Lesson in teamwork
Usually we look to the fields and courts of play for examples of teamwork.
May I offer up different examples?
A good one, and a bad one.
Watch my latest video commentary or read below:
City leaders in Seattle still can’t agree on anything.
If this whole Sonics saga has taught us anything, it is this — Oklahoma City has local leadership that we can be proud of. Perfect, it is not, but it is pretty darn good.
And in light of what’s still going on in Seattle, pretty darn good is pretty darn good.
The inability of city leaders to get on the same page has hampered efforts to improve KeyArena for years in Seattle. There’s been a lack of willingness to even talk to people from the Sonics, and that was the case long before Clay Bennett and Co. bought the franchise.
Watching Seattle’s local government is like a soap opera.
That hasn’t changed. Last week, the NBA Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Sonics to Oklahoma City. You’d figure the seriousness of that vote might spur Seattle leaders to come to some sort of consensus.
Uh, no.
First, there’s Seattle mayor Greg Nickels, who called his own press conference on Friday and stood firm on the city’s plans to take the Sonics to court. He said, “We’re focused on litigation and keeping the team here.”
But then, there’s King County official Ron Sims who said, “You’re not going to stop them from moving. That’s just a fact.”
Aren’t these guys supposed to be playing for the same team? If these folks can’t agree with each other, is it any wonder that they’ve had trouble working with the Sonics?
Again, I’m not ready to call Oklahoma City’s local government a bastion of all that is right and good in the world, but the fact that they all seem to be working together is no small feat. It is a triumph worth celebrating.
Listen, I know I’m a sports writer, not a political pundit, but I do know the difference between soap opera and teamwork.
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