Shinn puts foot in mouth again (Times Picayune Story)

[saints440]

I sent the hornets woman an e-mail about this. I guess we will see what they say. I will post as soon as I get a response.

[Harvey]

They are in major damage control mode right now. Expect something cheesey and ambiguous. Lip service.

[saints440]

Yea, That's what I expect. I expressly asked if she had a boilerplate response to the story or even a sincere respnse maybe. I wonder how she'll take that.

[giggles]

I disagree, I think they are doing so well because they don't really have a choice . . . that is if they want pro sports. This is a test, OKC knew from the start that they need outstanding attendance to "prove" they are pro sports worthy. I could be wrong, but that is what I got from the various comments from the OKC mayor.

That IS true. Mick Cornett pestered the NHL and the NBA long enough that he finally made a dent. I also tend to wonder if "outstanding attendance" has to do with the way tickets were priced here. It IS interesting to note that the REAL top-dog Oklahoma sports -- OU and OSU -- don't seem to have had their attendance affected by the Hornets on conflicting nights. I do still think maybe as early as next season, with 35 here and 6 in NOLA, that the honeymoon will be over.

You are part right, I feel a lot of it has to do with the outstanding play of the hornets which is part of the entire "honeymoon" phase . . . but I assume it was crystal clear to all okies that if they wanted pro sports in the future they were going to have to support the hornets like they are right now.

Now that the okies have proven that they can indeed support a pro team I do not assume any of them would agree with my outlook though. But I do rememeber when the Hornets first got there and okies were coming here everyday to let us know they were going to do everything in their power to prove to all the pro leagues they could do it (by attending games in high numbers) . . . now they are cocky and saying they should have had pro sports all along, that the hornets should be in okc, and that they were never under any kind of test or that the test is the reason for their high attendance.

I don't think the Hornets ever wanted for talent. I'm still convinced one of the big reasons the team went 18-64 last season, in addition to injuries and maybe a questionable attitude (Baron Davis) around, that that record was also a product of the divisional realignment, which to me rendered the Hornets like unto a bantamweight getting into the ring with Mike Tyson.

The funny thing is, NYKF, I've come to realize that having a major professional team in OKC doesn't necessarily bring some attitudes in OK into the 21st Century, either. To frame it a different way, in my view some people believe the rest of us will quit griping about the tattoo ban and watered-down 3.2 beer and this and that because they fixed it so OK would have a major pro sports team to rally around. It doesn't work that way.

My objections to keeping the Hornets stem from the fact that the whole thing would be tainted by A) A crooked owner who isn't what he seems; and B) The fact that the team would have been "stolen" from another city at a time when that city has already lost a lot.

[scotplum]

To frame it a different way, in my view some people believe the rest of us will quit griping about the tattoo ban and watered-down 3.2 beer and this and that because they fixed it so OK would have a major pro sports team to rally around. It doesn't work that way.

That stuff isn't even remotely related. While I'm sure I'm on the same side of the equation as you on this in regards to what should be done about those things, surely you don't really believe that these things are one and the same.

[CT Hornet]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!...............thats all I have to say. I never knew shyte rolled up-hill. I thought it worked that he gives good PR and sneaks under the surface, instead he did NOLA a favor by revealing the evil plot and now screwed himself into doing the right thing just to save face as a human being.

This is unbelievable, I dont even live in NOLA and im ****ed off to a point of outright protest. This folks is what ruins sports............greedy cockroach Owners.......Im so sorry for you guys I really wish I could be down there to throw eggs at this j**k-offs limo when they come back to NOLA...........

My question is how retarded do you have to be to say something like that where there is obvious ears and eyes to witness his verbal diarreah.........he had to be drunk or have a IQ of 12.

On a flip side this exposes the jerk for what he is and for really who he is. This will not pass without consequence.........he will not get away with this.......I am so sick and tired of scum like this controlling aspects of decsent peoples live's........

[Ry4598]

just saw the actual times picayune...this made the front page of the PAPER(not just sports section)...nice work George

The NOLA media needs to start putting BIG TIME pressure on this organization. It is slowly starting to unfold....

[New Hornets Fan]

I have read a lot of reasons as to why Cornett and OKC wanted a pro franchise. But none of it made since until Giggles cleared it up for me...tattoos and 3.2 beer.

Maybe this whole Florida Marlins talk that was going around last week was to keep us from thinking about the dangerous roads and bridges the state has ignored for too many years.

Back to the subject at hand, Shinn was just giving a speech to what he thought was only OKC businessmen. The very people he will depend on for sponsorship next season. I would take it as no more than what he, Shinn, and the NBA have been doing all along....saying what each city wants to hear.

I guarantee that if he had nothing but NOLA businessmen in the room that same thing would have been said, but in NO's favor.

[Ry4598]

I have read a lot of reasons as to why Cornett and OKC wanted a pro franchise. But none of it made since until Giggles cleared it up for me...tattoos and 3.2 beer.

Maybe this whole Florida Marlins talk that was going around last week was to keep us from thinking about the dangerous roads and bridges the state has ignored for too many years.

Back to the subject at hand, Shinn was just giving a speech to what he thought was only OKC businessmen. The very people he will depend on for sponsorship next season. I would take it as no more than what he, Shinn, and the NBA have been doing all along....saying what each city wants to hear.

I guarantee that if he had nothing but NOLA businessmen in the room that same thing would have been said, but in NO's favor.

I'm not buying it. Too many things are adding up - they all can't be just "coincidences." And I don't think he was giving a speech.

[Harvey]

Shinn was just giving a speech to what he thought was only OKC businessmen. The very people he will depend on for sponsorship next season. I would take it as no more than what he, Shinn, and the NBA have been doing all along....saying what each city wants to hear.

I guarantee that if he had nothing but NOLA businessmen in the room that same thing would have been said, but in NO's favor.

I would have gone along with you on this and just written it off. But, in the past week I've come to the conclusion that regardless of what Shinn says, his desire and efforts are single in purpose. More shall be revealed. If not, Shinn is sure to step in crap again. Thats why he has those boots afterall.

[Ry4598]

...so please elaborate upon the newfound reason for the hornets return if it's not the lease? the nba board of governors, perhaps?

I thought the main reason they had to return was indeed the binding lease until 2012. The only issue was that Shinn is TRYING to wiggle out of it. Stern won't allow it (from what I have gathered from HR.com).

[NYKF Hornet]

...so please elaborate upon the newfound reason for the hornets return if it's not the lease? the nba board of governors, perhaps?

I don't have inside info but I would bet it has something to do with future contracts down the road (as well as current contracts). If teams do not have to honor contracts why should cities build arenas and hand out free rent? This is not just dealing with New Orleans but every city on the NBA map . . . even OKC.

Would okc people be willing to give free rent, concessions, and other "sports" welfare to a pro owner KNOWING that owner can leave whenever he finds a better deal or another city presents a better deal?

[CT Hornet]

because they are the NEW ORLEANS Hornets..............that works damn good enough for me..............remember the fact that OKC is only a temporary home........period...

If I am told by one of my friends to take his dog for a month while he goes away on vacation I give it back to him when he returns not tell him the dog is mine now...........that puts it in a simple yet understandable analogy for simpleton folk

[Ry4598]

Was something said on the 5 o clock news?? I'm confused.

[Charlotte-Jason]

WOW! What a fu**ing idiot. I really feel sorry for you guys. I can't say that I'm shocked by his behavior though. I know alot of you guys feel betrayed, as I did a few years ago. We got the Hornets when I was 10 and I loved the team so much and it really hurt when they left but, it would just never have worked in this market after all the lies and hard feelings that resulted from Shinn's constant idiotic actions. I'm guessing that it's going to get to the point where it's unworkable there aswell and that sucks for you guys.......

The city of Charlotte has been blessed to have the wonderful ownership group we have now. The Bobcats just slashed season ticket prices in an effort to win back more fans(even thoug hattendance is up 13% over last season) I've never seen a owner do that kind of thing, I'm used to tickets going up not getting cut by 33%.

The Bobcats are still suffering from the damage that George Shinn did to this market- I hope that New Orleans can keep the Hornets and get a new ownership group but, If Shinn wouldn't take Bob Johnson's 300 million dollar check 3 years ago, I don't know if he will ever sell.

Good Luck fellas- I mean that sincerley

[Ry4598]

Yeah, Mardi Gras weather, levee stories, the usual. What are you expecting?

uhhhh....?????


?

[CT Hornet]

I second the notion....................

[Ry4598]

Whats goin on here? I feel something in the air....Just doesn't feel right. I think we are real close to everything getting pretty ugly...

[Hornet-Saint]

I have a feeling we will hear NOTHING from the Hornets or anyone. I get the feeling that this topic will not leave this message board or New Orleans media.

[carl]

Was anything on the 5:00 news?

[Defuz]

....getting pretty ugly...

Already ugly, no pretty about it. Anything short of an outright apology and a faithful promise to return will be nothing but lip service and a hollow appeasement.

[giggles]

That stuff isn't even remotely related. While I'm sure I'm on the same side of the equation as you on this in regards to what should be done about those things, surely you don't really believe that these things are one and the same.

I have read a lot of reasons as to why Cornett and OKC wanted a pro franchise. But none of it made since until Giggles cleared it up for me...tattoos and 3.2 beer.

Maybe this whole Florida Marlins talk that was going around last week was to keep us from thinking about the dangerous roads and bridges the state has ignored for too many years.

No they are not one and the same, but perhaps a distraction from other things, like the asinine morality laws AND bad roads/bridges was what I was trying to get at. And I admit I was being a little bit facetious.

There's still a ways to go towards, how do I put this, say, changing OKC's image from a backwards thinking hick place to the modern, clean 21st Century city that it actually is, I'm just saying that having a major professional sports team doesn't mean *instant* credibility towards that. To explain this would require me to go WAY off topic and I don't care to do that here.

... Back to the subject at hand, Shinn was just giving a speech to what he thought was only OKC businessmen. The very people he will depend on for sponsorship next season. I would take it as no more than what he, Shinn, and the NBA have been doing all along....saying what each city wants to hear.

I guarantee that if he had nothing but NOLA businessmen in the room that same thing would have been said, but in NO's favor.

That cannot be ruled out either. And I've not been impressed with Shinn throughout all this. He's dodgy and so oily he leaves a slick. A friend and I were talking about this and she said "Sooner or later, he's going to let his mouth write a check his butt can't cash." He appears to have done it.

[carl]

HH, iedmunds, WCH, alon54, etc: What's the story? Did Shinn just have a drink & run his mouth, or is this a real threat? Stern's been too committal to stand us up now. I don't want the ASG w/out the Hornets. Make us feel better, please.

[Harvey]

Patience my man, patience. Bad deeds catch up with people. Give it a little time. MUCH more will be exposed. Either Shinn will do it on his own (yes, he's that dumb) or another TP type story (or fifty) will pop up!

[Harvey]

HH, iedmunds, WCH, alon54, etc: What's the story? Did Shinn just have a drink & run his mouth, or is this a real threat? Stern's been too committal to stand us up now. I don't want the ASG w/out the Hornets. Make us feel better, please.

Stern's stance is driven by his desire to see Shinn sell the team. It's his way of telling Shinn you'll go home or sell. Just like Benson and Tags. Remember?