Introducing the OKC Thunder, Chalmers and Arthur get in trouble, and Pat Riley isn’t done
Jeff Green (photo. David Deal)It wasn’t much of an “unveiling” due to the numerous leaks that had happened dating back almost a whole month, but the Oklahoma City NBA franchise officially revealed their name and logo yesterday. “Thunder” won out over the Energy, Wind, Marshals, Barons and Bison, and like everyone’s been saying, the blue/orange color scheme and logo has some definite WNBA/D-League undertones. Desmond Mason and Damien Wilkins were on hand at the unveiling press conference, which looked like it was held at a mall. We were expecting Kevin Durant and Jeff Green to come out wearing the new uniforms, but no dice … Clay Bennett gets the Elephant Balls award for using his speech to talk about his franchise embodying “character,” “community” and “dignity.” Is he serious with that? … And how’s this for cruelty: As soon as the OKC press conference was over and NBA TV went back to its original program, the very first image to show up on screen was from KeyArena, showing the highlights from a Sonics/Kings game this past season (the one where Kevin Martin hit a game-winner). Immediately after that, the next shot was of Ray Allen playing for Boston. That was just wrong on so many levels … So Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur get busted with weed and girls in their room during the NBA’s rookie transition program, and their punishment is that they get sent home early? Shouldn’t that be even more reason to make them stay? Chalmers and Arthur will have to repeat the program next year (under extra surveillance, no doubt), they were fined a reported $20,000 a pop, and might be suspended as well. But at least Chalmers is getting the hang of the whole Miami lifestyle early on … The drama surrounding Monta Ellis‘ ankle injury is getting even more complicated, now with reports that cuts and abrasions were identified on Monta’s ankle that aren’t consistent with a typical basketball injury. Was Monta playing on the asphalt when he got hurt? Did he crash something (motorcycle, scooter, unicycle) into some bushes? Since the injury isn’t too serious yet — although we have yet to see if it’ll have Grant Hill-ish repercussions — the worst the Warriors would probably do is fine Ellis. Suspending him when he’s already gonna miss a month of their season and put them behind the eight-ball before New Year’s doesn’t help the team at all … Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili’s ankle surgery yesterday went well. He’ll be on crutches for a few weeks, and will be out for at least the first 2-3 weeks of the regular season. Spurs fans are praying this doesn’t turn into a D-Wade/Heat situation, but that would only happen if Tim Duncan suddenly falls off a la Shaq … Speaking of the Heat, Pat Riley claims he’s done with coaching, “Unless it had to do internationally, with the Olympics or something like that,” he told the Palm Beach Post, “I don’t think there’s any question I’ve seen my last practice, my last game.” We’ll believe that when the Heat are on pace for 50 wins at the All-Star break and Erik Spoelstra is still walking around with a healthy jugular vein … Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace to the Memphis Commercial Appeal: “We picked up some size with a variety of big men who have different skills.” In other words, Marc Gasol is good at fouling, Hamed Ehadadi is good at being tall, and together they might form a halfway decent ballplayer … On the same day our readers crowned Reggie Miller the best three-point shooter of the last 20 years, NBA TV aired Game Seven of the ‘94 Eastern Conference Finals, when Reggie dropped 25 on the Knicks but took an L thanks to Pat Ewing’s 24-point, 22-board, 7-dime, 5-block performance. You’d think that with all the media bias toward NY, Ewing’s follow dunk with less than 30 seconds in the fourth quarter that gave the Knicks the lead would be all over those “NBA’s Greatest Moments” highlight packages, but you hardly ever see it … Watching that game, wasn’t Derek Harper basically Sam Cassell before Sam Cassell was Sam Cassell? All he was missing was a Clay Bennett dance … We’re out like buying Thunder jerseys …
September 4th, 2008 at 4:06 am
bill says:
yes lol
September 4th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Billy Hoyle says:
First! shout out to my haters
September 4th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Billy Hoyle says:
damn never mind…
September 4th, 2008 at 4:30 am
alf (from melmak) says:
thunder sounds really goofy. am betting half my meal allowance they dont get to win more than 20 games this coming season.
give marc gasol the benefit of the doubt first. he did fairly well in the olympics and is supposed to be a multi-awarded player from europe.
i’ll say this again — i miss the williams, battier, posey, gasol, miller days of memphis. that was a very exciting team they got then.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:35 am
obmb says:
tsrif
September 4th, 2008 at 4:50 am
S-SiN says:
But at least Chalmers is getting the hang of the whole Miami lifestyle early on line is hilarious..
Lemme check, I’m pretty sure i got weed and girls in my room too, but sure as hell won’t get fined 20K for that shit over here in Kiev, Ukraine!
PS. That being said, the Heat are in for a contender from the east type season within a year or two and derek harper who replaced Celts head coach Doc Rivers at the Knicks point, got no jewelry to show for his nba run cuz he came within one game of winning it all and was denied by the team with Sam Cassell on it. who else remembes Mad Max, Kenny and rookie Cassell go against Starks, DH and rookie Hubert Davis? half the league had fades! that’s pretty damn ironic sam kinda turned into him. it just seems cuz Harper was younger during his Knicks run that he played better D.. i need a light
September 4th, 2008 at 4:57 am
solomon says:
damn ROFL @ clay bennett dance…
thunder sounds like an aussie franchise (NBL) or something… logo’s kind of a female version of the knicks…
and wassup with the thunder (ugh!) front office? all they can bring in is d-mase and gerald’s boy? not a good sign…
and you forgot darko… darko + marc + hadadi = biggest dunk target trio ever… i’d bet a dime they’d be regulars in sportcenter or nba tv…
we’re out like character, community and dignity…
September 4th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Mark says:
Dime - Follow-on idea for a feature….youve done best 3 point shooters from the last 20 years, how about ‘Best backcourt duo’ from the last 20 years! Hundreds of them I know but im sure we can get down to one!?? make it happen!
September 4th, 2008 at 6:09 am
Phileus says:
Piss-poor logo, looks like they had budget cuts and had to fix up something on MS Paint. What an awful look, and nice choice to take already-taken colors. Shouldn’t you try to make an impact if you are a new franchise?
Going from a decent (at least distinctive) “Sonics” name and logo to the wretched “Thunder” name and generic logo is like being demoted from a cosmopolitan city to the bush leagues… oh.
At least OKC fans seem so happy to have a franchise that they won’t be too upset with this crap.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:56 am
YOUNGFED says:
Why does everyone always hate on new sh*t. In a few months everyone will be use to this team and logo. Also the name and logo ain’t that bad. Geesh?
“Evolution is inevitable.”- YOUNGFED.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:03 am
miamiVIS3 says:
Short simple post:
Riley really is done and Chalmers is a knuckle head.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Drago to Gordon says:
that second comment sounded like Damon Wayans as one of those gay guys that critiqued movies on
In Living Color
“Hated it!!!”
3 snaps in Z formation (snap…..snap…..snap……)
September 4th, 2008 at 7:36 am
that's whats up says:
you could have named them the Oklahoma Poop Stains and the people in that city would be rockin’ Poop Stain jerseys today.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:37 am
that's whats up says:
….that’s how bad OKC fans want a team.
…and yes I have the jersey ideas “drawn” up and yes they are exactly what you think they are
September 4th, 2008 at 7:43 am
sans says:
Brown and orange would be the colors for the poop. Undertones of red and green, a little random corn on Des Mason’s jersey…yeah, I could see that.
Anyone else catch Lebron getting killed in HORSE by some random white guy that one the chance on the internet? Hilarious. If the guy could dunk, Bron would’ve killed him, but instead it was trick floater, to trick fifteen footer, and so on. I hope I can find it on youtube before Nike pulls it…
September 4th, 2008 at 7:46 am
josh tha roc says:
sans thats rank, i’m eating bro.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:48 am
rangerjohn (mccain in '08) says:
i have to blame all those manu hating assholes who wished manu injury because as they put it “he is a flopper” karma baby remember that word.
and maybe the spurs saw issues coming with chalmers? could that be why they didnt take him like expected?
September 4th, 2008 at 8:03 am
sans says:
@rangerjohn…the karma is on the flopper. Shit rolls back at you…
September 4th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Coop says:
Pat Riley is a rat.
That is all.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:11 am
sans says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSlJmQfmTzw
David Kalb is the man.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:26 am
that's whats up says:
hey ranger, I think your signature should say (mccain in ‘08, Palin in ‘09)
lol
September 4th, 2008 at 8:56 am
RENO says:
So that’s the best logo and name that OKC could come up with??? SMH.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Ross says:
I still like the “OKC Sonics” name better.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:16 am
fallinup says:
OKC Thunder sounds like a good fit. I can’t wait to see them in action when Arena Football gets back into full swing.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:24 am
schoops says:
@ coop… Manu got injured because of haters? Then how the hell does Eddy Curry still have working legs? No one likes that dude.
Ranger… have fun with a pres. candidate who doesn’t know how the internet works and a VP who doesn’t believe in science. Back to the dark ages!
@that’s what’s up… hilarious. But if that happens the US will suck more than the “Poop/Thunder” for the next decade.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:28 am
karizmatic says:
Yep…Derek Harper was Sam Cassell first.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Coop says:
Schoops,
I didn’t comment on Manu dude haha. What’s up?
September 4th, 2008 at 10:44 am
it aint easy being green says:
@ mark - “best backcourt duo” good idea!!!
@ dime - make it happen
September 4th, 2008 at 10:45 am
P_Dizzle says:
LOL that smack was good today.
That Riley sh** is hilarious because it is true.
You guys were almost as cool as the rapper who introduced the ‘89 All-Stars in Houston. (youtube it)
September 4th, 2008 at 10:56 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
The NBA All-Stoner Team
PG-Mario
SG-Mighty Mouse
SF-Darius Miles
PF-Shawne Williams
C-Sheed
September 4th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Ansonious says:
Honorable mentions for the nba all stoner team Josh Howard, Lamar Odom,and Isiah Rider
September 4th, 2008 at 11:11 am
schoops says:
my bad, wrong handle. paging down quick messed me up.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Drink The Haterade (Kobe Rocks) says:
if they did the best back court duo’s they would have to take it back to the days of Magic
Magic and Byron Scott
Isiah and Joe Dumars
Terry Porter and Clyde the Glyde
Tony Parker and Manu
Chauncy and Rip
After that it starts to fall off, you couldn’t use Jordan or Kobe cause their counterpart never made the all-star game. DWade would be excluded to.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:28 am
RENO says:
Penny and Nick Anderson were pretty tough early on too.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:30 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Mox
You forgot S-Jack, Skip, Kemp, AI, and Howard. My team would murder your team I dare anyone to top that AllStar Stoner Sqaud. Holla at your Bid-Doy.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am
the rocket cat says:
They should suspend Monta for the first month of the season. That will show him.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:42 am
YOUNGFED says:
Uh yeah that’ll really show him…..He’ll be out the 1st month anyway because of the injury. DeeDeDeeee???
September 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
ZACH says:
all stoner team
C Robert Parish
PF Sheed
SF Ode
September 4th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
YGB (Obama 08) says:
Ranger’s a bitch. He wears drag too.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
ZACH says:
messed up
SF Lamar Odom
SG Mighty Mouse
PG AI
Parish is the original Chiefer uh I mean Chief lol!
September 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
@fed
Good call homie
September 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Mrbball says:
Hey Mark, Best Backcourt duo’s. Yeah thats tough
Jordan & Harper
Jordan & BJ
Jordan & Pax
Kobe & D. Fish
September 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Mrbball says:
Oh yeah
Majic & B. Scott
September 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Mrbball says:
Majic & Cooper
September 4th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
GEE...Gotta love the nicknames of different types of weed! says:
Kevin and Jeff didn’t want to be caught wearing that gay mess. I bet both were probably asked and came up with some excuses quick lol.
Wonder what the weed was called that Mario and Darrell were smokin on?
Darrell was prolly smokin on that “2nd round then trade, trade, trade me” weed.
Mario prolly had that “I’m in Miami B****** WHAT!” weed.
Let them cats star in Pineapple Express 2 and call it a day.
I bet all the players of the “Thunder” started smoking when that gay A** logo was shown.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
jl90 says:
Oklahoma City Thunder sounds doomed to fail. I do hope they don’t devolve into a new level of NBA crappiness.
on another note, i played against a dude who was rocking a dorell wright jersey today.. didn’t even know they made those..
September 4th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
paningit says:
hahaha! clay benett’s thundering blue balls, if i may add!
September 4th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
paningit says:
i don’t know if it’s in his contract, but i think monta could be suspended for getting one of those extreme swedish/shiatsu exotic foot massages. and he specifically requested BRUNO to be his masseur.