Felt the Lightning, and Waited On The Thunder...

Reports were out as early as Sunday that the former Seattle Supersonics had chosen their new moniker - say hello to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Honestly, I don't think it's all that bad a name (this guy does, but anyone from Seattle will have a problem no matter what the name is), though my gut reaction was if they were going the extreme weather route, one would think that Cyclones would be a) more indicative of the region's climate, and b) more in keeping with the alliterative history of the franchise... whatever, anything's better than the Outlaws. Every time I heard that suggestion, I was horrified at the thought of what that logo might've looked like.

But if the consensus is that the name is finalized, why hasn't an official announcement made? It could be because T-shirts bearing the generic OKC NBA logo went on sale this week. That's right, the plain black jerseys the team debuted at a Summer League game in Orlando on July 7th, days after the team reached a settlement with the City of Seattle. The shirts are flying off the shelves - that report says it's because the shirts are a "collectors item," but I think it's more than that (more on that in a minute). The point is - why would you reveal the official name, logo and colors right now? You've got plenty of time to sell those jerseys and hats. People will only buy the generic t-shirts until they see the real logo. Clay Bennett and friends are showing once again that they know a thing or two about running a business. Whether you like him or not, Bennett proved in Seattle that he can talk the talk, and now there's no denying that these guys can walk the walk as well.

So that is why, to borrow from Bob Seger, we're waiting on the Thunder. Expect to see these shirts at OKC games for years to come - fans will wear them proudly as a symbol of being with the team since the very beginning. These, and the NO/OKC Hornets jerseys, and even old Sonics jerseys - every chapter of the city's NBA history will make its way into the seats of the Ford Center, regardless who the League and the courts think owns the franchise's history. I look over at my Beat LA t-shirt - I know I'm gonna be wearing that to Celtics events until it has wholes in it because of what it represents to me and to other fans. So sure, it's a business move for Bennett and friends - that $75 million for the City of Seattle has to come from somewhere - but I like the move from a fan standpoint as well. People of Oklahoma - go pick up one of those generic shirts while you can. In a couple of years, it'll be the ultimate throwback.