Will you still be a fan...

[LA King Fan II]

Interesting change of fortune for me...

Here I've fallen in love with their style of play (yes, since 99 VF) but nevertheless stuck with them. I realize the play improved immensely from teh early days, but I can't imagine the heartbreak was as severe back then as the stuff that's happened the last six years.

I find myself asking why I root for them now, since I consider their style unattractive at present. I committed hard, and it's tough to let it go. For self reasons I would love them in Southern California, because my hate for the Lakers will never die now - and having them in town would give me a reason to stay aboard.

 

[natedizzle]

No.
I would feel betrayed.

 

[chelle]

Yes, I would still be a fan. My reasons for becoming a fan years ago were illogical given that I was an east coast girl, so changing cities (although it would make me very sad) would not change my love for the team.

 

[nebs]

I'd become more of a Warriors fan. They would wind up being my team.

 

[thesanityannex]

you will all hate me for this, but.................................if they did come to anaheim, i wouldn't have to spend my time at sports bars catching all their games and would save mucho dinero.

 

[ONEZERO]

Hell yeah I'd stil be a fan, but what I wanna ask is: how do you go from being 1 shot away from winning a title to possibly being a borderline lottery team and possibly being pushed out of the current city you're in in just 4 years?

 

[thesanityannex]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[BigWaxer]

Hell yeah I'd stil be a fan, but what I wanna ask is: how do you go from being 1 shot away from winning a title to possibly being a borderline lottery team and possibly being pushed out of the current city you're in in just 4 years?

One team comes to mind... PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS! (well without the being pushed out of current city part)

 

[piksi]

As long as they dont change the name into lakers

 

[VF21]

Hell yeah I'd stil be a fan, but what I wanna ask is: how do you go from being 1 shot away from winning a title to possibly being a borderline lottery team and possibly being pushed out of the current city you're in in just 4 years?

Whoa.

That's pretty drastic overstatement.

Teams peak and then they fall; it's part and parcel of sports. The team isn't being pushed out of Sacramento. The arena deal is up in the air right now, but that doesn't mean something won't happen.

It's way too early, IMHO, to be waving goodbye.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Boston went from a championship team to the lottery in six years; Chicago in less than one. What's your point?

 

[ONEZERO]

Yeah, but they had everyone leave(the bulls)... Maybe you didn't follow basketball at that time.... And they didn't have thoughts in the back of their minds that they might not even be in the same city come the not so distant future.... What's your point?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Yeah, but they had everyone leave(the bulls)...

That wasn't germane to what you originally said. What you said was:

... how do you go from being 1 shot away from winning a title to possibly being a borderline lottery team and possibly being pushed out of the current city you're in in just 4 years?

You didn't qualify that statement with any of that other bull****, and attempts to try and act like everyone was just supposed to presume that you meant with their core intact are just revisionist history...

Howe'er, comma, since you want to go there, maybe the Detroit Pistons are more your speed: they went from fifty-nine wins and a championship to twenty wins and the lottery in five years, while still retaining most of their core players throughout the whole slide. The year that they only won twenty, they still started the season with three of their main core players (Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer), and the season before, when they only won forty, they had almost their entire core (Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer, Aguirre, Rodman). It happens. And, when it happens, it tends to happen rather quickly. And last a while. In fact, the Lakers are pretty much the only team in the NBA with the "dumb luck" to have never experienced a sudden and extended slide.

... Maybe you didn't follow basketball at that time...

Must... resist... urge...

 

[thesanityannex]

In fact, the Lakers are pretty much the only team in the NBA with the "dumb luck" to have never experienced a sudden and extended slide.

the extended slide is now happening, and I'm alive to witness it. As my good cartoon buddy Ren would have said, "Oh Joy!!!!"

 

[hoops4kings]

I've watched them every since they got to Sac, but I gotta admit that there was something SPECIAL in the air when the Maloof's/ Adelman/ Vlade/ Chris era kicked in. Don't know if I'll ever get that thrill from a team again, whether or not they are in Sac. That was a really fun time, and sometimes heartbreaking.

 

[love_them_kings]

Interestingly, even though I left Sacto years ago, I think my answer is no, not really. The only thing that makes the Kings particularly special for me is their connection to my old home town. Would still generally follow them of course and be a "fan" at that level, but be a major fan? Nah. Be much more likely to shift my alleigances over to the team wherever I happen to be living.

yeah, I'm probably with you. I can't imagine not being a Kings fan, but I can't imagine the Kings not being in Sac either. The Kings moving to Sac sparked a love for the team, for being the best thing that ever happened to the area, and secondly, a love for basketball that I had not really paid much attention to before the Kings came to Sac. I've followed them passionately ever since. I will always follow the team to some extent, but part of the passion for me has been FINALLY having a "HOME" team, and I don't know how quickly that would change if they moved.


But, overall, I have to agree with VF. Instead of lamenting what would happen if Sac lost the Kings we should start thinking of what we can do to stop it from happening. I was thinking about it today, and it seems like there should be something, but I'm clueless. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[kennadog]

That's what I keep wondering...what can I do that might even get noticed, let alone make any difference? And truthfully, it's going to have to come from people in the Sacramento region. Maybe we need a thread to brainstorm ideas. However, what we really need is not just Kings fans, but anybody in the region that values a quality entertainment venue here. Altho as Kings fans we could do something to show we really want the Kings here for good.

 

[BibityBobtyBoom]

if they moved i would stop watching nba basketball for sure. i enjoy college moreso than nba.

 

[SIR HENRY 8]

My sports of choice for years was football and auto racing,being born and raised in Texas I grew up a Cowboys fan and although I've been in Nor-Cal for the past 35 yrs.,I'm still a Cowboys fan,so I'm sure wherever the Kings are I WILL be a Kings fan! I'm a Nascar fan no matter what track their at.I do miss the old Riverside track in So-Cal..

 

[Fear the Putin]

man i would never want the Kings to move out of Sactown....and I live in L.A!!

knowing that Anaheim would be the first city on the list if they would move, I would still be a fan

even if its out of state, I would still be a Kings fan....

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

OK...I'm usually very cautious about starting new threads, but this is a question I've been facing myself. I know it's too early to tell where we're headed with the arena situation, but the possibility of the Kings leaving town is, apparently, VERY REAL.

With that, I'm wondering if you will still be a Kings fan if they leave town? Does it matter where they go? Those of you who live in the region: do you see yourself as a "NorCal" fan that will simply jump to the next closest team (Warriors)?

I would be just a fan of the NBA, no allegiance to anyone. This whole thing just makes me sick. If we lose our only 'horse' that puts us on the map in this country, the only visibility...and the team that I have supported MORE than whole heartedly, and probably the biggest reason I am proud to be a Sacramentan, through the good, bad and ugly, all the bad years, the losing, I was still there right with them for the last 21 seasons! Part of my heart would be gone for sure. And I sure as hell dont know why, if it occurs, why the hell anyone would support another team if we got them here...it just wouldnt be the same. The Kings are Sacramento...our first love, tried and true. Screw the rest!

 

[CruzDude]

We are Kings fans and will support them anywhere, in the west coast.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

We are Kings fans and will support them anywhere, in the west coast.

Nope...and I think I speak for the majority of TRUE Kings fans that have been there since day one...I'm speechless. I dont think there's anything more than needs to be said

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

yeah, I'm probably with you. I can't imagine not being a Kings fan, but I can't imagine the Kings not being in Sac either. The Kings moving to Sac sparked a love for the team, for being the best thing that ever happened to the area, and secondly, a love for basketball that I had not really paid much attention to before the Kings came to Sac. I've followed them passionately ever since. I will always follow the team to some extent, but part of the passion for me has been FINALLY having a "HOME" team, and I don't know how quickly that would change if they moved.


But, overall, I have to agree with VF. Instead of lamenting what would happen if Sac lost the Kings we should start thinking of what we can do to stop it from happening. I was thinking about it today, and it seems like there should be something, but I'm clueless. Does anyone have any ideas?

And we have absolutely no say in what happens in this ordeal, in the end. Its business, and there are so many people who are more a fan of things like freaking art galleries and things that will show up at city hall to protest any sort of proposal, no matter what it is. I'd say that of the 407,000 or so residents of the city of Sacramento, there are probably more than half of them that are in this group of which I speak of. People, its time to finally realize...the end is nye! My heart will hurt for quite some time...nothing new will ever bring the same love affair that we have with this team. Sacramento will forever be the biggest minor league city in the world. Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Memphis, Portland...relative sister/brother cities with us...all have accomplished something we havent even begun to raise any sort of a faint cry about...bringing in the new.

 

[ShatteredVision]

The parallel here is what happened in Oakland.

In the 80's the citizens of Oakland ended up hating the Raiders for leaving, while the ones that were truly loyal remained loyal when they made their return.

People in the immediate Sacramento area would be very crushed to see them go while those who aren't around here probably would find it easier to still be a fan.

 

[VF21]

And we have absolutely no say in what happens in this ordeal, in the end. Its business, and there are so many people who are more a fan of things like freaking art galleries and things that will show up at city hall to protest any sort of proposal, no matter what it is. I'd say that of the 407,000 or so residents of the city of Sacramento, there are probably more than half of them that are in this group of which I speak of. People, its time to finally realize...the end is nye! My heart will hurt for quite some time...nothing new will ever bring the same love affair that we have with this team. Sacramento will forever be the biggest minor league city in the world. Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Memphis, Portland...relative sister/brother cities with us...all have accomplished something we havent even begun to raise any sort of a faint cry about...bringing in the new.

So you're ready to throw in the towel?

Good lord...

The only thing that evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

The only way the city of Sacramento will really lose the Kings is if everyone decides they're already gone...

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

So you're ready to throw in the towel?

Good lord...

The only thing that evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

The only way the city of Sacramento will really lose the Kings is if everyone decides they're already gone...

At this point, it really doesnt make any difference what I think. All I can do is support his team as long as they are in my hometown...for the short or longterm.

 

[BMiller52]

So you're ready to throw in the towel?

Good lord...

The only thing that evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

The only way the city of Sacramento will really lose the Kings is if everyone decides they're already gone...

...So any idea what people can do to keep the kings in sacramento?

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

...So any idea what people can do to keep the kings in sacramento?

there is nothing we can do...outside of voting on an initiative to increase taxes and use some form of public money(which is totally reasonable, I think)...but that isnt going to happen in my lifetime, so its a moot point. The voters in the CITY of Sacramento(not the county, which has a totally different brand of votors that would be more open to ideas that involve this) they will ALWAYS shoot down anything that is put on the ballot that involves public money. What we are dealing with cant be solved by a few fans voicing their displeasure about the Kings leaving and not getting an arena...to ask what WE as PEOPLE and FANS can do...just sounds cheezy and quite frankly like the NBA's equivelent to the 'Blues Brothers', with Jake and Elwood driving around in their car blaring a megaphone. C'mon people, get real...this isnt a movie.

 

[Bricklayer]

there is nothing we can do...outside of voting on an initiative to increase taxes and use some form of public money(which is totally reasonable, I think)...but that isnt going to happen in my lifetime, so its a moot point. The voters in the CITY of Sacramento(not the county, which has a totally different brand of votors that would be more open to ideas that involve this) they will ALWAYS shoot down anything that is put on the ballot that involves public money. What we are dealing with cant be solved by a few fans voicing their displeasure about the Kings leaving and not getting an arena...to ask what WE as PEOPLE and FANS can do...just sounds cheezy and quite frankly like the NBA's equivelent to the 'Blues Brothers', with Jake and Elwood driving around in their car blaring a megaphone. C'mon people, get real...this isnt a movie.

Actually, I don't think that is really true. And indeed, the fans feelings of ineffectualness here is part of the problem. I will be busy tommorow, but over the weekend I intend to take a closer look at the situation and maybe make some calls on Monday for additional info. This is a problem, like any other, and problems almost always have solutions.

Now in the short term, what can any single fan do? Write the decisionmakers in power to let them know that the fans are out there and concerned. At the current moment that wouold be thew Maloofs/Thomas over at Arco, the Bee, the Sacto City Council, possibly the El Dorado people, and Angelo. In the long term, if its not already too late, perhaps what is needed is for the individual fans need a collective voice, an organization that turns thousands of individual voices into one large one capable of swinging the terms of the debate. In the absence of leadership, perhaps the fans can fill the void if given a voice.