No one wins the blame game

I refuse to play the blame game for one simple reason. I wasn't playing the creepy voyeur. Well, not this time any way.

I wasn't a fly on the wall over the last few weeks when, as Chris Daniels reported, prospective NBA owner Chris Hansen met with potential NHL owner Victor Coleman. It was likely a fascinating conversation. I surmise they talked about the possibility of amending the SoDo arena MOU with an NHL-first option.

According to Daniels, they met numerous times and were unable to come to an agreement. From the sound of it, the two sides didn't even come close. According to Sonics Rising founder Brian Robinson, "Coleman never made a single proposal for the city or Hansen to consider."

Did Coleman offer ideas during the conversations that achieved the altitude of a lead balloon? Did he offer no formal proposal as a result? Did he walk in there with some cash or did he enter with nothing but a Zamboni and a dream?

Just how open was Hansen to allowing an MOU modification? Completely open? Moderately open? Not interested, unless Coleman dropped a Swiss Bank vault on his door step?

Is Coleman to blame? Is Hansen to blame? Since the complex interests of two parties sometimes conflict in ways that make a partnership impossible, is neither one to blame?

The answer to all of those questions is the same. I don't know. I didn't hear the dialogue or witness the attitudes.

What I do know is that the SoDo arena proposal is both achingly close to fruition and dangling on a thread. I know that Tukwila is a serious competitor that is likely to be joined by Bellevue in the very near future. I know that the group that acquires the first NHL or NBA franchise will be the group that builds the arena. I know any stadium will pencil out better with both leagues playing in it.

If that's not enough I know that basketball fans and NHL fans are still in the same boat and, therefore, still need each other. I know that pointing fingers makes my arm tired and gives me a headache.

Go ahead and play the blame game if you want to. I'm more of a Pong man myself.