NBA Players Think OKC is Boring...boo hoo

[td25er]

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.

[urbanity]

Thunder players tell what they really think of new home | OKG Scene.com

[blake]

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.

[okclee]

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.

[mugofbeer]

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.

[king183]

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.

[dcsooner]

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

[purplemonkeythief]

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.

[betts]

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.

[soonerguru]

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.

[JustTheFactsPlease]

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!

[soonerguru]

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.

[betts]

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.

[soonerguru]

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.

[EBAH]

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.

[RamaLama]

If the main complaint about Oklahoma is a lack of shopping and clubs, then I think that is just a statement on the lack of taste and creativity on the part of the person saying it. And is probably a disconcerting statement on the modern mindset of what people want out of life.
Some of the greatest assets Oklahoma has is the laid-back, slower paced (less "urban" and crazy!) way of life. Urban/Uptown/what have you, isn't always a good thing! The best compliments I've heard about Oklahoma is that it ISN'T L.A. or New York!

[dcsooner]

If the main complaint about Oklahoma is a lack of shopping and clubs, then I think that is just a statement on the lack of taste and creativity on the part of the person saying it. And is probably a disconcerting statement on the modern mindset of what people want out of life.
Some of the greatest assets Oklahoma has is the laid-back, slower paced (less "urban" and crazy!) way of life. Urban/Uptown/what have you, isn't always a good thing! The best compliments I've heard about Oklahoma is that it ISN'T L.A. or New York!

The issue is the relative lack of a variety of African American females and entertainment options in OKC. OKC lacks any semblance of a large black middle class and diversity of cultures found in other places

[onthestrip]

The issue is the relative lack of a variety of African American females and entertainment options in OKC. OKC lacks any semblance of a large black middle class and diversity of cultures found in other places

Very true, unfortunately. This is a big reason why I like going to the Classen Pearls, there is diversity. Makes for a fun atmosphere.

[PennyQuilts]

I thoroughly enjoyed the presence of the strong black middle class in the DC area. Coming from Oklahoma, which lacks the big numbers of AA's, (overall and middleclass), it was so interesting to me to meet, live near and work with black middleclass families. I am not trying to be racist - so please forgive me if I come across as that way - but it was so neat to see little black ladies in minivans and SUV's taking their kids to soccer practice and dance class right alongside the white parents. Black trademen, small business owners, lawyers, teachers, etc., and not just hanging out on the "east" side of town. The kids were in private schools and in band and scouts and all the stuff we think of as being middleclass. Oklahoma has a black middle class but they aren't as numerous - the economy and culture has held them back. But I can see a definite difference since we moved back. I really do feel like I see a stronger, more obvious black middle class since we returned.

[fredfredburger]

OKC is boring. I'm 19, a student at OCU, and unless I want to go to church lockins or craft fairs or "managed" social events, there's nothing else to do but try and find some pot or beer and hang out at a friend's house.

[PennyQuilts]

OKC is boring. I'm 19, a student at OCU, and unless I want to go to church lockins or craft fairs or "managed" social events, there's nothing else to do but try and find some pot or beer and hang out at a friend's house.

My kids never dared to tell me they were bored. I'd find something for them to do like pull weeds or wash dishes.

[fredfredburger]

My kids never dared to tell me they were bored. I'd find something for them to do like pull weeds or wash dishes.

wow, you sound like loads of fun.

I'm glad I didn't grow up in the 1800's like you.

[nik4411]

wow fred, real cool there buddy.

and when people say stuff like that, the reason you're bored is your own damn fault. go find something to do.
if you could have it your way, what things would you want to be able to do here that you can't?

[fredfredburger]

wow fred, real cool there buddy.

and when people say stuff like that, the reason you're bored is your own damn fault. go find something to do.
if you could have it your way, what things would you want to be able to do here that you can't?

We do find things to do, I already said we try to find some smoke and beer then hangout at a friend's place playing xbox.

I'd really like it if there was a place a bunch of us could hang out at and do the same, yeah without the drugs and beer, I know. There isn't any such place. There's nowhere in this whole entire city to just hang after 10pm. Most of the clubs are lame, and the ones we can actually get into close way too early. There's no place to eat late at night unless you want to go to friggen Dennys.

This place sucks and I can't wait til I graduate to get out of here.

[adaniel]

I thoroughly enjoyed the presence of the strong black middle class in the DC area. Coming from Oklahoma, which lacks the big numbers of AA's, (overall and middleclass), it was so interesting to me to meet, live near and work with black middleclass families. I am not trying to be racist - so please forgive me if I come across as that way - but it was so neat to see little black ladies in minivans and SUV's taking their kids to soccer practice and dance class right alongside the white parents. Black trademen, small business owners, lawyers, teachers, etc., and not just hanging out on the "east" side of town. The kids were in private schools and in band and scouts and all the stuff we think of as being middleclass. Oklahoma has a black middle class but they aren't as numerous - the economy and culture has held them back. But I can see a definite difference since we moved back. I really do feel like I see a stronger, more obvious black middle class since we returned.

Penny, you are not being racist at all! As an AA male, one of the things that has really bugged me about OKC is its lack of a black middle class. Please don't think I'm some angry, fist waving nationalist. If anything, it wasn't anything I paid attention to until I moved here. Growing up in the Dallas suburbs, there is a pretty sizable base of AA (as well as hispanic and asian) professional class. I think its one of the reasons my mother was so apprehensive about moving back to Oklahoma when my dad got out of the military (although she never said it outright) especially considering we were coming from Atlanta of all places, and we ended up moving south after my father retired from the Air Force. I would later find out that she really wanted me and my sister to see people who looked like us who had "made it" in the world, versus the more stereotypical image of AA's. So it didn't surprise me that she was shocked when I told here I took a job up here and would be staying in OKC after I graduated from OU. Even now when we talk she will ask me, "so are you ready to move" as if I am in the third ring of hell. From what I heard from family and friends, OKC did have a small yet vibrant and connected community of black professionals, but many packed up and left after the oil bust in the mid 80's and its been diminished ever since.

To be prefectly honest, I'm really worried about even posting this because I know some people on this board will react so knee jerk and will think I'm blasting everyone in OKC as a racist. Truth be told, I work around people who are not my race here in OKC, and have been treated with nothing less but warmness and respect, largely becuase I try and treat everyone like that regardless of whatever ethnicity they are. And I figured if I want OKC to have a strong black middle class, it will have to start with people like me who will stay here and try to make it better. So far I've been impressed with what I've seen, and if we continue to improve our community, things will eventually change for the better. I really just think we need more professional jobs that will lure people here of any race.

Sorry I know this thread was about basketball but I just wanted to respond to Penny's post