Former Seattle Supersonic and all around bad-ass Maurice Lucas passed away over the weekend. As much as I loved the Payton/Kemp/Karl era, the 1987 Supersonics team was probably my favorite team, and Lucas provided some much-needed muscle for his shoot first, play defense later teammates.
Casey Holdahl has a great article about Lucas at http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/, so be sure to check it out.
If only I lived in China (and weren't too old and fat to play basketball anymore).
Seated left to right: Sam Perkins, James Donaldson, Clyde Dexler, Otis Birdsong, Michael Ray Richardson and Darryl Dawkins.
Chunkstyle here. Since a lot of what we do on this blog is relive the glory days, how appropriate that I've been asked to do an art show next month at Throwbacks NW—a dope retro jersey store on Capitol Hill.
I’m calling the show “SUPERSONICSOUL: Home Teams and Heartache.” It will naturally have a local sports flavor to it, featuring luscious giclée prints of the illustrations I did for this fine blog, and possibly some other new works. The opening is Thursday, November 11, with a reception from 5-10 pm.
You should come through--I’ll be selling prints, a DJ will be spinning, refreshments will be served (I think), you can buy some old-school Starter jackets or retro snapback hats. Don’t have to RSVP or nothing, just show up if you can, or come another day, the art will be up for a month. Thanks!
Even though I've worked on a few basketball games in my time, I'll be the first to admit I haven't really been into them since the Sega Genesis days. Sure, the first NBA Street was fun (before they ruined it by making it all "hardcore"), but since then they really all seemed the same. And when they replaced the Sonics with The Team That Must Not Be Named, well, why bother, right?
Well, it appears the folks at 2K Sports are pulling me back in. Prepare to have your mind blown when you watch the clip from the new NBA2K11 (which drops in stores this week), as our beloved Seattle Supersonics have returned . . . in video game form at least. Sam, Gary, Det, Shawn and the rest of the mighty '96 roster appear in all their green and red glory.
I haven't played the game yet, so I have no idea if you actually get to play as the Sonics, or if they're just "bosses" you must defeat in the Jordan story mode. But still . . . THE SONICS ARE BACK!!!
I know I've mentioned this before, but this 1987 double overtime victory over the Rockets is one of my all-time favorite Sonics memories. If I remember correctly, Pete, Raf and I all begged our parents to stay up late that night (on a school night!) to watch the thrilling conclusion to this epic game.
Now, thanks to the magical tubes we call the internet, you can watch the entire game (as well as the pre and post-game) on YouTube.
It's hard to believe, but back in '87, I actually watched this game on a black and white TV, so this is the first time I've seen it in color. Yes, I am that old.
Right now, there’s white paper covering the windows at 621 1/2 Queen Anne Avenue (across from the MarQueen Hotel) with the words “Watch 4 Us.” The applicants listed on the liquor paperwork are former Seattle Supersonic Shawn Kemp and his wife Marvena. They apparently plan to turn this space into a restaurant and lounge. Right now, the business is simply listed as “MTK Ventures.”
Congrats Storm! Now go get your mascot drunk and let him hump some cars. Oh, I see you're way ahead of me. Nicely done. (Photo courtesy of Dopler's Facebook page)
George Maloof, the owner of the Sacramento Kings, denied last week that the team is considering a move to Seattle. Sports Illustrated reported on its website that Maloof met with former Sonics minority owner Wally Walker and others recently.
Maloof told SI.com that the meeting in Seattle was to discuss the hurdles Sonics ownership faced in securing a new arena. Owner Clay Bennett moved the Sonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 after he was unable to secure an arena deal to his liking in Seattle.
"It had nothing to do with us moving the team," Maloof told SI.com. "It was more of a meeting to understand what their experience was as it relates to what we could do in Sacramento because it's very difficult to build arenas anywhere. That was basically the meeting."
If this were true, would you be interested in a second-hand team? Would your desperation to land a basketball team outweigh the guilt of stealing another team? After the way Stern treated this city, could you stifle your pride and play NBA musical chairs?
As much as I miss the Sonics, I'd sooner eat Jack Sikma's socks than screw over a community like Sacramento, that was once one of the best basketball towns in the country. As much as I enjoyed watching the Sonics kick their asses in the playoffs a few years back, no city deserves to go through what we did.
Alt title: 206 and Heartsick
