Get ready for the OKLAHOMA (fill in the blank) NOT OKC

[JWil]

The Oklahoma City Thunder would be fine.

Only downside is that there is already a Wichita Thunder that plays in the same hockey league as the OKC Blazers.

I hear ya there, but no one knows that outside of our region. Plus, the city of St. Louis had Cardinals in both the NFL and MLB for about 30 years. The TV people there said "baseball Cardinals" or "football Cardinals." I think we can deal with the name Thunder being shared with a CHL team in the largest city in Kansas.

And it was cool to see my idea (via a friend) get on the air last night! I really hope Thunder is the name. Too too perfect for us.

[metro]

I hope it's not Thunder, too predictable.

[cedbled]

I hope it's not Thunder, too predictable.

Thanks, I have to agree...

[Kerry]

Someone calling into the Sports Animal just suggested Oklahoma City Convoy. Thst doesn't sound to bad.

[OKCMallen]

Oh gawd, I can just see the trucker caps and mullet now....


Looks like we've got us a CONVOY!

[Nawfside OKC]

im just so happy that we have a team coming !!!!!!

if personally would prefer okc but if the other metros and small towns wanna get represented wit a "Oklahoma " title thats fine also

(we okcitians want do yall like yall do us in tulsa) ....

[cedbled]

10-4 old buddy!!!

hell naw

[Superhyper]

I think a lot of people arguing that it should be the "City _____ "named team seem to be under the mistaken assumption that their tax dollars are the only things supporting the team. Not so at all, if nobody buys tickets, you can tax until you're blue in the face but no one is going to care about the team. By calling them the "Oklahoma_____" it makes the team something that everyone in the state would feel part of, and therefore more likely to want to come and watch the games. Yeah, OKC ponied up the tax dollars to renovate the Ford Center, and it will get the benefits of people coming into the city to see the games as a consequence. The more people across the state care about this team, the better for the city hosting it.

[solitude]

I hope it's not Thunder, too predictable.

Remember, the naming process is a one time deal. In five years it will either be a good name or not. Nobody will be discussing whether it was "predictable" when chosen. I love the Oklahoma City Thunder! Actually, I'm not even certain if that's what you mean by "predictable." The Dallas Cowboys: is that/was that predictable? Did it/does it matter?

[Saberman]

I think some are over thinking this way to much. I really don't think that the people outside of OKC are going to give a hoot what we put in front of the name. They will all benefit from OKC being touted on National TV, but putting Oklahoma City in the name gives recognition to the area.

Back when Tulsa had a USFL team, it really didn't matter to me they called themselves the Oklahoma Outlaws or if they would have called them the Tulsa Outlaws, I still had season tickets, and went to Tulsa to see the games.

[Decious]

[jbrown84]

as do I.

If Oklahomans are fans of the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers, then it certainly won't be an issue for Oklahomans to support a team named Oklahoma City _____.

[andy157]

as do I.

If Oklahomans are fans of the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers, then it certainly won't be an issue for Oklahomans to support a team named Oklahoma City _____.

Are you agreeing that it SHOULD BE an OKLAHOMA team, and SHOULD NOT BE an OKC team? Just asking.

[Cid]

Why would we limit ourselves? It's silly to think it HAS to be OKC instead of Oklahoma.

[solitude]

Did you all hear Ron Thulin on Jox930 today? He is very concerned that the team will, in fact, be called the "Oklahoma" whatevers. He's been hearing that the city market size has convinced the NBA that the team needs to appeal to the region and brand it without the "city." He advised calling the Mayor's office to support Cornett in his lobbying efforts with Bennett, etc. to give OKC its due branding. This whole thing was sold as a big league CITY. Thulin knows his sports, and if he's concerned as well, we all should be. BTW, Cornett is apparently speaking out and acting like it will be "OKlahoma City" as his way of pressuring them to do just that. But - it's not a done deal.

For some of us - this is a BIG deal.

[andy157]

Why would we limit ourselves? It's silly to think it HAS to be OKC instead of Oklahoma.

I don't think limiting ourselves is the issue. Not all, but quite a few believe it would be more silly if the team was tagged Oklahoma and not Oklahoma City. 50/50? 60/40? Maybe the question needs to be polled.

[solitude]

I don't think limiting ourselves is the issue. Not all, but quite a few believe it would be more silly if the team was tagged Oklahoma and not Oklahoma City. 50/50? 60/40? Maybe the question needs to be polled.

Andy, Regarding my post above (Ron Thulin on Jox) he said they did a poll Tuesday and the vast majority of people were adament that it be Oklahoma City. Period.

[Cid]

Andy, Regarding my post above (Ron Thulin on Jox) he said they did a poll Tuesday and the vast majority of people were adament that it be Oklahoma City. Period.

Wow. Color me stunned. An OKC-based sports talk radio show took a poll and most people thought the team should be named OKC...

Why not poll some Tulsans? People from Lawton? Stillwater?

[andy157]

Andy, Regarding my post above (Ron Thulin on Jox) he said they did a poll Tuesday and the vast majority of people were adament that it be Oklahoma City. Period.

I didn't catch his show, but great. It should be OKC.

[andy157]

Wow. Color me stunned. An OKC-based sports talk radio show took a poll and most people thought the team should be named OKC...

Why not poll some Tulsans? People from Lawton? Stillwater?

Because CID, it's no business of the Tulsa, Lawton, and Stillwater people.

[solitude]

Wow. Color me stunned. An OKC-based sports talk radio show took a poll and most people thought the team should be named OKC...

Why not poll some Tulsans? People from Lawton? Stillwater?

I don't think people in Tulsa, Lawton or Stillwater voted to fund the Ford center upgrades and the $21,000,000.00 practice facility either. People around here have to pay the tax every trip to the supermarket. This was sold to the people who actually voted as an Oklahoma CITY basketball team. The yard signs even said, "Big League City," (or was it major - I don't remember), but the thing that brought a lot of us on board was the exposure day in and day out for Oklahoma City - not Oklahoma. As some have already pointed out - who knows where the New Jersey Nets play? Do you think "Phoenix" when you hear the Arizona Cardinals? Obvously you don't care, but most of us who voted for this on March 4th care - a lot. In the NBA, it's the Phoenix Suns - not the Arizona Suns and we all know that. PHOENIX is the elite city.

[brianinok]

OKC is the reason we are getting a team. The state is not. Every big city with an NBA team has suburbs and small towns within a couple hours drive that help support the team, and that makes no difference. Enough of the national media are going to say "Oklahoma ____" anyway, because "Oklahoma City ____" is so long. You often hear that now in various contexts. In fact, on my most recent flight back to OKC, the gate attended at DFW kept saying "flight 123 to Oklahoma is now boarding" and the flight attendant announced "we would like to be the first to welcome you to Oklahoma" right after we touched down. "City" will get dropped enough, let's not officially drop it.

Secondly, I like Thunder. It's one of the few nicknames that does not sound hickish and still goes with Oklahoma. Kelly Ogle's presentation last night at 10pm was pretty convincing. I can also hear sound effects of thunder in the Ford Center. I like it!

[Cid]

This...

I don't think limiting ourselves is the issue.

...and this...

Because CID, it's no business of the Tulsa, Lawton, and Stillwater people.

...don't jive.

I don't think people in Tulsa, Lawton or Stillwater voted to fund the Ford center upgrades and the $21,000,000.00 practice facility either. People around here have to pay the tax every trip to the supermarket. This was sold to the people who actually voted as an Oklahoma CITY basketball team. The yard signs even said, "Big League City," (or was it major - I don't remember), but the thing that brought a lot of us on board was the exposure day in and day out for Oklahoma City - not Oklahoma. As some have already pointed out - who knows where the New Jersey Nets play? Do you think "Phoenix" when you hear the Arizona Cardinals?

Are you implying that nobody will know that the Oklahoma Thunder play in OKC if we don't name them the OKC Thunder? Really? Do you have ANY other reason?

Obvously you don't care, but most of us who voted for this on March 4th care - a lot.

This couldn't be farther from the truth. I care very much. I care even more that the team is successful. I'd rather put nothing to risk and gain everything that's possible. By naming the team "OKC" all we do is imply that others aren't included in our club. Why not welcome the whole state? Because they aren't paying tax money? Selfish and juvenile.

[solitude]

This...



...and this...



...don't jive.


Are you implying that nobody will know that the Oklahoma Thunder play in OKC if we don't name them the OKC Thunder? Really? Do you have ANY other reason?


This couldn't be farther from the truth. I care very much. I care even more that the team is successful. I'd rather put nothing to risk and gain everything that's possible. By naming the team "OKC" all we do is imply that others aren't included in our club. Why not welcome the whole state? Because they aren't paying tax money? Selfish and juvenile.

You'll be invited to start an OKTalk instead of OKCTalk pretty quick with an attitude like that. Do only people in Dallas proper go see the Dallas Cowboys? Are the other areas excluded? It's not juvenile for our city to want our name on our basketball team. All NBA fans are welcome, but the team belongs to Oklahoma City. Is that so hard to figure out?

Those of you coming in late on the thread on Thursday night - be sure and read my post about what Ron Thulin said on JOX930 this afternoon:
http://www.okctalk.com/135290-post115.html

[Cid]

You'll be invited to start an OKTalk instead of OKCTalk pretty quick with an attitude like that. Do only people in Dallas proper go see the Dallas Cowboys? Are the other areas excluded? It's not juvenile for our city to want our name on our basketball team. All NBA fans are welcome, but the team belongs to Oklahoma City. Is that so hard to figure out?

Those of you coming in late on the thread on Thursday night - be sure and read my post about what Ron Thulin said on JOX930:
http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...tml#post135290

Pride rears its ugly head.