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.