Thunder and OKC on Sportsbybrooks

[TakeAShot]

Interesting article about Thunder and OKC:

SPORTSbyBROOKS Thunder Say OKC Is A Windblown Wasteland

What do u guys think?

[betts]

I think that it was a little ridiculous to ask the players what they like and dislike about Oklahoma City. Agreed there. But, beyond that.....closet Seattle resident or fan looking for an opportunity to take a shot at OKC.

[Karried]

He took the quotes that he wanted to use out of context and tried to make a story out of it.

I think we should just ignore him and not give his blog any hits.

[Karried]

The more I think about it, that guy is a real turd. I hadn't even read the full article and when I went back to read it, it was so obvious that he cherry picked any negative comments to make it seem that they hated it here. What a tool.


Kevin Durant:

Liked about Oklahoma City: Everybody who asks me back home, ‘How’s Oklahoma City?’ I tell them it’s a great place to live. This is where I want to be. I love that it’s small and it’s quiet. Of course, the fans were great. My neighbors are like family to me. I’m laid back and quiet. This kind of fits my personality.
Disliked about Oklahoma City: It was tough waking up not knowing how it would be like outside. One day it might be 80, the next day it might snow.

Desmond Mason:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "I've got a built-in fan base, built-in relationships with a lot of people. I went to college here. I picked to come here and I've been back here twice to play here. Me personally, I love being here. Good family place to live."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "The wind was tough this year. I don't think I've ever seen it blow like this. But I've been in the snow and the rain. I'll take the wind over both of those."

Earl Watson:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "The fan support. When you get to the point you're trying to make a playoff run that support can make a difference, and make a big difference in a playoff series. The fans here are so amazing."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "One day it can ice, the next day it can be 80. I'm either used to ice for long periods of time (in Kansas City where I grew up) or 80 (in Los Angeles), not where you have both back to back days."

Malik Rose:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "I lived in San Antonio for a number of years and Oklahoma City is a lot like that. A safe city. Really friendly. It's safe, it's clean, it's warm in the winter."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "I have to get used to the wind but other than that I really liked it. If you don't need to have a shovel (for snow) I'm excited."

Jeff Green:

about Oklahoma City: "It's very relaxing. The people are lovely. It wasn't just the fans. My neighbors are amazing. It's quiet. There's not too much going on. I like to stay at home and relax. This was a great city to do that. That helped me a lot with my rest."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "I have no dislikes. I'm not a city guy, a club hopper. I like to stay home and relax... As for the weather, it snows a lot and is cold in D.C. The weather is a lot better here than D.C. Sometimes you get upset when it's 81 one day and 40 the next but you get used to it."

Kyle Weaver:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "It reminds me of home. It's calm, not really crazy. It's real laid back, a community feel. That's what I'm used to. I'm not used to bad traffic and big city lights. It wasn't hard for me to adjust."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "The weather was pretty crazy. I'm used to the snow. It was good with a lot less snow but the wind made up for it. It gets really windy here."

Russel Westbrook:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "The people, the fans, were the best thing. It's slow compared to LA. There life is a lot faster. The traffic is a lot better here. In LA, good luck. "

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "The weird thing is how the weather switches. LA isn't really like that. Here you never know what may happen. It may be hot one day, the next day it may be raining or cold. I like the weather in LA."

Shaun Livingston:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "The people in general. How can you not talk about the fans. People are so genuine. It's different for me because LA and Miami, where I played before, everything is so fast. They're big cities. There's more media. Here it's a nice change of pace."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "Not as fast as pace works both ways. It helps you focus on your job but there's not much to do on nights you're bored."

D.J. White:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "I really like the people. Nice people. It's a quiet place, laid back, kind of where I'm from. I'm not from a big city. I really don't like big cities."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "The weather. You step outside one day it's 70, the next day it's snowing. That's really the only thing I didn't like."

Thabo Sefolosha:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "I feel comfortable here. I like the city. I'll tell (friends) it's a good city and instead of Chicago they have to come to Oklahoma. Everything is within walking distance downtown. That helps with family, going to restaurants. And the weather is much better than Chicago."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "Nothing really. I'm pretty happy with the traffic here. A lot different than Chicago."

Robert Swift:

Liked about Oklahoma City: "It reminds me of home. This is a little bigger but I really liked it here. Liked it a lot. I can wear my (cowboy) boots and fit right in."

Disliked about Oklahoma City: "There was nothing I really didn't like. The winds pick up here a little more than anyplace I've ever lived. But in Seattle it rained all the time."

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

If the wind is all most are complaining about, then that's a good thing.

[Thunder]

Good reason to complain about the wind! The wind empowered the recent firestorm!

[so1rfan]

Wow, wind is so unique to Oklahoma.

Windblown wasteland? who said it was a wasteland?

[Thunder]

Wow, wind is so unique to Oklahoma.

Windblown wasteland? who said it was a wasteland?

Check out the windblown wasteland on Bryant & I-240.

You will enjoy the scenery of trash from top to bottom flying graciously toward moving traffic.

Only in Oklahoma!

[okcpulse]

Check out the windblown wasteland on Bryant & I-240.

You will enjoy the scenery of trash from top to bottom flying graciously toward moving traffic.

Only in Oklahoma!

Yeah, that's right. If it's bad, it happens only in Oklahoma. Where we LOVE to emphasize ONLY the bad, and no good. And if we even begin to try to take pride, the anti-Oklahoma league comes running, chanting "that's not the real Oklahoma!". That or taking pride in our state somehow get's twisted into an "inferiority complex".

I quote Arnold Schwarzenegger in Total Recall...

You're the best mindf**k yet...

Granted, the trash heap is embarrassing, but trust me, you don't feel so bad once you see the giant metal scrap heaps just SE of downtown Dallas, or the abandoned industrial zones of Houston.

So why is it that every mistake in Oklahoma gets recorded like we're preparing for a parole hearing, yet every other state with their f**k ups gets off the hook?

[jbrown84]

Of course he quotes things like "the wind is nerve-wracking" but leaves out where the guy says IN THE SAME SENTENCE that he'd rather have that than the rain [in Seattle]. In fact, it looks like most of them contain some kind of "but, it's not so bad compared to ______."

And as far as their off-season homes, all but one are in places other than Seattle, so obviously they didn't stay there off-season either, so that's a completely moot argument.

Of course this crap is to be expected and we all know better.

The only really negative one (that we can control) was the guy that said there's not too much to do on nights when you are bored. To that I ask, what is it you did in Seattle that you can't do here? I really would like to know. I honestly can't think of much.

[Laramie]

It has been nice seeing some positive articiles about Oklahoma City in Forbes, Fortune and New York Times.

So, you know what they can do with this type of journalism? Flush!!!

[Stan Silliman]

Of course he quotes things like "the wind is nerve-wracking" but leaves out where the guy says IN THE SAME SENTENCE that he'd rather have that than the rain [in Seattle]. In fact, it looks like most of them contain some kind of "but, it's not so bad compared to ______."

And as far as their off-season homes, all but one are in places other than Seattle, so obviously they didn't stay there off-season either, so that's a completely moot argument.

Of course this crap is to be expected and we all know better.

The only really negative one (that we can control) was the guy that said there's not too much to do on nights when you are bored. To that I ask, what is it you did in Seattle that you can't do here? I really would like to know. I honestly can't think of much.

You can play with seagulls. Feed 'em, watch them hover. But maybe if the heap at 240 & Bryant gets much bigger, the seagulls will find it. Then Shaun Livngston can go out there and feel more at home.

[Dave Cook]

I've said from the beginning of this piece that it was lazy journalism. What on earth did the writer expect these guys to say 'on the record'?

Let's face it, Oklahomans have been extremely gracious hosts. For the Thunder players to speak truthfully about the things they didn't like would be bad public relations and poor taste. Anyone who has ever been in this situation knows what I'm talking about.

I spent quite a few years over in Japan. The locals were always interested in what we thought of their country (they're actually obsessed with it). We always gave polite answers (wonderful nightlife, nice people, excellent public transport, great restaurants, clean, etc).

This was always followed by 'Come on. What do you REALLY think of Japan?'

Then we really got to talking (overpopulated, expensive, tiny accomodations, etc). We all loved living there, but to suggest there weren't negatives was ridiculous.

I wish there was a follow up, 'off the record' interview with the Thunder players. What do you REALLY not like about Oklahoma City?

Wind? Please.

[Mr.Cubbin's412thHat]

SBB Girls are HAAAAAAWT.