Sonics Fans: Who do you root for post potential move?

Dids · #1 07-03-2007, 12:54 PM

Assuming that your choices here are

1- The Las Vegas/OKC/Whatever Sonics

2- The Portland Trailblazers.

Both franchises are young, seem to be lead by very talented GMs, have just drafted one in every 20 year players and stand to be pretty damn good in 5 years.

Can you follow a team halfway across the country?

Can you root for a once hated rival that's now the team closest to you geographically?

I honestly don't know what I'll do. I'd like to think I'd root for the Sonics, but when I moved to Seattle it didn't take long for my weird "I don't live near anything" Royals/Lakers/Raiders/Tampa Bay fandom to die off in favor of the teams I read and heard about every day. (moving to Seattle in the heat of the 95 run also helped a lot)

I kinda pathetically think that it might have a lot to do with how KJR and other local media decides to cover things. If they stay Sonics heavy, and it's easy to keep in touch, then maybe I'm still a Supes fan. If they focus on Portland, I can see drifting into Blazer fandom.

If Kevin Durant is as awesome as I think he will be, that may be a huge part of the decision (which is not likely to actually be a concious decision). I mean, I love A-Rod, and because of that I've occasionally rooted for the satan spawn that is the Yankees.

Your thoughts?

ThaSaltCracka · #2 07-03-2007, 01:03 PM

Since I live in Portland now, its clearly Portland. If I lived in Seattle and the Sonics moved, I would likely not really follow the NBA at all.

WayAbvPar · #3 07-03-2007, 01:07 PM

No way in hell I can root for Portland. I will probably just follow the NBA even less than I do now. Looking forward to seeing how the young team they are putting together now matures though.

ThaSaltCracka · #4 07-03-2007, 01:09 PM

Just a forward before Seattle fans flame me. I was born in portland and rooted for them as a kid, but when I moved to Seattle I started rooting for the Sonics. But, I am back in P-Town and we have Oden, Roy, Aldridge, and Sergio HOLLA.

Brooklyn · #5 07-03-2007, 01:13 PM

Vancouver Grizzlies

btmagnetw · #6 07-03-2007, 01:17 PM

if you like winning, root for seattle. i'm always wary of hyped up players with no experience in the nba but there is nothing to suggest durant isn't going to be an unbelievable player. his attitude says it all.

Clarkmeister · #7 07-03-2007, 01:29 PM

I'd put the chance at Vegas at very nearly zero. No suitable arena, or even viable plan for one, and the gambling issue isn't going to go away.

Isn't the current ownership group from OKC? I'd guess that's the overwhelming favorite.

Clarkmeister · #8 07-03-2007, 01:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
there is nothing to suggest durant isn't going to be an unbelievable player. his attitude says it all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm actually a Durant skeptic, but since he's on my dynasty league fantasy team, I'm really hoping he kicks ass.

Dids · #9 07-03-2007, 01:46 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'd put the chance at Vegas at very nearly zero. No suitable arena, or even viable plan for one, and the gambling issue isn't going to go away.

Isn't the current ownership group from OKC? I'd guess that's the overwhelming favorite.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just tossed out Vegas because OKC is far from a lock.

The best deal is still going to be in Seattle, assuming Bennett can get the public funding he wants. It's hard to say if he's done a [censored] job trying to get that, or if he's just going through the motions so he can move them home.

Part of what's going on is that the first proposal had to be shut down so that Bennett could make a threat. Now people will actually start trying to find solutions. The Seattle City Council and the State Legislature haven't been very friendly in this regard, but I think that may change. Also I tend to think that David Stern has a slightly vested interestin keeping a team in Seattle, and I imagine he may start throwing his weight around the closer to a reality this becomes.

SomethingClever · #10 07-03-2007, 02:00 PM

I grew up in Portland and have been a pretty huge Blazers fan at various times in my life, but I never actively hated the Sonics.

I'm kinda surprised to hear from Sonics fans that hate the Blazers.

I'll usually root for the Sonics over another team without any affiliation.

FWIW I went to college in Tacoma and lived in Seattle for a few years after that.