On The Road Again!

Hours removed from an entertaining Super Bowl 47 (congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens) no rest for the weary as a road trip to Oklahoma City is the order of the day.

Of late the Thunder have had the Dallas Mavericks' number post Tyson Chandler and 2011 championship run. Never a dull moment when playing one another.

The trip for myself is two fold. With Rick Carlisle about to reach the 500 plateau I want to be there if it happens AND...it will feel like going back in time.

During my time spent in the great Northwest these were the Seattle Supersonics.

The Key Arena was one loud place to play. Title run in 1979. Near misses in 1978 and 1996. 1996 was a crazy time in Seattle with the emergence of the Mariners and the fall of the Seahawks. I wonder if Seattle folk root for the Thunder?

Nevertheless the energy felt in a Thunder game is like no other. Add that dynamic to a young team ready to get to the next level with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefalosha, and others makes for some high energy hoops. Why not?

Thunder Alley is always a happening place to hang out and make noise pregame. Nestled in the heart of Bricktown if you get there early enough you can enjoy Oklahoma's answer to the Mavericks Drum Corp. 

A three hour respite of driving up the 1-35 before a slight veer off on the I-40 in the heart of Oklahoma City. My first visit back since Game 3 of the 2011 Western Conference Finals. A game Dallas won handily. The Thunder have come a long way since then. 

Win or lose after tonight the Mavericks play seven of the next eight games at home leading up to the All-Star Game and trade deadline. It remains to be seen whether or not Dallas stands pat or decides to do something in the name of making the playoffs. Knowing Mark Cuban as we do I anticipate a surprise.

You know the rest. Pics, tweets, posts, a podcast, and a blog to boot. These out of state experiences are almost as fun as out of body.

Over and out in Big D.

Mr. Will