SLAM ONLINE: Nothing But Glove

There is great story about Gary Payton in Slam. He talks about his career a little, and how he views his career and basketball now. Payton mentions how he still bleeds Green and Gold, and supporting Save Our Sonics. He still has business in Seattle, and the GP Foundation.

I went to a GP Foundation/JL Scott charity basketball game at Key Arena on September 9th, 2001, before everything in this world was flipped upside down. They raised $250,000 that night, between the game and auction (I did not go to the auction, I just went to the game).

http://slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/2008/11/nothing-but-glove/
Have a great day,
Mr Baker
Sent from my iPhone

Gary Payton Raises the Flag

Before the Seattle Seahawks football game yesterday Gary Payton was given the honor of raising a cerimonial "12th man" flag by the Paul Allen owned NFL team.

Paul Allen was one of two NBA owners to vote no one the Sonics franchise relocation to Oklahoma City. He also has ownership of the Portland Trail Blazers. He also has the Experience Music Project rock-roll / sci-fi museum situated next to the Seattle Center. He also has a major land development nearby in the South Lake Union neighborhood. He also has something to do with the company Steve Ballmer is CEO of, Microsoft.

Steve Ballmer is is the major money player in the Seattle Center Investment group that, not obvious in its name, is offering to be the private portion of a public/private partnership to rebuild Key Arena and buy an NBA franchise to occupy it. They tilt toward reviving Seattle Center (so do I).

Back to the future, yesterday, and Gary Payton.

Payton was quoted as saying (see 2 prior posts) that he thinks the NBA will return to Seattle by 2011. He is contacting other former players to put a group together to approach the local financial interests to get a Key Arena solution done. He identified one name, James
Donaldson. Donaldson is interested in running for Seattle City Council next year. He was the first NBA player I had bumped into in public, the summer he was drafted, before his rookie season, my brother and I ran into Mr Donaldson at . . . the Seattle Center between the Center House and the ferris wheel. He was there with his sister, from WSU, I was 15, he was really stood out above everybody else.

No, really, back to Gary Payton.

Some people make news, some people are news, Gary Payton is both. What this whole situation needs is a champion for the cause, an NBA Hall of Famer, and a direct connection to Seattle and the fans. I like Lenny Wilkins, but I love the Glove, it is generational. Payton is one
of the few in this world that could revive NBA interest in Seattle by 2011. He is still a superstar in Seattle. His interest is in the return of basketball to Key Arena. This should fit in with Ballmer's group. Maybe they can play on the same ownership team since they are looking at the same could. Maybe Gary can play public point man for this home as part of the ownership team.

Payton was critical of the former ownership group, lead by Howard Schultz, before Schultz sold and sued Clay Bennett. Are his critical remarks now a plus for him in the eyes of David Stern?
I doubt it matters now.

In the end the odds of Durant being a Seattle Sonic again just went wayyyyy up.
This is goodness.

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

"Payton believes team will return to Seattle" AP

Here is the AP story, Payton hopeful to get a team in Seattle by 2011.

SEATTLE -- Within three years, former Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton believes the NBA will be returning to the city where he became a star.

Payton raised the "12th Man" flag at Qwest Field on Sunday before the NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. Payton said there has been talk among former players to revive a campaign to renovate Key Arena and to land a new team in Seattle.

"I think before 2011 a team will be here," Payton said. "A lot of things and speculation ... a lot of teams that want to move, so I think Seattle's got a good shot at it."http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_bkn_nba_seattle.html

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone

"Gary Payton trying to get NBA team in Seattle" Seattle Times Newspaper

This is great, a competing group to the Ballmer group, competing to be the one to own the team in this market.
Matt Griffin has said in the past that his group, Seattle Center Investors (SCI), is as their name implies. They do not want a dead Key Arena, that hurts the Seattle Center, in turn hurts Seattle.

GP's comments center around getting a franchise back here by 2011.

Let's get together and it will be alright.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2008259022_webpayton12.html

Have a great day,
Mr Baker

Sent from my iPhone