If you plan on coming to a city and stealing the basketball team while acting like that is not the plan, don’t send emails back and forth with the boys back home about doing it. Clay Bennett is learning this recurring lesson about email the hard way and this undeniable proof that he was not negotiating in good faith for the Sonics has not only brought on former owner Howard Schultz’s ire but puts his crusade to bring professional basketball to Oklahoma City in jeopardy. Even Washington Gov. Gregoire is fired up calling Bennett out as a liar.
I am attaching two emails here. One to NBA Commissioner David Stern that is an over the top bit of ass kissing and another to the gang in Oklahoma City about the effort (you can almost read the yeeeha! between the lines):
"I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!"
I am not an NBA fan at all and quite frankly this whole thing has been a huge distraction both for this team as well as this city so the sooner it is resolved the better for all parties. Unfortunately, this bit of bafoonery ensures it will continue to chew up news cycles and legal fees for some time.
Clay, here’s a bit of advice, if you and the boys back home are going to hatch another brilliant scheme in the future, don’t use email to crow about it.
Venture Vice 