Kings Fans from Southern California

[xrzn]

How do you guys feel about the possible move? We live in an area where the lakers fan are dominate, Clippers fans are up and coming, and bandwagoning is everywhere in between.

Personally, I'm torn that Sacramento is losing this team after they've finally gotten a young core and bright future set. I can't imagine another down year, and if things go well, this team is bound to get into playoff contention within the next couple years.

With that said, it's hard to ignore the fact that we will be rooting for a local sports team, something I have not done in any major sport. Being able to go to home games with ease will be a surreal feeling, and it's bittersweet that it comes at the cost of the Sacramento fans that have supported this team for so many years feeling cheated.

And on a side note;

The #1 Pro for us South Cali fans is: We get to the games and get to watch them on TV, and the fans that remain in Sactown will have to adapt and do what we once had to do

The #1 Con for not just South Cali but the remaining North Cali Kings fan is: We have to deal with the bandwagon effect should the Kings rise and the lakers crumble

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

I'm thoroughly disgusted, disgruntled, and depressed. The whole thing caught me off guard. It makes it even worse that after 5 years of crap, we lose them right when they're on the brink of being decent again. I knew there was a risk they'd move eventually but I didn't think it'd come this year. Not while the mayor is trying all he can to get an arena built.

 

[Bricklayer]

I'm thoroughly disgusted, disgruntled, and depressed. The whole thing caught me off guard. It makes it even worse that after 5 years of crap, we lose them right when they're on the brink of being decent again. I knew there was a risk they'd move eventually but I didn't think it'd come this year. Not while the mayor is trying all he can to get an arena built.

The OP here is specifically addressing other SoCal based Kings fans, so if those of you from Sacto could restrain yourselves unless you've go something interesting on that topic it would help keep the thread on topic.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Ther OP here is specifically addressing other SoCal based Kings fans, so if those of you from Sacto could restrain yourselves unless you've go something interesting on that topic it would help keep the thread on topic.

My bad. I certainly wouldn't want to offend any of the Anaheim fans.

 

[KingInLA]

Hey, all. First time, long time as they say on the radio. This "move" shouldn't be happening simply because it would be bad for the league. All the best players and now teams going to the largest markets. The hornets no doubt will be next to San Jose. NJ to NY has been a done deal for a long time of course. There's talk of the pacers moving. For me personally, while i know there's nothing like watching a game live, i have no problem watching my teams on TV. That's what i've done for most of my life. I wouldn't be able to go to many games anyway.

As to the second part of your question, i've always found this "bandwagoning" notion on this and other boards about LA fans as being hugely overstated. How do you explain Dodgers drawing 3.5 mil fans every year despite the fact that over the last 20 years it's been one of the most mismanaged franchises in all of sports.
What happened to the Angels after they won the WS in 2002 is what i think may happen to the Kings here if they are mildly successfull. And what happened was not Dodger fans suddenly becoming Angel fans, but people in OC/inland empire/southern LA county who previously didn't care one way or another about baseball suddenly becoming interested in this winning team that was playing close to them.

 

[Lafayette]

I like the idea just because I live here and getting to watch the KINGS/ROYALS on a regular basis would be great but in the end I don't want Sacramento to lose it's team. I'm not against the move only because the team is someone's property and they can do what they want with it but as a fan it saddens me because the people of Sacramento do support the team (not as much the last 3 years). I could go either way at this point because it's really tiresome and if they don't move the City better give the Maloofs what they want or this will happen all over again next season.

 

[Löwenherz]

I have no ill-will for fans choosing to stick with the team after the move; everyone becomes a fan for a different reason and if you're staying true to that then no hard feelings.

Personally though, joining the Kings fandom was the first way I connected to Sacramento, having been uprooted from my life elsewhere and moved to the city as an awkward, scared 11-year-old. The Kings were what changed Sacramento from just "a place I live" into "the place I am from" - a very powerful distinction.

And that carried a measure of pride with it, both civic and personal, which proved especially valuable after moving to San Diego and having to deal with the insufferably arrogant Lakers fans and SoCal exceptionalists. My loyalty to my hometown and hometown team helped define me in a land of bandwagoners, fair-weathers, mimics and general trend-followers.

Now that connection is about to be ripped from me and sent - of all places - to the very people I've had to defend my fandom from for nearly a decade. And maddeningly, but predictably, they're approaching it like their usual ambivalent selves. It's like having to give up your puppy because you can't afford to take care of it anymore, only to watch it be donated to the spoiled rich kid down the street.

Insulting as it is, (and despite threatening a year ago to become a Lakers fan out of spite should the Kings move - that was while I was in the anger stage of the grief cycle) I strongly considered even now remaining loyal. I still love the team, still want the franchise to succeed and they are moving closer to me.

Ultimately it came down to this: if they win a championship as the Anaheim Royals, would it hurt me? Sadly, the answer is a resounding yes simply because the victory parade route would head down Katella Avenue instead of Capital Mall. If my support is anything but unreserved how can I truly call myself a diehard fan anymore?

That said, I've made my peace with the move and my new role as the most casual of supporters heretofore. I'm disappointed I'll never get to take part in the ecstasy of the ultimate prize should they reach that mountain top. But I'm comforted by some wise words a prophet once told a warrior:

"The memories remain the property of the Sacramento Kings."

 

[Arkitect]

It really sucks for Sacramento and I have family that are diehard fans that are depressed about them likely moving. However, since I live in San Diego and now have the time and money to actually go see them play regularly, I would love if they moved to Anaheim. I've had to follow the team for the last four years from down here so it can be done.

 

[Superman]

I'll support the team if they move, obviously in ways I can't now, but I don't want them to move. It's not right to the fans of Sacramento, who are partly what drew me to the team in the first place. I understand the reasons and motivations for ownership, and I think that if they play their cards right, they could be hugely successful, especially with an up-and-coming team. I'm obviously torn, but if I had my druthers, they would stay in Sacramento.

IF they do move, the team name, the color scheme, the 6th man jersey, should all stay in Sacramento, whether they wind up getting a new team or not.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I"ve never been bothered by bandwagoners, it's necessary for every franchise. People are fans in their own way, there's no right or wrong way to be a fan.

I feel bad about the Kings moving, but I have to admit that it's tempered by my selfish desire to have an NBA team in Orange County. I've dabbled in being a Clippers and Lakers fan in my earlier days and I just didn't take to either of them. I'm just really glad that I'll finally have a true NBA home team, and the fact that it happens to be a team I've followed for years makes it all the better.

 

[TaxMan]

I have no ill-will for fans choosing to stick with the team after the move; everyone becomes a fan for a different reason and if you're staying true to that then no hard feelings.

Personally though, joining the Kings fandom was the first way I connected to Sacramento, having been uprooted from my life elsewhere and moved to the city as an awkward, scared 11-year-old. The Kings were what changed Sacramento from just "a place I live" into "the place I am from" - a very powerful distinction.

And that carried a measure of pride with it, both civic and personal, which proved especially valuable after moving to San Diego and having to deal with the insufferably arrogant Lakers fans and SoCal exceptionalists. My loyalty to my hometown and hometown team helped define me in a land of bandwagoners, fair-weathers, mimics and general trend-followers.

Now that connection is about to be ripped from me and sent - of all places - to the very people I've had to defend my fandom from for nearly a decade. And maddeningly, but predictably, they're approaching it like their usual ambivalent selves. It's like having to give up your puppy because you can't afford to take care of it anymore, only to watch it be donated to the spoiled rich kid down the street.

Insulting as it is, (and despite threatening a year ago to become a Lakers fan out of spite should the Kings move - that was while I was in the anger stage of the grief cycle) I strongly considered even now remaining loyal. I still love the team, still want the franchise to succeed and they are moving closer to me.

Ultimately it came down to this: if they win a championship as the Anaheim Royals, would it hurt me? Sadly, the answer is a resounding yes simply because the victory parade route would head down Katella Avenue instead of Capital Mall. If my support is anything but unreserved how can I truly call myself a diehard fan anymore?

That said, I've made my peace with the move and my new role as the most casual of supporters heretofore. I'm disappointed I'll never get to take part in the ecstasy of the ultimate prize should they reach that mountain top. But I'm comforted by some wise words a prophet once told a warrior:

"The memories remain the property of the Sacramento Kings."

While I'm not in SoCal, these are my sentiments exactly. I grew up in Sacramento, but haven't lived there for almost 15 years. Yet, I still have immense pride in the city and the Kings are one way I can express that pride to others. I may still ultimately follow the team if they do move (regardless of whereever they, and I, end up), but it will never be the same....

 

[stevetaebo]

Ultimately it came down to this: if they win a championship as the Anaheim Royals, would it hurt me? Sadly, the answer is a resounding yes simply because the victory parade route would head down Katella Avenue instead of Capital Mall. If my support is anything but unreserved how can I truly call myself a diehard fan anymore?

That said, I've made my peace with the move and my new role as the most casual of supporters heretofore. I'm disappointed I'll never get to take part in the ecstasy of the ultimate prize should they reach that mountain top. But I'm comforted by some wise words a prophet once told a warrior:

"The memories remain the property of the Sacramento Kings."

This is exactly the way I feel. Well said.

 

[hrdboild]

I've already been pretty vocal about my position before. There's no positive in this for me. Theoretically I could go to home games much more easily now, but are they really home games? I'm convinced every Laker/Kings game in Anaheim will be exactly like another Laker home game. For almost 10 years now I've lived in the LA area. I first moved down here in August of 2001 so I watched all of the 2002 playoffs in Laker territory. After that series I had to walk home by myself surrounded by cheering Laker fans. It was the loneliest feeling in the world. I work at USC which is walking distance from Staples center. Every time they have a victory parade, I'm late to work because of all the traffic.

I've made several fans over the years who happen to live in Anaheim or Orange County and I've given up trying to talk to them about basketball completely because the first thing that comes out of their mouth is Sacramento Queens. Not one time, but every time. Without fail. The Lakers can do no wrong, and Sacramento is a nowhere loser franchise from a nowhere loser town. It's all half kidding of course, but there's still an element of it that bothers me. These people are still my friends, granted, I just don't try to talk to them about basketball anymore. I've never known a Laker fan who has anything intelligent to say about basketball. I'm sure they're out there, but I've never met one. They act as if winning is a birthright rather than the product of hard work and dedication.

Which is to say, I'd be a lot more inclined to still follow this team if they moved literally anywhere except Anaheim. It kills me that the very people who've shown no respect whatsoever for the team I've been rooting for my whole life are now going to have that team fall into their lap right when it's on the brink of being successful again. And when the Anaheim Royals win, they'll be celebrating with a parade they did nothing at all to earn. When the team is winning they'll start coming but they'll be rooting for Anaheim, not for Sacramento. And they'll probably still pull out the Laker flags when the time is right. I want no part of that.

(Of course my opinion in the matter is colored rather strongly by the fact that I'm not from Southern California. And even though I've lived down here longer than I ever lived in Sacramento now, I've always felt like an outsider and probably always will.)

 

[Superman]

I've already been pretty vocal about my position before. There's no positive in this for me. Theoretically I could go to home games much more easily now, but are they really home games? I'm convinced every Laker/Kings game in Anaheim will be exactly like another Laker home game. For almost 10 years now I've lived in the LA area. I first moved down here in August of 2001 so I watched all of the 2002 playoffs in Laker territory. After that series I had to walk home by myself surrounded by cheering Laker fans. It was the loneliest feeling in the world. I work at USC which is walking distance from Staples center. Every time they have a victory parade, I'm late to work because of all the traffic.

I've made several fans over the years who happen to live in Anaheim or Orange County and I've given up trying to talk to them about basketball completely because the first thing that comes out of their mouth is Sacramento Queens. Not one time, but every time. Without fail. The Lakers can do no wrong, and Sacramento is a nowhere loser franchise from a nowhere loser town. It's all half kidding of course, but there's still an element of it that bothers me. These people are still my friends, granted, I just don't try to talk to them about basketball anymore. I've never known a Laker fan who has anything intelligent to say about basketball. I'm sure they're out there, but I've never met one. They act as if winning is a birthright rather than the product of hard work and dedication.

Which is to say, I'd be a lot more inclined to still follow this team if they moved literally anywhere except Anaheim. It kills me that the very people who've shown no respect whatsoever for the team I've been rooting for my whole life are now going to have that team fall into their lap right when it's on the brink of being successful again. And when the Anaheim Royals win, they'll be celebrating with a parade they did nothing at all to earn. When the team is winning they'll start coming but they'll be rooting for Anaheim, not for Sacramento. And they'll probably still pull out the Laker flags when the time is right. I want no part of that.

(Of course my opinion in the matter is colored rather strongly by the fact that I'm not from Southern California. And even though I've lived down here longer than I ever lived in Sacramento now, I've always felt like an outsider and probably always will.)

This is an amazing post that, realistically speaking, you'd have to live in Southern California to truly understand. Except for the outsider feeling, since I've been here my entire life, reading this was like a biography of a Kings fan in SoCal for the last decade or so. You knocked this out of the park.

That said, I'm obviously more inclined to follow and support the team than you are, should they move to Anaheim, but the disdain I have for Laker fans would grow tremendously should the Kings win down here and they decide that this is their team.

 

[TSA]

Totally feel for the Sac fans as I lived up there and followed while I was at Chico State, but I am excited that I'll be able to take the train from oside to Anaheim to watch games. I'm still hoping that you guys get a miracle and keep them.

 

[hrdboild]

This is an amazing post that, realistically speaking, you'd have to live in Southern California to truly understand. Except for the outsider feeling, since I've been here my entire life, reading this was like a biography of a Kings fan in SoCal for the last decade or so. You knocked this out of the park.

That said, I'm obviously more inclined to follow and support the team than you are, should they move to Anaheim, but the disdain I have for Laker fans would grow tremendously should the Kings win down here and they decide that this is their team.

I appreciate the kind words. I realize my perspective on the whole thing is a rather unique one given the circumstances, but that doesn't make it any less emotional for me. It probably doesn't help matters that I'm also an A's fan and our main rivals are the Anaheim Angels. Oh yeah, and my dad is a big Giants fan and they lost a world series to the Angels in 2002. Like I said, they couldn't have picked a worse place from my point of view.

I've met a number of the So Cal Kings fans on this board when we had a meetup in the past and they're all good people. I don't begrudge anyone who's able to still root for the team after the move, if they move. I'm sure you'll take good care of them.

 

[origkds]

This is an amazing post that, realistically speaking, you'd have to live in Southern California to truly understand. Except for the outsider feeling, since I've been here my entire life, reading this was like a biography of a Kings fan in SoCal for the last decade or so. You knocked this out of the park.

That said, I'm obviously more inclined to follow and support the team than you are, should they move to Anaheim, but the disdain I have for Laker fans would grow tremendously should the Kings win down here and they decide that this is their team.

I was born and raised in Long Beach so I have a little feel for the sports culture down there. I can tell you that Laker fans are Laker fans and will never claim the Kings/Royals as their own. I’m counting on, and looking forward to, the Kings/Royals and their fans (old and new) putting the hurt on the Lakers franchise and their sorry a** fans. What I’m really hoping for and clinging onto is the Kings staying in Sac.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I've already been pretty vocal about my position before. There's no positive in this for me. Theoretically I could go to home games much more easily now, but are they really home games? I'm convinced every Laker/Kings game in Anaheim will be exactly like another Laker home game. For almost 10 years now I've lived in the LA area. I first moved down here in August of 2001 so I watched all of the 2002 playoffs in Laker territory. After that series I had to walk home by myself surrounded by cheering Laker fans. It was the loneliest feeling in the world. I work at USC which is walking distance from Staples center. Every time they have a victory parade, I'm late to work because of all the traffic.

I've made several fans over the years who happen to live in Anaheim or Orange County and I've given up trying to talk to them about basketball completely because the first thing that comes out of their mouth is Sacramento Queens. Not one time, but every time. Without fail. The Lakers can do no wrong, and Sacramento is a nowhere loser franchise from a nowhere loser town. It's all half kidding of course, but there's still an element of it that bothers me. These people are still my friends, granted, I just don't try to talk to them about basketball anymore. I've never known a Laker fan who has anything intelligent to say about basketball. I'm sure they're out there, but I've never met one. They act as if winning is a birthright rather than the product of hard work and dedication.

Which is to say, I'd be a lot more inclined to still follow this team if they moved literally anywhere except Anaheim. It kills me that the very people who've shown no respect whatsoever for the team I've been rooting for my whole life are now going to have that team fall into their lap right when it's on the brink of being successful again. And when the Anaheim Royals win, they'll be celebrating with a parade they did nothing at all to earn. When the team is winning they'll start coming but they'll be rooting for Anaheim, not for Sacramento. And they'll probably still pull out the Laker flags when the time is right. I want no part of that.

(Of course my opinion in the matter is colored rather strongly by the fact that I'm not from Southern California. And even though I've lived down here longer than I ever lived in Sacramento now, I've always felt like an outsider and probably always will.)

I was in SoCal for the good years and this pretty much mirrors my experience. Like you I could accept the Kings moving to some other locations a lot easier. But as a NorCal transplant it was frustrating and I swore I'd never, ever root for a SoCal team (well, let's say I was neutral on the Galaxy for a while, now I have a team in Portland so I hate them too).

 

[Superman]

I appreciate the kind words. I realize my perspective on the whole thing is a rather unique one given the circumstances, but that doesn't make it any less emotional for me. It probably doesn't help matters that I'm also an A's fan and our main rivals are the Anaheim Angels. Oh yeah, and my dad is a big Giants fan and they lost a world series to the Angels in 2002. Like I said, they couldn't have picked a worse place from my point of view.

I've met a number of the So Cal Kings fans on this board when we had a meetup in the past and they're all good people. I don't begrudge anyone who's able to still root for the team after the move, if they move. I'm sure you'll take good care of them.

Yeah, see, I'm an Angels fan and love to see the A's flounder. And I could be called a bandwagon Angels fan, because I didn't even care about baseball until 2002. It wasn't so much that a local team was winning, it was that they had always sucked and were now winning, and I also liked the way they played. Was also hard not to go crazy after that Game 6 comeback, which your dad probably still can't talk about without wanting to break something. So I don't have the Anaheim sports hate that you have, though I do hate SoCal Laker fans and their BS sense of entitlement.

 

[hrdboild]

Was also hard not to go crazy after that Game 6 comeback, which your dad probably still can't talk about without wanting to break something.

Heh, well he's doing alright now.

 

[nickmcclure]

I live really close to Anaheim but grew up close to Sac. I am 79% against it. It really bums me out that Sacramento is losing its only franchise especially to an area that already has 2 teams (sorta, but not really.) The way I see it, the Maloofs and unfortunately the city weren't strong enough supporters when it came to finances and on top of that the whole area got hit hard by the recession. I will always remember Arco Arena (not PBP which BTW is a slap in the face who decided the naming rights would end mid-season lol?) On the flip side obviously I can't deny the excitement of the team I grew up watching moving close by. Also, Orange County is NOT L.A. for the last effing time haha. If you count for traffic (which you nearly always have to) the drive for Orange County fans to see a "home" L.A. game can take hours. Finally that whole "OC people don't want and can't support and NBA team" is BS. People are definitely excited.

P.S. Anaheim is not stealing our team people (I know it feels like that.) I point the finger at the MaGoofs and the citizens of Sac that didn't vote for the publicly-funded arena. It really sucks and even though I am excited I am more upset for Sacramento. **** happens.

 

[nickmcclure]

The #1 Con for not just South Cali but the remaining North Cali Kings fan is: We have to deal with the bandwagon effect should the Kings rise and the lakers crumble

What an awesome problem to have!

 

[hoopsfan]

(Of course my opinion in the matter is colored rather strongly by the fact that I'm not from Southern California. And even though I've lived down here longer than I ever lived in Sacramento now, I've always felt like an outsider and probably always will.)

I've lived in Sac. for the past 15 years..."always felt like and outsider and probably always will."
I'll be going "home" in a week and catching my annual Laker game with my nephew.

Sorry for you diehards up here in Sac. I can't begin to imagine how you feel...I don't live near my team, but that was my choosing, they didn't leave...big difference.

 

[LA King Fan II]

I'm happy mostly because I feel they have a better chance at signing somebody to put them back in contention again.

I've been in LA my whole life and been to exactly one Angel game - Dodgers only. A Kings fan since 1999 and incapable of stomaching a Laker victory against anyone (even against the Celtics). Things won't change much in terms of being a fan, but I do think the team will make progress in the win column.

This is all Robert Horry's fault.

 

[Fear the Putin]

I became a fan of the NBA and basketball in general because of the Kings. As a 12 year old I began to vehemently defend the Kings all throughout middle school, then leading into high school, and so forth. I've been through many verbal and physical battles because of the Kings. I was that 0.001% who was a Kings fans during the glory days living in Los Angeles. As I would watch the Kings on TV and listen to the ARCO crowd, I felt like all those Sacramento people were in my room cheering with me and vise versa. I know that I'm not the only one who fought for the Kings, got depressed for the Kings, and spend countless years supporting them through thick and thin. I know that the people of Sacramento were in the same boat with me.

I had the opportunity to drive up to a Kings v. Lakers game at ARCO last year for the first time with my friend who is a Laker fan. Sure, there were many Laker fans at the game, but the game was close and we went into overtime, so it wasn't a blowout. I finally experienced the ARCO crowd and I absolutely loved every second of that atmosphere.

Now will the Kings/Royals be closer to me in Anaheim? Of course. But, it's not only about me. There's a reason they are called the SACRAMENTO Kings....not the WORLDWIDE Kings.

I am 100% AGAINST the move because I feel like the Maloofs are moving simply because of the money, not because the fans have betrayed them or turned their back on them. What makes this even worse is the nonchalant attitude that the Anaheim people have towards this move. Some are simply glad they dont have to drive far for a damn Laker game.

I enjoy when a team goes into the opposing team's arena and aren't treated like a home team. That is what will happen when the Lakers will play at the Honda Center. It will be a damn home game for the Lakers. I simply don't even want to even imagine that possibility as it makes me sick to the stomach.

Southern California will ALWAYS be Laker country. The Lakers will never be a lottery team because stars will always be attracted to that city, so you may have a couple of missed playoff years in the next 20 years, but they will always be near the top, so you won't convert or start any loyal fanbase with the Kings/Royals.


However, I will still be a fan...regardless of how painful it will be.

 

[King Baller]

"The memories remain the property of the Sacramento Kings." Originally Posted by Löwenherz

Lowenherz, the above applies to all Kings fans everywhere.

Thanks man,
KB

 

[CruzDude]

- "when powers to be are trying to get an arena built". *What powers to be? * *A local radio station?
- one city telling another city what to do when the other city is pro-active in getting an NBA team and the first city has been 100% against supporting that same team for nearly 10-years
- The reasons for a new NBA arena in any city are:
*** for the team owners to increase operating income (profit) from greater radio and TV revenue
*** from corporate sponsors who will fill luxury boxes and spend on concessions
*** to fill seats with casual fans who want to occasionally come to the venue to see the local team and enjoy the experience
*** to fill seats with serious fans who will plunk down the bucks for the overall experience: the team, the venue and the concessions
*** attract local and national advertisers who sponsor support helps everyone
*** Attract a wider range of bigger name entertainment appealing to a broader fan base. *This includes NCAA playoffs and NBA All Star game as well as the top name entertainers

The list can go on and on. *ARCO Arena a relic of a bygone era and a money losing proposition. *It was built on the cheap in the mid-80's and now the Kings are paying the price of that mis-directed effort. There is virtually no corporate base within 50 miles of Sacramento to fill luxury boxes. *The economy has hit the Sacramento area much worse than most cities due to the majority of state government workers, *and last and definitely not least, the Maloofs have been pushing the arena issue for 10 years with no local city support with the handwriting having been on the walls the whole time. *I venture a guess we could trace back 7 or 8 years and find the first less than subtle warnings *hinting at "no new arena then the Kings might have to move",. *

Suddenly they have been pushed several years beyond a reasonable period of trying to solve the arena issue (their foot out the door pushed by the city) and are now forced to do what was known a bunch of years ago they might have to do. *So why are so many looking at this as a surprise, as a sudden happening? * *Where were you, the harshest critics of a Kings move now when they and we needed you the most in the past 8-9 years? As Marcos Breton said this morning, "passionate fans are not enough". *Especially in this economic climate I might add.

 

[bajaden]

I lived in Sacramento for just shy of 40 years. I moved here from St. Louis, almost on a whim, looking for the golden grail, and leaving behind a life, and a career in shambles. Growing up in St. Louis, a terrific sports town, I could never root for the Giants or the Dodgers. So the, at the time, pitiful A's, became my default team. For reasons known only by my twisted mind, I perfer to adopt a team while its still in its infantile stage. There's something about going through the growing pains of a team that imprints you for life. It also makes the taste of success that much sweeter. Almost as if you earned it. Not obligatory though.

So when the Kings came along, I had a chance to do with the Kings what I did with the A's. Go through the birthing pains, and thereby adopt a new child. My allegiance to both teams is unshakable. And yes, my son is a Giants fan. Dammed traitor! But hey, I was happy for him last year.

It is my sincere hope and prayer, and yes I do pray, that a last minute miracle happens, and the Maloofs decide to give it one last try. I think sacramento is the perfect city for the Kings. I think of the Kings as the prodigal child of the NBA, in the biblical sense, that came home to sacramento, the ugly child of california's sports world. A match made in heaven. Manna, to those of us in NBA purgatory. Sorry for the Biblical metphors, but it is sunday.

Having said all that, if the Kings have to move somewhere, then closer to me is just fine. So yes, I will continue to support the team. I adopted them, not the reverse. I can't turn my love off and on like a faucet. Perhaps, if I were 30 or 40 years old, still filled with the energy and anger of youth, I'd feel differently. But life is a lot more simplistic to me now. Who do I love, and where are they? Everything else is wasted energy. I watch my wife drive off every morning with a truck load of dog food to try and feed every hungry, stray dog she can find here in the Ensenada area. I see the futility of the exercise, but at the same time, I admire the commitment. I know for a fact that she see's my commitment to the Kings in the same light. But we both respect and indulge.

Cruzdude and I are friends. And I can attest that he's a great guy, and I value his friendship. So I speak from a biased point of view. But I believe that everything he posted is true. And well put. The truth is, that the Kings became nothing more than a political football. Those council members that were in districts that opposed anything Kings's, used it to their advantage. And vice/versa. And so we had 10 years of posturing and doing nothing. Except for proposals that made it appear that our great city council was making an effort. But if looked at carefully enough, especially in retrospect, had little or no chance. But I know thats not what this thread is about. I just want everyone to know that he's as passionate a Kings fan as I have every known. And takes no more joy in the move, if it actually happens, than I do.

The Kings, more so than any other team in the NBA seem to be the vagabonds. From Rochester to Cinncinatti, to Kansas City, to Sacramento, and now, maybe Anaheim. I still hope that somehow, someway, they make Sacramento their final home. But I will never abandon them!

 

[est.1999]

Great post, Baja.

 

[Lafayette]

This is all Robert Horry's fault.

True, when it comes down to it, it's all his fault!