Oklahoma City Thunder

[dbackjon]

The call came Saturday evening while driving the Northwest Passage through Watonga, returning from a Colorado vacation. KOCO's Mark Rodgers had reported the name of Oklahoma City's NBA franchise.

I was Thunderwhelmed.

But by the time we hit Yukon, Thunder had grown on me. I suspect it will grow on you, too, if that's indeed what our team will be christened by David Stern and Clay Bennett.

Half the fans will like it from the get-go — don't forget, Thunder won The Oklahoman's 64-name bracket in the spring, as voted by readers — and the other half will embrace it soon enough.

Most cities do. Can you name a fan base that despises its name, with the possible exception of Tampa Bay's Rays?

Most fans will be like my niece, who when first told of Thunder said, "Well, it's better than YardDawgz,” but who an hour later was gushing.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3272612

[CopperCat]

After having witnessed several Oklahoma summer storms, Thunder is a fitting name.

[Grizalltheway]

Sounds like a WNBA team. xrulesx xcoffeex

[slycat]

Sounds like a WNBA team. xrulesx xcoffeex

yes it does.

[TxSt02]

it does... teams with out a "s" in the name are gay...

[Herdman]

It should have been something like the Oklahoma City Drillers.

I always liked their old AAA name the Oklahome City 89ers, but that would not have been a good NBA team name.

"Thunder"??? Not good.

[TheValleyRaider]

I want to make a Rodgers and Hammerstein joke here, but I'm coming up blank

IvyTalk? ngineer? Someone?

[Grizalltheway]

I want to make a Rodgers and Hammerstein joke here, but I'm coming up blank

IvyTalk? ngineer? Someone?

Oooooklahoma where the teams are running out of naaaames!!





I tried :o

[AZGrizFan]

So are they going to be known as "The Thunder from Down Under"? xconfusedx

[SeattleGriz]

So are they going to be known as "The Thunder from Down Under"? xconfusedx


How about, "the cheap ass bastiges that stole a franchise from Seattle, I hope they rot in hell effin thunder!!!"

[andy7171]

I hated the name change from Bullets to Wizards, so much that I stopped rooting for them for years. I still think it sucks. True fans still call them the Bullets. To the point where a good part of the Verizon Center's fan shop is Bullets gear.

Generally speaking I think team nicknames with out an "S" at the end sound "CFLish".

[Appaholic]

That's a great name for the girl's team, but what are the men going to be called?

[slycat]

I hated the name change from Bullets to Wizards, so much that I stopped rooting for them for years. I still think it sucks. True fans still call them the Bullets. To the point where a good part of the Verizon Center's fan shop is Bullets gear.

Generally speaking I think team nicknames with out an "S" at the end sound "CFLish".

the bullets was such a cool name.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

still prefer the Oklahoma Horse Thieves.

as for the no "s" thing... I dunno... the Minnesota Wild have grown on me... but I have to say... I'd rather have them called the North Stars.

[appfan2008]

Oklahoma Tornados is what i was hoping for

[RabidRabbit]

the bullets was such a cool name.

xconfusedx xconfusedx IN DC? xconfusedx xconfusedx

Murder Capital? NOT GOOD.

But they definitely aren't magical, so WIZARDS they aren't! xnonono2x xnonono2x

[RabidRabbit]

Oklahoma Tornados is what i was hoping for

xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[slycat]

xconfusedx xconfusedx IN DC? xconfusedx xconfusedx

Murder Capital? NOT GOOD.

But they definitely aren't magical, so WIZARDS they aren't! xnonono2x xnonono2x

well yeah that was the only problem. but it was still better than wizards.

[Herdman]

I hated the name change from Bullets to Wizards, so much that I stopped rooting for them for years. I still think it sucks. True fans still call them the Bullets. To the point where a good part of the Verizon Center's fan shop is Bullets gear.

Generally speaking I think team nicknames with out an "S" at the end sound "CFLish".Yes, mature people understand "Bullets" was a GREAT name!

However, for children, Wizards is a good name for crack smoking mayors and the city where federal politicians go to work.

[Herdman]

Oklahoma Tornados is what i was hoping forIowa state Cyclones ring a bell? I don't think a "like" name would work in the dust bowl state.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Yes, mature people understand "Bullets" was a GREAT name!

However, for children, Wizards is a good name for crack smoking mayors and the city where federal politicians go to work.

They started as the Baltimore Bullets... where the name existed because it was a nifty bit of alliteration...