Who's Nicer? Benson or Shinn (1 Viewer)

[saintfan-n-alex]

never met anyone them, Shinn was said to be very harsh, if im not mistaken when he relocated the team he didnt tell the current coach he was going to do so, the current coach found out by seeing a house for sale sign in a co-workers yard - the story was something like that.

i hear Benson gives allot of money to catholic charities and other orgs. like that in N.O. but does not make it public.

he pays players, pays coaches, fires coaches under contract and pays them out (though i here he and ditka have issues with money)

cant let business state who is nice or mean, the Hornets could be set to relocate for the 3rd time next year - the city they just left already has a new team so if rumors are true they wanted an NBA team just not Shinn and his team.

 

[4saintspirit]

I'm not a real big Benson fan, but I seem to remember him coming forward when Mecom was in the process of selling the Saints with the intent of moving them to Jacksonville. In so doing, he saved the franchise for the city of New Orleans. Initially, he put together a contingent of investors to buy the team from Mecom. It was only later that he bought out the rest of the investors.

Now, I'm not defending some of the actions taken by Benson in recent years, but I AM questioning the use of the word never in the quote above.

So - give credit where credit is due. And place blame where deserved. But don't overlook the positive things done by Benson for this city. If not for him, the team would now be the Jacksonville Saints.

Very correct in your line of thinking -- and we really do not really know Benson's real inttent -- was it is true wishes or just trying to realize more profit for his team

 

[Waymer]

Mecom.

It's spelled Meachem.

 

[G&T]

I think this deal just sealed the fate of the Hornets' existence in New orleans.

Sure they re-up'd to 2014, but this clause just gave tham an "out":

The hornets will need to average 14.7K in attendance between December 2007 - the end of the 2008/9 season, or else the Hornets can opt out of the deal and move after the 08/09 season.

Sure it may take a few $$ for them to leave, but I doubt we could get 14K in the arena...

I spend time in Seattle and the word on the street up there (for several months I've heard this) is that members of the Hornets organization are there regularly and fully intend for the team to land there after leaving NOLA in the near future. I don't keep up with the Supersonics one wit but I do know they were sold to a group in Oklahoma last year and I think they are scheduled to leave Seattle after this season (though feel free to correct me on their departure timeframe...all I know is that they are effectively gone).

Long before this Hornets-Louisiana "extension" news came out recently, I'd heard it from a couple people in Seattle that the Hornets were expecting to be there by 2010. I called B.S. on them at the time but now...looks like they might be right becuase that "extension" looked more like an "out" to me.

I've been to my share of Hornets games and while they are fun, I'm fairly certain this region of the country is never going to be a big basketball market. So for that reason, no hate from me to the Hornets if they do indeed leave...I'm just glad Louisiana (supposedly) gets a nice big chunk of cash out of them on the way out the door so that they can turna round and, oh...say...put a downpayment on a new football stadium (or do another massive renevotation phase to the Dome) to take the one professional team that absolutely SHOULD be in this region and lock'em up for all eternity...Gov. Jindal...paging Gov. Bobby Jindal...can you dig this?

 

[kooldak]

It's spelled Meachem.

 

[kcgirl]

I spend time in Seattle and the word on the street up there (for several months I've heard this) is that members of the Hornets organization are there regularly and fully intend for the team to land there after leaving NOLA in the near future. I don't keep up with the Supersonics one wit but I do know they were sold to a group in Oklahoma last year and I think they are scheduled to leave Seattle after this season (though feel free to correct me on their departure timeframe...all I know is that they are effectively gone).

Long before this Hornets-Louisiana "extension" news came out recently, I'd heard it from a couple people in Seattle that the Hornets were expecting to be there by 2010. I called B.S. on them at the time but now...looks like they might be right becuase that "extension" looked more like an "out" to me.

I've been to my share of Hornets games and while they are fun, I'm fairly certain this region of the country is never going to be a big basketball market. So for that reason, no hate from me to the Hornets if they do indeed leave...I'm just glad Louisiana (supposedly) gets a nice big chunk of cash out of them on the way out the door so that they can turna round and, oh...say...put a downpayment on a new football stadium (or do another massive renevotation phase to the Dome) to take the one professional team that absolutely SHOULD be in this region and lock'em up for all eternity...Gov. Jindal...paging Gov. Bobby Jindal...can you dig this?

Sorry, but I'll continue to call BS. Why would they build Shinn an arena when they refuse to build one for one of their own? Do they really believe Shinn would go to Key Arena to lose money like the previous owners? I believe he can leave, but it won't be to Seattle. David Stern said recently if the Sonics leave Seattle, he don't see them getting another team. So they should stop dreaming and build a new arena to keep their team.

I love this new lease, it put the teams' fate in our hands. If your a basketball fan, then support the team and they won't leave. I could only wish we held the Saints fate in our hands, but unfortunately we don't. Asking for 14.7 to come see an exciting basketball team is a great deal and hopefully we could get it done.

 

[alon504]

I spend time in Seattle and the word on the street up there (for several months I've heard this) is that members of the Hornets organization are there regularly and fully intend for the team to land there after leaving NOLA in the near future. I don't keep up with the Supersonics one wit but I do know they were sold to a group in Oklahoma last year and I think they are scheduled to leave Seattle after this season (though feel free to correct me on their departure timeframe...all I know is that they are effectively gone).

Long before this Hornets-Louisiana "extension" news came out recently, I'd heard it from a couple people in Seattle that the Hornets were expecting to be there by 2010. I called B.S. on them at the time but now...looks like they might be right becuase that "extension" looked more like an "out" to me.

I've been to my share of Hornets games and while they are fun, I'm fairly certain this region of the country is never going to be a big basketball market. So for that reason, no hate from me to the Hornets if they do indeed leave...I'm just glad Louisiana (supposedly) gets a nice big chunk of cash out of them on the way out the door so that they can turna round and, oh...say...put a downpayment on a new football stadium (or do another massive renevotation phase to the Dome) to take the one professional team that absolutely SHOULD be in this region and lock'em up for all eternity...Gov. Jindal...paging Gov. Bobby Jindal...can you dig this?

This is a lie. Seattle is desperate. If the Hornets were to leave, which I don't think they will...they would go to Kansas City. I'm more concerned about the Saints leaving than the Hornets to be honest.

 

[Saint LesPaul]

I voted Benson. Shinn basically held the city of Charlotte hostage and then moved the team to NO. In NC the Hornets led the eastern conf. in attendance their 1st 7 years in existence and sucked fairly badly during that time. We were in love with that team and he ripped them away from us when things were going better (record-wise). I hate him. He gave no reasonable chance for Charlotte to keep the francise and damn near left in the middle of the night. So enjoy your Hornets... cause sooner or later Shinn will rip them from you, too.

BTW... I know NC has another NBA team, but the Hornets were ours, and the Bobcats do not provoke the same pride from the state.

 

[dninc]

We are blessed with the worst owners in the NFL and NBA.

I can definately come up with a couple of NFL owners that are far worse than Benson and a Few NBA Owners that would make Shinn look like a tender and kind easter bunny.