Guest Commentary Submitted by Ken in Sacramento on 12-14-05

 

I like this effort to build a new arena!
 
I am a huge Kings fan and have been for many years....I have that sinking feeling that the Maloofs are looking at the city's effort to build an arena are pretty weak. 
 
The Monarchs won the title!  The Kings are the only thing most of us have to get excited about during the NBA season, because they are our Kings and Sacramento could easily see them and the Monarchs be pulled out of our town.  There is more to building an arena then just for fans of basketball, you have...concerts, rodeos, Disney on Ice, many types of entertainment Sacramento can benefit from even if you are not a sports fan. 
 
You will always have the "fans" who like the Kings when they win, but I am a fan of Sacramento who has an NBA team win or lose I support them.  I can see why people would be whining when the Kings went through their five game losing streak...you think the players enjoyed listening to the media and fans while times were down?
 
 I am a fan who watched Kings and Timberwolves and Bonzi Wells is at the line to shoot 2 free throws and I think "ok buddy...make these and we have a chance to quiet this crowd!"  (He misses the first one, and you see the look in Bonzi's eyes like "I didn't just miss that please tell me I didn't just miss that!" )  Two seconds left Bibby passes to Peja and he passes to Bonzi in the corner.....your heart is racing you think "shoot it!" and Bonzi fades away and shoots a huge rainbow that while in mid-air the final buzzer goes off lights up the backboard and the ball swishes the net!!!! You know bars, homes, and fans of the Kings everywhere yelled with a huge explosion of "HE MADE IT!!!!!!!!  HE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!"  I know, cause I was one of them!
 
The smile Bonzi had on his face was very contagious and you couldn't help but clap and stomp your feet.  Moments like that, reminds me of the playoffs where Bibby, in the final seconds hits the jumper to keep the series alive against the Lakers...and being there at Arco Arena looking at the crowd going wild...giving high fives to total strangers in the immediate area! I think all of those moments like that getting you that worked up.....will just be a Sacramento memory watching Bibby or Bonzi shoot with a different town's name across their chest on the King's away jersey, just makes me sick to think that this town didn't fight to keep them like they fought to hit that winning shot!
 
Ken
Sacramento, California