(This is a new feature we’re trying out. Basically, it’s all about you, the reader. We’re all fans. We all love the team. And we all share experiences that only fans know about. Have a story about something crazy that happened after a game? Send it in. Want to rant about a guy that sits behind you and yells way to much at home games? Send it in. Are you an out-of-state fan that’s following the team from a distance and want to share what that’s like? Send it in. Want to talk about what it’s like battling the wife for the remote on game nights? Send. It. In. You get the idea. Reader MastrMatt kicks this thing off.)
Being a Thunder fan is fun. It was even fun last year.
Maybe that is my rookie-level basketball fandom speaking, but I’ve had a great time being a Thunder fan since the trucks rolled into town. Even in the face of last year’s 23 win season and being the doormat of league, I wore my Thunder shirts with pride. It wasn’t because I knew what kind of players this group would emerge as this year, but because it was my team. Even before the guys arrived it was exciting to debate what our team’s name, color scheme and logo should be. We were building this thing from the ground up and I was happy to be a part of it.
As a Sooner grad, it was strange for me to cheer for a lanky ex-longhorn that I prayed would twist an ankle just two years before. I didn’t care about all the people in Seattle crying in their coffee cups and I didn’t worry about corporate shenanigans and covert emails. I was just excited that OKC would finally be on the map as a big league city. The whole state was electric with anticipation and quickly fell in love with our team.
When the first game tipped off, my basketball knowledge fell somewhere in between a trained monkey and an 8-year-old playing ball at the YMCA. But I’m learning. I still have no idea what Thabocould do to improve his 3-ball. I can’t tell you how best to use our cap space and draft picks. I don’t understand the triangle offense and I don’t understand how Utah’s pick and roll has been unstoppable for 20 years. However, after a season and a half, I’m starting to understand some of the nuances of the game. I can see the little things that KD does to get separation from defenders or how Serge gets impatient when he thinks he might get to send a ball into Loud City. I’m starting to appreciate the every game effort and hustle of Nick Collison. Just like the guys on the team (albeit at a different level), I’m learning the game of basketball and what it takes to win.
Ninety-nine percent of the games I attend are with my wife. She’s a big Thunder fan too. It’s okay to be jealous. Thunder games are one more thing we can share together as a couple and make for a really fun date night. We are fortunate enough to have been able to attend quite a few games. We don’t have season tickets, but have managed to get tickets to the games we want to see. We’ve sat everywhere from the top row in Loud City to center court, two rows off the floor (where I got to meet Dominique Wilkins!!). We’ve probably seen a game from almost every vantage point in the arena and can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every game. The losses were less fun, but I still had a good time.
As big a sports fan as my wife is, she doesn’t really get as amped to watch games on TV. She has her weekly viewing schedule and it doesn’t usually include away games. Neither of us wants a marriage where I watch TV in one room while she watches TV in another and our interaction is limited me coming and going from the kitchen. We usually compromise and the Thunder game is our flip back channel. The occasions when basketball isn’t the flip back is where the iPhone has become my best friend. I can keep track of the game as well as spend “quality” time with her.
When I first suggested the idea for column like this to Royce, it was supposed to be something about what it is like to be a Thunder fan. I guess the answer that question has several layers. Being a Thunder fan is fun because it is exciting because we are playing so well and OKC is getting some national recognition for doing something right. It is frustrating because I don’t know everything about the game. It is stress relieving to lose myself for two hours. It is agonizing to see how subjective the officiating is. It is joyful to see a group of young men represent my home city with class and grace. It is painful to watch the guys play so hard and come up short (I still hate you Carmelo Anthony).
It is uplifting to watch them bounce back from a tough loss and work even harder the next game. It is refreshing to watch this team and see the true and absolute love they have for their profession. It is confusing. It almost feels like I’m cheating on football. There was a Thunder game on a Thursday night earlier this season. I had a choice to make. Do I watch the Thursday night college football game like normal (yes, my wife loves football too – I am lucky) or do I go to a Thunder game? I chose basketball and it felt weird. I’m not saying basketball, even Thunder basketball, will ever take the place of football, but I’m starting to believe there might be room in my heart for both.
Откуда у вас эта информация?
I was always and NBA fan but now I have a bona-fide rooting interest and my interest is as high as ever.
Other than this DT community and the like, the love is probably more national than local, but it's gotten a lot better. Last year it was way easier to start a GB Packer convo than a Thunder convo.
Also, if your not tuning in to Thunder games, then please do. This link (which might already be posted on another board) is alarming.
http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2010/02/08/why-arent-oklahomans-watching-the-thunder-on-tv/
@Diane
royce said he might have one for us, there will probably be a post about it on here if he has one.
@Amy - My husband likes to go to the games but doesn't like them on TV.
All my life I hardly ever watched TV and he watches alot. Everything has worked out for us like that - I'm low maintenance. I would love to go to a watch party but don't know how to find out about them.
Another thought - I wish Scott Brooks could give the guys, especially Durant more resting time during the game. I'm afraid they are getting tired and we have a ways to go in the season. Every team gets better as the season goes on and I think The Thunder was a head of everybody in the beginning and the other teams are catching up to us and we might not be improving that much any more anymore.
Saltgrass is very tasty. My wife and I like to go to nice joints on occasion. The Ranch in OKC is by far the best. Bring your wallet .. but it is awesome. We go to Mickey Mantles once a year to celebrate the day I proposed (that's where we went that night), and that place is LEGIT.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's fan stories.
@Aenema
I think women like women more and men like women more, so pretty much female servers do better. Guys tend to tip pretty women better too, not me though its all based on quality of service, you start at 15% and go up or down from there, bartenders do the best from me, i have tipped 50% before. I eat out a lot(pause) i am not really a cook, havnt been to saltgrass in awhile though, maybe ill need to go over there.
@f5alcon
If only they would let me. It's funny: My fiance used to work there until she got a real job, then I took her spot to work there while I'm in school. I already had an in with pretty much everyone because she is much more likable than me, mostly do to the looks department. And yes, Saltgrass is delicious but WAY out of my price range. Thank God I get half off or they'd never see my face walking in that door. I tell my tables when I feature items that they are little steeper in price. Our ppa (Per person average) is like 27 bucks or something like that...no thanks, I'll have Braums. But, if you've got the money, there isn't a better place to eat in the Norman area.
@Aenema
you know you wanna hook up fellow thunder fans with deals.
@Aenema
Mmmm... Saltgrass. So good.
A little expensive for a poor person like me, but it's so good.
@f5alcon
Hahaha, nice.
Royce, I'll eventually send you one from my unique perspective as a former basketball player, Student at OU, Server at Saltgrass Steakhouse, proud and lucky owner of a dvr, and supporter of many different sports. These all mesh in a very ridiculous way. It's good times.
Tonight is another of those instances where I might have to work on game night.
i agree that away game watch parties would be cool.. i almost always watch them by myself.. (my girlfriend watches them with me sometimes, but i know she doesn't want to)
@Royce Young
haha, she said she was married, usually thats a problem, even for me,lol, but im indian so i could be "computer repairman" like a more modern "poolboy" for women without pools.
@Royce Young
"Are you ready to THUNDER UP your love life?"
@f5alcon
I guess I need to make a "Singles" section now for DT, huh?
@Amy
I think this is why we need to have away game watch parties, I too am usually stuck watching alone. To clarify im not hitting on you.
yea I grew up with three brothers and a dad who were huge sports fans so thats really all I ever watched growing up.@Royce Young
I think it's a nice feature.
@Joe
yeah i think they need to redo it and focus more on the girls,lol
@Joe
As tired as I am of the "Thunder Up" commercials, I was out the other night (wearing my Zombie Sonics shirt) and had strangers scream the slogan from across the room. Two things that are awesome about that:
1) I immmediatly responded by yelling "Thunder Up" back and we instantly had something to talk about.
2) People were recognizing the Zombie Sonics shirt from across the room.
@Amy
Well that's the opposite of what most would expect.
I would love for my husband to love the thunder as much as I do, but unfortunately I usually have to watch the game by myself in the other room. (sigh)
I really am sick of the Thunder up commercials they play on TV with rumble and the girls. I've just seen it maybe 600 times. Enough already.
@kyle
like your perspective. I have seen alot of that happening especially lately. I have had a night class on tuesday nights the past few semesters and last year no one cared what the score was whenever i checked it during class (and announced it to everyone). Now whenever i check the scores (thank god for iphones) people ask questions about how many points kd has, or how many assists russ has. It has been really cool to see people's enthusiasm grow.
Like it Royce. Depending on what we have lined up I might have to do one from a student perspective and how I've seen it change just on campus where it's a popular topic to discuss during class, at a restaurant and having the waiters changed the channel, or even having people complain when it's not on the tv even when we are partying... It's been pretty cool to see
Must say though, being an engineer, writing skills are lacking, might give you an outline and let you make it look pretty haha
@Royce Young
I like it, get to understand where we all come from.
How does everyone feel about this feature? I think it could be pretty cool.
@f5alcon
I think you were clear, just wanted to make sure the terms that some people know are understood by all. I thought you did a really good job defining those aspects of the game.
@J.G.
thanks, yeah i probably still wasnt clear enough.
penalty = free throws for the other team
@Diane
a loose ball foul is a foul that occurs when no team is in control of the ball, so either when a rebound is happening or after a deflection of a pass or something like that.
a foul to give just means the team can foul one more time before the opposing team is in the penalty, usually the phrase is used in the last 2 mins, when only 2 fouls are needed for a team to be in the penalty. So the team has not fouled at all in the last 2 mins of the quarter.
Don't feel bad about not understanding basketball. I still don't understand what a loose ball foul is or how does a team get a fowl to give? Plus a whole bunch of other things. I just love basketball, its in the heart not the brain. I'm a big fan of baseball so I can see the competition starting.
Actually - two TV's in the house on cable probably saved my marriage, oh probably not but it helped alot, like two computers did.
GO THUNDER.
I think the fact that we get to see the start of something is special. Right now you may be a rookie to basketball, but in 5 or 10 years you will be a vet. I mean how many sports fans today get to say they have been there since the start of the franchise?
Yes! I was hoping this kind of article would start where we can send stuff in. I have a good one.
And this was a good one to start it off.