Gone, but not forgotten – My SuperSonics

This post is purely personal. I am writing more out of therapy than anything else.

Last night, for the first time in two years, I watched an NBA game that involved my former team (aka the Zombie Sonics). They were in Portland playing the Blazers. I had know for a few days the guys from Sonicsgate would be leading a rally outside the Rose Garden, and then sitting close to courtside to try and get airtime on the TNT broadcast. Because of this, I decided to sit down and watch every minute of the game. Up until last night I could not even turn on the TV if the Zombies were playing. Just could not hold back my emotions of anger. Basketball is my first love. It kills me to not have a team here. I love the NBA. It’s the best basketball players in the world playing at the highest level. Not watching games for a home-town team is brutal. The past two years I have regularly watched NBA games, but every time I do, the nagging anger and melancholy towards what was NBA in Seattle gets the better of me. Until last night.

I had a blast watching the game. It was a kind of Where’s Waldo exercise. TNT’s basketball broadcast and presentation is excellent, they are always showing different camera angles of the action. Each time the camera moved to a wide angle, or narrow behind the hoop, I saw green and gold clad Sonics fans in the house. A few times a dude with an enormous Sonics flag got great screen time on foul shots and replays. It was fun, kept me energized to stay attentive. The game itself was amazing, so that helped, and not once all night did I get angry. I was calm, cool and collected. When the Zombies won, I wasn’t at all mad. (Brandon Roy is my favorite player which eases my negative emotions, and I know Blazer fans have been supportive of Sonics fans as well when we invade their arena a couple times a year. Props to Rip City on that front…).

I turned a corner last night. I feel I released a lot of bad baskeball juju. Does this mean I am cool with the current state of hoops affairs? Not a chance. I want an NBA team ASAP. Clay Clay, Benedict Arnold Schultz and Washington State politicians are still on my bad list, and probably always will be honestly. For now I feel at peace. I am at peace with all of my fond memories of going to Supes games as a kid and an adult, mimicking Shawn Kemp hammer dunks in the backyard on a 7 foot hoop, always griping with friends about horrible trades we made (Scottie Pippen for Olden Polynice anyone?) and listening to Kevin Calabro call games on KJR. Those memories will never fade. I just hope someday soon, new memories will be made with NBA hoops in Seattle…

-Joe