Bill Simmons suggesting a possible Hawks to Seattle move

[Sothron]

I know I've said this before but if the Hawks did leave (which I sincerely believe is never going to happen) then I will no longer be a fan if they leave outside the state of Georgia. I would just root for the TWolves exclusively until Atlanta got another team. Kinda like how I've been rooting for the Blackhawks since the Thrashers were betrayed.

 

Actually I'm kinda hopeful a new ownership group for the Hawks would be interested in bringing back the NHL to Atlanta. There were over twenty local groups that tried to keep them here so there's definitely an interest among those with the money to afford such franchises.

[curtmcgirt]

I'm not willing to get that upset at Bill reporting something we knew was going to happen anyway.

[Duff_Man]

Would calling him a hack blogger/commentator be better for you?

He still sucks and I stand by people becoming dumber by reading him. I guess if your cup of tea is to come up with a theory for "Pearl Jam (originally named MOOKIE BLAYLOCK, a Hawks player who by the way I always thought he and Stacey Augmon were an underrated pair on NBA Jam 3.0 tournament edition but still we all know that the Dana Barros and Eric Montrose Celtics were the predominant team of that era) would back up a Chris Hansen investment group with Courtney Love because the 90s grunge proliferated NBA basketball more so than any other moment we ever realized" ... then go for it.

It's still dumb. But I find Carrot Top funny and you might think that's silly. The difference is that Carrot Top doesn't take himself seriously.

 

I don't call that "coming up with a theory". I call that being nostalgic and having a sense of humor. He obviously is not taking Hansen's bid seriously.

[Goots]

TNT and NBA TV are also both based in the ATL. No way we move IMO. Any owner looking to buy us would be stupid to move. It's just those 2 clowns from Seattle that want to put a bid in to move which won't happen.

[curtmcgirt]

I know I've said this before but if the Hawks did leave (which I sincerely believe is never going to happen) then I will no longer be a fan if they leave outside the state of Georgia. I would just root for the TWolves exclusively until Atlanta got another team. Kinda like how I've been rooting for the Blackhawks since the Thrashers were betrayed.

 

Actually I'm kinda hopeful a new ownership group for the Hawks would be interested in bringing back the NHL to Atlanta. There were over twenty local groups that tried to keep them here so there's definitely an interest among those with the money to afford such franchises.

 

Who did you hear wanted to keep the Thrashers? Everything I was hearing around that time was that, yes people wanted them to stay, but no one was willing to work with ASG as the owners of Phillips. .

[Sothron]

Who did you hear wanted to keep the Thrashers? Everything I was hearing around that time was that, yes people wanted them to stay, but no one was willing to work with ASG as the owners of Phillips. .

 

Yeah, that was just lies thrown out by the A$G. There were media reports of over twenty, I think it was twenty two or twenty one, local groups trying to keep the Thrashers but the A$G refused all bids because they had to get the Thrashers out of Atlanta to then sell the arena and Hawks to that cuban pizza guy. Which, btw, never happened because while the A$G didn't do their research on Morello the NBA did and they found out he couldn't afford the arena and Hawks. The guy already knew he couldn't afford them plus the Thrashers so that's why the A$G had to betray the fans in Atlanta to make sure the team was sold out of market.

 

This is why the NHL put on a huge 62 or 72 million dollar fine for the sale to get them out of Atlanta by bypassing local groups. It is actually in the NHL charter for a team to try and sell to local groups first before moving out of market.

 

So yeah, the A$G are bastards. I'm praying new owners would work with the NHL to bring hockey back to Atlanta.

[curtmcgirt]

One of the perks of my job is that I have access to a lot of places and people don't know I'm there, or rather don't pay attention to me. I on three occasions heard the NBA (possibly Silver at the time, it wasn't Stern's voice) and NHL yelling at ASG over a conference call. They've never liked them and regret signing off on the sales. Once ASG is gone I think you see renewed interest by the NHL. I think the first southern team that really runs into trouble could head here. 

 

As for the Hawks, it's obvious that they won't leave, but I hope we get owners who realize how big a deal Ferry, Koonin, and Bud are right now and leave everything be. And don't get swayed to just change things for the sake of change.

[enrique]

If http://blog.seattlepi.com/sonics/2015/01/06/report-chris-hansen-thomas-tull-planning-bids-to-bring-nbas-atlanta-hawks-to-seattle/ this happens, I will be so pissed!

 

I have already feared having a new owner that is a bit more "Al Davis"-like in micro-managing the day-to-day operations, drafting, etc.

This would be even worse.

 

Sorry, had to vent for a minute!

 

Go Hawks!!!!

[enrique]

As for the Hawks, it's obvious that they won't leave, but I hope we get owners who realize how big a deal Ferry, Koonin, and Bud are right now and leave everything be. And don't get swayed to just change things for the sake of change.

Why is it obvious that the Hawks won't leave?

 

I am completely in agreement on your last two sentences above...Don't mess with the leadership of the team!!! It's the best team the Hawks have assembled in my lifetime!

[HawkItus]

Gearon is our ace in this instance.  He won't sale and let the Hawks leave Atlanta on his watch.

[Gray Mule]

Somehow, this just doesn't sound right - - -

 

SEATTLE  SEA HAWKS

 

Here's hoping they stay here.

 

[Duff_Man]

Please explain how that is obvious.

The guy clearly wants to be taken seriously at times. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have had a power struggle that forced Magic and Wilbon out of his NBA/ESPN halftime special TV show or whatever that is/was. He also wouldn't have been suspended over opinions on Roger Goodell if he didn't want to be taken seriously.

He's not some slapstick bundle of humor anymore. And he wasn't ever really funny to begin with, but I'm fine with a difference of opinion on that.

 

Nothing worse than having to explain the joke, but here goes a breakdown of what you put in quotes:

 

1. Creates a "point A to point Z" connect-the-dots relationship with The Hawks by making the ancient reference of Pearl jam to Mookie Blaylock. 

2. Tickles the nostalgia gland by making a compliment to Mookie/Augmon being underrated...on NBA JAM. A cartoon basketball video game that featured flaming balls and Bill Clinton as an unlockable character.

3. Throws in obligatory Celtics love with the Barros/Montross reference (HA HA! I AM SUCH A HOMER AND YOU ALL HATE IT!)

4. Combines Pearl Jam (the entire band, mind you) with hansen and then throws Courtney effing Love on top of it to basically slap you on the head and say (I AM KIDDING), because nobody would ever take that seriously. 

 

About the only thing he could have done to be a little more obvious would have been to  substitute Chris Cornell for Coutney Love and said that not only are the Sonics back, but so is Temple Of The Dog!

 

I guess next time he should pretend he is hitchhiking with a rubber thumb?

[curtmcgirt]

Why is it obvious that the Hawks won't leave?

 

I am completely in agreement on your last two sentences above...Don't mess with the leadership of the team!!! It's the best team the Hawks have assembled in my lifetime!

 

The NBA has no interest in leaving this market. Too many involved parties live and work here. We're a top 10 media market and as the Braves, Falcons and UGA show, when we get it right, we're a goldmine.

[Guest]

Why is it obvious that the Hawks won't leave?

 

I am completely in agreement on your last two sentences above...Don't mess with the leadership of the team!!! It's the best team the Hawks have assembled in my lifetime!

 

Like @curtmcgirt said, the NBA isn't in the business of exiting a top 8 market to go into a top 15 market (at best).

 

Add to that all the fees associated with moving the franchise (detailed in prior pages of this thread it'd cost upwards of $200 mil in addition to the cost of the franchise) and it becomes even less feasible to move.

 

Add to that the fact that a significant partner (Turner/TNT) is based here and the move appears even less likely.

 

Add to that the fact that the league can't force a sale.  The sale will be orchestrated by existing ownership a portion of which (love him or hate him, mostly hate him) has a strong interest in keeping the team here and the move appears even less likely.

 

All in all, the report that the Seattle bid is coming isn't "news".  They want a team so any chance they get to put a bid together they'll do it.  Simmons is just ... being Simmons here.

 

(Disclaimer: This is all basically summarized in this thread.  I'm not 'being a Simmons' and reporting all this stuff as if I knew it all.)

[Duff_Man]

Holy shit. That quotation was from ME and I was MOCKING Bill Simmons, it's not something Simmons really said. Clearly, I did a good enough job because you thought my half-baked stupid theory about making a pop culture reference between Seattle and Atlanta was something Bill Simmons might actually say.

Amazing. I threw that quote together in about two minutes.

(Edit: I am flattered that you thought I could be the "Sportz Guy"...)

 

Well did I get the jokes right at least?

[Duff_Man]

Yeah, and I did like your suggestion about Temple of the Dog. I might go on a Hunger Strike in honor of that today.

 

Say Hello 2 Heaven for me.

[IheartVolt]

Yeah, and I did like your suggestion about Temple of the Dog. I might go on a Hunger Strike in honor of that today.

But I'm not hungry

[IheartVolt]

Say Hello 2 Heaven for me.

We can always reserve his health by force feed via anal tube

[Bonkers]

Told ya

 

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[enrique]

Like @curtmcgirt said, the NBA isn't in the business of exiting a top 8 market to go into a top 15 market (at best).

Add to that all the fees associated with moving the franchise (detailed in prior pages of this thread it'd cost upwards of $200 mil in addition to the cost of the franchise) and it becomes even less feasible to move.

Add to that the fact that a significant partner (Turner/TNT) is based here and the move appears even less likely.

Add to that the fact that the league can't force a sale. The sale will be orchestrated by existing ownership a portion of which (love him or hate him, mostly hate him) has a strong interest in keeping the team here and the move appears even less likely.

All in all, the report that the Seattle bid is coming isn't "news". They want a team so any chance they get to put a bid together they'll do it. Simmons is just ... being Simmons here.

(Disclaimer: This is all basically summarized in this thread. I'm not 'being a Simmons' and reporting all this stuff as if I knew it all.)

Thanks to both you and curtmcgirt for your answers. That eases my blood pressure a bit;)