Saturday, November 22, 2008

B. Jones: Schadenfreude

No, I can't let it go.

Mind you, I'm not as bitter as I was six months ago, but the animus I feel toward the OKC ownership group, and the commissioner of the NBA hasn't really let up. This, despite the fact that I can't stop participating in the overall product.

I've already seen a couple of games at the local, and my fantasy basketball team is called the "Fuck D. Stern." I doubt I'm alone in either that sentiment, or predicament.

(For the record, I am not ambivalent about the possibility of having Seattle get another team in the same manner they lost one. I am as against that idea as I am about getting a venereal disease. No, that analogy is not overblown. I don't blame the contingent in Seattle, or in any other city that wants a team, that would welcome such a move.

What I would love to see, however, is for cities who are being courted to host an NBA team to get a little bit of backbone, stand up and demand both results and loyalty from the bastards. If they want to be in your city so bad, then surely it is worth it for them to stay for 50 - 70 years, and to pony up 60% - 75% of any future expenditures in building costs. No ownership group would ever go for such a deal, but I say make things as difficult for them to get their way as possible.

I am reminded of this musical exchange in The Simpsons' monorail episode: "Were you sent here by the devil?" "No good sir, I'm on the level." Stern, as a charlatan, doesn't even rate comparisons to the original Music Man.)

Unsurprisingly, it hasn't been a complete month into the new NBA season, and the OKC Thunder organization is tanking so badly, I wouldn't be surprised if they started talking about relocation within seven years. After the karma police caught up to Aubrey McClendon (the man responsible for letting it be known that the ownership group had intended to move the storied Sonics franchise to OKC all along, and for saying that OKC wouldn't want the WNBA Seattle Storm's ostensibly lesbian fanbase in their city) by wiping him out at the stock market, yesterday it tapped on the shoulder of the man hired by the ownership klowns to ensure that Sonic fan interest in their team remained minimal.

Yes, PJ Carlesimo has been fired as head coach of the Thunder after a 1-12 start. So long, douchebag! Good luck getting another head coaching position!

Cheesefucks, all of them.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

If Any Form Of Pleasure Is Exhibited

Report to me and it will be prohibited!
I'll put my foot down! So shall it be!
This is the land of the free!

-- as sung by Groucho, during the opening musical number in Duck Soup


I was working on an upcoming entry for the political blog, and stumbled upon the fact that the zenith of Marx Bros. mad-cappery known as Duck Soup turns 75 during the month of November. (Weekend America's segment on this event embedded below.)

Must have a late viewing this weekend.