J.A.Adande - Enemy of the State (of Oklahoma)

[mnkinga23]

For months now we've heard people taking shots at Clay Bennett and the way the new team made its way to Oklahoma City. I for one have taken it all in stride because, for one thing, we have a NBA team in OKC and secondly, I could sympathize with Seattle fans that lost their team. What I don't get and can't stand is when the national media takes shots at the city itself. What exactly did the city do to deserve the ire of the national media besides take the steps necessary to bring in a NBA team? One columnist above all has spewed a lot of venom at OKC since the move and that is J.A. Andande (formally of the L.A. Times and now works for ESPN). Here's a clip of him on "Around the Horn" talking about the move and OKC.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAwYkrX3Q48
That is the first of three instances of him taking subtle jabs at the city because of the Seattle situation. The last instance took place on the 8/07/08 "PTI" when he was guest hosting. In a discussion about the new team name being leaked by the league:
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?categoryId=2957357&brand=null
Adande is supposed to be a serious journalist with objectivity in his covering the entire league. I could understand a little bit if he worked for the Seattle Times or something but this is ridiculous. Adande needs to stop sucking up to Seattle and try covering the NBA like a real journalist.

[McG]

Thanks for attaching those videos. I'm never interested enough to watch much of rambling national sports coverage that ESPN does so it's nice to see the OKC-Seattle topic singled out.

About the coverage, I think the Around the Horn video is pretty objective. All he really does is state facts backing up his opinion. I was surprised to see how worked up he gets in the PTI segment but I don't necessarily see anything wrong with it. Adande is a beat writer, and that's what they do. Whether you're in OKC or Seattle, it should be refreshing to see someone taking a stand against the big business that is the NBA. This rarely happens (on a national level) to any of the big time sports including the NFL, MLB and NHL.

And Adande isn't the only one. If you've followed Bill Simmons's infamous Page 2 columns you would see that he is just as outspoken on the issue. Overall, every professional sports team is going to be criticized intensively at one point or another, and I guarantee you that if this gets you worked up you’re going to be adding Charles Barkley, Shaq, and many others to the ‘Enemy of the State’ list as well. It’s just the nature of the beast.

[oksportsguy]

You have to stop listening to these talking heads, with their puffed up egos. Actions speak louder then words. Adande seems more upset about not being able to go to his favorite restaurant in Seattle then he did about the team moving.

We in OK are all to familiar with these sports reporters that talk just to hear themselves. There will alway be nay sayers, we just have to ignore their ramblings and look to the fact that we now have our own team and show what kind of sports fans we are in OK. In time all of this will pass and most people will forget all of this turmoil, that is except people in Seattle.

[mnkinga23]

I realize that people don't like the way that the team came here and I fully understand that. I was just saying that if an Oklahoman or any other journalist came out and said that the city of Seattle is awful and was denigrating the city people would be pissed. It is alright to make fun of Bennett, Stern, Schultz, etc. but what does the city have to do with any of it. Wasn't that what was said when this forum was made? And we're just fans.

[bmw42690]

^agreed.

The first video he talks about us not being able to support a 41 game season. When the Hornets were here i think we did just fine. The downtown area by the Ford Center continues to grow each year. There are hotels (4 nice ones atleast) in the downtown area with more going up. He might want to get his facts straight before he bashes OKC. I also find it funny that he tries to compare us with Vegas. Vegas is a destination that everyone would love to visit and OKC definitely is not in that league with them. No argument there.

The second video, if he wants to go to Seattle so bad then he can go watch the Mariners or Seahawks and eat at his restaurant. Or he can shut the hell up and stop criticizing us. Do i feel bad for Seattle? Yes i do. But its in the past now.

[McG]

I understand that, as local residents, some may feel the need to explain their overwhelming support for OKC basketball. That being said, you can't argue the facts. OKC is automatically one of the smallest markets in ANY of the Big 4 sports. While they may have supported a novelty team through 1.5 seasons, it remains to be seen if this can be sustained over a long period of time, especially with the mediocre product they will put on the floor over the next few seasons. Adande may have been a little over passionate on the subject, but he certainly wasn't out of line in terms of stating realistic fears about the marketplace.

[mnkinga23]

I understand that, as local residents, some may feel the need to explain their overwhelming support for OKC basketball. That being said, you can't argue the facts. OKC is automatically one of the smallest markets in ANY of the Big 4 sports. While they may have supported a novelty team through 1.5 seasons, it remains to be seen if this can be sustained over a long period of time, especially with the mediocre product they will put on the floor over the next few seasons. Adande may have been a little over passionate on the subject, but he certainly wasn't out of line in terms of stating realistic fears about the marketplace.

People are going to question whether a market like OKC can sustain a professional team for the next twenty years, so no one is crying foul about that. For the record though, the Hornets were worse than the former Sonics when they came to OKC (19 wins to 20, close but worse) and its was 2 years not 1.5 unless ten games over two years counts for half a season. What I took offense too was the bashing of OKC because the inverse wouldn't be allowed. Berry Trammel got called a rabble rouser for telling Oklahomans to enjoy the team without guilt.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-14/A-Shot-to-the-Gut-of-Seattle-Fans.html
All that I'm saying is that if it is good for the goose, it should be good for the gander. If people like Adande can just blast OKC one should, if so inclined, be allowed to take the same shots at Seattle. For the record, I would like for the ugliness of the whole situation to go away and the new team to have a chance to develop its own identity.

[bmw42690]

^that would be great but unfortunately wont be the case for the time being. To be honest i think the Hornets were worse on paper than this OKC team. Of course they probably won't win like the Hornets did. I think its stupid people can bash OKC. Plus if we say one thing about Seattle people jump down our throats. Its not a fair fight because we cant defend ourselves. IIm sick and tired of it.

[ljp24]

cmon, have you people not heard of JA before? He does this all the time. Plus he's the only decent PTI sub available(sorry Dan)

[london sonic]

Being a englishman and fan of all seattle sports teams for 10 years.I have neutral perspective in this discussion the guy does state facts which I agree with in the first you tube clip but the little dig about filling the stadium is just not needed.The point is youve got a team now embrace it you guys, stop dwelling on stupid sportswriters cause your the lucky ones imagine you had a season ticket with the sooners for 10 years and then the team moved to seattle how would you feel.I support the sonics no thunder wherever they are as they are still my team. ps the boz rules