jenn_gp wrote:Kane2111 wrote:I joined the forum to offer my support. I'm rather surprised by how paranoid and reactionary you guys have been. I haven't logged on for a few days and all the posts I'm seeing is "Kane is from Oklahoma!!! BURN HIM ALIVE!". Calm down.
I thought my post was very calm...I was simply just asking you a few questions and warned you about the zero tolerance policy we have going on between us and OKC.
And the reaction from us hasn't been as dramatic as you think. If I recall, several people said they had been ignoring you up to this point. I was trying, but each time you posted, your tone became quite clear.
As Sweezo said, move on. I honestly don't know how people are going to take you seriously after this though.
Jenn. I'm not personally pointing out anyone. I know that one poster in particular called me a toothless, uneducated OKC and I should "go back to OKC". Another guy just started a thread (that is locked, thankfully) basically cussing me out for no apparent reason. I really don't get it. It seems like there is a lot of pent up frustration and anger and everyone is looking for someone to attack. I just don't appreciate being made a villain for a slightly opposing view to the mob. I'm suffering through this just like everyone else, but I'm taking the moral high ground here. There is a LOT for us to be appreciative for.
I have a short story that I'd like to share with everyone that might make everyone feel a small bit better. It sure as heck has made me feel better about this whole mess. It's along the lines of this thread's spirit so I think it's a relevant to our discussion.
The day after the Boston Celtics absolutely demolished the Lakers in embarrassing fashion, I went out with a bunch of my friends to a bar called "Time Out" in Kirkland (we were on the east side and it was the only place with people in the middle of the week). My friends are all NBA fans. A few of them were wearing Celtic gear. They thought it would be fun to go out to the bar dressed in Celtic gear and gloat about the victory. We bumped into a few Laker fans at the bar which made for some light-hearted fun faux fighting. In the middle of the celebration, some old man came up to my buddy. My buddy happened to be wearing a Paul Pierce jersey and was giddy from the victory.
The old man went right up to my buddy wearing the Boston jersey and said to him, "I still say Cincinnati is better".... my friend looked confused and gave a little courtesy laugh for what he perceived was just a silly/dump nonsensical joke. But the old man had a sly little smirk on his face and repeated it again. "I'm serious. I still say Cincinnati is better than Boston". At this point you could tell my friend was thinking, "haha... crazy old drunk is obviously a fan of the Reds and wants to pretend his favorite baseball team is better than my Celtics". At this point I started laughing too, because I knew what the old man was trying to do. The old man looked at me and said, "Do you know what I'm talking about? Cincinnati is way better". And I says to him, "Of course. I hear you. The Royals would kick the Celtic's butt!" The oldtimer looked shocked that some young whippersnapper actually knew what he was talking about. Next, he looked at me and tested my historical bball knowledge further... "Best point guard ever", he said. I responded with, "Oscar Robertson... guy averaged a triple double. He was like LeBron before LeBron". The old man got a big ol grin on his face, shook my hand and walked away pleased. My young Seattle friend was still dumfounded and confused.
I've felt better about the Sonic's situation ever since. The point is, the Seattle SuperSonics may be effectively as dead as the Cincinnati Royals, but they will continue to live on in our hearts and memories. They might cease to exist... that team in Oklahoma might own the identity as much as the Sacramento Kings currently own the identity of the "The Big O"'s former team, but that will not kill those memories. 30-40 years from now we can stumble drunkenly into a bar after a Chicago Bulls title, walk up to some young whippersnapper and tell him, "I still say Seattle is better. Best defensive point guard ever". They might look at us with perplexed looks, but we'll know.... SuperSonics. Gary Payton. 1996 will live on forever. We can look up at the sky with a big ol grin and wink at the stars. We know the real deal. The franchise might be dead, but not to us. And that's all that really matters. I'll always cherish my time at Key Arena in the mid 90s. I still have a Squatch poster somewhere in my closet. That fact that Seattle will inevitably be a forgotten footnote in the history of the NBA doesn't matter to me. It doesn't take away those experiences from me. GP Glove with the steal... driving into the lane (best finisher in the NBA) followed by the sound of tire tracks screeching. Det draining a silky smooth shot. Sam Perkins with his infamous line drives. In the midst of a comeback the jumbotron showing Kemp bellowing, "The Sonics Baby!!! YEaaah... YEAAAAH..... YEAAAAAAH!!!! (which, incidentially, they played some years later in the middle of a Sonic/Blazers game that I attended while Kemp sat on the Portland bench festering in a drug-enduced sulk. Funniest moment of my entire Sonic fandom -- until the Blazers ended up putting Shawn into the game and he inexplicably rattled off 11 straight points to massive cheers from the Seattle crowd.). I'll always remember those amazing moments. They will linger on forever.
