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The Best Response to OKC

Kitten_tiny by Dave on

I haven't said much about the whole Sonics debacle yet, but I can see it's been a lively topic in the sidebar.  Though I've waited to compose myself before commenting I do care pretty deeply about this issue. I think it's a travesty that there will be no NBA basketball in Seattle for a while at least.  Worse, if and when it does return the city will have lost out on guys like Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.  If they get an expansion team Seattle will have to build from the ground up with everybody else's castoffs, kind of like the youngest sister in a family of twenty-nine.  If they inherit somebody else's team then yet another city--another generation of wide-eyed kids and kids at heart who have poured their passion, time, and money into following this sport--will have to mourn. 

Situations like this are never pretty.  As is the norm when money is involved the people whose lives and feelings are affected most deeply--the life-long Sonics fans--also have the least say and thus get skewered.  Whether it is economically justifiable or not makes little difference.  The Sonics ought to play in Seattle.  Even though just about everybody saw this coming, it isn't any easier to wrap your mind around.  I guess it'll hit hardest when we start next season with no Seattle games on the schedule and then have to watch the Oklahoma City Cowpie Brigade come to town.

Speaking of...one of the main topics of discussion around here has been how to react when said team makes its visit.  I do feel some responsibility to protest as a sports fan in general.  The fact that we're Seattle's nearest NBA neighbor, a long-time rival, and Pacific Northwest cousins makes that responsibility seem bigger.  If any town should stick up for the ghost of the Sonics ours should.  One of the suggestions mentioned (and forgive me for not going back to source the exact fanposts) was for everyone attending the game against OKC to wear yellow and green in honor of the Sonics.  That's a fairly nifty one, though I must say it feels a lot like cross-dressing to me.  I'm not sure I could actually do it in public.  Still, the visual impact would be impressive and would make a clear statement.  Another suggestion was non-stop booing, which is always in style.

My personal suggestion would be difficult to coordinate, as it would require the cooperation of everybody present to be completely effective.  However impractical, it would certainly get the exact message across. 

I wouldn't ask people to boo the OKC Squad Stealers.  That's far too much respect.  I mean, upon occasion we used to boo the Sonics.  Booing can indicate a rivalry.  It certainly acknowledges an impact.  You boo because someone has gotten under your skin, which gives them a sense of power.  I have a hunch the Steer Suckers, led by the pooptastic Clay Bennett, would be all too willing to play the heels in Portland.

Rather, were it possible to spread the word wide enough to ensure compliance, I would suggest the OKC Dingleberry Herders be met with an overwhelming chorus of...silence.  Utter and complete silence.  From the pre-game introductions to the final horn, every time they are mentioned, touch the ball, or do anything productive.  Silence can't be mistaken for grudging admiration.  Silence says you don't matter.  You're not worthy of my notice.  You...don't...exist.

Naturally this would not be meant to inhibit cheering for the Blazers.  In fact the roar of approval which would meet a Greg Oden block, for instance, would provide stark and necessary contrast with the void on the other end.  A raucous cheer, a thundering dunk, and then...nothing.  Just the echo of a basketball hitting the floor in a seemingly empty gym.

I can't think of a more appropriate way to register my feelings about the NBA's "newest" team than refusing to acknowledge their existence for a while.

Ten to one after a 20-62 season the good folks of Oklahoma City end up doing the same.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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AMEN!

Errr, ahem …................................

This is the Hot Chicks Room. The breakfast table is just over this way...

by luna on Jul 8, 2008 12:37 AM PDT   0 recs

You don't dish the Commish

Caffeinated monkey, Howard Schultz got tired of his foray into being a Sports Owner faster than you can say, “give me a double-latte”. So he sells out to the highest bidder- a bunch of pointy boot hucksters from “who gives a crap” Oklahoma. Thanks for being faithful to the town that put you on the map, Howie

Then the commish decides these slimy sharks with funny hats can grease his wheels more to his liking than those pesky public officials. So he lets them steal the team away. Stern must be a big fan of the backdoor play.

Or maybe its the “give and go”. You give and they go.

by ralphzillo on Jul 8, 2008 5:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

uhh

you do know this is littery impossible right? How are u gonna keep a gym of 20,000 people silent?

by coolness on Jul 8, 2008 1:04 AM PDT   0 recs

Dave's a genius. He comes up with the ideas. Your job is to implement them. I think the plan is perfect

and I wish it would spread league wide. Get to work!

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on Jul 8, 2008 1:16 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK

It’s your job to train the “Hit the road Jack” fans.

"Man I want to rec it again." - pualo talking about jscot's long comment

by tominhawaii on Jul 8, 2008 5:59 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Where's my whip! ;p

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on Jul 8, 2008 7:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Silence would be the perfect signal to OKC and the league office

Silence in the arenas whenever OKC shows up (though Bennett should be booed heavily wherever he shows up on a Jumbotron – as should Stern). And maybe even more important silence in the cash registers. No fan outside of Oklahoma (who will be fanatic at least in the first season) should buy any merchandising items of the new team. Attendance should be lower. TV stations should never prefer their games over others. Journalists should mention them only in passing in their articles. Only once the NBA gets lower revenue out of this franchise will they start to care.

Unusually strong language for Dave, especially in the suggested nicknames. So he does seem to care a lot about the situation. And so should every fan in the NBA, in Portland and elsewhere. Silence would be the perfect greeting for OKC.

P.S.: ESPN’s Bill Simmons is a little too silent about the move, after being pretty vocal about what a terrible idea it would be. What gives? I am waiting for his column to rip some guys a new one.

Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Jul 8, 2008 6:07 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't think the league cares what Blazer fans think

They didn’t care what Sonic fans thought.

This would be a cool statement, but nothing more… and it would be nearly impossible to pull off.

Good idea, not very effective or practical, IMO.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Jul 8, 2008 9:50 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Another Suggestion

I have heard we should boycot the Okies wherever they go. The fans don’t show up for a year where ever the team visits a city to play. Now this would be tough, because people bought season tickets and they are not going to throw them away. But what if only half of the people showed up everywhere OKC plays, would that make a big enough statement?

I live in Seattle, and a lot of Sonic fans are fed up with the NBA and they “Goodbye NBA, we don’t want you anymore! Basically, the NBA hurt them, and they don’t want anything to do with them ever again. I can understand that.

by blazerbill on Jul 8, 2008 1:26 AM PDT   0 recs

PA voted to keep the Sonics in Seattle

I don’t want him punished for their move, so boycotting wouldn’t be a good option in Portland. He already got the message. Now, every other city should boycott. Maybe one other owner voted for them to stay, I can’t remember.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 9:09 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cuban

"Man I want to rec it again." - pualo talking about jscot's long comment

by tominhawaii on Jul 8, 2008 9:23 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Best response I've heard yet, Dave.

This could happen to some extent too. I for one would love to be one of the B’edgers handing out fliers and spreading the word before the first OKC game at the Rose Garden.

Canzano could even come in handy for once in promoting this.

I just feel as Portland fans we should stand up the loudest to the rest of the league for what happened to Seattle.

The very existence of an OKC franchise under these conditions is a nightmare for fans all over the league. If your team isn’t from LA, NY or CHI, if you don’t comply with the owner’s wishes, your team could be easily moved too. It’s not as if we’re talking about Memphis here. Seattle has over forty years of “glorious” history that got bought up and moved on the whims of a rich, greedy you know what.

This should be TrueHooped and looked at across the NBA. I know Portland isn’t the only fanbase that is shook up by this.

by BlazerD on Jul 8, 2008 1:58 AM PDT   0 recs

Totally

I don’t agree with the booing because that gives the impression like it’s centered on the players themselves. They didn’t have anything to do with the move, they shouldn’t have to feel the boos.

by coolguyrob on Jul 8, 2008 2:59 AM PDT   0 recs

Exactly

They may be as unhappy as we are. It’s not their fault and they aren’t even the messengers, they are simply voiceless pawns.

"We will do nice things!" - Rudy, 07/01/08

by jorga on Jul 8, 2008 5:50 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

True, silence would be better than boos for that reason,

but even the silence would be a disrespect to the players who were in no way responsible for the move.

Plus – and I know I’m in the minority here – I believe if the city of Seattle had coughed up some money for a new stadium or for serious renovations to Key Arena, the team wouldn’t be leaving. So IMO, it’s the city of Seattle that should be booed or given the silent treatment (I’ve never liked the attitude of that city or the attitude of many of it’s residents anyway). How could we do this? Well, don’t vacation or shop there but most of all quit supporting the Seahawks and Mariners as if they were our own.

Curses to Seattle - not to their ex-players. And while I’m at it, BOO Huskies!

by TwoDeep on Jul 8, 2008 8:55 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

kudos to Seattle

for realizing they had more important issues to fund with taxpayer dollars. I agree that it was a simple cause and effect… refuse to fund an arena, lose your team. It was just expedited by Schultz selling to a dishonest dude from OKC.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Jul 8, 2008 9:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I disagree with using tax payer money (my money) to build a for profit engine that

won’t make me a dime, or that I will never see a return on. I’m selfish, though.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH BOOING ALL THINGS SEATTLE THOUGH. Maybe we should exclude the Seahawks cause our awesome owner owns them.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 10:05 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

For Perspective...

Arena Bennett Demanded From Seattle: $500 million, publically funded
Arena Bennett Demanded From OKC: $127 million, jointly funded

Amount of money Bennet spent on litigation to move to team early: $170 million
Amount of money required for rennovations to Key Arena: $150 million

by JordanLeDoux on Jul 8, 2008 10:34 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

all thats necessary

this is really the only argument needed to show that bennett sucks. also, schultz is pretty bad also.

by bluthbanana on Jul 8, 2008 1:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I love this idea

This reminds me of the movie “Mystery, Alaska” (great sports film by the way). I think that this would make the most powerful statement out of all the ideas put forth thus far.

I refuse to dress in green and yellow and I think that booing the whole time should be reserved for specific D-bag players and not a way to express anger at a team’s managment.

As great an idea as this is, it would be impossible to pull off. There is no way to coordinate it and there will undoubtedly be a few OKC fans in the garden to see their new, stolen team.

Good thoughts.

by Rose City Til I Die on Jul 8, 2008 3:28 AM PDT   0 recs

Kevin Durant also seems to greet the move with "enthusiasm"

“Personally, I didn’t think we would move this soon,” Durant said. “I settled in Seattle, bought a house with my mom, we moved out there with my family. That was my home. But it’s a part of the business. We’ve got to get up and move. I’m looking forward to playing in a new city with new fans and we’ll see what happens.”

Prediction: He will be gone latest after his rookie contract is up. Nike will make sure that one of their best assets doesn’t collect dust in some remote market.

Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Jul 8, 2008 5:52 AM PDT   0 recs

That would be better than silence

It won’t happen but I would love it if their rookies refused to resign with the team and free agents refused to sign as well.

"Man I want to rec it again." - pualo talking about jscot's long comment

by tominhawaii on Jul 8, 2008 5:58 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Durant is just saying the' right thing"

so as not to alienate his new city’s fans. He’s a smart kid.

by TwoDeep on Jul 8, 2008 9:01 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OKC is going to be terrible

And they aren’t going to sell many, if any, tickets on the road so the problem sort of solves itself.

However, if for some reason I decided to buy tickets to watch one of the worst teams in the league and I happened to see Clay in the stands, I’d be sure to walk up to him and stick my middle finger in his face.

Blazer Fan

by leeroyjenkins on Jul 8, 2008 6:46 AM PDT   0 recs

The "Best" Response to OKC . . .

Dave, I loved your post. Imagining an NBA game in which every time the visiting team has the ball, the gym is completely silent is a powerful visual. Like you said, I think it’s difficult to implement, but it sure would be effective. I do take issue with the title of your post, it seems . . . well, to be perfectly honest, it seems totally arrogant. Like there have been all of these reponses to OKC, hundreds on this site alone, and a few days later you come out with a post, The Best Response to OKC. OK. Now I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. You seem like a really humble guy and I don’t think it was meant to read the way I read it, but anyway . . . why am I complaining?

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 7:07 AM PDT   0 recs

I'm not sure why you're complaining.

Dave’s not an arrogant guy. Being a pastor automatically gets him the benefit of the doubt (although I’ve known some truly arrogant ones). Add to that that he’s just not arrogant. There’s never anything arrogant about saying you have the best idea as long as your provide the metric for your measurements. Then, it’s not a personal matter, but a matter of interpreting facts (or those little thingies we call facts).

With all the talk of arrogance going on, it may be time to remember what arrogance actually is. It’s self-entitled and unjustified worth of the self. If a person, like Dave just did, goes out of his way to show it’s not him he’s trumpeting but a cause and a cause with reason, that person is simply not arrogant. He’s completely shifted attention away from himself. A person that shifts attention away from the self is not arrogant, that action clearly prohibits arrogance. If he said, “I am DAVE, I SAY THIS AND SO IT IS THE BEST, ” that would be arrogant.

Man, now you got me going. I hate the sensitive, whiny, me me me culture we’re getting into. The individual is a worthless speck of dust if it has no meaning. Not every opinion is good. What’s behind that opinion, the metric used to justify it clearly denotes its worth. Why teach kids that each one is special when they all look, act, and talk the same, say the same things, and do the same things. Yes, we value their lives, but it absolutely does not mean there’s no difference in the value they present to the society as a whole the second they take diverging courses. The kids are told not to brag, to accept a win graciously (which is good), but also that those little buggers they just wiped the floor with are just as if not more special than they are. Forget for a second how confusing that must be for a kid, and concentrate on the fact that achievement simply isn’t rewarded, and those that try to take are admonished.

OK, I’m not sure you deserved that last paragraph, but let’s at least make sure we’re remember english definitions before throwing out mild, reluctant criticisms.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 9:23 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

did you read my post?

did you read it all. particularly the parts that say ” i’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt” and “you seem like a really humble guy” and “anyway . . . why am i complaining?” you’re a real jerk.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 9:26 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmmm

No need to flame each other over this.

I would have put “In My Opinion The Best (Meaning Most Appropriate) Response to OKC” except:

1. I assumed the “In My Opinion” part was implied.

2. I assumed people would get the “Most Appropriate” shading to the word “best” by reading the post.

3. It’s too long of a title.

If it makes it go down easier, just substitute the longer title for the shorter one.

—Dave

by Dave on Jul 8, 2008 9:32 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Typical Dave Arrogance, Sheesh

This response is no different than a guy poppin’ his jersey after he dunked on a guy. If I was a blog ref, you’d get a technical foul for this response.

(Sarcastic font in the hizzy!)

"Man I want to rec it again." - pualo talking about jscot's long comment

by tominhawaii on Jul 8, 2008 9:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, and what about that "No need to flame each other over this"?.

What about our freedom to flame someone for any silly thing?. I have to talk seriously
with Pip about how can I get my freedom back.

The Midnight Rambler

by amlmart1 on Jul 8, 2008 1:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I did read it

and thanks. But still you gave him the benefit of the doubt, and called him arrogant. You can’t really give someone the benefit of the doubt by concluding (or suspecting) a person’s what you’re accusing him of. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

You wondered why you were complaining, but did so anyway. Which basicailly means you decided to continue and that even though you contemplated whether or not to complain, in the end it was worth it to do so (I would too if I just typed the whole thing). That kind of subtracts the whole part where you question yourself.

I really don’t mean to be a jerk. That was meant to refer to the definition of the word and to redirect away from personalities. It wasn’t meant to be insulting or rude, just to shine a little light on the term ‘arrogant’, which is getting used with some regularity these days.

My fault, it sounds mean, and I’m sorry. And that last paragraph was completely unrelated to you. It sounds like it refers to, so again my fault.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 9:33 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

oh, here's this

arrogance: making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming;

Now we’re making a way bigger deal out of this than I intended. If, like I said originally, I read the title of the Dave’s post to mean, “Here it is. The “best” response to OKC. I have it, it’s the best one” and then apply the above listed definition of arrogance (taken directly from dictionary.com) then I am not misusing the word in the slightest.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 9:32 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, I don't argue that

but maybe consider this. Did Dave make a claim? Or did he make an argument? What Dave did wasn’t really claim anything. He argued it was the best.

If a claim follows from an argument, is there a ‘pretension to superior importance?” If a claim follows from an argument, is it “overbearingly assuming?”

You’re right, though, if his title had said just that, then it could fall under the definition.

I’m not arguing to be mean or a jerk. It’s just that that word’s being used a lot. Dave’s been called arrogant a few times in the last month. At no point was it warranted. It’s hard to watch someone that’s the near antithesis of arrogance get labeled as such. Also, if he starts reacting, his wrinting’s going to get bad. That’s all. THIS IS NOT PERSONAL.

There’s no need to call me a jerk, either. You write something here, you can probably expect a reaction. Maybe I was a little terse for you. I’ll try my best to keep it lighter.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 9:47 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

this is silly, and i feel so misunderstood

i don’t think dave’s arrogant. i really don’t. it was just a funny observation i had. my first thought when i was reading the title. obviously i read the article, i understand what he was saying. i just posted my initial response. this is getting way out of hand, and i feel so misunderstood and taken way too seriously right now. how about a response to the post I actually wanted a response on:

What do you guys think of Brook Lopez playing 20 minutes and not getting even one rebound

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 9:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Huh? When did that happen?

Sorry to misunderstand you. Jeez I’ve said sorry to you like three gazillion times. I think that officially makes us married in most states.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 10:09 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so much gets lost in translation to text

My light-hearted tone of voice and joking around attitude obviously didn’t translate well in my original post. Like i said, it was just something funny and my first initial reaction when reading the title. i’m sorry for calling you a jerk. Now you seem like a pretty reasonable and nice guy hobobob. And just to reiterate, I love Dave and think very highly of him. I DO NOT think that Dave is an arrogant guy, in fact I belive the first thing I said was “Dave, I loved your post.” So how about that Brook Lopez, 0 boards in 20 minutes. That was the most shocking stat IMHO of any of the summer league games yesterday.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 10:20 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I believed you. Just asking about the Lopez thing

That’s a pretty bad number, but I don’t expect it to keep up. It’s only summer league. He probably wasn’t putting much effort in. Still, with that group of hucksters, I imagine anyone with hands, satanding on the court could grab at least one board. I’m imagining him dodging the ball now. That’s bad.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 10:29 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

its one game

it could be that rebounds just didn’t bounce into his area. Lopez’s college numbers indicate he’s not a great rebounder—one summer league game isn’t enough to back up or refute any info we get from that data.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Jul 8, 2008 10:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

right, i'm not trying to jump to conclusions

I just thought it was shocking when you consider

a. the amount of time he played: 20 minutes
b. his position on the team: Center
c. there were only two other players (that includes both teams) to not get a rebound, one played 6 minutes and other 16 seconds.

Like I said, I’m not trying to jump to conclusions, it was just the most shocking stat in my opinion.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 10:58 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Wait

When did Dave become an atheist of arrogance?

"Man I want to rec it again." - pualo talking about jscot's long comment

by tominhawaii on Jul 8, 2008 10:47 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

“I AM THE HUMBLEST!” -Dave

by DominicanAvenger on Jul 9, 2008 2:00 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

My response to OKC coming to town is

slightly different: Just run them out of the gym and blow the top off with noise, as if it were the playoffs already, and sweep them for the season. Our team has the ability to do that handily, and I worry that silence would detract from home court advantage. The Rose Garden should be rocking all season long and just because these guys come to town doesn’t make it different. If anything it should make it more so.

by ranma on Jul 8, 2008 7:25 AM PDT   0 recs

The Problem is the Players

As TwoDeep has pointed out, the players are not responsible for this; and it seems misdirected to make a statement in our gym that will impact their players more than their management. So to rank the ideas from best directed (toward OKC ownership) to worst directed (affecting even our players), given that our main method of protest will be local:

Boycott sales of all OKC paraphenilia
Wear green and yellow (to the games against OKC)
Signs and Banners (at the games against OKC)
Silent Treatment (at the games against OKC)
Endless Booing (at the games against OKC)

The last two, I think, will affect the players on both teams the most. The others could all be combined.

New idea as I wrote this: Maybe we could convince the Rose Garden and Blazer staff to not acknowledge the change to OKC. It would still say Sonics on our Jumbotron, Mark Mason would introduce them as the Seattle Super-Sonics, and we would make our usual signs about I-5 rivalries and Blaze > Sasquatch (probably not true). That way, it would be all the usual cheering and jeering associated with a rowdy home crowd, but the message doesn’t have to hit the players harder than the ownership.

by MavetheGreat on Jul 8, 2008 9:47 AM PDT   0 recs

Wearing green and yellow ...

Would actually support the players while insulting the owners.

by jtanzer on Jul 8, 2008 10:01 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And in addition to that ...

They are U of O colors, so it’s not as weird and traitorous as Dave worries it might be. (Unless you went to OSU.)

by jtanzer on Jul 8, 2008 10:03 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

How about...

Hiring Kevin Calabro as a play-by-play announcer? I’m sure he’d have lots of interesting comments about OKC. And IMHO, he’s one of the best announcers out there (sorry Mike & Mike, but he’s much better than either of you).

For that matter, let’s steal Squatch as well. Blaze can go to the D-leagues for a while.

by DonkeyShins on Jul 8, 2008 10:58 AM PDT to parent up   1 recs

can we get the Snapper back?

that would be so awesome.

Calabro for play by play
Snapper for color commentary

Barrett for radio play by play
Rice for radio color commentary

Wheels and Tone for the in studio show

Luftman and Holton traded to OKC for a sideline reporter to be named later.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Jul 8, 2008 11:38 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I like it. But we can get rid of 'Tone all together.

I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but he’s awful on the radio, and I can only imagine how bad he would be on T.V. Shades of Kareem I tell ya. It would be awful.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 12:10 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

also, I think it would be a shame to lose Wheeler doing play by play.

He’s awesome. Maybe Mike Barrett in the studio with an as yet to be named partner and leave Wheeler on the radio. He’s too good to not be doing play by play.

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 12:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

ugh

I can’t stand Wheeler’s play by play. His homerism is way too over the top for my tastes (he sounds depressed when the Blazers are losing and acts like every opponent bucket is pure luck). ‘Tone isn’t so great but I think he’d be pretty good and funny on the studio show.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Jul 8, 2008 12:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

lol, yes Wheeler is a gigantic (pun intended . . . is that mean?) homer.

i spent a good chunk of the ‘05-’06 season in Bend, OR and would listen to all the games on the radio, sitting in my car in the driveway. I got pretty attached to Wheeler during that time. He’s got a fantastic radio voice and really did an excellent job of painting the game for me in my mind. And those Travis dunks . . . BOOOOMSHACKLACKA!

by noaher on Jul 8, 2008 12:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think we burned that bridge

From what I understand, Snapper was given a short-shrift by the front office. I don’t think he’d return.

by DonkeyShins on Jul 8, 2008 12:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Old front office?

Or the current one? I think he would come back if we asked..
And he is the best radio voice we have now that Schonely is gone

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

by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 8, 2008 2:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree.. do it!

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

by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 8, 2008 2:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ixnay

I don’t think Barrett is as good on the radio as TV.

by royroty on Jul 8, 2008 5:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Silence would need a little help from Casey and the Blazers

This would work if you had folks handing out flyers at the door (like someone above mentioned). People love being a part of something like this. Appeal to their vanity and emphasize the possibility of making national news. It’s a lock if you can get twenty thousand flyers together.

There’s only one real problem and that’s those artificial noises. The whole crowd may be dead silent, but the ear-crushing chant of “D-Fense” keeps going, no one will notice. Casey, can you talk to anyone about getting those things shutoff for the game. Dave, I’m sure you have some contacts over there.

I don’t think the Blazers organization could officially participate in anything, but a little turning of the head might happen. They’d just have to know when to not look.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jul 8, 2008 9:50 AM PDT   0 recs

Pariahs

I think the most important thing to consider when protesting the OKC team is to make it clear that they are not welcome in the NBA family. They are (and pardon my anachronistic language, but we’re talking about honor and traditions and whatnot) a bastard team. Born illegitimately and ignominiously. Wearing the Sonics colors gives them too much respect. Booing them gives them the same treatment you’d give the Lakers. I think silence, turning your back to them during intros, wearing mournful black to their games, those are the best reactions. And to people who say, “my beef is with Clay Bennett and David Stern, not Kevin Durant and Jeff Green,” I say, I’m sorry. I don’t care if I hurt Kevin Durant’s feelings for something that’s not his fault. I hope his feelings get hurt so bad that he doesn’t re-up with them and flees for the free agent market as soon as he can. That’s part of the plan and it’s a shame he’s caught in the crossfire but his boss and his league started shooting first.

by Jumbo on Jul 8, 2008 10:26 AM PDT   0 recs

Turn your backs during intros

At our college hockey games back in the 90’s, we all stood and turned our backs during intros for the other team. It made a much stronger statement than booing. As an added visual effect, while turned around we would hold up newspapers and read them, to really show how little we cared for the visiting team. Turning your back is very rude, and would thus be an appropriate gesture for the OKC team.

I think the idea of passing out fliers at the door to get everyone involved is a great idea, too. All it would take would be a few hundred people turning their backs and saying “turn your backs!” and most of the crowd would follow suit.

by unblindloyalty on Jul 8, 2008 10:55 AM PDT   0 recs

I like that one the best...

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

by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 8, 2008 2:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I like this Idea

Its OK to wear Oregon colors to a Blazer game and I think the players would get it that we know its the suits who are to blame for this mess and not them. Also I took My kids to a Clipper game a couple years ago and while the fans gave there team some noise when they introduced Dunleavy it was nothing but frosty silence,very effective

by southern oregon on Jul 8, 2008 11:10 AM PDT   0 recs

Dave

I am going to be the lone wolf here and disagree…I don’t think silence is either possible or the correct move.
My reasoning is simple. If we go quiet (i dont live there so i doubt i will see these games other than on TV) everytime the other team has the ball, it will have a dual negative effect for us. First it will kill momentum. One of the best things about going on a run is creating chaos for the offense of the other team by making absurd amounts of noise on a run. And what happens if they make a killer 3? Silence.. and there goes the momentum. So thats strike one for me.
Strike two is important for television purposes. I wouldn’t be able to stand not killing an announcer for OKC CattleThieves after every miss they say “Well that miss took the crowd right out of the game. These Cattle Thieves are really putting the screws to them defensively” after every possession that we didnt score and they got the ball. I would pull my hair out

Those are my reasons. I like unblindloyalty’s idea of turning our backs during their intros and staying quiet, I like the idea of going in green and yellow for ONE game (more for the sonic fans in pain than anything that would affect the owners) and of course clever signs and chants. There is very few ways to hurt the CattleThieves without hurting the Blazers. And while we only play them a few times, I want to make the playoffs, so lets support the Blazers first and foremost to make sure we get those easy wins.

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

by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 8, 2008 2:45 PM PDT   0 recs

Great Idea

Unfortunately, I don’t think you can get enough people to care. Sure something like this is next to impossible, but it’s not because you couldn’t get the word out. It’s that there just aren’t enough people who care.

Everyone else has their teams and as long as it doesn’t happen to them, they’ll say that this whole Sonic thing is a travesty, but really, they don’t care. I’m guilty of this myself.

by basketballjohn on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM PDT   0 recs

How about this...

Create a very large message/image wherein each person in a particular section hold up a single card that is one peice that forms the larger/whole message, visible to all in attendance as well as via television, etc. It would be difficult logistically and may be against RG rules. Not sure what the message would be though…

Another thought is to hand out bags for people to wear over their heads during OKC player inrto…

just sayin’...

by balladofgregoden on Jul 8, 2008 5:17 PM PDT   0 recs

This is all as ridiculous as....

Not being able to type out LAKERS…. The Seattle market had their opportunities over the last decade to get something done and refused every time. I’m not saying that’s right/wrong, or good/bad. It just is. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, sports is a business. Businesses move all the time for various reasons (mostly competitive). That’s just the way it is. If enough Seattleites cared enough to keep the Sonics in town they’d still be there… Blaming the opportunist that came in at the end to close out the party simply means you all have blinders on.

by R11 on Jul 8, 2008 5:28 PM PDT