I was listening to ESPN radio on Sunday and the OKC team name was up for discussion. The ESPN host liked the name 89ers but he wondered where it came from. A caller from Chicago said it was the name of OKC AAA team in the 80's. So the announcer said, "Oh, that is where it came from. You learn something new everyday."

Huh, he didn't learn anything from that. I think 89ers would be a very good name and could actually help educate the sport watching nation at the same time.

What about the Red Baron?

You must have tapped into my mind. At work, I was resetting some of the freezer sections and I saw some Red Baron pizza. Oh great, I thought to myself, there are people wanting OKC to be a pizza team. Barons is bad... It has too many negative strings attached.

Over time, Barons would be an albatross surrounding the neck of the franchise. Hard to market, difficult to understand what it is and basically pretty boring.

I disagree JWil, but that is the nice thing about America.

I think Barons is very easy to market, gives OKC some street credit, easily rolls off the tounge, and just sounds like an NBA team.

With Baron, you could do an Oil Baron, or a Robber Baron, or a Rich Baron or the Red Baron (aviation) as the mascot - all of whom would befit OKC. Also, I liked the cool colours and logo that was showcased on this forum - .

Who cares what Seattle people will say about Barons, they know it is the best name out there that sitll gives OKC lots of credibility.

Like I said, I was thinking about OKC's Nba team, daydreaming a few days ago - and 'Barons' just seemed NATURAL.

Ah, well if you dreamed about it... wasn't there an entire season of Dallas based on a dream? Let's run with it.

I'm new, so be gentle. I love the OKC Barons with Black and Gold for colors.

I had heard they have a name and its "thunder." This was coming from very wealthy restaurant owners. Basically, the ppl that sit courtside everyday. But who knows.

lol JWil, very true. Dallas is my all-time favourite soap opera! LoL.

I still watch it on Soap.Net on cable.

But still, lol - It is true, I daydreamed it and it just seemed so Natural (like we'd had the team Barons for years).

Heh... I love Dallas too, just haven't seen it in years.

If it were Barons, as long as it was black/gold I could deal with it. It just seems too stogy to me.

"Daddy I can't wait to be a Baron when I grow up!"

Barons or Outlaws is more befitting.

I think Barons is kind of goofy sounding and have been surprised at how many people have even considered it, let alone liked it. I think it goes to show what a jersey mock-up can do for a name. I guess they could play with cigars in their mouths and we could replace the bench with Executive's chairs.

Outlaws sounds like your kid's soccer team, to me. It doesn't seem right that a group of grown men would be the Outlaws. I think you'd also see a lot of western themed promotions, mascot, marketing, etc. similar to OSU.

At least Thunder wouldn't be the worst NBA nickname by far. There's about 10 or so that are pretty weak. I still kind of laugh at Heat and Magic and the idea of naming your team after a footwear ornament is really goofy. But, a few championships and you don't think about it much any more.

BDP. to me thunder sounds like those corny names you thought.

sounds very AFL or MLS or WNBA, not very NBA at all.

I disagree with you on the barons - it sounds the best, and I agree with JWil - that the Barons using those cool colors black/gold we saw on the forum; would be the BEST.

not very NBA at all.

It may not be the best name, but it is very NBA, imo. Heat, Spurs, Thunder, Magic, etc. Fits right in, but punchier and more ominous than any of the others.



I disagree with you on the barons - it sounds the best,

I think it's the way it sounds that I like the least. Like a Cajun grizzly or like some snotty old Englishman. Maybe if we get a cricket team, we should call it the Barons. Add in the fact that it's basically an elitist title from the days of feudalism and I don't get how it's NBA at all. I guess the fans can be fiefs and we can rename the Ford Center the Chariot Manor.

I guess the kids would love it. They could dress up and do some skateboard jousting. It is, after all, all about the kids. ;)

How about this one? It's from Josh at Hornetscentral (soon perhaps to be OKCThunderfans.com?)

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f367/jlnewby/THUNDEROGLEVERglow2.jpg

[img]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f367/jlnewby/THUNDEROGLEVERglow.jpg[/img

This is a fun design. It just needs to be simplified.

Someone who knows what they're doing with Photoshop could do a much better job of modifying it, but here's my sad attempt. Clearly the font choice could be better...ideally the mustard color would have more of a metallic gold quality.

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n366/newokcfan/okcthunder.jpg

PS to the original creator of this art...I mean no offense by posting my version. I'm just having fun. It's cool that you interpreted "Thunder" in a way that doesn't involve clouds or Gary England. Nice work!

I like the 3 bison part of the logo, but not the text or the "starburst".

Somebody do one w/ Thor - God of Thunder w/ his Hammer of the gods !

Somebody do one w/ Thor - God of Thunder w/ his Hammer of the gods !

That's what most of the minor league teams use, so I think it should be avoided. If we're going to use a name that a lot of minor league teams use, we need a unique logo.

As much as I like Thor (big comics fan), I think a Thunderbird would be better suited for an Oklahoma team.

Thunderbird would be good, yes.

Thunder + Buffalo = GREATNESS!

I'll actively support the name 'Barons' if Clay Bennett promises to dress like this at every game... including, no wait, especially away games.

http://www.allardice.org/barons/images/5barons1.jpg

Looks like 6 names are on the table: Barons, Bison, Energy, Wind, Thunder, and Marshalls.

Six nicknames in the NBA in OKC team mix | NewsOK.com (http://www.newsok.com/article/3274801/)

There hasn't been much movement on the name front, but in the 2008-2009 schedule released today on nba.com, when you mouseover the word Oklahoma City it shows nba.com/thunder.
Did the NBA just leak the name early?
NBA.com Game Schedule For Oct 29, 2008 (http://www.nba.com/schedules/index.html?gamedate=20081029)

I moused over and it said nothing.
They either fixed it or your Computer is prophetic.

Sorry, I clicked on the name OKC and thunder did come up.

I think they might just have!

I always liked Thunder. But, its not official until they say so. So, I'm not gonna be content until I hear it on TV, see it on the newspaper, and hear about it on the radio. ;]

Oklahoma City Thunder! I do like it, a lot.

I think it may have leaked.
However they still have seattle stuff up there.

Berry berry innnnnnteresting...

People can debate the name till the sun finally burns out, but nobody will EVER agree on the perfect name. The important thing people should see is the our city finally has a permanent major league team. We should be celebrating the fact that we have finally arrived, not bickering about the difference between Barons, Thunder, or Bison. They all have valid points, but no matter what we are called, we are here and we can only go up!

There is one thing to say you want the perfect name and another one to have a horrible horrible one.

This is pretty compelling evidence. I admit I was wrong. Rodgers did a good job finding this out. He deserves the "scoop."

I tried the nba schedule mouse thingy and it does show Thunder at the bottom left corner of the screen.

That makes it official. No way the NBA does that unless the name is decided.

I hope the logo is better than the dull name. Then again, if they start winning who cares?

not true ddavidson. It has been saying Thunder on the NBA site for quite some time now - even though it's not official.

I think it is just there as a place holder. Like I had said all along, until Clay Bennett announces it - it isn't official.

NBA.com 2007-08 Oklahoma City Thunder Schedule (http://www.nba.com/schedules/?team=thunder)

Pretty telling. It's the title of the freaking webpage and listed on the page.

Now this is more convincing evidence, unlike the Mark Rogers evidence. Now I'm unfortunately beginning to think this is our name more and more. Either way as others have said, if we don't like it we'll get used to it, I'm just ready to watch the action.

I posted on the other thread, why have the great tv sports guys in OKC not noticed this?
It took the OKC Talk guys to break this NBA slip.
The answer to the question of course is obvious.

That is enough for me. That makes it official.

I'll call KFOR and reach someone in the Sports dept. lol

Love to hear their response.
Watch for BREAKING NEWS...
They still will take the credit.
KOCO will interrupt if you give them the leak..
ha ha.
Or call Gary England, Thunder is his department.

Just quote Mr. Z in this thread (first to notice) and then ME for getting the actual link with the name in it! [JK, jsut Mr. Z gets the scoop]

My guess is that Thunder has been the name they've wanted all the way along and just haven't announced it yet as they are working on finalizing colors, logos, uniforms, etc.

And as I've said before, that's as good a name as any.

Just hope this becomes official sometime soon so people can start to buy gear and bond with the team.

They fixed it. Now, it points to "http://www.nba.com/oklahomacity".

I take it back. There are several ways to look at the schedule and some point to /thunder while other point to /oklahomacity.

NBA.com 2007-08 Oklahoma City Thunder Schedule (http://www.nba.com/schedules/?team=thunder)

Still works, although it says "2007-08". I want to see colors. I've heard the sky blue of the Oklahoma Flag is to be incorporated from a good source.

looks like NewsOK.com has picked up on it.
Oklahoma City Thunder clues hidden in NBA schedule? | NewsOK.com (http://newsok.com/article/3279771)
no credit to Mr. Z though...

I've heard the sky blue of the Oklahoma Flag is to be incorporated from a good source.

If so, I hope it's only a minor color as nearby Denver & Memphis both have light blue as featured colors.

I think it is just there as a place holder. Like I had said all along, until Clay Bennett announces it - it isn't official.

All those links go to www.nba.com/teamname. Ours, as of 5 min. ago when I clicked it, when to www.nba.com/thunder, which says "page not found". OKC NBA's page is at www.nba[dotcom]/oklahomacity. If they just needed something as a placeholder, shouldn't it be .../oklahomacity??

If so, I hope it's only a minor color as nearby Denver & Memphis both have light blue as featured colors.

Memphis usually uses its' navy blue color as the main color if I remember correctly. I'd like to see red as the secondary color, as that would give it a very different look from Denver. But red as the main color with light blue as the secondary color would look odd, I think.

I wouldn't mind sky blue, gold and black. Would resemble the flag quite a bit.

I'd like to see red as the secondary color, as that would give it a very different look from Denver.

Ala the old Houston Oilers!

yuk.
Do like the name thunder though.
It is one of the things I most miss about Oklahoma.

Mark Rodgers says colors will be Red, dark blue, light blue [state flag]. For what its worth.

I wonder what shades of red and dark blue

Luv ya blue.

So does that mean we get 20 threads now discussing and voting on the colors, now that the name is decided?

So does that mean we get 20 threads now discussing and voting on the colors, now that the name is decided?

We can call it: The Color of Thunder
or : We Need Colors!
or : The Hue for You

back to the name, the NBA has changed it to .com/oklahomacity
what gives?
do they go to plan B(arons)?

Thunder is gay....So lame!

Thunder is nothing even remotely unique.

Thunder is unique. It does not exist in any other place in the world. Once you cross the state line it goes away, though you can still hear it in the distance.

I love Thunder.

Thunder is unique. It does not exist in any other place in the world. Once you cross the state line it goes away, though you can still hear it in the distance.

I love Thunder.

heh.

Thunder is not unique. Neither is Heat or Sun or Hornets or Hawks or Bobcats or Bulls or Lakes or Bucks etc.

Thunder is not unique. Neither is Heat or Sun or Hornets or Hawks or Bobcats or Bulls or Lakes or Bucks etc.


Thunder happens all over the USA.

Heat - less common than thunder.
Bucks - regional animal, Less common than thunder (50 states)
Hawks - regional animal, less common than thunder (50 states)
Bobcats - regional animal (50 states)
Lakes - Common, just like thunder
Suns - Common, just like thunder
Hornets - Common, just like thunder.

A name is either unique or it's not. Some names may make more sense than others, but none of the team names in the NBA are truly unique to the cities the teams call home.

I don't necessarily love "Thunder", but I still haven't heard of a better name. There are names that would have more ties to Oklahoma, but that alone doesn't make them good names.