An olive branch from Charlotte.

[truehornetfan]

Ive been following the posts on this board for the past couple weeks, eager to respond, eager to throw a jab at the town thats taking my team, but I have restrained myself and cursed and moaned alone in front of my computer. Maybe it's the gorgeous weather we're having in Charlotte today, maybe it's frustration, or maybe it's that I've been watching college basketball all day and remember that this is just a game and one I love. But I thought I would add something fresh and original to the board today. An olive branch of sorts.

Truth is, none of us really know where the Hornets are going to be next season. Most of us think we do. We're sure they'll stay at the Hive, or sure that opening nights gotta be in the Crescent City. But, honestly, if we were so sure I don't think we'd all spend so much time reading and posting on this board. I for one at least know on some level I'm just trying to reassure myself that my team isn't leaving.

I was 11 years old when Charlotte got the Hornets, and I've been a die-hard fan ever since. Last season I posted an editorial in the Charlotte Observer blasting locals for not showing up at the playoffs. Basketball is a big part of my life. Some of my best memories as a kid are Hornets and Tarheel games (watch for the upset tommorow night against Duke!). Point is the Hornets are my team and the team of the 10,000 or so other real fans that still make it to the Hive on game nights.

I know this is business though. George and Ray want to make money. The NBA wants packed houses, and Charlotte has really dropped the ball here with the team and the arena issue. Truth be told I think the Charlotte City Council is leading the league in turnovers this season! The fans are here though. I swear to you they're waiting to come out of hiding. I read a great quote about the notion that the Hornets ownership deserves a great deal of the blame for low attendence. I forget who it was but he wrote that this was like your girlfriend dumps you for another guy, but still wants you to take her out to dinner 3 or 4 times a week. Now its even worse because our ex is bad mouthing us coast to coast for not dining her. My point is I think the people of Charlotte deserve this team simply because its our team. It's not the George and Ray Hornets, its the Charlotte Hornets. Cities develope bonds with a team, and thats why we cheer for them. Its not just about the name on the front of the jersey. Charlotte doesn't want the Magic, or an expansion team. We want our team. The one we've cheered for for 14 seasons.

From the fan support I've witnessed on this board I can also say that New Orleans deserves a team. You guys are hungry for some basketball, and you oughta get it. Obviously, for my sake I hope its not the Hornets. But, honest question: what if the NBA offered NO an expansion team to play next season? Huge hypothetical I know, but my point is that sports succeed because cities identify with their teams. Can you imagine the Yankees moving? Would anyone really feel right taking them? Granted we're not talking about that kind of legacy, but will we ever find that in the NBA if teams are free to move whenever business relations break down between owners and cities?

Anyways, if you've read this rambling I admire your dedication, and thank you for an ear. I just wanted to let everbody know where I was coming from and remind y'all that tonight the Hornets are playing the Sonics. Baron Davis vs. Gary Payton. Sensae vs. grasshopper. We'll be watching here, you guys will be watching there (do you get local coverage yet?). We're all fans of the same team for a little while longer.

Good luck New Orleans! Good luck Charlotte! God help us basketball fans!

[akshun]

Truehornet, that was spoken like only a true gentleman would.

Hey spongey, can we proclaim this "Post of the Year"?

[truehornetfan]

2 notes:

Charlotte (UNCC 49'ers) plays Tulane tonight 10pm ET.

Friendly rivalry?


Note to Charlotte Posters:

QUIT IT! Quit posting the sam comments, sam stats, same smack!

Heres the Challenge to Charlotte posters claiming to be Hornet fans: Lets make Friday the no smack day.

No nananana's
No ticket sale comments
No more dumb cajun food comments ( I personally was about to ask for a good jumbalaya recipe and now it sounds like a bad joke!)

NO SMACK FRIDAY!
Talk about BD vs. The Glove
Talk about the showdown in Sacramento tommorow night
Talk about the ACC tourney
NO SMACK FRIDAY!

You have been challenged.

[Southpaw]

Nice post Truehornetfan.

Thanks for bringing some reason and sincerity to the board.

You say you were 11 when the Hornets came to Charlotte and grew up with the team.

I was 12 when the Jazz left New Orleans and have now gone 23 years without a team. The pain of losing the Jazz still stings when I hear the words "Utah Jazz."

If this plays out the way I hope it does (N.O. getting the Hornets), the 12-year old boy still in me will certainly know the pain that you and true fans like you will suffer. And because of that there will be mixed feelings.

I don't know what else to say except that in a perfect world the Hornets would stay and the Jazz would never have left. Charlotte and New Orleans would have NBA teams fighting it out in the same division...just as our NFL teams do.

[spongey]

here here. To sticky-land you go.

[Sambo]

Originally posted by truehornetfan
2 notes:

No more dumb cajun food comments ( I personally was about to ask for a good jumbalaya recipe and now it sounds like a bad joke!)

OK, here 'tis -

3 Tbsp. shortening
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup green pepers, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove garlic
salt to taste
red pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups water
2 lbs. raw peeled shrimp
1 can whole tomato sauce
2 cups raw rice

Heat shortening, add flour and let it cook slowly - until golden brown - stirring constantly. Add onions, peppers, garlic, celery. Cook slow until transparent, stirring often - then add tomatoes and let cook until oil rises to top. Stir in raw rice, raw shrimp and 2 1/2 cups water. Cook, covered, over low heat until rice is tender. Add more oil and water if mixture appears to be too dry. Add minced parsley and onion tops. Serve hot.

Mrs. Donald Labbe from "Le Livre de la cuisine de Lafayette", 1969

[truehornetfan]

thank ya much sambo!

[Westbank Hornet]

Originally posted by truehornetfan
2 notes:

Charlotte (UNCC 49'ers) plays Tulane tonight 10pm ET.

Friendly rivalry?

Yes! Unfortunately for the Wave, if we play like we did last night, you will win this one. We open the C-USA baseball season here in N.O. with Charlotte on March 15. It should be interesting. Ya'll have a dynamite pitcher in Main.

I met some 49'er fans at the C-USA baseball tourney at Zephyr field last year. They were good people and good sports. I enjoyed meetng them and hope they travel back for the series.

Your lead post hit home to me, too. I was but a lad when the Jazz left, much like Slidell, and I still carry the scars. Admittedly, there are more serious things to carry scars about, but they are my scars and I carry them so there. I, for one, would take an expansion franchise in a heartbeat.

[Harvey Hornet-x]

Great post True! You have nailed this thing on the head! Welcome to the board.

[West Coast Hornet]

We could use more detente, on both sides, and including me. I like what you have started. Let's see if it goes anywhere. I'll do my part.

Never wanted to see NOLA get a team by having a pre-existing one move, but I can't complain about it. I hope you don't lose your team, but I hope we get the team. Can't have it both ways, what to do? Not a pleasant situation, really. Sports teams, in many ways, really do belong to their cities/regions, not in a legal way, though. One good thing often said about sports is that the teams tend to unite communities together that might not otherwise be united.

I wish I had an answer for you regarding this dilemma. I can think of all kinds of possibilities including guarantees of expansion to New Orleans within a set time, etc., but I don't think that is realistic for us. We'd need an owner who'd be willing to bring a team here, Mr. Johnson? So, either way, someone is going to be disappointed. Hope it isn't me as we have been disappointed by the NBA so many times in the last 20 years that I am not sure any other city has gone through it more than us. Has any other city been used so often as a possible landing site for a team possibly moving? I don't know, but I don't think so. Thanks...

[BGH]

I would perfer and expansion team to taking another city's team.


However, I about to make a bold prediction which I know will be a long short , but here it goes:


The NBA goes to the owners of the Hornet before the move and tells them "If you will be willing to sell the Hornets to Robert Johnson, we will award you an expansion franchise to begin play in New Orleans for the 2003-04 season."

That way New Orleans gets the NBA team it wants, Charlotte gets to keep its team and gets new owners, and the NBA prevents another team from moving and gets the major black ownership its been wanting all at the same time.

And everyone is happy.

I know that this will not happen but I can dream can't I. :1pwink:

[CLT HORNETS FAN]

True Hornets fan, Very well spoken. You have wraped up howe many of us feel here in Charlotte. Most of the posters have to resort to mudslinging. It's on both sides. I have tried to stay out of it as well, but I know I have posted somethings that might have been thought of as negative about NEw Orleans, I hope nobody took it that way. There have been a few jabs here or there, but it been all in fun.

I think that if you look through all the bs that is thrown around on here and Charlotte.com, that you will find some true fans.

I to am a die hard Hornets and Tarheel( no jokes please) and a die hard hoops fan, having played orgainzed ball for 15 years, and many pick up games. I must say that I LOVE THIS GAME. It bothers me to think that we could lose "our" team.
New Orleans fans deseve a team, no doubt, just wish that it wasnt ours.

Rmsvc I like the way you think. Who knows maybe that could happen. I mean if they(NBA) want to keep a team in Charlotte it could be a idea. That would round out the league to 30 teams. You make both cities happy, Shinn and Woolridge can be happy, and Stern is happy, and Johnson is happy. Will this happen probably not, but who knows. It would be the best thing to do, but may not be that easy, to do in 6-7 months time. Maybe a year later. Who knows, maybe you guy's get the Hornets, and we get the expansion team.

You guy's have a great weekend. GO HORNETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BGH]

I think that both cities deserve teams. I suggested New Orleans get the expansion team because of the Hornets being establish in Charlotte already.

[pistol #7]

As long as we get a team I don't care what it is. It does however make sense to give Charlotte the expansion team because it has time before the new arena will be completed. And eventhough I like the name Hornets a lot, I think they should be able to keep it like I wish we could have kept our name.
PS if we do get a team and have to change the name for god's sake please don't suggest some lame crap just to make it have some local flavor. A team name should be tuff like a dangerous animal

[Buzzed Hornet]

Originally posted by truehornetfan
2 notes:

Charlotte (UNCC 49'ers) plays Tulane tonight 10pm ET.

Friendly rivalry?


Note to Charlotte Posters:

QUIT IT! Quit posting the sam comments, sam stats, same smack!

Heres the Challenge to Charlotte posters claiming to be Hornet fans: Lets make Friday the no smack day.

No nananana's
No ticket sale comments
No more dumb cajun food comments ( I personally was about to ask for a good jumbalaya recipe and now it sounds like a bad joke!)

NO SMACK FRIDAY!
Talk about BD vs. The Glove
Talk about the showdown in Sacramento tommorow night
Talk about the ACC tourney
NO SMACK FRIDAY!

You have been challenged.

Supporting your team is not a bad thing, but not getting a good jambalaya recipe, well hell, we are all still Americans!

2 cups Uncle Bens uncooked rice
2lbs of shrimp or chicken, hell use both
1lb of andouille sausage or hot pork sausage
1 sm can tomato sauce
1 4oz jar of sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup of beef broth
1 packet of Knor French Onion Soup-dry mix
Bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to taste

Liquefy broth with one cup of water. Mix in all ingredients thoroughly and bake at 350F. for one hour and fifteenminutes, in a covered casserole dish, stir about half way through and again when its done. let sit for about 5 minutes after cooking and then you are done.