QC Thundercats
04-20-2012, 06:35 PM
Alright, so I have an idea that I think everyone can get behind, whether you're for/against/indifferent to the rebrand movement. This will galvanize and bring everybody together to get behind the team on the floor and the franchise that resides at TWC Arena.
We need to bring together the best elements of the past with what we have going forward. What better way to do that than to pay homage to the very beginning, when we first witnessed the NBA in Charlotte. For those that don't know, the history:
The game itself wasn't as pretty. Cleveland won 133-93.
"We had (nearly) 24,000 people at our opening night dressed in tuxedos, all expecting us to come out and be the very first professional team in the state of North Carolina," Scheer said. "We had a lot of high hopes for our franchise, and we were excited about the big crowd. And we came out and lost to Cleveland by 40 points. I remember standing in the runway waiting for the clock to strike zero so I could dash into the locker room and get out of the embarrassment."
But a funny thing happened. Almost in unison, as the final buzzer sounded, the fans stood and cheered wildly. They appreciated having an NBA team in Charlotte. Now, for everybody that's going, get tickets for all your family, friends, coworkers, and cheer your ass off like they did at that very first game. At the end, whether we win or lose by 40, everybody in attendance needs to stand up and give the team a standing ovation just like they did after our very first game.
I think its almost poetic, the symmetry that's lining up. In the beginning, we loved the team, and even though we saw the worst embarrassment of an opening ever, the team was lauded and adored. And now, with the worst season in NBA history, we should show the team and franchise that the love and adoration for professional basketball is still here in Charlotte.
This will prove that we're there for the team, through the best of times and the absolute worst. The national media will be there, and if they see a city going crazy for a team that put together such an abysmal season, nobody can ever question our loyalty again.
Also, for the particular groups, I have a couple suggestions:
If you're in the Bring Back the Buzz group, I know everyone will be cheering for the Bobcats, and I know the "Charlotte Hornets" chants will start up at some point. But how about mixing it together with Bobcats chants. So you could say "Charlotte Bobcats...Charlotte Hornets...Charlotte Bobcats...Charlotte Hornets." Also, maybe bring some signs showing support of the Bobcats too while you're decked out in all your Charlotte Hornets gear/Grandmama gowns/Hugo masks/etc.
For those that don't want to be in that group, you should of course still cheer for the team louder and crazier than normal. But from the above blurb, people actually came out to that first game in tuxedos. What if people came to the game dressed up in a black suit and tie, or if you don't want to be too fancy, just put on one of those t-shirts designed as a tuxedo?
If all of that came together, I couldn't even imagine the scene. I know TNT is expecting the worst game they've ever broadcasted, but if we could get a sellout with that kind of crazy atmosphere and energy, we'd be the story of the night and be able to at least end the year with positive press, and start to build momentum into the future.
Thoughts?
We need to bring together the best elements of the past with what we have going forward. What better way to do that than to pay homage to the very beginning, when we first witnessed the NBA in Charlotte. For those that don't know, the history:
The game itself wasn't as pretty. Cleveland won 133-93.
"We had (nearly) 24,000 people at our opening night dressed in tuxedos, all expecting us to come out and be the very first professional team in the state of North Carolina," Scheer said. "We had a lot of high hopes for our franchise, and we were excited about the big crowd. And we came out and lost to Cleveland by 40 points. I remember standing in the runway waiting for the clock to strike zero so I could dash into the locker room and get out of the embarrassment."
But a funny thing happened. Almost in unison, as the final buzzer sounded, the fans stood and cheered wildly. They appreciated having an NBA team in Charlotte. Now, for everybody that's going, get tickets for all your family, friends, coworkers, and cheer your ass off like they did at that very first game. At the end, whether we win or lose by 40, everybody in attendance needs to stand up and give the team a standing ovation just like they did after our very first game.
I think its almost poetic, the symmetry that's lining up. In the beginning, we loved the team, and even though we saw the worst embarrassment of an opening ever, the team was lauded and adored. And now, with the worst season in NBA history, we should show the team and franchise that the love and adoration for professional basketball is still here in Charlotte.
This will prove that we're there for the team, through the best of times and the absolute worst. The national media will be there, and if they see a city going crazy for a team that put together such an abysmal season, nobody can ever question our loyalty again.
Also, for the particular groups, I have a couple suggestions:
If you're in the Bring Back the Buzz group, I know everyone will be cheering for the Bobcats, and I know the "Charlotte Hornets" chants will start up at some point. But how about mixing it together with Bobcats chants. So you could say "Charlotte Bobcats...Charlotte Hornets...Charlotte Bobcats...Charlotte Hornets." Also, maybe bring some signs showing support of the Bobcats too while you're decked out in all your Charlotte Hornets gear/Grandmama gowns/Hugo masks/etc.
For those that don't want to be in that group, you should of course still cheer for the team louder and crazier than normal. But from the above blurb, people actually came out to that first game in tuxedos. What if people came to the game dressed up in a black suit and tie, or if you don't want to be too fancy, just put on one of those t-shirts designed as a tuxedo?
If all of that came together, I couldn't even imagine the scene. I know TNT is expecting the worst game they've ever broadcasted, but if we could get a sellout with that kind of crazy atmosphere and energy, we'd be the story of the night and be able to at least end the year with positive press, and start to build momentum into the future.
Thoughts?