Maloof Brothers Put the 'Act' in 'Contract'

If Lucy ever gets tired of pulling the football away just before Charlie Brown tries to kick it, three replacements are waiting in the wings to take her place.

There's no way to trust anything these guys do.

Ever since they became owners of the Sacramento Kings, they've shown their word doesn't even last as long as a possession under the 24-second clock.

For example:

1. The Maloof brothers repeatedly assured Sacramento city officials the team wasn't going anywhere as they were negotiating with Anaheim officials about moving the team there.

2. They came to a 'definitive' agreement with those same Sacramento officials about their involvement in financing a new arena in the California capital, only to renege on it while formal papers were being drafted.

3. They again assured Sacramento city officials the team wasn't going anywhere as they were negotiating with Virginia Beach, Va officials about moving the team there.

So, is it any surprise they're at it again? They agreed with the Hansen-Ballmer group that their sale of the franchise would terminate their control over the team's operations when it moves to Seattle. Credible reports used terms like "it's first and goal on the one" and "virtually done" to describe the sale. Apparently, that gave the Maloof brothers just enough wiggle room to pull their usual sleight of hand, which is clearly holding a well-used monkey wrench.

Now, they want a say in the team's operations after its planned move to Seattle. That's a last-minute snag. A big one.

The only positive out of this latest mess is that the Maloof brothers claimed for the first time that they were willing to sell the team. That might even give the city of Sacramento hope they can find a local buyer at the last minute; that had never been an option before.

Still, someone would need to find a way to hold them to an agreement long enough to get it formalized. Clearly, that has already proved to be no mean feat.

It was Grandpa and Daddy Maloof who made the family's fortune -- more than $1billion -- most likely with hard work and a good sense for business. However, these chestnuts have bounced far from that tree, showing the difference between building a legacy and inheriting one.

Charlie Brown would say, "Good grief!" Most likey, anyone trying to make a deal with these guys use stronger words than that.