 Oklahoma City WiretapPotapenko Breaks His Finger, Out 5-6 WeeksDepth may be an issue for the Seattle Supersonics, especially early, with the team receiving news that starting center Vitaly Potapenko fractured the ring finger of his right hand during the victory against Portland and will be sidelined for five to six weeks. According to the Seattle Times the Sonics may also be without star forward Rashard Lewis for the opener because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Jerome James, who hasn't played in four of the past five games, will start at center for Wednesday's regular-season opener in Los Angeles against the Los Angeles Clippers. "Health for any team is very important, and losing Vitaly is a blow," McMillan said. "But like I told them, you've got to move on. Injuries are a part of the game." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Fortson Files Lawsuit Against Vecsey, ColangeloThe Seattle Post-Intelligencer, through a report published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, is reporting that Sonic Danny Fortson has filed a defamation lawsuit against Phoenix Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo, the New York Post and its columnist Peter Vecsey. The suit is related to comments made by Colangelo last season towards Fortson, labelling the strong forward a "thug," as well as saying "I want him out of here." Colangelo's characterization was televised and published in many newspapers as well as the statement. The comments stemmed from a hard foul then-Maverick Fortson had committed against then-Sun Zarko Cabarkapa, leaving the rookie with a broken wrist. Fortson was ejected and suspended for three games over the incident. Vecsey is included for a Nov. 30 column he wrote in which he criticized the league's response to Fortson's foul. He called Fortson a "vacant lot," said he engaged in "attempted murder" and called him a "gangsta or a wanksta." According to the Sun-Sentinel, Fortson seeks damages of more than $15,000 as well as the expense involved in the suit and "other relief the court may deem appropriate." Via Seattle Post-Intelligencer Oklahoma City, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Little City Support For Arena PlansIf the Seattle City Council are any guide, if the Supersonics are to have a new arena any time soon they will be finding the funding themselves according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Several elected officials contacted by The News Tribune were strongly opposed to providing public funding for a Sonics team that is losing millions of dollars a year. “Financially, the city is on hard times right now,” said Peter Steinbrueck, chairman of the urban development and planning committee. “We would probably lose our jobs as electives if we took any of those ideas seriously and advocated for any of those sorts of things at a time that we are cutting back library services and basic core government services. We haven’t stopped hearing about the excesses in the other two stadiums. People still are holding that against us." “The Sonics are hurting right now financially, I am sure. In the games, they are not performing well, and I don’t think a new stadium is going to change that, nor will it suddenly improve attendance. So I think the answer is to play better, play harder and win some games and attendance will pick up again.” Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Oct 2004 Archive
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