I find it interesting that some people seem to think it is only "young whipper snappers" that care about some of these lifestyle qualities that we are discussing. My parents are in their early 60s and when they visit me in St. Louis they always want to go to jazz clubs, great restaurants, walkable neighborhoods. In OKC they are always supporting everything they can in that regard. Turning 35 or 40 dies not mean you throw up your hands and surrender to Applebees and Quail Springs Mall. A diverse, exciting community benefits everybody that wants to participate.

When players and staff from other teams come to OKC they cannot experience these options, you can in similar sized cities like Nashville, New Orleans, Portland, Salt Lake City, and I dare say Memphis.


I guess... but in dealing with the most recent team to stay in OKC... that would be LA...

Staff member A wanted to go to Sara Sara the second they got here... remembering it from last year.

Staff members B, C, D, & E enjoyed the Wedge last year... on Western... but guess what... there is a downtown location now so what a suprise for them.

Staff members F, G, H ,& I had Mickey Mantel's last year... but what is this they heard about Red Prime??? And what did they have to say about.... delicious.

105 degrees had a LA local media person eat there while covering the game... QUOTE "Probably, the best meal I ever had in my life."

These are facts... so I don't buy it.

PS... you're gonna have to trust me on this because I know I'll get 20 private messages asking how I know this.

When you say 'staff members' are you referring to the guys and coaches on the bench or the rest of the paid staff members that fly with them? Either way, that's good to hear and I wouldn't disagree with you!

When you say 'staff members' are you referring to the guys and coaches on the bench or the rest of the paid staff members that fly with them? Either way, that's good to hear and I wouldn't disagree with you!

All of them.

On the other hand, if you look at the demographic here, what's the message? Oklahoma City is boring for young adults between 20 and 30? I think some people would tell you "yes". I actually think that's a significant issue.

If young people think OKC is boring, then just about every 20 or 30-something that doesn't live in the like 10 'fun' places is in the same boat. Let's see - NYC, LA , Chicago, Philly, DC, Miami, SF, Atl... where else? Basically huge cities. A bunch of pigeonholed hip places like Austin, Portland, Seattle, etc. where a ton of 20 or 30-somethings would be totally bored if they don't dig the hipster scenes. People who are bored just need to get some friends.

P.S. I'm always surprised by the people who want to find culture and their answer to that is simply finding people who are looking for the same thing. A lot of culture is diversity or even just something different. That being said, culture is everywhere, unless you limit it to new bands, old art and listening to music while you eat dinner. Just because it is isn't high culture doesn't mean it's not culture. That's why I'm content with Oklahoma. I'm not looking for the cutting edge or something revolutionary. Culture is simply accumulated knowledge in areas of the human experience. So, there's a culture, just maybe a culture you don't like.

It all depends on what you like to do.

Obviously, a guy who loves to surf will be bored in OKC. Likewise, someone who regularly goes snow skiing is going to have a difficult time doing that here. There's nothing we can do about that. As far as city amenities, someone who thinks the party starts at 2am and wants to go clubbing all night is not going to be happy in OKC. Okay, well, that's just the way it is. OKC is not LA and it's not New York. You can't expect us to have all the things they do.

I'm not a shopper. I didn't go to all the trendy shopping areas when I lived in Washington DC. I'm not going to buy a pair of $1000 shoes, ever. However, OKC does have it's own version of this. You can spend a whole lot of money on some cowboy boots and a hat if that's your thing. That's local, and it's genuine. It's a shopping experience you can't get in a lot of cities. I can easily see visiting NBA players buying a freakishly expensive cowboy hat when they visit OKC. Or a solid gold belt buckle. It's not what they'd get in LA, but we're never going be able to top LA at being LA.

That's the thing, Chicago will always do "Chicago" better than us. We need things that make us unique. I think we have them. They may not be your style (or mine -- I'm not gonna be buying a pair of $1000 cowboy boots either), but they can be fun and entertaining for people who didn't grow up here with some ingrained fear of being seen as a hick.

City growth is a gradual process, people need to understand that. You can't just snap your fingers and "Poof! Cosmopolitan city." It takes time. This is our 4th year of hosting the NBA. We're continuing to grow and build things downtown and in Bricktown. Our downtown population is slowly increasing. We've got a mass transit system in the works. For a city of this size, with as low a downtown population as we have, Bricktown is gonna be dead on Tuesday nights. That's just the way it is. I don't want businesses there to drive themselves to unprofitability to stay open until midnight during the week if nobody is showing up. Yes, that means the occasional disappointed visitor who finds out that they can't eat at 10:45 in the evening on a Wednesday. You make those compromises in any city not named New York or LA.

How is this city going to look in ten years? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. Getting an NBA team isn't like He-Man holding aloft his magic sword and saying "By the power of Grayskull!" We don't just get hit by a lightning bolt and become a big muscular guy in armor riding a tiger. It's not magic. We've still got to work out and take steroids to get that big in the real world. See, because Kobe Bryant is Skeletor, and... ow, I think I hurt my brain. Regardless, don't expect changes overnight. We're still pretty much the same city we were before we got the NBA. Change takes time.

If young people think OKC is boring, then just about every 20 or 30-something that doesn't live in the like 10 'fun' places is in the same boat. Let's see - NYC, LA , Chicago, Philly, DC, Miami, SF, Atl... where else? Basically huge cities. A bunch of pigeonholed hip places like Austin, Portland, Seattle, etc. where a ton of 20 or 30-somethings would be totally bored if they don't dig the hipster scenes. People who are bored just need to get some friends.

Exactly. I'd be bored in Austin. Yippee, there are 500 different shops that sell bongs, all on one street. However will I contain my excitement. Look, a string of clubs that all have the same type of alcohol and all charge an expensive cover. How wonderful.

I'm 31 and single, but even when I was in my 20s, I didn't enjoy the club scene. So if OKC underperforms in this environment, I haven't noticed. Or cared.

I have many family members that are from both Los Angeles and NYC. They choose to visit me in Okc twice as many times as I visit them.

Why?

Because they love what is going on in Okc. They have many favorite restaurants, hotels, and shops that are must visits each time one is in Okc.

I can't tell you how many times one of them brags about Okc to me, and how lucky it is that I live here.

Am I saying that Okc is a top ten city?

No, but it is on it's way to becoming a great city. People that think it is boring need to get outside more and live life.

Take advantage of what we do have and not dwell on the things that we don't have.

We should all do our part to make Okc the city that we want, instead of leaving Okc for what seems like a better place.

Exactly. I'd be bored in Austin. Yippee, there are 500 different shops that sell bongs, all on one street. However will I contain my excitement. Look, a string of clubs that all have the same type of alcohol and all charge an expensive cover. How wonderful.

I'm 31 and single, but even when I was in my 20s, I didn't enjoy the club scene. So if OKC underperforms in this environment, I haven't noticed. Or cared.

That is exactly what I'm talking about. Exactly what I was trying to state in my "long" post to jc. I don't care about clubs and my life doesn't rotate around them. Glad somebody else is on that boat with me!

It all depends on what you like to do.

Obviously, a guy who loves to surf will be bored in OKC. Likewise, someone who regularly goes snow skiing is going to have a difficult time doing that here. There's nothing we can do about that. As far as city amenities, someone who thinks the party starts at 2am and wants to go clubbing all night is not going to be happy in OKC. Okay, well, that's just the way it is. OKC is not LA and it's not New York. You can't expect us to have all the things they do.



But what about people that love to wind-surf, ride a jet-ski, go water-skiing, sailing and water-tubing. How about rapelling, horse-back riding, mountain-biking, roller-blading, hang-gliding and going to the dunes with your dune buggy?

All of these are ligetimate, well-enjoyed outdoor activities in Oklahoma. I guess the 20-30 somethings aren't into any of the above. And these activities don't involve a hunting rifle or fishing pole.

It all depends on what you like to do.

Obviously, a guy who loves to surf will be bored in OKC. Likewise, someone who regularly goes snow skiing is going to have a difficult time doing that here. There's nothing we can do about that. As far as city amenities, someone who thinks the party starts at 2am and wants to go clubbing all night is not going to be happy in OKC. Okay, well, that's just the way it is. OKC is not LA and it's not New York. You can't expect us to have all the things they do.

I'm not a shopper. I didn't go to all the trendy shopping areas when I lived in Washington DC. I'm not going to buy a pair of $1000 shoes, ever. However, OKC does have it's own version of this. You can spend a whole lot of money on some cowboy boots and a hat if that's your thing. That's local, and it's genuine. It's a shopping experience you can't get in a lot of cities. I can easily see visiting NBA players buying a freakishly expensive cowboy hat when they visit OKC. Or a solid gold belt buckle. It's not what they'd get in LA, but we're never going be able to top LA at being LA.

That's the thing, Chicago will always do "Chicago" better than us. We need things that make us unique. I think we have them. They may not be your style (or mine -- I'm not gonna be buying a pair of $1000 cowboy boots either), but they can be fun and entertaining for people who didn't grow up here with some ingrained fear of being seen as a hick.

City growth is a gradual process, people need to understand that. You can't just snap your fingers and "Poof! Cosmopolitan city." It takes time. This is our 4th year of hosting the NBA. We're continuing to grow and build things downtown and in Bricktown. Our downtown population is slowly increasing. We've got a mass transit system in the works. For a city of this size, with as low a downtown population as we have, Bricktown is gonna be dead on Tuesday nights. That's just the way it is. I don't want businesses there to drive themselves to unprofitability to stay open until midnight during the week if nobody is showing up. Yes, that means the occasional disappointed visitor who finds out that they can't eat at 10:45 in the evening on a Wednesday. You make those compromises in any city not named New York or LA.

How is this city going to look in ten years? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. Getting an NBA team isn't like He-Man holding aloft his magic sword and saying "By the power of Grayskull!" We don't just get hit by a lightning bolt and become a big muscular guy in armor riding a tiger. It's not magic. We've still got to work out and take steroids to get that big in the real world. See, because Kobe Bryant is Skeletor, and... ow, I think I hurt my brain. Regardless, don't expect changes overnight. We're still pretty much the same city we were before we got the NBA. Change takes time.

:congrats:

I've avoided this thread since, as I see it, (1) it doesn't terribly matter to me whether the players like OKC or not since what primarily matters to me is that (a) we have a team, (b) the team plays hard on the floor; (2) at least some players clearly do like being in Oklahoma City (e.g., Durant) and I'm hoping that the rest come to feel the same way, but, even if they don't, item (1) trumps item (2).

How this thread has grown to 8 pages long (by the settings I've made for # of messages per page in the software here) is waaay beyond me. I've not read those 8 pages of comments and don't intend to.

Does it really matter that much to the rest of you whether or not NBA players think OKC is boring? Doesn't it matter more greatly to you whether YOU do, and that the team plays as well as it can?

What's the deal with 8 pages of this stuff?

Doug,

The title of the thread is a bit off.

The thread has turned in the direction of "Why 20 - 30 somethings think Okc is boring?"

Doug, I submit that the position you make is the reason OKC and Oklahoma in general remains to a large degree less desirable as it could be as a home to a more diverse populous. Not that we care about what others may think, but that we are content with where we are, unwilling to pursue more in terms of more entertainment, shopping, sporting, educational, employment, housing options. Maybe that is why so many on this forum are from Oklahoma rather than in Oklahoma

Doug, I submit that the position you make is the reason OKC and Oklahoma in general remains to a large degree less desirable as it could be as a home to a more diverse populous. Not that we care about what others may think, but that we are content with where we are, unwilling to pursue more in terms of more entertainment, shopping, sporting, educational, employment, housing options. Maybe that is why so many on this forum are from Oklahoma rather than in Oklahoma
Well, not quite. We, as a city, have not at all been content with ourselves ... and rightly so ... else we wouldn't take the pride that we do from the MAPS and later developments which have occurred. But that doesn't mean that we have a need to take measures to please any particular group so that they will be comfortable here, or, better still, like us, be that group NBA players, etc.

Our measure of self-esteem should surely not be based upon the viewpoint of what any particular interest group might have about our city. In this context, the NBA is completely expendable. Our view about our self is not. Hopefully, the ideas are not inconsistent and/or incompatible. But if they are, I'll vote for local self-esteem and not what others beyond the "local" might think.

Doug, I submit that the position you make is the reason OKC and Oklahoma in general remains to a large degree less desirable as it could be as a home to a more diverse populous. Not that we care about what others may think, but that we are content with where we are, unwilling to pursue more in terms of more entertainment, shopping, sporting, educational, employment, housing options. Maybe that is why so many on this forum are from Oklahoma rather than in Oklahoma

I didn't leave Oklahoma because I wanted do. We moved to Texas becuase of private matters and have already planned a return in the near future.

And many Oklahomans are willing to pursue mor amenities. Problem is, people move to another state which further hampers the local market. I thought I covered this already.

And Doug, yes, this thread is about 8 pages off topic.

Same here - I left for marriage with the plan that both of us would come back when he retired. We managed to move up the return because we miss OKC so much.

If young people think OKC is boring, then just about every 20 or 30-something that doesn't live in the like 10 'fun' places is in the same boat. Let's see - NYC, LA , Chicago, Philly, DC, Miami, SF, Atl... where else? Basically huge cities. A bunch of pigeonholed hip places like Austin, Portland, Seattle, etc. where a ton of 20 or 30-somethings would be totally bored if they don't dig the hipster scenes. People who are bored just need to get some friends.

Look, that won't work. Because the reason why people don't have friends is because they are mind numbingly boring. I know perfectly well because that describes me.

Exactly. I'd be bored in Austin. Yippee, there are 500 different shops that sell bongs, all on one street. However will I contain my excitement. Look, a string of clubs that all have the same type of alcohol and all charge an expensive cover. How wonderful.

I'm 31 and single, but even when I was in my 20s, I didn't enjoy the club scene. So if OKC underperforms in this environment, I haven't noticed. Or cared.

I'm surprised Texas, unlike Oklahoma, allows sales of bongs.

Most people don't enjoy the bar scene because they are rejected or get ignored in such places. Some though, don't like the smoke and loud music.

It all depends on what you like to do.

City growth is a gradual process, people need to understand that. You can't just snap your fingers and "Poof! Cosmopolitan city." Change takes time.

So true....

I must say I have watched this thread, and I'm glad a healthy debate is being had on this. The truth is it is VERY hard for any midsize city with under 1.5 million people to create the perfect balance of good culture, high quality of life, and decent employment opportunities that would lure younger people en mass. The only one I think comes close is Austin, and I mean Austin pre-2000, before horrible traffic, the tech bust, and California equity refugees wrecked the place. Right now that place is running on the fumes of its own hype. Quite frankly I look at the map and I can't really think of a place besides OKC that has put together everything. It just takes time for everything to gel. Luring the NBA or getting something like MAPS III isn't going to do it instantly, but it is a huge step in the right direction, one that will be realized in the future.

With that said, I sometimes have gotten the "itch" to maybe move to a bigger city with more amenities. Don't get me wrong I really have grown to like OKC and the positive momentum it has had despite the sour national mood. I sometimes feel a little out of my element here. Its more to do with the cultural climate more than else. I can't tell you how many conversations I had here where someone turns their nose up at me because I'm 23 with no plans to marry soon. I know they're thinking that I'm either a womanizer or closet homosexual because its so out of the norm for a single person in their 20's to be worried about other things besides getting married. I feel that the general populace feels that OKC has done well as a great place to raise a family, settle down, or retire, which it is, so why change now? From what I've heard from friends who are from here they tell me its a lot better, but looking at my sister who lives in North Dallas I can't help but to be a little jealous with her being around such a vibrant single scene.

Still I would have a had time actually moving. All of the places that rate high with great single scenes are very hard places to live. Hard as in 10%+ unemployment, ridiculous rent, traffic, cutthroat culture, etc. just not pleasant places to try and live. In fact its probably why everyone is single, they're too busy trying to survive and pay their bills. Why would I want to change my 25 minute commute and dirt cheap rent just so I can do something that I can take a vacation and do the exact same thing? And quite honestly, I'm rarely ever bored here. There really is enough to do so long as your not into intense clubbing or getting smashed every night. I started growing out of that stuff when I realized how expensive it is. However, I have enjoyed some of the amenities this city offers like the OKCMOA, festivals, great restaurants, or Lake Hefner.

I'm surprised Texas, unlike Oklahoma, allows sales of bongs.

Most people don't enjoy the bar scene because they are rejected or get ignored in such places. Some though, don't like the smoke and loud music.

Oklahoma allows bongs to be sold.

Some people have made good points that this city is what you make of it, and I agree there are places, though sometimes hard to find, that offer unique experiances. However, never should we be settled with what we got. Okc still has a ways to go for entertainment options. I think it's mainly missing an urban, dense neighborhood, and midtown is the place. Just wish thngs would move quicker.

Personally, I'm 30 and married. Perhaps the wife and I are boring, but she grew up here (so this is home). I came out here several years back for law school (I had never been to OK until I came here for law school), and I fell in love with this place almost immediately. I have loved seeing just how much this City has developed in the less than 10 years I have been here. It's been amazing.

Just for context, I grew up in a major upper Midwest city (think Great Lakes region...not Detroit), spent my college years in major eastern seaboard metropolitan area at a well-known and very old Eastern liberal arts college (where Oklahoma is just a theoretical wasteland from a Steinbeck novel, where people live in sod huts and ride donkeys to work at the oil derrick each day). I did a semester in Montreal as an undergrad (and THAT is a GREAT and vastly underrated city), and spent a summer working in Phoenix as a law student. Have spent a lot of time in Philly (where I have a sibling), Atlanta (2 siblings there), and New Orleans (the 5th of us kids).

Perhaps my wife and I are boring, but OKC is by far my favorite place I have ever lived or spent any appreciable time in (besides of course pure vacation destinations). Phoenix is a close second, but for pure quality of life, this place, at least in my opinion, has a ton to offer. It's not the flashiest. The skyline isn't the prettiest. It's not Santa Fe, and it's not Miami Beach or San Diego. But it's got a ton to offer anyone.

When I chose to come to OU for law school (it's amazing what scholarship money can do to entice somebody who'd never even been to this state to come check it out...thank you Dean Coats and David Boren!), I remember my senior undergraduate advisor (an elitist East Coast snob if there ever was one), chastising me for "slumming it" for law school, instead of sticking within 100 miles of the Atlantic and moving to NYC like everyone at my college tended to do. In all fairness, his assessment wasn't all negative - he did tell me that "maybe there's something to being a big fish in a dust-covered puddle." You see of course what the view is of this place to folks who have never been here.

Now, I know that this place is not for everyone. But, as someone else above alluded to their own life, my family and many old friends have been out to visit, and they KEEP wanting to come back. I had a ton of these people come from all corners when I got married a couple years back. These are generally people in the 25-35 range. A week here, and the typical reaction I got was that this place is a hidden gem.

If your goal is to live like you are in L.A., this is not the place. Then again, neither is Sacramento. Neither is Milwaukee. Why anyone would choose to live in Detroit is beyond me. Indianapolis? No different than OKC...just a little colder.

If these reports are indeed accurate that players are "bored" here, I would suggest that this is just because we are still battling our image more than just a little bit. What I mean is this: When an NBA player flies into Milwaukee for a Monday night game, and doesn't hop clubs until 5 a.m., that's just a Monday in Milwaukee. When a player flies into OKC and has the same low-key night, this City's underwhelming (and undeserved) reputation and the inherent ingrained bias suggests to him that this City is just dead.

nwnormanok, thanks for the voice of sanity. Perhaps some of the ones who hate OKC so much will listen to someone in your shoes.

Lived in Indianapolis for 7 years, Wife is from Indiana (no difference than OKC? not). Yes Indy is very conservatve, and yes Indy is cold BUT Indy's DT is far superior to OKC's

Downtown Indy had a 15 year head start on downtown OKC. In fact, in many ways it was a model for downtown OKC's rebirth. It is well documented that it was a significant impetus for the creation of the original MAPS. If you want to find out how challenging it was for Indy to achieve the success they had, I suggest reading books by Bill Hudnut, the mayor of Indianapolis at the time. These days he is heavily involved with the Urban Land Institute and highly respected in the field of urban planning.

I guess my new thing on this board will be to remind people that recreating a vibrant, fully-functional inner city and doing it the right way takes time. Sometimes that's hard to accept in today's attention-deficit-addled, instant-gratification, me-me-me world, but it's the truth.

Perhaps my wife and I are boring, but OKC is by far my favorite place I have ever lived or spent any appreciable time in

Don't sell yourself short. Anyone who can actually find a spouse is not boring.

Don't sell yourself short. Anyone who can actually find a spouse is not boring.

Unless the spouse found was so bored that even boring was a step up.
I for one, am eternally thankful for such a circumstance.
:LolLolLol

Don't sell yourself short. Anyone who can actually find a spouse is not boring.

Oh Bunty. Surely you have been to Wal Mart. It doesn't matter if you are boring or gorgeous or hideous or stupid as a garden hose. There is clearly someone out there for everyone.

Personally, I think a lot of it has to do do with timing, expections and luck.

I'm sure there's someone out there for me. Oh, Hannah Montana, I'm waiting for you...

:)

Geez I loved my single days in OKC while I was in my mid/late 20s. Plenty to do and lots of women to chose from - even though many of them were nuts lol. Living downtown helped also. Serriously don't know how I didnt get fired more than a few times - rolling in at 10am after a late night of partying and still half drunk! Now I'm 31, living in Destin (where I grew up) which is my favorite place in the world, and getting married in May, but man those were some fun times in OKC!

Dude, this is an exceptional place to live. Last night I went to Greenhouse, Drunken Fry, VZD's, Nova & Sipangos... All were packed and I had a blast. Every dj and band we bring thru town has a blast. My dj friends in Dallas beg for me to book them here. I work at the Colcord and I constantly hear how much people love this place or think it's "cool". Chad Petree of Shiny Toy Guns moved to Nichols Hills, Jeremy Dawson has an apt in LA and a house here... Guess where he spends most of his time, he spends it here. Okc is doin just alright.

Lotta good posts on here!

I wonder how much of it is just that the players really don't know what to do yet?

You do have to search a little. Maybe you could list 50-100 things for them to do and send it to Tony Durant.

My problem with people who say there is "nothing to do" never name off the things they want to do.

My kids learned to never say, "I'm bored," because I'd find something constructive for them to do since they were miserable, anyway...

But I guess that doesn't help THIS situation.

My suggestion would be to set down, curl up with a nice blanket and watch a block of "my first home" or "property virgins" on HGTV. Often times they focus on younger buyers, both married and single, and pretty much every episode starts with the potential buyers saying they want to live in X district of whatever city they are in. Watch for a while. You'll notice some common themes about the areas that the young professionals are wanting to move into. Something that is seen time and again are very nice, walkable sidewalks in urbanized areas with lots of street-level storefronts. Lots of little ethnic restaurants are usually seen, wine bistros, sports bars, upscale grocers, live music, what I whould call 'oddities' shops such as record stores, collectibles, and locale-specific shopping (e.g. in California you'd expect to see lots of surf related stuff, in SLC maybe more mountain and hiking related shops), lots of 'activity' type places which could range from pool halls to interesting art museums and architecturally significant places to just hang out and watch people. And of course lots and lots of people with similar interests all walking around and in close proximity to each other.

It's not to say that OKC doesn't have these things, for the most part. The city just needs a lot more of them, and for them to be closer together. And a lot of residential housing nearby to go along with that.

who gives a rats rear what any NBA member thinks of our city??!!!

thats the problem with our soceity in general, people care too much about what other people think. so much to the point that (keyword:some) some people spend money relentlessly to simply appease to the taste of complete & total strangers.

They buy more expensive clothes than what they really need, they throw down thousands of more dollars than what is really necessary in buying vehicles that are more lavish than what they should truly be driving.

..and im talking about everyday people, not celebrities here.

but going back to celebrities, specifically the NBA variety this thread is based upon.

Does anyone recall a few years back when Charles Barkley dubbed Oklahoma as a wasteland?? Oh, we okies took great offense to that and so much to the point WE offered HIM an all-expense paid visit here to try to wow him and simply asked for his apology in return.

Barkley REJECTED our offer, and never even bowed out an apology to us.

This clown is a millionaire! Why should we be spending our money on him? Does OKC really care about what Barkley said? Are we that determined to alter negative spoken words from anyone with celebritorial clout for fear that they have the potential of reaching millions of viewers/listeners/readers?

So why should anyone care what any NBA player says about Oklahoma from that point forward? Are we caring because of their financial status? Because they are members of our home team? (or maybe some other teams players are bad mouthing us)

Why care? seriously.

We have our civic plans in place and we have an excellent mayor leading us. Maybe these fools will someday take back the words they cast. Until then lets just go about our own business.

Some people will hate OKC, and some will love it. Word of mouth is word of mouth, and NO CITY can please EVERYONE.

nba=negative badmouthing attitudes.

(thats me badmouthing the nba) :elmer3: :chef:

who gives a rats rear what any NBA member thinks of our city??!!!

thats the problem with our soceity in general, people care too much about what other people think. so much to the point that (keyword:some) some people spend money relentlessly to simply appease to the taste of complete & total strangers.

They buy more expensive clothes than what they really need, they throw down thousands of more dollars than what is really necessary in buying vehicles that are more lavish than what they should truly be driving.

..and im talking about everyday people, not celebrities here.

but going back to celebrities, specifically the NBA variety this thread is based upon.

Does anyone recall a few years back when Charles Barkley dubbed Oklahoma as a wasteland?? Oh, we okies took great offense to that and so much to the point WE offered HIM an all-expense paid visit here to try to wow him and simply asked for his apology in return.

Barkley REJECTED our offer, and never even bowed out an apology to us.

This clown is a millionaire! Why should we be spending our money on him? Does OKC really care about what Barkley said? Are we that determined to alter negative spoken words from anyone with celebritorial clout for fear that they have the potential of reaching millions of viewers/listeners/readers?

So why should anyone care what any NBA player says about Oklahoma from that point forward? Are we caring because of their financial status? Because they are members of our home team? (or maybe some other teams players are bad mouthing us)

Why care? seriously.

We have our civic plans in place and we have an excellent mayor leading us. Maybe these fools will someday take back the words they cast. Until then lets just go about our own business.

Some people will hate OKC, and some will love it. Word of mouth is word of mouth, and NO CITY can please EVERYONE.

nba=negative badmouthing attitudes.

(thats me badmouthing the nba) :elmer3: :chef:

I mostly agree--who cares about what Charles Barkley thinks. However, there is something to this being a legitimate concern. In some form or fashion, being a member of the OKC Thunder has to be a draw to NBA free agents for the team to enjoy sustained success. We don't have to be New York, Dallas, or LA, but we also need to provide a bit more than Amarillo, TX. If we fail to care to be a city where NBA players want to come, then we'll realize that top notch talent won't want to come here. The same thing goes for big companies that recruit nationally (Devon, CHK, etc.); if this city can't be a fun place for young, emerging talent to want to be, they simply won't come here.

Obviously, we shouldn't and can't please everyone, but we should try to have more entertainment for the average awesome free agent--age 25-30--than Quail Springs Mall. Maybe we shouldn't have to provide that stuff, but it's part ofthe game.

I believe we do, and we can have even more, but we should continuallly strive to have great entertainment. "NBA players are bored, boo hoo" is a bad approach.

My kids learned to never say, "I'm bored," because I'd find something constructive for them to do since they were miserable, anyway...

But I guess that doesn't help THIS situation.

hey great idea. so next time an nba player announces that they are bored with okc we can recruit them or the entire team to clean up Ford Center after the end of the game.

Oh yeah!

Thank God we are boring; this may keep many of them out-of-trouble!

I look at this way.... We could be Detroit. I like Oklahoma the way it is today. I am glad we are slowly adding better entertainment options and other attractions. At the same time I do not want to see us become a big nasty metropolis like Dallas.

My question is... what is stopping these guys from chartering a jet out of Wiley Post and flying to Houston,KC,St. Louis, or Dallas for the evening or weekend? I know if I had that kind of money and thought the location of my workplace was boring I would be traveling all the time.

Besides... OKC acutally allows them to have a life. They do not have the losers from TMZ chasing them around. Not to mention, most Oklahomans are respectful to celebrities they allow them to have a life and walk alongside the rest of us. The reason for that is that most okies are humble people that refuse to become star stuck.

One other thing.... I guarantee their dollar goes ten times as far then the average NBA town. Ten million dollars in California or Florida will probably get you into an ordinary home. In Oklahoma, ten million dollars will get you mammouth house a huge chunk of land.

who gives a rats rear what any NBA member thinks of our city??!!!


If the city has a bad reputation, it means marquee players won't consider it for free agency. If that happens and the record continue to be mediocre, fan-support wains, and there is a likely result that low attendance and support would force them out of here. Pro sports is considered a failure in OKC and leagues don't come.

I mean, we shouldn't care what Charles Barkley has to say (and no one should), but we should be concerned for the people who live here through the season.

Agree Hawk!

If you don't like the Oklahoma weather, wait a few minutes. That philosophy applies to life in Oklahoma in general. I mean, lets face it. It 1994, OKC was practically the Detriot of the south. Then MAPS came along and changed the energy of the city. Now that OKC is on board, there is no where else to go but up.

No one can predict what OKC will be like in 3 or even 5 years. The NBA is still very new in town, so now that there is an added element to our list of amenities, not to mention NBA players as residents, it won't be long before the market begins to respond to new demands.

this guy also said he and his buddies have to go to dallas a lot bc the clubs downtown are boring...man you guys must just not know how to party.

I agree. Jc sounds like a douchee type. Boring people don't have fun unless OTHERS are providing it for them. Notice that "fun" people create excitement and boring people complain about being bored.

Thunder players tell what they really think of new home | OKG Scene.com (http://www.okgazette.com/p/12834/a/5190/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=LwBEAGUAZgBhAHUAbAB0AC4AYQB zAHAAeAAslashAHAAPQAxADIANwAzADEA)

Doesn't Durant live in Rose Creek? Maybe that is why his brother thinks OKC sucks. If going to Quail Springs Mall and eating on Memorial is all you are shown then you don't get much of the flavor here. Maybe if his brother didn't choose to live 30 minutes from downtown, he would have some fun.

I don't know why all the young Thunder players chose to live in Edmond, I would be bored too.

Edmond is a nice peaceful place for raising families, playing golf, and attending church, but they choose to keep things a little boring especially for young rich twenty-somethings.

As I have said to others, if the Thunder players want to tie one on, they can do it when they are on the road. We just pay their salaries and hope to get a top notch effort in return.

Coach Brooks reply is spot on for me, insofar as the basketball players are concerned: "It's not L.A. or New York, and if you want to go out and do that stuff, you might not be right for our team."

I'm sure MAPS 3 will give our future players a lot more entertainment options and "coolness" if that's really what they want.

Instead of making excuses for what we know to be true, Why don"t we just "improve the city?"

I don't know why all the young Thunder players chose to live in Edmond, I would be bored too.

Edmond is a nice peaceful place for raising families, playing golf, and attending church, but they choose to keep things a little boring especially for young rich twenty-somethings.

Weren't they kindof told they had to live there, or given a range within a certain distance from the practice facility? I seem to remember reading something like that.

I think the players may have been given the suggestion that they might prefer living in Edmond, but I don't think anyone was told where they had to live. I know I was told that some of them like living in gated communities. We're pretty laid back about our players, but I think they may have concerns about too much accessibility for fans. I was also told they don't like living too far from the practice facility, although Rose Creek is not exactly close to the Broadway Extension. And then, I think they like living close to one another, because they're all friends.

Weren't they kindof told they had to live there, or given a range within a certain distance from the practice facility? I seem to remember reading something like that.

Wow, that would really suck if true. Imagine being young, rich, good looking, and single and being told you had to live in the land of the Stepford wives.

Okay, here is my take. A lot of people that come to Oklahoma City say it’s boring compared to other cities. Very well. I can’t argue with them. But here is my problem. There are no suggestions for improvements, no suggestions for amenities we are missing, and absolutely no insight from the person complaining about what other cities offer to meet their needs that we do not have.

What amenities do you want to see in OKC? What stores? What types of clubs? I mean, we can hammer on OKC all day for a lack of amenities, but I can tell you it is not altogether Oklahoma City’s fault. There are stores than can compete in OKC but just flat out won’t for some reason or another that I don’t buy, such as Whole Foods and Costco Warehouse.

But seriously, lay out the details. What is it you want to see in OKC?


I would like for our transit system to be improved. MORE buses, slightly longer operation hours, and a few more SW to SE and NW to NE crosstown routes.

The current system sucks when you have to wait sometimes for 2 or 3 scheduled buses before 1 actually comes by due to too many buses waiting for maintenance causing a shortage. Who can keep a job if you are late several times a month due to no bus and you are already taking the first bus offered to get to work by 8am to a workplace 15 to 20 minutes away by car.

I also want to see SIDEWALKS and not just in or near downtown. It needs to be everywhere along main streets like Pennsylvania, Western, Shields, etc.

Nothing like walking/pushing a stroller or being wheelchair bound and having to choose between crappy uneven mud lawns or the city street because there are no sidewalks.

Upscale grocery store - I am so sad we do not have at least one really full scale upscale grocer. Cresent helps some - Homeland @ Chatenay Square is not too bad but both lack alot!

I would like for our transit system to be improved. MORE buses, slightly longer operation hours, and a few more SW to SE and NW to NE crosstown routes.

The current system sucks when you have to wait sometimes for 2 or 3 scheduled buses before 1 actually comes by due to too many buses waiting for maintenance causing a shortage. Who can keep a job if you are late several times a month due to no bus and you are already taking the first bus offered to get to work by 8am to a workplace 15 to 20 minutes away by car.

I also want to see SIDEWALKS and not just in or near downtown. It needs to be everywhere along main streets like Pennsylvania, Western, Shields, etc.

Nothing like walking/pushing a stroller or being wheelchair bound and having to choose between crappy uneven mud lawns or the city street because there are no sidewalks.

Upscale grocery store - I am so sad we do not have at least one really full scale upscale grocer. Cresent helps some - Homeland @ Chatenay Square is not too bad but both lack alot!

Great post.

Hopefully those sidewalks are in the offing, thanks to our last bond issue. I've never lived anywhere before that had so few sidewalks.

And, I'm counting on the streetcar to help jumpstart a push for better mass transit everywhere in the city. Like one of the articles I posted said, streetcars can change public perceptions about mass transit. We need our citizens to look at buses like they do in cities like New York and Chicago. They're for everyone, not just those who cannot afford to buy a car. We also need far better bus stops. When I see people sitting on an uncovered bench in bad weather waiting for a bus, I feel terrible for them. We should have had a revamping of our bus stops included in MAPS as well.

Hopefully those sidewalks are in the offing, thanks to our last bond issue. I've never lived anywhere before that had so few sidewalks.

And, I'm counting on the streetcar to help jumpstart a push for better mass transit everywhere in the city. Like one of the articles I posted said, streetcars can change public perceptions about mass transit. We need our citizens to look at buses like they do in cities like New York and Chicago. They're for everyone, not just those who cannot afford to buy a car. We also need far better bus stops. When I see people sitting on an uncovered bench in bad weather waiting for a bus, I feel terrible for them. We should have had a revamping of our bus stops included in MAPS as well.

Yes. And I'm sure most of us on this forum would agree that we wish transit had been a bigger overall piece of the pie in MAPS 3.

I've definitely warmed to the convention center and park a lot, although I admit to not fully understanding the aquatic centers yet.

Count me in on desiring sidewalks. I moved to the inner city from Midwest City a couple of years ago, only to find that despite being twice as dense, my new neighborhood (Crestwood) was FAR less walkable and bikeable than my old suburban neighborhood in MWC.