I read this article http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_23050.shtml stating that it is time for Charlotte to embrace the Bobcats and it got me thinking. Obviously it goes with out saying that all the members of this message board community, like and support the Bobcats and more likely than not would not waver in support regardless of the situation, but I wonder if this will be the year that the city of Charlotte as a whole really embraces the team.

What is it going to take for Charlotte to re-embrace the NBA and why do you think it is such an afterthought. I remember when the Hornets ticket was the hottest ticket in town.

I know the obvious reasons 1) Shinn and the Hornets depature soured everyone on the NBA; but he's been gone a long time, people can't hold a grudge against the new organization based on the old one can they? 2) No one wanted the arena and it was shoved down the city's throat; but that too has been here for a while, also it wasn't really as big a tax issue as people made it out to be, and shit its pro basketball, thats a good thing 3) the NBA is a league of prima donnas and thugs that middle class america can't relate with; however, i think the Cats are one of the few teams in the league where the players play hard every night and don't do stupid shit off the court (except May's nightly drunk-dancing on his rehabbing knees) so i dont think that generalization applies to our specific team.

I really don't think those three apply. So the only things I can give credence to is 1) ticket prices are still to high 2) the team hasn't been very good, which we all think is going to change and 3) the most problematic: the white majority in charlotte has a subconcious/concious disdain for Bob Johnson/Michael Jordon and their majority black run organization (I ws going to run the carpetbagging angle but since half of Charlotte is transplants i really don't think it applies).

I hope the third is not an issue and even if it was i think it could be masked by the rectification of the first 2, but i think the fact that the prices/poor performance give people the excuse which is exacerbated by the racial issue.

I don't know I didn't intend to spring a indepth sociology examination of Charlotte so early in the morning but there is nothing I hate more than the scores of people in this city that seem to hate the Cats for no resaon (first 3).

Also I was just curious to see everyone elses take too.

Not mentioned but also dumb: North Carolina is a college basketball area, dumb for obvious reasons... they are not mutually exclusive.


Sorry for the long winded post, especially if it is something that has been discussed in the past, i was just curious to get other people's thoughts on this.