Charlotte Coliseum - BOOM!

It's coming down this Sunday.

Charlotte Coliseum was the venue for TWO official USRT visits... In January, 2001 we visited to see the NBA Charlotte Hornets; the Hornets eventually departed for New Orleans, but the city got an exapnsion team two years later. In November, 2004 we returned to see the Charlotte Bobcats take to the court in their one season at the old Coliseum, before moving to their new downtown arena the following year.

HERE is our venue profile.

Seattle Supersonics to OKC... could happen by 2008-09

The Washington state legislature has given a flat out "NO" to a proposal to raise $300 million in various taxes to fund a new arena in suburban Renton for the Seattle Supersonics.

The righteous and moral owner Clay Bennett is now prepping himself to deliver a big "fuck you" to his fan base in Seattle and might move the team, reportedly to Oklahoma City, in time for the 2008-09 season.

More from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Mmmmm...... Poutine!

French fries and gravy with melted cheese curds... gotta eat 'em with a fork!

Available at concession stands throughout the Air Canada Centre.

Road Trip to the Air Canada Centre

Up to TO we went today, along with our friends Gary and Mike (The King) from New York, to catch some NBA basketball action between the Toronto Raptors and the Seattle Supersonics. This one was a thriller, with Seattle getting a bucket at the buzzer to force overtime, before the Raptors put the game away, 120-119.

It was great hooking up with Mike and Gary, and this was their 59th NBA game of the season. These guys are SICK!

The other funny thing was Peter... his logic was simple: since Wellandfan and FortEriefan and StCatherinesfan comes to HSBC Arena at Sabres games to cheer for any Canadian based team, he felt it was his duty to go into the ACC and cheer for any American based teams against the Raptors. So on he went the chants of "Go Sonics" and "USA! USA!". All that was missing was him wearing a Seattle jersey.

We dropped the NYC guys off at Ricoh Coliseum for part two of their doubleheader, an AHL Marlies game at Ricoh Coliseum, and then hightailed it down to Monteagle Ridge for the Niagara selection party...The line at customs at Lewiston? UGH! Peter will have more on that..

Posting a couple photos here... enjoy!


Below - another packed house for the Raptors, and yep, we are in the "Sprite Zone" cheapies!




Above and below - Development around the ACC and Rogers Centre is happening at a dizzying pace - high rise condos, retail and office buildings sprouting EVERYWHERE!

Seattle Supersonics unveil their arena plans

Seattle taxpayers are already bristling under the weight of debt payments for Safeco Field, Qwest Field and yes, the demolished Kingdome. Now they are being asked to pony up another $500 million for a replacement venue for the NBA Supersonics, who play at a perfectly fine Key Arena. The Sonics unveiled these architectural renderings this week, for a dramatic 20,000 seat edifice which would be built on the south end of Lake Washington in the suburb of Renton.

But while co-owners Tom Ward and Aubrey McClendon aren't busy threatening to move their team to another city unless they get their free playpen, they are spending their time funding and propping up organizations such as Americans United to Preserve Marriage, a group tied into uber-sleezeball and crackpot Gary Bauer and his Family Research Council. What's next? Tim Hardaway named new Sonics GM?

So let's get this straight - two people are in a loving relationship and want to commit themselves to each other but are of the same gender - IMMORAL! Billionaire sports franchise owners unashamedly hold a gun to the heads of the fans who have supported them unless they spend yet more money to build them a new arena - MORAL!

Whew! Glad we got this cleared up!