Today we’ve got a guest post from one of our regular commenters. This is his story of how he became the Hornets fan that he is today…
“I wasn’t born one. There. I said it.
It was the fall of 1998. I had just gotten divorced and was nursing my wounds in a one bedroom apartment about an hour north of Sacramento, CA. My next door neighbor bore a striking resemblance to Will Ferrell and his personality fit one of his movie characters perfectly. He was also a diehard Lakers fan. Growing up in San Francisco, I was raised to despise all LA teams as if they were Satan incarnate. It just so happens, the Lakers were playing the Kings that year. I became an immediate Kings fan since they were playing the Lakers. I followed the Kings and rooted them on. I still have a license plate frame on my car from their 2001 season.
I moved to New Orleans and arrived New Years Day 2004. One of the first things I was told is that it was pitifully easy to get into Hornets games. Coming from around Sacramento, this did not compute. You couldnt get into Arco Arena without a second mortgage AND knowing someone. Nosebleed seats could be found on Ebay for $200+. I never saw a Kings game at Arco. For Christmas 2004, my brother gave me tickets to the Hornets-Kings at the Arena. Best present ever! My first basketball game with my fav team and my local team (who was #2 to me at the time). This was the season where the Hornets were on their way to the worst record in basketball history. They had 8 wins at that point, I think. The Kings LOST. I lost all respect for them. They traded my favorite players (including Peja). They brought in Artest. ‘Nuff said. Supporting my local team became a LOT easier. I saw a few games as I learned that basketball is more fun to watch live than on TV.
Then came that little storm we had. Overnight, I became militant New Orleans-proud. I got cushy job offers across the country that paid well. No thanks, I like my FEMA trailer. I went to all the games they had here when they were in OKC. The first game back was the Lakers. We lost. I didn’t care, they were BACK. I’ve been to as many games as I could reasonably pull off since then. Almost bought season tickets with some spare insurance money. This year was special from the start. They were looking GOOD. I became a Hornets booster. I suggested everyone should go to the games. Go to the games or we lose the team. Go TONIGHT! Just $10 and there isn’t a bad seat! GO! NOW!!!!! As the season progressed, it started to work. More and more people started going!
Then it hit me. I knew something as a former Kings fan Hornets fans didn’t know. Peja can hit three-pointers all day long, but he tended to choke rather badly in the post-season. I’ve seen him get 5 points in a game in Sac. Just when you thought you could count on him to put a game away, whiff. Airball. Dare I say something? Maybe if I ignored it, it wouldn’t happen again. After Game 1 with the Spurs, I told someone my fears. I prayed I didn’t jinx anything. 22 points. I don’t think he made 22 points in his postseason career in Sacramento.
God bless The New Orleans Hornets.”
This is one fan’s discovering-the-Hornets story. If you have one too, write it up and send it to me at ticktock6@gmail.com. I’ll post it on the site. The Hornets are converting people everywhere this season, and the Movement grows!
Awesome story, Matt. I too had my own loyalties when I moved to New Orleans. The Hornets first season here was my first too, and I was so busy, I barely noticed the team. I tried to go to a few games here and there, and was blown away when I did go, but I still held those other loyalties.
Nonetheless, I promised myself as soon as I had the funds I’d get season tickets. And so I went to all six here last season. And now I’ve been to every home game this season. As for those old loyalties? Gone. Now I’m teal and gold through and through.
I also totally get with your point about being more adamant about your loyalties post-K. It was like everyone felt a responsibility to do whatever we could to help this city. It just so happened that in being one of the people to get season tix year one, I got a great return on my investment. I mean it’s sad that you were thinking of contributing to the city by doing something for yourself like that, but it was the reality of the time. The premier sports law authority in the country had just declared the city couldn’t support two professional sports teams and many others agreed.
But what a team these guys are. Some people have said all year long that they’re a round 2 team at best. I argued with them, insisting they had championship potential THIS year. Well anyway, thanks so much for the sweet post. I hope this season has been as awesome for you and your friends as it has for ticktock and I.
That’s hilarious to me, because that story reflects my life so much, its crazy. As a child I grew up as a Kings fan. I loved the whole Williams, Christie, Jackson, Stojakovic, and Divac era. As the years went on, the Maloofs, being the dumbasses they are, traded or let go of every single player on that 2001 team. Not one player had remained a few years later.
Then came along the Hornets. I started watching for a while. My favorite player of the draft came to this team (Chris Paul). My favorite high flying Center from Chicago came to the team. Then all of a sudden, 2 of my favorite players from the 2001 Kings era signed with the Hornets. I couldn’t believe this. I got NBA league pass just so I could watch all the games, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger. Now I BLEED teal. I’ve seen ALL 82 games this season from the West Coast including all playoff game of course. I absolutely LOVE the Hornets baby!
Stefan, another thing was when Christie was traded here and refused to suit up. I took that personally. To quote a famous TV clown, I felt totally dissed.
mW, I’m jealous on many levels. We will keep these bad bad boys. Its freaking mandatory. Failure as fans is not an option. We will Fan the F*** Up and make them one of the most devoutly loved teams ever.
We Bleed Teal.
When I started this blog, all I wanted was to keep this team!!! It’s going to happen, and it’s going to be amazing!
So funny with the Kings/Hornets links. Before I cheated on hockey with basketball, I used to pick teams in the playoffs based on the number of former Sabres they had on their roster. Sometimes it just seemed like the stars were aligning. So I can imagine what that’s like.
I like the Hornets because I’m the illegitimate son of Hugo and a midget named Tina. I was born in a mental institution and I sleep just one hour a night.
And I bet you think he’s kidding.