It’s become one of Kevin Durant and company’s favorite new things to call his team. Last year it was The Broingtons. This year it’s “Thunder U.” (If you’re dense, that means it’s like a college.)
The players are college age, the chemistry is college like and there city and fanbase, provides a college atmosphere. I’m sure marketing loves it when the players come up with a new theme all on their own. And how about this – “Thunder U(p)”? Pretty good right? Right?
Anyway, Darnell Mayberry relays this pretty cool story from inside the halls of Thunder U:
With the Thunder playing Charlotte in Fayetteville, N.C., some 20 miles from Eric Maynor’s hometown of Raeford, N.C., Maynor’s mother, Barbara, whipped up a team dinner for all 19 players and the coaching staff.
The team spent the eve of the exhibition opener with each other, inside a lounge on the fourth floor of the team hotel. They ate. They laughed. They played video games. They had a good time. Asked what was on his mother’s menu, Maynor rattled off a drool-worthy list of delicacies.
“Lasagna. Chicken. Macaroni and cheese. Pasta Salad. Cabbage,” Maynor said. “Very good home-cooked meal. Ain’t nothing like it.”
And Durant was just one of many Thunder players to validate Babara’s cooking.
“Yeah, she can throw down,” Durant said with a smile.
But Durant then noted how this wasn’t the first time the team has had Maynor’s mom’s cooking. She’s in Oklahoma City often, Durant said, and players have grown accustomed to receiving down-home hospitality from each player’s families.
“It’s kind of like we expect that now, from everybody, no matter where we’re at,” Durant said. “If we’re in D.C., my family’s going to do that for the team. If we’re in Minnesota,. Cole’s family’s going to do that for us. If we’re in L.A., Russell and James family is going to do that for us. So it’s kind of like normal now. We’re never on our own.”
Thunder U?
College teams don’t even have that much camaraderie. A team this close-knit sounds more like a high school football team, excitedly piling into the starting center’s house for homemade spaghetti before hitting the field on Friday night.
The lawyer who registered thunderu.com has a specialty in patent and trademark law. Either he did the work for somebody or saw an opportunity himself. If a trademark application was filed when the website was reserved it might get granted next year.
If you wanted to make thunder u t-shirts I'd do it before then.
Colin B :@Andy
Sweeter than Candy
Here is a quick mock-up based on your suggestion Andy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/oscilloscope/ThunderU_mockup.png
I would buy the hell out of that shirt.
@Andy Sweeter than Candy
Here is a quick mock-up based on your suggestion Andy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/oscilloscope/ThunderU_mockup.png
@DizzyDai
Ha! I guess I did, but indirectly. I was mostly referring to myself. I wish the game were televised so I could indulge.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Did you just call me a dork? ;)
I thought Byron would get a chance to start. You know you're a basketball junkie/dork when a Mullens vs Thabeet matchup piques your interest.
Mullens vs. Thabeet?!?!
Mullens is starting tonight.
This is from newsok.com.
"NOTEWORTHY
Second-year player Byron Mullens will start at center tonight. "We definitely want to keep looking at different combinations, different players," Brooks said. "Nothing's settled right now. We're still working and getting better as a group."... The Thunder will have today's shootaround session in its practice facility this morning and will bus to Tulsa at 3 p.m. for the 7 p.m. contest."
@Crow
hopefully we win a title before then this year or next year would be nice
@Keith
Maybe it could a series. First time in the playoffs was like Freshman year. "Graduate" / win title in 4 years? If they did then they would look good in cap & gown. Balls headed thru a basket with a trophy on top or something.
the best would be to mimic belushi's college shirt from animal house, dark blue with plain white font thunder u, that shirt would be sooooo awesome
@Crow
From what I understand, Royce has been given some sort of consent directly from the Thunder marketing department. When he first talked about doing shirts, there was a little bit of trepidation and caution, but he assured that he had been in contact with the right people all along. I don't know their specific stance on a Thunder U shirt, but I suspect Royce would be able to find out rather easily.
Side note, what I think would be a great shirt idea for Thunder U. Class photo look, everyone in grad gowns throwing basketballs up in the air (like their caps otherwise) while posing for the camera. If I were more graphically inclined, I would love to try and draw it.
Man, I can't say I blame KD. But I hope he keeps his head right and finds a girl of equal character.... Not hating.... just saying.
@The DON
That doesn't exactly look like a smoking gun.... She sent a tweet to KD about being at a Thunder game, and then he denies that they've involved. I'm not convinced. But expect silly rumors like this more and more.
Espn U..... Something like this would be great http://www.ravenswoodpubchicago.com/images/ESPNU.bmp
He'd be just a little too perfect if he didn't have a few minor character flaws. Them 22 year olds got a whole lotta hormones floating around.
He can do better.
That's Awsome!
That's hot!
This site's most electrifying poster (me, the DON) is making an appearance to share this bit of news about Durant:
http://mediatakeout.com/44129/on_the_come_up_guess_which_popular_groupie_is_now_dating_nba_superstar_kevin_durant_evidence_plus_nekkid_pics_inside.html
thunderu.com was taken by a lawyer in Edmond, Oklahoma last summer. I see the name but no reason to print it.
Lots of trademarks use Thunder in some fashion so I'd guess with some variation it should be possible to do so.
Doesn't look like Thunder Up is trademarked either.
It doesn't appear anyone has trademarked exactly "Thunder U" based on a query at the trademark office.
thunderu.com is already taken but lots of variations are available.
A site I checked says it takes 18 to 36 months to get a trademark approved, it costs at least $350 and you have to specify the goods it applies to.
@f5alcon
"KD started thunder U, if anybody had a trademark claim it would be him."
I was just thinking about that. Wonder if it was KD himself or his marketing guru Nate Jones. I'd lean toward KD but I don't know. Have they trademarked it? They probably should. A marketing genius should recommend that. They could do a ton of things with it.
If the official one hasn't already, then it has been done here.
@Floppy: Well Played, Sir!
I just started my own amateur meteorology club called Thunder U and I give the world permission to use our name for profit. You're welcome.
@Patrick
lighting hitting a U, that's good. Sorta reminiscent of the DT symbol.
I guess DailyThunder was tolerated by the team or by the law.
@BigVessXpress
A fake university seal with the bolt in it somewhere would probably look good and could be popular. Even if you were thinking basketball Thunder U or Thunder University seem like decent taglines compared to other stuff that gets put on shirts though Thunder U could have alternate interpretations, sought or not.
Or use a weird thunder color combo like yellow and orange.
Just avoid the word Thunder altogether and just have a shirt with lighting hitting a U. Thunder and lighting are used together often enough to get the point across and it would look cool.
@Crow
Pretty sure using UT in any way would be an even quicker way to get into hot water than using Thunder.
KD started thunder U, if anybody had a trademark claim it would be him. Though there are plenty of ways to not say thunder and people know what we mean.
this article makes me hungry.
“T.U.” is the reverse of U.T. Does Univ. of Texas use UT much? I am guessing yes but I am not in the market. That might be a pleasing reversal to some.
Maybe you could do something with KD from UT to TU.
KDUTTU to the max! You just got thunderstuck by the KDUTTU kid.
I could wander further but it can be dangerous or boring.
@Crow
If you stayed away from team colors and went with a sufficiently "college generic" font you might be able to get away with Thunder U. You might be even better off doing a fake university seal and actually spelling out Thunder University since Thunder U could be seen as a shortened version of Thunder Up. Easiest way around it, which I am 95% sure would work in terms of copyright law, is your idea of just a thunder symbol with U under it.
@DizzyDai
I don't know the delicacies of trademark law.
They don't own the word but if you use it in a way that reasonably could be thought to mean the Thunder team then you are probably in for at least being sued and then a judge or jury would decide.
I'd think you could and Thunder people would know what you meant.
She can throw down!
btw: the shirt could just be "T.U."
@Crow
That could be kind of awesome.
@Crow
They don't own the word. Right?
You might be able to do a generic thunderbolt symbol - U without infringement.
If it has Thunder in it, you'll have to ask the team or go illegal or somebody would have to ask and pay for licensing.
TempBoy Brandon :
we need a Thunder U t-shirt, stat.
Also, I didn't think I could love the Thunder any more but they keep making me do it.
TempBoy Brandon :we need a Thunder U t-shirt, stat.
TempBoy Brandon :
we need a Thunder U t-shirt, stat.
we need a Thunder U t-shirt, stat.
These stories may sound cheezy to many, but I just can't get enough of them.
Thunder U...where amazing dinners happen.
my goodness, can the Thunder story get any better? If we keep this up, players will be begging to take a min contract with us just to enjoy playing ball & hanging out again. Go Thunda!
This is awesome