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SUPERSONICS SET SAIL FROM SEATTLE
07/09/2008
A championship winning NBA franchise has died in Seattle, aged 41. The hope and trust of a city has died along with it.
The Seattle Supersonics basketball team is survived by tens of thousands of bitter and despondent fans who have expressed their anger at the events that led to the team's demise.
Born and raised in Key Arena, just north of downtown Seattle, the Supersonics lived a full, entertaining, and happy life in the Northwest Division of the NBA's Western Conference.
Affectionately known as the 'Sonics' to friends and admirers, the team was Seattle's first major sports franchise, and its most successful - winning six division titles, three conference crowns, and an NBA championship in 1979.
In a ruthless act of betrayal, the franchise was bought and flogged to futility before being cut down in the prime of life by Clayton Bennett and Aubrey McClendon, a pair of Oklahoma City businessmen.
NBA commissioner David Stern and team owners and executives from across the league stood idly by as the calculated and meticulous killing process unfolded.
Fathered by the late Sam Schulman and Eugene Klein, the Supersonics had an inauspicious start to life, going 23-59 in its first season.
Following a troubled, misspent youth the team blossomed when a number of role models, such as Spencer Haywood, Fred Brown and the shiny headed Slick Watts, came into its world.
Some hard lessons, including tough playoff losses, helped the Supersonics steady maturation, which culminated in its first NBA championship in 1979 - beating the Washington Bullets in five games.
As the franchise settled into mid-life it had a quiet, reflective period but was soon making noise again when the likes of Dale Ellis, Xavier McDaniel and the heavily mulleted Tom Chambers donned the green, white and gold.
The team went through a stage of improbable lob passes and tomahawk dunks in the 90s with the brash pairing of Gary Payton and the 'rain man' Shawn Kemp clicking on elevated levels.
But while the Supersonics reached the finals once more behind the duo's efforts, it would never raise another championship banner to Key Arena's vaulted roof.
The franchise had its share of embarrassments over the years, including Frank Brickowski's performance in the 1996 NBA finals, Jim McIlvaine, and Shawn Kemp's litter of illegitimate children.
However the team will be remembered most for its success, its vibrancy, its rich, colourful history, and the joy it brought to people's lives.
The Seattle Supersonics will be sorely missed by the good folk of Seattle and hoops fans worldwide.
No funeral service will be held. Pay your respects by ignoring the existence of NBA basketball in Oklahoma City.
Rest In Peace.
Michael Romyn for 24/7
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Andy - Thursday, July 10th
I guess this article is slightly slanted in favor of Seattle. Who by the way failed to fund improvements to their crappy arena. Where were all those "fans" the day the voting for that went down.
It's not like Clay stole the Knicks or anything. The wacky Seattle "fans" weren't giving their team the love is deserved. That's OK, they will thrive in Oklahoma City.
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Jason - Thursday, July 10th
Thank You for the accurate obituary, us fans never had a say and we were robbed of our beloved Sonics, and i agree, i think the best response is to ignore the OKC Thives
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Rob - Wednesday, July 9th
Yep. I am a native Seattleite, now living and working in Iowa. Yep. I was 13 when the Sonics won the title in 1978. I remember us and the folks and friends piling into cars and heading to the airport to greet them after each road win in 1977 and 1978. The city was hyped for the Supes. I even saw Lenny Wilkens out at the airport several years later waiting for his ride. Since leaving Seattle in 1998, I do miss being able to head down to the Coliseum (yep, I'm old school) getting some dinner at one of Seattle's excellent downtown resturaunts, and taking in a game. I remember many of Jabbar's late 4th qtr sky-hooks breaking our hearts in the playoffs, and seeing Kemp in his first few years at Seattle. And watching the X-Man in a summer AAU game.
I am already not a hube NBA fan, but this further seals the deal. Seattls has some of the best, smartest and classiest sports fans in the world.
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