks got equally screwed. We had to pay with the stadium swindle, and a recent tax incentive for the friends of Bennett and McClenon $1,000,000,000 and now our city is dying. We cant even keep our nice $160k/yr to maintain fish hatchery open, it is disgusting. Look on my favorites for the recently added video on the hatchery...thats what we've become here because of Bennett and friends.

[SuperSonics4Life]

you know what. im not gunna lie. if i was a fan in OKC i would be thrilled to have a team. but you know what. your teams leader should never see as much as a smile from you people. HES A FUCKING PROPAGANDA LYING MOTHER FUCKER. fuck our leaders though too. both are too blame. but no matter what you or i say, the thuuunddeer will NEVER be on the sonics level. never

[o0xst]

@SuperSonics4Life Sad what has happened here. Really a representation of where this country is right now. Take care of the rich, screw everyone else. Its shameful. Would be nice to just sit back and enjoy the games, but it isn't possible if you have a conscience.

[SuperSonics4Life]

@o0xst not sure if thats an insult or an agreement. but if your trying to prove a point I agree. all IM sayin...is that we got screwed here in seattle..theres no 2 ways around it.

[o0xst]

@SuperSonics4Life You got screwed, the working people in OKC got screwed. We've subsidized them well over 1/4 of a billion dollars and all of our services, including police and fire are being cut. It is a disgrace all around unless you are rich or some moron that doesn't understand how a functioning society is supposed to work..... nothing against you at all man.

[SuperSonics4Life]

@o0xst fair enough. makes me even more mad to give up a team run by a bunch of greedy bastards. clay bennetts a fuckin headcase manipulative fuck

[o0xst]

@SuperSonics4Life I've got some great stories about the man, from people as close to him as possible. You don't know what a horrible person he is...it's far worse than you might think.

[SuperSonics4Life]

@o0xst damn really? what a lowlife

[Tokorai]

@o0xst "Really a representation of where this country is right now." No shit, all that money and time spent on a freaken basketball team. There are more important things to dump money into.

"Well, the Gulf of Mexico is currently being destroyed, animals are going extinct and islands eroding away, but at least we have our basketball team. Good investment fellas."

[SarahLovesDibs]

In the end, you still live in OKC. Congratufuckinglations. Enjoy your playoffs and your shitty life.

[o0xst]

@SarahLovesDibs Me?

[BBright37]

your an idiot man...

[o0xst]

@BBright37  you're

[Skittles658]

Im a Jazz fan, and the Thunder can burn!!

[hellokitty101ful]

i hate okc

[hawkeye2125]

YOU SUCK

[nigganick84]

hahahaha, is this dude serious.... hahaha, ya darktimes buddy.... Planet X 2012.... Bilderberg.... Come on buddy I like what our city is becoming, and I checked out your website. The only thing in your Mayoral plan is Community Wi fi....... hahahahahaha just what we need, more lame ass people blogging "Woe is me..."

[Gutairvillan987]

i hope seattle gets a new team i am sick of not watching sonics no more.

[bugboy1978]

this guys running for mayor and he is crazy. i rember when i was a kid there was nothing to do in okc and now there is this guy cant stand it. he wants to keep oklahomacity small and not grow. he would rather give the money to the greedy police and fire union

[o0xst]

@bugboy1978 Thanks for the kind words.

[slydawg221]

i have nothing against oklahoma city because i know that it wasn't their choice to screw over seatlle. my hate is focused strictly on clay bennett, as far as i'm concerned he's right there in the same category as osama bin laden.

[hawkeye2125]

you know maybe if you would have paid to keep them they might not have left. they sucked up there and now they are awsome. Go THUNDER

[Kyle4Prez]

I know now not to marry a oklahoman cuz when they say they'll be with me through the thick and thin, i'll know they're really lying to me

[SwiftyMorgun1]

Thank you. I don't blame my fellow Americans in Oklahoma. I grew up loving basketball but I am now am repulsed. The NBA is dead to me. DEAD!!! Good luck to you with your franchise based on a disloyal, backstabbing and short term visionaries like the putrid (Stern&Bennett) clan. You are always welcome in Seattle if your priorities are right.

Best wishes, The Opponents Of Stupidity.

[o0xst]

Look for some good videos on Bennett soon. I've unearthed some amazing stuff. He is worse than you could ever imagine.

[robotwookie]

I appreciate your video my friend. I do not aim my anger at OKC. It simply hurts so bad that my beloved Supersonics are gone. The team that my father would take me to see. We would cheer together. We shared our passion together. Now, these are just memories. The worst part is that I do not know if I will share the same thing with my child. Cheers

[o0xst]

OKC is becoming an incredibly dark place. It is just like Chile' after Pinochet took over. Hand everything over to powerful entities, all the while ranting and raving about the "Conservative Economic Miracle!" If this isn't documented well and soon, things will get worse for everyone. Had we defeated the now $ 1/4b subsidy to the team, I doubt the first bank bailout would have occurred. Seriously. Initially Oklahoma Reps were against it, but were swayed. Had voters here said no to the..

[o0xst]

...subsidy, they would understand that people are fed up with rich guys getting everything they want and more. Very sad. It goes well beyond losing a childhood memory...

[The206thomas]

seattle is gonna get a team i have hope fuck greg nickles david stern& clay bennet

[o0xst]

Dont forget Aubrey McClendon...

[afalaniko44]

i cant accept this crap because seatte is not going to hav a team for a long time

[Seattleboiiii]

we might have one at 2012

[batmanrocks245678]

seattle supersonics is coming back next year

[empoyi1]

apologise for taking their basketball team, not some stupid music thing!

[RayAllen34Sonics]

I like this video. What did Oklahoma City do to us? Lets not blame them, but Bennett. Their money craving monsters, but the Oklahoma City Thunder fans are regular fans just like us.

[WWESUCKSNOW]

Woah! there is a difference between being A OKC fan and any other fan team. Think about the Nationals, they have no real fans. You like a team then backstab them because some team goes to your home, you are not a real fan. If you only like a team only because of their state your not a real fan. What you turn 30 and you always liked a team and your city never had a team, then a team is made in your city, what is the real excuse for liking that team If you were a fan of another team?

[SuperSonics4Life]

@RayAllen34Sonics exactly. fuck bennett. but fuck some of these oklahoma fans that think they deserved it. fuck that.

[McNabbet]

i grew up in the 90's and the sonics were my childhood, like everyone else in seattle in the 90's i breathed basketball

[saamagan]

so seatle is okc too??coz there is Kevin Durant

[kklol7]

Vote your Mayor out of office. He worked to screw Seattle over, and he screwed your taxpayers over when your city needs serious work.

[Blinvalyay]

I jus cant forgive OKC for what stern and bennett did. They took something from me that i can never have back...

MY CHILDHOOD.

[o0xst]

There was a large group of OKC progressives (and true Conservatives!) who were fighting this, but we got ZERO support from the outside, as always....it's not OKC's fault alone here...

[sivret20]

I just hate Stern and Bennett, cause they're liars. No one else.

[o0xst]

You should read more about our Mayor Mick Cornett! He is just as bad and an up and coming Radical Right Wing Republican leader.

[Frankenstein1689]

i dont hate OKC, i love u guys i just hate Clay Bennett and his people who want to make more money, David Stern i hate them but i love u OKC people.

[o0xst]

Well show your love and get some intelligent people to come help us fight these animals.

[amylh322]

Really good video. I've been so mad, hurt, frustrated at the(FEW!) Seattle people for hating us when I said NO to this tax! It's so hard to be "hated" and judged by people who haven't even tried to know us :(

I personally wouldn't mind public transportation. I'm disabled and my Senior Citizen parents, bless their good hearts, shouldn't shoulder the burden of driving me everywhere.

Good attitude here o0xst - I really commend you on it. Mine needs work. And I'm pretty embarrassed about that.

[MikeBunds2001]

Fuck Clay Bennett and David Stern and better yet, FUCK THE NBA!!!!

[rocketmanza]

clay bennet is takeing tons of money from you in seattle we just dont like clay cuz he lied and they wont have a wining record durants gone when his contract up

[danowilson143]

thats what clay bennett gets for screwing seattle and their sonics fans. OKC thunder sucks! What goes go around comes around and OKC thunder will never be successful until clay bennett steps down as the owner or sells the team to someone else. f*ck clay bennett and his organization the Professional Basketball Club LLC.

[akummert]

I'm glad that i found this video. Clay Bennett doesn't deserve any of the money he has,the only thing he deserves is a kick straight to the soft spot.

Its nice to know OKC has people that actual know what they are talking about in it. Sorry you got stuck with such a shitty team... haha.

[o0xst]

You'd be surprised how many people in OKC get it...however we are propagandized by the radical right moreso than any State by a long shot. We have no locally owned media here for the most part, what we do have are owned by Bennett's family and friends. It can be a very cruel place but once we get it fixed, great things will follow. We just need a little help from the outside, not getting any though...

[amylh322]

Isn't that the complete lack of beauty of it? When were the Sonics a winning team? All I hear from my Seattle friends is that they weren't really so hot!

[jpx08]

Look, man. I don't hate Oklahoma City. I have never been there but I am sure people there are nice. This is why I hate what all pro sports have been doing to cities and pitting them against each other. It's not right. This is why I tend to think pro sports have become a joke.

Anyways all the best to you from Washington state.

[Licmycat]

that's why they want illegals to own, they keep their mouths shut even when they know english. Something bad is going to happen to them one of these days....

[balasuar]

I don't hate OKC. I hate Clay Bennett. Fiercely hate him.

I grew up with the Sonics, and they've been my team through thick and thin.

I was in high school, in 1996 when the Sonics made it to the NBA finals against Michael Jordan's Bulls. They lost 4-2, but I remember when Kemp dunked on Dennis Rodman. Amazing.

I don't hate the OCT either; most of the players played their asses off for the sonics, it's not their fault Howard Schultz is a moron, and Clay Bennett is a douchebag.

Enjoy the team.

[o0xst]

We've now been through THREE rounds of taxes. We will end up paying $1/4billion dollars for this crap. Its disgusting. Its quite sad that we couldn't have stopped this, as I think it would have sent a serious message to the powers that be. Now look, Henry Paulson and his son Merritt are following suit in Portland, asking for $80million from the taxpayers there for a minor league stadium renovation! Unreal.

[ryan9942]

Any Sonics fan should hate the Thunder more than the Celtics since douchebag Bennett owns the Thunder, he screwed Seattle over

[MikeBunds2001]

the whole state of OK are a bunch of douchebags anyways.

[amylh322]

Every. Single. One of us. You REALLY think that? That is just - those are just mean, bitter words man. I hope you figure out how to get past that.

And really - "douchebag"? That's so clever! NO ONE ever uses that on YouTube a million times a day! LOLOLOL

[MikeBunds2001]

for your information, I am from nowhere close to Seattle.

Not everyone in OKC are douchebags, but Clay Benett is much lower than a douchebag. I hope that he rots in hell and I hope someone kicks the shit out of David Stern for doing a lot of other things to ruin basketball.

[amylh322]

Well, you done tole me! :)

[freboi]

Good news. As you probably already know...Aubrey McClendon had a margin call, had to dump nearly all his Chesapeake stock which essentially amounted to a 2 billion dollar loss. He has kept his company at zero cash on hand for the last 2 years buying up overpriced land and news of the credit crunch made people flee Chesapeake frantically.

So ya...he's still rich as hell but he has fallen quite a ways off the mountain he was on.

[o0xst]

I know more than that. I know his pot dealer.

[amylh322]

Wah!!! :)

[LTPro1]

I thank you. I'm still pissed - but, I in no way hate the citizens of OKC. I have been a life-long supporter of the Sonics. I blame greed, cronyism, Stern, Schultz, Bennett, and the political leaders in Seattle . . . but not the decent people of OKC. I will no longer support the NBA as long as Stern is in charge. We supported our team for 41 years - and in the end . . . it didn't matter. As fans, we did all that we could. Fans do not matter to the NBA. Thank you for the kind words.

[funkyflights]

Hey man I"m from Seattle and I've been following my Sonics since I was born ... It hurts what has gone down but I wanted to say to you personally .... Thanks man ... nice to have your perspective ... I would never blame the citizens of OKC just like I would never blame the fans of Seattle ... it's all outta our hands.... 41 years is a hard relationship to break .... thanks for your words though bro....

[o0xst]

Like Bill Fletcher said in a recent column, it's not "the economy, stupid!" rather "it's the system, dummy!!!". We need to all get together and change things. I thought fighting the subsides to billionaires on this basketball thing was a good fight, if we beat them it could have started something great. We'll get 'em next time as their world is already collapsing.

[funkyflights]

I hear ya man .... and so question it's the system ... good luck to your Rays ...

[o0xst]

Well I will certainly be rooting against them, but as a Tampa Bay Rays fan I must say just because a team sucks, doesn't mean they will forever....

[seatowwwn206]

im gonna hate the team and orginization, not OKC

[o0xst]

Thats a good plan. This whole thing has been a total disgrace... Be glad you guys said "no" to all the corporate welfare BS, your city will be much better off and OKC will look like 4-20-95

[ThunderSooner2835]

Stop making OKC bombing insults!

[o0xst]

It isn't an insult. The reality is when you don't take care of your infrastructure, but instead take care of the elite of the elite, then your town goes to crap.

[ThunderSooner2835]

I just get sick of Seattle trolls making OKC bobing insults when trashing the Thunder.

We do need to fix our roads, though.

[o0xst]

I worked down there in '95...not a Seattle troll.

[ThunderSooner2835]

I wasn't calling you one. I just pointed out that those people always use the bombing to insult OKC.

[WWESUCKSNOW]

OKC Bombing is an very nasty insult, People are making fun of a serious incident which is cruel, I hate OKC but I never use say "bombing."

[amylh322]

Who did?!

[RCTGFilms]

same here especially clay bennet. pay attention to clays name no caps cuz he aint special hes a stupid reatard.

[KHallesy]

I wanted to Thank You again and say your comments are right on. Ad 287 blasted Seattle and the fans and has been a jerk and very mean to Seattle so anything he says you should just ignore. Seattle always supported the Sonics even when they were losing. You will see that your comments are dead on. I have read every article relating to the Sonics since they have had a team so I have watched these things play out. I also was the last one to dunk in the old Colisum before the remodel. Good job

[Jethrol2]

Oh and just thought I'd say, yeah I know what your reply will be....see here's one of Clay's minions but I'm not. There are many of us that have grown up here in OKC and we're sick at tired of being considered a 2nd rate, minor league city. We're getting better and better and soon we'll be good enough to compete with any major city in the nation. That's only a matter of time.

[o0xst]

No i wouldn't say that, I know people honestly think that. But the truth is, yes we will be viewed a higher rate city by very impressionable people. People who can't do good for us. We need to aim higher, and impress people worth impressing. And you don't do that by forcing hard working people to subsidize billionaires and their toys. Trust me.

[Jethrol2]

You are putting the absolute worst spin on who will view us as a major city and the contributions they will bring. Your view seems similar to the lottery opponents that claimed it would do everything from bring mob bosses to OKC to killing baby Jesus. The $.01 sales tax isn't going to be noticed by anyone. This is why it keeps getting renewed for additional projects...because maps was awesome, maps for kids has been good and supporting our team is good for the economy.

[Jethrol2]

AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOTHING bad will happen. Jeez man, you attribute way, way too much to a simple NBA team. I'm old enough to have voted for maps and there were so many people crying just like you that maps = boondoggle. Well it's turned our city into a great place to live with lots to do and see and now we have an NBA team. This will be good for OKC, good for the economy and good for the majority of the citizens.....feel free to leave anytime. Sorry Seattle, I actually do feel bad for ya.

[o0xst]

I might leave at some point, but gotta stay and fight for now. Don't you remember the 80s and the Penn Square bank crash and all that mess?? It could come again...especially since it's really the same players.

[Jethrol2]

Absolutely I remember the Penn Sq Bank crash but that had NOTHING to do with a pro sports team or even a semi-pro sports team. It had everything to do with bankers that made bad loans.

[o0xst]

They weren't bankers!

[Jethrol2]

What? Bankers at PSBank made bad loans based on oil prices that were very high. When the price of oil dropped, the collateral for their loans dropped below federally required levels. They were insolvent when the inspectors showed up and therefore, the inspectors closed the bank. So WTF are you talking about because I just gave you the facts.

[o0xst]

Some of the people who worked there had no history in the banking business...that is all I am saying. If you know the real details about the place, you'd know that...not a big deal. Read the book "belly up", good stuff.

[Jethrol2]

You're making a point that is OBVIOUS to anyone...there's no reason to read a book to understand that. Your point has nothing to do with a pro sports team coming to OKC. You can be scared that the economic collapse that surrounded PSB will come again but it won't be caused by a pro sports teams changing cities. Hell the current housing crisis is more likely to bring economic hardship...in fact it has. However this has nothing to do with pro sports.

[amylh322]

Heaven forbid anyone read a book these days...

[amylh322]

Oooh! The "leave anytime" argument. Very effective. ;-)

[rebeljebb]

screw seattle you should have shown clay respect.ooxst if your mad about the taxes and the sonics coming to okc move outside okc and spend your money outside of okc.i do agree with you on screw the chamber of commerce illegal loving bastards

[o0xst]

I do intend on spending money outside of OKC, however I will not deny giving the good local businesses in OKC my dollar, as most are the ones who will be hurt by this (subsidizing the team and missing out on dollars that will be spent in bricktown instead of their part of the town...) thanks for disagreeing w/ me and being civil, a nice change...oh and of course for disliking the chamber. Pro Consul Williams needs to be put in his place...

[jenks2008]

Go OKC thunder, srry seattle, but what comes around, goes around

[o0xst]

They shoulda fought Schultz buying the team in the first place, but I think they are as short sighted as the people of OKC are when it comes to such matters. Anyway, do you know some fat ladies??? We need to get a bunch and give them there own cheering section at the game called the "thunder thigh gals"..that would be fun and good for the economy because they'd buy a lot of concessions.

[jenks2008]

are you implying Oklahoma is fat???

[o0xst]

This place is flooded with fat people. It's a fact.

[jenks2008]

i agree its not the best, but iv seen worse

[Eddayson]

I think at this point most of the nation is fat.

[amylh322]

Not me! :)

[CampJones08]

Thank you good Sir...

[o0xst]

Seattle has kept the rights to the Sonics name, I am hoping the new name is the Oklahoma City Charlatans. You wouldn't believe all the lies told and promises made about what "great" things this is going to do for OKC..so sad.

[KHallesy]

Your comments are 5 star. Great observations. I am from Seattle and I agree with everything you are saying 100%. I am not at all mad with Oklahoma cities fans and to be honest I actually feel for the fans because yes the rich guys did lie and cheat to steal our team but the same guys who stole our team were caught in at least 50 lies with proof. And once a liar always a liar. And guess what now you have the Sonics but you also have Clay Bennett. He has proven to be the biggest liar of all

[giumri]

thanks for looking beyond the strange blindness that takes the guise of "state pride" and sports bickering. It is a prisoner's dilemma and requires cooperation between states and their respective populations.

Keep up the information outreach....

[o0xst]

I don't feel comfortable doing anything but...things could get really bad here.

[ad287]

You goofball, you're obviously not a sports fan, if you were, you'd realize that even after we upgrade the Ford Center, we will have still gotten out so much cheaper than other cities. Our arena will be one of the best in the league, not THE best, but pretty damn high up there at a bargain. And by the way, this team we're getting has just as much promise as the Hornets did when they got here and look at that team now, we'll have a winner soon enough. It's a great thing for OKC. Bad video man.

[o0xst]

Not a sports fan, are you kidding me??!?!?! Good grief. Ok, pretend we "got out so much cheaper than other cities". This corporate welfare crap is wrong, and if we'd stood up to it, it would have sent a message to the country and most everyone else would follow suit...and we'd still get the team probably. We're The United States of America, not the Competing States of America last I checked...

[lilokiegurl4]

Wow, way to have respect for your state. I think you blew this thing way out of proportion. The move will be great for the economy of Oklahoma, and prove that we arent some po dunk state that cant run with the big dogs. have a little faith. The hornets did spectacular here, and i know that the sonics will too.

[o0xst]

Oh ok, let me guess. It will "create jobs" and will "entice businesses to locate here". Sorry, it doesn't work like that. Never has and never will. This is why the chamber of commerce et al couldn't get a SINGLE reputable economist to vouch for them...hell, even the HERITAGE FOUNDATION spoke out against this...it just doesn't work and is radically anti-capitalist...read Adam Smith, the founder of modern capitalism's writings on subsidies and get back with me...

[o0xst]

McClendon/Bennett=Oklahoma? I dont think so!

[oufootballfan99]

I disagree on just about everything you have said o0xst. The original sales tax was intended to improve the downtown area and make Oklahoma City not only a nicer place to be but to improve the image of OKC. The majority of us wanted the renovation since we voted for it. It is basicly just a continuation of the improvements to downtown. That doesnt seem like socialism to me.

[o0xst]

So why just give things to the wealthy owners? Rent of the stadium and practice facility is almost free...why?

[oufootballfan99]

Who is giving them anything? The city will pay for the renovation and then will charge the team to use the facility. Just like every landlord in the world, they own it, you rent it. $30,135,000... you think thats "almost free"?? Remember, the NBA wont be the only people to use the arena, therefore that 30 million (which acording to you is almost nothing) will only be the tipping point. The Blazers, Yard Dawgz, and most major events that come to OKC all call  the Ford Center home.

[o0xst]

Renting a $20,000,000 practice facility for $100k/yr is almost free.

[oufootballfan99]

Well i dont know about you but I cant afford 100k/yr so you must be bringing in the big bucks if thats almost free. Its an incentive, if the team leaves, they have to buy the facility. According to city manager Jim Couch the city will profit $149,000/yr off the deal. Maybe its just me but a city having a top of the line arena, an NBA franchise, AND making money in the process... sounds like the MAPS project is paying off.

[o0xst]

Pretend the city profits. What about it's inhabitants?  All reputable economists say that they will not benefit from this.

[oufootballfan99]

okay well let me ask you a question.. forget what your "reputable economists" say and tell me, have you personally seen original documents that show any city in the nation losing money, residents, or businesses? I think you have a misguided perspective on this. Just like you think building a government funded arean is socialism, its not. I bet you even think the US is a democracy, heres a shocker.. its not. Its a republic. The sonics will bring a positive impact. period.

[oufootballfan99]

and for your idea that if we had stood tall and said no to funding an arena that other cities would follow our lead. wrong. we are the "competing states of america" as you so put it. your federalist views wont work here. if we turn them down someone else would love to have them. business owners are smart, they will go were they will make the most money.

[o0xst]

Our country wasn't made great by fearful men, as Edward R Murrah said. Stop being afraid of going against people like this. They are not good for our city, state, country nor the world.

[oufootballfan99]

how are they not good for us? and dont say well this one guy said this and that... i want to hear why you think this will hurt the city!

[o0xst]

Money will be spent at the games rather than other entertainment venues, which will take away from other local businesses. And since the stadium uses TIFF districting, all the taxes will go back into the place rather than benefit the people. Also, Bennett is already negotiating with non-Oklahoma owned radio and tv stations to do the broadcasting, so other states will profit, and will run ads of non-oklahoma businesses for the most part because they will be very expensive! Also 1/4b wasted..

[o0xst]

Also, non-economic measures of well being as justification for taxes sounds kind of like socialism to me as well...but I know that nothing matters in this strange universe of Oklahoma City.

[o0xst]

A publicly funded stadium doesn't = socialism in your book? Ha, ok.

[teenonator]

I don't hate or dislike Oklahoma City, or the fans. Clay Bennett(& his pards), David Stern, & Howard Shultz are the true heavies. I do hate Enid....is that OK? (Just kidding)

[o0xst]

What, did one of the Price boys do something to the Sonics or something??? They're Enidities of course....

[teenonator]

My ex-wife's mother's name is/was Enid. :)

[o0xst]

Good thing it wasn't freedom our you'd be the top story on FOX News.

[teenonator]

Huh?

[slimslam21]

Thanks o0xst for your words, I still tho have very bitter taste about the whole deal. I hope the Oklahomans see that Clay Bennett as how we in Seattle sees him. Clay Bennett is a dirtbag lying cheating bastard who will rot in hell.

[o0xst]

Trust me, most people in OKC and Oklahoma know the truth. Despite the massive propaganda and the fact that Bennett and McClendon have a monopoly on the media and the politicians here. There was fraud in this, and if there was justice this would have never happened and the country would look to OKC as a place that said no to such things, and then change would occur all over the place. Sadly, we got no help from the outside and now dark times loom for us all...

[Jeff98177]

Thanks for the kind words. This is the third time a corrupt owner went to move a franchise out of Seattle; in years past, the Mariners almost went to St. Petersburg and the Seahawks to LA. Sadly, the third time wasn't the charm in our case.

[teenonator]

Actually, 4th time, plus the Pilots. George Argyros & Jeff Smulyan tried to move the M's, former Oakland Raiders Jocksniffer Ken Behring tried to move the 'Hawks. Sam Schulman even talked about moving the Sonics to SoCal, but that was an empty threat. FYI, the jocksniffer tag about Behring came from some friends who played in Oakland. Jerk & Tool were a couple of the other words they used about him. At least we've got a couple of local guys on the Blazers to root for, else there'd be no way.

[Jeff98177]

Seattle's weather has been really nice lately - plenty of sun, temps in the 80s. Then last night, after the announcement? Rain, thunder and lightning. Clearly the basketball gods aren't pleased.

Clay is a pompous big-eared jackass who lied to the city of Seattle, he turned down TWO arena offers in his greed to get the Sonics. But as another video pointed out, he won't be getting the name, the logo, the colors, the heart and soul of the Sonics.

[o0xst]

Bennett will not get away with this in the long term.. Something will surface and he will be in a ton of trouble. This is a sad incident, but there are much worse things going on in this country and beyond, and this incident pretty much is a prefect case study on why so many things are going so bad and wrong. Best of luck and enjoy your nice city...