ESPN Poll: The entire world chooses "Outlaws" over "Thunder"

[cedbled]

Check the poll:
ESPN.com Poll Results by State

Bottom line is we here in OKC are not the only ones PBC is looking to market the brand name and merchandise to.

This HAS to count for something.

Even if not the Outlaws, please choose something different than Thunder.
We really can do better.

[bornhere]

Why do you suppose they prefer Outlaws?

[cedbled]

Why do you suppose they prefer Outlaws?

Please see my last post here:
http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...ve-name-9.html

It's about the same thing.

[JWil]

No way the image-conscious NBA will allow a name like that. Remember, about a decade ago, the NBA forced the Washington Bullets to change its name.

Just can't see Outlaws ever happening.

[cedbled]

Again, even if not the Outlaws, please choose something different than Thunder.

[JWil]

Nah, I like Thunder plenty. But thanks!

[Laramie]

ESPN has had nothing positive to say about this team being uprooted from Seattle and relocated to Oklahoma City!

Personally, I have lost respect for ESPN because they have chose to take sides in this issue.

If ESPN owned the Sonics and were losing money like Clay and PBC; you can bet that they would be singing a different tune if this team was approved to be relocated to Hartford instead of Oklahoma City.

Whatever the owners name the team, I'll be a supporter.

I can think of a 1,000 names worst than Thunder. They did respect the fact that this community choose "Thunder." If you didn't participate in the process; then, remember to get involved the next time.

Let's support OKC's NBA experience.

"AFTERALL; "ESPN'S Mouth is NO PRAYER BOOK!"

[cedbled]

ESPN has had nothing positive to say about this team being uprooted from Seattle and relocated to Oklahoma City!

Personally, I have lost respect for ESPN because they have chose to take sides in this issue.

If ESPN owned the Sonics and were losing money like Clay and PBC; you can bet that they would be singing a different tune if this team was approved to be relocated to Hartford instead of Oklahoma City.

Whatever the owners name the team, I'll be a supporter.

I can think of a 1,000 names worst than Thunder. They did respect the fact that this community choose "Thunder." If you didn't participate in the process; then, remember to get involved the next time.

Let's support OKC's NBA experience.

"AFTERALL; "ESPN'S Mouth is NO PRAYER BOOK!"

Do you understand how all media works?

Please realize that until the team left, they were SUPPOSED to support the team staying in Seattle.

Now that they are here, they're GOING TO continue growing in support of OKC succeeding with the team.

[Steve]

The "entire world"? Wow, that' s one heck of a poll. How did the team name fair in Djibouti? Because considering how little rainfall they get (I doubt they even have any thunderstorms with just 5 inches of rain a year), I'm really concerned that their lack of experience with thunder might have skewed their vote, thus
invalidating this historic worldwide ESPN ballot.

-Steve

"Visit Djibouti - Because You Haven't So Far!"
Djibouti - Tourism, travel, and recreation

[JWil]

This whole deal makes me remind myself how much I wish Oklahomans would just not care what the outside world thinks about them (like Texans). No matter what this team is named, people in other parts of the country are still going to think whatever they will about us. So what? The fans spoke in the Oklahoman deal and chose Thunder. I don't give a rip what ESPN or Wyoming or anyone else wants us to be called. Thunder is a winner and it fits OKC's severe weather tradition. So what? There's a ton of ways to market it and it will soak into the NBA lexicon just like Heat, Raptors and Spurs have.

Also, as far as the ESPN poll goes... OKC is still in that "team-stealing" phase, just like Baltimore was after they nabbed the Saints. But a decade later? NO ONE CARES. The reason the Outlaws won that poll so handily wasn't because they thought it sounded better, but because they're believing the crap ESPN is slinging and chose the answer seen as more of a joke.

I say call the team Thunder and give a giant middle to the rest of the country. Who gives a flip?

[Steve]

Were there any chads involved in this worldwide vote?

[cedbled]

Ok, I'll stop here, because I really wanna keep loving this site, and all my firends here.

Whatever, Thunder wins...We'll see.
However, it seems like the court of public opinion (that is the ones who count) have already decided our fate.
Ones who count= The stations\TV Shows that have already blasted that Thunder was the name, even though we know nothing has actually been announced officially.
Hopefully the colors are cool.

To Laramie: please yell at the games as loud as you did in your post to me.
yeah.

[betts]

I'm trying to remember that there must have been a deafening silence at best when the New Jersey name "Nets" was announced. It could be worse, it could be worse, I keep telling myself. Thank heavens the NBA didn't dredge up Dragons from their vaults.

[solitude]

Were there any chads involved in this worldwide vote?

They're still hanging.

[ddavidson8]

While we're at it, lets dredge up another ABA name. The OKC Amigos.

[so1rfan]

Also, as far as the ESPN poll goes... OKC is still in that "team-stealing" phase, just like Baltimore was after they nabbed the Saints. But a decade later? NO ONE CARES.

I believe you meant the Browns, instead of the Saints. I got confused for a second.

[JWil]

Wow. That was bad.

Yeah, Browns. San Antonio will steal the Saints one day. Or Los Angeles.

[chuckdiesel]

17,000 votes.
How many votes did the Oklahoman take in when they did their poll?
Outlaws does not equal Bullets. Bullets are way to blatantly non PC. Outlaws is not on the same level as it refers to the outlaws of the old west. What's offensive about John Wayne and Clint Eastwood characters?

[JWil]

Outlaws can be mistaken for anything remotely connected to criminal activity. The NBA won't let it fly.

[chuckdiesel]

Outlaws can be mistaken for anything remotely connected to criminal activity. The NBA won't let it fly.

Well ESPN appears to disagree with that thought as well as the rest of the country according to that poll.
Nobody is calling for the Raiders to be renamed, and they reside in the heart of PC country.

[chuckdiesel]

If they gave the Outlaws logo a western motif it would not likely be adopted by street gangs. Don't think a horse riding cowboy would really be popular among innercity gangs.

[HOT ROD]

Guys, I've thought about it.

And Thunder sounds too minor league. It is very baseless and doesn't have that kick or pump that almost any other NBA team has.

I think Barons or Outlaws are way better - and of the four Clay is apparently narrowed to (the other being Thundercats and Thunder), Barons or Outlaws should be in the top 2.

Then, if the NBA wont allow Outlaws - Barons should be it. Irregardless of the potential negative (Robber Baron is the ONLY ONE) - Barons rolls off the tongue, ends in s, and has huge marketing appeal (both here an nationwide).

Plus, we don't have any local market teams named Barons.

It's ridiculous the OKC media ran with Thunder as the name - when the ownership didn't ever confirm it nor did they have a statement planned. That just shows the immaturity of the OKC media - at least channel 5 had a source, but why did the DoK run with it - when they didn't have ownership confirmation?

It's being reported all over (all over our news up here) that it's the Thunder - when it isn't nor hasn't been decided or released yet. The DoK (and OKC) are going to look really stupid when they have to retract the stories from the last couple of days - Im sure Clay will definitely drop Thunder now!

Barons and Outlaws are much better than that!

[BoulderSooner]

No way the image-conscious NBA will allow a name like that. Remember, about a decade ago, the NBA forced the Washington Bullets to change its name.

Just can't see Outlaws ever happening.

the NBA had nothing to due with the bullets changing their name the bullets owner wanted to change the name

[Watson410]

I really hope ESPN is onto something! I would much rather the name be Outlaws instead of Thunder!!

[OU Adonis]

Same here Watson.