As we have seen in recent months, credibility is an invaluable resource for a professional sports team?s ownership group.

And it?s interesting to note that after destroying their own credibility in Charlotte, Hornets co-owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge are up to the same thing in what they hope will be their new city.

How do we know?

Because when Shinn and Wooldridge talk, the misinformation flows.

The latest example came last Sunday in a feature story about the "poor, misunderstood" Shinn in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Since Shinn declines repeated interview requests here in Charlotte, it?s news whenever he talks, even if last Sunday?s story offered plenty of hard-to-believe doozies.

Shinn quote: "The most hated owner in sports kicks everyone?s butt and that?s George Steinbrenner. I?ve been referred to in Charlotte as George Shinnbrenner."

Comment: It depends on who?s doing the hating. Since when does it matter if opponents? fans hate you? Given Shinn?s contributions to other NBA teams through trades and failures to re-sign his own free agents, it?s hard to say opponents hate Shinn.

Now, do Hornets fans hate him? That?s another matter.

By the way, will those who called Shinn the Steinbrenner of Charlotte please stand up. Anyone? Bueller?

Shinn quote: "Alonzo (Mourning) didn?t want to stay. He didn?t want to stay in little Charlotte. He wanted a bigger market. He wanted to play for Pat Riley, and he thought he could win a championship. So life goes on. He got his money and we got better, and unfortunately for him, he had his problems."

Comment: Mourning has repeatedly and angrily disputed such claims since he was traded to Miami before the 1995-96 season.

But even if you believe Shinn, it?s ridiculous to claim the better of that trade. Miami, in spite of Charlotte?s 3-0 sweep last season, has actually won 18 playoff games and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals once in Mourning?s six seasons there.

That?s compared to 11 playoff wins and no conference finals for the Hornets in the same time frame.

That?s not to mention that Miami has won the past five Atlantic Division titles. Charlotte fell from its first 50-win season to 41 wins in its first season without Mourning before making more trades that resulted in consecutive 50-win teams the following two years.

And allusions to Mourning?s "problems" are classless since they are a flimsy reference to his kidney disease. Besides, it?s laughable for Shinn to insinuate signing a player to a long-term contract is risky because of potential injury.

After all, it was Shinn who signed Larry Johnson to an $84 million contract when he and his Hornets? advisors were told Johnson had an injured back ? or the same injury that eventually forced LJ?s retirement from the New York Knicks before the start of this season.

Shinn quote: "I knew if that didn?t work out, I was going to be a worm again."

Comment: The quote was made in reference to his failed partnership negotiations with Michael Jordan. Considering that it was Shinn staffers who leaked the news that Shinn was negotiating a partnership with Jordan, it would stand to reason that making the deal work would be imperative. Because, if it failed, leaking the information would prove to be as detrimental as it has, especially considering fall-back partner Wooldridge has done nothing but alienate fans and city power brokers.

And, just wondering, do you think Charlotte would still be without a new arena if Jordan had become co-owner back then?

Shinn quote: "This is another chapter in the book of my life. We can all look back at a lot of things we?d change, but once you release the ball, you can?t get it back. It?s either going in or coming out. Some you hit, some you miss. You can?t come back and say, ?Let me shoot again.? Next time, hopefully, it goes in."

Comment: Such contrition, if said to folks in Charlotte in recent years, could have served Shinn well. Hornets employees say Shinn has frequently been advised to come out and say as much ever since his sexual assault trial in December 1999. Why he would choose to make such comments in New Orleans ? and not Charlotte ? is mystifying.

Of course, Shinn?s comments in New Orleans are a part of his staff?s plan to portray him as the victim here in Charlotte.

But, as it has here, his and Wooldridge?s lack of credibility will prove to be their undoing there in time.

Perhaps New Orleans will figure this out sooner than Charlotte did.

Because, to be fair, Shinn was a celebrity figure in town until the Mourning trade began a series of cost-cutting moves that slowly sapped fan support for the team.

Or, perhaps, after the NBA tells Shinn and Wooldridge they can?t move, he?ll simply ride off into the sunset telling himself he was misunderstood.

Either way, Charlotte will have come out a winner.