Breaking up is hard to do....

I feel like a jilted ex-boyfriend. My girl dumped me, moved out of town and now her new boyfriend showers her with affection and love. Yes, I miss her. Especially tonight when I see her out with her new man. My ex? The team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics.

They tipped off tonight in their new ugly uniforms with their new ugly fans. Whenever I feel overcome with sadness, I find it helpful to put together a list of things I don't miss.

• Earl Watson - Stop me Sonics fans if this line looks familiar. 3/9, 8 pts, 4 assists and the team was a minus 16 with the "Pearl" on the floor.
• Bad losses - In front of what was undoubtedly a sell-out crowd, the TFKATSS (squint your eyes and that looks like fat-ass) lost to a Milwaukee team playing a second night in a row. Not only did they lose, they scored 14 points in the first quarter and were down 15 at halftime. PJ, the master motivator, strikes again.
  
• Helping to pad the other team's stats - I remember watching Raymond Felton play against the Sonics last year and this usually mediocre guy looked like an All-Star. Absolutely unstoppable. He dropped 23 and 6 and hit the game-winning shot. Tonight's Raymond Felton? Charlie Villanueva, who dropped 20 and 12. (He averaged 12 and 6 last year.)

So why do I miss them? I'm not sure. I just do.

Seattle: "We're #1 (Among Places to Live)!"

I play a little game sometimes when I watch ESPN and see scores flash across the bottom of the screen. As the matchups go by, I choose which school/city I'd rather attend/live in of the two facing off. So if it's "Texas vs. Oklahoma State," of course I pick Texas. If the Chargers and Bills clash, I opt for San Diego. Luckily for me and my living situation, I choose Seattle over just about anywhere, unless perhaps a future basketball franchise plays this team.

With the NHL, sometimes I can't come up with an answer before the score changes. I have to think twice about "Thrashers vs. Predators," not only because those teams aren't immediately identifiable to this non-hockey fan, but also because I'd rather not live in Atlanta or Nashville (under duress, I guess I would choose Nashvegas). 

So I was confused the other night when I saw "Thunder vs. Suns." I thought maybe there was some barnstorming team playing a preseason game in Phoenix. Or was it possible I had missed out on some meteorological death match? When I realized what was going on, it was another hurtful reminder of Oklahoma City's theft of the Sonics. On the flip side, I knew I had found the major-league city I would least like to live in. Houston, you're off the schneid.

Seriously?

The start of the NBA preseason is re-opening a lot of old wounds about the Sonics. And I'm bitter. Quick lesson, Oklahoma City. Part of the responsibility of having a real NBA team is to have real reporters following the team who know what they are talking about. After reading this blog post, I think we might need to step in and revoke some press credentials.

Here's some of the high (or low) lights from Mike Sherman, "sports editor":

"Remember all the folks who told us Oklahoma City was delusional to think it was getting an NBA team? Remember those who laughed when we thought the Hornets might stay? Remember when we were told that Mr. Microsoft, Mr. Coffee and Slade Gorton and all those superior intellects, millionaires and “revealing emails” were going to force Clay Bennett’s group to sell the team?"

Wait - did I miss something? Last I checked, it was the NEW ORLEANS Hornets.

"Loved the road unis. LOVE THEM. The look like the New York Knicks’ roadies and that’s a good thing. The “Oklahoma City” on the front might be crowded, but hey, you’ve got to fly the flag. I heard some folks say the “OKC” would have looked better. I might have even been one of them. If I was, I was wrong.

Spelling it out is a political statement. This team is representing the city and the taxpayers who made its presence here possible. And the ownership group is broadcasting that to the world and every NBA city the Thunder visits by wearing “Oklahoma City” across the franchise’s chest. It’s a sign of appreciation, respect and gratitude. Good call, Clay."

The first thing you point out is the uniform? Seriously? And is this guy serious that spelling out the city's full name is a sign of respect? Hold on, I am too busy stabbing myself in the eye ball.

"These guys won’t be the Phoenix Suns, but I’ve got a hunch that they’re more suited to a fast-paced, open-court style of play ... There was a concern about Westbrook’s natural playmaking skills at point guard and those skills are less important in the open court."

By that logic, Steve Nash's "playmaking" skills are not that important because Phoenix plays in an up-tempo system. Good point guard skills are even more paramount in an up-tempo system. All the really good up-tempo teams in the NBA have a good PG with "playmaking" skills. And the bad ones are still searching. See: Denver Nuggets.

"Some of my colleagues at The Oklahoman say we should leave it up to the Thunder coaches and GM Sam Presti to decide who starts. Clay Bennett agrees with them because he hired those guys and not me, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t offer opinions and observations."

First Amendment scholars everywhere rejoice.

"My interest in the NBA is, of course, greater than my expertise in it. But watching these games is a great way for all of us to learn. And no matter how complicated some try to make it, if we watch the game, and keep our mind and ears open, we all can learn a lot quickly."

I'll leave the lack of expertise comment alone since I think that point is pretty self-evident. What's with the rah-rah 'let's learn together' routine?

"My eyes tell me Russell Westbrook is going to be a ballplayer."

This is about the only thing in his post that I can agree with --- because SGB made that point nearly five months ago.

Can You Hear It From Here?

In this time of underwhelming Seattle sports teams, anything will make one irritable. That goes even for the unveiling of open secrets: the former SuperSonics are now officially the former SuperSonics. Folks, a big hand for YOUR Oklahoma City Thunder. Many people knew this name for weeks, and team merchandise showed up online just before the public announcement. Owner Clay Bennett summoned the gall to lament this at the press conference: "I was disappointed in the image being released." Oh, so the NBA didn't make a good-faith effort to keep your team's surprise name under wraps? Mr. Bennett, I hope this is the first of many disappointments for you.

Of course this was little more than a formality, but its symbolic weight is heavy. TrueHoop puts it nicely. This is just one more milepost as the Sonics shrink in the NBA's rear-view mirror. Another one was Howard Schultz dropping his half-court heave of a lawsuit. Yet another will be the first game the Thunder take (takes?) the floor. 

An ESPN SportsNation poll notes, "This is a very bold choice by Oklahoma City, becoming only the fourth NBA franchise to choose a non-plural team name." How many Oklahomans do you think know their team's name is a collective noun? Yes, I nitpick, even as I realize its uselessness. If we keep carping, we risk looking like the ex-boyfriend who says he's better off without the girl, as he does slow drive-bys around her house. But seriously, who cares?

Therefore we're left with undignified attempts at salvaging dignity wherever we can find it. So here goes: the aforementioned SportsNation poll finds that 46.1% of voters hate the new nickname, while only 12.2% love it. (That'll learn 'em.) It also found that most respondents' favorite number is purple. However, that information is embargoed until tomorrow. But don't worry, David Stern will steal its thunder and release the results prematurely online.

Wind?! Blows.

Why have one name when six will do? Apparently, the Thunder isn't the only option being considered for the former Sonics. What I love most about this short, otherwise straightforward article is this: "Marshal is usually spelled with one l. It's not clear why the league used a variant spelling." Perhaps Clay Bennett wants to honor this late manther and fellow oil baron. I'll leave the snark heavy lifting to TrueHoop.

Will my M's headband get me a free hotdog?

Ok, so this is weird. With rumors flying that the former Sonics will soon be known as the Oklahoma City Thunder, the entrepreneurial minds behind the New York Yankees' AA affiliate have offered any person wearing Sonics paraphernalia a free ticket to a Trenton Thunder game. As Trenton General Manager Brad Taylor said in the press release, “We just want to help ease the pain for Sonics fans worldwide.”

I doubt any self-respecting Sonics fan will stoop so low as to trade on his or her fanhood for a free ticket to a minor league baseball game. I mean, sure we lost the team we've followed for 41 years, but hey, at least we get to watch the team atop the Eastern League take on the Altoona Curve for free! Dag, that's like, ten bucks! Sweet! Who's complaining!? We're making out like bandits!