Well that was quite the day, wasn’t it? After spending the morning listening to court updates, and the afternoon listening to Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong try to save their jobs, I snuck out early and went to the Sonics rally–which was much larger than expected. I walked to the event from the North, and I could hear chants of “Save our Sonics” from as far away as 6th and Lenora. That’s when I knew it was gonna be big. Crowd estimates range from 400 (waaaay too low) to 4000. I’d say at least 1,000. Payton and X-Man spoke, mostly unintelligibly, very briefly. I saw Spencer Hawes in a GP shirt.

After fending off an invitation to watch the Mariners lose, I decided to go to the Storm game–you know, the good pro team in town. But they lost too, sullying their heretofore spotless home record.

Sonics Trial:
Jim Brunner’s recap of day one. The important points:
–Sonics fans jeered Clay Bennett as he walked into the courtroom. Yay!
–Greg Nickels was eviscerated Bennett’s attorneys.
–Former Seattle Center director Virginia Anderson turned the tables.
–That video of Stern lauding KeyArena was ruled inadmissable.
–Clay Bennett takes the stand today, then Aubrey McClendon. HA HA HA!

Lester Munson, ESPN’s legal expert, has a good primer on the case. “It is hard to see how Bennett and his OKC crew could avoid playing two more seasons in Seattle,” he writes.

Here’s Monday’s full transcript [pdf], via the Times.

Sonics Rally:
A Times photo gallery, photos from the always fantastic Rod Mar.
Sports NW mag illustrator Rafael Calonzo’s report on SuperSonicSoul.
SonicsCentral, the rally organizers, say this: “There is no “yawning indifference” to the Sonics staying in Seattle, there are large numbers of passionate fans that step up every time they are asked to support the team, and for that we are amazed more and more each day.”

Bavasi Fired:
Geoff Baker’s coverage of the Lincoln/Armstrong press conference and the Bavasi press conference.
USS Mariner makes their pitch to their longtime lust, Indians assistant GM Chris Antonetti.
Prospect Insider has an exhaustive list of potential GM candidates.
Jim Moore says having Chuck Armstrong in charge of the search (once again) makes him nervous. Join the club.
John McGrath says Mariner lifer and interim GM Lee Pelekoudas deserves a shot at the job. Here’s my question: How in hell could the M’s possibly think about employing someone who was complicit in the series of player personnel decisions that led to this $118 million shit sandwich?
If you want to torture yourself with a recap of the Bavasi years, Dave Cameron wrote a great one.
Lookout Landing: “Today the organization released one of its heaviest anchors. That’s good news. But until we know who comes next, I don’t think it would be wise to party too hard. In the event that Armstrong and Lincoln stick around, are they going to interview some fresh new blood, or will they stick with the same pool of retreads that can’t find work anywhere else?”
The team’s reaction? Says Jose Vidro: “[Bavasi] put a great team together and we just did not follow what we are supposed to be doing.”