Message from a Hornet player

[Patrick]

First, thanks to my computer geek bud who has set this up and allowed me to make a statement here. Thanks too for his spell check help and his help phrasing this to where it makes sense. I wish I was better at this, but it is not my "thing".

I've never done this before. Actually, we are not _supposed_ to do this, but my bud has fixed this so it supposedly can't be traced. I just feel it's important this be said and that people calm down Way down.

Here is the deal and what I want to say...

I play for the Hornets.

Let me make this clear: I love New Orleans. I love the people of Louisiana.

Let me make this clear: I love Oklahoma City and the people of Oklahoma.

There was talk among my mates that this NO-OKC thing is getting ugly on the fan boards. I took a look while and have to agree and plead for everyone to take it easy. I was saddened. Please, let's calm down and take it easy. Please.

The comments from some that the "black players" do not want to play in Oklahoma City are *completely false*. Yes, we would like to be in NO, the way NO was a year ago. However, as sad as it is to so many of us, NO is *not* NO of a year ago. OKC is OKC and it's a great city that has been a huge surprise to many of us. Welcoming us not only as players, but welcoming us as people. Into their churches where we have been made to feel very welcome. Being good to our families and supporting many of us through tough times emotionally.

Most of us expect to play a mixed schedule next year with the bulk of games in OKC. But who knows? Oklahoma City opened their arena, their city and their hearts to this club. The crowds at Ford have been nothing short of unbelievable. The team has been energized by the support and the team knows very well the home crowd at Ford has made a difference in many games. That's a fact. I hate seeing these messages from people saying that the "black players" don't want to be in OKC. No, no, no. This is simply not true at all. It's completely false.

I had never been to Oklahoma City until the day we rolled into town and wondered what the heck we were getting in to. It didn't take long to find out that OKC is a helluva city and that there are many people who have the wrong idea of that town. It's a great city. Yes, there are some who hope to be able to go back home, where home has been, in New Orleans. There are also some who don't even want to be Hornets next year unless they play in Oklahoma City. And that's only because the support has been nothing short of unbelievable. All of us agree on that.

My point: There are feelings all around. But NO HORNET has ever said (except maybe in the first week) that they don't want to be in OKC. That's false and very unfair to the fine people of Oklahoma. I'm serious - I haven't heard anyone say they wouldn't LOVE to be back in Oklahoma City next year.

I also want to say that while support in NO wasn't what anyone would have liked to have seen it, there were a lot of factors. But to many, it is and was HOME. We love New Orleans.

I expect eventually that OKC will have either the Hornets or another club no matter what happens. I can't say which because I have no idea at all. But please, take it EASY on each other. Both cities are great places. The people in NO don't understand how progressive a city OKC really is. Many have the wrong impression. My hope is they understand that the NBA is doing what they feel is necessary. This is a business.

This whole thing was born of a tragedy. Can't we come together as players, club staff, fans - everyone?

Let's give the two cities that are batted around on the fan boards a break. New Orleans has been to hell and back. Oklahoma City has been gracious and the support simply incredible.

Let's understand this is a different situation than anything seen in the league. Let's take it easy on each other. All of us.

- A Hornet

[BlockOut]

What a scoop!
A split schedule is bad for the team and bad for the fans.

[hornetscentral]

Hey..give credit where credit is due. I would post the link the original post, but could not post a url...

[Patrick]

hornetscentral, we've been trying to form a partnership with you for months now. The ball is in your court.

[Jack]

A partnership between the two sites would be nice. Would give both sites more leverage for advertising too, since advertisers would get more bang for their buck.

[Todd]

Hornetscentral, once you reach 10 post you will be able to post links. Please email me the link and I would be glad to post it.

[Patrick]

BTW, hornetscentral, I'm guessing your Hornet Pat. If so, just wanted to say I missed seeing you at church on Sunday. Goobersmooch told me you were unable to make it because you were sick. Hope you're feeling better.

[osupa05]

I personally don't think we should "keep" the Hornets! By all means, I would love for them to stay, and I love that they are being supported so well here... but, they were up-rooted from their home and anybody who's been away from home for long knows what it's like to return home! If I lived in NO, I would want "my" hornets to come back once the city was capable of receiving them! I think it bodes well for the NBA's future in OKC that they have received so much support, but I don't think we should be so greedy as to want them to stay so much that we try to force it if they want to go home! I would love for them to stay, and I know there are many, many factors, besides feelings, that are involved with the decision, but I bet if they go back to NO, then we could get a team of our own?!? If they do decide to stay, though (which I would love!) let's throw out even more support!!

[Doug Loudenback]

Hornetscentral, once you reach 10 post you will be able to post links. Please email me the link and I would be glad to post it.

I don't "know" who "HornetsCentral" is in this forum ... might be Hornet Pat, might be JWHornet, et al. In the internet world of ficticious names, anything is possible.

But, as an avid member of both this great place and my main "Hornets" home, HornetsCentral.com, and being familiar with the original post which started THIS thread, either it originated from (the source) at HornetsCentral OR a duplicate was e-mailed here or in a private e-mail to someone here. I wouldn't know about that.

But, I do know the thread at HornetsCentral which started the thread there, now 40 replies in length and, actually, kinda stale at this point. But, here it is: http://www.hornetscentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=725. The post "there" shows the "A Hornet" message to have been posted on Sun Jan 15, 2006 at 10:42 pm. That said, when I POST there, the "posting" time is an hour later than "real time" ... I've probably not set up my profile there properly, for what it's worth.

I just guessing, but I'd suppose that correct attribution of the orignal source post from "A Hornet" is what "HornetsCentral" had in mind (it's not ME ... I've never used a ficticious name in any forum ... yet). For example, if the source for an article/story is The Oklahoman, you'd expect that the source would receive attribution. BUT, it may well be that a duplicate post was sent directly to OKCTalk, but about which I have no knowledge or suspicion.

Since HornetsCentral is the main forums that Oklahomans who are freaked about over the Hornets (uh ... me, for example) and since that fact would likely be well known by whoever it is that "A Hornet" is, the logical assumption I'd make is that the message was originally sent there. But, once again, I don't know that ... a duplicate original could easily have been sent here, publicly or to an individual here, I wouldn't know.

[Kerry]

I think people are playing up this "New Orleans is Home" thing just a bit too much. Wait, make that "WAY TO MUCH". It not like the players from the Hornets grew up playing in the shadows of the Superdome. For crying out loud, the team was in Charlotte 2 1/2 years ago. Can one person honestly tell me that any players from the Hornets wouldn't leave the team if they could make more money playing for the Lakers.

These are professional athletes. Most of them aren't from New Orleans and would have never gone to New Orleans if the team they played for wasn't there. The team has more players from former Eastern Bloc countries than it does from the entire southern US.

Look, they have to say New Orleans is home because the NBA makes them say it. They want to be seen as a good corporate citizen. However, sooner or later reality has to set in. The latest population data from the City of New Orleans is that they only expect a metro population of 125,000. It is this simple - no one is going to be in town to go to the game. Throw the Saints in the mix and their simply isn't enough fans go around.

As for corporate New Orleans - forget it. The economy marches on and any business that has moved out of N.O. is not going back. Their employees have moved on with their lives where ever they are now and I doubt anyone who is not already gainfully employed in another city is going to return.

As I see it, the Hornets and the NBA have two choices. Be nice to hurricane survivors and return to N.O. - then promptly lose more money and eventually move the team anyhow or put the business of the NBA first and make a smart business decision.

Kerry

[osupa05]

Sure, the "business side" of the Hornets might keep them from going back. And, I agree with the whole NBA teams/players move around all the time, but I think as a city, the people of NO should have the hornets back! It's not so much a matter of the team as it is the people of NO. I just think that if my world had been turned upside-down and I had lost everything, it would be nice to have something as big as a professional sports team that was part of the before back! In my idealistic view, it's more a sentimental issue than a business one! Now, realistically I know that it will all be about the business side!

[Patrick]

Can you support and NBA team whe the population of your city has dropped to 120,000?

[mranderson]

This is crazy. Have you people thought about profit and loss? Yes. The city of New Orleans lost the team due to a nautral disaster. For that most of us are sorry. However, ask yourselves. Could you afford to play "church mission" and support a coropration just because you felt sorry for the people you left behind? Could you suopprt a corporation that was losing money and suddenly, regardless of how, found a location that actually was a goldmine?

If you can, I have an orange bridge connecting the cities of San Francisco and Solateto (sp), California for sale. Plus, a foundation for the financial betterment of the founder that needs funding from a sucker.

If the Hornets move back, the ownership are fools. The decision will be based on economics, not sentiment.

[osupa05]

I said I was being PURELY sentimental!!!! I know that there's business involved, and that's what will rule the decision! I'm not a business major, and I'm female... sometimes emotions lead me, I will admit!!!

[Nachos_Rule]

Please tell me there aren't New Orleans people harrassing us on this message board too!!!

[fromdust]

I just think that if my world had been turned upside-down and I had lost everything, it would be nice to have something as big as a professional sports team that was part of the before back!

see, thats what the saints are for. they can have their pro team and we can keep the hornets.