Rashard Lewis

[Ex-hippie]

Slick, obviously it's a free country and you can follow whatever sport/team you choose. I see that your location is listed as Texas. I don't know what your reasons ever were for following the Sonics, and it doesn't matter now. I will just point out that about 99% of all sports fans root for home teams for a reason. It's because there is a certain civic pride that comes with seeing the local team succeed. And most of those fans would be offended when a new owner comes along, never makes an effort to engage the local fanbase and civic leaders, and takes the team to his own hometown. And, as a corollary, continuing to root for that team after the move can be seen as the endorsement of the slap in the face that the community received from said owner -- the slap in the face that's directly antithetical to most fans' reasons for rooting for the home team in the first place. Maybe you're exempt from this since you're in Texas and all, but when I see Washingtonians embrace the team in its new location, I have to wonder if they have their heads screwed on straight.

For my part, I moved away from the Seattle area many years ago but still love the place, love to talk about it with people where I live now. That civic pride is still with me. That's why I continue to root for Seattle teams. And that's why I am as offended as anyone else at the slap in the face to the community.

[slick_watts]

Slick, obviously it's a free country and you can follow whatever sport/team you choose. I see that your location is listed as Texas. I don't know what your reasons ever were for following the Sonics, and it doesn't matter now. I will just point out that about 99% of all sports fans root for home teams for a reason. It's because there is a certain civic pride that comes with seeing the local team succeed. And most of those fans would be offended when a new owner comes along, never makes an effort to engage the local fanbase and civic leaders, and takes the team to his own hometown. And, as a corollary, continuing to root for that team after the move can be seen as the endorsement of the slap in the face that the community received from said owner -- the slap in the face that's directly antithetical to most fans' reasons for rooting for the home team in the first place. Maybe you're exempt from this since you're in Texas and all, but when I see Washingtonians embrace the team in its new location, I have to wonder if they have their heads screwed on straight.

For my part, I moved away from the Seattle area many years ago but still love the place, love to talk about it with people where I live now. That civic pride is still with me. That's why I continue to root for Seattle teams. And that's why I am as offended as anyone else at the slap in the face to the community.

leave it to hippie to set things straight. really wish this never happened since this was the best basketball forum on realgm.

btw that location's outdated i'm in florida now.. definitely don't have any 'civic pride' for this place.

[jenn_gp]

^You move a lot slick.

I completely agree with Hippie. I moved to Florida for 3 years after I graduated high school. My situation is different because I moved back to Washington after living in FL for 3 years, and it was because of the civic pride I had for the city of Seattle. When I lived in Florida, I had that same sense of pride as Hippie..I wanted everyone to know where I was from and wanted to talk about home any chance I could get to whoever, even strangers (who really were customers at my work, I worked at Macy's). I missed home. I missed things like going to Sonics games and being greeted by the Tubaman. I missed sitting outside on a beautiful summer day at Safeco Field watching the Mariners play. I actually missed the rain...and realized that after living somewhere else it's not so doom and gloom in Seattle as everyone makes it out to be.

I know all that sounds cheesy, but Hippie's right. There generally is a reason why you root for the hometown team. It's tough to swallow when people far removed from the events that happened last year tell you to let it go, when a lot of us have been diehard fans for at least a decade. It is tough to see some of those diehards continue to follow the "team"--and that's about as bareboned as it gets..nothing is really the same except some of the players--when they are located almost halfway across the country in Oklahoma.

[Ex-hippie]

When I lived in Florida, I had that same sense of pride as Hippie..I wanted everyone to know where I was from and wanted to talk about home any chance I could get to whoever, even strangers

I've done that too, although I once got kind of put in my place for that. A friend of mine in college (University of Chicago) wrote a regular sports column in the student newspaper. One of his columns, a humorous one, was "the ten sports fan personalities at the U of C." Somewhere on the list was The Displaced Local -- "Thinks everyone else in Chicago wants to hear all about the Seattle Mariners." Ouch.

[slick_watts]

i was born on a military base and grew up in nevada, virginia, and new york. i spent a couple years as a teen in seattle when i was getting into basketball a bit and started going to my first games.

a bunch of of my parent's friends who spent a lot of time overseas with their kids and follow sports were fans of los angeles area teams even if they weren't from there. when los angeles lost the rams i know many of them were upset and some even stopped following the team. i thought it was strange because i know two of them personally who have never even been to los angeles at all.

[wiff]

Wow where to begin?

How about here?

It's not about the players. It's about the team. It's always been about the team. When Gary Payton was traded, Sonics fans didn't all jump on the Bucks bandwagon. Same with Kemp, Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, etc. Of course as a fan you grow fond of particular players while they're wearing the uniform and representing your town, but you stay with the team, not the players. And I guess that's why it's disappointing to see a lot of the so-called Sonics fans posting on the Oklahoma board. Anyone who's posting there was never really a part of us to begin with. Sure, I liked Durant and was excited to see the direction of that team, but that team is no longer my team.

At any rate, that's just my 2 pennies. I didn't realize the SuperSonics board was still around on RealGM.

Well JayMoney I'm curious how much of your time, money and energy did you donate to the cause of keep the Sonics in Seattle? I'm sure you must have organized a few rallies by the way you are talking.

I donated money to three different air plane banners. The first two were before Howard Shultz sold the team. One said "Go Sonics Fire Wally" another said something to the effect of Sell the team Howard.

And the third was actually my suggestion to have an airplane fly over the All-Star game in New Orleans during the Rookie vs Sophomore game that asked the owners to vote no on the move.

By the way I also did the leg work on finding the Pilot in New Orleans who flew the plane. So how many of you chastising me put in effort to save the Sonics? And don't give me the I don't live in Seattle bit because I live in Spokane and still donated money and energy.



I can understand a Sonics fan for not following the Thunder I think it is very reasonable to have a bitter taste in your mouth after this whole fiasco.

Clay Bennett did Seattle dirty. No doubt about it.

I will just point out that about 99% of all sports fans root for home teams for a reason. It's because there is a certain civic pride that comes with seeing the local team succeed. And most of those fans would be offended when a new owner comes along, never makes an effort to engage the local fanbase and civic leaders, and takes the team to his own hometown. And, as a corollary, continuing to root for that team after the move can be seen as the endorsement of the slap in the face that the community received from said owner -- the slap in the face that's directly antithetical to most fans' reasons for rooting for the home team in the first place. Maybe you're exempt from this since you're in Texas and all, but when I see Washingtonians embrace the team in its new location, I have to wonder if they have their heads screwed on straight.

But Seattle's civic leaders did Seattle dirty too. The mayor accepting a buy out was absurd. The worst part about this, is that Aubrey McClendon lost something like 40% of his entire wealth one morning when the economy went to hell.

If they tried to pass the "OKC is a Big League City" vote it would fail today because OKC's economy is horrible.

If Nickels would not have settled on the buy out the Sonics would still be in Seattle and most likely sold to Balmer.


But the bottom line for me and I don't really expect any of you to understand my "mental weakness" or how I have "sold out" or my "cowardice" as you guys see it.

I love the game of basketball, and I loved the Seattle Super Sonics. If fact I loved them so much I absolutely hate the rest of the league. I despise Portland. And to hear the band wagon jumpers give me a bad time I think it's a little weird.

How do you go from hating a team to being a fan?

I understand that the Thunder are not the Sonics. But they do spawn from the team I grew up with. Sorry that I was about 500mil light in my bank account to save the Sonics.

But Nickels, Shultz, and Gregoire took just as big of a dump on all of our heads as Bennett did.

And I don't support Bennett I have not bought a single Thunder anything. In fact I canceled my subscription to Slam Magazine because I didn't think they did a very good job in supporting the Sonic staying in Seattle. In fact I haven't bought anything NBA since the moved. However I was eying an autographed Kevin Durant Sonics jersey, but the place went under.

I would have loved that Durant jersey. In fact I think he's the main reason why I have continued to follow the Thunder.

I like the college game, not as much as the NBA but I like it and I watch just about every Zags game. But when Kevin Durant was still at Texas, long before the Sonics won the #2 pick in the draft, I would stop flipping through the channels to watch that kid. I would even tell my wife to come watch this bean pole because he was amazing. It seemed like every time he touched the ball it would go in. In the post, off the glass, long range it didn't matter the kid was eye candy for me.

The night the Sonics won the second pick in the draft I was squealing like a little girl. Seriously! My daughter was looking at me like I was nuts because I was doing a little dance, squealing and flipping off the dumb looking Boston fans on TV with a sour puss on their face because the ended up with the 5th pick instead of the Greg Oden, Kevin Durant sweepstakes.

I was elated to win that pick because I knew Portland would be stupid enough to draft Oden and Durant could possibly save the Sonics, at least that's what I told myself.

So yeah I am a huge Durant fan long before he was a Sonic and the other main reason why I continue to follow the Thunder is because I love, LOVE (how's that for mentally weak) Sam Presti.

The guy is constructing a team the way I've wanted ever since trader Bob left town. Sam Presti is Einstein compared to Wally Walker.

So for me until the city of Seattle steps up to the plate and deals with the arena issue and brings back the NBA to Seattle I am going to keep following the team that once played in the Key Arena.

To me as bitter as I am towards Clay Bennett it doesn't make sense for me to follow the Blazers or the Kings or the Lakers or any other team I have despised growing up. I hate Bennett but I do follow the players. It would be different if a player left say Payton or Ray Allen but the team was still in Seattle. I didn't care nearly as much about Payton went he went to the Bucks, I was too busy following Ray Allen. But the entire team left.

And honestly I don't think long term the Thunder will be successful in OKC. I sure as hell don't think they will last 41 years.

But hate all you want, call me the best names you can think of, question my loyalty to the Sonics, it doesn't matter, I know I loved the Sonics more than most, including all of you. I haven't spent a cent on anything NBA since the Sonics left town. I just don't see why I need to follow the Blazers or some other NBA team because Howard Shultz cashed in my childhood memories and the mayor took is up the arse.

Sure there is no denying Bennett screwed the Sonic fans but I don't see people moving out of Seattle or Washington because the mayor and the governor screwed us just as much.

[Sweezo]

I just don't see why I need to follow the Blazers or some other NBA team because Howard Shultz cashed in my childhood memories and the mayor took is up the arse.

Well...who says you have to follow an NBA team? I'm a huge basketball fan...we all are. None of us would waste as much time as we have on here if we were just faking it.

And yet as much time as I've spent posting here, writing about the Sonics, going to games, watching games, listening to games, going to draft parties, and exchanging e-mails on a listserv...I've successfully weeded the NBA out of my life. I like watching basketball on the highest level, but I'm not betrothed to it. People I know LOST JOBS because the NBA did nothing to to keep the team here. The NBA allowed something I love to leave, took away the livelihood of friends, and caused much emotional turmoil to people I've talked to for years on here. How could I still support that?

I've taken pleasure in seeing all those tied to the Sonics departure struggle in some capacity. Seeing Nickels struggle to get one in four people in Seattle to vote for him again was pretty cool. Seeing Frank Chopp struggle to stay atop the political heap gives me great joy. And if it weren't for Dino Rossi and his dead-behind-the-eyes stare scaring the hell out of me, I'd have enjoyed seeing Gregoire go down in flames too.

But hate all you want, call me the best names you can think of, question my loyalty to the Sonics, it doesn't matter, I know I loved the Sonics more than most, including all of you.

You sentence was entirely correct until you typed that bolded part.

[wiff]

Well...who says you have to follow an NBA team? I'm a huge basketball fan...we all are. None of us would waste as much time as we have on here if we were just faking it.

No one says I have to follow an NBA team, but until the city of Seattle steps up to the plate to bring a new team to Seattle I'm choosing to follow the Thunder.

I like watching basketball on the highest level, but I'm not betrothed to it. People I know LOST JOBS because the NBA did nothing to to keep the team here. The NBA allowed something I love to leave, took away the livelihood of friends, and caused much emotional turmoil to people I've talked to for years on here. How could I still support that?

Like I said before I haven't bought any NBA merchandise since the move and I canceled my Slam Magazine subscription. Can i ask you this Sweezo do you ever travel by air? A lot more people lost their jobs when Boeing decided to move than the Sonics. Can you tell me how I am "supporting" the NBA if I haven't bought a single item? I even avoid their sponsors.

But hate all you want, call me the best names you can think of, question my loyalty to the Sonics, it doesn't matter, I know I loved the Sonics more than most, including all of you.

You sentence was entirely correct until you typed that bolded part.

Actually it is correct, deal with it.

[Sweezo]

No one says I have to follow an NBA team, but until the city of Seattle steps up to the plate to bring a new team to Seattle I'm choosing to follow the Thunder.

If the Sonics ever come back to Seattle, I'll be ecstatic when they beat your Thunder.

[wiff]

No one says I have to follow an NBA team, but until the city of Seattle steps up to the plate to bring a new team to Seattle I'm choosing to follow the Thunder.

If the Sonics ever come back to Seattle, I'll be ecstatic when they beat your Thunder.

If the Sonics ever come back to Seattle I'll be ecstatic when they beat the Thunder too.

[Dick Tate]

But hate all you want, call me the best names you can think of, question my loyalty to the Sonics, it doesn't matter, I know I loved the Sonics more than most, including all of you.

=

I know I loved my husband more than anyone, so I know nobody could possibly understand why I still love him, even though he beat me to a bloody pulp and left me for another woman. I will always love him no matter what and will always be waiting for him to come back to me.

Just a reflection of society.

[wiff]

But hate all you want, call me the best names you can think of, question my loyalty to the Sonics, it doesn't matter, I know I loved the Sonics more than most, including all of you.

=

I know I loved my husband more than anyone, so I know nobody could possibly understand why I still love him, even though he beat me to a bloody pulp and left me for another woman. I will always love him no matter what and will always be waiting for him to come back to me.

Just a reflection of society.

Is that really the best you could come up with Dick? After all these years that's all you got? I'm a little disappointed in you Dick.

Comparing me to a battered woman? That metaphor has been use to compare sports fans of losing teams for years Dick.

If the Sonics were still in town that would be you just as much as it would be me, Dick. I thought you might be able to come up with something a little less used Dick.

But hey if that's all you got, then that's all you got.

[Dick Tate]

You put yourself on an island with your comment. That act is what makes you a fit for the stereotype. Nothing profound about it.

[wiff]

Dick the island of sports fan who follow losing teams is about the size of Australia.

And my comment still holds true.