Sonic's Fans: It's Time To Root For Paul Allen's OTHER Team

by S-dog on Jul 2, 2008 5:41 PM PDT Comment 27 comments

Here's a piece I just sent to the Seattle PI....encourage them to run it! We have a opportunity to really increase Blazer Nation....

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With Clay Bennet and his Raiders settling with the city Wednesday. Sonic fan's are left wondering, "What now?"

There are two obvious options:

We can choose to be bitter for the next few years until Seattle lands a new team (which could be a while) or we could choose to root for the team and Durant in OKC (traitor!).

There must be a better option, right?

There is.

I'm talking of course, about rooting for the Portland Trailblazers.

What!? Blasphemy, you cry!

Blasphemy because Blazer fans love all-star and former UW standout, Brandon Roy?

Blasphemy because Blazer fans love their leader, former Sonic's star and coach, Nate McMillen?

Blasphemy because they think Martell Webster, former Seattle Prep star, is going to have a breakout season?

Blasphemy because the owner is none other than Mr. Checkbook himself, Seattle's Paul Allen?

There's no Blasphemy there. Just a team that has more ties to Seattle than the current Seattle roster!

So, here's the deal. Sure it sucks that we are losing the Sonics. But there is a group of quality, up and coming young men down in Portland that are starting something special. #1 Pick Greg Oden is healthy and ready (and he endorsed Obama!). We have a crazy sharpshooting Spaniard named Rudy Fernandez (YouTube him, seriously) coming over.

It's truly an exciting time to be a Blazer fan.

And they aren't an exclusive club.

Did you know that the majority of Portlanders absolutely LOVE the Seahawks? Heck, even the Mariner's are the favorite MLB team down south.

The Blazers are the only professional franchise in Portland. They are fanatical about them. It's time to jump on the bandwagon down south. Maybe we could even convince Paul Allent to have a few Blazer home games in Key Arena.

We could choose to be bitter, or even choose to root for Durant and company in OKC. But why? We've got a quality team just 3 hours away that would welcome us with open arms. And in a few years, probably some championship rings as well.

Scott Krager is a freelance web developer and writer in Seattle, WA and avid Blazer and (former) Sonics fan. Scott grew up in Portland before moving to Seattle in 2003 to attend college at Seattle Pacific University.

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Maybe you could get some pre-season games...

but you ain’t getting regular season games. Not with our home court advantage (and playoff seeding) at stake.

by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Jul 2, 2008 5:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point...

I’d take pre-season though…

Converting Sonics Fans...One Bitter Fan At A Time.

by S-dog on Jul 2, 2008 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll go on record right now

the Blazers will play a preseason game this October in Seattle

by douglast on Jul 2, 2008 7:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well its certainly better than the woe is me

Stuff that Seattle is going to go thru because Benedict Stern sold out Seattle for his homie. Well as long as you promise to hate anything purple and gold and never ask for them to move to Seattle.. we can PROBABLY make some room on the wagon for divorced Seattle fans

I remember the good old days. The Rasta Monsta days.

by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 2, 2008 5:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm bummed that the Sonics are leaving......

GO BLAZERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to the Blazers fan base and thank you for Roy.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Jul 2, 2008 6:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Let us never forget

The NBA, where David Stern and Clay Bennett screw you over happens….

Can I buy you a fish sandwich?

by silkybrown on Jul 2, 2008 7:37 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Silk.....that picture is sadder than sad

"Some of Dave’s greatest gifts are unanswered posts."

by 92wastheyear on Jul 2, 2008 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Read what it says in the dark at the top

“Our FANS are the key”

That’s quite the sad picture. I agree with this fan post though, being bitter doesn’t solve anything.

Kevin Pritchard is a 4.0 Draft Day Student

by rmcdougall on Jul 2, 2008 8:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the fans ARE the key.

The arena is subpar, the ownership is horrid, the coaching staff is suspect and the team sure isn’t winning many games. The fans are still great, and that’s what is such a shame about this whole deal. The only group of people that is going to suffer is the only group that really matters.

"I think it’s going to be very beautiful game next year."
-Batuuuuuuuum!

by rockingharder on Jul 2, 2008 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome!!!!

Great points Scott! Way to take a sad situation and turn it into gold! We look forward to seeing you at the Garden.

by blazersrock on Jul 2, 2008 8:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I feel like that picture as well…simply dazed and confused. I am no longer willing to tolerate the way the NBA has treated us Seattle fans, nor am I OK with the way our politians lied to us. The $30 million of the deal is only setup to force a deal from the state to renovate Key Arena. Ahhhh…I am just done with that mess….good luck with that…I am done.

I hope Paul Allen has the Northwest Trailblazers play 10 games in Seattle and 10 games in Vancouver over a season. That way the Trailblazer nation expands and the NBA can bite it.

That short number of games a year still gives Portland the team and their great home court advantage. Also it is more likely to get a good turnout in Seattle and Vancouver because of the small number of games in those cities.

At the very least, I would like to see FSN pick up the Blazer games for the season so we can root them on. We already get some Portland Beavers triple-A baseball games, so why not add the Blazers.

If that happens, I would never go back to some other form of a Sonics team…no thank you…you lost 41 years of tradition because of ignorance…you had your chance and we lost.

Give us the Blazers games on FSN Paul!!!!

by BK1 on Jul 2, 2008 9:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, friend

10 games in Seattle and 10 in Vancouver? Won’t happen.

There will probably be preseason games in Seattle every year. In 2-3 years, if there is no team there, and none on the horizon, you might get 2-3 regular season games, but there’s no way half of our home games are not in Portland.

But I expect you to have a team within 5 years at the most.

Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo

by jscot on Jul 3, 2008 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And....

...the new team will have new owners, new administration, new players, and it won’t be fair to blame them for what happened.

And after Nate McMillan wins 5 straight championships with us, he might like the challenge of taking on a new team back in Seattle. You’d support him, you’d have to. Even Portlanders would.

Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo

by jscot on Jul 3, 2008 12:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t expect a new team up in Seattle. I did mention 10 geames in Seattle and vancouver and that is a bit much…as you said, that is half. I think 2-3 games in each city would increase the fan base and help the stability of the Blazers.

With Paul Allen and the fan support, I do not think you have to worry about the team leaving Portland.

by BK1 on Jul 3, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

errr..

I better never see anything like “the Northwest Trailblazers” ever again. That just made me shudder.

by hiccough on Jul 3, 2008 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

no kidding

yikes.

by Section323 on Jul 3, 2008 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

x20

PORTLAND Trail Blazers.

RipCity -- now, now ...

by Y5k on Jul 3, 2008 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

How about the Northwest Seahawks?

Or the Northwest Mariners? On second though, Seattle can keep the Ms. :)

Let’s not name any team for a region of the country—that makes us look so podunk.

The only exception to this rule is the New England Patriots; and they get special dispensation because they play in a Boston suburb that is actually closer to Providence than to Boston.

The really bad thing about this whole Sonics situation is that Stern has essentially said, no expansion team. So if Seattle gets a team back, then fans somewhere else-Memphis, New Orleans-will be the ones crying in their beer.

by EngineerScotty on Jul 3, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stern's Dream

Since Stern does talk Euro expansion, London … expanding the league to 32 or even 36 teams might appeal to him. I see that as Seattle’s best chance.

by OBJuan72 on Jul 3, 2008 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not? That is more representative of their fan-base…let them play a game or two in Portland and Vancouver for football…even more for baseball.

by BK1 on Jul 3, 2008 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only thing is, I openly cheer against the Seahawks and the Mariners. Especially the Mariners when they went to Bud Selig and asked him not to put an MLB franchise in Portland.

And honestly, while I welcome any new Blazer fan, I don’t desire or expect Seattle basketball fans to start cheering for the Blazers. That would have been like asking a Cleveland Browns fan to start cheering for the Steelers when Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore. 99.9% of them would have rather been waterboarded than cheered for the Steelers. OK so this is the laid back Pacific Northwest, but you get my drift. Not gonna happen, save for a tiny minority.

And for the record, I despise Stern and Bennett for hijacking the Sonics.

MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)

by The Cactus Leaguer on Jul 2, 2008 9:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did the Mariners ever do this?

I’m not aware of the MLB ever seriously considering a Portland franchise. Oh, we’re one of the cities trotted out when a team like the Marlins wants to shake down the local government-but we don’t have a MLB-ready ballpark, nor a team owner lined up-and the local city government, much like Seattle’s, doesn’t consider sports its main priority.

by EngineerScotty on Jul 3, 2008 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They did (during the Expos relocation)

We had about a 2-3 month window (after we had passed SB5 to help fund the stadium, and before Washington DC stepped up to the plate and was willing to build a new stadium) where Portland had a real shot at the Expos. The Mariners didn’t call a press conference or anything but they made it clear they didn’t want MLB to Portland (I know this from discussions I’ve had with people who would know). Why didn’t they want MLB in Portland?

1. The Mariners make a ton of money from the TV and radio contracts in the Portland area;
2. 10-15% of attendance is from the Portland metro area (probably lower now with gas prices);
3. They spent the extra dough on a roof because they consider themsleves a regional team, and especially to accomodate fans who have to plan in advance and travel long distances (Portland, Spokane, Vancouver BC, etc.).

The Marlins situation was a joke and everyone connected with the MLB effort here locally knew it from day one. They just went through the motions and then showed Samson the door.

MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)

by The Cactus Leaguer on Jul 3, 2008 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am one of the tiny minority and am not willing to change back to any possible new team in Seattle. The Sonics have lost me forever with that disappointing ride over the last almost 2 years….no thank you.

Plus, I never liked the Lakers or Kobi…and never will.

by BK1 on Jul 2, 2008 9:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well I could definitely be wrong, maybe a lot of fans will switch allegiances. But I wouldn’t bet on it based on what’s I’ve seen in other places.

MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)

by The Cactus Leaguer on Jul 2, 2008 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This sucks

I liked the rivalry with Seattle. Hell, I like the Sonics. I liked beating the Sonics, but I also liked seeing the Sonics beat LA, Utah, and all those other second rate teams.
Glad to hear the Green and Gold and team name remain in NW, but man … no Sonics? What’s this world come to?

RipCity -- now, now ...

by Y5k on Jul 3, 2008 10:39 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

PORTLAND Trail Blazers, (gotta stake ownership)

No way there can be only one team in the NW. That’s gotta change, and it will. May take a few years, but David Stern will eventually get that stick out of his rear when he sees what he lost by taking the sonics away from Seattle. I’m not saying OKC will be a terrible market, since they are a 1 sport team, but Seattle is a top ten market in terms of population. I don’t think we should be worried either about Portland being the next region primed for a back stabbing by Stern, ptb fans are fanatical in our worship of the team. To sonic fans, I can only say keep your chin up, and root for Matt Hasselbeck to bring some glory back to Seattle.

by premthegrem on Jul 3, 2008 11:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs