The Supes: Good as Gone, Unless....

We're all about equal time here at the Beater, so despite the fact that prevailing wisom on this blog has it that the Sonics, against all odds, will remain in Seattle, Brian Berger of Sports Business Radio has penned a column which makes a very strong case for why the Sonics don't have a snowball's chance in hell of remaining in Seattle (think I-91, Schultz's failed effort, and Bennett's coziness with the commish).

But then, right before he signs off, Berger offers a contrarian caveat, which, in our opinion, carries at least as much force as his main argument: "The city of Seattle may win its battle with Bennett on the current Key Arena lease (the city is arguing a 'performance clause' will keep Bennett in Seattle through the 2009-10 season), but at some point, Bennett will move this team. And the clock is ticking for Bennett because New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn also wants to get to Oklahoma City. His Hornets played there for the past season and a half and did much better there financially than they will do in New Orleans. I'm betting Shinn applies to relocate his team at the end of this season after incurring huge fiancial losses from playing to a half empty arena every night. It's a race that will surely be worth watching."

Ah, George Shinn, remember him? That'd be the owner of the team formerly known as the Charlotte Hornets who hijacked his squad and moved 'em to N'awlins. Now, post-Katrina, N'awlins is an even shittier basketball market than it was before. So, assuming the Supes win their court battle and Bennett is forced to slug it out in KeyArena through 2010, David Stern is put in a nearly impossible predicament: Piss off owners by letting a franchise remain in an inferior market while moving a franchise from a grat market (Seattle) to a smaller one (Ok. City), or piss off Katrina sympathizers, Spike Lee, and the nation-at-large by moving letting Shinn move to Oklahoma City and keeping the Supes and a very cranky Clay in Seattle? Lose-lose, Sterno -- have fun with that one; you sleep in the bed you make.