Newest Free Agent: Me?
Wuddup, GSoM, my name is Chris, and I'm currently a free agent in the NBA world. I'm from North-Central Kansas but am currently living in Taipei, Taiwan, serving as a missionary for my second of two years. I'm a huge NFL fan (specifically, of the Kansas City Chiefs), but I'm not a huge NBA fan, mostly because I don't have a rooting interest. I've been halfheartedly looking for a basketball franchise to support, but I'm coming up short all over the place. However, I'm somewhat circling in on a few real possibilities. After this final year in Taiwan, there's a pretty decent chance I'll be living in North-Central California, and it seems to me like there's one of two teams to support: The Warriors or The Kings.
Which leads me to ya'll: after seeing the show put on for LeBron the free agent, I'm thinking I should put myself on the market as well. I'm offering myself as a Fan Free Agent to both franchises, and I'd like you to convince me why I should be a member of your nation. As far as things I'm looking for go, I'm really looking at a few different characteristics:
- Future: I know both teams aren't stellar now, but which way are they trending?
- Going to games: I love attending pro games, but I'm a teacher, so I won't have a lot of cash. Will I be able to pull off a couple a year? And is the game day experience worth it? What sets it apart from the pack?
- Players: What star's jersey am I going to buy? And will he still be playing on the team in 3 years? (Extra points: Do the jerseys change so often that immediately after purchasing, I'll be forced to rebuy 20 minutes later?)
- Team/Ownership: How do the organizations treat the players and the fans?
- Other things I should know: "There's a good chance this team worships the devil, so if you have problems with that, perhaps you should seek another option," etc.
Would love some help on the project. Thanks, ya'll!
This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!
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Game six of we believe was the best game I’ve ever been to in any sport. Sooooooo loud!
Seriously appreciating this.
Arrowhead Stadium in KC (once upon a time) was a great place to watch a football game, and as I’ve NFL games other places, I came to realize how much the stadium/fan experience matters. The fact that ya’ll say that about yourselves is awesome. Thanks.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
It's Steph Curry or Tyreke Evans?
You make the choice. Do you want to watch a team first PG/SG who can thread the needle with breathtaking behind the back or no look passes and make it rain from three if given an inch? Or do you wanna watch a me first PG/SG who is unstoppable 1 on 1 but only has average passing skills and at present time a below average jumper? Both teams have excellent futures and personally I find both teams fun to watch but hands down WE have more dedicated fans! Plus a new owner on the way which will make us being in a large market relevant again! Enjoy your time in Taiwan, looks like you’ll soon be coming back to this mess of a state we used to consider Golden but now almost broken.
WARRIORS ATW!!!
Warriors have talented young players who are growing rapidly
Nothing beats the atmosphere of Oracle Arena
Stephen Curry jersey…hands down
We are getting a new owner here in a month or so…one who actually cares about his team and his fans…
The Warriors are just straight up fun to watch
I BELIEVE!!! YOU BELIEVE!!! WE BELIEVE!!!
missionary?
I better not even comment…
Confront racism: Boycott Arizona
by The Bimbo Coles Experience on Jul 9, 2010 7:15 PM PDT reply actions
I prefer doggystyle myself
I prefer it with a partner.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Jul 9, 2010 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Well played sir.
Confront racism: Boycott Arizona
by The Bimbo Coles Experience on Jul 9, 2010 8:41 PM PDT up reply actions
What kind of missionary?
If you are Mormon I’d suggest the Jazz
Seventh-day Adventist
Nope, you’ve never heard of us :-)
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
Wow.
Don’t care. Cheer for whoever you want. Enjoy your mission.
'Like' my band. I mean, it'd be awesome if you did that.
You’re on a Warriors fan site so what do you expect?
That being said, Kings will be cheaper.
Confident Marco Belinelli supporter
I expect to compare it to the exact same article I posted on the Kings blog
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
I would pick the Warriors but you already know I'm biased. =)
FYI: Being a Warrior fan is a commitment. Like marriage. Ok, fine, not really, but you know what I mean.
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY
See, and I'm ok with that.
I posted this on the Kings’ site, but if I wanted a championship contender for next year, I know where to look. What I’m wanting is a team that I can grow to appreciate and get into, and if there’s an eventual payoff, sweet, and if not, that’s ok too. I’m kinda looking for that “marriage” you’re talking about, so thanks.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
Ok, here's why you should pick the Warriors:
While some think Oakland is sketchy, the Bay Area is an infinitely more enjoyable area than Sacramento. It is better in every possible way you could imagine.
Games at Oracle are much better, because the atmosphere is raucous. We pack the place pretty decently even when we suck. We yell and scream like it’s the NBA Finals. It’s a great time out.
I once got $8 tickets that I had to run 2 miles in oakland to get, and it was one of the greatest days of my life.
While Tyreke Evans won ROY, Stephen Curry is one of the most fun players in the league to watch. He is a throw back to the days when players practiced a move 100 times, instead of lifting a weight 100 times.
Monta Ellis is one of the most electric scorers in the league. Seriously, some people don’t like him as much, but youtube him. His highlights are unreal. Watching him finish at the rim, especially in person, is jaw-dropping.
If you like basketball fundamentals, believe it or not, the Warriors are a good place to look. There are only a handful of shooters with as good of strokes as Curry and Anthony Morrow (if we keep him). There are few better rebounders than Andris Biedrins and David Lee. Curry is a great passer, and both he and Monta excel at coming around curl routes. Monta is a top-10 finisher at the rim. The only thing the Warriors lack in terms of fundamentals is a great ballhandler (Curry is getting there, I believe), and a lockdown defender (Monta is getting there, I believe).
If you lean left, politically, like 90% of northern californians, you should know that Spencer Hawes, the Kings center, is the single most republican man in the NBA. If you’re a republican, forget that I said this. or just root for the Kings.
The warriors just unveiled a new logo/jerseys, so if you buy one now, it will be in style for quite some time. I’d by Curry, but Monta jersey’s look really sick.
Considering how horribly the Warriors have treated some of their players, they treat their fans relatively well.
They are only going to get better. no one in their starting line-up has reached their prime. Their third best player (Curry) has only played one year, and has the potential to be their best player, which would put two 20ppg players as second and third best players. Only miami can boast that.
Last but not least, the warriors are FUN!!! they always have been, and always will be. There’s nothing like a W’s game. It’s a great time out! No matter how bad they are, they are a fun team to watch.
Good luck with your service and travels, and your deciding the right team (which is the warriors. just fyi).
If you lean left, politically, like 90% of northern californians, you should know that Spencer Hawes, the Kings center, is the single most republican man in the NBA. If you’re a republican, forget that I said this. or just root for the Kings.
You should know that Spencer Hawes, the 76ers center, is no longer in Sacramento and was traded for Damuel Dalembert who recently recieved the Mannie Jackson award after donating more than $125,000 to assist earthquake relief efforts in his homeland of Haiti and for his work in the Samuel Dalembert Foundation which was created in 2007 and is committed to helping better the lives of people in Haiti.
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
So weird that Damuel Dalembert worked in a foundation called The Samuel Dalembert Foundation. I mean, what are the chances?
Did Morrow get ejected???
lol, well played sir!
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Great writeup
Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. I loved Curry in college, so it doesn’t hurt.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
Much appreciated
Politics don’t matter to me on the court, but thanks for the info. Nice to be aware of. The YouTube highlights I’ve seen of David Lee impress me ok, and I remember watching Steph in college with the wife (who was impressed enough that when I told her about this “research project,” she was like “isn’t that the guy we watched at BW3s?”). Thanks.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
no problem!
good luck ultimately choosing, have fun, and if you decide on being a warriors fan, welcome aboard! :)
Future: Trending towards mediocrity.
Going to games: Nothing like the combination of a bad team with Craigslist to get 10 buck tickets.
Players: Stephen Curry looks like a keeper, and by a keeper I mean the player who looks like he will still be on the team in 3 years. Probably Lee too.
Team/Ownership: If fans chose teams based solely on ownership, the Warriors would have no fans.
I’m not going to lie to you like it is all good times. I will tell you our fans are top 5 in the NBA. Which will help you get through the continual heartache and soul crushing experiences. Join the struggle now, because when we win a championship when I turn 72 it is going to mean a lot more to us than it would to most any other franchise besides probably the Clippers/Cavs.
P.S if you enjoy playing the “you have no right to complain, look at the team I root for” card, we are perfect.
Another thought…
Do you really want to go to a place nicknamed “Sactown”?
by belilaugh on Jul 10, 2010 1:53 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think if this was the first post
the thread would have been over
Pro-Skub for life
by Reverend_Randy on Jul 10, 2010 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Epicness.
I love you. And lol’d.
Press conference is a good idea. deep breath This is really hard. (that’s what she said)
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
You should hold an hour long special on ESPN
Pro-Skub for life
by Reverend_Randy on Jul 12, 2010 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I like your fan aspect
Important to me to know that others care about this thing called “sport.”
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
The Kings
The easiest choice would be Sacramento.
They have a Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside (the next Marcus Camby). They basically have their future set without the need to sign people to huge contracts like the Warriors. It would be easier to root for them.
The Warriors are too stupid nowadays and they’re lucky that Stephen Curry dropped to them in the 2009 draft or else they would be in Hell right now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a die hard Warriors fan, but right now the Kings are in a better position than them, which is why I’m suggesting them to you.
It’s your choice, though. The thing about Golden State is that you have to be a very dedicated fan if you plan on rooting for them long-term.
by Precise Films Productions on Jul 10, 2010 2:19 AM PDT reply actions
As someone who lives relatively near Sacramento
…It’s more satisfying for me personally to have been a Warriors fan all my life. A lot of the Kings fans I know have only been seriously following the Kings since the early 2000’s, when they became a force to be reckoned with.
And I’m biased of course, but Kings fans just don’t seem as knowledgeable overall as Warriors fans. I’m sure I’ve ruffled some King fan feathers here, which isn’t my intention. Kings fans are definitely passionate about their team, and it’d probably be a lot more easier for me to be a Kings fan, but I just can’t seem to let go of being a Warriors fan, regardless of the worse front office which hopefully will be changing soon.
If you’re really not sure which team to root for, and all things are equal in your mind, I’d probably go for the “local” team, or which ever one is closest to where you’re moving.
But it’d sure be nice to have more fellow Warrior fans in “Kings’ Country.”
http://www.soundcloud.com/derrickcanton
Being a Kings fan who grew up in Sacramento, I can definitely understand why you think this way.
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
I heard about a guy who was in a similar situation
and he e-mailed the PR offices of all the NBA teams, asking them why he should be a fan of their team. Only a handful responded, but the Warriors sent him a letter explaining the merits of the Warriors, a T-Shirt, and a mock press release announcing his signing as a fan. Needless to say my friend decided on the Warriors. I suggest you do the same.
by Brendan Linard on Jul 10, 2010 10:02 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
that's pretty funny
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
LOL what?
"We didn't win our independence from the British to watch Aaron Rowand hit this bad,"-KNBR caller.
by GovernorStephCurry on Jul 10, 2010 9:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Isn't that from an experiment about finding out what team loves their fans the most? Or something like that.
I remember someone did something where he e-mailed about every single NBA, MLB and NFL team and the Warriors were the only team that actually gave a damn about him.
by Precise Films Productions on Jul 11, 2010 5:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Based on your bio and sense of humor I would suggest that the Kings will be a perfect fit for you.
And I would also suggest that you create posts like this at least twice a week on Sac-town Royalty
by Only In Fairfax on Jul 10, 2010 1:04 PM PDT reply actions
Oh, are you the funny one here?
Glad to know the whole gang.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.
you son of a ...
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I have a slight hunch this type of post won't go too well over there either.
but who knows. There was that one guy who was so loyal over here at GSoM and then proclaimed a new and devoted love of all things Kings … over the draft … and some people saw nothing odd about that.
Because talent? You want to add a guy like boozer because hes talented? I’m sorry i just don’t see that as a valid reason. -- fffindeed
by wallywagon11 on Jul 10, 2010 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Thought you might be a prince
And you need help smuggling your off-shore fortune through my bank account
Cut.
lol wut?
"We didn't win our independence from the British to watch Aaron Rowand hit this bad,"-KNBR caller.
by GovernorStephCurry on Jul 10, 2010 9:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Welcome!
Future: Both teams are trending up. The Kings’ Tyreke Evans and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry competed for the Rookie of the Year last year, placing 1st and 2nd respectively. The Kings probably have better management, but the Warriors will be replacing theirs over the next few months. The new owner, whoever it will be, will be loaded with cash, and may spend it on the team. Even if he does not, management will most certainly be better than it is now.
Going to Games: The Warriors’ Oracle Arena is known as one of the best arenas in the NBA, due to its raucous atmosphere, as many NBA fans can attest to during the 2007 playoffs. Games are getting a bit more expensive there, though.
Players: You’ll want Stephen Curry’s jersey. He’s not going anywhere. It’s also worth noting that the Warriors usually play at a fast pace, which makes for exciting basketball.
Team/Ownership: The current ownership hasn’t been particularly great with season ticket holders, but they are on their way out after the sale of the team this year. The prospective buyers seem excited about the Warriors so we can expect a change here.
A lot of it comes down to the new ownership, but you’ll always get the engaged Warriors fanbase and of course, Stephen Curry. Also, it’s worth noting that the Warriors are THE team of the San Francisco Bay Area, which comprises of a majority of the population in Northern California.
"I never watched baseball on TV. It's slow and boring. I'm not a fan. Never was." - Jeff Kent
FREE POSEY IS FREE
Another good one. Thanks so much.
Nice to know about the trending up, and nice to know that the management’s going to get fixed soon here. I’m also pretty psyched about how you guys talk about your team. Good things, good things.
Watching the 2009-2010 Chiefs 12 hours ahead of you (in Taipei, Taiwan).
Twittering my every move. Don't act like you're not even slightly interested.

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