I Love Basketball
I'm Just A Lady Fan With Some Feelings.... James Harden has been traded from the OKC Thunder to the Houston Rockets.
If you will indulge me just a little bit, I’m not a sports journalist or even a former basketball pla<x>yer. (I’m not even a season ticket holder anymore since my divorce) I am just lady fan that has become quite attached to this team. I will dearly miss “the beard”. I learned pretty early on when the team came to OKC to not get really attached to any particular pla<x>yer. I know we will keep our stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook but I fall for the other guys too. My first one was Chris Wilcox. I liked his style of playing and looked forward to watching him play. The guys were really young then and seeing Wilcox come in with his less than nice fresh faced style was fun. He wore a headband and long socks and was tough. So, when they stopped playing him, I didn't get what was going on and eventually he was gone.
The first time they traded pla<x>yer’s mid-season came as a huge shock to me. It took a couple of games to get used to the trades that went on that year. In addition, the coach was fired and replaced with Scott Brooks. He looked the part better than P.J.Carlissimo and it was easy to warm up to him. He was a former pla<x>yer for several teams and assistant coach for awhile. He has an understated quiet approach. He is not a flashy guy and once they started to win games, he proved himself quickly. I did worry about him getting fired at first but really all he had to do was win games and since then, he has more than proven that’s what he can do. I had to keep reminding myself that without wins there is no money and without money there is no reason for a team. It’s kinda harsh but how it goes.
The whole reason we have a team is because of a business decision. Business men think in terms of what is going to make money. The emotional aspects in decision making are more along the lines of the fans and their feelings, but very low on list of things to consider. Most fans, no matter how die hard they are, prefer to win. Pla<x>yers and all the other aspects (draft choices, etc.) have to be considered for the good of the whole organization, despite how much you like James Harden. I could never make that decision. I would say “James, I love you, stay as long as you like. More money? Why certainly! We all love you.”
The pla<x>yers are hardly indifferent either but with millions of dollars at stake it’s the price they pay. They have the money and can move more freely if they feel an emotional attachment to a certain city. They travel crazy amounts of times during year. They can retain their homes in several different places, if they choose. I'm sure there's some emotional attachment at some level, they are all involved in the NBA cares thing that reaches out to the local community.
I can only speak for myself. I've had to develop a bit of thick skin when it comes to the team and pla<x>yer turnover. I try to enjoy them while they are here but know that tomorrow they could be gone. I will always have my favorites and if they get traded, I know it's usually what's best for the team. They always get a warm welcome as the come back and are introduced under their new team roster. However, when the game begins, they quickly turn into an adversary. I'm always amazed at how fickle I become after the buzzer sounds. So I warmly cheered for Johan Petro, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and the old college guys Blake Griffin, Eduardo Nahara, even Chris Paul who wasn't a Thunder pla<x>yer but we all loved him when the Hornets made their temporary home in OKC. After the game starts they become the enemy, and while the love for the pla<x>yer isn't lost, the love for the Thunder overshadows times past.
I will miss James Harden and welcome him back to OKC from my seat at home. I will reminisce of the time when James and his beard called the Chesapeake Energy Center home. The good times and bad, I will remember him fondly. I will however, scream “miss” when he’s at the free throw line and “Let’s Go Thunder!” Even though no one hears me except my neighbors.
If you will indulge me just a little bit, I’m not a sports journalist or even a former basketball pla<x>yer. (I’m not even a season ticket holder anymore since my divorce) I am just lady fan that has become quite attached to this team. I will dearly miss “the beard”. I learned pretty early on when the team came to OKC to not get really attached to any particular pla<x>yer. I know we will keep our stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook but I fall for the other guys too. My first one was Chris Wilcox. I liked his style of playing and looked forward to watching him play. The guys were really young then and seeing Wilcox come in with his less than nice fresh faced style was fun. He wore a headband and long socks and was tough. So, when they stopped playing him, I didn't get what was going on and eventually he was gone.
The first time they traded pla<x>yer’s mid-season came as a huge shock to me. It took a couple of games to get used to the trades that went on that year. In addition, the coach was fired and replaced with Scott Brooks. He looked the part better than P.J.Carlissimo and it was easy to warm up to him. He was a former pla<x>yer for several teams and assistant coach for awhile. He has an understated quiet approach. He is not a flashy guy and once they started to win games, he proved himself quickly. I did worry about him getting fired at first but really all he had to do was win games and since then, he has more than proven that’s what he can do. I had to keep reminding myself that without wins there is no money and without money there is no reason for a team. It’s kinda harsh but how it goes.
The whole reason we have a team is because of a business decision. Business men think in terms of what is going to make money. The emotional aspects in decision making are more along the lines of the fans and their feelings, but very low on list of things to consider. Most fans, no matter how die hard they are, prefer to win. Pla<x>yers and all the other aspects (draft choices, etc.) have to be considered for the good of the whole organization, despite how much you like James Harden. I could never make that decision. I would say “James, I love you, stay as long as you like. More money? Why certainly! We all love you.”
The pla<x>yers are hardly indifferent either but with millions of dollars at stake it’s the price they pay. They have the money and can move more freely if they feel an emotional attachment to a certain city. They travel crazy amounts of times during year. They can retain their homes in several different places, if they choose. I'm sure there's some emotional attachment at some level, they are all involved in the NBA cares thing that reaches out to the local community.
I can only speak for myself. I've had to develop a bit of thick skin when it comes to the team and pla<x>yer turnover. I try to enjoy them while they are here but know that tomorrow they could be gone. I will always have my favorites and if they get traded, I know it's usually what's best for the team. They always get a warm welcome as the come back and are introduced under their new team roster. However, when the game begins, they quickly turn into an adversary. I'm always amazed at how fickle I become after the buzzer sounds. So I warmly cheered for Johan Petro, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic and the old college guys Blake Griffin, Eduardo Nahara, even Chris Paul who wasn't a Thunder pla<x>yer but we all loved him when the Hornets made their temporary home in OKC. After the game starts they become the enemy, and while the love for the pla<x>yer isn't lost, the love for the Thunder overshadows times past.
I will miss James Harden and welcome him back to OKC from my seat at home. I will reminisce of the time when James and his beard called the Chesapeake Energy Center home. The good times and bad, I will remember him fondly. I will however, scream “miss” when he’s at the free throw line and “Let’s Go Thunder!” Even though no one hears me except my neighbors.
51-55, F