While I don't think that anybody was surprised by the firings, for ease of the term, of Bob Hill and Rick Sund, what did surprise me was that the team didn't use the opportunity to make a bigger splash, to get the fan base (or what's left of it) excited, to generate some buzz about a dwindling product that is a distant fourth in the marketplace in terms of interest and excitement. With all the bad news that has been revolving around the franchise of late, primarily with the failed bid for an arena and the possibility of leaving the region, today was the perfect chance to make the statement that Clay Bennett is serious about building a championship contender.

Instead, Clay chose to issue a two-paragraph release prepared by his pr staff that really I thought did his organization a disservice. Now I understand that Clay is at odds with the local media and feels that he has been mistreated from the very first day it was announced that he purchased the team, and I also understand that he feels that no matter what he does he is cast in a negative light, but what I don’t understand is the cutting off his nose to spite his face – or at least his organization’s face. Why not hold a press conference that would get national exposure on SportsCenter and local exposure on every station and in every newspaper? Why not go on KJR to garner interest from that crowd, which clearly is focused on the Mariners right now? Why not use the opportunity to make a lasting impression about his stewardship of the organization and this day as the first step toward a bright, winning future, regardless of where that would be? Even if it does not get fans in Seattle overly excited, it may get fans in OKC more interested.

Instead, he left a gaping hole of questions, including most importantly what is the role of Lenny Wilkens and what are the parameters Lenny is going to use to make these new hires? We said all along that this ownership change was going to get ugly, and it may not be viable because of the circumstances, and we are smack dab in the middle of the ugliness, a new owner painfully learning the inherent difficulties of purchasing a franchise with a lackluster present and a questionable future.

Now, outside of the team’s handling of today’s announcement, the other questions to be answered regard, obviously, the hires themselves. With the GM, do they go young, up-and-coming or established name? My gut tells me a young guy who will work in concert with and take direction from Lenny – though that person could be on his own in a year if the team moves to OKC and Lenny decides he does not want to move with it. (So many moving parts to this thing, it makes one’s head spin.) Some names in both categories include John Gabriel (Portland), John Hammond (Detroit), Tony Ronzone (Detroit), Sam Presti (San Antonio), David Griffin (Phoenix), Wayne Cooper (Sacramento) and Jerry West.

As for coach, I think it would be difficult to hire a young guy because it is such a gamble at a time that there needs to be stability, but a new owner may have different ideas and different confidence in their hires. Names in both categories include Marc Iavaroni, Rick Adelman, Rick Carlisle, Brian Shaw, Doug Collins, Dean Demopolous and P.J. Carlesimo.

As for me, I am heading out on vacation. I’ll blog when I get back. Somebody email me and let me know what’s going on. I have a feeling I’ll have a lot of catching up to do.