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Supersonic Shakeup by Noah Tannen According to Howard Schultz, the Starbucks magnate and new owner of the Seattle SuperSonics, this was the message delivered by National Basketball Association Commissioner, David Stern. Whether or not it was Stern's intent to levy a playground challenge to the Brooklyn native, that's exactly what Schultz heard. The underlying threat in the message was clear: Think you can change the NBA? I dare you. In the wake of Sonics forward Ruben Patterson's guilty plea to third degree rape charges, and his subsequent signing with division rival Portland, Schultz is finding himself in the eye of a storm. He may well be facing the most intense public scrutiny of his career, defending his decision to let Ruben walk rather than match the Trail Blazer's six-year, $33.8 million offer to the talented yet troubled athlete. As Schultz told the Seattle Times, "There is a character and a culture I want us to stand for. I don't think you can have different rules for different people based on their athletic ability or their status with the team. That's not the way to get started." Schultz outlined his basketball philosophy in one of his monthly columns for the Seattle Times: "We have to be open to the need for change. The key, I'm convinced, is not just talent. Instead, the talent must be linked to mental preparation, discipline, teamwork and a burning desire on the part of our players to win." While Ruben Patterson might not be found lacking in any burning desire, it is clear that the SuperSonics' new character requirements extend to those used off the field as well. "At the end of the day, I think, our fans deserve to be in a position where they can look at the athletes who represent their team and trust who they are as people."

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