Seattle, meet your Art Modell

Well, it appears official now.

The Fan House is reporting that NBA owners have approved the move of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City by a 28-2 (Allen, Cuban) vote.

I haven't really chimed in because I kept waiting for the 13th hour miracle (still possible from Starbucks) that would keep the Seattle's oldest franchise at home.

Make no mistake about it, this is about the most underhanded thing that can happen in sports today, and if you've followed this story you've found yourself shaking your head on more than one occasion.

There's no logical need for a team in OKC as the market is already dominated by the Mavericks and the Hornets. Think about it, the entire TOLA region of the US has four professional basketball teams: Mavericks, Spurs, Rockets and Hornets. Why add a 5th? The only reason that this is happening is because when Katrina happened, the Hornets came to OKC (becoming the NOOCH!) and the fans came out in support. I think they came in support of the city of New Orleans, not because of basketball, but that's my view.

Ripping a team out of its foundations of Seattle and moving it to the ass hole of America doesn't help your product. Simmons has an interesting, though conspiratorial, theory that David Stern has beefed up the Blazers organization to allow the people of Seattle something else to cheer for. (The Blazers are going to be a bad ass team for the next 10 years, look at them.)

It just reeks of underhanded tactics, like when Art Modell moved from Cleveland to Baltimore in the middle of the night.

What do you think about all this?

Sonics should stay put

Oklahoma doesn't deserve a professional basketball team. Let's not kid ourselves, the only reason the Hornets had a following was the Katrina thing, and it wasn't for any other reasons. OKC isn't starved for basketball because they are in the Texas viewing region.

Sure, they haven't exactly burned the house down in Seattle, but they've got a loyal following from the Kemp/Payton days, and they have made an appearance in the Finals, something a few teams can't say for themselves.

Now, let's make one thing clear. I hate the state of Oklahoma. With a passion. I think it's a bunch of slack jawed, sister fucking red necks, and they happen to all congregate in a little town called Norman. (See: Stoops, Bob) So, is this vitriolic rant about basketball coming to Oklahoma based on that? Probably. Is it based on fact? Probably not.

Oklahoma is Texas's mullet. Seriously, look at a map. You've got Texas and this little short in the front, long in the back state above us. God damned, dust bowl ass hats.

Oklahoma, you suck. You are desolate, barren and just ugly. Your highways are the worst, and you penalize me almost $4 for every 50 fucking miles I travel. Your wind is really...windy...and it smells bad, and that angers me. One of your biggest cities spelled backwards is "a slut". Jesus H. Christ, Oklahoma, you're the ass hole of America and you know it.

What were we talking about? Oh yeah, the Sonics should stay in Seattle. Rainy hippies who drink coffee trump moonshine drinking gappy tooth Cletuses any day.

(I don't actually hate Oklahoma.)

(Yes I do.)