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With “TEN THINGS” this week, I’m going to take a look at the “Supposed” new team name for the Oklahoma City NBA Franchise. A local OKC TV Station reported early last week that the teams new nickname would be “Thunder.” Since then, this report has become even more of a hot topic because of the NBA’s new trademark filings at the patent office of six nicknames related to the Oklahoma City Franchise. Those nicknames were Barons, Bison, Wind, Energy, Marshalls, and Thunder. So you’re probably wondering why they would trademark six names?  Apparently its the normal process the NBA uses when dealing with relocated/expansion/name change situations. The teams are required to submit six nickname/logo/color combinations to the NBA for approval, and from those six a decision is made. Since all signs are pointing to “Thunder” and since we’ve already gone over “Barons” lets dive right into 10T.

Thunder doesn’t end in “S.” The biggest complaint people seem to have about the name Thunder is that it doesn’t end in the letter “S” as most professional sports teams do. The complaint more specifically is about fans connection to the team and the “S” includes them as fans with the team. In all honesty, that’s ridiculous, whether the name ends in an “S” or not doesn’t stop you from being a fan. So what if Kevin Durant has to say “I’m happy to be a member of the Thunder” as opposed to saying “I’m happy to be a Baron.” People are quick to say it sounds like a WNBA team or a minor league team, but lets face it, most great team names with animals and the like are gone, and when naming this team you are trying to find something that connects to the local, and Thunder definately works with all the storms and tornadoes we have to deal with here. Of the other six filings, Wind , Bison, and Energy both do not end with “S” and are clearly inferior choices as they just sound stupid. So that leaves Barons and Thunder, and I think the main knock on Barons is the high prices of gas in this country right now and having a nickname related to oil (Oil Barons) would be negative.

Thunder definately fits the area we live in. Oklahoma has all kinds of wind, rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and the like, so Thunder definately fits the are we live in and works in that regard. Even though “Thunder” is a specific term, in a sports nickname it can be an all-encompassing term related the weather here. Just as “Storm” could cover all the bases, “Thunder” can do the same.

Thunder has a powerful Sound to it. Just say it one time, Oklahoma City Thunder, let it roll off the tongue, it sounds powerful, and thats definately something you want in a team. Also it works for yelling at the team during a game, “Come on Thunder, lets make a basket.” It was works for chants “Lets, Go, Thunder” clap clap clap clap clap. You know all those same chants you hear everywhere at sports games, and Thunder fits perfectly into all of those.

You’d get to hear AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” all the time. More than likely the lights will go out, followed by a lightning strike and a Thundering “Thunder” would roar through the arena as AC/DC’s Thunderstruck kicks in over the PA as the home team is announced. What better way to get a team hyped to play than this? Well, all NBA Teams usually have cool entrances, it just gives us the ability to have one of the best ones. Plus you get to hear an ac/dc song at the ballgame and you just can’t beat that now can you? Hear for yourself in the featured video section on the top right of the page and enjoy some awesome military people blowing things up.

Wichita Thunder. Just a few short miles away from Oklahoma City is a small town in Kansas where the Thunder play hockey. The Wichita Thunder play in the CHL, the same league that the Tulsa Oilers, and Oklahoma City Blazers play in. I don’t know about you but wouldn’t it be a little wierd if you showed up to a Blazers game to support the home team wearing your “Thunder” hat supporting your OKC Basketball team that you forgot you had on? I guess in the end they are a minor league team, and they already pissed off the city of Seattle, so why not add Wichita to the list? I guess because they could potentially be part of your fanbase? Maybe?

Thunder Logo has Cool Possibilites. There are a lot of different things they can do with the logo related to lighting, wind, rain, tornadoes, whatever, if its storm related you can make a play for it to be in the logo or alternate logo, and you can do really cool things with those items. Below are one artists conceptual art for what he envisioned the logo to look like. Take a peak. You can see some of his examples throughout this post as well.

Modern Cool Uniform Potential. Once you get your awesome logo design and colors in place you have a chance to really make a cool uniform for the team that fans and players alike will love. The cooler you make it, the more money you’ll make with merchandise as well, so its definately important. Again, below is the same artist rendering of home and away jerseys using the color schemes above. I really like the look, very modern looking, colors are crazy in your face, but go well together, and its something the city and state could get behind. Take a peak.

Thunder Mascot potential. Especially since Thunder is weather related, and happens up in the sky, the teams mascot needs to be a high flying entertaining mascot for sure. Not only because of what I just mentioned above, but because of “Squatch” the teams former mascot in Seattle. Squatch was one of the leagues best mascots to be sure, and whatever the new mascot is, it should be a high flying one, doing all kinds of crazy stuff through the air. It could be a lightnight bolt, or a cloud, or whatever, the point is, it needs to do crazy over the top stunts.

Oklahoma City Thunder, Seattle Storm. Again, having alienated the city of Seattle already, do we really care what they think anymore? Obviously you can’t, you just have to move forward. But the Seattle WNBA Franchise is named “Seattle Storm” and from their prospective its going to be “Not only did those bastards steal our team, but they stole the idea behind our WNBA teams nickname too, WTF?” In the end Thunder is very different sounding than storm, but basically would mean the same type of thing, and again, those people hate us anyway, so who cares what they think about the matter. Its our team now and we’ll do what we want, and to hell with everybody else.

Thunder is my new choice. For awhile I was really behind “Barons” but all the talk and seeing the potential above in terms of logo design and look, I really like Thunder. Its a lot less subtle a title, more direct and to the point, and even though Barons refer to “Oil Barons” people will have all types of different perceptions when they hear that name, so Thunder is quite simply, Simply Good. Oklahoma City Thunder! I’m ready, lets get the announcement, logo, colors, and Jersey released already!