"People are crazy, times are strange. I used to care, but things have changed". Bob Dylan must be a Sonics fan. In last week's column I said that, "sooner ,not later, the issue of talent needs to be addressed," on this team."Selling over-roasted coffee is not the same as tired over-worked marketing ploys". We don't need, "yet another cockamamie scheme to increase revenue," we need, "more talent in the front office & on the team". And finally, that we should, "look for the bleeding to continue,"and, "look for the spin doctor to be even more creative". So what do we get as we head into the second half of the season against six playoff caliber opponents? You're thinking a trade before the deadline, right? Wrong! "Effective now, fans can get two Sonics game tickets for the price of one at Puget Sound-area Starbucks Coffee locations with the purchase of a mocha beverage". You don't drink coffee, you say? Well you better start, cuz that's the only way you're gonna get a deal on Sonics tickets. Tickets aren't available by phone, so you've gotta take your coupon down to the box office a couple of hours before tip off if you want a prayer of getting a decent seat. Unless you want to sit in the Desmond Drunk Zone. Excuse me, that should read the "Desmond Dunk Zone". Fifteen bucks gets you a ticket in the nosebleed section,& a chance to get the kids to bed late after waiting for an autograph two hours after the final buzzer. Boy, I can hardly wait. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Does anybody else see the irony in all this? Here we are looking forward to the likes of Dallas, the Lakers, Boston, Sacramento, Phoenix, & Portland -- all in nine days -- and we're worried about marketing instead of management. That tells me what I knew in my heart all along, that we won't be making any personnel moves any time soon. At the All-Star break everyone was on a high because we won the last two games. But after we lose four out of six of these first games of the second half of the season, everyone will be bummed again, & the new rallying cry will be, "just wait for Booth to return & then we'll get 'em!" By then it'll be March, & everyone will conveniently forget that was the month we were EXPECTED to do well because of the soft schedule. We'll roll off maybe 11 wins, & everyone will claim we're healthy & peaking at just the right time. No one will notice the names of the teams we beat, or that we still lose more often than not against teams over .500. None are as blind as those who will not see. I'm tired of trying to explain it to y'all. I used to care, but things have changed.

Heavy,claiming to have been recently abducted by green & gold aliens who he says excoriated his left earlobe & sprained his neck in the process, has been temporarily admitted to Western State Hospital for the Defensively Challenged under the alias of Vincente Van Gogol. He will return periodically as his health allows.You can send condolences & other communications to him at HeavyBS@hotmail.com.

Ed.note: Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol is one of Heavy's favorites; I think it's supposed to mean something.

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