Sonics Death Watch

The Seattle Sonics are dead. And I am shuffling like an iPod through
denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and Luke Ridnour. I
have bashed Ridnour in print and have bashed him in private. At the
press conference following my Sonics trial testimony, I made the cruel
joke that Ridnour would be the only Sonic happy to go to Oklahoma City
because of his conservative Christianity.

Of course, that’s all bullshit. I’m completely wrong. Why would
Ridnour want to leave Seattle? He’s living out his most precious
dream—playing professional basketball—just a few hours’
drive away from his hometown of Blaine, Washington. Ridnour’s
high-school basketball coach was his father, for God’s sake, so just
think of the immense family pride. How many times over the last few
years did Ridnour’s father drive to see him play in KeyArena? How many
times did Ridnour’s high-school buddies show up in large packs to cheer
for their boy?

Last summer, I saw Ridnour and his wife riding bikes in Magnuson
Park. They are residents of this city. And now they’ve been uprooted
and will live thousands of miles from their families. I don’t have
anything negative to say about Oklahoma City; I’ve only enjoyed
positive experiences there. But it will never be a prime destination
for NBA players. I would bet large sums of money that in 2010 Kevin
Durant and Jeff Green will be signing epic deals to play in New York,
Los Angeles, Phoenix, or Miami. I would bet that come next summer and
the many summers after that, we will spot Luke Ridnour and his wife
riding bikes in Seattle parks.

I’m sure Ridnour loves Seattle. It’s a gorgeous city, but it will
shine less brightly without professional basketball.