Carmichael Dave shows support

[Capt. Factorial]

They've been waiting to pull this bullet out for years, and even now- they haven't come out and said "Build it now or we're gone now". Really. Find me a Maloof quote that says anything other than "We're listening to all options".

There is no such quote. But suddenly the fear is that they'll leave without even giving us that explicit ultimatum, and without waiting to see if the current ICON/Taylor group can pull an arena off.

Shoot, at this point there's enough innuendo out there that they'll up and leave without giving Sac one last chance, I'd be relieved if they gave the ultimatum. Hopefully they will give us one more year to put something in place, but whereas I was confident about that outcome two weeks ago, I'm certainly not now.

 

[carmichaeldave]

Just because I was replying to your post, doesnt mean it has to do with you. I don't know you, and don't care to. The assumption is that other people are also reading, and perhaps share one or more of the same sentiments.

If it was just a one on one conversation, I would DM you, which I have no interest in doing either.

When I say something makes me want to punch "people" in the ear hole, I don't read that as I want to punch MDM in the ear hole. Unless your other screen name is "People".

I may also say something like "makes me want to scream" or "I died inside", but i don't then go yelling around, and I certainly do not experience a complete and total shutdown of my internal organs.

Silly

 

[bajaden]

Just a couple of days ago, all we were talking about was the arena, and trying to keep the Kings here. Thanks to the fans on this fourm and on other fourms as well, the idea of selling out the Clipper game in order to show the Maloofs, and hopefully the city council, that the fans have a voice in this matter, and we want it to be heard. I could feel the enthusiasm all the way down here in Ensenada. Now, all were talking about is Kevin Johnson. Why?

There's an old saying. "Never air your dirty laundry in public". Johnson did. And in doing so, he took the wind out of the sails of everyone involved in this last ditch effort to save the Kings. Sorry, I'm not interested in hearing appologists for Johnson. Frankly I don't give a damm if he feels slighted in some way. This isn't suspossed to be about him. Its suspossed to be about getting an arena built, and keeping the Kings here. But he's made it about him.

If you can't get an arena built here, when you actually have a professional franchise as a tennant. Does anyone think your going to get one built without a tennant? He's delusional if thats what he thinks. Does anyone think that events will still be held at ARCO if the Kings leave? Sorry, that arena will be torn down and the land used by developers. Maybe its just me. But if I'm trying to convince someone that its in their best interest, and the interest of the city of course, to stay. I don't go out and diss them in public. I've been in negotiations. Thats not how its done. Not unless you hold all the cards. And last time I took a good look, I didn't see the city holding many cards.

The Maloofs could have just waited until march 1st and signed the letter of intent to move. Thats what every Kings fan feared was going to happen. But they didn't! They asked for an extension. Now I can't speak for anyone but myself. But for a moment there, I felt like the guy in prison, strapped down to the table waiting for the cyanide button to be pushed, and the phone rings. It was holy jesus mother of god, a reprieve. I felt relief and joy at the same time. Because I felt now we had some time. But then Kevin Johnson walked politely to the microphone, and pissed on my parade.

The insanity of the whole thing is that if he had just continued doing what he had been doing, and the Kings left anyway, no one would have pointed their fingers at him. That won't be the case now. Except for those that still think this is about Johnson, and want to defend his actions, the majority of people are always going to wonder what the outcome would have been if he had just kept plublic mouth shut.

You see the point isn't about who lied, or who didn't lie. It isn't about whether he felt dissed or not. You don't take the person your negotiating with, and back them into a corner with demands. And you certainly don't make it public! You wait till your meeting with them and you do it behind closed doors. And if, when the smoke clears, they leave town anyway, there will be plenty of time to air your discord. We shouldn't be talking about Johnson right now. We should be talking about the rally and saving the Kings. The Maloofs didn't put Johnson in the spotlight. Johnson did!!!!

 

[steelevt]

The Maloofs could have just waited until march 1st and signed the letter of intent to move. Thats what every Kings fan feared was going to happen. But they didn't! They asked for an extension. Now I can't speak for anyone but myself. But for a moment there, I felt like the guy in prison, strapped down to the table waiting for the cyanide button to be pushed, and the phone rings. It was holy jesus mother of god, a reprieve. I felt relief and joy at the same time. Because I felt now we had some time. But then Kevin Johnson walked politely to the microphone, and pissed on my parade.

do we know that by asking for the extension, it was in favor of moving or staying? i would have been happy if they never asked for the extension and let the deadline pass without filing for relocation. i personally dont know if getting the extension brings relief (maloofs giving sacramento more time to convince them to stay) or more anxiety (more time for them to research other options besides sac)

 

[Glenn]

Note to bajaden re: KJ.

BINGO!

 

[Spok22]

Keep the kings in sacramento!

 

[swisshh]

The Maloofs have been working the public through their outlets(which includes KHTK as a mouthpiece, sorry Dave) so I don't see a problem with KJ putting the pressure on the Maloofs via a public statement.

Is it political? yes. Do the Maloofs avoid playing the public? No. Is KJ's move necessarily negative? Not really. If requesting the info out of public eye hasn't worked and this is important to getting something done then this is an attempt to get it done via public pressure.

KJ has been a part of the arena movement for less time. He has had the league proposal take up a lot of that time and that ended in the laughably bad land swap idea that had no chance and now he's on the ticking clock.

 

[mac]

do we know that by asking for the extension, it was in favor of moving or staying? i would have been happy if they never asked for the extension and let the deadline pass without filing for relocation. i personally dont know if getting the extension brings relief (maloofs giving sacramento more time to convince them to stay) or more anxiety (more time for them to research other options besides sac)

Well the way I see it, the extension just gives the Maloofs more time to seriously consider their move. You can either look at it negatively - that the fact that they asked for an extension actually shows that they are seriously considering moving, or positively - that they are at least giving Sac a second thought. Of course, ideally they wouldn't ask for an extension, but while they're at it they might as well have come out and declared "WE'RE NOT MOVING!". But life isn't that simple, nor is business.

What KJ said was stupid. It may turn out to have been true, but it was still stupid. Business is business, and sometimes you can't go green and save the earth while not doing animal testing as much as you'd want to, because it may mean losing too much money.

Say I had a job with a company I really liked, and they wanted me to stay on, but I was offered better prospects in another company. Boss says I have to decide by 1st March. A couple of days before that, I ask for an extension, because I really need to think this through. I really love the company I'm with, but it may be better for my career and future to move on to a better paying job. It would be absolutely unfair to me if people came out and criticized me for wanting more time to think about things, negotiate things, before I made a decision, just because me wanting more time showed that I wasn't already automatically settled on my current job.

 

[rainmaker]

I really don't understand why KJ did what he did. There was no need for it. Why? Why couldn't he just keep his trap shut until tuesday? He'll be sitting face to face with the guys.

I don't know what affect this had on things. I can't read the Maloofs minds. But I know one thing, what KJ did definitely didn't help things. This is all too big to be complaining publicly about hurt feelings. KJ's focus should be on getting an arena, and doing anything and everthing possible to get it done. I personally don't care if he got butthurt because the Maloofs didn't call him first. It's just not smart to do what he did.

 

[Uncia03]

Do the Maloofs avoid playing the public? No. Is KJ's move necessarily negative? Not really. If requesting the info out of public eye hasn't worked and this is important to getting something done then this is an attempt to get it done via public pressure.

If. If. If, the Maloofs happened to get the documentation over to Taylor Thursday night or Friday, then you could say that KJ's move might not be negative.

But the Maloofs had said they would provide the documents early next week, and nothing, including this forced leverage from KJ, has seemed to change that fact. So KJ gambled, and his gamble failed. People are calling it politics because it looks like a classic CYA maneuver. It's clear that KJ was trying to use the public to provide leverage against the Maloofs, when he should be trying to woe the Maloofs, and it appears as if he didn't help matters at all.

Ultimately, I doubt it will have any real effect on what the Maloof's do, but it's certainly not a step in the right direction.

 

[Glenn]

I really don't understand why KJ did what he did. There was no need for it. Why? Why couldn't he just keep his trap shut until tuesday? He'll be sitting face to face with the guys.

Seems like KJ has made the shift from basketball player to politician. Now he's a politician in the mode of those who think the hammer gets more than persuasion. One outburst was a little bit understandable but he came back Friday with more. He's playing to the typical Sacramento citizen and not to the Maloofs. He may have bought himself a few votes for sticking up for the poor defenseless citizens and lost the team all in a brief flash of time.

He has no legal right to demand anything from the Maloofs. That's the sick part of it. This is between ICON/Taylor and the Maloofs. He IS an idiot. He certainly is a far better basketball player than a negotiator.

 

[fnordius]

If any party involved thinks that the franchise can leave Sac without my being permanently and completely outraged at them, they are sadly mistaken. They have all had options. If the team leaves, they have all failed the only test that mattered.

 

[Glenn]

If any party involved thinks that the franchise can leave Sac without my being permanently and completely outraged at them, they are sadly mistaken. They have all had options. If the team leaves, they have all failed the only test that mattered.

Spoken like a true citizen. Blame one piece of this complex puzzle. It's simple minded. Sorry. And I like you.

 

[Larry David]

People seem to be getting a few things confused here over who is currently working to get an arena financed.

Because the threshold issue has always been HOW do you finance an arena. Specifically, how do you bridge the sizable gap between the Kings and the city.

The Maloofs have worked very hard to get an arena done here for a over decade.

However, the notion that they are currently using the 43 day window to work on financing here is nonsense.

All reports indicate are using this window to: (1) negotiate with Anaheim and see if they can even structure an acceptable deal; or (2) already have the perimeters of a deal with Anaheim structured, and they are deciding whether they really want to move; or (3) they’ve already made up their mind to move and they extended the deadline solely to sell more tickets here.

There has never been a report that the Maloofs are currently trying to find a third party to finance the arena here. Moreover, that’s typically not how the process has worked over the last decade. The Maloofs have kept putting out the request for people to come forward, next people like the Sherriff, Rob Fong and Dickenson, KJ, ect, have come to the Maloofs with proposals, and after they were approached the Maloofs help work on the idea.

KJ is the person currently working on getting financing for a Sacramento arena. If you want to keep the Kings in Sacramento for: (1) more than a month; and (2) certainly more than a year, that’s important to you.

KJ has charged ICONN with studying what the arena will cost and how the city can pay for it.

ICONN told KJ that he needs 90 days.

Those are the facts. You can paint KJ how you like and read the tea leave how you may. But don’t spread nonsense.

“I think KJ could have held out another month or so to try to keep them on our side, dontcha think?” He only has 43 days. Do nothing for 30? This is stupid.

“Work behind the scenes with the Maloofs.” They aren’t playing the same game right now. KJ is trying to find financing here. The Maloofs are deciding whether the deal to move away from here is good enough, and they haven’t put KJ in the loop on the specifics of their deal with Anaheim. Apples and oranges. Also, it’s hard to work “behind the scenes” when the other person is neither taking your calls or permitting you to look behind the scenes.

Looking at this objectively, KJ is upset at the Maloofs because, when the Maloofs decided not to contact him regarding the length of the extension, it undercut his and ICONN’s ability to determine whether it’s feasible to fund something here before.

There are great fans here, but you are such zelots for the team, that you cannot process the fact that KJ is advancing your long term more than the Maloofs are right now. KJ is trying to scrounge up the money to keep the team here, and he believes he needs more than 43 days. The Maloofs are deciding whether to pull up stakes right now. I undestand why you care more about the Maloofs and whether they are already gone. If you want to keep the team here, you should listen to what KJ has to say not attack him.

PS – Dave let’s not be Pollyanna that the Maloofs might neglect the truth when faced with uncomfortable facts. “We didn’t have to see the beer distributorship; we just thought we could get a good price.” It’s been widely reported that the sale was a condition to getting another year after they tripped covenants in the Palms loan.” “We are fine in Vegas, those reports are false.” While the news may take a couple of weeks to filter out, they are about to default on millions of dollars in loans and/or take a huge financial loss next week on the Palms (when the shares are taken away, they can’t recoup the lost equity.) If they are misrepresenting the fact they’ve already decided to move, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve tried to spin really bad news.

 

[bajaden]

The Maloofs said they would turn the documents over on tuesday when they met with Johnson, and whoever else is attending the meeting. Let me ask you this. Would getting the documents three or four days earlier make any difference in the grand scheme of things. At best, it would speed up the Talyor groups conclusions and presentation by a couple of days. Does that mean they come to the table in 87 days instead of 90? Thats just pure nonsense. This was grandstanding at its worse. This made as much sense as General Armstrong Custer demanding that all the indians lay down their arms that the little big horn.

The winners of this PR battle in my opinion are the Maloofs, by staying silent and not responding to Johnson. Johnson opened up the opportunity for them to fire back, and possibly end all discussions of their staying.

I love the comments by the idiot on the city council as to local interests buying the Kings. Just ignore the obvious, and present fairytale solutions. He said its obvious that Maloofs have no intentions of remaining in sacramento. The truth is, that the Maloofs have been accused of wanting to move the team from the moment they bought it. Day after day, month after month and year after year, they have denied they want to move the team. They have donated millions of dollars to sacramento charities. In interview after interview they have said they love the sacramento area and see tremendous growth potential here.

But never mind what they say, or what they've done for the last ten years. Those lying bastards have just been stringing us along for their eventual departure. Is it any wonder that they've finally reached the limit of public abuse their willing to take. Now, more than ever, with their empire suffering finanical losses, they need solutions. And they need them now.

The bottom line is, the Maloofs have a product. Does sacramento want that product? In the free enterprize system we have, the person that is willing to pay the most for a product is the person that usually ends up with the product. The NBA is a business. An intetainment business. So there is a price that has to be paid. We can't use emminent domain, or nationalize the Kings. This is s--t or get off the pot time. Not start throwing mudd time.

Let me finish by saying this. If there is more to Johnson's rant than he's said, then he better say it. There needs to be more there, than him just feeling like he was dissed. Ego's need to be put aside in something this big. If when he meets with the Maloofs on tuesday, they don't hand over the documents that were requested, I'm going to blame him.

 

[Larry David]

If you truly believe that KJ doesn’t believe it’s possible to keep the Kings here and he’s playing politics, then you should also believe it’s 100% certainty the Kings will be gone in the next 13 months.

If you refuse to believe those two conclusions are completely linked, you don’t understand the basic principals at play.

They aren’t staying without a new arena, and KJ is the only person in town that can deliver the region financing for the stadium.

You can’t just hope the problem away. You have to fix it. KJ is the only person in town that’s working on and capable of fixing the problem.

Kings fans that are so passionate that they blog are not only a minority of the citizens of Sacramento, but even among Kings fans. Of that group, not everybody supports financing an arena at all costs. Even among that group, now at least half of you have turned your anger to person that’s the key to getting 5 “yes” votes on the city council – which is how you fix the problem. Here We Stay might have passion, but the effort to keep the team here has either doesn’t see the big picture or doesn’t have the leadership to keep the fans on point.

 

[fnordius]

Spoken like a true citizen. Blame one piece of this complex puzzle. It's simple minded. Sorry. And I like you.

Hey, I like you too.

This thread reminds me of debates about whether Geoff should be blamed for bad personnel decisions, or the Maloofs should be blamed for allegedly leaning on Geoff to make particular bad decisions. Sometimes we get halfway enough semi-reliable data so that we think we probably know what happened with a transaction, but speculation is the rule, and various sides can spin the same facts into all sorts of highly disparate explanations.

I resolved this problem for myself a while back by avoiding singling out anyone for bad personnel choices, and instead laying the blame on "the FO," because we can all agree that the FO is responsible. There's little doubt that some individuals must be more culpable than others, but nobody stopped Mikki (for example) from being signed.

Here, once again, I'm being asked to speculate about who most deserves finger pointing, as if my thoughts about culpability would fix things somehow.

If the team leaves, it will because various parties could have saved the day, but nobody did.

 

[bajaden]

do we know that by asking for the extension, it was in favor of moving or staying? i would have been happy if they never asked for the extension and let the deadline pass without filing for relocation. i personally dont know if getting the extension brings relief (maloofs giving sacramento more time to convince them to stay) or more anxiety (more time for them to research other options besides sac)

Of course we don't know. Thats what negotiations are all about. When you sit down at the table you don't reveal all your cards. Not if you want to win! Put yourself in the Maloofs shoes. Lets for a moment assume that in reality, they really don't like the Anaheim deal, and would rather stay in sacramento. But your trying to get a deal for a new arena done, and have been for the last ten years. Right now, the only leverage you have is whether your going to move or not. If you let the march 1st deadline pass without doing something, you've just lost all your immediate leverage.

Now maybe, finally, the city is actually ready to do something positive. But if you look at its past record, one that includes blindsiding the Maloofs a few years ago, why would you totally trust them now, by giving them another year to play with. If they sign the letter of intent, then they've admitted that they're gone. But they didn't. They left the door open. Maybe just a crack, or maybe wide open. Yeah, it would have been nice if they had put if off for another year. We could all relax. Kick back and enjoy the coming draft and offseason deals. And maybe thats the problem. Without a sense of urgency, maybe nothing gets done again, and next year were back to square one with the exact same situation.

I have no idea what Johnson's movtivation is. Maybe he thought he was really on top of this thing. Totally in control, and didn't like something happening without his prior knowledge. Well maybe he should apply for the show Surviver, or perhaps big brother, to learn that everything isn't all it appears to be. And that when you think your in total control is the most likely time you'll get voted out. Whatever his motivation, or how good his intentions might be, he made a mistake. The best thing he can do now is swallow his pride, and shut the F up. Quit throwing fuel on the fire he started. And try to remember that this isn't about him, its about getting an arena built and keeping the Kings. And OH, by the way, you need the Maloofs on board for that last part.

 

[Glenn]

Ironically, I have just written a letter to Graswich/KJ asking him to apologize. It was a little more stern than that but I think the mayor deserves some emails about what we think. I posted his email address somewhere.

Here is what is sad. Do a search on articles about KJ and the Kings. Here's a headline I found and it is characteristic and we all know that some people don't read beyound the healines:

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson: Kings are trying to cut a deal and leave

Get off your butts and write to him. We need a different kind of headline. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/mayor/forms/emailCommentForm

 

[JB_kings]

The Maloofs said they would turn the documents over on tuesday when they met with Johnson, and whoever else is attending the meeting. Let me ask you this. Would getting the documents three or four days earlier make any difference in the grand scheme of things. At best, it would speed up the Talyor groups conclusions and presentation by a couple of days. Does that mean they come to the table in 87 days instead of 90? Thats just pure nonsense. This was grandstanding at its worse. This made as much sense as General Armstrong Custer demanding that all the indians lay down their arms that the little big horn.

The winners of this PR battle in my opinion are the Maloofs, by staying silent and not responding to Johnson. Johnson opened up the opportunity for them to fire back, and possibly end all discussions of their staying.

I love the comments by the idiot on the city council as to local interests buying the Kings. Just ignore the obvious, and present fairytale solutions. He said its obvious that Maloofs have no intentions of remaining in sacramento. The truth is, that the Maloofs have been accused of wanting to move the team from the moment they bought it. Day after day, month after month and year after year, they have denied they want to move the team. They have donated millions of dollars to sacramento charities. In interview after interview they have said they love the sacramento area and see tremendous growth potential here.

But never mind what they say, or what they've done for the last ten years. Those lying bastards have just been stringing us along for their eventual departure. Is it any wonder that they've finally reached the limit of public abuse their willing to take. Now, more than ever, with their empire suffering finanical losses, they need solutions. And they need them now.

The bottom line is, the Maloofs have a product. Does sacramento want that product? In the free enterprize system we have, the person that is willing to pay the most for a product is the person that usually ends up with the product. The NBA is a business. An intetainment business. So there is a price that has to be paid. We can't use emminent domain, or nationalize the Kings. This is s--t or get off the pot time. Not start throwing mudd time.

Let me finish by saying this. If there is more to Johnson's rant than he's said, then he better say it. There needs to be more there, than him just feeling like he was dissed. Ego's need to be put aside in something this big. If when he meets with the Maloofs on tuesday, they don't hand over the documents that were requested, I'm going to blame him.

Just to be clear here, Roger Dickinson is not on the city council. He was on the county board of supervisors under the ill fated Q & R measures. He is very bitter at the Maloofs over how that went down. So he has an axe to grind in that battle and he did. He is not longer on the county board and is a state asembleyman now.

 

[theclash4u5]

While it may not have been the best idea to call out the Maloofs like KJ did, I don't see why so many people are so up in arms against him. He supposedly found out about the Anaheim rumors/extension through the media (google update?), and if I was KJ, I would be pissed too. Whatever the Maloofs feel about Sacramento and the local government here, they have to know that KJ has been doing whatever in his power to keep the team here. So why would they go over his head and not keep him informed? And then not give him the necessary papers that was needed in this 90 days deadline? What did everyone here expect KJ to say? Nothing?

 

[Glenn]

While it may not have been the best idea to call out the Maloofs like KJ did, I don't see why so many people are so up in arms against him. He supposedly found out about the Anaheim rumors/extension through the media (google update?), and if I was KJ, I would be pissed too. Whatever the Maloofs feel about Sacramento and the local government here, they have to know that KJ has been doing whatever in his power to keep the team here. So why would they go over his head and not keep him informed? And then not give him the necessary papers that was needed in this 90 days deadline? What did everyone here expect KJ to say? Nothing?

Of course he is pissed but why grab a microphone and announce it to the world? I'm pissed. Where's my microphone? I think the deal is not done, I think it is teetering and could go either way, and I think KJ may have pushed it the wrong direction. I would be very happy to be absolutely wrong about this.

 

[John Galt]

While it may not have been the best idea to call out the Maloofs like KJ did, I don't see why so many people are so up in arms against him. He supposedly found out about the Anaheim rumors/extension through the media (google update?), and if I was KJ, I would be pissed too. Whatever the Maloofs feel about Sacramento and the local government here, they have to know that KJ has been doing whatever in his power to keep the team here. So why would they go over his head and not keep him informed? And then not give him the necessary papers that was needed in this 90 days deadline? What did everyone here expect KJ to say? Nothing?

Amen. I wish more people would stand behind the mayor on this, and I don't like the overall tone of "oh no KJ, don't say THAT! You might make the Maloofs mad and ruin everything.." eff that.

I cannot imagine that in hindsight an honest Maloof will say "well we were deliberating about this into late February, and then Kevin Johnson had the nerve to take a tone with us in the media and that was just the last straw".

My gut feel is that the extension is a cynical tactic to avoid unpleasant demonstrations, sell a few more tickets, keep a semblance of peace until they announce the deal when the season is over. The worst thing to me has been Stern's pissy tone about everything - I think he will have no problem taking a nya nya nya attitude toward the move since he's acting so butthurt that the Expo plan did not workout. I think the league will give the Maloofs an extension, knowing full well that the deal is done, and I don't mind the mayor saying what he said. I would be easier if they just ripped the bandaid off and announced the move by 3/1.

 

[bajaden]

Amen. I wish more people would stand behind the mayor on this, and I don't like the overall tone of "oh no KJ, don't say THAT! You might make the Maloofs mad and ruin everything.." eff that.

I cannot imagine that in hindsight an honest Maloof will say "well we were deliberating about this into late February, and then Kevin Johnson had the nerve to take a tone with us in the media and that was just the last straw".

My gut feel is that the extension is a cynical tactic to avoid unpleasant demonstrations, sell a few more tickets, keep a semblance of peace until they announce the deal when the season is over. The worst thing to me has been Stern's pissy tone about everything - I think he will have no problem taking a nya nya nya attitude toward the move since he's acting so butthurt that the Expo plan did not workout. I think the league will give the Maloofs an extension, knowing full well that the deal is done, and I don't mind the mayor saying what he said. I would be easier if they just ripped the bandaid off and announced the move by 3/1.

What have the Maloofs said? Really! Just what have they said? They've said nothing. What was the last thing that they did publicly say? Remember? They said they weren't going to publicly comment on the arena or anything related to that situation. They also said they would hand over all the info requested at the next meeting, which I believe is tuesday. They haven't badmouthed the city or Johnson. They haven't said they're leaving. For ten years they've said the want to stay and have no immediate plans to go anywhere. Despite all that, they've been hammered constantly by the Bee and by comments from city council members. They have been rock solid in backing up all their statements about not leaving. And yet, for some stange reason, the perception is that they're lying. They've always wanted to leave. Forget applying logic.

Yep, we should all stand behind the mayor. Just like the people on the Titanic should have stood behind the capt. of the ship. Hey, you hang around for the up close and personal photo opportunity of an iceberg. Me, I'm in a rowboat headed south.. But good luck to you, and may the band play on...

 

[John Galt]

Me, I'm in a rowboat headed south.. ...

if only

 

[Glenn]

What have the Maloofs said? Really! Just what have they said? They've said nothing. What was the last thing that they did publicly say? Remember? They said they weren't going to publicly comment on the arena or anything related to that situation. They also said they would hand over all the info requested at the next meeting, which I believe is tuesday. They haven't badmouthed the city or Johnson. They haven't said they're leaving. For ten years they've said the want to stay and have no immediate plans to go anywhere. Despite all that, they've been hammered constantly by the Bee and by comments from city council members. They have been rock solid in backing up all their statements about not leaving. And yet, for some stange reason, the perception is that they're lying. They've always wanted to leave. Forget applying logic.

Yep, we should all stand behind the mayor. Just like the people on the Titanic should have stood behind the capt. of the ship. Hey, you hang around for the up close and personal photo opportunity of an iceberg. Me, I'm in a rowboat headed south.. But good luck to you, and may the band play on...

I promised not to follow every note you write but I think people don't understand, maybe the words are too big, maybe the concepts are too complicated, maybe the notes are too long (I really believe that). I don't know. On the national scene, one sentence sound bites seem to work wonderfully whether they are true or not so maybe that is what is needed here.

KJ is cool except he lost it! Maloofs are good! (Simple, huh?)

 

[Fireplug]

I think emotions have made us look at placing blame in any way possible, and while there is plenty of blame to go around as to why we are now at this point in team history, maybe we can focus for just one post even on what the bottom line is here.

The bottom line is, no matter how we got to this point, the only way the Kings stay now is based on goodwill.

It is pretty clear that if it is for strictly financial reasons, the Kings should move. Sacramento right now is not as lucrative a market as Anaheim would be for the team. It just isn't. We all know this no matter what our emotions might say to the contrary. And the truth is, even if Bill Gates were to say this very hour that he, "Loves the Kings and will donate the money for a new arena" the Maloofs will still have to have the Kings play at Power Balance Place for 4 to 6 years! It took 5 years for Orlando's new arena to be built from the day they announced the deal. So, knowing that by committing to staying in Sacramento you were committing to playing in PBP for the next 5 years with perhaps the attendance numbers they have been getting in this "no-sign-of-turning-the-corner" economy... would YOU stay if it were your business being discussed? It makes no sense for them to stay.

However...

We think, and hope, and pray that they like it here. And like having us as fans even when we are fickle and don't attend games now when the team is under-performing.

And that goodwill between the Maloofs and the fans is all we have to believe in that might make them stay.

That is why Dave is upset, I think, by KJ's public stepping on of that tenuous goodwill we hope we still have. Even if KJ is probably right about some of the things going on, and I think most of us would agree that certainly KJ, in his heart, is a huge fan of keeping the Kings here, it is worrisome to have the goodwill between our city and the team being squashed even a little right now.

Using cool logic... by most signs the team is gone.

But hopefully logic won't always prevail when you are talking about a team and/or city you love. That is all we can really hold on to at this point.

 

[theclash4u5]

What have the Maloofs said? Really! Just what have they said? They've said nothing. What was the last thing that they did publicly say? Remember? They said they weren't going to publicly comment on the arena or anything related to that situation. They also said they would hand over all the info requested at the next meeting, which I believe is tuesday. They haven't badmouthed the city or Johnson. They haven't said they're leaving. For ten years they've said the want to stay and have no immediate plans to go anywhere. Despite all that, they've been hammered constantly by the Bee and by comments from city council members. They have been rock solid in backing up all their statements about not leaving. And yet, for some stange reason, the perception is that they're lying. They've always wanted to leave. Forget applying logic.

Yep, we should all stand behind the mayor. Just like the people on the Titanic should have stood behind the capt. of the ship. Hey, you hang around for the up close and personal photo opportunity of an iceberg. Me, I'm in a rowboat headed south.. But good luck to you, and may the band play on...

But KJ hasn't been working to get a new arena as the Mayor of Sacramento for 10 years. Don't you at least feel that he should have been given updates through the Kings directly instead of finding out through google? He deserves at LEAST that, right? And the papers were due over a week ago, by the way. The Maloofs have pushed it back to Tuesday, which wouldn't even be happening if KJ hadn't requested a meeting ASAP.

 

[Glenn]

But KJ hasn't been working to get a new arena as the Mayor of Sacramento for 10 years. Don't you at least feel that he should have been given updates through the Kings directly instead of finding out through google? He deserves at LEAST that, right? And the papers were due over a week ago, by the way. The Maloofs have pushed it back to Tuesday, which wouldn't even be happening if KJ hadn't requested a meeting ASAP.

Lotsa guessing going on. Maybe ICON/Taylor should have updated KJ on the status of the papers. The direct shot is between ICON/Taylor and the Maloofs. Which of the two should update KJ, the group organized by the City Council or the Maloofs?

 

[John Galt]

I think emotions have made us look at placing blame in any way possible, and while there is plenty of blame to go around as to why we are now at this point in team history, maybe we can focus for just one post even on what the bottom line is here.

The bottom line is, no matter how we got to this point, the only way the Kings stay now is based on goodwill.

It is pretty clear that if it is for strictly financial reasons, the Kings should move. Sacramento right now is not as lucrative a market as Anaheim would be for the team. It just isn't. We all know this no matter what our emotions might say to the contrary. And the truth is, even if Bill Gates were to say this very hour that he, "Loves the Kings and will donate the money for a new arena" the Maloofs will still have to have the Kings play at Power Balance Place for 4 to 6 years! It took 5 years for Orlando's new arena to be built from the day they announced the deal. So, knowing that by committing to staying in Sacramento you were committing to playing in PBP for the next 5 years with perhaps the attendance numbers they have been getting in this "no-sign-of-turning-the-corner" economy... would YOU stay if it were your business being discussed. It makes no sense for them to stay.

However...

We think, and hope, and pray that they like it here. And like having us as fans even when we are fickle and don't attend games now when the team is under-performing.

And that goodwill between the Maloofs and the fans is all we have to believe in that might make them stay.

That is why Dave is upset, I think, by KJ's public stepping on of that tenuous goodwill we hope we still have. Even if KJ is probably right about some of the things going on, and I think most of us would agree that certainly KJ, in his heart, is a huge fan of keeping the Kings here, it is worrisome to have the goodwill between our city and the team being squashed even a little right now.

Using cool logic... by most signs the team is gone.

But hopefully, and all we can really hold on to at this point, logic won't always prevail when you are talking about a team and/or city you love.

Excellent post I pretty much agree with all of it. But I don't rule out that KJ showing some spine and some fire might resonate positively in some way with the Maloofs. Maybe not, but maybe knowing that the guy on the other side of the table will talk very very very straight - might be worth something in the coming days.

Certainly the Maloofs have set the stage to be heroes if they give a one year reprieve... one year to ink a deal for a new arena or that's IT. Then I won't fault them.

If the Maloofs leave now BECAUSE they are peeved at the tone KJ took (even if it is in small part because of that) then I hope they recover their souls and hearts somewhere down the road. But even though I am not enamored with the Maloofs, I don't believe they are that small of spirit. That's why I'm not trippin over what KJ said or how he said it. I don't think it will tip things one way or the other.