Friday, April 17, 2009

Exit Interview

So the season is over. What to do now? Well, NBA players go through exit interviews so I might as well also.

I'm cleaning up my locker, grabbing some extra shoes for my summer workout (I probably won't need them) and addressing the media before I head off for parts unknown.

Overall I'd say I did a fair job throughout the season. I faltered down the stretch no doubt. It wasn't from lack of interest so much as the personal and professional life getting in the way.

Probably the best way to sum it up would be to do a list of the top 10 things I loved and hated from the season that was.

Top 10 things I hated:

1. PJ Carlesimo's final game. The Thunder played the Hornets at the Ford Center and it was the poorest effort I've ever seen from professionals. The Thunder had completely given up on PJ. At that point there were two choices for the Thunder front office. Be the de facto laughingstock of the NBA or get rid of PJ. They did the right thing.

2. The media practically boycotting the Thunder because of the move. I understand it sucked and it needed to be discussed but after a while the cheap shots at every opportunity started making grown men sound like someone had stolen their woobie.

3. The Wave. I treat that bitch like 7-Up. I never have I never will.

4. The halftime magician who almost drowned. Not only was the simultaneous realization by 18,000 people that they were witnessing someones death a "buzzkill" but it almost doomed everyone to being "treated" to pre-teen cheerleaders for halftime acts for the remainder of the season.

5. The Thunder online store. Gouging people on the web is both seedy and unnecessary.

6. Me not getting chosen to shoot a halfcourt shot. No one made it this season. I guarantee I will make it if I can only figure out how to get chosen.

7. Robert Swift. I went through all the trouble of making a t-shirt for god's sake and the thanks I get is a goofy looking soft whitey riding the pine all season.

8. Getting trounced by Portland at home. Portland is supposed to represent the Thunder's future. A bonafide ass-beat proved just how far there is to go for the Thunder.

9. My mom and sisters running into Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, Jeff Green and ESPN's Ric Bucher at a yokel City Bites instead of me. WTF?

10. My wife hitting the Rookie Wall and calling into question my need to renew my tickets for season 2. Thankfully she caught a second wind and we came up with a plan to make it happen but it was nip-tuck for a while.

Top 10 things I loved:

1. When the Thunder and OKC fanbase "clicked". It happened sometime right around New Year's. OKC fans up until that time were comparing everything to the Hornets and wondering what they had and which player's could fill the void left by Chris Paul et al. But there was a game where the fans were into it at the end. They were cheering their guts out for their team and the players realized that their fans were on board with them. Still gives me chills.

2. The media changing their tune from "OKC Thieves" to "OKC- Team on the rise". The cheap shots began to fade once Scotty Brooks was named interim coach and the Thunder starting showing signs of life. Suddenly they were a team on the rise and loaded with so much young talent that people enjoyed the hell out of watching them.

3. Scotty Brooks. The guy just seems like an OKC kind of guy. Now he and his family are living here full time and hopefully he can stick around for a good long time.

4. The likability of the players. There doesn't seem to be a douche among them (except Earl Watson if you ask my wife). Everyone seems very happy, laid back and happy. Nobody moaned about being in OKC.

5. Winning a ball autographed by the whole team. Not one of those chintzy mini balls either. An official NBA ball. Sweet.

6. Sam Presti and/or any move made by Sam Presti. Vetoing what appeared to be an awesome trade for Tyson Chandler, picking up Nenad Krstic, picking up Thabo Sefolosha, getting a draft pick for Johan Petro. The guy just makes great moves and has put the Thunder in great position for the future.

7. The unsuspecting lady in front of me who got pegged in the boobs by the t-shirt cannon. Once I found out she was alright it quickly became the highlight of my night. Be on your toes when the t-shirt cannon is involved.

8. Still not having a favorite player. It's still a toss-up between KD, Jeff Green and Rust Dust. So much to like about each of them.

9. Rumble the Bison. Yeah it's a mascot but in a season where the move was poo-pooed, the logo, colors and uniform were poo-pooed, even the city was poo-pooed, Rumble proved to be a well-timed hit.

10. Having season tickets to a professional sports team in my home town. A lifelong dream realized.

Other notables: The win over the Spurs, the season-ending de-pantsing of the Clippers. George Karl saying nice things about the Thunder's future, the ongoing improvement of in-game festivities, the Thunder Girls.