When did the Kings fan bug first bite you? (split from game thread)
- Thread starter VF21
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Only game in town. No longer needed to root for a team from the Bay Area. It was/isOur team. They sucked for a long time, but they were our team. Then the early 2000's happened, and it was awesome! It was a great time to be a fan of this team.
I was 13 when the Kings moved to Sacto. We lived up in the foothills. I was just getting into bball. The team was never very relevant, and then the Maloofs bought in. Sure, they really screwed things up in the end, but Arthur time they started spending money on the team. Petrie and Adelman making moves. Then Vlade, JWill, CWebb arrived. There was all this talk about some kid in Europe that could shoot lights out named Peja. It was an electrifying time.
I was 13 when the Kings moved to Sacto. We lived up in the foothills. I was just getting into bball. The team was never very relevant, and then the Maloofs bought in. Sure, they really screwed things up in the end, but Arthur time they started spending money on the team. Petrie and Adelman making moves. Then Vlade, JWill, CWebb arrived. There was all this talk about some kid in Europe that could shoot lights out named Peja. It was an electrifying time.
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The Vlade deal. They instantly became a whole other team, and the Kings went from the local dumpster fire of a franchise to becoming entertaining, especially when they drafted J-Will. Before I would give them their dues as the local franchise, but I had family back in NC and supported the Hornets hardcore, so with Vlade helping the hornets compete back east, it was nice to follow him back home. I would try to catch the game each season when the hornets came to town. It was nice back then because I had a team in each conference I supported, but now with the Pelicans and Bobcats/Hornets, I find my fandom is waning since there's little left of the franchise I once supported.
Growing up I was a GSW fan. Nelson traded Webber and I almost quit the NBA. Started watching Kings games and I liked what Petrie was doing. When he traded for CWebb, signed FA Vlade and drafted the Gym Rat out of Florida I knew they would be good. I still remember Petrie describing Peja as a "Poor Mans Larry Bird" after he drafted him
Almost 30 years. My dad shared season tix with someone and used to take my brother and I to the games. On the other nights, we'd listen to the radio or pray the game was televised. I've spent the last 25 years in laker land.
So basically I got to enjoy the glory years with plenty of poo as bookends.
So basically I got to enjoy the glory years with plenty of poo as bookends.
Ever since I was born. My parents arrived to the US in 1997 and my dad was/is a big basketball fan (surprising, coming from a country where soccer is easily the number one sport). Luckily for him, there was a locL NBA team to follow. I was born a year after they moved here and I watched games with him even when I was little.
I started to follow the NBA in 2009. My favorite player at that time was Reke. So every time I played NBA LIVE on my computer I chose the Sacramento Kings as a franchise. But it wasn't until the 2013/2014 season that I had enough money to finally buy League Pass and enough time to follow the Kings closely.
I started to follow the NBA in 2009. My favorite player at that time was Reke. So every time I played NBA LIVE on my computer I chose the Sacramento Kings as a franchise. But it wasn't until the 2013/2014 season that I had enough money to finally buy League Pass and enough time to follow the Kings closely.
Yeah, international Kings Fans are rare. In Germany, we grow up with soccer and not with Basketball. I started playing Basketball in 2005 and my parents bought me a NBA Live 2005 copy back than. And the Kings were the best rated team, simple as it is.
Yeah, I'm a, now almost 11 year, die hard Kings fan because of a computer game. Let that sink in
But I think what defines us as Kings fans is not how we started to be one, but how we went through all these years and stayed loyal.
Yeah, I'm a, now almost 11 year, die hard Kings fan because of a computer game. Let that sink in
But I think what defines us as Kings fans is not how we started to be one, but how we went through all these years and stayed loyal.
First year of Directv. My friend and I each picked a team and we bet whod win more. I took Philly he took Kings.
Kings were fun - i think it was 98-99 season. Vlade missed a gimme hook shot against Utah too narrowly avoid a shocking upset in the playoffs and ive been a glutton for punishment since. Noteworthy since i was a diehard Laker fan since 1967 and became a local hater.
Kings were fun - i think it was 98-99 season. Vlade missed a gimme hook shot against Utah too narrowly avoid a shocking upset in the playoffs and ive been a glutton for punishment since. Noteworthy since i was a diehard Laker fan since 1967 and became a local hater.
I became interested in the NBA in 1991 or 1992. I think the -92 Finals were the first to be broadcast on a public (i.e. non-subscription) television channel in Finland. Finnish media coverage of the NBA was (and still is) quite minimal so I didn't pick a favorite team until 1995 when I went to university, got my first internet access and could start following American media. As far as I can remember I picked the Kings because I wanted to root for an underdog and because I thought "Sacramento" sounded funny. I've been checking last night's Kings box scores loyally for 20 years now but my League Pass subscriptions correlate strongly with the Kings (lack of) success. I'm usually asleep when the Kings play so when they kept losing it was easier to just check the result immediately and be done with it rather than watch the game in replay. I've watched replays of almost every game this year though, and sometimes even live games at the breakfast table when I get up early.
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and my first basketball passion was Ohio State's 1960 NCAA championship team. When my favorite player from that team, Jerry Lucas, went to Cincinnati in 1963 to play with Oscar Robertson (that's them in the picture), I became a Royals fan. The team moved to Sacramento a year after I did.
We moved to Nevada County from Los Angeles in 1984 and the Kings came to Sac in 1985. One day in 1988 coming back from the airport during the week, there was a game and I stopped by to get a ticket. But they were completely sold out so could get only a SRO (Standing Room Only) ticket for up in the cafe area. I was blown away at the fans support of the Kings who were not all that good in those days. They would play ok until the late 3rd or early 4th quarter than opponent team would get going and win the game, most of the time. Tried it another time that season but still SRO. FInally figured it out and called in to get tickets for couple more games. Then next year (1989) bought a partial season ticket of about 20 games down in section 104, loved the seats and next year (1990) bought a full season ticket package in section 104 row G & H, aisle seats. Keep full season seats thru 1996-97 season then Mitch Richmond thru in the towel and tanked. Was travelling extensively in 1997 and gave up season seats then in October 1998 moved to Santa Cruz (hence, CruzDude handle) due to my work and got one of the first NBA League Passes from Direct TV that year in Santa Cruz county and was off and watching every possible game, especially with Peja, Vlade, Doug, JWill and crew coming in. Joined the original KingsFans.com in 1998 just before moving and stayed involved ever since.
I went to a T-Wolves game at Arco in 89. Arena was in I believe it's second or 3rd year. We sat in the upper deck, place was sorta empty. Pooh Richardson was a rookie for the Wolves and we just thought it was hilarious yelling Pooh at the top of our lungs and not getting in trouble for it.
Then over the course of that year I just started to get into. Loved the Tissy Flip, Ralph Sampsons knees didn't work anymore, Antoine Carr was called Big Dog. Henry Turner and Never Nervous were rookies. Then next season we had like every first round pick, and they all were busts besides L-Train.
A funny aside I was walking through a parking lot in 94-95 and Henry Turner pulled up next to me in a jeep wrangler and started yelling. Yo! Yo! My man, what are you doing here. I turned around and he goes, oh man sorry, I thought you were my teammate. I was very confused. He said, I thought you were Bobby.
Yes, Henry Turner thought I was Bobby Hurley. I was not flattered. Bobby Hurley is not the most attractive person in the world, also I look nothing like him except being the approximate same height, weight (then) and color skin.
Then over the course of that year I just started to get into. Loved the Tissy Flip, Ralph Sampsons knees didn't work anymore, Antoine Carr was called Big Dog. Henry Turner and Never Nervous were rookies. Then next season we had like every first round pick, and they all were busts besides L-Train.
A funny aside I was walking through a parking lot in 94-95 and Henry Turner pulled up next to me in a jeep wrangler and started yelling. Yo! Yo! My man, what are you doing here. I turned around and he goes, oh man sorry, I thought you were my teammate. I was very confused. He said, I thought you were Bobby.
Yes, Henry Turner thought I was Bobby Hurley. I was not flattered. Bobby Hurley is not the most attractive person in the world, also I look nothing like him except being the approximate same height, weight (then) and color skin.
Day 1 the kings got here. The parade. The fans tailgating outside arco 1 in tuxes. The 10,333 capacity of arco 1 made getting tickets damn near impossible.
If they played on saturday my mom would drop me off at arco 1 in the morning and id wait in line all day for tickets.
If I couldn't go id listen to the games on 1530 KFBK. Wonder whatever happened to Dave Grosby.
If they played on saturday my mom would drop me off at arco 1 in the morning and id wait in line all day for tickets.
If I couldn't go id listen to the games on 1530 KFBK. Wonder whatever happened to Dave Grosby.
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94-95. I was ten, used to wake up in the morning, get the sports page, and skip right to the box score trying to not look at the headlines on the front so I wouldn't know if they lost before looking. Sometimes got to watch them on SportsChannel back then, but maybe that was a couple years later. Ah, the good ole days of Chilcutt and Randy Brown. I liked Walt Williams when they drafted him probably 'cause of his socks and his nickname. Been following ever since, love watching them, even when they are bad. Still remember going to games and watching JWill, electric.
