Darlene Jinner
09-04-2008, 06:55 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3568051
Oklahoma City will be named Thunder, wear blue, orange, yellow
Associated Press
Updated: September 3, 2008, 8:35 PM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder can be heard from miles away, an early
warning that a storm is about to arrive. So, perhaps it's only fitting
that the name of Oklahoma City's NBA team didn't sneak up on anyone.
Six weeks after the name first surfaced, team officials officially
announced Wednesday that the team formerly known as the Seattle
SuperSonics would be known as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will wear blue, orange-red and yellow
colors.
"It's hard to keep a secret," team chairman Clay Bennett said after
stepping to a podium on the ground floor of the downtown office
building where the team is headquartered.
The announcement had long been anticipated, but everyone knew what was
coming.
The local ABC affiliate reported in mid-July that Thunder had been
chosen as the nickname. Then the NBA Web site listed NBA.com/thunder
as a link to the Oklahoma City team's page. Then the Orlando Magic's
site listed games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Even the logo and colors leaked out over the weekend. Then, prior to
the 5 p.m. announcement, Thunder merchandise started showing up on the
NBA's online store.
"I thought it was great fun. Maybe I have a warped sense of things,"
Bennett said. "I thought it was a lot of fun. I was disappointed in
the image being released."
That left Bennett somewhat surprised that hundreds of people still
showed up in the atrium of Leadership Square, watched from their
office windows or leaned over a second-floor walkway to hear it for
sure.
"My family talked about wanting to come down, and I said, 'Well, I
don't think it's that big a deal. Everybody seems to know the name
already,'" Bennett said.
To unveil the logo, six children joined players Desmond Mason and
Damien Wilkins to pull down a curtain as the AC/DC song
"Thunderstruck" blared over the loudspeaker. What was revealed was a
large blue banner with the logo in the middle, and splashes of yellow
at the top and reddish-orange at the bottom.
Bennett said the light blue color coincides with the state flag to
represent the inclusion of all Oklahomans, the yellow refers to the
sun and the reddish-orange color to the sunset. With the University of
Oklahoma featuring crimson as its primary color, and Oklahoma State
using orange, Bennett said it was "not too red and not too orange."
Thunder is a fitting moniker for the Oklahoma City franchise, not only
as a reference to powerful storms in the area known as Tornado Alley.
The Oklahoma City-based 45th Infantry Division carries Thunderbirds as
its nickname, and that's a reference to the state's American Indian
heritage. Even one of Oklahoma native Garth Brooks' biggest hits was
"The Thunder Rolls."
"There's just all kinds of good thunder images and thoughts, and the
in-game experience of Thunder," Bennett said. "Just here was a good
sense of how that evokes emotion. It's very powerful."
The team name had been the most evident -- and talked about -- element
missing after Bennett announced July 2 that the SuperSonics would be
moving to Oklahoma City through an agreement that will have him pay
the city of Seattle up to $75 million to settle a lawsuit.
Bennett said the uniforms and mascot won't be unveiled for another few
weeks, but T-shirts, basketballs and other Thunder merchandise went on
sale immediately after the announcement.
"The guys in the jerseys, if they play, the jerseys are going to look
real good," coach P.J. Carlesimo said.
While the team applied for trademarks to six names -- the others were
Wind, Barons, Marshalls, Energy and Bison -- Bennett said the decision
on the name had been made "quite some time" ago. He said the names on
the trademark applications weren't finalists, and he wouldn't reveal
what other names got serious consideration.
General manager Sam Presti told the crowd designing a logo "takes an
immense amount of work, and it does take some time.
"Not that anyone was really paying attention to the amount of time it
was taking," he quipped.
Team officials said they hope they can make the qualities of
character, perseverance, selflessness, community and winning
synonymous with Thunder.
"It's very unique," said Mason, a former Oklahoma State forward who
the Thunder acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee. "It's going
to take some time getting used to, just like Utah Jazz or Orlando
Magic, but I think it's a great thing for the state and a great thing
for the city."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Oklahoma City will be named Thunder, wear blue, orange, yellow
Associated Press
Updated: September 3, 2008, 8:35 PM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder can be heard from miles away, an early
warning that a storm is about to arrive. So, perhaps it's only fitting
that the name of Oklahoma City's NBA team didn't sneak up on anyone.
Six weeks after the name first surfaced, team officials officially
announced Wednesday that the team formerly known as the Seattle
SuperSonics would be known as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will wear blue, orange-red and yellow
colors.
"It's hard to keep a secret," team chairman Clay Bennett said after
stepping to a podium on the ground floor of the downtown office
building where the team is headquartered.
The announcement had long been anticipated, but everyone knew what was
coming.
The local ABC affiliate reported in mid-July that Thunder had been
chosen as the nickname. Then the NBA Web site listed NBA.com/thunder
as a link to the Oklahoma City team's page. Then the Orlando Magic's
site listed games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Even the logo and colors leaked out over the weekend. Then, prior to
the 5 p.m. announcement, Thunder merchandise started showing up on the
NBA's online store.
"I thought it was great fun. Maybe I have a warped sense of things,"
Bennett said. "I thought it was a lot of fun. I was disappointed in
the image being released."
That left Bennett somewhat surprised that hundreds of people still
showed up in the atrium of Leadership Square, watched from their
office windows or leaned over a second-floor walkway to hear it for
sure.
"My family talked about wanting to come down, and I said, 'Well, I
don't think it's that big a deal. Everybody seems to know the name
already,'" Bennett said.
To unveil the logo, six children joined players Desmond Mason and
Damien Wilkins to pull down a curtain as the AC/DC song
"Thunderstruck" blared over the loudspeaker. What was revealed was a
large blue banner with the logo in the middle, and splashes of yellow
at the top and reddish-orange at the bottom.
Bennett said the light blue color coincides with the state flag to
represent the inclusion of all Oklahomans, the yellow refers to the
sun and the reddish-orange color to the sunset. With the University of
Oklahoma featuring crimson as its primary color, and Oklahoma State
using orange, Bennett said it was "not too red and not too orange."
Thunder is a fitting moniker for the Oklahoma City franchise, not only
as a reference to powerful storms in the area known as Tornado Alley.
The Oklahoma City-based 45th Infantry Division carries Thunderbirds as
its nickname, and that's a reference to the state's American Indian
heritage. Even one of Oklahoma native Garth Brooks' biggest hits was
"The Thunder Rolls."
"There's just all kinds of good thunder images and thoughts, and the
in-game experience of Thunder," Bennett said. "Just here was a good
sense of how that evokes emotion. It's very powerful."
The team name had been the most evident -- and talked about -- element
missing after Bennett announced July 2 that the SuperSonics would be
moving to Oklahoma City through an agreement that will have him pay
the city of Seattle up to $75 million to settle a lawsuit.
Bennett said the uniforms and mascot won't be unveiled for another few
weeks, but T-shirts, basketballs and other Thunder merchandise went on
sale immediately after the announcement.
"The guys in the jerseys, if they play, the jerseys are going to look
real good," coach P.J. Carlesimo said.
While the team applied for trademarks to six names -- the others were
Wind, Barons, Marshalls, Energy and Bison -- Bennett said the decision
on the name had been made "quite some time" ago. He said the names on
the trademark applications weren't finalists, and he wouldn't reveal
what other names got serious consideration.
General manager Sam Presti told the crowd designing a logo "takes an
immense amount of work, and it does take some time.
"Not that anyone was really paying attention to the amount of time it
was taking," he quipped.
Team officials said they hope they can make the qualities of
character, perseverance, selflessness, community and winning
synonymous with Thunder.
"It's very unique," said Mason, a former Oklahoma State forward who
the Thunder acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee. "It's going
to take some time getting used to, just like Utah Jazz or Orlando
Magic, but I think it's a great thing for the state and a great thing
for the city."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press