Byron Scott sucks

[KamaAina]

http://wwl.com/Article.asp?id=168791

Hornets coach Byron Scott said Wednesday he would rather have the team return to Oklahoma City than go back to New Orleans next season.

"I would love to play here," Scott said after the Hornets' 84-68 loss to San Antonio at Oklahoma City's Ford Center. "I would love to stay here and play in Oklahoma City next year. I think our guys are at home here. I think the fans have been unbelievable. Out of our 12 home wins, I think the fans out there have won half of them. So, I would prefer to stay here next year."

:grr:

"The fans out there have won half of them"? Um, don't the Knicks generally sell out Madison Square Garden (and lose)? Don't the Lakers sell out the Staples Center (and lose)? Don't the Celtics sell out the, um, TD Banknorth Garden (and lose)?

So, Byron would prefer to stay there, would he? Fine. :puke: I'm sure Oklahoma City University (Sooner Athletic Conference) would just love to have him for their head coach. 'Cause we sure as hell don't want him anymore!

[KamaAina]

1. Congratulations, Byron. You get your wish.

You and equally sucky owner George Shinn. Looks like the people in Charlotte knew what they were doing when they ran him out of town, even without an assurance they'd get an expansion team.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Alo1ScKkND7luGTLeaW5Jiq8vLYF?slug=ap-hornets-future&prov=ap&type=lgns

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Hornets will play most of their home games in Oklahoma City next season with New Orleans still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

The NBA announced Tuesday that the Hornets will play 35 games in Oklahoma City and six in New Orleans in 2006-07....

NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement the league remains committed to returning to New Orleans, but "for now, our collective interests are best served by having the team play the bulk of its 2006-07 schedule in Oklahoma City.

And to think I was worried that the name change meant a "Kansas City/Omaha Kings" situation in the works. Never in my wildest dreams did it occur to me that New Orleans would be the "Omaha" to Okla. City's K.C.! :eyes:

Meanwhile, right next door, the Saints will apparently be ready to go this fall in the far more heavily damaged Superdome. Apparently Paul Tagliabue remains more strongly "committed to returning to New Orleans" than does Mr. Stern. :puke:

One bright spot:

Stern also said the NBA will enter exclusive negotiations to bring the 2008 All-Star Game to New Orleans.

A) That's as close to a Super Bowl atmosphere as the NBA is gonna get, and B) that's a sign they're not gonna weasel out on coming back eventually. I mean, an All-Star game in Ok. City? Would the Outdoor Life Network even carry that?

[erpowers]

2. Stay

I say let them stay there. I am really tired of these player and owners saying they do not want go back to NO. Both of these teams are losing teams anyway and I do not see why the people of NO would want them to come back, especially the Saints. The Saints lose all the time whether they are in NO or anywhere else and the owner is always asking for money.

[fishwax]

4. it's not like the hornets have a long history in NO

unlike the saints, who have been there for years. When I think of New Orleans, the Saints are definitely one of the things I think of ...

[KamaAina]

5. True, but they'd worked so long to get the NBA back

does the name "Utah Jazz" ring a bell? Then there was the time they'd all but snagged the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the NBA owners decided they didn't want to admit Bob Arum to their exclusive private club, so there went that brilliant plan. Finally the fans in Charlotte decided they'd had it with Shinn and his sidekick, so they kicked him to the curb, and N.O.'s long wait was over -- or so it seemed. And now this. History appears to be repeating itself: a place that isn't even a dot on the big-league map decides it wants in, and it views N.O. as easy pickings. I guess OKC is the new Utah. :puke:

edit: Back when I was down there 15 years ago (that's how long this has been), I was bemoaning the situation with a fellow activist. We decided N.O. should get an expansion team and call it the "New Orleans Tabernacle Choir". :-)

[fishwax]

7. that's funny

"new orleans tabernacle choir" :rofl:

Seriously, though, I remember a lot of New Orleans's efforts at getting a team. Wasn't there some talk of it when the Grizzlies left Vancouver as well? (I know OKC really wanted the Grizzlies, and for a while it seemed like they might have a good shot.)

Once they got the NBA back in New Orleans, though, the city didn't exactly stampede for tickets. (Granted, part of that can be blamed on a product that wasn't exactly competitive.) Anyway, to me (an outsider), not having the Saints in NOLA would be tragic. Not having the Hornets would be business as usual.

Of course, I also have ties to OKC and, though I don't live near there anymore, was happy to see that the Hornets had found a home there after the hurricane. The city has been bidding and positioning for a major league team for the last ten years or so--they were very close to an expansion NHL franchise the last time around, and have invested heavily in the new basketball/hockey arena and the new baseball park with an eye towards entering that market.

Either way, I wouldn't mind if the Hornets were to move back after next year anyway, and I think that OKC has demonstrated this year that would be a good site for the next round of expansion, relocation, etc.

[fishwax]

3. yeah, what a jerk ... giving credit to the fans

umm ...

[kick-ass-bob]

6. And Shinn is a fucking bastard.

Didn't take long for him to turn on the new town he moved his team to. People in Charlotte (and across the Carolinas) tried to warn 'em.

He took a great up and coming franchise and beat it into the ground.