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Post by drhibbert on Jul 21, 2008 13:05:47 GMT -5
Fair point, but it's worth noting that the OKC Thunderbirdcats will very likely have TV rights to more than one market on that list - Tulsa, for example, and maybe as far north as Kansas if the NBA allows - which will increase their viewing numbers significantly.
That said, it's pretty obvious that the only reason Bennett is shipping off Seattle's institution is because he, personally, wants a team in the hayseed town he comes from. Whether or not it would make more money in a bigger market is a comparatively minor issue.
Edit: StPetersburgHoya types faster.
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vcjack
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Post by vcjack on Jul 21, 2008 13:24:11 GMT -5
maybe they should be the Tornado! But seriously, can we make it a law that team nicknames have to end in the letter 's'? Seriously, try naming all of the professional sports teams that don't end with 's'. And then try doing it without using any NHL or WNBA teams
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SirSaxa
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Post by SirSaxa on Jul 21, 2008 13:24:55 GMT -5
That said, it's pretty obvious that the only reason Bennett is shipping off Seattle's institution is because he, personally, wants a team in the hayseed town he comes from. Whether or not it would make more money in a bigger market is a comparatively minor issue. Edit: StPetersburgHoya types faster. That is exactly the point Dr. Hibbert. A League that is supposedly managed professionally for the best long-term interest of all the teams doesn't put a franchise in a minor league town.
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RDF
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Post by RDF on Jul 21, 2008 13:46:56 GMT -5
For goodness sake DFW--get a sense of humor--I wasn't serious--just think it would be a cool name. Kind of like changing "Redskins" to Washington White Guys and watch the protests come from all over if that happened.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jul 21, 2008 13:49:21 GMT -5
Like Charlotte?
That was a minor league town for a long time too, until the 1990s.
Call it hayseed if you want, but Okla. City is experiencing solid growth and is actually doing pretty well economically, better than most of the rest of the country.
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Post by drhibbert on Jul 21, 2008 14:00:06 GMT -5
I know, I know. As much as I like to rag on Oklahoma (and despise Clay Bennett), I'm a native Portlander, so I actually have a pretty good idea how a small market town can support a major-league franchise, especially when it's the only pro sport in town. I'm probably just edgy because of my sinking suspicion that Paul Allen is about to ship off the Blazers to a newly-open KeyArena any minute now.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 21, 2008 14:09:02 GMT -5
But seriously, can we make it a law that team nicknames have to end in the letter 's'? Seriously, try naming all of the professional sports teams that don't end with 's'. And then try doing it without using any NHL or WNBA teams The Heat (admittedly almost a WNBA team last year), Jazz, and Magic say hi.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Jul 21, 2008 15:01:25 GMT -5
I know, I know. As much as I like to rag on Oklahoma (and despise Clay Bennett), I'm a native Portlander, so I actually have a pretty good idea how a small market town can support a major-league franchise, especially when it's the only pro sport in town. I'm probably just edgy because of my sinking suspicion that Paul Allen is about to ship off the Blazers to a newly-open KeyArena any minute now. Hey, nobody hates the Irsays more than I. And nobody hates Art Modell more than Clevelanders. I don't mind outrage at the owner, I just think everyone here -- not just you -- has been a little hard on Oklahoma City, which has proven (IMO) it can support a franchise. My "screw Seattle" comment from before was just a joke. My sister used to live there and it's a wonderful place, so I have nothing against people there, and I know how they all feel having lost one of my favorite teams a while back. On another subject, do Red Sox and White Sox count? If not, I'll have to go to the NHL, I guess.
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ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Jul 22, 2008 10:42:30 GMT -5
anytime i hear the name Oklahoma City Thunder I am going to hear the monster truck rally-ish voice from the Baltimore Thunder indoor lacrosse team commercials from when i was a kid.
Mr, Bennett, Mr. Stern, and anyone else involved in this naming decision: You #&%&ed up.
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Post by redskins12820 on Jul 22, 2008 12:42:37 GMT -5
Seriously, try naming all of the professional sports teams that don't end with 's'. And then try doing it without using any NHL or WNBA teams The Heat (admittedly almost a WNBA team last year), Jazz, and Magic say hi. You didn't ban MLS (okay they probably fall within the same category) but New England Revolution and Los Angeles Galaxy come to mind
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Jul 22, 2008 12:50:42 GMT -5
The Heat (admittedly almost a WNBA team last year), Jazz, and Magic say hi. You didn't ban MLS (okay they probably fall within the same category) but New England Revolution and Los Angeles Galaxy come to mind To say nothing of FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Columbus Crew, KC Wiz, Chivas USA, Chicago Fire, DC United, Real Salt Lake, and Toronto FC. Pluralized team names are the exception there (e.g. San Jose Earthquakes). But soccer comes from a different background- very few European clubs have any sort of official nickname, though most have informal, fan-created (and therefore more organic) nicknames (Spurs for Tottenham Hotspur, Gunners for Arsenal, Magpies for Newcastle, etc. )
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thornski
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Post by thornski on Jul 26, 2008 8:39:04 GMT -5
NBA filed 6 possible names with the US & Patent Trademark office...Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind I thought Thunder was pretty lame...but seriously, the Oklahoma City Wind? Energy? Who comes up with these? sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3505617
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Jul 26, 2008 9:30:50 GMT -5
Before we cast stones at other teams' nicknames ................................
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 26, 2008 13:06:10 GMT -5
Bison and Barons are ok names though - Wind just makes me think of the character from Captain Planet.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Jul 26, 2008 17:54:01 GMT -5
Before we cast stones at other teams' nicknames ................................ Yeah, would want a nickname that's both unique and tied to the team's history? Oh, wait, those are the BEST names. I don't know anyone who likes Thunder. It sucks. It doesn't tie that well to the area (quite a few places have Thunderstorms), it sounds generic and it's singular. It's also the name of the Golden State Warriors' mascot. Look at Oklahoma -- Sooners is a great nickname. They should have gone with something distinctive and tied to Oklahoma.
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thornski
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Post by thornski on Jul 26, 2008 21:12:01 GMT -5
Barons is pretty cool, but that's really about it in my mind.
Marshals would also be alright - but don't really like how they registered it with two Ls - I know that it's technically an alternate spelling, but it makes me think more of the department store than a group of sheriffs.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Jul 26, 2008 21:32:35 GMT -5
Oklahoma City Wind: This team blows
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FewFAC
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Post by FewFAC on Jul 26, 2008 22:05:25 GMT -5
Does this mean we can start calling Jeff Zeus?
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jul 29, 2008 6:48:00 GMT -5
Here is some commentary and your chance to vote on the possible names....
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Post by washingtonhoya on Jul 29, 2008 8:53:34 GMT -5
Oklahoma City (Robber) Barons. I like.
In all seriousness, though, these are all perfect minor league names for a minor league city--Hell, call them the Energy and they'd fit right in with the NBDL Energy, straight out of the metropolis of Des Moines, IA.
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