Why We Watch America's Worst Team

by Tom Ziller on Feb 25, 2009 9:51 PM PST in Recaps

During the last three game minutes of the third quarter (which went on for roughly 45 realtime minutes), I wondered why on Earth there are thousands of us following this team to the point of near-obsession still. Why on Earth would we watch this dreck? Guards aimlessly dribbling around the perimeter, players who have been on the roster all of four days pointing out the 33rd missed rotation of the week, our favored youngsters hitting the pine and our soon-to-be free agents just playing out the string.

In the fourth quarter, the team pulled together and got a run going. It ended up looking close in the ledger; for a minute, true believers might have seen the route to an actual comeback in the works.

That's why we watch. Because this team, inconsistent as Delta breeze in September, can put things together for a minute. It falls apart, it always falls apart. But the glimpses tease just enough to give us that square millimeter of hope for the future.

There's always hope. There's always Kevin Martin, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Donté Greene. One might go in and out of consciousness, one might have a bad night, one might look flawless and foolish from play to play, one might never take his warm-ups off. But they are ours, and they help us get through the muck and the mire.

I'm glad we have a team, THIS team ... even if it is the worst team in America. It's OUR worst team, dammit.

Go Kings. Go forth and, um, play basketball.

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Comments

Well said, my good man.

Sooner or later, that one minute of flawless, seamless, beautifully orchestrated basketball action that the Kings show us in every game, that one minute of glorious hooping that kept us hanging on to the action, that one minute of exciting Kings basketball…will become one quarter.

Then, will become one half. And, hopefully, sooner rather than later, will become one whole game.

There can only be one Noce!

by NoceOne on Feb 25, 2009 9:58 PM PST reply actions

it is an ugly baby

and we are proud parentless uncles. If it coos we hear Pavarotti. If it barfs, we think it is cute. We are fans.

As far as the worst team. I still put my vote in for the Clips. If I were a Clips fan I would be angry. As a Kings fan I just disappointed.

by betweentheeyes on Feb 25, 2009 10:05 PM PST reply actions

and right after I post that

The Clippers beat Boston.

by betweentheeyes on Feb 25, 2009 10:12 PM PST up reply actions

Yay Ping Pong Balls.

by Aykis16 on Feb 25, 2009 11:15 PM PST up reply actions

Its also fun to see your players do well for fantasy basketball

like Kmart

by MakaveliTheDon on Feb 25, 2009 10:09 PM PST reply actions

Well said

As usual. I’m not sure why I watch anymore, but I’m sure it’s not out of a sense of hope. I think it’s more some misguided sense of loyalty than anything else. Well, whatever it is, GO KINGS!

Shut up and Coach

by Carl on Feb 25, 2009 10:12 PM PST reply actions

Hope springs eternal. So does loyalty?

There can only be one Noce!

by NoceOne on Feb 25, 2009 10:16 PM PST up reply actions

What would Dean Wormer say about our passion?

Fat, dumb and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Feb 25, 2009 10:22 PM PST reply actions

Uh...

Fat, drunk and stupid…

It’s gotten that bad.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Feb 25, 2009 10:24 PM PST up reply actions

new Kings starting 5

Blutarsky, Flounder, Otter, Flounder and Nidermeyer

by betweentheeyes on Feb 25, 2009 10:27 PM PST up reply actions

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor (from 3 point range)?

Germans?

Forget it, he’s rolling.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Feb 25, 2009 10:33 PM PST up reply actions

Just got back from the game

actually a while ago but

Well, you saw it Kings fans, an ugly ugly effort that looked closer at the end.

Plenty of missed opportunities to grieve at various points.

I did touch base with jjham early and tried to get him down near our seats later – but he was gone having no doubt found another way. There were plenty of empty seats, just strangely, none right near us – which was unusual.

The most solid King tonght? I name thee Drew Gooden. He was solid every minute and was one of the few who didn’t look lost among the new faces.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 25, 2009 10:36 PM PST reply actions

We were still up there, just a row closer.

That was one painful game. I was the guy who screamed “You suck Kenny Natt” in the fourth after he pulled McCants for Martin instead of yanking Bobby. Jackson instead of McCants when Bobby obviously didn’t have it going and McCants had just stopped Wallace in the post. Nocioni is playing just like Bulls fans said he would- hot-cold-hot-cold, again, I would have rather seen McCants than him also, he was terrible on the defensive end. Gooden played well but 26 minutes was not what he needed and then he re-injured himself. If this is the way that Natt is going to coach from here on out then I want him fired now. Gooden at the expense of Hawes and Thompson?

Natt can’t coach his way out of a paper bag. Like Theus, he is trying to coach wins instead of developing his younger players. If Natt really wanted this game to be close he would have switched to a zone in the first quarter when Wallace continuously took Garcia and Nocioni off the dribble. He would have devised a plan to stop Bobcat big men from standing in the middle of the key and accepting entry passes before the 2 minute mark in the fourth quarter. Vlade Radmanovich- typically a set shooter took the Kings to the hole 5 times that I counted, one of those times he almost posterized the Kings with a Dr J-esque statue of liberty dunk.

I could have coached this team better from section 214 tonight. Pathetic rotations, poor pre-game planning, no in-game strategic moves, no adjustments, benching young players for player who were ineffective and expiring, playing injured players who haven’t played in nearly a month and never in a Kings uniform absorbent minutes only to lose them to injury. This is going to be a long 23 games.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on Feb 25, 2009 11:33 PM PST up reply actions

There were plenty of rotations

none of them made sense, but there Were rotations.

I don’t think TZ got his wish to see much of Hawes and Gooden together. I don’t know why the hell Natt didn’t use Diogu to do what you said, match up some more with the cats just camped in the paint. I saw what you saw on Rdmvc, driving to the hole – a freakin’ perimeter guy! We’ve GOT to use what size we have, limited as it is. Once Gooden entered the game we went from a minus 10 in rebounding back to even!

I thought Noce did a pretty good job on Wallace once Natt finally put him on him but I might be wrong, I’ll look at my recording. Guys like that can’t really be stopped, just slowed down (?).

11 guys played minutes, no one seemed to know what the hell was up though rotation-wise. KM was warm and cold, drove into double teams multiple times trying to draw fouls – which refs don’t give when you do that.

I did come back looking for you guys but you weren’t there when I came I guess.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 1:00 AM PST up reply actions

IN TEARS

after that wonderful post by the ziller. I LOVE OUR CRAPPY TEAM

by SacKings4Life on Feb 25, 2009 10:38 PM PST reply actions

I watch the Kings play...

because I want to see the team maintain its worst position! …Plus seeing how the new guys fit in is mildly interesting.

by CloudyEyes on Feb 25, 2009 11:06 PM PST reply actions

I didn't get to watch the game but it appeared Drew Gooden played well

I would not mind signing him in the summer (unless we’re going for Blake Griffen) as long as it wasn’t a ludicrous amount of money. I’ve always liked the guy.

by Aykis16 on Feb 25, 2009 11:17 PM PST reply actions

The Draft comes first(??)

I’m pretty sure

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 25, 2009 11:20 PM PST up reply actions

seriously

anybody should want Gooden, maybe not as a starter on a great team

but the dude IS solid

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 25, 2009 11:21 PM PST up reply actions

I don't understand this analogy

It’s the same thing all over again — digging a hole for ourselves," Kings coach Kenny Natt said. "I think they shot nearly 60 percent in the first half. Somewhere along the line we’re going to have to learn that it’s important to do your homework early, not late.

Well, let me rephrase that. I don’t understand how doing your homework early means you’re going to win games late. Huh?

It’s very clear Kenny Natt is not the answer, and never will be.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....

by pookeyguru on Feb 25, 2009 11:37 PM PST reply actions

What a joke.

The Bobcats are not a strong perimeter shooting team, especially with Felton, Okafor and Wallace in the staring 5. All they needed to do was switch to a zone and slow down the penetration. Natt is not a head coach at this level.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on Feb 25, 2009 11:56 PM PST up reply actions

3s killed us

again again again again again

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 1:02 AM PST up reply actions

0-23 against the East?

I hate to kick a team while it’s down, but has the fact that the Kings have not yet beaten an Eastern Conference team this season been discussed on this blog? Their best chance to get a win is probably next week’s home game against Indiana, although they do play Washington on a road trip in a few weeks.

by The Dude Abides on Feb 26, 2009 3:02 AM PST reply actions

So what

Wins against the East don’t count for more in the standings, neither do wins against the West.

Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott

by Kfan in Korea on Feb 26, 2009 4:51 AM PST up reply actions

True

But this team used to always make hay against the east. Even though that conference has improved, there are still a lot of weak sisters there, and 0-23 is just flat pathetic.

Mambo King

by otis29 on Feb 26, 2009 8:33 AM PST up reply actions

The Wiz will probably have Arenas and Haywood back by then

Thats what it looks like anyway

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 9:35 AM PST up reply actions

McCants, Diogu, Solomon

These are maybe guys we can resign for low $$$. Not sold on any of them, but these are the guys we should be taking a good look at in the last 23 games. We’re not going to resign Gooden, so why the hell play him?

I agree on Natt, but that’s an offseason decision. We’re stuck with The Turtle for now.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 26, 2009 5:19 AM PST reply actions

Simmons

I might add him to that list. PER of 18 in 5 1/2 minutes a game, still young; is there anything there? Let’s find out.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 26, 2009 5:22 AM PST up reply actions

Take Solomon off that list...he's thirty years old and....

this is a point guard heavy draft (something like 14 guys expected to get drafted). If the Kings don’t land Rubio, Jennings or Teague, they certainly will grab someone with the Houston pick or the early 2nd rounder they own who will be equal to better than Solomon.

I also wouldn’t say that the Kings won’t sign Gooden, he is a quality big who rebounds, scores and plays pretty good D. He isn’t going to get his big pay day in the off-season, he’s coming off of an injury, the salary cap is decreasing and no one is going to spend this year when next year looks so good. At 27, Gooden will likely have to take a short deal- 1 year with a player option and then enter the fray next year with the big boys. I think he’s a good fit, better than Sheldon Williams, Mikki Moore, Kenny Thomas etc. so I wouldn’t count him out just yet.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on Feb 26, 2009 9:24 AM PST up reply actions

Me either

at the right price. What would the team have been like with him at the 4 the last two years instead of MM? I’m not sure, but more wins I’m pretty sure. Dude is solid.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 9:38 AM PST up reply actions

If we had him we might not have drafted JT.

by Aykis16 on Feb 26, 2009 10:54 AM PST up reply actions

With our weak rotation at the power positions?

we probably still would have gotten a big man.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

Unfortunately

The “right” price is still going to be too much. It ain’t going to be $2-3 million, and that’s your budget unless you want to continue to blow our limited salary to employ middling talent at best. We’ve seen where that’s gotten us – do you really want more of the same recipe?

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 26, 2009 11:16 AM PST up reply actions

Why do I watch?

Beacuse the Kings are my team. Wins and losses may affect my excitement, but they do not affect my loyalty.

Wait....Why is everybody clapping? Everyone around me is clapping.... I guess I should be clapping too... GO LAKERS!!! I hate living in So Cal

by 27freethrows on Feb 26, 2009 7:27 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

rec'd

my thoughts exactly

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 9:38 AM PST up reply actions

Somewhere early in the 4th quarter last night

my wife asked me several times “Why are we here? why are we here. . . .?”

“hush” was all I could say.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 26, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions

rec'd as well

took the world right out of my mouth. GO KINGS!!!!

They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.

by Dub_TC on Feb 26, 2009 12:53 PM PST up reply actions

Another reason why I watch ....

name one other announcer who can come up with the phrase, “beno with the draino”

They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time.

by Dub_TC on Feb 26, 2009 12:54 PM PST reply actions

Why I watched my first Kings game of the year

because I decided to put Kings over Bobcats on my streak for the cash and all year long i have been priveleged to have Kevin Martin on my fantasy team.
I started to wonder why I ever thought the Kings would win when the bobcats went on a 16-0 run in the first. I thought the kings could make a game out of it when they cut it to about 9 at the start of the 3rd, but then went a few empty possesions before the bobcats pushed it right back to 14.

I hope that Bobby Jackson is not usually that bad as he offered nothing to the game besides some missed shots. I thought Rashad would have gotten a few more minutes in the 2nd after he went 2-3 in the first half. I think he could flourish in Sac-town for the rest of the year with a decent amount of playing time, or at least help Kevin with the scoring.

by Hibachi0 on Feb 26, 2009 4:32 PM PST reply actions