Last week's winner: Josh Mayers

Who makes the best argument? Tell us why and vote for the winner: sports@thedaily.washington.edu

Can a player like Kevin Durant or Greg Oden ensure that the Sonics franchise stays in Seattle?

Mayers: No. There is only one player in the world who would guarantee that the Sonics would stay, and that's Brandon Roy. Sadly, Seattle's new owner seems resigned to relocation, as everyday a new potential site is explored. It's a shame that an exciting day for the franchise is clouded with a gloomy future.

Caple: You assume that just because they have the number two pick, they're going to take Oden or Durant. This is Seattle we're talking about here. Realistically, they're going to continue drafting worthless 7-footers until they have to start playing Robert Swift at point guard.

Dion: I'll take it a step further and say that Kevin Durant will save the Sonics' franchise in Seattle. This is exactly like Edgar Martinez's double in game five in 1995 or Paul Allen buying the Seahawks in the 11th hour. This is huger than huge, folks. The Sonics have already sold in excess of $100,000 in tickets, according to KJR. Now I'm a fan, but before, I couldn't really care.

Goldenshteyn: If Safeco Field is the house that Griffey built, then the future Northwest home of the Sonics, if it ever gets built, will be known as the house that Durant built. This makes the Sonics relevant once again. Durant may not raise $300 million dollars all by his lonesome, but his very presence makes the prospect of construction a little more palatable. Considering what a lowly state this franchise was in just over a week ago, this is just absolutely huge. If anything gets the ball rolling, it's this.

Does the NBA suffer due to the fact that the two best players in the draft will be relocating to the Pacific Northwest?

Mayers: Not really. Memphis isn't that big of a market either. Neither are Milwaukee, Minnesota or Charlotte. Besides, as alluded to before, the Sonics could very well be headed to another location, leaving only one of the young kids stranded on the West Coast.

Caple: All it means is that the Blazers might have another Rookie of the Year on their roster. Plus, if Portland drafts Greg Oden, their team will remain very young, but look older. That being said, can you think of a worse fit for the Blazer "image" than a guy who listens to Will Smith religiously?

Dion: I really don't think the NBA suffers. Sure, it would've been great for the NBA to get one of these players in Boston to revitalize the Celtics franchise, but these players are going to sell themselves wherever they go. The media will follow them, and the fact that they are in the Pacific Northwest together creates an unbelievable rivalry down the I-5 for a decade plus. I think that in itself helps the NBA.

Goldenshteyn: The Sonics and Blazers are the eighth and ninth "winningest" NBA franchises of all-time, respectively, yet both have been relegated to basketball limbo in recent years. What better way to jumpstart professional basketball in the Northwest, whose teams have been plagued by atrocious arena deals and the threat of relocation, by tinkering with a few lottery balls to help reinvigorate a whole region of professional basketball? The best part is that the national media circuit will go crazy over the Oden-Durant matchups, rekindling the flames of the I-5 rivalry. Imagine Oden vs. Durant, Mac-10 versus his former team, B-Roy versus the city of his alma mater and "Stumptown" vs. the Emerald City; what better storylines could TNT's Craig Sager ask for?

With a double-digit deficit in the American League East, are the Yankees going to miss the playoffs?

Mayers: It is very weird that the Mariners have a better record than the Bronx Bombers, but if I were a Yankees fan, I wouldn't be worried. The season is only 40 games in, meaning there are like 890 to go, so they have time to make up the difference. And Steinbrenner will buy some superstar by the trade deadline.

Caple: I hope so, but George Steinbrenner, Bud Selig and Joe Buck will probably all conspire to find a way to get them in. Oh, and since this is going to run in a newspaper and it's about the Yankees: Roger Clemens. Roger Clemens. Roger Clemens.

Dion: They were done before the season started. What people failed to realize is that this is an old and seriously flawed team that needs to add Clemens just to compete with the Orioles, D-Rays and Blue Jays for second. In the meantime, the Indians and the Tigers are battling it out for their division and the wild card. The Pinstripers can kiss not only the playoffs goodbye, but Alex Rodriguez, too.

Goldenshteyn: As much as I detest the Boston Red Sox, it's just not going to happen. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Yankees were 10.5 games behind the Red Sox for first place in the American League East. The Yankees haven't tfaced a deficit of 9.5 games or more in their own division since September 1997, when they eventually finished two games behind the Red Sox with a record of 96-66 and had to settle for a wild card berth. Problem is, this year's A.L. wildcard team may have to win 100 games to clinch. That means the Yankees will need to go 80-28 in the remaining 108 games of the season to have a chance. Sorry, it ain't happening.

With Michael Vick being investigated for dog fighting, how much trouble will No. 7 be in with the NFL?

Mayers This is interesting, because Vick is an icon for the NFL. It's easy to suspend Chris Henry and "Pacman" Jones when they're misguided newcomers to the league, but Vick fills the seats and wallets. I don't think anything will happen to the athlete formerly known as Ron Mexico. It's all business.

Caple I think if I were related to Vicks, I would try not to make it known. Between Michael's dog fighting and chemistry problems and brother Marcus' penchant for weaponry brandishing, that family has some serious issues. Please don't tell Clinton Portis I said that.

Dion See, now I'm in the Clinton Portis boat when it comes to this dog fighting issue — what's the problem with letting dogs go at it? If two dogs want to battle it out, I'm not going to risk an arm and a leg by trying to stop them. And in any society where you pay to obtain a pet, what you do with that pet is no one else's business.

Goldenshteyn Ron Mexico (aka Michael Vick) may be in some hot water with the NFL for this latest PR nightmare, as well he should be. "Pacman" Jones was suspended for the 2007 season for his conduct, and Tank Johnson may face a similar fate. The NFL is clearly trying to take a harder stance on some off-the-field incidents that have really plagued Roger Goodell's league as of late, so maybe the Michael Vick situation is a blessing in disguise. If Vick gets out of serving jail time for this felony offense, the NFL could use this to send a strong message to all of its players: we don't care who you are or how good you think you are, and you will be held accountable for your actions.