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It's not as easy being a Sonic fan in the new millenium as it was in the halcyon days of the 90's when we EXPECTED to be in the playoffs every year. Actually, we were disappointed most times if we didn't make it at least to the conference finals. I grew up watching the likes of Elgin Baylor, John Tresvant, Eddie Miles, et al at Seattle U in the 50's & early 60's. As they declined, it was a natural transition to the newly created pro team in Seattle, the formerly "Super" Sonics. The late 70's brought some great basketball, a championship, & lifelong memories. But basketball is cyclical & now, we are being told, is our time at the bottom of the cycle. It reminds me somewhat of the 80's when Jack Sikma, John Johnson, DJ, Gus, Fred Brown, Silas, et al gradually gave way to some great individual talents like Slick & David Thompson. But gone were the heady years surrounding Lenny & the championship season.Instead we had Bill Russell, Bernie Bickerstaff, & a succession of coaches who couldn't quite get it done. That was before the much criticized George Karl & a new GM Bob Whitsitt combined to bring us a decade of memorable sport & eternal hope. But now we've got WUSS as a braintrust which makes it hard for an up & coming young coach with the respect of nearly everyone like Nate McMillan to be successful. The roster has been a revolving door of failed patches to the fabric of the team. Gary Payton,the glue that holds it all together, is now being asked to be more than a perennial all star. He now must be the leader of the few remaining holdovers & a mentor to the new young talent for the team to succeed. Every year there are the new faces that we are told will shore up the sagging middle.This year it's Radman, Drob, & a guy that's supposed to remind us of Bill Russell the player -- Calvin Booth. Can they get it done Not an optimistic guy by nature, my guess is not right away. But my gut feeling is that Nate will coax the best out of them, & with just the slightest cooperation from management, maybe we can really believe that we've hit bottom & have been resurrected from the nether regions of the cycle.With a guy like Wally Walker as an anchor around your neck, that's asking a lot. But we Sonics fans can always hope. In the coming weeks as the season unfolds, I'll discuss the progress of the team as it's now constituted & what I see as necessary moves by management if we are to transform ourselves from the nadir of despair to the zenith of our former glory years. GO SONICS!
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