Ha! I've seen this thread before but had never clicked on it and had forgotten about it. So, I've never lived in Sac (currently about 90 minutes north) and growing up in Southern California (generally anyway) I was a huge Lakers fan. Went to lots of games at the Forum with my dad to see the Showtime Lakers. Magic is still the man for me and always will be.
In 1988 I won a school award and had the opportunity to go the state championships in Sacramento. I had never been to Sac before but we stayed in the Holiday Inn downtown, went to the new train museum, the still being renovated Old Sac area, the Capitol building, etc., But as a NBA fan I was most interested in what my dad was telling me about the team that recently moved from Kansas City. We drove north on I-5 and saw the huge brand new Arco arena, like a temple in the middle of nowhere. Sac really made an impression on me and as I got older I would always make side-trips to Sac, one of my first dates with my wife was an Old Sac venture, it was one of the first places we took our first born son on Gold Rush Days, etc. I used to drive hours just to go around to all the Tower Records in Sac.
So I've always loved the city, but I was still a Laker fan through the Kings glory years. Vlade was pretty much Kareem's replacement when he first played for the Lakers, and I always appreciated his effort and personality. Then he was traded for Kobe's rights and the era of big egos and even bigger expectations saddled my Lakers experience. Even while rooting for the Lakers in the early 2000s, I knew the Kings were the better team, and that they played the way the game was supposed to be played. But I was still happy the Lakers got their 3-peat in 2002. After the Lakers fell from grace shortly after, Kobe had his rape scandal, etc., I started following the Kings more closely. I bought the Lakers dynasty DVD set and rewatched those great games from 2002 and found myself appreciating the Kings play more and more, and feeling sick that things didn't turn out they way they should have. Then as the relocation threats became more real, I started to become attached to the Kings and started following every arena plan. I went to more games, started following every personnel move. Two years ago, at the infamous "last game" against the Lakers before the inevitable relocation to Anaheim, I was for the first time completely invested in the Kings and rooting against the Lakers. I was crying at the end along with Grant and Jerry and everyone else. When things started looking like the Kings might stay, I told everyone I knew that if they stayed, I would completely abandon my Lakers fandom. And I have-- it's been two years since I've watched a Lakers game that didn't involve the Kings. I was sorry to see Kobe go down with his injury at the end of the year, but I honestly felt no emotion whatsoever when they were eliminated from the playoffs. I'm officially a Sacramento Kings fan. I've never gone to more than two or three games in a season, but I found myself this weekend trying to talk my wife into season tickets next year. My three boys will grow up Kings fans and they're going to experience the best fanbase in all of pro-sports.
I can't wait to see Sacramento transformed over the next few years, and for this team to regain its prominence and relevence. Now I just need to work on the dozens of Lakers fans I still know.
