Outside the Lines story on Oklahoma City and the Thunder

[WOWZOWCOW]

Some of the things you guys are saying is nasty. And you should be disgusted to be called Americans.

[SoonerGTrain]

Watching this in my office over looking the Memorial.

[devin536]

@vsmcax um I'm pretty sure when they first got here they were losing they only won 23 games and we filled the stadium every single night.

[thunderup26]

@vsmcax1007 ur a jerk. You don't live here you don't know how we feel about our team.Go talk trash elsewhere.

[vsmcax1007]

So NOLA suffers a hurricane, the Hornets play in OKC..the NBA doesn't want bad PR so they can't keep them there..so they steal the Sonics due to SHORT TERM OWNERSHIP/ARENA PROBLEMS (from a city that had supported the team for over 40 years) to pay back a po-dunk town that unfortunately suffered a terrorist attack? Wow great business model! How's that LOCKOUT treatin' ya OKC? Losing precious time off Durant/Westbrook's contracts huh? Let's see how supportive u are when your team starts losing.

[bshaw7273]

@vsmcax1007 Well we did give an extension to Westbrook and I'm sure we will give one to Durant as well...also, we're 21-6 with the best record in the NBA...so we're feeling pretty damn good! Thunder Up!

[trey5955]

@vsmcax1007 Stupid bafoon

[jrodr167]

Fuck okc Seattle was robbed.

[makeupisfun101]

@jrodr167 how could you say that when a terroist attack happened there

[kevnniki]

@baylorw71 I have lived in the OKC area all my life.

[kevnniki]

@baylorw71 I have lived in OKC area all my life

[thunderup26]

@bigaldank You're a jerk. Fair weather fans my ass.

[ANNEAVES]

I would give it ALL up to have those 168 people back!

[kevnniki]

Nice story but we've always been like this. The bombing put OKC on the map, nationally, but I think it had very little to do with getting an NBA team. MAPS was being drawn up before the bombing.

[ThunderSooner2835II]

I became a Thunderhead the day they came. THUNDER UP!

[87shadowfox]

Im from YAKIMA,WA. RIP.SONICS GO MAVS! FUCK THOSE THIEFS UP!

[bigaldank]

oh and i didn't even want to go here but. KEVIN DURANT. everything else just falls in place man.

[bigaldank]

role players are role players. and yes. everyone with half a brain knew that team was going to be money. you're showing up late on the scene and pegging me as a snobby seattle fan. but you don't see/recognize a lot of your fans arrogance and disrespect to the city that housed this team for over 40 years. and players like gary payton don't have a place to hang their jerseys. once again good job at getting a groomed team, they'll be great for a while. but seattle got jipped. hard.

[bigaldank]

all irrelevant because he received the team on the conditions of staying in seattle. so yes, the team would be the same. build on ray allen? who do you think ANYBODY would have drafted with the no. 2 pick in the 07 draft? and arguing about possibly different medical staffs in a hypothetical situation? sorry but you don't have true tested sports loyalty. and you are trying to blend sports with real life. im not debating what happened to your city.

[DJESR7]

If this team wouldn't be the same if it was in Seattle. The horrific Seattle management would try to build around a Older Ray Allen(who at the time, people thought only had about a good 2 years left), A Weak Rashard Lewis who is a nobody now, and Who know if they would have drafted Durant. That means No Harden, No Ibaka, No Westbrook, No Perkins, No Maynor. You guys need to stop crying like little girls, and open your eyes. Seattle didn't draft Durant, Bennett s management did.

[bigaldank]

as far as cities receiving teams, oklahoma city was the luckiest. you didn't have to wait 10-15 years for your team to be relevant, the sonics rebuilding process made you instantly relevant. as if espn wasn't still hyping kd and okc when they were 3-29. sorry, have fun with your team, but you aren't real fans, and you are the ultimate fairweatherers, as you haven't known anything else.

[KhidFresh]

@bigaldank FUCK YOU! how the hell are we not true fans! The entire state of Oklahoma supports the Thunder and we are the most greatful fans in the NBA, the arena practically gets sold out every home game (18,203) and one of the loudest, OBVIOUSLY this video meant nothing to you, do you not see how happy the fans are Seattle fans can really just shut the fuck up now, its been 3 years get over it, hating on people in Oklahoma is so sad, after the tragedy we been thru, (btw KD LOVES this place)

[DJESR7]

@bigaldank Bennett's management the same one he brought to OKC were the ones that rebuild the team. Schultz didn't hire Presti. Bennett did. All of you Sonic fans that keep saying that this would be the same team in Seattle need to litterally get to reality. Bennett hired the management, and wanted to rebuild the team. If you guys want to cut all tie's with Bennett then quit saying the current OKC Roster would be in Seatlle.

[DJESR7]

@bigaldank It didn't matter if the Thunder were losing the first 20+ games the first season by single digits. The roster on that team was terrible, no one knew if Westbrook would be able to be a PG in the NBA, and only 3 people from that team are on this roster. You don't know what management will do years down the road, and don't know if players can get hurt. Tracy Mcgrady was a fantastic player and himself with Carter made the Raptors look great. Now look at them, and Toronto.

[DJESR7]

@bigaldank Quit trying to make it seem like we're just playing dummy and knew that this team would have gotten good over the years. There were Signs but a team can easily have the best record in the NBA, and then suddenly the next year have the worse. If your really trying to justify Seattle, Insult Bennetts odd way but not illegal way of moving the team, and OKC now that they have the franchise. Then your doing a bad job at it, and making yourself seem pretty foolish.

[lowflyinsh]

@bigaldank Guess you don't really follow college sports very much, do you?

Ever heard of Oklahoma University and Oklahoma State University? I'm sure you have. ...and guess what, both of those fan bases are supporting the Thunder. Fairweather, my ass. You should take a good long look in the mirror. You "Sonic" fans didn't start coming out of the woodwork until your team was gone. Where were the year prior to the move? 2 years? 3 years? Yeah, thought so. Pot, I'd like you to meet kettle

[bigaldank]

their average age is like 24.and this is their third year with the thunder....who expects a 20 year old team to do anything? you guys think you made this team, they didn't win here because they didn't have anyone, and when they got someone, he was a rookie and left. you don't have amazing coaches, you don't have amazing fans, you have great young players. you didnt win your first year because westbrook was a rookie, and durant was a sophomore. this team would be in the exact same position in SEA

[DJESR7]

@bigaldank It would be a totally different team in Seattle had it not been for Bennett and Presti. You aren't sure the retarded Seattle management that was there before would have gotten Kevin. They were trying to build with an injured Ray Allen, and a overated Rashard Lewis. Shultz management would have signed Lewis to that expensive contract, and who knows if the Seattle medical team would have been as good as the Celtics when it came to Allen. It wouldn't be the same team you blind homer.

[bigaldank]

"How exactly does the SAME team blow and win? Please explain that one to me."

um maybe that durant was like 19 when we drafted him? and before that it was ray allen and rashard lewis leading our team (both properly number 2-3 guys)

you notice the season they started 3-29 a majority of their games were within 5 or 6 points. and if you are trying to tell me you didn't know they would be great during their first year in okc, you don't know basketball, and you don't know what you were watching

[bigaldank]

seriously, i get that the bombing sucked, but that was 16 years ago "our city wasn't supposed to amount to anything" you're not some teenager who lost his parents at a young age and is now prone to drug abuse, you are an entire city. If walking into an nba arena takes all that away for you, good job.

[Meric1837]

How can you post against this. A city goes from being defined as a place of destruction to a place of winners. The Thunder gave Oklahoma City an opportunity to show its real character. There's nothing wrong with showing pride in your community and OKC has shown pride and support like nothing in the NBA. I've lived all across America and can objectively say, there are people here like I've never seen. We just needed something to rally behind. Timothy McVeigh never had a chance.

[askpetefulmer]

Oklahoma City is my hometown and I love it. LOVE IT!

[imfrmtherealoc22]

The fact that anyone would try to attack our city for "stealing" a team after watching a video primarily about the terrorist attack that killed our citizens is appalling. This isn't about who drafted who and what "really" happened. This is about a city that wasn't supposed to amount to anything rising together to support a phenomenal team. Proving that we are more than a bombing. We weren't handed greatness. 3-29 is not greatness. We have amazing coaches who support and encourage their players,

[KhidFresh]

The music at 3:46 - 4:25 made me tear up, I am proud to live in Oklahoma and plan to spend the rest of my life here, Its so sad that someone could actually kill so many innocent people and have no feelings about doing it :'(

And the part where they showed Clay Bennet and the two blonde ladies jumping up and down with big smiles on their faces, that really shows how much they love Oklahoma City.

I really liked the part where that judge said "Part of that noice is saying, this is our reaction to

[TheDHXTRA]

Seattle drafted KD. OKC made him a winner!

[codyjoe08]

Video made me tear up. Thunder Up OKC!

Let the haters hate. Oklahoma City is strong and will fight through anything.

[mrkeeaumoku]

The fans of Oklahoma City deserve this team. They showed a ton of support for the Hornets when they moved there after Katrina. The owners would have stayed if they could have.

[phatmattcowboys]

Thunder Up!

[Swasome10]

Presti and Bennett drafted Durant.

[bigaldank]

oh and washington state is pretty much in idaho so yeah. when you live that close to texas you're bound to get some decent football players.

[bigaldank]

oh and kevin durant. and westbrook. and ibaka.

[bigaldank]

we also drafted scottie pippen, derrick mckey shawn kemp, gary payton, doug christie, bobby jackson, rashard lewis, corey maggette, carl landry and glen davis. along with a host of other solid players (bobby simmons luke ridnour and collison)

[TheDHXTRA]

Seattle drafted Peter Fehse!!

[TheDHXTRA]

One horse town? Bob Stoops thrashing Washington State in the Rose Bowl suggests otherwise.

[TheDHXTRA]

Seattle drafted Robert Swift!!!!

[bigaldank]

but we NEVER went below the league average in attendance. and how much sense does it make for a team to ask for 500 million dollar rennovations every 4 or 5 years? when they blow? im sorry but if you guys had gotten the sac kings or bobcats your seats would be half full. its really easy to go watch a team that WINS almost the second they move to town. i always have to repeat myself its like nobody reads. the team was sold on the condition they would stay in seattle. STOLEN

[klmward]

@bigaldank what you said doesn't even make sense. You just said that it doesn't make sense to make 500 million renovations because they blow... then said it's easy to watch a team that wins. How exactly does the SAME team blow and win? Please explain that one to me.

[jmillington25]

@kz101794 Did you just watch the video or no? Maybe you have a bigger city but OKC has heart. There was a reason they left bud.

[TheSchillarity]

There are dozens of places to argue about the relocation. You guys are really going to choose to do so in the comment section of a video primarily about the death of 168 people in a terrorist attack? Grow up. Argue about this on another feed.

Quality video by Outside the Lines. OTL continues to be a premiere video magazine in sports reporting.

[ks101794]

THIS IS SEATTLES TEAM

SEATTLE DRAFTED KEVIN



[vlcarter55]

@ks101794 Why don't you ask Kevin how he feels about that?

[bigaldank]

i've hate bashed enough on okc in the last few years, good luck to your team and i hope seattle gets a team to play you soon, and not by stealing a deep rooted franchise somewhere else.

oh and seriously if you don't know what happened to the sonics leaving please stop pretending like you do

[bigaldank]

"if not for the bombing, what are the chances that an nba team would be here right now?"

"i think it would be...slim"

this is a one horse town, much condolences and respect for what happened in 95, but sports wise, no respect to you or your fans whatsoever. you were handed a championship ready team. with no other real professional attractions obviously its easy to show up to games...we gave you possibly the best scorer ever no brainer. try having a team for 40 years see what your fans are like

[vlcarter55]

@bigaldank Really - a championship team?? You couldn't even fill the stadium and you wouldn't build them a new stadium. OKC packs the house - almost EVERY time. One horse town? Have you been here? We have a city we are proud of and apparently the Thunder players are too.

[bigaldank]

@vlcarter55 yes really, a championship team. all the pieces that okc has right now that makes them a winner they had in seattle, just younger. if you don't think everyone in seattle knew how good they would be in 2 years you're really dumb. yes you are a one horse town. one horse. kevin durant. seattle fans are some of the most loyal in the country. obviously after having a team for 40 years (multiple professional teams actually) yeah you probably wont sell out every game.

[TheKrazyk2010]

@bigaldank he made it sound like he was thanking the bombing RIP to those people that died but absolutley so respect for that quote

i respected everything in that video except anything relevant to the Thunder

WATCH SONICSGATE

[bigaldank]

"seattle lost their team because they had league worst attendance and refused multiple times to vote through a new stadium."

what is going on in your head when you spew things you have no idea about? fan attendance never dipped below the league average. they received renovations to the key arena about 5 years prior...looking back any amount of money would have been worth it to keep them...too bad they dont let sports fans make the million dollar decisions.

[u2dy]

EARL WATSON SIGHTING.

[orangecountydrummer]

when KD signed his new contract he said he would have signed a 10 year extension if he could have. he's not going anywhere.

also, seattle lost their team because they had league worst attendance and refused multiple times to vote through a new stadium. how does that make you better than a city with one of the leagues best attendance records that built a new stadium before we even had a team? you're gonna look really stupid when they give you the hornets and you have the same problems

[xcuseMepleez]

Goosebumps.

[MrHugostiglitz]

What resilient fans you are OKC!! CONGRATULATIONS!! You guys are such great fans to go support a team that was fundamentally created in a far greater city, that city being Seattle. To think that you guys are great fans to support this young team is a joke. This is Seattle's team. Seattle fans would crush yours any day. To anyone who plans on replying "well if you were such good fans you would have a team", educate yourself and know that's not the case. OKC, you are nothing.

[ThetaDelta1159]

@MrHugostiglitz I'm going to drive 5 miles up the road tomorrow to watch a game 7... What are you doing tomorrow? More crying I'm sure.

[DJESR7]

@MrHugostiglitz Danm, if your suppose to be the example of Seattle. Then good riddance you guys don't have a team. Can you not take your childish antics elsewhere.

[u2dy]

@MrHugostiglitz

You troll OKC fans on a video about a bombing?

Go away. You're a fool.

[ttinsley23]

@MrHugostiglitz Another passive aggressive, socially inept, insecure misfit from Seattle! I am shocked. Give this guy a break guys... All he ever says is "educate yourself!" His life is completely meaningless so he lives in the past and bashes Oklahoma instead of Howard Schultz. It's okay though.. We can all take comfort in knowing that his poor, pathetic city will never receive another NBA team because of deadbeats like himself. Have a nice day bozo. Seattle, you are nothing.

[rainesbobo]

@ttinsley23 We are NOTHING?! We have every other pro team you could possibly have in a city besides the NBA.Seahawks got 2 teams away from the super bowl this year & our WNBA team has been the top in the nation for the last 2 years in a row, &, BTW, they play at Key Arena which actually has more sq footage then the Arena there just 1000 fewer seats, so much for leg room in OKC.And I was born in OKC, I would never go back.Seattle is the best city I have lived in EVER,& I have lived in a few.

[u2dy]

I cried a little bit.

Go Thunder!

[knobface123]

Never in my life have I been prouder to say that I'm a Okie!

ThunderUP!

[caszie18]

We love the thunder. THUNDER UP

[p7mggifkuis]

RISE TOGETHER

[myannarell]

THUNDER UP!!! RISE TOGETHER! DON'T FORGET THIS WHEN WE TAKE THE COURT! LOVE IT!

[colt2jordan]

I realize that this is tragic and it is very sad, but a basketball team doesn't help a city or people who lost loved ones recover from that just like when the saints won the superbowl, them winning didnt change all the financial problems people went through bc of hurricane katrina or the people who died, its nice to win a superbowl or a make the easter conference finals, but that doesnt change something this devastating

[Malloy2424]

@colt2jordan How can you say the Thunder don't help Oklahoma City? You can't bring lost loved ones back but look at all the people a basketball team can bring together. Winning a championship can't fix financial problems but it can be a source of pride for a city that was devastated by a horrible terrorist attack.

[colt2jordan]

@Malloy2424 I wasn't meaning to be rude, but I live in Indiana and when the Colts won the superbowl a few years back I was a happy fan, but my life didn't change the city staid the same, and we all moved on.

[aracatara]

@colt2jordan Nothing can change the fact that people unfortunately left this world earlier than they should of, or all the financial problems. But for sure having a great team that WINS and supports the City, helps you cope with all this. I love the Thunder, one of the main reasons is their involvement with their community, all the sports team should learn from the Thunder.

ThunderUp!

[DJESR7]

@colt2jordan No but it gives people something to root for, something to take their minds, and unfortunate situation and use it for excitement, and rejoice.

[KhidFresh]

@colt2jordan I think it does help the city, and especially financial problems, in fact Oklahoma City is no where near financial problems, It is the number 1 most recession proof city, and for OKC getting an NBA team just adds to the growing market here, im sure it will increase OKC's population a lot. and YES it helps the people who lost their loved ones because when you enter that arena, people can forget about their struggles and enjoy the game, just look at how happy those fans are

[ChamPeter]

Thumps up if KD sent you here!

[axemm18]

AMAZING STORY!!! I am a Texas born and Texas proud, but I am definitely PROUD to say that I live in Oklahoma City, no doubt!!

[ks101794]

@axemm18

Shut up this is Seattle's team

[DJESR7]

@ks101794 Nope, its Bennetts team that he named the Thunder.

[janieqofun]

What a nice piece! Puts some things into perspective. Rise TOGETHER is what the fans did last year, seconds after we lost to the Lakers in game 6... To say thank you to our new, young team. I am sure we will continue to rise together, win or lose, because we are Oklahomans, and that is just what we do.

[arenateam]

Rise together!

[jewelzm]

Great, great feature!

[mtbpaige]

My heart is racing like it's that day all over. Wow. We should remember though that MAPS passed more than 3 years before the bombing; our renaissance started then. As a City, the bombing didn't shape our character, but revealed our character.

Really great video.

[letsgosooners]

Fantastic piece.

[axemm18]

@ks101794 My advice to you is GET OVER IT!! I understand the hate anger over the team leaving Seattle.. I get that!! Seriously, man... The envy of the Thunder's success is one thing, but the constant anger by those in Seattle over this team moving to this date is humorous!! Express your anger to your city council and local investors!!! Accept the fact that this is OKC's team and do something constructive with your life and emotions.

TO make light of this tragedy and this team NOW is childish!!