I was more than a little bummed that Kevin Durant's one season in the Big 12 came in an odd-numbered year, meaning that he would never visit Mizzou Arena. Though I'm normally interested in teams rather than players, he was the rare college athlete who I'd pay big bucks to see in person.
But two developments yesterday have created about a one percent chance that Durant could soon be playing forty-one games a year just ten miles from my front door. First came word that the Seattle SuperSonics will consider Kansas City as a relocation destination. Then the Sonics took second place in the NBA's annual Ping Pong Pandemonium event, giving them the number two choice in next month's draft. With Portland likely to take Greg Oden first overall, Seattle will have the easiest decision in the history of, well, anything, and will take the reigning national player of the year.
While drafting Durant is a no-brainer (if possible, it's even easier, like a no-central-nervous-systemer), the odds that team moves from the Emerald City to Cowtown are far more remote. The economics of the NHL seem to better suit KC, and Oklahoma City (despite the revenue-generating limitations of the Ford Center) appears to lead the pack in the SuperSonic Sweepstakes. But let me dream for a minute, wouldja? Having Durant as the Sprint Center's anchor tenant for the next dozen years, while twice annually hosting the Suns, Mavs, Spurs, Lakers, Oden's Blazers and the Warriors (yeah, the Warriors are fun to watch again, who'd have thought?) would certainly warm up the midwestern winters.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
"At forward for your Kansas City Sonics . . . Kevin Durant!"
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Okay, my heart feels better now...
That's the kind of game you knew KU was going/needing to experience. It just doesn't make it any easier to watch in the last minute and a half.
What I am looking forward to is Saturday, because I think this will be the first time in conference that Kevin Durant will face a couple of players who may be better able to guard him, mainly in Julian Wright and Darrell Arthur. Not that I'm deluded enough to think Durant is not going to score... just that Kansas might actually be up to the task defensively to limit his production somewhat. Though, Nebraska managed their game by allowing Durant to score whatever he wanted, and locking down the rest of the Longhorns. Granted, the Huskers still lost, but that is another way to handle the game plan.
Now, for something of mutual interest...
Really? Really? There are whispers of a coach about to be fired... just rumors really, and the first place the fans and media go are the coaches of the top 2 teams in the Big 12, another two coaches in the same conference in their first year at a new school and finally, a coach who looked to be ready to make the major conference jump last year.
I understand Arkansas has won a national championship, since the last time KU did, but that's basically the only thing in it's recent history the school has going for it. I don't see how you can use that as a selling point for either Bill Self or Billy Gillespie.
Yes, Fayetteville is closer to Edmond, OK than Lawrence... but only by an hour. Then there's the whole money thing. It'll cost quite a bit in salary in lure either Self or Gillespie... not to mention any buyouts to Kansas or aTm.
Now, if Doc Sadler were still at UTEP or Mike Anderson still at UAB, then those guys might be likely candidates, but not now. Not when they are both trying to build programs in year one.
One poster mentioned how South Carolina State was able to hire both Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier... well, yes... however Holtz was out of football when the Gamecocks called, and Holtz then, basically, hired Spurrier.
Kudos to the Razorback fan base for aiming high... but in this case... I think their aim may be off by more than just a little.
