I'm In Bennett's Head!

samkidder · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 48

I'd like to preface this post by noting that I'm a few beers deep, and I may have crossed a line that I ordinarily would have respected. With that being said...

Clay Bennett is a smug little bastard and he got me kicked out of the game tonight! I heard someone mention on sonicscentral that Bennett would be at the game tonight, so I looked for him in the luxury boxes. I spotted him in the box above section 127, sitting with Presti and Bill Russell. Of course my girlfriend and I moved over to the seats right below him. I looked up at him and started chatting with him. Here's the dialogue that followed...

Sam: Clay, you're a thief!
Clay: shrugs, smirks and blows me a kiss (I swear to God this is no lie)
Sam: I've been a season ticket holder since age 10. Don't steal my team!!!
Clay: makes a face of mock pity
Sam: You are overweight and ugly! Sell the Sonics!!!
Clay: walks to the back of the suite, never to reappear

30 seconds later, two Key arena police officers and a streetclothed man pulled me and my girlfriend out of our seats. They asked for my ID, confiscated my tickets, and escorted me out of the building. I asked the plainclothed man if he worked for the police or Bennett, and he said "Both." He then told me I needed to show more respect or else I'd be banned from the arena. I told him I'd be back every game and that if he saw Clay he should tell him to screw himself.

In retrospect, I was a little out of control but it is still ludicrous that Bennett would have me kicked out despite the fact that I didn't utter a profane word. I hate that Okie bitch more than ever. And my $300 pledge toward the airplane banner is looking like the best investment I ever made! GO SUPES!

Speedcat · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 656

Good lord Sam... talk about taking it to the MAN. I say good on you! Not many have the balls to pull that off, beers or no. :)

What an interesting story. I wonder if they had any real legal grounds to confiscate your tickets and remove you? It sounds like you just told him what was on your mind, you didn't threaten him, and you didn't swear at him. Were you yelling at him? Did he have any reasonable cause to feel threatened?

What did your girlfriend think?! :) If she's okay with the whole debacle, then she's a keeper by gum!

samkidder · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 48

I'm pretty sure they reserve the right to throw me out for whatever the hell reason they can conjure up. It was pretty funny when I was talking to Bennett's security guard, though. He said they had grounds to throw me out because I was being hostile to another individual in the arena. I asked if they would kick me out for yelling "Mike Bibby sucks" and they said absolutely. What a crock of shit. The cops/security just kept repeating "You gotta show some respect. Why can't you just enjoy the game? Don't try to be a hero." At the same time, one of them was whispering to my girlfriend "We're totally on your side! I'm sorry but we have to do this."

Stop Clay - Sonics Must Stay!!!!

Silvervan83 · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 63

well, I have to say: after that heartbreak loss you sure did put a smile on my face. You're the man.

Speedcat · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 656

"At the same time, one of them was whispering to my girlfriend "We're totally on your side! I'm sorry but we have to do this." "

OMG! Sounds like we have support in more places than we thought.

Actually, I know some folks who work at the Key and they don't like Clay either. Of course all their jobs are threatened. Sucks all the way around.

Eric E · Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 150

Thank you Sam. I have honestly thought of sitting below him myself and throwing a soda or beer on him.

btw, I just got banned from the ESPN boards for sharing this story. I guess I shouldn't have used the word "prick" lol.

I can't wait till he burns in hell in wretched pain!!!

samkidder · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 48

I think this was only the second or third time he's shown his chubby face in the arena. Hopefully he won't come back. That little smirk on his face when I called him a thief made me want to break all kinds of laws.

Disheveled Defender · Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 67 Location: Auburn

.

He also sat with Bill Russell on opening night. Are they buddies? I'm disappointed.

Good story - Thanks for having the guts.

GP are you wit'me? · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 59

I don't think what you did was illegal, Clay thrown you out purely out of personal reasons. Guess he doesn't like people who call him a thief or overweight and ugly.

Speedcat · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 656

This got mention on Jayda's SeattleTimes.com blog: http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sonics/index.html#021896

"UPDATE: The Sonics said this morning that Bennett was not involved at all in Kidder's removal. It was a decision made by KeyArena security and Seattle Police. "[Mr. Bennett] actually was surprised they did it and didn't think it was necessary," a spokesperson wrote in an e-mail."

LOL! Yeah, right. :)

The aiplane banner also got mention in Jayda's blog. Nice!

And we both issues got mention on TrueHoop today:
http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop (you'll have to scroll down to find the mentions - Sam's interaction gets a whole blog entry! )

psheehy · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 106 Location: Seattle

why did the email to Jayda exclude the "You are overweight and ugly." comment that is the only thing said with line crossing potential.