No less than The New York Times weighed in on the name game surrounding Oklahoma City’s first NBA team. In a July 29 blog post, “Freakonomics” author Stephen J. Dubner suggested that because of the metro’s relatively low housing prices and conservative banking industry, Prudents might make a better name than Thunder, Energy, Wind or any of the floated monikers.
“So while the Thunder is a fine name for the old SuperSonics,” he wrote, “if the city really wanted to give the team a name that means something ” like the Steelers or Packers used to ” maybe they should be the Oklahoma City Prudents?”
With that question posed, he closed the column, and readers answered. And, oh what answers they submitted. A sampling of the more amusing, sour-grapes comments included:
· “I suggest the ‘Disloyal Money-Chasers,’ ‘Whiney Primadonna Has-beens’ or ‘The Oklahoma Opportunists.'”
· “In honor of their owner, Clay Bennett, and (the) way in which he procured the team ” they should be called the Ok City Swindlers.”
· “My name suggestion is the ‘fly-overs.’ Ahem.”
· “How about the ‘Bombers’? It’s catchy, and has historical relevance.”
· “Prudents is also a double entendre. It also works because they are prude in Oklahoma.” (CFN note: The players could wear long johns under their uniforms and the cheerleaders could don full prairie garb. We smell marketing magic!)
· “I think (ESPN columnist) Bill Simmons has already christened them the Oklahoma City Expiring Contracts.”
· “Oklahoma City, you got a basketball team. Good for you. Be proud of that fact. Just don’t get too giddy over how you hustled it. Wait, I got it! Hustlers. Yeah, that’ll work just fine.”
· “How about the Oklahoma City Perjury?”
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2008.