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. 在上礼拜周末在休士顿的私人宴会中，根据两名宾客指出黄蜂老板George Shinn告诉 Oklahoma的商人们说他希望黄蜂能够在Oklahoma办明星赛。 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就是这两位宾客，并且他们出席了周五在 Houston Hyatt的鸡尾酒宴会。 "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.' "他吸引了每个人的目光，而且开始谈论他在Oklahoma有多快乐" Braden说"他首先感谢 来参加这场宴会的人，并且开始透露出他想要一直待在这城市，他说'我有我的会计师会 调查，并且计算出哪里比较适合经营，但是你们只能猜我比较想待在哪边.' "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.' " "接着Shinn又说, '对NBA来说明星赛周是令人愉快的时光; 真的是让人觉得美好, 休士顿 也因为它得到了相当多的利益。在未来10年我希望能够在Oklahoma看到明星赛，并且我希 望它成为黄蜂的主场。 "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. "这正是突显出它可能会成真." 说这句的是另Morton，另一位持有黄蜂季票的人，他想 Shinn一定不晓得他也在宴会中...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." 黄蜂总裁Paul Mott也是在宴会中的人，他说: "我记得他在宴会中谈论明星赛和告诉我说 '2016年?我想我不会在这了，因为我已经快60岁了.' 但是我并没有印象他有谈到黄蜂的 主场的事情。我只记得他说到明星赛是多好，并且希望明星赛有一天能够在Oklahoma举办 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反覆地重声黄蜂的官方说法，就是球队会回到New Orleans，"我们的目标不 会改变."他这麽说。 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. 黄蜂计画在三月回去New Orleans比赛三场，并且在下个球季换到Crescent举行六场主场 球赛，然後剩余的35场则是在Oklahoma举行。 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. 然而黄蜂和NBA已经承诺会在2007-08球季会回到New Orleans。联盟也在帮助New Orleans 让之後会在这里举办明星赛。 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. 黄蜂在New Orleans的租约到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说"我们是计画依照回到New Orleans的决策走，而且那里还有订契约，对联 盟来说，诚实的履行契约是很重要的。如果没照约定是会被强制上法庭的。所以我照契约 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说"我们希望能够延缓是否那里能够支撑一个NBA球队的计画. 假如我们今年能够在 New Orleans比赛，我们就会在那了." 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?' " --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 61.64.109.225