From a franchise standpoint, the Oklahoma City Thunder are getting their due, despite getting eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers last night on a Pau Gasol tip-in with 0.5 seconds left. I'd even go so far as saying that OKC has got to be the shoo-in favorite to win the Western Conference next season, after this gutsy performance against a championship-ready roster like the Lakers.
They started calling the Ford Center the "Thunderdome" last week after they got really excited that it reached 109 decibels. Last night, ESPN posted the graphic showing Russell Westbrook's late-game clutch and-one resulted in a 112-decibel reading. Then columnist Arash Markazi tweeted that the Thunder fans were "easily the best fans in the NBA".
Wow, how quickly they forget May 3, 2007 at the Roaracle.
According to the someone's posting in the comments from the recap of May 3, 2007, KNBR said that the decibel meter that night reached 121, which I suppose would be difficult to fully confirm. The record is still Arco Arena's cowbell-induced 130.
That night at the Roaracle, it was most probably at least 112 decibels, if not 121.
Here's the graphic from last night's game showing you how deafening that is...
The difference is this. We at Oracle Arena actually averaged more per game this year than the Ford Center: 18,027 to 18,003, despite having the fourth-worst team in the league.
I'm sorry, but while the Thunder do have great fans, they are not "easily" the best in the NBA.
2 recs | 26 comments
Well, way to point out that the Ford Center has a much smaller capacity than Oracle. Way to tell the full truth.
GovernorStephCurry - May 1, 2010
Having been to every game during We beleive
the Roaracle rocked liked no other. I do not remember our noise being created by thunder sticks and cowbells. Ours was from pure fandome! Not by some artificial noise makers.
StinkyFingers - May 1, 2010
I guess that Arash Markazi has a short memory or was just living in the moment, but yeah, Thunder fans are not the best in the NBA even though they are pretty good in their own right. When it comes to the playoffs, no building rocks like Oracle Arena and our loyalty can even be seen during the regular season based on attendance.
Rated-R Superstar - May 1, 2010
That is so true
Every game I went to, this season specially when the Warrior is leading feels like the championship game are already in town.
mykelala01 - May 1, 2010
Yeah, I think he was just living in the moment
Giving the Thunder fans at home something to feel good about. It was also nice of their crowd to give their team an ovation after the game was over.
But while the Thunder crowd was loud and good last night, I think our crowd cheers with an attitude and relentlessness that’s unmatched anywhere else, even when we’re losing. For god’s sake, we need to get back to the playoffs and show the rest of the league how we do it in Oakland.
IQofaWarrior - May 1, 2010
Bob Fitzgerald has ruined this phrase for me.
deff bridges - May 1, 2010
The Thunder have good fans, but that place didn't even seem that close in terms of noise to Oracle. Bits and pieces of that serties reminded me of We Believe, but those playoffs in 07 were so exciting and super loud all throughout.
duballers23 - May 1, 2010
This honestly is something I would have thought Dubs Hoops would post. No offense to Dubs or PMC, but this is an akward time to attack the generously active OKC fanbase. Are we better than them, as fans? Sure. Come playoff time, we probably are. But the regular season is a time when sorrow-filled Warrior fans fill the stands, watch the game, and leave being at or over the legal alchohol limit. Could the Thunder fans have been drunk? Sure. Would a college atmosphere been drunk? A substantial portion, yes.
However, the numbers of decibels correlating to a good fanbase is really loses its justification with the Cowbell fanbase, as they have yet to fill the stands even with a budding star on their roster. While our attendance has been wavering the past three or four months, it’s only because we want Cohan to leave that badly.
In terms of who has the better fanbase, it’s probably us, or probably not. The fans in Oklahoma are no sore losers. Blake Griffin, Sam Bradford; they’re seen some great talent, great teams and great organizations and programs. They have the right to think their fanbase is better than ours.
LarryLegendofOracle - May 1, 2010
the franchise just moved there so...
how can they be that great of fans, i mean its not like they have been supporting this team through the ups and downs, its kinda bandwagonish i think. i mean if the lakers moved to san francisco would we all suddenly be lakers fans? i think not….
mekanikal - May 1, 2010
the franchise just moved there so...how can they be that great of fans,
Good point. Let’s ask Seattle what they think of the Thunder organization? and they stole our mascot along with the sonics so I’m not that pleased with them either. I was glad to see the tired old over the hill California Lakers end ScumBagBennet’s fun.
I wonder if they’ll follow the warriors lead and now trade the heart of their team for a rookie stickman after making the playoffs for the first time?
Skeptic con Urquell - May 1, 2010
the franchise just moved there so...
how can they be that great of fans, i mean its not like they have been supporting this team through the ups and downs, its kinda bandwagonish i think. i mean if the lakers moved to san francisco would we all suddenly be lakers fans? i think not….
mekanikal - May 1, 2010
I’m content in knowing that we both have great fans. At this level of fandom, what little differences don’t really matter anymore.
madafromSF - May 1, 2010
I just think they should have stuck with the white shirts. The blue one’s weren’t as visible.
bloodsweatndonuts - May 1, 2010
The blue shirts
made me think I was looking at a crowd full of empty seats.
golden_solitude - May 1, 2010
You're really trying to 1-up the Oracle fans?
Really…? Why?
caseycheesecake - May 1, 2010
what else is new? the warriors get the attention in the media deserving of a team that’s made the playoffs once in 15 years. i do, however, think they ripped off our “we believe” shirts super hard with their “rise together” shirts. more people should be pissed about that than a shout out from some espn goon.
The Bimbo Coles Experience - May 1, 2010
WE ARE THE BEST FANS!!!
Attendance for this year proves it…
Lew Ghost - May 1, 2010
umm….
According to ESPN, we averaged 89.4% of capacity; they averaged 93.5% of capacity. Just saying.
boomtho - May 1, 2010
Playoffs 2011: Warriors vs Thunder
May the better fans will their team to victory!
dont_stop_believin' - May 1, 2010
That would be a great series.
Warriors/Thunder
Warriors/Lakers
Warriors/Kings
Those would probably be some of the most entertaining series to watch as Warriors fans.
Precise Films Productions - May 1, 2010
We believe
Also didn’t use thunder sticks or w/e they are. Also we didn’t need an announcer helping us start chants!
LostHawkGSW - May 1, 2010
I always laugh
when other team’s announcers like the Heat and Cavs have to say the words to the start the chants.
hellafornia - May 1, 2010
Yeah
The Mavs do that too. The Cavs also have that robotic defense chant, which I’ve heard float around to a couple other teams. As a fan, why should I chant defense if it’s already coming through the loudspeakers???
IQofaWarrior - May 1, 2010
We'll see who has the best fanbase come the 2011 Western Conference finals when both teams have a chance to host an equally important game.
WarriorForLife - May 1, 2010
I think it's a regional thing, too.
Most Bay Area people in general are wild and crazy. Not just Warriors fans.
Lakers fans that go to the Staples Center to watch the Lakers are super quiet, but if you got Bay Area Lakers fans there it would be extremely wild.
Precise Films Productions - May 1, 2010
Also
Oklahoma City put so much emphasis on trying to get their crowd to be loud whereas Warriors fans were naturally loud.
Precise Films Productions - May 1, 2010
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