Arco Thunder Part II Mon, Oct 31, 2016
I know Navi already touched on this in his Loop on Friday, but last week's events are too big of a deal to me to let the opportunity go. Thursday was the official opening of the Golden 1 Center for the Kings. Since many of you aren't from Sacramento and/or aren't Kings fans, here's a quick overview of the history of the Kings to better understand why our state-of-the-art arena is so much more than just a shiny new structure bolstering downtown Sac.
The team moved to Sacramento from Kansas City in 1985 and promptly had 13 losing seasons -> Kings posted their first winning record in the '98/'99 season (thanks to the Point God known as Jason Williams aka White Chocolate) -> from '01 to '06, the Kings Dream Team is formed; they would have won at least 2 NBA Championships if the referees hadn't cheated us (FACT) -> From '06 to present, the Kings haven't had a winning season and haven't made the playoffs. Throughout this drought, the former owners (we will not speak their name in this sacred space) went broke and then tried to sell the team to other cities multiple times behind Sacramento's back.
Having been a diehard Kings fan since my dad first started taking me to games at age 4, I've witnessed the bad, the awesome, and the really, really depressingly awful. The one constant through the few ups and many downs of Kings basketball in Sacramento has been the fans. We have sold out that arena more times than the teams on the floor ever deserved because the team is the heart and soul of Sacramento (for many) - the one professional team we have to call our own.
It goes without saying that the past 5+ years of the relocation saga were awful. Once beloved team owners are no longer welcome in the Cap City, and new owner/savior Vivek Ranadive will get free drinks in Sac for the rest of his life. This city did EVERYTHING it could to save its team from the inevitable jaws of defeat (truly). Navi touched on it Friday, but the unity of the fans and the city is something unprecedented and unrivaled. It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes Kings fans to save a team. Opening Night was a dream come true and a reality I never thought would materialize. Here's to 100 more years of Arco Thunder, perfectly-run high post offenses, behind-the-back passes and WINS. Cheers to us, Sacramento. GO KINGS!