The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pick former Oklahoma Sooners star Blake Griffin Thursday with the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

However, there is not a consensus projection for the No. 2 pick and basketball analysts remain largely uncertain who the Memphis Grizzlies will choose tomorrow in Gotham.

In recognition of the NBA Draft, I have decided to rank the five most accomplished players selected second overall in the past quarter century.

1) Jason Kidd

Kidd, 36, attended the University of California and helped resurrect the Golden Bears dormant basketball program with his stellar play at the point guard position.

Continue reading "The NBA Drafts Five Best Second Overall Picks Since 1984 Sammy Sosa Is a Joke and He Does Not Deserve Induction into the HOF"

Over pizza at a local Old Chicago, we went over every option. Do we wait it out and become NBA widows and hope Seattle gets a team again? Do we take our alliance and move it down to the upswing rivals of Portland? Or do we dare follow OKC, which represented all that was wrong with the NBA? Though I loved Sam Presti and the core he was building (Westbrook, Durant, Green, etc.) I felt it was not the players I loved so much, it was the city and the history of the franchise that I loved. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Continue reading "How I became a Pacers fan"

My mother grew up in Oklahoma, and I remember two things about the visits there: the red dirt and my mom's talk about the tornadoes. I also like the name Oklahoma rather than Oklahoma City, since OKC regionalizes the team too much. With that, here's my suggestion:

Oklahoma Tornadoes

Team colors: Red, pewter and white

Pewter, a metal made mostly of tin with trace amounts of copper and antimony, is described as a "dirty silver".

Continue reading "What to name the new Oklahoma City NBA team"

From a marketing perspective, this is the best move the new franchise could have made.  Calabro is a beloved, respected and trusted broadcaster in the Pacific Northwest.  His voice on the air again will soothe the unsettled stomachs of those still distraught about losing their Sonics.  Others will tune in to watch soccer for the first time just so they can hear the man speak again.  But me, I'm not sure how I'll feel.

Continue reading "Good Golly Miss Molly"

The Sonics were 28th in the league in attendance (as one of the panelist pointed out), but that doesn't mean the city doesn't love their Sonics.  One, they had the second worst record in the NBA and two, they essentially played a lame duck season.  Neither of those is often associated with tremendous attendance figures.

Once again, DO NOT tell me the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City.  The team will help Oklahoma City.  Maybe the franchise will make money than it will in Seattle.  BUT, there is no way anyone can convince me that a new Oklahoma City team is better than a historic Seattle team if the teams were to make the NBA finals.  Stern, the NBA, and fans in the U.S. would rather have a team from Seattle than Oklahoma City in the finals.  Don't lie to me anymore about that.

Continue reading "Furious"

1. Seattle/Washington legislature are all idiots
If you are a Washington resident, I implore you to not re-elect our Governor (Christine Gregoire). If you live in Seattle, we need a new city council and Mayor. These people had a chance to keep the team here, twice! Yet, nothing was done. We need change if we are to ever get basketball back here again.

2. David Stern is a bastard...
I used to respect David Stern. Needless to say I no longer do. Because of him, I will no longer be able to hear him announce "The Seattle SuperSonics select..." during the NBA draft. I used to think he was the best commish in sports. He used to be the only one who would speak frankly, openly, and honestly. Before this ordeal, he had done a hell of a lot of good for this league. David Stern, you have lost the respect of everyone in the state of Washington. I hope you enjoy it.

Continue reading "It finally sets in and I am pissed"

Interesting Point #1:  How will the NBA's western conference be aligned?  Or is the NBA just going to rename the Northwest division?  Oklahoma City is not the northwest and as a resident of the northwest I would be annoyed by the labeling of Oklahoma City as northwest.  It's just not right.  Are they going to be put in the Southwest division, where they belong, making western conference divisions unbalanced?  We'll see.

Interesting Point #2: Oklahoma City will have the same appeal to rookies as Salk Lake City and Sacramento.  I hate to drag those two in here, but let's face it, it's the truth.  It's not surprising David Stern would allow something like this though.  He has proposed the ridiculous idea of the NBA in Europe.  No players are going to want to play their home games in Madrid or Oklahoma City.  This move adds one more unappealing destination for rookies in the NBA.

Continue reading "The Seattle SuperSonics"

Mayor Greg Nickles spoke at a press conference and addressed many factors. Some of them include that the NBA will notify the city if any teams become available. The NBA also decided that the Key Arena would be a viable option if the proposed 300 million dollar renovation plan goes through.

By letting the Sonics go, the city gets back on David Stern's good side. Supposedly, the Grizzlies are going to become available for sale soon (if they are not already), so Seattle could have a new team very soon. 

Continue reading "Seattle loses Sonics but gains NBAs respect"