This appears on nba.com
An obituary,
wedding invitation, and an adoption message.
by rick olivares
An Obituary
for the Sacramento Kings 1985-2013
Sacramento – Here
lie the Sacramento Kings, 28 years in the capital of California after spending
its formative years in Rochester, Cincinnati, Omaha and Kansas, died a NBA
death when plans to build a new arena failed to push through.
The Kings
will leave behind a fan base that was captivated by the runs of the early years
of the new millennium when players like Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja
Stojakovic, Dough Christie, Jason Williams, and Mike Bibby.
Born and
raised in Rochester, New York, the Royals, as the Kings were previously known,
won the very first National Basketball League (NBL).
Soon after
its move to the Basketball Association of America, the team moved to Cincinnati
where they had the Big O and Jerry Lucas in the lineup but could not hurdle
Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics.
After
Robertson left for Milwaukee, the Royals faded and departed for Kansas
City-Omaha. The team changed its name to the “Kings” as Kansas already had a
baseball team by the same name.
The team
achieved a modicum of success under head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons and with
players like Phil Ford and Otis Birdsong before once more fading. The poor play
and dwindling attendance was a foreshadowing of the fate that would eventually
befall this franchise.
When the
Kings moved to Sacramento, they saw some success but it wasn’t until Divac and
company were in uniform did Sports Illustrated proclaim them as “the greatest
show on earth.”
The Kings
where the heirs to Showtime as they passed the ball around like no one’s
business. They made basketball fun to watch. And they challenged the Los
Angeles Lakers dynasty but much like Oscar Robertson 30 years earlier could not
get over the hump.
A funeral
service will be held after this NBA season as it looks like the Kings will not
make the playoffs unless Vlade Divac comes out of retirement to teach DeMarcus
Cousins the finer points of post-play, Chris Webber finds the fountain of
youth, Peja Stojakovic comes out of retirement and finds his hands golden once
again, Mike Bibby teaches Tyreke Evans the finer points of quarterbacking and
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is able to prevent the sale of the team to a
group of Seattle-based investors.
A Wedding invitation
Because you
believe in the sport of basketball, the great city of Seattle and the
Kings-who-are-soon-to-be-renamed-the-Supersonics, together with our parents,
Chris Hansen and David Stern, invite you to share the beginning of our new life
when we exchange vows on Friday, the first of March, two thousand thirteen at
the NBA offices at 590 5th Avenue, 10036 New York, New York.
We would
also like to invite you to our house blessing in the South Downtown Industrial
district of Seattle that will open in October of 2013.
A call to adopt a pet
 |
| Will someone please adopt me? I need a home. |
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