Duped for dollars -The Great Seattle Black Nike Scandal of 2002

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

Step aside expedient David Stern.   Where is grouchy, tyrannical,
drop-dead good looks Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis when we need him?

Vin Baker is a nice guy - he just isnbt very smart.  

If I was VIN BAKER, I would settle Svengali Gordonbs lawsuit quickly and 
quietly, before it got out of hand.  

If I was SEATTLE or BOSTON, to avoid great shame, I would secretly chip 
in with the $1 mill plus $46,000 a month Gordon claims he was promised
for the duration of Baker's contract.  

If I was DAVID STERN, I would suggest all of the above before the nasty
brew boils over.

If I was ME, who I am, I would wish I had thought of this back in June- 
    bHello, Chris Wallace.  I am a longtime loyal Celt fan with slightly less 
than 
    a little expertise. But I have a wonderful suggestion.  How about trading 
KA for 
    Baker? I promise you will not live long enough to regret it...  those damn
     Coyotes are out there.  Thanks, Chris, for considering my idea; that 
will 
    be $1 mill please. b 
    

This Gordon lawsuit has all the ingredients of a juicy National Inquirer 
headline. Yet we will likely hear nothing further from the Press (to avoid 
defamation of character lawsuits) on this one beyond their factual reporting 
of what the lawsuit states.  Ah yes, thank God for the magnificent freedom 
of speech sports boards where we are all freely allowed to let our thoughts 
all hang out with the only possible repercussions being that we might be 
called attention-seeking-go-to-the-back-of-the-bus-second-class- renegade-  
naysaying-loser-coyotes.  Geesh , Ibd sooner have been a prostitute.

Originally the press said nothing about Trent Lottbs comments either; It took 
a private little website to expose his words for what they were.    Letbs see 
if this Baker suit dies or becomes a much discussed scandal involving:

1) Was Gordon truly instrumental in getting the Celts to trade for Baker? 

2) Did Gordon actually LIE to Wallace about Bakerbs 
- current skill level
- current motivation
- current mental state

3) Did Wallace actually buy Gordonbs assessment of Baker without 
confirming it through independent evaluations?

4) Did Wallace realize he was being duped for dollars?  

5) Were the Celts actually promised that if they made the deal, Gordon 
would move to Boston to serve as Vinbs personal guru/trainer/shrink -
albeit at Bakerbs own $$$ expense?

If the answer to two or more of the above is YES, do the Celts have legal 
recourse to voiding THE TRADE OF THE CENTURY? 

Sorry if you consider this post off-topic, founding-father Bird.  Your 
constant insults have caused me to reconsider the effectiveness of (and 
to humbly attempt to tone down) my inappropriate writing style on such a 
prestigiously academic and serious venue ... a Celtic board.   But I will NOT 
allow your parochial thinking to place restraints on me from expressing my 
true thoughts... albeit with bland, boring, but politically correct phrasing.

Egg Noob



----------------------

Saturday, January 25, 2003
Ex-Sonic Baker target of $1 million lawsuit
Former assistant coach says forward reneged on agreement
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER NEWS SERVICES

A former Sonics assistant coach is suing Celtics forward Vin Baker, 
claiming Baker promised him $1 million to help facilitate the trade 
that sent Baker to Boston.

Steven Gordon, a Sonics special assignments coach until last year, said 
in a lawsuit filed last Friday in King County Superior Court he "devoted time 
and resources" speaking to various NBA teams last season to promote a 
possible trade on Baker's behalf.

Baker declined comment last night after Boston's 77-58 victory over 
Denver. The Sonics were not aware of a Gordon-Baker partnership.

"Steve Gordon had nothing to do with the trade between the Sonics and 
the Celtics," said Sonics spokesman Mark Moquin. "Steve worked part-time 
as a special assignments coach. He had nothing to do with the front office. 
He had nothing to do with trades."

Baker went to the Celtics along with Shammond Williams in a July 22 deal 
that brought Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joseph Forte to 
Seattle.
Gordon claims he had discussions with the Celtics that facilitated the 
trade, and that Baker reneged on a promise to pay him $1 million if the 
deal was completed.

Gordon's lawyer, H. Richmond Fisher of Seattle, declined comment 
yesterday when asked whether Gordon signed a contract or had 
anything in writing with Baker.

Gordon is seeking $1 million in damages from Baker, along with $46,000 a 
month for the duration of Baker's NBA contract, which runs through 
2005-06, saying he agreed to become Baker's business partner.

The suit says the Celtics wanted Gordon to move to Boston at Baker's 
expense and become his personal coach during the season.

Baker told Gordon he should move to Boston and live in Baker's mansion.
The suit also states that Baker flew Gordon to Boston three times after 
the trade and introduced him to Celtics officials as his "second father," 
and the person responsible for the successful trade. 

Gordon, of Redmond, has been a coach to hundreds of basketball players 
at the Bellevue Pro Club. He now helps coach the Yakima Sun Kings of the 
Continental Basketball Association.