Hornets Buzz the Key

Moochie Norris, or was that Mookie Blaylock? Nope, Moochie steals the ball from the Blazers Brian Skinner. The Hornets took out our neighbors to the south 88-75. We host the Hornets tonight at the Key. Too bad the Sonics can't be led b example by the Hornets. This team plays well with what it has and puts it all out on the floor. We go through the motions. Lets see if home is any kind of remedy. As Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes once strutted and sang,"I need a rememdy, ya see, fer what is ailing me!" Maybe the Hornets will be tonic for the Sonics. But most likely we'll get the spoonful of lousy tasting medicine.

Even before the NBA had the Hornets they had the Hornets. The World Football League's Hornets. True Story: As a young teen ager (13 or 14) took a bus to the Newport Center Mall in Newport Beach, CA. A friend came with me as we showed up at the WFL's headquarters to meet commisioner Gary Davidson, unannounced. The lobby in the office was huge, with a huge yellow WFL football logo behind the desk. We told the secretary our plan and she rang him in the office...we were let in to meet Gary. It was awesome. We chatted with a view of the Newport Back Bay from the tallest building in the mall. I had been to some games and he dug that. Then he gave us a box of cool merchandise, wish I still had it. Two funky orange and violet Southern California Sun jersey's w/Pat Haden's name on the back. 2 footballs, he signed them. Mini helmets of the whole league, tons of media guides and stickers. A Sun replica helmet...and 2 satin jackets for the Sun...talk about a haul. Wish I still had all that shit! Went to one of the last WFL games in Anaheim Stadium against a team called the Shreveport Steamer, the players were just throwing equipment into the stands at the end of the game, much to the chagrin of the broke owners. I was always an underdog league kid, and the 70's provided me with those alterna leagues. The SoCal Sun, woo haa, nobody cared except me. Also they were one of the 1st non plural teams ie the Jazz, the Heat, etc.

#28 is ex USCer Anthony Davis. He is obese now and will have some kind of fat surgery soon, live on the web. Uh...cool. Think #80 is future NE WR Randy Vataha, or x? #3 I think was an aging x Raider QB Daryl Lamonica. Quik note: the stands in the background to the far left of the pic is a site where as a 13 yr old I retrieved a HR ball thrown by Nolan Ryan and hit out by Yaz! An amazing feat considering there was only about 20 ft of fair territory in Anahiem Stadium back then. I was out getting autographs in the visitor's bullpen during the game when the HR ws hit, nobody was out there, hit right behind me, that was awesome.

 

The Commish

The MY TEE SUN!

 

The Heat Is...ON

Rashard tallied 25 pts and snared 9 rebs to no avail. Another loss. Did I mention I love this Sonic uni? The star dotting the i just rawks. It kinda rings hollow now. Kept the game close. New guys played. Same result. A loss.

Shaq roughed us up for 31 in Miami's ABA throwbacks, cool. The Heat scored 84 in the paint. All in all, we lost.

Could this be the new guy Wilks driving past Shaq...we lost by the way. Can a few home games bust us out...maybe.

Ahoy Cap'n! The Ship Is Goin' Down!

Like this airplane landing, the Sonics are teetering on disaster. No bright spots. No light at the end of the tunnel. No playoff hopes. And at Shaq Diesel's Heat today...ouch. Think we have lost 9 of 10. We cured the Magics' 3 game losing streak. Who is gonna match up w/Wade and Shaq?

Ready to get rolled over? Shaq is ready. Sonics should offer little to no resistance. Get us back home. If we were a little kid in the 1950's our whole body would be band aids and iodine stains, with all the sting included. We are barely a cut above the Bobcats and Blazers, if even that. Running out of positives. Ray Allens individual ppg stats? Maybe if the Sonics get home and get a little Dick's Drive Inn up on Broadway it will get better. Actually there is one right by the Key, get over there guys. Have some fries and hash things out. Or order a tall beer in a frosty mug at the Athenien in Pike Market and watch the ferries hustle and the boats roll in from ports afar. Ponder Seattle's future. Both the Sonics and Trailblazers have both fired warning shots at they're respective cities saying they may move, whatever. Wish someone would bail out my falafel stand when business is down. I feel both teams will stay put. We just both really suck and put inept and weak teams on the floor. And show no gumption to make a move to really help. Like a rat running on a wheel, going nowhere.

Little Flame Boy sneers and says "My bookie has me down for 3 large on da Heat" Take the sure thing...Heat in a blowout. I keep hearing that irritating whistling on that Scorpions song "Winds of Change". And I feel like a cardboard Berlin Wall...offering no opposition to teams that would oppress. Put a fork in this game...its done. A Seattle flambe courtesy of the Heat.

Wo Ho Ohh Its Magic, ya know o oh

With only 7 players suited up and no Ray Allen the Sonics fell meekly to the Magic. I'm sleepy...buh bye.

 

Trades Clarified...Like Butter

Ok, its all worked out. No big thang baybee. We are the same team basically. Heres how it went. Simple first. Flip Murray was sent packin' to Cleveland, good for him. For a guy I've never heard of and has stats like kindergarten math Mike Wilks. Throwaway trade. The more significant but still weak trade was a multi team thing I never understand but here goes. We acquired former Sonic castoff Earl Watson who began his career in Sea Town. And forward Byron Russell from the Nuggets. Uh...Byron Russell? Father time. Watson is solid if unspectacular. Whoopee. Not life changing. Aimless shuffling and accomplish nothing. Oh, and back up Potapenko of the Sonics went to Sacto as did Portland's Sergei Monia. Somewhat talented but aging antagonist Rueben Patterson of the Blazers ended up in Denver. Allright Rube...from the cellar to the playoffs, good fer you. And you got a good whine in on TV after being beaten by the Bobcats at home. WAHHH!! But fer real, Rube's allright, a barrel of misquotes and such. Theres more. Reggie Evans, Sonic back up is now in Denver. Denver's Vashon Leonard went to Portland as did Sacto's Mark Skinner. Did I get it all?

  So the trades for me are like this. Turn on the power to the old skool electric football game. A bunch of plastic players with all the same skills are on the field. The power is on and you know what happens. They all just go any which way and end up anywhere. Oh, and you would always lose that damn felt football too. It was an exchange of lower rung, never will be's and coulda beens. Pointless to me and will inject no life into the green n gold.

 

Trade of no Significance

  I was ready to head out the door to sell falafels and on Portland Sports Radio (the FAN) it is said 3 teams are pulling the trigger on a trade. The Sonics give up Reggie Evans and Potapenko for Earl Watson from the Nuggets. Evans to Portland, Rueben Patterson to Denver. Something like that. I'll clear it up later. Just know I heard Ruben P and Miles Davis talk bad shit about the Blazers and Rueben said (for the umpteenth time) to be traded. It was ugly. He gone. What re we gonna do w/Watson? Whatever.

A Rare Road Win On A Broken Hawk's Wing

EVEN FLOW...WISHFUL RETRO

This is a call from the days of old, that means the Sonics too. Got this cassette jammin', the P Jam is chillin' me. Remembering Sam Perkins, the Schremf er, Glove boy, nice team. Current state of Seattle hoop wise is not good. It was awesome how Seattle basketball rose with the music. But we peaked after the death of grunge. And the rise of the Bulls. Heart broken...not spirit. Soul searching...like Jonathan Fucking Seagull made my new math yrs suck. I just wanted to read about Robert Earl Hughes in those yrs.

Seattle, oh, this view is mine everyday. From the Needle. Roamed throughout this short myriad of buildings backward and forward. Down to Yesler and the INT to Broadway to the U district. I love my town. A shout out to the Coastal Kitchen on 15nth Ave E. You read my blog and go to Seattle...go to the Coastal. Say the "falafel man" sent you. And back to Ballard too, bee yutch.  

Doctor Doctor...Pleeeeee uhz

One guy who made the transition from ABA to NBA with the same team was James Silas pictured here. He played from 1973 thru 1981. The Spurs have turned out to be an elite frranchise in the NBA and they came from the old ABA. Its gonna be a rough task to hang w/these guys at home.

OK, just for fun...Manu Ginobli...

...and lookalike Cousin Fredo from the Godfather. "Fredo, you broke my heart!" Manu may break ours tonight

The beatdown we are about to take from the Spurs will be as bad as any song by Rascal Flatts. Lets hope not. Pass the gel Mr. Brokeback!

The Sonics, The Cure For What Ails You

Swifty had 14. But we lost...again. Ugly road trip. So we have lost 7 of the last 8. Welcome to the lower tier. The Bobcat/Hawk level. NBDL level. Its hard to write, the motivation just gets sucked right out of you. New acquisition Wilcox played, looks like Fortson Jr.

The T Wolves found the Sonics to be the cure for they're own 4 game home losing streak. And next...holy shit...the Spurs! In San Antone. We played well against them last season. This yr its a whole new ballgame. The freakin' Raptors are better than us. Dreadful. And that to look forward to in Texas? A hunting trip w/Dick Cheney? Thats what San Antonio's gonna be like. Hope we don't get "peppered" to bad. I bet you could get hurt golfing with the VP too.

Another Loss, and a Trade

Switch uniforms on these 2 players. Vlade is traded to the Clips for Chris Wilcox. Big whoop. Least Vlade will see some playoff action now.

Here is an airborne Chris in what do I see, yeppers...the old Buffalo Braves uni. I guess the Clips were the former Braves? Wow, what a sordid shitty past. They sucked before they sucked, and they have sucked along time! As a kid I started liking Buffalo when they had a young Bob McAdoo. Also Ernie DiGregorio, a little guard from Providence. They got mediocre for a yr or 2 and moved. I'll have to check on it officially, but I assume they moved to San Diego? Don't know much about Wilcox. Vlade was whining and got shipped.

Vlade soon to be SoCal chillin'. We'll miss ya, or I will. Nice shot and not much else. Hope it works out. Enjoy the playoffs.

  By the way, besides the trade. We lost, again.

Joe Smith...KA-BOOM! I swear Swift looks like he's cryin', there is no cryin' in basketball...it was there again so I took it! The white tights Joe uh, are tight? This is one NBA fashion trend that is lame. What's next? Ffades and those old Gumby haircuts with the Vanilla Ice razor lines over the ear? Cool...so retro. Bring back short shorts then...ya hoo.

  Milwaukee continued a 6 game home winning streak in whuppin' the Sonics. I'll avoid talking about our team. It's depressing and there in no end in sight. I sense resignation. I don't see Wilcox helping turn it around. Stranger things have happened but very unlikely. The pain...oh...the pain.

 

SONICS IN IT TO LOSE IT!

Damien the star again? Off the bench and into the mix, but still an OT loss to the Nuggets, at home. This is becoming Atlanta Hawkish people.  To confirm, Damien is the nephew of the great Nique, of Atlanta Hawk fame. Call Nique what u want, in the 80's his team was one I paid mind to in the East besides the Celts. People ain't horses but this bloodline is good. I remember Gerald also. They all made the NBA, nuff said. Wilken's rawkin thru the ages.

 

Hey look...another x Sonic, Earl Watson. He had 8 pts in the effort.

 Back to the green print. We need all the help we can get. Iam growing frustrated. Positive is not the point of a blog. Calls em how u see em. I may start alienating true greens cuz I've had it. Yeah, I know I ain't shit in the NBA media world. But this is my voice so Iam crying out. Let's change some things. What? My falafel stand is across the street from a Starbuck's Coffee in Portland, OR that was firebombed when it tried to open. I'm not that radical. But I'm gonna protest H Schulz real soon. And it won't be about fair trade or shade grown.

  You let Nate slip outta town and after one successful season. We can't beat Charlotte now, but made San Antonio at least think a little last year. We have no direction. The lives we lead, do we have direction? I show up everyday, so do the Sonics. I fight for $100 a day in winter. I'd almost kill for a $1000 but my scruples help me. I'm a homey sea towner frustrated. Wonder what that Sonic cray zee fan is doing this year? The guy who has sat behind the Sonics basket for 20 some odd yrs? He always surfaces on the news when we do well. Looks alot like an old NBA center named Dennis Awtrey. I saw Dennis as a kid in Phoenix. My family was visiting PHX in 1976, I know cuz KISS' Destroyer was out. And I saw KISS in PHX in the arena before corporate names took over.

  It all coincided with a trip from SoCal to AZ in 1976 for Thanksgiving Holiday trip to my father's army buddies place. The ONLY time we went out of town to other than a famiy members place EVER on the holidaze and it rawked better than any of the 70's trips I remember. I think it was (it was) pre season. Make a long story short, the Suns played the Sonics, the game ends...my dad and I are driving home in his bud's car and a white Porsche Turbo Carrera zooms by. We catch up to it at a light and as we pull up I roll my window down and wave...cuz I knew by the FRO, yep...whitey afro, it was Dennis! He rolled his window down and winked and waved, it was way cool. It gets better...my dad was preoccupied with his old army buddy and my mom loved his wife. We (they're kids and me) got to go to KISS so the adults could hang out! I don't know if my dad was the best designated driver when we got picked up, but it was the 70's yo! It was awesome to see the arena go from basketball venue to concert venue overnight. I did not inhale at this show but air circulation was poor so I got 2nd hand stoned. The 20 foot bongs were wierd to see. Cuz they searched  me but somehow those things got in! The opening band, but I could be wrong was:

  What a trip that was. People had cactus for trees fer chrissakes. But it is a trip I'll never forget. And I'll get back, cuz my fave Sonics player was our rookie guard pick...I think. Gotta use the net tool to beat my memory. I'll get back in a minute...

Take, These Broken Wings

  And learn to fly again, learn to live sooooooo free. Remember that song? Mr. Mister. It sucked and so do the Hawks. Without a leg to stand on I say it cause we suck. The Hawks and Sonics are broken. Hearing Ray Allen trade rumors on Portland radio. And the franchise moving elsewhere unless the Key is upgraded. At this point Allen is moot to me. Get two hungry younger players for him and a pick maybe. Work toward some kinda goal. This team just shows up with no direction. Looks like pick up ball at times. We know the dee sucks. But despite all this, we managed to beat ATL in house, I'll take the W and grow on it hopefully? Doubtful, but hope flickers somewhere.

Damien Wilkins was the star? He was tops, scoring 26, 13 of them in the 4th quarter. Alanis Morrisette Of "Black Fly in your Chardonnay"  fame would have said, Isn't It Ironic? Dont ya Think?" It is ironic that a Wilkens burned the Hawks, not to me. Haven't checked but is he related to Nique? Good job off the bench Damien.

Marvin Williams, Hawks rookie and a Puget Sound native from Bremerton, returns for his 1st game back in the area as an NBA player. He has the dress code on a beat down with this NBA approved suit. Lookin' sharp g.

 

Semi Soaring Hawks

Always one of the coolest Hawks ever, "Pistol" Pete Maravich. They weren't good back in the early 70's either when Pete played there. The 80's with Nique and Tree, had a good run, but the Celtics always had they're #!

  Arguably the most famous Hawk, Dominique Wilkens. One of the most stylish and powerful dunkers ever! Sonics in a must win for pride situation. Home against one of the worst, but a team playing well lately. Get this one Sonics, don't become an official member of the lower rungs of the NBA just yet!

OKLAHOMA HORNETS NEST

Mateen Cleaves in action last night. Cleaves signed another 10 day contract with the Sonics. We are slip sliding away, the season picking up momentum towards a lost cause. A disasterous road trip. We are coming home to face a sudeenly resurgent Atlanta Hawk team. Can't be taken for granted. They beat Detroit no metter where and how!

  Guess we were in this till late, even held a slight lead very late. But it went down with a Butler 3 with seconds remaining. The Hornets played a majority of the game without rookie sensation point guard Chris Paul and Speedy Claxton went out in the 1st quarter. So the back court was back up and played well. Fill in Kirk Snyder dished out 12 assists and played well. Bourbon Street in Oklahoma...boo ya. The Hornets got a following and look a whole lot better than the Sonics.

  Also after losing 4 in  row on the road trip we only return to the Key for a mini home stand. Atlanta and Denver. Karl comes back to his greatest success coaching. I allways liked him cept his overall playoff thing, like Finals appearences. And ouch its six road games...including San Antonio and Miami. We just lost to Charlotte, anything is possible. We have two with Atlanta, home and away. We should win those. MN, ORL, MIL are very winnable, but the current Sonic capabilities say otherwise. Could be the trip that plants us, spoilers for the season? Ugh, I hate the term spoilers. Its like a word that describes the best the TB Devil Rays (soon to be Rays, damned be the Devil!) pennant race they are ever in. The race to be spoilers to help put under the contenders. What a goal to set, to shoot for. Has beens by mid season. Let's start with the mini home stand...beat ATL!

Wayne Gretzky, was a Blue, now has the blues. Them low down dirty Soprano's style Gamblin' Blues. Wifey bet $5k on the coin toss outcome of the Super Bowl. The Coyote has bitten Wayne's ass, and his wife's. And whats his name? Starts with a T. Yeah, we all forgot.

Last I looked, this is downtown Phoenix, not Vegas. Good luck Wayne, you got tied in for the knowledge. Good luck.

HORNETS GOT STING

X Sonic Desmond Mason. The Hornets play well with what they have and Oklahoma City has embraced them as the home away from home.  Name any major league sport based in Oklahoma, past or present. What'd you come up with? Nothing right? I came up with one and it is a defunct team now but did have a person of noteriety, a future Super Bowl Champion. Heres a pic...guess who?

Flying the colors of the 1984 and 1985 Oklahoma Outlaws of the USFL, its future Redskin Doug Williams, also played for the then burnt orange Bucaneers of the late 70's. Oklahoma City would be a great NBA city I feel. Outlaws is bad ass, why not do it? For now its the Hornets, and they are better than us.

Hope for a competetive game at the least. Road woes, home woes.  The journey continues, like a bad Journey song, or Steve Perry solo. Can we at least attain Foriegner status? Stay tuned...

CAT CLAWED TO NEW LOWS

Brevin Knight shredded the Sonics. We officially suck for now. Everytime I see potential better play coming around, they get blown out by one of the worst teams in the league. Nothing to say. I'll hold on to a thread of hope. Can this ramshackle unit produce and play as a team? Our neighbors to the south the Blazers have won less games than us, but they have less to work with and are getting better all the time. We are going the other way. This season has been like being strapped to a chair with your eyes held open ala "Clockwork Orange" and forced to watch "Gigli" 24/7! Keepin the green n gold faith to the end. Let's break 20 wins. Hey break wins, a funny and unintentional. Clever. Bored. C'mon Sonics.

Bernard Robinson, came off the bench to score 16 for Charlotte. Oh, Ray Allen had 30 something. We just took a beat down from the Bobcats, the NCAA Division II NBA team. Yeah, I know, so what does that make us? Bad. Uncohesive. Like the album "Out of Time" when REM mattered. What happened to the "greyhound game"? The need for speed and clunkered to a halt.

The "Bob Cat" mascot or whatever, slams it home. He looks like the Dog on "Red Dog" beer, don't ask how I know. Or a blazing red Ewok ready to rattle the rim. Bobcat Nation? NOT!

Mavs Pummel Sonics

WE LOST AGAIN! GO SEAHAWKS!!!

The Billionaires Babies

Before Dirk Nowitzki was a sparkle in his daddy's eye and long before Dallas had NBA basketball, there was the ABA's Dallas Chapparalls. Always giving props to the other league that the NBA copied soon after its demise. This is the defiant looking and power forward extroidinare, Cincy Powell. Read up on some of they're colorful history at: remembertheaba.com. There is a link to the site in my links section. Fights in the stands occured alot more often in the ABA. No big deal, just call it "interactive" sports!

The Nowitzki family kickin' it on the beach. Baby No has the full wind effect Saturday Night Fever look going. Wonder if Mama No knows she has a stash and beard, shhhhhhhh...don't tell her. Hope she dosen't give me a kiss, those wiry, bristly mole encrusted kisses Grandma's give. I like Dirk and his family though, kids born with goatees rawk!

 

Former Sonic standout Detlef Schrempf sporting a mullet and John Holme's porno stash early in his career as a Maverick. Or was it the Super Cuts "bowl" style of the day, ask Moe.

 

This is Detlef's younger brother. Bet you can't guess who it really is. Search for the truth oh blog readers. Leave ur answer in the comments. This guy is super famous in a way.

  I'm using humor to dull the pain of the season so far. There is light at the end of the tunnel. On certain nights it works. Or are they just our stars getting hot once in a while all in sync? Portland is breathing down our necks,and look like GASP! the better team. Or at least play together as a team better than us currently. And thats Portland. Tonight we face Dallas in Dallas in front of they're crowd and talent to the gills. And a cocky but cool billionaire whiz kid owner who always seems to be in the hunt but never gets a center. They are good and should easily handle us. But I have hope. Sonic homey itis is a disease. I will follow the score on the net and hope for a good outcome...a Sonic victory on the road.

Houston We Have A Problem

All Star Yao Ming hooks over hopeful future All Star Robert Swift, long way to go. And Yao gets all the votes from China! But I hear his teammate's jersey is the #1 seller in China, Tracy McGrady. Wonder who gets all that $$? I'd rather see Rocket jerseys in Shanghai than Humvees, but according to Republican scientists greenhouse gas is a myth. Ooops...a political rant or semblace of?

Jeff Van Gundy family photo. Although Jeff leans toward the "Larry" 3 Stooges look in fashion, his facial contortions rival Larry's Stooge mate Moe. A shout out to Curly and the forgotten Stooge...Shemp...may ye all rest in Slap happy Heaven!

Jeff in his previous life of close but no cee gar times with the Ewing led Knicks. This was a famous or infamous moment. Nice tackle Jeff, looks like Oak took some on the chin anyhow! I salute Jeff, he is animated. And his just removed from Miami Heat coach brother and Ron Jeremy lookalike Steve. Sorry to rag Rockets, I'm frustrated and taking it out on you.

Rocket to Russia

Who's your daddy? No I mean it, this is a 1970 picture of Calvin Murphy, the Sean Kemp of the 1970's. The Houston Rockets entered the league with the Sonics in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets. Think it was an industry there once...no more. Notice the similarity in colors to the Sonics. Think the Rockets moved to Houston in 1971 or so? The Sonics meet the Rockets tonight in Houston. The Rockets are rolling with Ming and McGrady back in the line up. Sonics need some dee to win! Calvin Murphy inspired Jon Stockton to wear short shorts years later.

Yao and Tracy sport the 1971 classic reds in a game recently...ahhh, the memories. Rudy T and Jack Marin, fun to watch.