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Tim Burgess Responds To NBA Decision

Seattle Supersonics NBA Team

If you don’t know by now, Seattle won’t be getting an NBA team anytime soon.  The deal is dead and many fans are disappointed.  Seattle was scouting the Sacramento Kings and had a big offer on the table.  Unfortunately, the NBA Board of Governors voted and said the deal is not going to happen.  They wanted the Sacramento Kings to stay in Sacramento, California.  The NBA Board of Governors has the final say and the verdict was a big fat “not going to happen”.  On paper, the deal looked like a success for Seattle.  When is comes to the Neilson ratings, Seattle is the 14th largest compared to Sacramento who is the 20th largest.  In the last hours, Hansen and Steve Ballmer (from Microsoft) even increased their bid but at the end of day it wasn’t about the money, is was about ego and control.  The NBA Board of Governors controls these decisions and how they play out.  The big issue was that in Sacramento they have no other teams or entertainment dollars coming in.  They only have the Kings.  Compared to Seattle having the Mariners, Sounders, UW, and the Seahawks (plus more) which is a massive amount of entertainment.

When the final decision of “no go” came from the NBA Board, City of Seattle Council Member Tim Burgess responded with saying:

“The NBA’s decision is very disappointing to me and the thousands of Sonics fans in our city. I remain hopeful that Seattle can once again be home to NBA basketball in the coming years. Chris Hansen and his partners have displayed amazing commitment in their efforts to secure a team for Seattle’s fans. The City’s role has always been to prepare for a team should one be available. We will be prepared.”

Unfortunately, that is not going to happen anytime soon for Seattle.

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New Seattle Stadium Expected Approval Tuesday

On Tuesday, the City Of Seattle is expected to sign the documents to approve the new stadium.  The exact area is not determined yet and not specified in the documents.  Many expect the new stadium to be placed near Safeco Field in the SODO area.  The red tape has already begun, however.  By state law, a 1 year environment review is required.  They are going also review others areas not just the SODO area.  $200 million of the expected $490 million dollar stadium is to come from public funds.  It is expected to be paid back by admission taxes and rent money.  In the event, the payback falls short, Mr. Hansen will cover the rest.  For sports fans, this is a major deal and many are excited to have a new NBA team (and possible NHL team).  History says it’s not going to work out but good luck to them.

I am not as excited as them, however.  I know Seattle residents will support our Seahawks more than they would ever support our new NBA or NHL team.  Just like any other sport and as we saw with the SuperSonics less support is given to teams who constantly lose.  In my opinion, Seattle stadium owners have a way of not supporting any of the really good players.  We always trade them or not renew them because of financial reasons.  It’s all about selling out the local stadium and not the long term value (or away games).  We could care less about them. That trend is pretty constant and it sure doesn’t want me to support any teams here.  Visits are drawn to teams by player branding.  It’s the exact reason why boxing is so poor today – they don’t support player branding.  Fans want to support their favorite player, visit, dress like them, read about them, etc… without that the support will always be low for new players with no branding.  Seattle was constantly built good players and just when the public falls in the love with them (their brand) they are gone to a new team or not supported by their owners anymore.  I hate that aspect it’s just bad business.

I would expect this to fully pass and be signed on Tuesday.  It will take many years before we actually have something new to visit, however.  Just to complicate this process more it doesn’t appear the International Longshore and Warehouse Union locals are going to support it at all.  They are already complaining about the traffic chocking their working area.  Unfortunately, the Seattle City Council will make this decision with or without them.  It’s a done deal.

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Bellevue Police Drunk & Should Be Fired

When is it OK to litter? When is it OK to taunt a policeman who tells you to pick it up? When is it OK for three drunken Bellevue police officers to be circling a cop taunting and swearing at one Seattle Female  cop who has told them to pick up their trash they threw down? When is public drunkenness OK. The answer here seems to be if you are a Bellevue policeman celebrating at a Seahawks game in Seattle.

The facts are facts, and it’s either against the law or it isn’t and that includes everyone. Old, young, female, any color skin. But three policeman from Bellevue seem to be an exception. WHY?  Linda Pillo, Bellevue Police Chief says the conduct of the drunk officers are not how her office is ran, and apologized for their actions. If this is not the kind of reputation she wants Bellevue to have then FIRE THE THREE STUPID DRUNKS. Just because they were flashing their badges and bullying and taunting and using F bombs with the Seattle Police shows what their character is. The Chief is withholding their names because they have rights. What the heck does that mean if it is not shielding them? Right now the entire police department’s 219 members are suffering because the three drunks are being shielded.  If you or I or God forbid four black kids in baggy pants with their hats on backwards had did what these cops did they would have been arrested before they even got into the game to ruin it for the people who had paid a huge price to take their kids to a football game.

They are calling this hooliganism. I think it is much more than that. These three Bellevue police officers are evidently unruly drunks and it can’t be their first time. Drinking might make a guy stagger around and maybe make you think you can dance better or look smart because you are drunk. You may think you can even drive better but even a drunk knows better than to bully and taunt a policeman who is telling you to pick up litter.  Even after calling in back up cops these drunks were allowed to go on into the stands to cause more trouble. They were finally escorted out but not arrested for public drunkenness, disturbing the peace, disrespecting everyone and using F words in front of the Seattle Police, and families. One drunk supposedly told the man who complained about them in the grandstands that “he better stay out of Bellevue”. Is that really OK? Even this is like the Seattle Police saying well we will look the other way if it is a “fellow cop”, even from another city. Seattle Police say no laws were broken?  Do you wonder why people don’t trust or respect officers the way they used to? It’s incidents like this over and over that cause it. Just because they have a badge does not mean they can do something in public that the rest of us are not allowed to do.

Did the Seattle Police give them a free ride home? Did they call them a cab? Did they ask who was the designated driver? Evidently a extra woman was along that was not a cop but supposedly was drunk too. Did Seattle Police alert anyone to watch for their car once they pulled out of the parking lot? Cop’s sit behind a sign watching people leave a tavern and then nail them. These three off duty drunken Bellevue cops should not be given a PAID LEAVE for the month long investigation the Chief says it will take. They should at the very least be on unpaid leave and turn in their badges and guns until the investigation is over. Their pictures and names should be in the paper if for no other reason than to protect the other 216 Bellevue cops. Right now they are all under a cloud of suspicion because the chief is protecting the three drunks. Why were they not arrested for obstructing justice or something? In a month we will never hear about it anymore, their names and faces shielded and the cover up will be complete. LLL

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Seattle Seahawks Monday Night Football

Tonight is the night and it’s going to be a big one.  The Seattle Seahawks vs the Packers at Century Link Field (downtown Seattle).  The Seahawks finally are back in the spotlight on prime time TV (kinda see below) Yes, its a home game and the city is sprawling with Packer fans.  I was driving downtown Saturday and they were pouring in all dressed up in Packer gear.  Tailgating parties started early this morning.  The game starts at 5:30pm so if you get out of work at 5pm you may have some trouble getting home.  Ticket prices at a minimum are $200 bucks and I would expect a full stadium of 70,000 screaming fans.

In the 43 years Monday night football has been running, the Seahawks have only been featured 25 times.  There record for Monday night games is 17-8 which isn’t that bad in my opinion.  Both teams have 1-1 records coming into tonight’s game.  Packers are favored in Vegas by 3.5 points.  However, the Hawks at home and the 12th man can change how a game is going.

You should know that you probably won’t be able to see the game at home though.  Unless of course you pay the big bucks to upgrade your TV package (with ESPN).  It’s a sleavy move by the people in charge to have you buy the tickets, go the bars and buy dinner or $8 drinks, or make you pay more for cable each month.  With that attitude, it sure makes me want to support another stadium (not!). If you want to stay home, you’ll have to settle for the radio stations 710 AM and 97.3 FM.

My Prediction:

Sorry Seattle fans, I’m all about the numbers/odds so I’m taking the Packers on this one.  However, being a Seattle resident I do hope the Hawks can pull it off.

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Mayor Mike McGinn’s Secret NBA Arena Contract

Taxpayer’s get ready to be jumping though the hoops again paying fees, taxes, fines, levy’s or whatever else the city might decide they want to take away from you to build a new Basketball Arena. We lost the Sonics because we the people would not pay for another stadium for them. Of course we the people voted against the other two stadiums but they got built anyway. I thought we had made it clear that we were not interested in building a bunch of millionaires a sports facility so a bunch of millionaire players could earn them some more money. Tickets are out of reach of the ordinary person.

When Mayor McGinn talks about the city slashing, cutting, laying off police and fireman and no money to fix streets. No money for the homeless. Man he says the city is broke. What most of us don’t know about is the fund he has that allows him to spend up to $250,000 without even telling the city council what he is spending it on. To the city that is just pennies, but it had to be taken away from workers to create that fund. In secret he has had a contract with Carl Hersh, a sports- facility consultant. He has been paying him $19,500 a month since July. The Mayor says he is examining the “opportunity” to bring an NBA Team to Seattle. He didn’t even bother to tell the city Council about this. Something is really wrong here.

There was an opportunity to keep the Sonics here but we could not afford to build a playpen for Bennett so he took the team to Oklahoma. The economy has not improved. We can’t afford a stadium anymore now than when Bennett said Key Arena was not good enough but the Mayor is blowing almost $20,000 on this consultant. This is the same consultant that worked for Howard Schultz on how to make the Key Arena profitable. Maybe we need Dr Phil to ask the Mayor, “hows that workin’ for ya”. We were still paying on the mortgage on of king dome when they blew it up to build a bigger, better more expensive arena THAT THE VOTERS VOTED DOWN.

Let the investors hire their consultant, let the investors buy up property, then let the investors apply for permits, pay for everything including the building. Then let them pay their taxes and the city might make some money but not if we are in the business of buildings stadiums and then being made hostage by the millionaires that bought the team wanting more remodeling, more luxury seats. Let all of that be THEIR problem. Not the taxpayers problem. How many more secret things are we paying for that never see the light of day. Why is this such a secret. Is the Mayor wheeling and dealing and by the time we hear about it and say we don’t want it he can say the contracts are signed, we cant back out now like the stupid tunnel that we cant afford. I say whoa nellie. Stop spending money on consultants and lawyers looking at the initiative that taxpayers signed that says the city has to make money from the stadiums. Let the millionaire players build their stadium like the millionaires have to build their own swimming pools etc. No taxpayer money should be used, especially while the Mayor is talking about how broke the city is. Shame on him. If he thought the people would be excited over it why keep it a secret?

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Olympia Representatives – Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

The liars are on the loose again.  State lawmakers passed a plan to pay for a new Mariners stadium in 1995. It was controversial then but passed because it would end when the bonds expire this year. They promised the restaurant and rental car tax would end.  The time is almost hear and they just cant let that source of money slip away even if it means making themselves look like liars. Well if you look like a duck ………. They do not want us to really know what they will use it for or if it will ever end. We taxpayers know we have to pay some taxes to pay to run the government but this is turning into a PORK BUFFETT. I can almost picture the lawmakers like those poker playing dogs that are in an old picture, only this time they are trading votes not cards or chips. They have no qualms about not keeping their word that when we paid for the stadium the taxes would end. Remember the voters did not want the stadium built.

HB1997 wants to expand the Convention Center but to get enough votes it has to set aside money for other causes. Some are: 3 million a year for affordable housing(they don’t call it low cost anymore). A million a year would go to a Seattle-public development Authority (did you ever hear of it?) didnt think so. It is focused on Pioneer Square and the Chinatown International District.

SB 5834 would deal with the arts, without money for affordable housing or the convention. They say they would have money set aside for other purposes.(think dogs playing poker again here)

I say let the taxes expire. Keep your word Olympia representatives. We cant afford expansions and all your goodies in these hard times. If you need more money and taxpayers will vote for it I can’t argue that. But you need to put on the ballot exactly what it is funding and when whatever it is will be paid for. It cant go on forever, no questions asked. Democracy does not make everyone happy, but its the best we have. I dont feel its fair fon non property owners to vote to raise my property tax. I feel its a little like two lions and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch.  Quit telling lies. Regain some trust.

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