"Positive" and "Sonics" in the same sentence?
It’s Tuesday morning and I’m waiting for USA Today’s Web site to load so I can read a story about the Mariners maybe, just maybe, bringing Ken Griffey Jr. back to the city where he was relevant 10 years ago.
At the same time, I’m catching updates on Oklahoma City trying to draw in the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics to help improve its image.
“We have allowed ourselves to be branded by negativity, by disasters,” said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. “We need positive imagery connected with Oklahoma City.”
Great plan! PJ “Choke Me Tender” Carlesimo and the team he clearly knows nothing about coaching (20-62 this year) are going to dispel all thoughts of, rather than exemplify, negativity and disasters.
The city (and NBA) reasons that Oklahoma City hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two years after Hurricane Katrina. That, apparently, proves that the country’s 48th largest market will do a better job paying the bills than the 14th largest market.
There’s only one problem with that logic. The Hornets, right now, are up 2-0 on the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and poised to take on the Lakers in the Western Conference championship. The Sonics, on the other hand, suck. They’re Flint Tropics bad. You could buy a ticket with a $10 bill and get change.
That’s like commuting to work in a borrowed Lexus for a month and then, when the owner wants it back, purchasing a 1987 Chevy Cavalier with a blown head gasket, no steering wheel and three flat tires and telling yourself you’ll still clock in on time.
Oh, and here’s a “contest” through The Oklahoman (real creative name, paperboys) to design a jersey for the OKC Doppelgangers. How hyped is OKC for their new team? There’s no prize offered, it’s not really a contest, and applicants are encouraged to use glitter. There’s a good chance Ray Allen is on a flight to Cleveland right now, reflecting on Boston’s 66-16 record and looking for a pink Crayola to write “Lottery Losers” on a purple jersey before he puts it in the mailbox with a thank-you card to Sam Presti.
Luckily, we live halfway between Portland and Seattle, so I can continue to root for the Blazers and their Seattleite owner (Paul Allen), coach (Nate McMillan) and star guard (Brandon Roy).
In other news, The Olympian’s copy editor and blogger Kirk Ericson published an entry about a potential scam e-mail he received, attempting to sell him carbon credits from somewhere on another continent.
Intriguing, especially in light of my last blog, posted six days earlier, about a scam e-mail. Coincidence? Probably.
Unless we see another blog in a few days about the OKC Lottery Losers.
posted by Aaron VanTuyl at
12:00 PM
4 Comments:
One thing I am not sure you are seeing or saw. Do you remember the movie "Major League", where the owners put together the worst team it possibly could in order to move it? P.J. is quite possibly the worst coach in the NBA. I feel bad for Nick Collison and Luke Ridenour and some of the other mediocre players that are caught in the middle. The deal for Ray Allen was a joke. All the east coast pundits whined how awful the lottery pick to Portland and Seattle affected the great traditions of New York and Boston. This was an organization looking for a way to screw-up and do it well! Wait until you see the moves that organization will make once the team gets to OKLA. It may never be a winner, but it will not be because the organization didn't try.
What they have done to the Sonics and Seattle is bad news, but business doesn't care. There are bigger checks to be had elsewhere.
You've been listening to your dad too much....Everyone knows Mom is the brains of the outfit.
Maybe your best blogging work yet. I definately like the lexus vs cavalier analogy. very solid. but new orleans wasnt that good when they were in okc. just fyi. besides, scew the nba, we should start a dunk hoops league.
some magazine just named OKC one of the 10 hells on earth!
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