[外電] Hornets owner heard talking up Oklahoma

看板Pelicans (新奧爾良鵜鶘)作者ByronScott (NOK)時間20年前 (2006/02/27 00:08)推噓1(1推 0噓 1→)

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Hornets owner heard talking up Oklahoma Witnesses say Shinn expressed desire to stay http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/114076531639890.xml Friday, February 24, 2006 By Benjamin Hochman Staff writer At a private party last weekend in Houston, Hornets owner George Shinn told Oklahoma businesspeople that he hopes the Hornets can host an All-Star Game in Oklahoma City, according to two guests. 在上禮拜週末在休士頓的私人宴會中，根據兩名賓客指出黃蜂老闆George Shinn告訴 Oklahoma的商人們說他希望黃蜂能夠在Oklahoma辦明星賽。 New Orleanians Hal Braden and Cory Morton were guests of the Hornets during the National Basketball Association's All-Star weekend in Houston, and they attended the Friday cocktail party at the Houston Hyatt. New Orleanians Hal Braden和Cory Morton就是這兩位賓客，並且他們出席了週五在 Houston Hyatt的雞尾酒宴會。 "He got everyone's attention and basically starts talking about how happy he's been in Oklahoma City," said Braden, a Hornets season-ticket holder in New Orleans. "He's grateful for the reception and for the enthusiasm. Then he starts basically alluding to the fact that he would like to stay there long-term. He said, 'I have my accountants looking into it, and we're trying to figure out the best place to be businesswise, but you can only guess where I want to be.' "他吸引了每個人的目光，而且開始談論他在Oklahoma有多快樂" Braden說"他首先感謝來參加這場宴會的人，並且開始透露出他想要一直待在這城市，他說'我有我的會計師會調查，並且計算出哪裡比較適合經營，但是你們只能猜我比較想待在哪邊.' "Then Shinn said, 'This All-Star weekend is a fun time for the NBA; it's really a fantastic event. Houston is benefiting greatly from having it. In 10 years I hope to see an All-Star Game in Oklahoma City, and I'd like for the Hornets to be the host.' " "接著Shinn又說, '對NBA來說明星賽週是令人愉快的時光; 真的是讓人覺得美好, 休士頓也因為它得到了相當多的利益。在未來10年我希望能夠在Oklahoma看到明星賽，並且我希望它成為黃蜂的主場。 "That was just as blatant as it could be," said Morton, also a New Orleans season-ticket holder, who thinks Shinn didn't know he was at the party. "這正是突顯出它可能會成真." 說這句的是另Morton，另一位持有黃蜂季票的人，他想 Shinn一定不曉得他也在宴會中...XD Three Oklahoma City businessmen at the party remembered Shinn speaking glowingly about the city, but none recall a specific reference to a Hornets-hosted All-Star Game. Hornets President Paul Mott, who was at the party, said: "I do recall him talking about the All-Star Game and saying to myself, '2016? I won't be here because I'll be almost 60.' But I don't recall him talking about the Hornets hosting it. I remember him talking about the All-Star game, how great it is, and how great it would be for Oklahoma City to be able to host an All-Star Game." 黃蜂總裁Paul Mott也是在宴會中的人，他說: "我記得他在宴會中談論明星賽和告訴我說 '2016年?我想我不會在這了，因為我已經快60歲了.' 但是我並沒有印象他有談到黃蜂的主場的事情。我只記得他說到明星賽是多好，並且希望明星賽有一天能夠在Oklahoma舉辦 On Thursday, Mott reiterated the Hornets' public stance that the team will return to New Orleans: "Our intentions have not changed." 星期二，Mott反覆地重聲黃蜂的官方說法，就是球隊會回到New Orleans，"我們的目標不會改變."他這麼說。 Warm reception After Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets relocated to Oklahoma City, where the fans and business leaders have embraced the major league team. Hornets players and coaches have publicly gushed about the local support. The team, 18-64 a season ago, also is much improved. The Hornets are now 29-24, and if the season ended today, they would be the seventh-seeded team in the Western Conference playoffs. The Hornets are scheduled to play three games at New Orleans Arena in March and will return to the Crescent City next season for six home games, playing the other 35 in Oklahoma City. 黃蜂計畫在三月回去New Orleans比賽三場，並且在下個球季換到Crescent舉行六場主場球賽，然後剩餘的35場則是在Oklahoma舉行。 However, the Hornets and the NBA have pledged to return to New Orleans for the 2007-08 season. The league has granted New Orleans exclusive bidding rights for the All-Star Game that season. 然而黃蜂和NBA已經承諾會在2007-08球季會回到New Orleans。聯盟也在幫助New Orleans 讓之後會在這裡舉辦明星賽。 The Hornets have a lease with New Orleans Arena that expires in 2012. Because of extenuating economic circumstances after Katrina, the state allowed the Hornets to play in Oklahoma next season, even though the lease agreement required the team to play in New Orleans if the Arena is usable. The state gave the Hornets leeway for the 2006-07 season, with the understanding that the team would return to New Orleans in 2007-08. Once the lease expires, the Hornets can pay a $10 million exit fee if they decide not to renew. 黃蜂在New Orleans的租約到2012。 NBA chief vows return On Saturday in Houston, NBA Commissioner David Stern said, "We plan on going through with the commitment to return to New Orleans, and in fact there's a lease that requires it. It's important for the league to honor leases, and it's illegal not to. Usually they can be specifically enforced by motions in court. So we think it's a good idea to honor leases." Dvaid Stern說"我們是計畫依照回到New Orleans的決策走，而且那裡還有訂契約，對聯盟來說，誠實的履行契約是很重要的。如果沒照約定是會被強制上法庭的。所以我照契約走才是最好的。 Mott said, "Our hope by postponing it to another year is that the city will be far enough along that it will be ready to support its NBA team. If we could have made it work in New Orleans this year, we'd be there." Mott說"我們希望能夠延緩是否那裡能夠支撐一個NBA球隊的計畫. 假如我們今年能夠在 New Orleans比賽，我們就會在那了." NBA spokesman Tim Frank reiterated the league's stance about returning to New Orleans and said, "It would not be prudent to discuss speculation about what an owner may or may not have said." Last spring in an auction, Morton won a trip on the Hornets plane to a road game, good for this season. Because Katrina moved the team away from New Orleans, the Hornets invited Morton and his guest to the ultimate road game: the NBA All-Star Game. 'Not supposed to be privy' Morton and Braden arrived in Oklahoma City on Friday and flew on the team jet to Houston, along with Oklahoma City businesspeople from American Fidelity Assurance Group, Anheuser-Busch, Cox Communications, Ford and McDonald's. At the party last Friday, the New Orleans duo mingled with Oklahoma City residents and with the Hornets employees delegated to make sure the guests were accommodated. Shinn arrived late to the party and made his All-Star Game speech, which sparked applause and even cheers from one guest. "We were not supposed to be privy to this speech," Morton said. "I was in shock." After the speech, Braden said the once-outgoing Hornets employees "avoided us like the plague. Everyone knew that Shinn had screwed up." Braden and Morton remained in Houston, attending the All-Star festivities along with the Oklahomans. At a Sunday dinner at The Strip Steakhouse, before that night's All-Star Game, Morton considered asking Shinn about the speech, but the owner did not arrive. Morton did discuss the speech with Hornets employees seated at his table. Morton said of Shinn's speech: "If that would have been said in front of the New Orleans public, they would have been like, 'What?' " -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 61.64.109.225