OKC Thunder fans who booed Blake Griffin should be embarrassed
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, right, reacts following a dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Thunder forward Kevin Durant is at left. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki).
First a confession: I have booed at a sporting event.
I once booed Howard Cosell at a Monday Night Football game for comments he made about Baltimore. It was the late 1970s and I was 12 years old.
I probably would have booed John Elway the first time he played in Baltimore — after forcing the Colts to trade him by vowing not to play there. But I was away at college in Oklahoma, and looking back who could blame him? The coach was a maniac named Frank Kush and the owner was a drunk.
Had the opportunity arisen, I would have booed Bob (The Drunk Owner) Irsay every day and twice on Sunday for moving the Colts. And I have, on a few occasions, hooted at an official’s call.
That said, booing is for losers. And if you booed Blake Griffin at the Oklahoma City Arena on Wednesday night, check yourself.
Here’s who you booed:
— An Oklahoma City kid who has done nothing to bring shame and everything to bring honor to himself, his family, his hometown and his alma mater.
— The son of school teachers, one who ranks among the finest leaders of young men in the history of high school sports in Oklahoma.
— The most exciting player in the NBA.
— The former consensus National Player of the Year at the University of Oklahoma.
— A McDonald’s High School All-American who could have gone to Duke and instead joined his brother at OU.
— A player any sane OKC fan laid awake at night dreaming about, praying Blake would wind up in a Thunder uniform the year a sorry OKC squad won 23 games and lost is way into a lottery ball windfall.
You booed this guy? For what? Being the best player on the court Wednesday night? (That’s right. I said it.) For dunking on Nick Collison? For staring at him afterward? (An aside. I realize staring can be a vice. My 6-year-old daughter gave it up for lent, promising to refrain from staring at a little boy in her school “even if he’s really cute.”)
Booing opposing players is silly to start with. Booing a hometown guy is an embarrassment.
One apologist I work with claims that Blake’s the enemy now, so the boos are fair game. And if that’s your opinion you’re entitled to it. Just make sure the other side of your mouth isn’t trying to tell me Oklahoma City is home to the best fans in the NBA.
I watched Wednesday’s game on TV, heard the boos and for a minute forgot it was in OKC. Maybe that’s what happened: Fans forgot where they’re from. They wouldn’t be the first.
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Comments
Find something important to write about. Maybe you and jenni could collaborate on a sequel to the “thunder players cuss” story. That was a real winner.
After every one of his amazing dunks, he hung and swung on the rim like a set of monkey bars at the playgroud. He easily could have been t’d up several times. I guess seeing it in person left a little more impression on me than if I would have watched it at home.
You speak of the tribute we should give him for being an Oklahoman, but he shows his respect for OKC by showboating and trying to show up OUR team.
He will get as much respect from me as he gives our town and our team when he plays here.
You should be embarrassed about the crappy articles you write….people/fans have every right to boo an opposition player regardless of who he is and should never feel embarrassed about doing so….get over yourself Sherman
I agree with Jason. This is a really dumb article. Firstly, why do you care so much about something that is not that big of a deal? Secondly, Blake Griffin is not the first person/team to get booed by thunder fans but now all of a sudden they’re “bad” fans because they booed him? I REALLY like where you said “You booed this guy? For what? Being the best player on the court Wednesday night? (That’s right. I said it.) For dunking on Nick Collison? For staring at him afterward?.” I’m sorry.. did you want everyone to cheer instead?
Leave it to a newsok columnist to have a hard time separating the NBA and OU enough to understand why a former OU player would be booed while he played for the other team.
Only in Oklahoma.
We clinch the division. We are injury free going into the playoff. We beat our probable first round opponent on their court. There is a chance we could improve our seed if the Mavs continue to slide and we continue to win. But the Oklahoman sports desk writes about increased swearing and booing a showboating, flop artist for an opponent.
Weak. Like Jim Traber weak.
Mike,
I booed Blake not because of where he used to play, nor because I don’t recognize his talent, but rather because of how he acted. While I’m proud of the fact that an Oklahoma City product is a great talent in the NBA (not the best on the floor last night, however) the fact is that Blake doesn’t play for our team any longer. Booing, as a fan, is about the only way I have expressing displeasure or disappointment with what is happening on the floor. I boo the refs when they make bad calls, I boo opposing players when they display poor sportsmanship or showboat, and I booed Blake last night for that reason.
Despite your contention, people who boo aren’t ‘losers’ but rather passionate fans are, appropriately, expressing displeasure. Throwing things on the court, swearing at players and officials, etc. are clearly inappropriate, but booing isn’t.
What a joke..You should be ashamed at the amateur articles that you write. This wreaks of bush league journaliam. I did not go to either OU or OSU as I went to school out of state, however I know enough that Blake Griffin does not play for the Thunder. If we Boo him who cares? Are we supposed to not boo Eduardo Najera, or any other Oklahoman in the NBA too..Maybe we should just start cheering for the other team…This is professional sports you dope…Get a clue Mike Sherman..
Also, Mike, your best player on the floor comment is pathetic. Really pathetic.
You owe Kevin Durant a HUGE apology.
I don’t think you should write anything else about the Oklahoma City Thunder. We are tremendously proud of KD and the team and what they have accomplished.
Stick to OU articles from now on. I beg you.
Come on, now. Nobody was sending boo’s down to the Sooner Great, Blake Griffin. You know why? Because he is no longer a sooner, he is a Clipper. I think it is ridiculous that people expect it to be a freaking love feast every time Griffin steps foot in this town. A lot of people wanted him in an OKC uniform, and that would’ve been great, but it didn’t happen. He plays for a West opponent that is in no way tied to our town.
He is a diva and a whiner, and OKC fans have every right to boo him.
I “Boo” this article. Who cares if he got booed? Im an OU fan, and I love watching Blake Griffin play. Ive NEVER seen a Clippers game in my entire life until this season. he is the only reason I watch the them, and the Thunder is the only reason that I watch the NBA at all.
Blake Griffin isnt Oklahoma’s #1 anymore. Hes wearing a different jersey, he represents California, he came here to beat the HOME TEAM. The Home Team that we all (OU, OSU, UCO, etc..) cheer for. Personally, I wouldnt “boo” him, but I was getting pretty frustrated watching him slam the ball in the hoop over and over and over. It wasnt like he got “booed” when he was announced, ..he was cheered. But once the game starts, thats a different story. So all the Thunder fans are suppose to cheer when he slams the ball in Ibakas face? Were suppose to cheer for the visiting team just because hes an Oklahoma native? No, once the game starts – hes the enemy.
its kinda like Adrian Peterson. When he plays my Steelers – I want Polamalu to lay him out. I want his team to get obliterated. But, I do wanna see him run for 250 yards while he loses by 21 points. Same with Blake, ..he was awesome last night AND his team lost. ..So it couldnt have worked out any better; but it was frustrating to watch him rape our Big’s for a while last night. …next time he does that, or when he hits a game winning dunk against the Thunder – I’ll be sure to cheer. …riiiight.
Dissapointed to see Blake becoming a diva. refs should have t’d him up several times for swinging on the rim unnecessarily. Guess the intimidation pays off.
Agreed, Traber weak, stirring something that doesn’t exist.
The same Blake Griffin that after time expired looked at the Thunder bench and yelled “F*** you guys” He gets booed for the same reason Chris Paul does, people get tired of how much he complains. After each dunk he tries to show up Thunder players by staring them down and ran probably a foot from the court side fans staring them down after his first dunk. Blake Griffin the person got a great ovation during introductions, Blake Griffin the basketball player was booed because he played on the opposing team last night.
I think it is funny all of the idiots on here who say that Griffin is a diva and a whiner. He gets absolutely hacked more than any player in the NBA, except for maybe Dwight Howard. Those two guys get bloodied and beaten every single game they play while only getting fouls called for them maybe half the time when they are hacked. That being said, this article was pretty ridiculous. I bought NBA League Pass this year just to watch Griffin play, but that still doesn’t mean I won’t boo him if he is playing the Thunder and does something I don’t approve of. So overall this article, as well as 90% of the comments on it, is very biased and near sighted.
The Oklahoman was front and center with Mick Cornett’s emphasis on becoming a “major league city”. Yet this paper continues to act like a small town newspaper. The Gaylords either (a) don’t read the type of reporting that takes place with big city newspapers in places like Boston, Denver, Dallas, San Francisco or Washington D.C., or (b) don’t read their own paper. If they did, they’d realize there is a huge gap between the things THEY publish and the type of news reported AND quality opinion expressed by columnists in truly “big city” papers. Of course given the situation at the Oklahoman, I realize Mike Sherman is a figure head editor and that Tramel truly calls the shots still. So this piece and the opinions contained in it should come as no surprise to anyone. Yesterday, Zach Lowe, Sports Illustrated’s NBA blogger referred to Darnell Mayberry as “the great beat writer for the Thunder”. I fear it’s only a matter of time till Darnell gets an offer from a real paper in another NBA market. When that happens, we’ll no doubt loose the one truly solid writer associated with this paper!
hey Mike, this is big boy basketball. I love Blake and I love what he did for OU but HE is the enemy when HE is going against my team! When you come to our house I am going to blast you. Toughen up Mike.
This article is garbage! Are you kidding me?! Mike should not be allowed to cover the OKC Thunder again. Period.
Mike,
I wasn’t there and so I wasn’t booing. BUT, I think the people were not booing Blake because he was good, or because he dunked it on Collison. They were booing because he is a cry baby that does a dramatic monologue every time he thinks he can get a foul called. OKC is one of the best teams I have seen that do not let their emotions get them T’d up, but Blake and his antics got them more T’s than I have seen out of all the OKC games combined seemed like. I like what Blake did for OU but you have to remember Mike that not all of our salary’s are paid by the largest donater to the University of Oklahoma. I respect many of the articles you write, but to say that OKC fans should be ashamed when they boo a player who is not using good sportsmanship? I disagree, I say, boo to the cows come home when Blake starts acting like he did in OKC and in LA.
Please tell me they do not pay you to write for the paper. I am sure this must be a hobby as there is no way this could be your career. Even this joke of a paper must have it’s limits.
Wow, what a dumb article. If the intention was to write the dumbest thing you possibly could just to get people riled up and talking, I guess it was a success.
As dumb as the entire article was, the line I take most offense to is your saying that Blake Griffin was the best player on the court. Uh, no. You need to take those crimson and cream glasses off, buddy. Kevin Durant is by far the better player. Griffin is great, no doubt, but he’s not in KD’s class yet.
Oh yeah, and I booed Griffin, and he deserved it. I used to be a big Griffin fan when he played for OU. I actually went to a couple of OU home games to see him. The first time he came to town with the Clippers, I cheered him loudly when he was introduced, as did everyone else. Griffin didn’t even give a nod, a wave, anything, to the crowd. And in interviews, he acts like it’s nothing special. So why should we shower him with love? Then the NBA rigged the dunk contest for him (our boy Serge got screwed as a result), and then he hangs on our rims, stares down our players, and showboats and whines and complains. The dude deserved to get booed, period.
The booing was symptomatic of the massive inferiority complex that plagues the graduates of Oklahoma State University.
When lake can score 20 pts in a quarter, when Blake leads his team to the playoff twice, when Blake single-handily owns Lebron James in a game, when Blake leads the league in scoring playing next to a fellow All-Star, then we’ll talk about him being better than Durant. Until then take your OU-homerism somewhere else (and this is coming from an OU fan). As most people who follow basketball knows, putting up big numbers for a bad team is a little inflated. He’s their only big time offense threat, of course, he scores a lot. Durant has done it for four years now. Journalist wonder why people don’t read the paper anymore, because of crap articles like this, which is only a little worse than the Oregonian declaring KD a fraud and Portland better than OKC after beating them once this year.
The Oklahoman needs to write an article apologizing to KD trying to accentuate Blake at his expense. Who loves OKC and has devoted himself to putting it on the map, and who’s left town and is probably never coming back?
To clarify, Blake was the best player last night. Clearly Kevin Durant is more accomplished. It will be interesting to see which has the better career though I’d bet on Durant winning a whole lot more and that’s what matters.
After reading the comments here, I might be ashamed to say I’m from Oklahoma. These people are morons. Is Blake a great player a definitive yes. Does he whine or a diva? Heck no. He practically get mugged on every drive to the basic. Does he over react to it sometimes, who doesn’t? Anyone see KD’s rip move, same thing, and If you can’t appreciate great players, then stay home.
Blake was fine yesterday, but last Saturday when he told the Thunder bench to “f* themselves”, he clearly was being a punk. So he can dunk, so can lots of people in the NBA, no need to treat every dunk like its the dunk contest. Highlights on ESPN are great but not if they’re followed by “oh, and the Clippers lost.” And Blake does flop. Oh and for the record, many Thunder fans equally dislike the rip move, because although it is accordance with the rules, it is pretty cheap.
Blake’s comments about being booed, “”Not really. The Thunder is these people’s team. You’re not going to cheer for me just because I’m from Oklahoma. I didn’t really expect (to be cheered). I’m sure there’s a lot of Oklahoma State fans in the audience.
Clearly Blake understands the nature of the NBA, and its fans better than Mike Sherman. You think LA cheers for RW or Phx James Harden once the game starts?
OKC being the best arena in the NBA has to do with how loud and crazy we get, not because we’re “Mr. Nice Guys” to everyone.
Listen Sherman, maybe we should be more like most other fans in the league and sit and be quite. Players KNOW when they come to OKC, they’ll be in store for a fan beatdown! Its one of the things that makes this place special. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to your joke of an article, I heard the clippers need a writer, maybe you should look into it so you can 1) write about your undying love for Blake and 2) sit in a nice quiet arena–fool. That being said, Griffin is an amazing talent and is a superstar, and Im an OSU fan, however, he’s not wearing OKC on his jersey, so getting the business from the fans is part of it. I agree with a previous comment, boo’ing is one of the few ways we can express frustration over a call or a player that does something we dont approve of, its part of it. And you seem to be thinking mighty high of yourself and seem to be looking down on all us common folk. Geez man, there HAS to be something more news worthy than a finger wag and a ‘how dare you’ from the ALL MIGHTY Mike Sherman. Just sayin…..
How about SOMEONE from the Daily Oklahoman write an article about how we clinched the NW division and putting that into perspective compared to where the team was two years ago. Surely that is more newsworthy today than fans booing Blake or Thunder players cursing
I went to the game. Didn’t boo Griffin. I admire him
in many ways, but it’s pro sports. He’s not playing
for OCS or OU anymore. Thunder fans booed him. So what?
He’s a big boy. Nothing was thrown on the floor. This,
on the heels of the Thunder winning the division!
Lame, lame article.
“To clarify, Blake was the best player last night. Clearly Kevin Durant is more accomplished. It will be interesting to see which has the better career though I’d bet on Durant winning a whole lot more and that’s what matters.”
It’s obvious that’s not what you meant or you wouldn’t have felt the need to add “(That’s right. I said it.)” when you originally wrote it.
If Griffin would concentrate a little bit less on staring at people after a dunk, and a little bit more on his free throws, his team would probably win more games and the booing would take care of itself.
Also, if Blake would hang on the rim less and stare less he would get back quicker and be a better defensive player
Sorry, Mike. I gotta agree with the majority here. Seriously, do you guys up there in the Darth Vader building not see how bad your sports coverage is getting. Between Jenni, Berry and crap like this, it’s really getting pathetic. It’s like everyone always has to write something, anything, and turn it in as though it is all worthy of publication.
Seriously, it is really getting bad. It’s cheesy and petty and lacks any real newsworthy elements… and it’s getting to where there are one or more articles like this every day. You guys have got to get it together. And, now, it’s gotten to the point where it seems you writers are bestowing advice all the time. When to boo. What to do during the Anthem. Make sure you take ear plugs because you might hear a cuss word at a Thunder game.
At what point will you all look at all this and realize that it really is getting lame?
In Super Bowl XLIV, the New Orleans Saints faced the Indianapolis (no-longer-Baltimore) Colts. Peyton Manning was facing his father’s team, where Archie was and still is a hero. Peyton born in New Orleans and remains probably the best high school player to ever come from Louisiana. But, do you think for even a second, the Saints fans ever thought twice about booing Peyton? Of course not. They love their team and they’ll do anything they can to help them. Even if that means booing their hometown son in order to psycologically disrupt him.
Before anybody on your staff writes anything NBA, let me repeat NBA, especially THUNDER and NBA ask yourself what would a NBA beat writer do if he is writing for the HOME TOWN TEAM, not the once was here college players trying to beat the NBA HOME TEAM. I lived in NBA cities from coast to coast and this is the worst coverage in all the NBA with the exception of DM because he has experience being in a NBA town with the Wizards. Get off the fence and either get on board or off and stop worring about hurting poor Blake’s feelings. He doesn’t play for OU anymore, he is a Clipper therfore the bad guy. Let me put in terms you might understand, he is like booing the bad guy in wrestling, you might like him, but I don’t have to cheer for him every chance I get.
Who are you to tell anyone who they can Boo. When you start paying for my season tickets, then we can talk, until then I will Boo Blake or anyone else that is not in a Thunder uniform. It’s the NBA get over it. Now I will Boo You. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
And another thing, I booed Blake when he was at OU. For the record, the most exciting people in the NBA are the ones that I pay dearly out of my pockets to see all season. Let’s Go Thunder. When will Oklahoma get reporters that actually know a tiny little bit about the NBA?
I do not care what school you graduated from. If you turn basketball into a flop happy soccer style game then I am going to boo you. It cheapens the game and all you do is embarrass yourself. If you want to take a charge then that is smart ball, getting pushed in the back during a rebound and lauching yourself into the crowd is joke. I think Blake has it in his head that he can not go through the paint with out getting fouled, I dont disagree. Leave the flopping to the role players and play your power game.
Blake Griffin plays for the other team, this article is stupid. If James Anderson or Ben Uzoh or an Oklahoma native like Zah-Vee-Yay Henry ever acted a fool on the rim and stared down a Thunder player going up the court I would boo them too.
“I’m sorry.. did you want everyone to cheer instead?”
You’d do it for Randolph Scott.
But no, you don’t have to cheer, even if you don’t get the Blazing Saddles reference. Just don’t boo. The booing thing looks bad. Makes us look like we’re Philly booing Santa or something.
The Mighty Griff is a good guy. If he was playing for OKC – and we were all hoping he would – you’d cheer everything he did, stare-downs and all. Look at Perkins. We cheer him scowling at everything in sight, and even cheer his T’s. “Look at that great nasty attitude,” we say. If he came in here doing that for Boston, we’d hate him for it. And Westbrook. Plays for another team, we’re calling *him* a diva instead of showing him the love. Russ is my favorite player on the team. He whines a lot to the refs. I let it pass. Because he’s my guy on my team. Ever plays for another team, I won’t care for the whining. But I’ll let it pass. Because he represented when he played for OKC. Says good things about us and plays his Jet Zero fanny off. That’s good enough for me.
(Side note about that – can’t believe folks here are dissing CP3. After all he did for Oklahoma City when he played here. Are you kidding me? He gets a lifetime pass from me for every flop he ever does. The Hornets put us on the pro-sports radar, and Chris Paul was the main reason why. He represented when he was here as much if not more so than Westbrook does. Big time. Never said anything but great things about OKC. Not. Once. He can flop and cuss and whine all he darn well wants. Lifetime pass, people. Lifetime pass. He earned it.)
You don’t want to cheer Griffin playing for another team, hey, I get that. No argument. But c’mon folks. Don’t go booing the guy. Even if you’re an OSU fan and thought that was OU red last night instead of Clipper red. It wasn’t. Ain’t no need to boo The Mighty Griff.
Remember, you wouldn’t boo Randolph Scott.
Pathetic. Love really is blind. Good to see most of the commenters here get it. Blake is a flopping crybaby with no respect for the game, and Mike Sherman is so in love with Blake and all things ou that he can’t see the truth. Blake DOES bring shame to himself with his ridiculious pro wrestling style stare downs. That that mess to Mid-South wrestling. Go cry to your mama Mike Sherman.
grow up mike sherman.blake is the enemy now.he was between the thunder and the n.w. crown. mike you are writing for the oklahoman aren’t you? maybe looking for a new home in california are you?
The prices people pay for tickets and they can’t boo? Most people do not single out a player to boo. When a ref misses a call.BOOOO When a player gets away with something. BOOOO I wish I could make the amount of money you do for writing useless crap.This is for you.BOOOOOOOO
I think people are frustrated with the way he has started playing the game. As a former OU student, I loved him when he played here but now he has turned into the typical Pro athlete who acts like he already deserves respect from everyone in the league. Not to mention gloating about dunks we have all seen him make before and trying to pick fights with Ibaka and Durant last time we played them in LA. The thing that makes the Thunder so great and respected in the state of Oklahoma is how humble they are and how they carry themselves on the court. Griffin doesn’t seem to be representing the state of Oklahoma the way we all expect our athletes from OU or OSU to represent us on a national stage. Besides, I doubt his feelings are hurt, he is beloved by the whole nation.
BG isn’t a “diva”. He’s a beast of a basketball player who is without a doubt the most exciting player in the NBA. The better he gets the more the anti-OU crowd on this site scrutinize every move he makes. The OSU fans haven shown up in this thread. He takes cheapshots and shoves every night, just like he did when he was at OU. It’s a credit to the guy that he can still keep his composure despite being clobbered every time he steps on the court.
The comments here are insanely idiotic. Let the man have his own opinion! It’s clear there’s a disconnect between OU and O-State fans. Do the fans that boo a homegrown player realize how dumb they look to other people watching the game? Seriously, he was born and raised in OKC, let’s show him some respect. And don’t slam the writer because he has an opinion. It’s a blog for a reason.
Blake over-exaggerates everything. You want to tag “Oklahoma born-and-raised” all over Griffin, but he doesn’t deserve it. He’s a prideful fool out there on the court. Go back and watch the game in LA. Picking fights with us, crying about not getting calls… It’s pitiful. Griffin, stay away from OK!
Sherman, I have a great idea. Go back into your office and drink some more red Kool-aid. This article is without a doubt one of the weakest articles I have read in the last year. Thank goodness for Jim Traber and Barry Tramel who provide an antidote to your whining.
This article is the reason people think the oklahoman is a joke. Maybe you & james hale can go stalk some high school kids for your sooners.
This has nothing to do with OU or OSU. Blake is a whiny player that expects the respect from players and refs as if he were a veteran. I think it’s awesome that our state has embraced the Thunder, and can see that there’s life outside of OU football.
You choose to write about this topic after we clinch the NW…wow. I wish I had your job.
Anyone who booed Blake is a moron and an embarrassment to the Thunder and the state of Oklahoma. The guy is a stud and an absolute joy to watch. He is a great representative of our state.
Matt…you couldn’t begin to know how to do Sherman’s job. Anyone on this thread who uses the “I could do your job”, or “you suck…” line shows their weak understanding of how difficult sports writing is. Sherman has a good article, regardless of the OSU fanbase disagreeing with it. If you disagree, great. Just don’t use the “I wish I had your job” garbage, when, honestly, you wouldn’t know how to do it.
Mike Sherman–I agree completely. Anyone who booed Blake last night should be embarrassed. Nick Collison is my favorite Thunder and Blake took him to the rack and made it look easy. Blake Griffin was worth the price of a ticket last night. Great, great entertainment.
I guess we should have DJ Boom hype us up for the big Blake plays so we can cheer him on!? I guess I should have passed out more high fives when he dunked on us. I must not be a good fan since I was rooting for my team to win. I am an embarrassment. I should return my season tickets.
Also, I’m from Philly and Santa deserved it.
BOOOOOO! Your newspaper stinks! Big League City, Bush League Newspaper…(except for Darnell Mayberry).
Great, GREAT article. Tragically, as some of the comments here show, the people who should feel most embarrassed and ashamed are to ignorant to know it.
The comments on this blog show exactly why Oklahoma WON’T make it as a big city. Rednecks with money need to stay on their farms or in their hometown bars. Nobody has more knowledge about sports than you Mike. The unfortunate thing is that the ignorant people on this blog have NO idea about what it is to have class. You do. And as a dedicated sports fan- I’m glad someone such as yourself that loves the game AND has the knowledge to go with it wrote about the booing. Just because you are a redneck with money and you can afford the ticket doesn’t buy you class. Well done mike.
I can’t boo Blake, but you can call me ignorant? Thanks Jay.
This article is a classic example of ” if you don’t agree with me, you are wrong.”.
Fantastic. I couldn’t agree more. Thanks much for writing this.
Blake Griffin is as stand-up an athlete as we’ve had come out of Oklahoma. To think that his own home-state fans would boo him just two years after leading the Sooners to the Elite Eight is despicable. Even the opposing team’s best player – who, of all things, is a Texas product – has expressed a great deal of respect for Blake.
I’d also like to add that, while I rarely disagree with Tramel and feel his many accolades are well-deserved, he’s dead wrong on this issue. Show some class, OKC. Just because someone is wearing a different jersey doesn’t mean they’re the “enemy”.
Wow Mike, you call yourself a sports writher? Home field/court advantage is partially based on the crowd intimidating the opposition. Weren’t the writers from the Oklahoman pleading with the OU fans a couple of years ago to make more noise and help the team againt Tech, in Norman? Isnt this EXACTLY the same thing. You evidently have much to learn about sports.. Maybe you are one of the people that think there should be no score kept in games and they should just be played to make everyone increase their self respect.. This isnt peewee sports.. these are young millionares and I am pretty sure they can handle a few boos or catcalls.. the question is can you write about sports without knowint anything about them? If you dont know something then don’t write about it.. go find someone to teach you. Oh and get a real job, you dont seem to be qualified for the one you have.
Barney – thanks for the lesson on being classy. I’m sure stereotyping people who reside in this state as Rednecks is about as classy as one can get. I appreciate your insults while you preach class. Kudos.
How does booing not make you a big city? I see zero correlation there. Philly and NYC don’t seem to have that problem.
This was some very entertaining writing, especially the comments. I think the Thunder fans did excellent last night. The fans gave Griffin the applause and appreciation he deserved during the player introductions, but once the game started they treated him like any other opponent. I personally didn’t boo I typically only boo the refs when there is a call I disagree with, and I think the refs have come to expect that of their job. I do heckle opposing free throw shooters with my megaphone in hand, but before I heckled Griffin I told him he was awesome. Sure I went on to say and… You know you are no good at free throws, MISS IT!
I say the same thing to any former Thunder player I told DJ White he was cool then from there it was heckling all the way! I plan to give the same treatment to Green. You can appreciate a player and boo him at the same time. Nobody and I mean nobody from an opposing team can come into the Thunderdome and expect us to be quiet when they showboat!
On a side note Griffin does have a staring problem while I was heckling Chris “The Ugly Caveman” Kaman Griffin was staring me down hands on his hips. He even went onto share a few choice words with Ibaka about my distraction techniques. Against any other team Blake Griffin gets my applause all game long, but against the Thunder all Griffin is gonna get from me is a missed free throw!
This is the most popular blog post ever. I never seen so many comments, even on an post talking about the OU QB situation!!!!
And BTW, Im a sooner fan and even more so an irrational sports fan. I make no qualms about it. I enjoy watching Griffins highlights on sportscenter like any other guy. But I’m a die hard Thunder Fan, the team ranks a close second to my devotion to OU Football. And seeing him try to punk my team and and flop and whine (stuff he never did at OU) is nerving. It is similar to Chris Paul, fans loved him when NO was here for a coupe seasons, and lusted for him to come back the thunders inaugural season. But that has long passed and he is annoying like punk that makes you want to hate him!
OMG! I had to do a double-take. No. A triple-take. Is this the Daily OKLAHOMAN? Check. Sports Section? Check. Subsection on OKC THUNDER? Check. Then why the **** am I seeing articles about Flake Griffin??? Oh, well, it IS the DOK. I should have expected this. I’m just wondering who it was that whined so loudly to someone at the DOK about Flake getting booed so he’d get some reassurance that he’s still got a fan base here. Geez! Someone break out the tissues! I have an idea! Let’s make a big poster with cut-out teddy bears and butterflies, then sign it with X’s and O’s and send it out to Flake. That should dry the tears!
I think fans that pay that kind of money have the right to boo, cheer, yell, laugh,…etc. They have the right to boo whoever they want. I was one of the biggest Blake Griffen fans when he was at OU. I still like Blake and think he is one of the best players in the league. However, he has been acting like a baby lately. I don’t want him turning into another freaking Tim Duncan. I remember in college when some guy flipped him over his head and Griffen just walked away. I had a lot of respect for his attitude and passion for the game then. He needs to go back to being that tough, hard-nosed player that he once was (before LA prepied him up). I don’t blame him if he complains about legitimate calls/no calls, but man he complains if a finger touches him lately.
Mike, mike. Think of it as reverse cheering. These are hold outs from the Gladiator days. We still call the floor entrances to the court Voms as in vomitorium for pete’s sake. The boy is a show boater, KD is not, the boy is a flopper, NC is not, the boy is all over TV in really bad commercials, RW is not. Okay there are a couple. The kid is on the road to burn out and fade away. He is too big for his britches and would never live under the humility of SB.
Let’s report on the positive stuff and leave the fansto their own machinations. And for the record. HC should be booed at all times.
Don’t have time to read all of these comments, but I “like Mike” and am ready to “bury Berry.” Mike, take a copy of your article next door to Berry. Thanks.
I really don’t get the animas towards booing. I don’t like to hear it generally but it doesn’t bother me when it occurs in the flow of a game. I guess booing means different things to different people. I just take it as an expression of immediate displeasure over something that just happened on the field (or in the field house) of competition. Too many sports writers become judge & jury on these issues. John, your flirtin’ with it. Opinions are like belly buttons… everyone has one. We allow you that as your readers. You need to allow us the same privilege. Ridicule of those with differing opinions is “grade schoolish” at best… Just one man’s opinion…
As a lifelong Okie, it embarrasses me to read so many – and such vitrioloic – comments opposing Sherm’s contention. I was luck enough to be there Wednesday night, and the booing was childish. The only saving grace: No one yelled out “THUNDER!” during the closing line of the national anthem.
On a side note, Sherm is correct on who the best player on the court was. Even an unabashed homer must realize that Griffin is superior even to our beloved Kevin Durant. If you were starting a team, who would you rather have: a George Gervin clone who is a likely Hall of Famer, or a first-year player who, barring injury, is on track to become the greatest power forward in NBA history? A great problem to face, but I would take Griffin without flinching.
This article is such a joke. You weren’t even at the game and you are writing an article on it. You are pretty professional calling fans a bunch of losers. Why don’t you focus on the great team we have here in OKC and the future hall of famer Kevin Durant. Blake is gone, let it go!!!!!!!!!!
Blake’s a pro, he can handle it.
I’ll bet ya he still get the biggest pre-game applause of any opponent the next time he’s in town. After the intros, he’s a Clipper and all bets are off.
Since you’re actually reading and commenting on this, please bring back the ignore feature in your comments section of your atricles. Please, please, please…
Embarrassed? Really? Are you serious?
All the fan did was boo and you think they should be embarrassed? Seriously embarrassed?
Did any fans boo in the hallway? Did they harrass his parents (if they were there)?
Embarrassed is going a little to far. I can understand not agreeing with a fan that booed but to say they should be embarrassed is going a little too far.
So in other words we should cheer for Mack Brown because he was OU’s OC for a year, or boo Kevin Durant because he went to Texas. Josh Turner, the OKC blue chip football player that went to Millwood and is committed to go to Texas, we should cheer for him when he makes big plays for the hated rival longhorns?
Seems as though your only sharpening one side of a double-edged sword.
I loved Blake in college. I wanted him to come to OKC Thunder like everyone else. I don’t think Blake is a diva, and dunking is his thing. I don’t like the boos but I would not cheer for Blake because he is not in Thunder blue. KD’s out star and when the Clippers were here before, he felt from the standing ovation Blake got (deservedly) that everyone liked Blake over the Thunder.NOT TRUE I also watch the highlights on Sports Center. I can understand booing a bad call, I don’t think it is right to boo for another reason. I would not boo other star players from other teams, CP3, Lebron or anyone.
Do the writers on this staff understand that about half the fans at Thunder games could care less about Blake Griffin? That those same fans have a closet full of orange instead of crimson? This week of whining from the media about booing Blake has proven just how out of touch you folks really are.
This sherman guy is going to be writing for a small time newspaper his whole career. There is a reason these guys write for the oklahoman- there not any good!
Thanks for a very fine article, Mr. Sherman. Well said, much appreciated. It’s clear a lot of Oklahomans have not grown up yet. I was born here, live here again, but having lived in a dozen foreign countries and about 20 states on my way to two retirements, I have gained a perspective on life, sports and reality which is perhaps “different” from some of the fans who wrote to or about you.
Blake Griffin is the most humble player in the NBA today. He never complains, never gives up on a play and never retaliates to the horrible Dwight Howard-esque fouls that less talented players resort to when defending him. If he were smaller, he’d lead the league in free throw attempts. But because he is so much better than anybody, athletically, in the league today, the refs let player take cheap shots and foul the crap out of him.
I hope the next time OKC decides to boo their hometown guy they remember that the team they root for was stolen from the rightful owners, Seattle. That their “Star” player is a former Texas University star, the rival of that entire state. That their point guard is a budding diva, a step below Iverson on the Me-Ometer. That Serge Ibaka is the single most moronic showboating jerk in the game and that Nate Robinson jumps around and showboats without even getting in the game.
You people stole your franchise, you havent earned the right to boo a frigging nazi.
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So, let me get this straight, people boo Griffin for being the player he is, yet they decide to cheer when Smith “hip-checks” him sending him face first on the floor with a potential dislocated neck and twisted ankle. Cheering when someone gets hurt, I do not care what sort of player Griffin is, he did not deserve to hear cheering at his expense. That sort of sportsmanship is not acceptable, and should be banned for all sorts of ball games. Essentially, if you are going to boo someone who is going to player, and cheer when they might seriously hurt their self, do not attend games at all. In fact, you should be banned permanently, if you act like this. Oh well, at least Griffin is alright and scored points after he got back up, and Smith was considerate enough to apologize, that makes him a true player, not the classless fans who do not know anything.
I’m not sure you understand exactly why people are booing him.
Oklahoma City is not like Cleveland booing LeBron James. Thunder fans booing Blake Griffin has nothing to do with the fact that he is from Oklahoma City or went to OU.
It has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that he is a cheap, whiny player that is already acting like a superstar as far as whining about calls and demanding respect from the ref goes.
Take Chris Paul, for example. When he was in OKC, everyone loved him. Once he came back to OKC as a Hornet, the Thunder fans began to realize how much of a diva he was. Flopping around and demanding a charge call every time someone got physical with him. Whining to the refs instead of hustling back down the court or hustling over to the huddle during a timeout. Overall, playing very cheaply and not having a respect for the game like players used to.
Griffin leads the NBA in “unnecessary falls.” Somehow he always ends up on the floor, holding a part of his body or staring down the ref like he would like to meet them in the parking lot after the game. In the meantime, his team is down a man attempting to hold off a 5-on-4 on the other end of the court while they wait for their superstar to catch up.
A perfect example would be the Thunder-Clips game in L.A. recently. On a made bucket, Nick Collison bumped into Griffin while attempting to head back up court. Griffin goes flying like he just got hit by a train and, you guessed it, ended up on the floor pretending to be hurt. Collison laughed and commented on the situation and got T’d up for it.
You think that people are overlooking the fact that Blake is a hometown hero, but I think YOU are the one that needs to look past that fact. Take out Blake’s hometown credentials and his dazzling dunks, and you have another whiny superstar in the making that is easy to dislike. That is why Thunder fans were booing him.