I'm really bummed about the Warriors move. I realize the largely SF based media is jacked about it and there probably was very little Oakland could have done to keep the team given the state of the city. But there are a couple of things I do know. The Coliseum location would be considered a prime location for any stadium/arena development in any other universe given its central location, public transportation and ample parking. But people always want what they don't have, so they want an entertainment/dining/shopping area to go with the arena to make money. I also know that for all the people saying Oakland shouldn't spend money that could go to schools and fighting crime - those problems aren't going to get better without one or two pro teams and the spending and jobs they help support.
Oakland, my friend, is going to lose all three teams. Though centrally located, with great public transit and ample (30 bucks!) parking, the neighborhood is not a destination. The waterfront in SF is ideal. You can get there easily, walk and dine in a fantastic location. Businesses on the waterfront will thrive, while East Oakland will continue to spiral down the drain. The A's will be history soon, and the Raiders won't be far behind. And Oakland will be left with an arena/stadium for nothing
Funny George because when they lost their NBA team,and then their MLB team was on the edge of leaving..San Francisco was said to have apathetic fans. Now? after a decade of winning they are on a 101 straight sellout streak. Maybe if the A's and Raiders would actually have a few winning seasons and stop badmouthing Oakland..they might get more priority.
I heard some of it..and yes,Tom got the memo for this year..shill,shill,shill. Shill like your life depended on it..because your employment certainly does.
Lacob is pulling out all the stops...he has everybody on KNBR and KRON shilling. I think Fitz's tag of giggles pales compared to old man Raddy's. He thinks laughing harder at things not funny he say's is real comedy. Raddy is such a tool for big money.
Whaddya expect from the station that carries the Dubs games; a 60 Minutes blindsider hit piece ala the late Mike Wallace? Matier and Ross will flesh it out later...
White male with a shaved head with the intelligence to match his appearance. Member of the Aryan Nation? That is the profile of an inmate at Duel Vocational Institute.
Dear Oakland ... sorry but East Candlestick, I mean the Coliseum is not a destination. You could build this same arena in Oakland and no one is going to want to hang out there afterwards. San Francisco is a world class destination ... Oakland (particularly East Oakland) is not. And, before you get all worked up, I'm not some SF snob, in fact, I don't even live in CA anymore. Just like staying connected to my roots.
Given the money stream this arena will generate (between concerts, conventions and other functions) and the fact that most of that will go back to the owners, can you blame them for wanting to do this?
By the way, let me go on record as saying, I think it would be awesome if the Warriors became the first NBA team with a retractable roof.
It will be five years before this becomes a reality, but it sounds like the Warrios' brass has the money and the will to get the project done.
It's too bad for the city of Oakland, but realistically, the Warriors should have had a good place to play in SF back in the 1960s when they first arrived from Philly.
I remember going to games at the Cow Palace and the downtown Civic Auditorium (now Bill Grahame Civic Auditorium) and seeing some great games there with Rick Barry, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Kareem, Wilt, Nate the Great, and of course Bill Russell.
But whenever the Warriors played at the Oakland Coliseum Arena (which they did after it was built in 1966), the contrast between that place at the Cow Palace and Civic was strikingly obvious. The move to Oakland made sense, although it was kind of ironic that the two NBA Title games against the Washington Bullets back in 1975, had to be played at the Cow Palace because there was an Ice Capades show at Oakland. Can you imagine that happening today!?
The bottom line is that the Warriors are a 'Bay Area' team, and that's one of the reasons they've also had this weird handle of 'Golden State.' It's also probably one of the many reasons why the 1974-75 Cinderella NBA Champs that featured Rick Barry, Phil Smith, Charles Johnson, Keith Wilkes, and Clifford Ray (among others) with the great Al Attles coaching and the wonderful Bill King calling the games on the air, never got the credit they deserved. "Where the hell is Golden State anyway," folks around the country must have been asking back in the day.
As nice as the current Oracle Arena is, the area surrounding it doesn't compare in terms of the SF nightlife that will be close by to this proposed arena.
Having gone to many games at Madison Square Garden in NYC, I can tell you that there's nothing quite like walking out of an arena after a game at night, and being able to go out to dinner, have a drink, or go to a nightclub just a block or two away. The high energy vibe and the glitter and glamour of SF has always been there.
Oakland is a nice town, but will always suffer unfairly because as the late great sportswriter Wells Twombley once put it so well:
"San Francisco is a cool, seductive maiden, beckoning you. Oakland meanwhile is a rough town with a stubble on its chin, a beer on its breath and a hard hat on its head."
I guess that's one of the reasons why the Raiders have always been pretty popular in the east bay, even in recent years!
I'm really bummed about the Warriors move. I realize the largely SF based media is jacked about it and there probably was very little Oakland could have done to keep the team given the state of the city.
ReplyDeleteBut there are a couple of things I do know. The Coliseum location would be considered a prime location for any stadium/arena development in any other universe given its central location, public transportation and ample parking. But people always want what they don't have, so they want an entertainment/dining/shopping area to go with the arena to make money.
I also know that for all the people saying Oakland shouldn't spend money that could go to schools and fighting crime - those problems aren't going to get better without one or two pro teams and the spending and jobs they help support.
Oakland, my friend, is going to lose all three teams. Though centrally located, with great public transit and ample (30 bucks!) parking, the neighborhood is not a destination. The waterfront in SF is ideal. You can get there easily, walk and dine in a fantastic location. Businesses on the waterfront will thrive, while East Oakland will continue to spiral down the drain. The A's will be history soon, and the Raiders won't be far behind. And Oakland will be left with an arena/stadium for nothing
DeleteFunny George because when they lost their NBA team,and then their MLB team was on the edge of leaving..San Francisco was said to have apathetic fans. Now? after a decade of winning they are on a 101 straight sellout streak.
DeleteMaybe if the A's and Raiders would actually have a few winning seasons and stop badmouthing Oakland..they might get more priority.
What did you wamt Tom to do......throw water on their enthusiasm....GBAB
ReplyDeleteI heard some of it..and yes,Tom got the memo for this year..shill,shill,shill. Shill like your life depended on it..because your employment certainly does.
ReplyDeleteThink Fitzgerald felt slighted because he wasn't part of today's festivities?
ReplyDeleteNice interview Fitz errr Tolbert!
ReplyDeleteLacob is pulling out all the stops...he has everybody on KNBR and KRON shilling. I think Fitz's tag of giggles pales compared to old man Raddy's. He thinks laughing harder at things not funny he say's is real comedy. Raddy is such a tool for big money.
ReplyDeleteWhaddya expect from the station that carries the Dubs games; a 60 Minutes blindsider hit piece ala the late Mike Wallace? Matier and Ross will flesh it out later...
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Rich's blanket disapproval of all things KNBR is totally predictable.
ReplyDeleteWhite male with a shaved head with the intelligence to match his appearance. Member of the Aryan Nation?
ReplyDeleteThat is the profile of an inmate at Duel Vocational Institute.
Dear Oakland ... sorry but East Candlestick, I mean the Coliseum is not a destination. You could build this same arena in Oakland and no one is going to want to hang out there afterwards. San Francisco is a world class destination ... Oakland (particularly East Oakland) is not. And, before you get all worked up, I'm not some SF snob, in fact, I don't even live in CA anymore. Just like staying connected to my roots.
ReplyDeleteGiven the money stream this arena will generate (between concerts, conventions and other functions) and the fact that most of that will go back to the owners, can you blame them for wanting to do this?
By the way, let me go on record as saying, I think it would be awesome if the Warriors became the first NBA team with a retractable roof.
They WERE the San Francisco Warriors first. It took over 40 years, but SF is finally getting them back.
ReplyDeletePayback's a bitch, Oakland. But just keep whining since that's all you ever do.
It will be five years before this becomes a reality, but it sounds like the Warrios' brass has the money and the will to get the project done.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad for the city of Oakland, but realistically, the Warriors should have had a good place to play in SF back in the 1960s when they first arrived from Philly.
I remember going to games at the Cow Palace and the downtown Civic Auditorium (now Bill Grahame Civic Auditorium) and seeing some great games there with Rick Barry, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Kareem, Wilt, Nate the Great, and of course Bill Russell.
But whenever the Warriors played at the Oakland Coliseum Arena
(which they did after it was built in 1966), the contrast between that place at the Cow Palace and Civic was strikingly obvious. The move to Oakland made sense, although it was kind of ironic that the two NBA Title games against the Washington Bullets back in 1975, had to be played at the Cow Palace because there was an Ice Capades show at Oakland. Can you imagine that happening today!?
The bottom line is that the Warriors are a 'Bay Area' team, and that's one of the reasons they've also had this weird handle of
'Golden State.' It's also probably one of the many reasons why the 1974-75 Cinderella NBA Champs that featured Rick Barry, Phil Smith, Charles Johnson, Keith Wilkes, and Clifford Ray (among others) with the great Al Attles coaching and the wonderful Bill King calling the games on the air, never got the credit they deserved. "Where the hell is Golden State anyway," folks around the country must have been asking back in the day.
As nice as the current Oracle Arena is, the area surrounding it doesn't compare in terms of the SF nightlife that will be close by to this proposed arena.
Having gone to many games at Madison Square Garden in NYC,
I can tell you that there's nothing quite like walking out of an arena after a game at night, and being able to go out to dinner, have a drink, or go to a nightclub just a block or two away.
The high energy vibe and the glitter and glamour of SF has always been there.
Oakland is a nice town, but will always suffer unfairly because as the late great sportswriter Wells Twombley once put it so well:
"San Francisco is a cool, seductive maiden, beckoning you. Oakland meanwhile is a rough town with a stubble on its chin, a beer on its breath and a hard hat on its head."
I guess that's one of the reasons why the Raiders have always been pretty popular in the east bay, even in recent years!
Once and for all, get rid of the silly name "Golden State".
ReplyDeleteWhere the hell is Golden State anyway?
Somewhere in a poppy field near the central coast?