The Thunder Rolls! Oklahoma City Decides on NBA Nickname

Mark.  The time of death is 0800, July 20, 2008.  The victim's name:  Seattle Supersonics.

Taking yet another step toward their first official NBA season, Oklahoma City has found a name for their basketball team.  The new team will be named the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

There are a lot of fans upset over the move to OKC, most of these fans live in the Northwest portion of our country.  I completely understand Seattle fans being upset. If a team that I followed forever got up and left town I would be upset as well.  

On the other hand, I recently visited Oklahoma—and the buzz around the new NBA team was huge. 

Oklahoma is a state that has never been given the opportunity to hold a professional sports team.  When the NOK Hornets played for a season and a half, in OKC it created a lot of buzz.  The Oklahoma fans were so excited to be able to support a professional team—it put them on the professional sports map.

For Oklahoma fans who have always had to rent other states' teams—cheering for the Cowboys or Chiefs, or borrowing one from New Orleans—congratulations, and I hope it works out well for you.

For Seattle fans, I wish you well in finding a team to cheer for in the interim.  I am sure Seattle will find itself with another basketball team with the same name in the future.  Seattle is a great sports town, and it will recover.

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