For the first time in Oklahoma City’s NBA history, it appears the season could start without a player with obvious Oklahoma connections in the home locker room at the Ford Center. With Etan Thomas’ departure, the Desmond Mason Memorial Token Okie Roster Spot is unfilled.
I think we can handle it. People seem to be excited about the team for some reason despite the dearth of Oklahomans.
Still, the Thunder values its local connections and I could see the team making a move to bring a local player downtown. We’re talking about someone at the end of the bench anyway. Thomas, for example, played as much as you and I did for three solid months last season. Let’s explore unsigned options.
Yes. Ryan, Okla. Where else would he be born? Come home, Chuck. Come home and help us beat the Lakers.
I heard he wears Sam Presti pajamas to bed.
You’re aware the meat of the playoffs is in May, right? The month synonymous with tornadoes ’round these parts? Can you possibly think of a man better suited to guide the team through this treacherous stretch? Get me the most beloved television weatherman in the Oklahoma City viewing area.
Gary will be keeping the team advised at all times. The man who can calm any Oklahoman in a storm will be right there in the huddle, communicating also with the weather gods and pushing all storms south through Moore. And he’ll be off the airwaves, forcing the opposition to rely on lesser weathermen for information and playing scared.
Who doesn’t get along with the Switz? A lot has been said about not screwing up the Thunder’s chemistry. Do you really think Switzer would be no fun in the card games on the team charter?
He’s got a championship legacy. He still lives close by. He gets big ovations on the scoreboard at home games when he shows up. No reason why not to keep him around more often anyway. He’s like the affable regular at the bar who buys you drinks and has cool stories.
Give me one good reason why she shouldn’t be in the Ford Center a minimum of 43 nights a year.
See above, but as a shoutout to the female readers.
He’s the master of earmarks. He brings home the bacon. Can you imagine what he could do to swell the Thunder payroll?
Inhofe makes no bones about getting money sent to Oklahoma from the federal government. Let’s get him started sending money to the Thunder somehow. No need to worry about spending or the luxury tax or anything else, we’ll just dip in the taxpayer well and sign whoever we need, and do it again to cover up mistakes. Can you imagine Sam Presti with an unlimited budget?
Taylor Griffin, Oklahoma City/OU, or John Lucas III, OSU
As players with NBA experience who have a legitimate shot at making an NBA camp, they have no place on this list.
Jason White, Tuttle/OU
I sort of feel sorry for Jason White now that Sam Bradford came along. No one really cares about him anymore, and he didn’t get drafted at all, much less go No. 1 overall like Bradford. I was coming out of a movie late one night at the mall the week before Christmas and saw him stocking shelves at his Bedlam store and realized there was no way in hell I’d ever see Bradford doing that within six years of winning the Heisman.
Let’s get him the year of riding the bench in the pros we always knew he deserved.
Hinder, Oklahoma City
So we could throw rocks at them during halftime.
Who else?
come on lose your man card you know its the "notebook" and you know you have watched "dear john" also
I vote we just adopt Ibaka as an honorary Oklahoman
Seriously??? It was a joke in a sports article...are you going to cry about it too?
I didn't say legitimate, I said intellectual. And this has nothing to do with party affiliations.
Bush graduated from Yale and earned his MBA from Harvard Business school, does that make him any more or less legitimate?
Not to be too critical here but our POTUS is definitely not a faux intellectual. You can't reach the head of the board at Harvard Law School as a fake.
I am unable to post from my work computer with this new system.
I think Rumble needs a halftime partner. We should have Shannon Miller and Rumble do some tumbling
she is the perfect height for the players, she comes up to their waist and so they wont be able to find her
I would suggest Kristen Chenowith but the lack of size (I think she's 5'0 in heels... tall heels) really limits what she can bring to the table.
remember this comment system is just a test, royce might have other choices or go back to the old one.
Really dude? Good thing your opinion matters. Good article Mr. James.
Just Watching the video "Catching up with Kevin Durant" it still amazes me how good natured of a person he is. He is a person that commands respect because he gives respect, and I think that is something great role models are made of.
Ok, my droid is doing great with this system. I thinks its because i'm logging in through an account, rather than using a non-account email. Phone users may have to bite the bullet and sign up for an openid or disquss acount. My droid has kept my login info in cache between this post and the last one.
@Mr. Smith
I've had all of the same problems as well...
Just test the comment system out on my droid.
I'm with you on that one. If the Thunder have another sucessful season on the court, they will certainly have a great year for revenue.
In that case, I can't imagine that they wouldn't be willing to take a serious look at adding some championship caliber players and exceeding the cap. This ownership/managment group seems to have a lot of pride. I feel like they would try to make a run, regardless of cost.
Oh, Royce...
I tried to post from my phone yesterday (HTC Tilt 2 on AT&T) and could not get it to post. It kept giving me a wierd error message.
I think someone else (Steve H, maybe) said they had a problem posting from their iphone. You know I'm not going anywhere, but just something to keep in mind when thinking about traffic and attracting new readers.
Also, I still can't get the stupid thing to let me post as "Bryan" again, even if I change the name. And it still won't let me post without typing in my email address each time.
To Mr. Smith's point about dramatic increases in revenue,
It would be an atrocisity to see this franchise continue to grow on the court, and in the pocket of the front office, and not fork up the money to go into the luxury tax. At this rate, I don't see how they couldn't.. but you never know.
Ha, nice post Patrick.
Clearly the Thunder have finally transcended the need for a token Okie, though I would love to see Gary England suit up. Today's forecast, cloudy with a chance of..... yeah, no need to finish that one.
But seriously, the Thunder are sitting pretty when it comes to the home fan base. And I'm certain there are a fair number of Texans who follow Durant and KU fans who will be following the development of their boy Aldridge. Were it not for the Bulls putting together a really nice team, the Thunder would have I-35 sewn up.
Plus, with Durant getting ready to lead Team USA overseas, and with recent tours in China and elsewhere, I can’t imagine that the team does not win over some fans abroad.
Add the obvious media attention and TV games and, well, I think it’s pretty obvious that the Thunder are about to see a dramatic increase in revenue.
I don’t recall who wrote the article about the most valuable contracts in the NBA (based upon contract size versus boost to team revenue), but I don’t think Durant will be second place to Lebron much longer.
Carrie underwood over the flaming lips, seriously? Dude, all she did was destroy the cowboys.
Did the recent influx of anonymous posters and bashing/trolling on some of the DT articles have anything to do with the switch to the new commenting system? Whether intended or not, the new system is designed to make that sort of thing less common.
I watched the video "Catching up with Kevin Durant" on the side bar to the right. During that interview, he was asked about not being invited, and Kevin said that he thought those players that were invited were involved in the campaign (which KD wasn't). I'm not sure who told KD that bit of info, I haven't heard that anywhere else, but if it's true then that is probably why.
maybe cause etan is all faux intellectual like the POTUS
You did actually read the description for Inhoffe, right? It is called "tounge in cheek".
BTW, posting on the mobile version of this site is a huge hassle now. You have to scroll up and log in to post EVERY TIME. It used to be really easy. I'm not digging the new format.
How did Etan Thomas find his way to the White House pickup game but KD didn't?
@Bring Back Old Comments
Given all his ties to Oklahoma, it's borderline enough. Granted, I do enjoy your login name.
How about 3rd PG? Either Hollis Price (OU) or John Starks (Tulsa Central). Two guys with a lot of heart.
I'm going to be the jerk that points out Desmond Mason isn't an Okie.
because this article was serious?
the nba has a lot of oklahoma based players now, griffins, udoh, orton
i saw a desmond mason thunder jersey at on deck the other day... only in oklahoma would we continue to sell a jersey of a player who hasn't played here in a year or two...
Inhofe is a horrible Senator. This site just lost some points for the first time. Unlike most sports blogs, you had yet to do much in the way of politics, and that was appreciated. Too bad it didn't stay that way.
James Garner, Norman
He's a legend of the silver screen and starred in two of the best westerns ever (Support your Local Sheriff and Support your Local Gunfighter). Plus he was in some movie my gf loves about some book of notes or something.
Well, Troy Aikman can start prepping Durant on his Hall of Fame speech. Plus, he can warn him about the dangers of concussions.
Garth Brooks can sing 'Thunder Rolls' at every halftime.
Johnny Bench can block people from driving to the hoop.
Ron Howard can be the token goofy looking guy until his brother shows up.
That's all I've got . . . .
I don't know why, but when I first read that title I thought it going to be about a 'toking okie', as in the thing okie's don't do in muskogee.
But as for who should be our next token okie on the bench? Najera. Just for that rare instance where you need that vigilante justice ala The Punisher.
No Flaming Lips? You failed my friend.