ESPN not frendly to OKC

[Saberman]

If you think ESPN its writers or reports will ever be friendly to OKC. Check these out.

Summer Forecast: Where will NBA expand? (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Expansion-080918)

Summer Forecast: Which way is the West going? (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=WestOffseasonPredictions)

[ZeusExMachina]

If you think ESPN its writers or reports will ever be friendly to OKC. Check these out.

Summer Forecast: Where will NBA expand? (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Expansion-080918)

Summer Forecast: Which way is the West going? (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=WestOffseasonPredictions)

I didn't see anything in either of those links that is worth getting twisted up over.

The first one just basically stated what everyone already knows: Seattle fans are going to be hurting for awhile.

The second one just said what we all know is a likely scenario for this season: our team may not be good, at least not straight away, but the optimism and fervour of the fanbase will be satisfied so long as we see some potential for success out of our big three.

Really, neither of those links were filled with writers taking their shots at OKC --- they were just stating their own opinions on what to expect from us this season.

[Dio]

at least ESPN acknowleges our existence, unlike SI

[Karried]

Season 1 will be one long, thunderous pep rally for Oklahoma's new team -- even if OKC appears to be the NBA's worst team, nothing can dampen the local optimism. What would stoke that fervor further would be measurable growth by Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. | Offseason Moves

I thought this was sort of flattering.

[okcnba]

Both articles were actually favorable about us. The only way you could take either badly would be if you expected the Thunder to not suck this year... and if you do you're wrong!

[Saberman]

I was only trying to show that at least during our first year that some in the national sports press will not be showing OKC in the best light. That can be expected. I can see in the next year that once some of these reporter come to OKC and see for themselves we can expect some better reports from OKC. There will always be those nay sayers, but we shouldn't get caught up in those reports.

[NBAOK]

Both articles are benign. No harm no foul

[Betts]

I was only trying to show that at least during our first year that some in the national sports press will not be showing OKC in the best light. That can be expected. I can see in the next year that once some of these reporter come to OKC and see for themselves we can expect some better reports from OKC. There will always be those nay sayers, but we shouldn't get caught up in those reports.

And these are mild compared to some of what's been published this year. You are right, people will be looking for us to fail (some hoping), so every misstep or problem will be highlighted in the media.

[Starksfan311]

Yeah the Thunder is going to suck. But that's the only way to have a chance to get Ricky Rubio.

[Fast | Break]

at least ESPN acknowleges our existence, unlike SI

For sure. SI, still has the Seattle Supersonics listed under mySI Team Pages.

As for the ESPN articles, I can say they aren't going to say anything really bad about us, but like the OP says, they will definitely not say anything that good about us either. I guess it could be worse. They do seem a bit weighted toward the plight of the Seattle folks etc, just the overall tone, but nothing to get worked up over like has been said. It's all interpretation I guess, and you have to consider that some of us might read a little into ESPN articles considering their history.

[Jimmy Early]

I also didn't see anything wrong with these blurbs. I thought they were a little overly optimistic about Seattle's chances (why would their legislators pass funding with no team, when they turned it down THREE times WITH a team?), but all in all I thought it was pretty fair coverage.

[Colonel Thunder]

For sure. SI, still has the Seattle Supersonics listed under mySI Team Pages.

As for the ESPN articles, I can say they aren't going to say anything really bad about us, but like the OP says, they will definitely not say anything that good about us either. I guess it could be worse. They do seem a bit weighted toward the plight of the Seattle folks etc, just the overall tone, but nothing to get worked up over like has been said. It's all interpretation I guess, and you have to consider that some of us might read a little into ESPN articles considering their history.

Not worked up, but did send an email to SI asking when their web master is supposed to get back from vacation to make the changes.

[Fast | Break]

Not worked up, but did send an email to SI asking when their web master is supposed to get back from vacation to make the changes.

Thanks for doing that. I was waiting to see if it changed before the season. Pretty inexcusable.

[Saberman]

I agree that these stories are a little tame, but come on, the chances of Seattle getting a team in the near future are nil. The problem there has always been the fact that they, city/state, are unwilling to build a new arena. We know this and so do the sports reporters.

If anything it will be a toss up who comes in last in the Western Division. Memphis, Minnesota, or OKC. I don't see where either of these other two teams have a lot going for them.

These were only the recent stories I came across to use as an example of what we are going to see more of this year.

[Jimmy Early]

I agree that these stories are a little tame, but come on, the chances of Seattle getting a team in the near future are nil. The problem there has always been the fact that they, city/state, are unwilling to build a new arena. We know this and so do the sports reporters.


I'm not so sure about the sports reporters. I think the majority of the national sports media still thinks Clay Bennett swooped into town, plopped down a wad of cash, and "stole" the team. They have NO IDEA of the history of frustration in getting an arena deal done by Ackerley, Schultz AND BENNETT.

[Saberman]

I'm not so sure about the sports reporters. I think the majority of the national sports media still thinks Clay Bennett swooped into town, plopped down a wad of cash, and "stole" the team. They have NO IDEA of the history of frustration in getting an arena deal done by Ackerley, Schultz AND BENNETT.

I'm not to sure of that Jimmy, the problems with the Sonics have been pretty well documented, even before Bennett bought them. The city and state dug their heels in long ago, even as far back as Ackerly. That was the one of the reasons Ackerly and Shultz got out.

[Trueblood]

I'm not to sure of that Jimmy, the problems with the Sonics have been pretty well documented, even before Bennett bought them. The city and state dug their heels in long ago, even as far back as Ackerly. That was the one of the reasons Ackerly and Shultz got out.

Probably so and all the more reason why they have no excuse for biased reporting.

[StormFan93]

People, people, people. You know who's winning the gubernatorial race in Washington State right now? Dino Rossi, the Republican challenger who actually gave a damn about the Sonics. You know what happens after he wins? Now Ballmer's ownership group has several months to get the votes they need for the $150 million (only $75 actually comes from the state, actually $45 now that the settlement's been reached). It took Paul Allen and the Mariners each several months of lobbying to pick up the votes to get their stadiums. They'll get their money. Saberman, I don't know how you can't believe the chances are nil. You're not the one who lives in Seattle, hears these politicians, and has had dialogue with them.

So, the next stumbling block would be getting a team, and approving a move (no expansion). Memphis has a palace of an arena, and still can't draw the fans. David Stern can talk about expanding internationally all he wants to, but guess what? One of the best, if not the best, international gateway would be Seattle.

Look, you know what? I'm not going through this again. New Governor + New Session = New Arena. I'll save this for my column.

Whoops, forgot to mention one thing. The buzz in Seattle right now? No no, besides Washington Mutual crumbling. The Storm! It's all over the news and radio, and the front page of Sports in the Times and P-I. It sure wasn't the fans that was the problem with the Sonics.

[Saberman]

I don't doubt the Storm are very popular right now being in the play offs. But I never said that the fans in Seattle were the problem

"Gregoire says state deficit now inevitable". Don't think the state is going to chip in to build an arena, I just don't think the people of Seattle or Washington want to build a new arena. Unless one can be built privately.

You may be seeing thinks there differently, maybe they can pull it off, but they are going to need to get a team by buying one and moving it, I don't think Stern is not going to expand the league.

Understand, I have nothing against Seattle and the people that live there, my cousin and her family have lived there for over 30 year. I just think that unless the planets align and the people, that are not fans, have some kind of revelation, it won't happen.

I hope for the sake of the fans of Seattle they can pull it off, I will be one of your loudest cheerleaders. No real fans in OKC really wanted to get a team the way we did, but it is the way it happened.

[the_Mont]

ESPN.com is running a list of the 100 most important sports venues in America. Oklahoma's [Gaylord Family] Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is listed as a tie for number 88. Sitting pretty at 91 is this sports gem:


91. KeyArena
Location: Seattle. Opened: 1962. Reopened: 1995. Capacity: 17,098.

Because perhaps no facility better represents the unfeeling corporate nature of modern pro sports leagues than this arena, which was rebuilt to the exact specifications of the Sonics in the mid-'90s, only to have the team leave with the full culpability of the NBA barely a decade later because if was deemed somehow inadequate.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/080919/venues/11-100

[StormFan93]

ESPN.com is running a list of the 100 most important sports venues in America. Oklahoma's [Gaylord Family] Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is listed as a tie for number 88. Sitting pretty at 91 is this sports gem:



http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/080919/venues/11-100

Yeah, we bent over backwards for Ackerley and Key Arena, even so we couldn't put in a hockey team. No one can say we didn't give in to Ackerley. We did.

[Trueblood]

Yeah, we bent over backwards for Ackerley and Key Arena, even so we couldn't put in a hockey team. No one can say we didn't give in to Ackerley. We did.

No doubt about it which is why I blame him as well for all the problems that came about. Everyone wants to put it all at the feet of Clay and Stern but Ackerley started the whole mess, Schultz took the baton by not doing his homework on the business that he was investing into then made it worse by selling to an out of towner and then all the politicians played their roles to a T.

If just one of these characters does things differently, Seattle still has it's team. But because nobody did, we have the Thunder.

Now don't get me wrong. SOS was great but they were playing the role of David to the PNW pol's Goliath.

[StormFan93]

Well, if there is a bright side, there've been rumblings of Pro Lacrosse in Key Arena, and the only thing holding it up was the Sonics and Thunderbirds. Now the Sonics are gone the T-Birds are in a new arena in Kent. So now we have WNBA Basketball, Seattle University Basketball, More Concerts, and now, hopefully in the future, a lacrosse team.

[ghostman007]

I don't think we will get too much respect until we start winning some games and making some noise.

[ghostman007]

ESPN will soon get onboard when we start making some noise in O-City

[Dio]

91. KeyArena
Location: Seattle. Opened: 1962. Reopened: 1995. Capacity: 17,098.

Because perhaps no facility better represents the unfeeling corporate nature of modern pro sports leagues than this arena, which was rebuilt to the exact specifications of the Sonics in the mid-'90s, only to have the team leave with the full culpability of the NBA barely a decade later because if was deemed somehow inadequate.

Yeah, other than the fact the city and the team were losing money hand over fist, Key was perfect.

[StormFan93]

Yeah, other than the fact the city and the team were losing money hand over fist, Key was perfect.

Yep, it was. There was not one bad seat in the place.

[RicanThunder]

Yep, it was. There was not one bad seat in the place.


Kind of like The Ford.

[Jimmy Early]

Yep, it was. There was not one bad seat in the place.

Yeah. Like the Palestra in Philly and Cameron Indoor Stadium and The Pit in New Mexico and a few dozen other great old buildings that would never support the economics of modern-day pro sports.

I LOVE these biased little jabs like "barely a decade later". 1995 is THIRTEEN YEARS AGO! AND COUNTING (by the time a new arena could be built the Seattle Center Coliseum remodel would be at least SEVENTEEN YEARS in the rearview - an eternity in modern arena lifespans)! The economics of the NBA have changed ENTIRELY since then. Cities with buildings that have not changed with the times have lost their teams or are losing money hand over fist.

And the Seattle Center Coliseum was NOT built to Ackerley's standards. It was built to serve the NBA team AND the minor league hockey team, the Thunderbirds, who didn't want to have the threat of an NHL tenant.

But hey, let's not let facts get in the way of a good argument...