FanHouse Oklahomacity

Howard Schultz filed suit Tuesday to rescind his sale of the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. Schultz had indicated previously that he was considering the move, but apparently decided today to press forward.

The decision to press suit was apparently motivated by the discovery of emails between Bennett and his partners in the Bennett's Professional Basketball Club organization which were ... ahem ... slightly duplicitous regarding Bennett's previously stated intentions to stay in Seattle, which were revealed by a report from the Seattle Times.

"Ward: Is there any way to move here for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?"

"Bennett: I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!"

Apparently, Schultz's lawyers find that a little bit ... awkward. In the suit filed today, they stated that Bennett's public statement that the club had every intention of trying to remain in Seattle was "false from the moment it was made."

It would appear that Schultz is not willing to go down without a fight, though it may ultimately be in vain.

Don't ever accuse Scott Skiles of not caring about his players. Before facing (and beating) his former charge Tyson Chandler last night, Skiles spoke about the enormous effort he went to comfort Chandler this past summer when he heard Chandler was worried about being traded. From the Chicago Sun-Times:

''Right before we made the move, I read something Tyson said about apprehension of whether he was going to be traded,'' Skiles said. ''I sent him a long e-mail [telling him] to hang in there and whatever happens, happens, and it will all work out whatever way it goes. Because at the time, I didn't know for sure if we were going to [trade him]. And I never heard back from him.''

Now that's what I call going the extra mile. Nothing says, "I really care" than reading about his feelings in the newspapers and dashing off a heartfelt missive over good ol' electronic mail. (hi ty! i saw u r worried about being traded -- i don't know if u will be cuz paxson doesn't answer my IMs. LOL!)

Maybe the message got lost in Chandler's spam filter, because he didn't sound like he cared much for Skiles earlier this week:

"To me he's not a good person, and that's obvious in the way he treats his players and the comments that he makes. So I don't even pay attention to him because he's so little to me."

Of course, Chandler now claims that he was misquoted, which is possible, I guess. He didn't exactly mince words, but maybe he meant it as a joke, and the reporter scribbling down his words forgot to tack on an "LOL!" to the end of his sentence. What's the lesson learned? Email is always the best form of communication.