Nice Job Kid

So I guess we know it’s a different time when the NBA Rookie of the Year news was barely a blip on the local sports scene yesterday. The first ROY in the franchise’s 41-year history too. Who would have thunk it just a few years ago?

This whole thing just sucks. The owner is an angry, spiteful man who’s clear goal from day one was to crush any feeling or connection between the fans and the franchise. A franchise that has been around a long time, winning the city’s only championship, a franchise that 10-12 years ago absolutely OWNED Seattle. These arrogant, spoiled brats from OKC have managed to destroy something that used to be sacred.

That said, how can you not be impressed with Durant? For a kid of 19 to do the things he does against stronger NBA veterans is pretty remarkable. Two years ago he was getting ready for his high school prom, today he is NBA rookie of the year. The unusual thing is that after a somewhat slow start, he got better. Instead of starting out on fire and then hitting that virtual “rookie wall” that all the hyped rooks seem to slam into, Durant took his game to new heights as the season wore on. He actually averaged 24ppg in April, his highest scoring month of his career. And that was after the ownership completely gutted whatever was left of the team at the trade deadline and surrounded him with rookies and expiring contracts, all with the eye on building for the future in another city.

But don’t just take my word for it. As Bill Simmons of ESPN said about Durant the other day:

“…I can’t picture his best case or most plausible scenario, because there has never been anyone like him before. A 6′9″ shooting guard with a 7′5″ wingspan? And he’s still growing? I see pieces of different players — KG’s body, Bob McAdoo’s scoring, MJ’s competitiveness, T-Mac’s ability to attack the rim with either hand, Hakeem’s fallaway, C-Webb’s passing. But add it up and you get an original. Durant is the first iPod, or the plane the Wright brothers built.”

Good job KD. You should have had a party thrown for you yesterday, like Portland did for Brandon Roy last year, but instead you were relegated to 10-second sound bites on the local news. You deserved much, much more. But even what you did on the court, you were just as impressive off it. You have handled a terrible situation with class and humility which would be hard for anyone to handle, let along a 19-year old rookie trying to figure out your place in the league. You didn’t ask to be thrown into this pissing match. So thanks for giving us at least something to remember and hold on to. As much as these stuffed shirts can take from us, they can’t take away what you gave us this year.

Slade and Yarmuth, come on, ROAST these guys. Sue them, stall their move with appeals and injunctions, fill the gutters in Seattle with their sweat and blood. Do whatever you have to do, but KEEP FIGHTING. There is still hope.

I know this much – let’s KICK OKIE BUTTS TO START OFF THE WULFF ERA! There’s recent pub that Okie State has bought up their 5,000-ticket allotment for the Qwest Field game on 8/30, so there should be plenty of black and orange. So let’s pack that place with a sea of Crimson and make it the noisiest game in school history. If you’ve been to Qwest lately, you know what I’m talking about. There’s crowd noise, and then there’s QWEST FIELD crowd noise. 60,000+ fans, 55,000 wearing Crimson, could make for a glorious day in Seattle.

And you know what else? Oklahoma plays at UW on 9/13. Kill me if you want to for saying this, but here goes – I’m going to be rooting for Jake Locker and UW to CRUSH them. I’m dead serious. In political-speak, on that day I’m going to set aside our differences and “reach across the aisle” to my Husky brothers, and say that together we can strike a united blow for the state of Washington against the hated Okies! Bob Stoops was part of the OKC entourage that wined-n-dined the NBA board of governors on their visit to their city a few months ago. He helped sell the idea of moving the NBA from Seattle. Let’s make him and the rest of the state regret they ever set foot in Washington and tried to poach a civic asset!

Finally, the Best WSU Pro Prospect poll has closed. 66 of you voted, and it was pretty well spread out. Jed-Zilla, headed for the Eagles as a free-agent, won with 21 votes. Not a bad choice, and hey, it COULD happen. They loved the bartender off the streets of Philly for his heart. How can they not love Jed-Zilla when he shows up with his hard-hat and lunch pail, ready to rumble?