Oklahoma City's 'Big Three'

[Steelman16]

Well, I wrote my first sports article. Thanks to all who responded to my plea for help regarding sports writing. Tony, you'll have to tell me if I sucked. - Mosca, I tried to tell the truth, really I did.

All crits and comments are welcome!

Here goes...hope you in enjoy it.

OKLAHOMA CITY’S BIG THREE
JACOB WALLACE | JULY 10, 2008

Kevin Durant was all-smiles last year. Drafted number two overall, Durant was heralded the savior of a franchise lost in the dregs of the NBA. His mission was to rescue the floundering Seattle SuperSonics from their playoff-missing 35–47 record of the previous year and spiraling decent of the previous decade.

He did his best.

Averaging 20 points-per-game while earning Rookie of the Year honors, Durant showed the league what everyone had seen in college; the calm, cool Kevin Durant who just goes out and scores points. The Sonics only won a dismal 20 games, but there was hope in the form of a Top-5 draft pick to bring in extra help for their budding star. If not the present, at least the future seemed bright. After all, they had Kevin Durant.

Had?

It happened quickly. There are some things even a 22-year-old, rookie superstar can’t save. After a confusing, chaotic ordeal, order was finally made from the mess of court dates, trials, and a judges’ decision. The people of Seattle were chagrined, those of Oklahoma City, elated. The team name, colors and history would be staying in Seattle; the rest of it would be headed to Oklahoma City. As a sort of reward for enthusiastically embracing the homeless New Orleans Hornets from the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Oklahoma City would finally have a professional team to call their own.

Even amid cries of foul play and stealing the franchise through back-handed, sleazy dealing, new owner Clay Bennett is excited to own a team in his home state. He tried everything in his power to make it happen, and he did it. Sonics’ fans feel cheated and misused, but the simple fact remains. The Sonics are no more, and Oklahoma City now has an NBA team. Granted it’s still nameless, but they have a stadium, coaching staff and players; and of course, Kevin Durant.

He’s still all-smiles, but you can’t help but almost see the determination within him. He had it before, but it’s different now. Everything is different now. Now, his mission is to carve this new franchise’s very face of existence out the red Oklahoma dirt and forge history from a clean slate.

He’s not alone this time either.

Some may laugh and ask why they’re all not in high school. They certainly don’t have immaculate beards like Baron Davis, or the aura of Kobe Bryant, or the hardened muscles of LeBron James. Nor do they have the giant banners of 17 championships hanging from their rafters, and the history to go with them, like Kevin Garnett and the rest of Boston’s Big Three. Who then, are these young pipsqueaks from OKC?
Aside from Durant, most probably couldn’t tell you their names. Jeff Green? Russell Westbrook? Second-year player hotshot? Rookie from UCLA? They have merely two years of professional experience between the three of them, yet, in all certainty, they are Oklahoma City’s Big Three.

Without a doubt, they realize the seriousness of their charge. But, like the fresh-faced young men that they are, having loads of fun playing pickup games and dominating the summer league seems like a good way to spend a few months. Perhaps older, wiser veterans would admonish them for not spending every available hour in the gym working out and pushing their bodies to the limits with exhaustive training regimens in preparation for the new season.

“But we are preparing!” they’d say. They’re bonding, they’re learning to play together, and developing the chemistry they’ll need to lead this team to greatness. Theirs is no walk in NBA-park. Ask them what they think and they’ll shrug and maybe grin, not saying much of anything, but that doesn’t matter. You can see it in their eyes. Jeff Green’s icy determination. Russell Westbrook’s desire to prove himself in the big leagues. And of course, Kevin Durant. He just smiles, but he knows it better than anyone.

There are no greats from the Oklahoma City past, no heated playoff battles for championship rings. No winning seasons to be proud of, not even any history to model after.

They’ll have to make the history themselves.

I made a new sig too, in celebration of our new team.

[tony hipchest]

well steelman, you had a take and it didnt suck

as a sonics fan i enjoyed the article and thought it was well written. the running theme of durant being "all smiles" was a nice technique and helped your premise and article from becoming bland or stagnant.

downplaying the "big 3" as virtual nobodies, only to show what an opportunity it was for them to make their "own history" and pave their own path, so to speak, was a nice touch and method.

all in all, i found it to be pretty professional.

good job!

[Mosca]

Nicely written! You caught the sense of hope emerging from chaos very well... or, should I say the thread of hope staying consistent through the turmoil.

[k7brown]

Nice work, Steelman!!!

[millwalldavey]

I like! And being a 6th Grade teacher... I can grade me some writing... even though Im a math teacher...

[ShutDown24]

I 'studied' journalism for two years and edited for a few websites / a school paper. That was better than anything I was ever presented with by any journalism students or actual 'journalists' at the aforementioned sites. Good use of overall language, excellent choice of length to the piece, relevance in subjects discussed to the topic. Great job!

[Hawk Believer]

One small fact check from a self acknowledged bitter onetime Sonic fan...

The team name, colors and history would be staying in Seattle; the rest of it would be headed to Oklahoma City.

Bennet said he would let the name and the colors stay, but he was taking the kistory with him. It is to be "shared." He will make replicas of the banners and trophies and supposeldy keep retired numbers retired.

That all seems wierd to me. I wonder how much appreciation the average OKC fan is going to have for the retired numbers of Jack Sikma and Specer Haywood and their likes. I also wonder, when they make their replica Championship trophy and banner, will they use the Sonics name or the new name? I wonder how much meaning all that stuff will have to a fanbase who didn't participate in that history and associated memories.

Here is a link re: the history issue: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...31_soni06.html

Anyway, its a great article Steelman16. I am honestly happy for the NBA fans of OKC that they have a franchise. You guys deserve one for sure. My gripe is with the sleazy way the ownership and commisioner made it come about.

Take care of the team and watch your back; the NBA is all about taking care of the owners, not the fans.

[Steelman16]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the nice comments!

Hopefully I can write more articles soon. I'll be sure to post them here for y'all to critique and read.


@ Hawk Believer: Thanks for the info, the sources I had found stated the history would be staying in Seattle, but it didn't go into any details. Thanks again for bringing that up.

If it was me, I'd leave ALL the history in Seattle. OKC should start completely clean.

[Galax Steeler]

I think you done very well in you first one I wish I had the talent to do that.