With the Seattle SuperSonics' despicable move to Oklahoma City all but complete, the newest question is: What will the new team be called?
Owner Clay Bennett and his band of sleazes have already decided that the team will leave the name, uniforms, and history in Seattle, so that should the city ever get another team, they could pick up where they left off.
The final four names being considered in an Oklahoma City newspaper contest are the "Barons," the "Thunderbirds," the "Thunder," or the "Outlaws."
Fans in the city are currently voting on which name they'd prefer for the new team. Let's go through them.
Barons
This one is my second-favorite, although it is still somewhat stupid. A definition of Baron is "a specific type of nobility." This would be quite the ironic name to give the team with the owners (specifically Bennett) from hell.
Plus, if they had come up with the idea to become the Barons sooner, perhaps they could have landed Baron Davis. Come on, Clay, THINK! Who wouldn't want to play on a team named after himself?
Thunderbirds
This is a terrible nickname. What's a thunderbird? It sounds like a Pokemon. If the Artists-Formerly-Known-As-The-Sonics went with this nickname, they would be the laughingstock of the NBA...even more so than they already are. Oklahoma City snagged an NBA team, not an Arena Football team.
Thunder
Really? Who let this one get into the final four? Even Thunderbirds (which is horrible) is better than this. This sounds like a WNBA team name. Seriously. "Here are the starting lineups for your...Oklahoma City Thunder!"
We can't let this happen. Kevin Durant is one of my favorite players, and I don't think I would be able to continue to support him if he was on a team with Sue Bird.
Outlaws
Clearly the best name of the four. Not only does it sound cool, it's perfect for Bennett's team. Just think of the potential free agents a team called the Outlaws could attract down the road: Ron Artest (too easy), Stephen Jackson, Ruben Patterson, Jamaal Tinsley—the list of former Portland JailBlazers and Indiana Fightin' Pacers could go on forever.
And last I checked, former Bengals WR Chris Henry isn't playing football anywhere, so sign him up! Plus, wouldn't it be perfect to have the coach that got strangled by Latrell Sprewell coaching a team called the Outlaws?
Outlaws, in my opinion, would be the best choice for the new team.
I'm shocked at how weak the potential nicknames for a team in Oklahoma City are. I mean, they could be the Oklahoma City...uh...hmm...oh, wait. I forgot—there is nothing distinguishing about Oklahoma City. Oh well. Fight on, Outlaws.
Kevin Durant, I cannot wait until you are a free agent, and I'm sure you can't, either.
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3 months ago
Add "Robber" to Barons and you have the perfect nickname.
from 3 months ago
Exactly what I was going to write - I find that comical as it is one of the most-known usages of the word.
3 months ago
Thunderbird is a very popular legend from Native American lore, and would honor the state's indiginous heritage. It'd also salute the state's rich aviation history with Tinker AFB and the Air Force T-Birds. The Thunderbird is the emblem of the legendary 45th Infantry, currently sweating their gonads off in Mesopotamia. Many things named Thunderbird in Ok- a lake by my house, a casino, inn, a lodge, a clubhouse for kids with mental health issues, ok, a liquor store near my house, etc... It's quite apt, but no one could expect some provencial dickhead in Ca. to know anything past the tmz.
And yes, lying robber oil barons would be tragic mistake.
from 3 months ago
Well, those are a bunch of things that I was not previously aware of, obviously, and I appreciate the post. Would you prefer Thunderbirds then?
3 months ago
regardless of the neat little facts edgar thunderbird would be a horrible name for an NBA team.
from 3 months ago
Your comment about Thunderbird, maybe any of the following would better suit your taste:e
DUCKS / THRASHERS / PREDITORS /OILERS /WILD /COYOTES / CANUCKS /
A joke could be made for any teams mascot, lets leave it up to Oklahoma folks, not some indigent sports writer with a job with a newspaper that has not had the opportunity to be able to afford a quality individual to report what is really going on in the NBA, and due to the declining populas that reads this fish wrap, look for a futher decline in the quality that is affordable.
3 months ago
If this "The Open Sports Network", I thought one would get a two sided view of the move...Maybe The Report should have looked at the "non-professional" side of Seattle and looked for at least one positive of OKC...Wow what a prejudice article!!!!! Jim
3 months ago
How do you create a logo and mascot for "Thunder"? Sounds pretty stupid to me.
Travis Outlaw currently plays for the Portland Trailblazers, so Oklahoma City might want to take him away from the Pacific Northwest too if they choose that name.
Thunderbird is the nickname of a graduate school of international management in Glendale, Arizona.
Barons? Even more stupid than Thunder!
I think they should abandon the newspaper contest and go with either "Arrows" or "Sparrows"
3 months ago
The Oklahoman newspsper's online poll shows "Twisters" as one of the choices instead of "Outlaws". Also, the current number two most read story after "Oklahoma City gets NBA team" is titled "Dog sex tapes lead to arrests"
I guess those folks in Oklahoma really got bored after the Hornets went back to New Orleans!
from 3 months ago
Twisters? That's terrible. Dog sex tapes? Arrests? They should try to make a nickname out of that instead
3 months ago
Tornados, Cyclones, Earthquakes, Storm, Hurricanes; natural disasters always make popular names for sports franchises. The Arkansas Twisters are a franchise in Arena Football's minor league.
If Michael Vick practices basketball every day while serving his prison sentence, then maybe he has a future as a small forward for the Oklahoma City Poochscrewers. (I'll probably get banned from Bleacher Report for this comment, but I couldn't resist.)
from 3 months ago
If you get banned for that, then I will ban myself in your honor, because that's hilarious
from 3 months ago
Poochscrewers? Classy.
If you're from Washington... you shouldn't really be talking. I guess you just happened to forget the man who videotaped himself having sex with a horse, and other farm animals? Yeah.
3 months ago
how about the OKlahoma City Bombers?
from 3 months ago
That was weak.
3 months ago
Mike,
I am going to assume that you are NOT referring to Murrah Federal Building Bombing in 1995. I live in OKC and I knew people that died there. My wife was one block away when the bomb went off that killed 168 people including 19 children (a daycare was in the building). That was a very scary and sad day here in OKC. This whole Sonic pissing match is so insignificant compared to that event.
So, if you want to continue to take you uneducated cheap shots at a city and its people that you have probably never visited or met, go ahead. But, bringing the 1995 Bombing into this conversation as some sort of weak attempt at humor is frankly, unconscionable.
3 months ago
Amen, Michael!
3 months ago
Great stuff. I would vote for Thunder, only because I think it would be cool to have a WNBA team name in the NBA.
Don't forget about the jersey color, either.
3 months ago
Outlaws is the only acceptable name out of that list. Why not just name them the "Boomers"
3 months ago
I agree, that Barons is a ridiculous name for an OKC NBA team. Thunderbirds makes some sense, but most pro team names that sound good don't make sense to people who live somewhere else. Taylor, your comments about OKC owners (and the city) show little knowledge about the the transaction or the city.
Charles Barkley made rude comments about OKC , and later took them back after he took the time to see what Oklahoma City is really like.
Seattle state legislators and city leaders abandoned the Sonics. The fans were loyal and deserved better. The players deserved better. Schultz, Bennett and Stern have repeatedly told Seattle the arena offering was now suitable. It takes a special type of arrogance to think your city is so great that businessmen would not be willing to move the team somewhere else.
This team was not stolen or swindled away. It was neglected by those who could save it. The comments made in Seattle newspapers show the lesson has not been learned. Oklahoma City has survived a bombing, many tragic tornadoes and countless other reasons to lose hope. But, they have never given up. So call them the OKC Courageous, but do not show ignorance by making slandering a great city with hope.
3 months ago
I don't understand why they don't name the team the "Oklahoma City Bombers". It's catchy and hey that's what I think about when I think of Oklahoma City. They could even have fertilizer givaways!
from 3 months ago
Huhuhuh let's rename the New York Knicks to the New York 9/11s. I mean their team has lately been one giant disaster.
See how that is not funny and really just offensive?
3 months ago
Dick,
You are the fertilizer donor! Over a hundred innocent people were murdered when this "bomb" exploded. A United States born terrorist has been executed for this unspeakable crime. Families will never be the same. Children were cheated out of their next birthday.
If you have any human dignity, you will issue an apology to Oklahoma City and the human race, for your heartless and humorless post.
3 months ago
we need to support are nation and its heros
3 months ago
dude dick your being such a retard thats not even funny idk where you are from but its not cool to make fun of a city that went through a disaster and a state that has one of the best army infantry in the nation fighting for you
3 months ago
Back to basketball- I hope the new name is professional and something the players are proud to wear. It will be hard for them to leave "Sonics". Thunderbirds is sounding better. I don't know that any new name sounds great, at first.
3 months ago
It's not Oklahoma's fault that the majority of Seattle doesn't care about basketball. You know, you could have just looked up thunderbird on wikipedia. Can't wait to see our new team play here in OKC. It seems that people outside of Seattle are more upset than the people in Seattle about the news. No surprise.
3 months ago
None of those stupid names will be used. Outlaws was the name of the USFL football team back in the 80's in Oklahoma, and who can imagine an oil well as a mascot (Barons). I'm sorry Seattle lost their team. I have no doubt that if it was up to the fans they would still reside their, but Seattle's sorry excuse for a legislature let it happen. If someone would have built something, made a move to get something done, there would be no way that Bennett would have brought that team here. Money trumps that home town feeling anytime.
3 months ago
Best wishes to OKC and their new team. I like the name "Pride". Welcome to the big leagues but I am sure that after several years the novelty will ware off and fans will become disenchanted. I live about 60 miles from Seattle and have not attended a Supersonics game since 1992....too expensive. I attend Mariner, Seahawk, and other sporting events in the region, college included. I gave up on NBA basketball long ago. The NBA is boring. The players walk constantly when they go in for a dunk. They can't shoot from the outside with any consistent sucsess and nobody knows how to play defense. Watch the Olympics this summer and watch how the rest of the word plays the game. Below the rim with good passing, players cutting and setting picks to help their teammates. When did the USA last win a gold medal? The NBA game of basketball started dying after the Bird/Magic era that ended in the early 90's. It was propped up until the late 90's with great individual efforts of Michal Jordan but look deep into the attendance figures in recent times and you see a shrinking fan base. The new arenas with the luxury boxes propping up the salarys of the current teams will go bye-bye in about 10-12 years and then......?
3 months ago
My list of domains I own. I submitted them.
List as of: 07/08/08
okcavengers.com
okcbadgers.com
okcballers.com
okcbricksters.com
okcbullets.com
okcchasers.com
okcdefenders.com
okcdrivers.com
okcdrummers.com
okceagles.com
okcfighters.com
okcflight.com
okcforce.com
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okcfronts.com
okcjammers.com
okclizards.com
okcmarks.com
okcmayors.com
okcmoguls.com
okcplayers.com
okcroughriders.com
okcrunners.com
okcslammers.com
okcsparks.com
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okcsupercells.com
okcsupercyclones.com
okctomahawks.com
okctomcats.com
okcvibe.com
okcvibes.com
okcyellowjackets.com
FYI: Most family and friends are preferring the okcbullets.
trae4nato(at)gmail.com
3 months ago
okc stealth
okc firebirds
3 months ago
okc firebirds
okc stealth
3 months ago
Don't even bother giving this team a name.
After 5-8 years losing games, losing Kevin Durant and losing fans (thanks to the undenyable, everlasting popularity of the sooners) this team will be residing in Las Vegas, Kansas City, St. Louis. Three cities that are very much at the forefront of landing an NBA franchise. And quite frankley, three cities that are large enough markets to warrant an NBA franchise.
Sorry, its a fact.
Good thing you'll never have my Chicago Bulls.
3 months ago
OKC Outlaws
3 months ago
OKC Cyclones
3 months ago
i can really see kevin durant and russell westbrook in a black, gold, white jersey that says Oklahoma city outlaws then it sayin anything esle. really who would wanna be a thunderbird or baron unstead of a outlaw. outlaws r way cooler. i would never buy a jersey or wear a jersey that says thunderbirds or baron. And i dont think kevin durant or russell westbrook would too and if i was the owner of that team i would try my best to keep them on my team cuz their the best without them the owner will never make any money in oklahoma. Sayin oklahoma city outlaws sounds way better then saying oklahoma city thunderbirds or barons. im not from oklahoma but i agree they shouldn't be the oklahoma city bomber, who would want they team to be named after a event that killed people. i can really see future basketball players saying "i wanna be a outlaw when i get drafted." And for every1 who says it would be cool to have a wnba name on a nba team, no it wouldn't be cool it'll be dumb. im a fan of kevin durant an russell westbrook and i would hate to see them wear something saying oklahoma city thunderbirds or barons. Hey, check out this site if u wanna vote for the new name urself http://bumpshack.com/2008/05/14/vote-oklahoma-citys-nba-team-nickname/
3 months ago
Oklahoma City Vortexes
2 months ago
the nba has team names like cavaliers, warriors, etc
Oklahoma City Titans...though i dunno if that has anything to do with OKC
2 months ago
I'm not to crazy about anything other than the outlaws .but why should i get my wish .hears a list of names marshalls ,lawmen,frontiersmen, outlaws the riflemen ok that makes me laugh anything would be better than the thundrbirds.
about 1 month ago
The comment by yoni implies that Oklahoma City is not large enough for an NBA franchise, but that Kansas City, Las Vegas and St Louis are big enough. I don't see his logic. The 2007 OKlahoma City metropolitan area population is 1.2 million. The 2007 Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) metro is 1.9 million and the Las Vegas metro is 1.7 million. All seem large enough for a franchise to me.
St Louis is actually the largest of the four, with an estimated metro population of 2.8 million.
Oklahoma City is a sports oriented town, and I think the NBA will do just fine there.
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