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posted 05/27/10 11:46 AM | updated 05/27/10 11:51 AM
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Facebook Meltdown: Sonics Fans Question Starbucks' Love of Seattle

By Seth Kolloen
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Starbucks' Facebook fan page is the epicenter of Sonics fan protest this morning. It all starts rather innocently, with Starbucks announcing the "We love you Seattle" promotion. Every Friday through June 18, you can pick up a special gift at "local participating Seattle Starbucks."

A nice gesture, sure to engender smiles of gratitude from happy Seattleites, yes? Well, in the unlikely event that this blog post is optioned for a movie, the trailer might say: "But Starbucks forgot one thing..."

Sonics fans. Who have not forgotten that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz' spearheaded the team's sale to Oklahoma Cityites, the overwhelming factor precipitating the team's desertion of Seattle. Sonics fans are not feeling the love. To put it lightly. And they aren't being shy about it.

"f*** starbucks an howard shultz, c***sucker!!" comments one Kyle Mortensen on SBUX Facebook.

Thomas Kohnstamm is a little more coherent: "Thanks for the offer of a free coffee, but I'd rather have the basketball team that I grew up on."

The directors of Sonicsgate have even chimed in with a link to their Webby-award winning film about the team's departure.

Other folks give Starbucks the benefit of the doubt: "I get that people are angry about the Sonics, but why bombard this fan page with rants about losing the Sonics? This is the Starbucks fan page, and we all were just invited to get free stuff on Fridays until 6/18," writes Holly Kelley.

Dana Kubilus says: "It's just sports anyways, get over it!"

Kubilus' heart is in the right place, but Sonics fans are clearly not over it. Nearing the two-year anniversary of the settlement that cleared the team's path out of town, I still hear of people who'll tear any article about the renamed Oklahoma City Thunder out of their sports magazines; who'll root for the Lakers rather than see the former Sonics win.

Starbucks didn't own the Sonics, but as long as Howard Schultz is seen as the company's face, they'll get no love from local hoops fans.

H/T @mhaubs of The Painted Area

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FYI
Um, even though you were looking at my name on the facebook page you still misspelled it in the article. Just an fyi...
Comment by Dana Kubilus
3 days ago
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RE: FYI
Sorry, Dana. Fixed!
Comment by Michael van Baker
3 days ago
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RE: FYI
No problem guys. Thanks for fixing it. =)
Comment by Dana Kubilus
3 days ago
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HAHA
IM FAMOUS! j/p, I dont care. I hope Howard Reads this!!
Comment by Kyle
3 days ago
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Sorry Dana!
The lesson, as always: I'm a moron.
Comment by Seth Kolloen
3 days ago
( +1 votes)
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"Get Over It"
"It's just sports anyways, get over it!"

I hate people that pull that shit.
As if the things other people enjoy are somehow less important the things that give you pleasure in life.

I mean, couldn't I say that about most anything?
On library closures:"It's just some books, get over it"
On 520 traffic: "It's just a few more minutes a day, get over it"
On your pet: "It's just a dog, get over it"
Comment by Frank
3 days ago
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RE: "Get Over It"
It's just a comment on Facebook, get over it.
Comment by Audrey Hendrickson
3 days ago
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Chill
Kick back and have a drink. It's just basketball.
Comment by Vin Baker
3 days ago
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Dana Kubilus' quote
That is such a 'simple' way to view losing the Sonics. I am trying to be polite here..
Comment by iggy
3 days ago
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Dana Kubilus
Mom kept her maiden name eh? X-man OUT!
Comment by Xavier McDaniel
2 days ago
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LOL @ Starbucks FB meltdown
This is just hilarious. I bet http://www.sonicsgate.org/movie/ is getting a million hits right now... :)
Comment by Jeremy
2 days ago
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We're not going to "Get over it"
Sonics fans are not going to do this quietly- our beloved team was unjustly taken from us. You can't just sit back and say "Oh well... Go Lakers, I guess". There are a lot of people who LOVE that team and are willing to fight for that for what's ours. Fuck you if you think it's just sports. We have a love of dedication to that team.
Comment by jn78
2 days ago
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Dana's heart is in the wrong place
Dana, kitten, I'm not going to tell you to get over something bad happening to a character on Sex and the City so please spare me the "it's just sports" routine.
Comment by Mr. Stranex
2 days ago
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A travesty that should be remembered as such
I dont want to get over it. The only franchise to deliver a title to Seattle was stolen from right under our noses, and it's as much of an outrage now as it was the day it happened. Until the day that team is properly restored to its rightful place there always be a very real and legitimate vitriol directed towards the bad actors on all sides.
Spare me, please, the koombayah perspective-speak. I have many passions in many pursuits... all for which i would be equally indignant were i deprived their pleasures at that most unfortunate intersection of self-serving myopia, shady nudge-and-a-wink dealings and near criminal gross incompetence.
Comment by doug mcc
2 days ago
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Take your horrible corporate outfit elsewhere HOWIE>>>
Glad you used my post in your blog....probably one of the few posts without the word FU*!>>>>> I have to thank SONICSGATE for re-lighting my fire on this issue....SO glad you guys made your documentary!!!!
I really think with enough good people, we can manage to bring the NBA back to Seattle!!!!!!
Steve Ballmer, or even better Howard Shultz(maybe worth his while to try and salvage his reputation in this town) should pony up the chips for a new stadium. Its the least that Howie can do for the town he claims to LOVE!!!!!
Look forward to making this happen with you fellas>>>>
-jason stentz-
Comment by jason stentz
1 day ago
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