Oklahoma City . . . Sonics?

[Styxinen]

To the naming issue: Rumors circulating around OKC are saying the top name in contention for the team is the "Barons". I don't know whether they're thinking of cotton or oil, but it'll be interesting to see if the OKC Barons appear someone in the near future.

[BBTV]

Dammit - okcbarons.com is already taken.

[ShinyHubCaps]

I guess Oklahoma City Barons isn't the worst thing in the world, unless they signed Baron Davis or Earl Barron. From the list of Oklahoma state animals: Bison, Bullfrogs, Flycatchers, Turkeys, Sandbass, Lizards, Honeybees, and Swallowtails.

We should each make a concept of one of the 8.

[NorthStar74]

OKC Bison?? not bad idea... could be doable!!

OKC Bullfrogs!?!?! What, a bullfrog that can croak out loud enough?!?! Weird!!!

OKC Flycatchers??? WTF?!?! Lamest one I ever heard...

OKC Turkeys?? LOL classic one... that would be perfect if there was a turkey chasing a basketball and trying to peck that or whatever...

OKC Sandbass.. hmm is that a snake, if I am not mistaken?

OKC Lizards?? HMM David Stern can be made the lizard somehow.. put his face on a lizard's body and there ya go!!

OKC Honeybees... ahh cool name .. might be interested to see the logo that is cranked out on that....

OKC Swallowtails... HUH???? Weird name... ehh..

[Jigga]

Boll Weevils...don't forget Boll Weevils.

[BBTV]

And tonight, the B-Dubs were in the boogie-down to play the New York Basketball Knicks...

[HedleyLamarr]

And tonight, the B-Dubs were in the boogie-down to play the New York Basketball Knicks...

Stuart Berman?

[DarkJourney]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

[mfoster]

The longer this drags out, the more likely I think the "Sonics" moniker will go to OKC...as a final way to spite Seattle on Bennett's part. Also...I don't think cacti are found in that part of the world.

I could see that with keeping the Sonics name. I only mentioned the Cacti because a lot of Southwest including Oklahoma names are almost stereotypically western. Cacti would work more toward the desert, but either way, I'm saying the odds on either a southwest theme or a generic "Bobcats"-esque handle are about the same.

Oklahoma is midwest, Great Plains territory. Not southwest.

If it doesn't stay "Sonics", look for a working-class, midwestern themed name.

It may be midwest geographically, but I think it's considered southwest (along with Texas, AZ, and maybe Nevada?) Midwest generally refers to Ohio, Indiana, Illinios (though depending on how precise you want to be, you could also make a great-lakes region.)

It's all a matter of perception, both internal and external. For most, the Midwest consists of the Rust Belt - Ohio to Missouri, and north to Minnesota. How far west to take it is when it becomes an internal/external issue. The Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas generally consider themselves Midwestern in location, but those outside of this area may not agree, preferring instead some form of a centralized moniker such as "Great Plains" (sometimes divided further, the Dakotas Northern Plains, Kansas-Nebraska Central Plains, and Oklahoma-Texas Southern Plains) or "Heart of America", or the more derogatory "Flyover Country."

Oklahoma does not consider itself in the Midwest. They'll accept a central designation or Southwest.

I haven't followed things closely for a few weeks, but the last name I saw getting talked up a lot was Thunderbirds. It ties well to the Native American heritage without getting flagged as offensive (not to get off into that tangent)...

[mfoster]

OKC Lizards?? HMM David Stern can be made the lizard somehow.. put his face on a lizard's body and there ya go!!

The state lizard is the Mountain Boomer...

[Gothamite]

"Oklahoma City Boomers?" Could work, if Howard Schultz loses his suit.

[mfoster]

"Oklahoma City Boomers?" Could work, if Howard Schultz loses his suit.

Yeah, who cares if the orange Aggie fanbase is alienated (seriously, who cares?)...

[Gary]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

[McCall]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

I posted this a couple pages back, but I'll repeat it:

Pacific Division: Golden State, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Portland, Sacramento

Midwest Division: Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Utah

Southwest Division: Dallas, Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, San Antonio

[DarkJourney]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

Let's see:

-Portland, Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles are all in the Pacific time zone

-Phoenix, Salt Lake City & Denver are all in the Mountain Zone

[NJTank]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

Let's see:

-Portland, Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles are all in the Pacific time zone

-Phoenix, Salt Lake City & Denver are all in the Mountain Zone

But during Daylight Savings Phoenix is in the Pacific Time Zone because they are too cool for that fall back and sdrping forward crap

[HedleyLamarr]

sdrping forward crap

Have a few drinks last night, Frnak?

[NJTank]

Nah just strike two many keys at once

[McCall]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

Let's see:

-Portland, Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles are all in the Pacific time zone

-Phoenix, Salt Lake City & Denver are all in the Mountain Zone

But during Daylight Savings Phoenix is in the Pacific Time Zone because they are too cool for that fall back and sdrping forward crap

I believe Arizona (and Indiana) stopped their non-Daylight Savings Time, and are now just in the Mountain Time Zone year round... aren't they?

[Gary]

I do like the idea of flip flopping Phoenix & Portland. It makes sense.

How do you like the idea? Last time I looked Phoenix wasn't in the Northwest. I understand that Portland is closest to the Pacific to Phoenix, but Phoenix is nowhere near the Northwest. If they were to move I would move them to the Southwest or have OKC move to the Southwest Division. Either way this would screw up the NBA alignment

Let's see:

-Portland, Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles are all in the Pacific time zone

-Phoenix, Salt Lake City & Denver are all in the Mountain Zone

But during Daylight Savings Phoenix is in the Pacific Time Zone because they are too cool for that fall back and sdrping forward crap

I believe Arizona (and Indiana) stopped their non-Daylight Savings Time, and are now just in the Mountain Time Zone year round... aren't they?

no we still do not observe daylight savings time. Right now we are in Pacific iirc