Seattle basketball tradition

[CatchNShoot]

As many of you know, KJR is doing a Sonics day on the radio today in an effort to rekindle the region's love for the team. It got me to thinking about the larger picture, that basketball in the pacific northwest owes itself to the Sonics. Since the team was establised 41 years ago, countless communities, schools, and players have been influenced by the presence of professional basketball in Seattle. Look at all these memorable names:

Spencer Haywood, Bob Rule, Bill Russell, Brandon Roy, Bob Blackburn, Gary Payton, Lenny Wilkins, Kevin Calabro, Dennis Johnson, Shawn Kemp, Sam Shulman, Tom Chambers, Jack Sikma, Xavier McDaniel, Lorenzo Romar, David Thompson, Marvin Williams, Ray Allen, Fred Brown, George Karl, James Donaldson, Slick Watts, Detlef Schrempf, Jamal Crawford, Brent Barry, Paul Silas, Nate McMillan, Rashard Lewis, Spencer Hawes, Nate Robinson, Hec Edmundson, Gus Williams, Frank Brickowski, Steve Sheffler, Marv Harshman, Sam Perkins, Todd MacCulloch, Jason Terry, Craig Ehlo, Bernie Bickerstaff, Reggie Lewis, Martell Webster, Donald Watts, Kevin Durant.

1 NBA championship, 3 NBA chamionship appearances, 22 playoff seasons

The team is named after the supersonic jet, the coolest thing Boeing ever made, and a symbol of the regions' hard work and innovation.

The Sonics played to numerous sellouts in the Kingdome.

Seattle hosted the best ever NBA all-star game in the Kingdome when Tom Chambers won the MVP after an overtime thriller.

Seattle twice hosted the NCAA final four, the second in 1989 when Michigan beat PJ Carlismo's Seton Hall in overtime 80-79.

My dad once took me to a game at the Kingdome against the Nuggets when a fan hit a half court shot to win a car - he ran around the floor giving high fives to everyone in the front row. It was nuts.

I remember listing to a Sonics/Lakers playoff game (when Magic was in his prime and games weren't on TV) and the Sonics started a fast break. Kevin Calabro starts winding up his delivery for the big play when all of a sudden he stops just before the dunk and says, "And the lady in red just walked in. Oh my." Apparently a very good looking woman in red entered the arena, and it totally distracted Kevin. It was hilarious.

I have an original newspaper cut out of the X-Man strangling that Laker guy. I still have the Shear Excitement poster. I have a 1979 championship pennant. I have a basketball signed by the team that stunned Dallas in the 86/87 playoffs.

I was crushed when they traded Dennis Johnson. I remember when the team had a weird parade when it moved from the Kingdome back to the Coliseum. I remember the Space Needle lit up for the Sonics/Bulls championship series. I remember the Wheedle on the Needle children's book.

We live and die with these guys. It would be a shame to let them go and force history to stop in its tracks.

[bennith13]

When I was in High School and was playing basketball our team won the state championship and the Sonics gave us a luxury box and announced us at the game. It was really fun.

Now I am a coach and our team has a good chance of doing some good stuff here in the next week and a half and I was talking to another coach and besides for the obvious, another reason it would really suck if the Sonics left is because it really would hurt HS basketball.

I guess people who are not into sports cant see the impact that pro sports have on the community. I started playing basketball when I was a little kid because I wanted to be a 6'10'' power forward just like Shawn Kemp. I got into coaching because I liked hearing Nate talk after we won a game in 2005. It would be a HUGE loss if the Sonics left.

[Argyle]

My love affair with the Sonics began in the early 90's. They were straight up fun to watch. Also, they had these Seafirst Jammin free summer camps where players would come out and talk to kids and whatnot. I met Ricky Pierce, Doug Christie, and some other people I can't remember now (I was like 10 years old).

The mid 90s solidified everything for me. It was awesome following the underdog Sonics against the mighty, record breaking Bulls. I still think those teams are the most underrated sports teams of all time, because of the level of play in the NBA at that time and that one guy, Michael Jordan. So close to becoming a long term dynasty, then the McLvaine signing, Baker, Ewing, and the rest of the horrible next 5 years (where we would consistently make the playoffs but still bitch about the team...those were the days eh?)

Then my cousin played briefly with the Sonics, then 04-05 happened out of nowhere, and now, after all this, they want to take my team. Unreal.

Kudos to KJR for supporting Sonics basketball.

[elbowthrower]

One of the best moments I can remember as a fan was during the last game of the Sonics/Jazz WCF. My wife and I were in a bar downtown watching and when it was clear they were going to win, we jumped in the car (the bouncer gave me a cigar on the way out) and drove to Key Arena. We got there just in time to see fans streaming out of the Key, going nuts. I specifically remember a guy in a gold and green Cat in the Hat-style hat giving us high fives as we cruised up first.

These days my kids and I can rarely agree on what to watch on TV but NBA games are always a unanimous choice. My youngest, who's 4, even yells, "Go Lakers!" to get everyone's goat. But we just laugh.

If the team leaves, I don't think I can follow the NBA anymore out of principle. And that will mean a lost opportunity to bond with my kids and further instill my love of basketball. They'll still play, I'll still play, but it won't be the same.