To start off, I suppose I should say sorry, but I don’t really “get” the Oklahoma City Thunder and the hoopla (hoops?) around them.
Don’t get me wrong, I am perfectly “okay” with their success—or really any Oklahoma sports team, to be sure—but I tend to enjoy more outré things like demolition derbies, bowling for dollars, or, especially, competitive eating.
Just kidding…for the most part.
But when I think about most organized sports, I think of the sheer boredom I endured as a student at Northwest Claasen High School.
Like most artistic rebels in the 1990s, I couldn’t stand the football games and the times I spent going to and pretending to care about them. But, in the end, I guess, I liked the camaraderie in the back of the bus, talking, singing, or, occasionally, making out with older band girls with loose morals.
I eventually recognized I liked the time-crunching impact of the highlight reel. I realized I didn’t want the actual game, I wanted a two-hour sports movie, documentary or otherwise, a Cliff’s Notes version of events with drama and action and comedy, with all the boring parts taken out.
That’s likely why I actually enjoyed the new documentary from the NBA, Loud City, detailing Oklahoma City’s road to their award-winning season…all in two hours with no commercials!
Of course, the only thing I knew about the Thunder was the monstrosity that was 2012’s Thunderstruck, starring Kevin Durant and even then, that was too much.
But, as my wife and her brother and his family celebrated the championship win at his downtown office with burgers and beer, I was almost tempted to go because the prospect of free food was mighty tempting. So…tempting…
Sadly, I decided not to take partake, mostly because of the threat of somewhat drunk guys dripping with body paint screaming “We’re number one!” to no one in particular. Thinking that was the end of that, I was surprised last week when Patrick sent me a link to Loud City, telling me to watch it and see if it awakens the sports fan in me.
Well, for the most part, even though I will probably never go to a game, it was…actually pretty entertaining.
Narrated by Jalen Williams, the Thunder’s hotshot ballplayer, it starts with inspirational quotes like “Everything we can accomplish together…” and other P.E. teacher sayings. He introduced a new team that was a good team…but not a great team.
While I would say “Good game, you played your best!” and go get some get ice cream with the fellas, after a defeat to the Mavericks in a pivotal game, instead they decided that they had something to prove, so they rallied to an unbeatable season of Thunder basketball.
Subtitled “The OKC Thunder’s Championship Season,” you already know how it turned out.
And, while that patented NBA footage is all the same to me, it’s the talking heads of the teammates, their coaches, and, to be fair, Oklahoma City citizens, that make this doc invaluable to me and this city.
It’s really their story to tell and it’s a pretty good one.
Probably the best story, the one that epitomizes the documentary as a true film, is the buzzer-beating moment when player Alex Caruso and the Thunder plays the Nuggets--still the worst team name, natch--to a nail-biting conclusion, one that all but cements the Thunder name, casting away all the naysayers and scores them a true national championship.
True, I didn't understand what any of that means, but either way it's pure cinema at its finest!
So, even though I probably won’t be watching any games in the near future, whether on the television or from the sidelines, I can really get on board for my city’s illustrious win. Even if it is far cry from me and my disillusioned take on sports, at least I can be a silent celebrator instead of being a loud detractor.
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
