Owners Vote Against Kings Relocation to Seattle

It looks like the Kings are staying in Sacramento... for now.

The NBA Owners voted down the proposed relocation to Seattle by a vote of 22-8. This vote coming after the relocation committee's unanimous recommendation against Kings proposed move. The Maloof family, who owns the team, has been talking to an investment group lead by hedge fund manager Chris Hansen which would've relocated the team to Seattle. That deal now seems doomed by this recent vote.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said at a news conference "It is my expectation that we'll be able to make a deal with the Maloofs and the Ranadive group to transfer title of the team in Sacramento," latter adding "It's not a certainty, but we're going to work [toward] that result."

It seems that Maloofs are stuck in ownership purgatory. They found an ownership group that they wanted to sell to but the NBA owners shot down the one thing needed to make that deal go through. And while their back up plan might include selling a minority stake of the team to the Hansen group, I'd bet that the the NBA Owners would reject that sale knowing the group's intentions.

As for the Ranadive group, the Maloofs don't seem to want to sell to them right now despite the fact that the group has managed to match the original bid put up by the Hansen group of $525 million. Now of course the Hansen group raised their bid significantly to a total of $625 million, but the Ranadive group has shown they are serious about buying the team. Unless the Maloofs can be persuaded, it seems that they are stuck with the Kings until they find a buyer they like and also wants to keep the team in Sacramento.

P.S. While I admit that I was mostly rooting for the Kings to stay in Sacramento, I can't help but feel sympathetic to Seattle. They lost the SuperSonics in 2008 and now have failed to attract a replacement team with the Kings. I get that you feel like you just got sucker punched by league a 2nd time. But understand this; you've got the Mariners, the Seahawks, and even the Sounders to fall back on. What else does Sacramento have?

Besides, I bet you'll get another chance with a different team unsatisfied with their current location real soon.

Mayor Johnson Scrambling to Keep the Kings in Sacramento

If there is one guy trying his hardest to keep a professional team in his town it's Mayor Kevin Johnson of Sacramento.

In the last year or so, he's been trying to do everything he can to try and keep the Kings in California State capital. The main thing he's been doing is trying to secure a new arena for the team, something that's evaded him so far. Now with the team's 65% majority in the process of being sold to a group from Seattle, Johnson is scrambling to see if he can get an investor to match it. He somehow either found one or one came to him in Mark Mastrov, founder of 24 Hour Fitness. According to Johnson, Mastrov will submit a bid to the NBA on Friday to the buy the team.

On top of that, Johnson has said Ron Burkle, co-owner of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, will lead the effort to fund a new arena in downtown Sacramento. Johnson even has 20 other investors trying to buy 7% of the team that is up in bankruptcy court.

It seems that Kevin Johnson is going all out to keep the team from relocating to Seattle.

"With all due respect to Seattle, I do hope they get a team someday, but let me be perfectly clear it is not going to be this team," Johnson said. "Not our team. No way."

I must commend Johnson on his effort to keep the Kings in Sacramento. It sounds like one of those movies where you only have a certain amount of time to come up with the money or you lose your home/business/muppet theatre.

In that respect, I've actually changed my mood towards this story and wish that the Kings would stay in Sacramento. I'm rooting for Kevin Johnson as it seems like the true underdog story.

P.S. If only politicians were able to show this much zeal for less important matters than sports.

New Kingdom in Washington?

The Kings could be on the move. After the deal for a new castle fell through a while ago, it seems they have found a new one in a land to the North.... the Pacific Northwest to be more exact. Seattle investor Chris Hansen has approached the Maloofs to buy the Sacramento Kings. The figure in mind is expected to be over $500 million. It would most definitely mean a move to Seattle as Hansen and his group managed to negotiate a deal with the local governments in the city to build a new $490 million arena near the other sports stadiums there. While the deal is not finalized, it is expected to go through.

Is this the end for a professional team in Sacramento? Yes, even though Mayor Kevin Johnson tweeted earlier today "Bottom line Sacramento: it's not over." Someone is in denial. It's especially sad to see this happen when Mayor Johnson and the city tried so many times to keep the Kings in town. It seemingly was bad attendance over the years combined with the fact that the Maloofs where tempted by other destinations. The only difference here is that an outsider wants to buy the team and bring it to his hometown.

So if the deal does go through and the team does move to Seattle starting with the 2013/14 season, will they be renamed the SuperSonics?

TO Cut by the Seahawks

Terrell Owens joined the Seahawks as a last chance of getting back to the NFL. The chance was well wasted.

After dropping an open pass for a TD and running his mouth off about how things don't go his own way, TO was cut by the Seattle Seahawks. He signed on August 6th for the Seahawks as part of a one year deal and only played the 2nd and 3rd preseason game for the team catching just two passes. Owens Tweeted about being cut writing "I'm no longer a Seahawk. I THANK the organization 4 the opportunity, I'm truly blessed beyond belief. My FAITH is intact & will NOT waiver."

NOW it seems like the end of Terrell Owens. Owens couldn't stay on board of a off brand football team and couldn't stay on board of a Indoor Football one either (HA!!!). This could be TO's last stint in the NFL but still could have some caller from teams that might be desperate. Maybe someone during the season will call him if there is an injury or they're making a playoff push (OK, maybe not that one).

Is this the curtain call for TO (more like the hook pulling him off)? Please let it be so.

King Felix is Perfect

This has certainly been the year of the pitcher in baseball and Seattle has seen it's share of performances. First, Phillip Humber of the White Sox threw a Perfect Game back in April and the Mariners as a team held the Dodgers to a no hitter in June (love that, by the way). While it's certainly been a hoot, King Felix didn't have his turn yet.

Earlier today, Felix Hernandez went out to face the Tamp Bay Rays in Seattle in front nearly 22,o00 fans to pitch another gem. This one was different, however, as Felix pitched the gem of a lifetime. While Jesus Montero managed to hit in the only run of the game with an RBI single in the 3rd, that was all Felix was used to and all he would need. He pitched superbly as he struck out 12 Rays on the way to a Perfect Game. As he struck out the 27th guy (Sean Rodriguez), he raised his arms in triumph and then got mobbed. King Felix Hernandez of the Mariners throw the first Perfect Game in Mariner's history and the 3rd Perfect game this year alone.

With his 11th win this year, Felix cements his name in the history books. He was always a great pitcher and has won the Cy Young award a couple years ago but this performance was his most dominant performance yet. As an overall perspective, it is the third perfect game this year and the 6th no hitter this year. This was actually the third perfect game thrown against the Rays over the last 4 years. For a team that surprises people, they certainly get stumped by a pitcher.

Congrats to Felix Hernandez for throwing the 23rd Perfect Game in history. That was truly a noble performance.

Damn it, T.O.'s Back

Just when you thought it was safe for QB's to go outside.

Terrell Owens has been an outsider looking in for about a year now as TO couldn't get a gig as a WR anywhere last season due to the fact that he had a leg injury that kept teams away. After the season ended, everyone wrote him as done, including his agent, and thought that his career was over. TO didn't accept it. He went to play a bit in the IFL to prove the doubters wrong until his team released him.

He then got a chance for the NFL again. TO went to Seattle to tryout for the Seahawks. Now they would want some WR help but TO would not be the #1 guy. TO seemed to impress the Seahawks as they signed him a one year $1 million contract. TO tweeted about this writing "God is good. Thankful. Grateful. To ALL my new teammates & the "12th Man"... Let's Do This!! "

Why can't he just go away into that good night? I admire TO's desire to play and that is obviously driving him to go to Seattle and I applaud him for that but why did Seattle do this? It's always a bit of a risk getting TO because of the divide that he can create in a locker room and his relationships to past QBs. They just got Matt Flynn who they are hoping will turn out well and they get a diva to play with him? Bad move for them.

Now maybe TO will learn his place and realize that he is not the top guy anymore and be quiet. I hope, as a 49ers fan, that he doesn't.

Ichiro Traded to Yankees, Debuts in Seattle?

This last weekend hasn't been that great for the Nation. The good news was the fact that the Yankees got swept by the A's (like Oakland again). The bad news to take that away was the fact that the Yankees made an addition to their clubhouse. Longtime Mariner, Ichiro Suzuki, has been traded to the Yankees for a couple of pitching prospects. What made things even more intriguing was the fact that he made his Yankees debut that very day. Why? Because the Yankees were in town visiting the Mariners in Seattle. That's right. Ichiro's Yankee debut was against his old team at Safeco Field. Ichiro went 1 for 4 as the Yankees won, 4-1.

A little surprising that Ichiro leaves the team after so long and looks to be playing his farewell series over the next few days. Seems a bit proper for the fans of Seattle to have a chance to say goodbye to Ichiro before he leaves Seattle. I'm not sure how much Ichiro will help the Yankees considering that his batting average has been going down over the last few years. Sure, he can still play and that short RF in Yankee Stadium will help him but they are still getting a player that used to be in his prime.

While many will be intrigued as to how Ichiro will help the Yankees, I am more interested to see where he goes after this season is over and he is a free agent. Will the Yanks still want him then or will he have to find a new home?