Call me old-fashioned, but I still love to read through my old fashioned print media every morning, and today I was greeted with a pleasant surprise when I opened up to the front page of USA Today's Sports Section. As you can see in the post header, it reads in big bold print, "Thunder A-OK in new home." A sight that surely made natives of Seattle (Die Hard Sonic Fans) cringe and take the paper back demanding a refund. So if you are a scrapbooker, or like to keep some of this stuff like I do, you can pick up USA today at your local convenience store. Generally the Friday edition of USA Today will stay on news stands all weekend, and the unsolds will be picked up Monday, so you should be able to pick up a copy this weekend. You can check out the story inside the full post.

The article below is from USA Today, and can be found on USA Today.com here: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/thunder/2009-01-22-oklahoma-city-cover_N.htm

It's Oklahoma City's ninth sellout in 23 games — and third in its last four. Even with the NFL conference championship games on TV, the upper deck is packed, going we-just-won-the-NBA Finals crazy when team star Kevin Durant hit a three-pointer to cut the Miami Heat's lead to five with 9:44 left.

Don't the people know their team has the NBA's worst record (9-34)?

Miami beat the Thunder 104-94, but it doesn't seem to matter to these fans. In six months, the Thunder have infused this city with self-esteem and provided an economic boost to the area in a time when people are losing jobs nationwide.

"When you say the words 'Oklahoma City,' the next word out of your mouth is probably 'bombing,' " says Mayor Mick Cornett, referring to the 1995 domestic terrorist attack on the Murrah Federal Building that killed 168 people. "Having a major sports team helps identify our city with something positive."

Rayburn Caldwell, 44, a kitchen manager at Toby Keith's restaurant, has lived in Oklahoma City all his life. "We've been a perennial minor league city," he says. "Now, when I tell people I'm from Oklahoma City, I have a sense of pride, of sports dignity."

The team has had a positive effect on the popular "Bricktown" entertainment area near Ford Center. "I really believe having the Thunder saved this store from closing," says Starbucks supervisor Joshua McClain, 29. Last summer, the coffee chain announced it was closing 600 stores nationwide — four in this area.

"The Thunder has had a phenomenal impact on our business," says Steve Bearden, 32, manager of Earl's Rib Palace. "We're crushed before games. Parking is a nightmare, no matter how cold it gets outside."

Hosting the Hornets

Four years ago, the city had no chance at a team. "NBA Commissioner (David) Stern suggested I pursue the NHL," Cornett says.

But after Hurricane Katrina's devastation, Oklahoma City hosted the displaced New Orleans Hornets for 71 games from 2005 to 2007. They played to packed houses and bonded a city divided in its sports loyalties.

"Before, you were either an OU person or an Oklahoma State person," Cornett says. "Having the Hornets changed that. For the first time, people from both schools now sat side-by-side and cheered for the same thing."

Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett bought the Seattle SuperSonics for $350 million in 2006. Failing to get a new arena, he announced plans to move. Oklahoma taxpayers agreed to finance $125 million for Ford Center improvements and a practice facility, and Bennett got approval from the NBA owners to relocate.

Although the team would be moving from Seattle, the No. 14 TV market in the USA, to the 45th-largest market, Stern wasn't worried. "We knew we were going into a pretty good place because of the Hornets' experience," he says. "There was no guesswork involved."

In the span of 90 days, the team moved nearly 2,000 miles and began operations as the only NBA team in a five-state region of Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. Three major interstates run through the city, allowing the Thunder to draw faraway fans.

Kendall and Cheryl Tilley, both 38, and their son, Bryce, 8, drove four hours from home in Nixa, Mo., to see their first Thunder game Sunday. "Having a team in Oklahoma City fills a big regional void," Cheryl says.

The NBA also likes having the only professional sports team in a market of 1.2 million, where it has less competition for sponsorship, advertising and sports entertainment dollars. Portland, Utah, Orlando and San Antonio, also the only major pro teams in their markets, are four of the league's strongest franchises.

"We've been working to that end for decades," Stern says. "It's sort of our specialty."

And what Oklahoma City lacked in size, it made up for with enthusiasm. In 4½ days, the team sold 13,000 season tickets and started a waiting list. Ford Center's remaining 6,134 seats were left for individual sales.

The Thunder rank 12th of 30 teams in attendance (18,617 a game), and the figure is rising. Better yet, the team ranks in the top 10 in percentage of capacity, filling the arena at a 97% rate. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Ford Center is "one of the toughest places to play in the league."

'Blue-collar work ethic'

Thunder swingman Desmond Mason played at OSU and was with the Hornets during their relocation. "Even with our record, our fans are behind us because we play hard," he says. "I've been in different cities, and believe me, that's not always the case."

But to keep the enthusiasm going, the team must start winning.

General manager Sam Presti fired coach P.J. Carlesimo after a 1-12 start and replaced him on an interim basis with assistant Scott Brooks. The team is 6-5 of late but still in the running for the league's worst record with the Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers — and a good chance of getting the next top draft pick.

And the top prospect for the 2009 draft is 6-10 forward Blake Griffin … of OU.

"That possibility is not lost on us," Bennett says. "However, we have no control over that. The pingpong balls will fall where they may (in the draft lottery)."

Griffin could join a nucleus that includes Durant, the 2007-08 rookie of the year who is averaging 24.2 points; forward Jeff Green, averaging 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds; and the team's top pick last year, guard Russell Westbrook, third among rookies at 14.5 points.

"We know there will be peaks and valleys with a young group," Presti says. "But they come to work every day. I think the people in this community appreciate their blue-collar work ethic."

The Thunder, with what Presti says is the NBA's third-lowest payroll, also own the 2009 first-round picks of the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs and two 2010 first-rounders.

"We've given ourselves a lot of flexibility from the cap standpoint so that we can continue to grow the team," Presti says.

Establishing an identity

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and another ownership group — which includes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer — are working to solve the KeyArena improvement issue and lure another NBA franchise to Seattle, which kept the Sonics name and colors and landed a settlement from Bennett's group that reaches $75 million. But it won't be the Thunder.

"I can't imagine any scenario where that franchise would leave Oklahoma City," Stern says. "Can I imagine a franchise in Seattle? Yes, although I'm not sure when."

Instead, the Thunder will keep battling college football for popularity; the NBA doesn't schedule OKC home games on fall Saturdays. It's no coincidence a third of the sellouts came after OU lost in the Bowl Championship Series title game Jan. 8. "For a lot of people here," Cornett says, "basketball season doesn't start until college football ends."

Bennett is excited about renovations to Ford Center. He expects the fan base to grow as the team bonds with the community. "It's taken some time to emerge from the shadow of the Hornets' experience and establish our own identity," he says. "Over these past few weeks, we're tangibly making that move."