Shaq shares in fans' dismay (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/moore/355735_moore20.html)

THE PHOENIX SUNS beat writer said Shaquille O'Neal didn't usually talk to reporters before games, so I walked into the visiting locker room thinking he wouldn't have much to say, if anything at all.

Grant Hill was seated next to O'Neal, and I thought, well, if I ask Hill a few questions about the Sonics and their situation here, maybe the big fella would join the conversation.

Sure enough, he did. Want to know what Shaq thinks about the Sonics' possible move to Oklahoma City? He feels like most Sonics fans.

"It's dumb, it's stupid," O'Neal said. "They should have to wait from the bottom like everyone else."

I'm not sure what that meant, but since Shaq said it, I wrote it down. I'm assuming he thinks Oklahoma City should have to wait for an expansion team instead of taking someone else's.

"Seattle has tradition, the Space Needle, and there's water here," Shaq said. "Oklahoma City's a college town. You're not going to have the TV market there."

He was just getting warmed up.

"When I think of Seattle, I think of G.P., the Reign Man, Sikma, Lenny Wilkens," Shaq said. "The Oklahoma City Sonics? When my son asks me about that, I'll say there's no such thing."

He said he'd rather play in Seattle than Oklahoma City any day of the week, month and decade.

But Wednesday night's game might have been the last in Seattle for the Big Aristotle, an NBA legend who was acquired by Phoenix from Miami on Feb. 6. He is asked if he can recall his greatest game here, and he doesn't think he had any.

"But I had a lot of good ones," Shaq said.

Like most of the Suns, he is unfamiliar with the problems that have led to the possible end of the Sonics' 41-year history in Seattle, but it sounds like he'd back Mayor Greg Nickels in his verbal battles with NBA commissioner David Stern. He thinks if the Sonics had a better team, there would be more support from the community.

"If you don't have the players, people aren't going to pay," Shaq said. "If LeBron was here, you wouldn't have these issues. The young fella (Kevin Durant) has the potential to be like that, but (it's going to take) three to five years."

When you listen to Hill and Shaq, you determine that most NBA players prefer Seattle to Oklahoma City.

"That's a bad road trip," Hill said of Oklahoma City. "It's cold. This shouldn't happen. Seattle's a great market, a great city, and I would think there's a lot of money in this city. It's a shame. They had a good product.

"When I think of Seattle, it's hard to see what's going on now. When I came into the league, it was rockin'."

Hill and Shaq remember playing at the Tacoma Dome during the 1994-95 season while KeyArena was being renovated, and now it's considered obsolete. Eddie Johnson has a hard time believing that.

"This was the best arena I ever played in at playoff time," said Johnson, who was here when the Sonics had some magical seasons in the early to mid-'90s.

"I'm sad," said Johnson, now an analyst on the Suns TV broadcasts. "You look at this city and see that the Mariners have a new facility, the Seahawks have one, and the only team that's won a championship has got to get a remodel. I don't get it. I don't understand that part. This city deserves a basketball team."

He walks into KeyArena and the memories always come back to him. The 1992-93 team that lost to Phoenix in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals was "by far the most talented team I've ever played for," Johnson said.

And now? A team that mails it in from time to time, especially of late, giving up 168 points in Denver last Sunday night. Clearly the Save Our Sonics folks are trying to save the franchise, not this team. Hill is asked if he can believe an NBA team allowed 168 points.

"Hopefully they'll do it again tonight," he said.

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni sat on the bench an hour before tipoff while Steve Nash worked on his perimeter game. Asked if he thinks it will be the Suns' last game here, D'Antoni said: "I hope not. My mother-in-law lives here, and my wife's family is all from here. Hopefully it will all sort out. It's a great place to play, a great city, and traditionally, they've been great fans."

After hitting his last warm-up jumper, Nash left the court and expressed the same sentiments. Nash grew up in Victoria, B.C., and there were no teams closer than the Sonics after the Vancouver Grizzlies left for Memphis in 2001.

"I'm sorry for the fans," Nash said. "It's a great basketball city. They deserve a club here. ... Obviously, I'm not privy to all the reasons, but it doesn't make sense on the surface."

Hill summed it up better than anyone, saying, "The people who get shortchanged here, of course, are the fans."

Appreciate Shaqs opinion, but, I suspect in five years when both he and Grant Hill are retired, their opinion won't really matter. OKC will have to wait for a new generation of fans and players to emerge (which will happen) to get past this. I for one am not discouraged a bit by the comments of some players and others relative to this potential move, comes with the territory

If David Stern had let the Hornets stay, there would have been almost universal acclaim for his decision, as virtually every journalist on the planet without ties to NO said that's what they thought should happen. Most of the players weren't saying much, except for the Hornets, who almost all said they'd rather stay here.

This is different, and will continue to be, but we have to remember that this was David Stern's decision. He could have pushed for a solution to keep the Hornets here, but instead he brokered the sale of the Sonics to Clay Bennett. Whether it was for the good of the league, or it's personal, these events were set in motion by the commissioner of the NBA, not Clay Bennett or the people of Oklahoma City, and that's what we have to remember when articles like this come out. If the team moves, especially if the name doesn't change, we can expect them for at least several years.

What I think is the saddest about these comments is the fact that most people outside of Oklahoma feel the same way. It's too bad that everyone sat around with their thumbs up their butts until the year 2008 to decide to have Oklahoma join the rest of the nation and try to have a real city. I think things are progressing and I think it will eventually work out, but until we get any professional team and convince the rest of the world that we are more than Sooner born and Sooner bred they will always see us that way.

KMF, you are right, but Oklahoma City has a great opportunity to enlighten the nation in regards to itself and the State. Oklahoma bears some of the responsibility for this perception because in the past many in the State have settled for mediocrity and status quo versus bold and innovative action. We are now being joined in our State by people from other places as well as natives who embrace efforts to forge new perceptions of our State and City, by investing in ourselves first. Kinda hard to expect others to believe in Oklahoma when so many natives in the past failed to do so. I forsee a great opportunity for the State and City, the challange for us is to not allow the negatives of some to dim our enthusiasm regarding all that is and will occur.

One of the magical things about the Hornets was that the players all arrived shell shocked and no one knew what to expect but I can guarantee they did NOT want to be in OK.

A few games later, when we showed them what fan support really was, how loud fans could and should be and how we supported them through thick and thin, they started to feel at home.

They ended up feeling welcomed and cherished and loved it here. I'm betting that the new players will come around.

There is no doubt, Seattle is gorgeous. I haven't been in the actual city but have traveled to BC and the area. It is just beautiful.

I too wish perception of OK would change. It is so frustrating..

Even on WifeSwap last night, a hick couple was portrayed ( from OK ) and their son was a macho wrestler. The other family had a Screamo Band and their son played guitar and had piercings and even wore eyeliner when he played in his band.

Oh Lordy, you would have thought he was Charles Manson... I sort of watched it off and on but of course you had the ' you ain't going to sissify mah boy! He's a man! Not a sissy girl"! on and on.... just typical Southern machismo and no tolerance for anyone different.

I think that is why we have so many Goth kids in OK! They are rebelling big time against their parents.

Anyway, we Have to change perception of OK!

Maybe Wanda Jo would consider moving with Sally Kern to Seattle.

"That's a bad road trip," Hill said of Oklahoma City. "It's cold. This shouldn't happen...."

Grant played in Detroit, but OKC is cold?!?!?!? What an idiot.....



He said he'd rather play in Seattle than Oklahoma City any day of the week, month and decade.

Somebody has to help me here, but did Shaq even come to OKC once while the Hornets were here? I know he didn't the first year because his fat azz was hurt..... Did he even come here the second year?

hehe karried. That would be a great move.

I think OKC is going in the right direction. I just don't want to see everyone give up if we do not get the Sonics or it doesn't work out. Build a team if you have to, but keep going with the idea of having a pro team.

If Seattle is so great and wonderful, why do they have the highest suicide rate in America?? Just curious.

Somebody has to help me here, but did Shaq even come to OKC once while the Hornets were here? I know he didn't the first year because his fat azz was hurt..... Did he even come here the second year?

The only time I ever saw Shaq in OKC was during a Lakers/Nuggets exhibition game in which the Lakers were a bunch of primadonnas and I ended up ranting so mad I received a personal apology letter from Coach Jackson. Shaq was actually really nice during that game, but sat out with an injury. Half the stadium left at halftime because the Lakers had such a horrible attitude towards OKC in general. I went home and burned my Jersey and haven't supported them once since.

Shaq was here, but remember he's from Lousiana, and lots of them aren't so fond of OKC. Of course Phil Jackson said that NO stank and was a lousy place to play. Most of the players were incredibly complimentary about the fans and the Ford Center as an exciting venue for that reason, but let's face it, there's not as much to do in OKC as some of the other cities. There are some that aren't that different, however.

I remember someone meeting Shaq at the iHop on Memorial, and I believe he went to Quail Springs Mall when he was here. Maybe he needs a better tour guide.

Oh yeah, then you have the Coke Can Chewing bimbo from Oklahoma on the Bachelor. God, when will it end?

I think he meant 'it's cold' as in ' it's wrong or coldhearted' not the temperature but I could be wrong.

I think he meant 'it's cold' as in ' it's wrong or coldhearted' not the temperature but I could be wrong.

oh, you could be right.... Either way, personally, if we have an NBA team I want all the opposing team's players to hate coming to OKC. It might have something to do with the fact that they see our fans and how it can be, then they have to go back to their fans....

I bet most opposing players hate going to Sacramento as well..... It's not an easy place to play.....

Appreciate Shaqs opinion, but, I suspect in five years when both he and Grant Hill are retired, their opinion won't really matter.


It doesn't matter now.

It's too bad that everyone sat around with their thumbs up their butts until the year 2008 to decide to have Oklahoma join the rest of the nation and try to have a real city.

I don't know where you were when the original MAPS was in the pipeline, but your assertion here is just ridiculous.

I can't wait to boo Shaq for his idiotic comments about our city, not to mention his little rap about kobe.

I tell you what Shaq, if you can stay on a diet and start a season in shape.. we will give the sonics back.

Deal?

I can't wait to boo Shaq for his idiotic comments about our city, not to mention his little rap about kobe.

Heh...That's what I came in here to say.

I'm going to go to a game just to boo his ass.

Maybe throw imaginary darts at his head too.

I tell you what Shaq, if you can stay on a diet and start a season in shape.. we will give the sonics back.

Deal?

Bravo!