What It Is To Be A Fan

As an A’s fan, I’ve learned not to get too attached to players, since they come and go.

The moral of the story? The best thing you can do is root for the Landry.

It sounds like Landry is a really good guy in addition to being a good player…and that might make it a bit easier. This isn’t the same as losing a Peja and gaining an Artest.

I’ll miss Kevin too, and I’ll root for him to kick ass on the court, even when he’s facing us. As long as we still come out with the W, ya know.

But that may have something to do with the fact that the players we have now really haven’t brought the organization any success.

My favorite player as a kid was Mitch Richmond and I was really upset the day he was traded. Ironically, he was traded for the guy that ended up being my favorite player of all time. When Webber was traded I knew he had to go but it was still really hard. Since then I can’t say I’ve cared too much. I liked Brad and Mike because they were the last links to the glory years but I was definately ready to see them go when they did.

I guess I’m a fan of the organization right now rather than the players. I assume that will change when the team starts winning. For now, I’m all for trading pieces and trying to find the right fit. I liked Kevin Martin but I don’t have any memories of us being a good team with him here (and by good I don’t mean the 2004-2005 season).

Kevin scored well for the Kings while he was here. Unfortunately, he didn’t do anything else really well and is not the type of player that can put a team on his back and lead them to a victory. He was a good scorer on bad teams and I was ready to see him go.

That being said, I really appreciate his work ethic and the effort he put in while he was here to make himself the best player he could be and wish him luck in Houston.

Rec’d bro…
This is so true…Man kevin was our little secret…We as fans loved him first and now all these bandwagons are gunna hop on the kmart train when they dissing before as a king. I dont know about you guys but ill always be Kevin Martin Fan…Heck he is my Favorite Player of all time….IM DEAD SERIOUS! Man i shed a tear this morning when i heard the news. I know its not manly and all but i did and i admit it. I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I just didnt want to believe it. I hope Kevin Succeeds in whatever organization he’s in. Kmart trust me you’ll be missed. By all of us. And as for this trade. Ive trying for the whole day to convince myself that this is good for the franchise, but the more and more i think about it, the less appealing it appears. It is basically like most of the trades we have done in the past. Remember that Mike Bibby trade? Yeah me neither. With this trade we halfway solved our problem of an inside presence but now how are we going to solve the SG problem. Please dont say Garcia because we need someone who can compliment Tyreke.(Knew this was going to happen if we traded Kmart) So how are we going to solve this problem? IDK but if Exhibit is right we could land a big name free agent. Dont get too happy having those wet dreams of Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade in a kings jersey because they most likely are going to go where they can get a ring. But who knows…We might land the Raptor. SaY we do. How do we solve the SG problem. Do we do the off guard thing that involves Beno as the guy who brings the ball up the court and Tyreke as the guy who sets up the plays? IDK but hopefully all these questions will be answered and in a way that will most likely help us. The way i see it we are now are trying to fill a gap at the frontcourt and a HUGE gap at the backcourt. We most likely wont have a great scoring caliber SG like Kmart but we could get an okay point guard to compliment Tyreke. IDK this whole mess is confusing. All i know is that i am basically rooting for two people now. My beloved Sacramento Kings and the skinny kid from Zanesville, Ohio, KEVIN MARTIN.

(And when Brian Dawkins left my beloved Eagles)

It’s like when you love a band and suddenly they become a huge hit. You knew about them first, and while you’ll always miss those times when you were one of the select few who knew about them, you’re happy to see them succeed. I want nothing but success for Kevin.

As usual you hit all the right chords G.

Born and raised in Minnesota, lives out here now. When Brett Favre signed with the Vikes after so many years playing for the hated Packers, I asked him if he was conflicted at having to wish the best for someone who had stuck so many daggers in his guts for 15 years.

“I root for laundry, not for players.”

And I get that, but it’s tough not to form an attachment to some of these guys. Hell, I still root for Adelman because I think he got a raw deal on his way out of here, and him having KM with him just makes me a stronger fan of the Rockets.

But the Kings will always be #1, as long as they’re in Sacramento.

"I root for laundry, not for players."

Sigh. I’ll do it again.

This trade sure makes it easy to root for the Landry.

It is important to remember that it is the name on the front that is the important part of being a fan. I really liked Martin and will continue to do so but there is still a season left to cheer for. I remember how much I liked Peja and it sucked when he was traded but that is just sports and it made this one a little easier.

What the Kings have in Evans is going to be special for the team and it is time to build around what can help him.

Trading K-Mart was bad enough, but trading one of our best players for a bench player-no matter how good—especially an undersized power forward who is not an exceptional rebounder smacks so much of salary dumps, it’s just hard to care about the rest of the season. I’m sorry, but I can’t get excited about this nameless mist we call cap space. I can’t root for cap space and no matter what the media might say, I won’t be able to watch Landry without thinking about Martin’s pure shooting and his great smile. Does that make me a bad Kings fan? Maybe. But I don’t think I can muster much stomach for rooting for Landry the rest of the season.

Time for Jerryisms!

Landry – “The youngster from Pudue just Purdid!”

Dorsey – “Joey mama!”

Mcguire – “Dominic with the Big Mac attack!”

Larry Hughes – “Has anyone seen Larry Hughes? Anyone?”

I can’t imagine not getting attached to players when you are a fan of a team. Perhaps, after you have been hurt a few times, when your favorite player leaves, you stop the attachment. Bibby was my first attachment, but I was ready to let him go when the time came. I liked Webber, too, but I didn’t feel the same kind of “attachment” that I did with Bibby. Next, came Kevin Martin. At one point, I could never imagine him leaving. It is hard to see him go, but I know that it will be okay, somehow. Now I am attached to Tyreke and finding myself also becoming attached to Donte Greene. Perhaps feeling the attachment to Tyreke, makes it easier to let Kevin go.

It is sort of strange, this thing of becoming “attached” to a player. What in the world is it? Where does it come from? I don’t really know the answer except to say for me it is a combination of admiration, respect, awe and the feeling of great joy when your favorite player(s) are doing especially well. It is hard for me to imagine being a fan without having an attachment to at least one player on the team. But, that is just me.

I’m pretty sure it’s a unanimous HELL YES. But I’m not from Sacramento, nor have ever lived there, so for me the city is really meaningless – but the quality of fans are not. And as someone born and raised in LA, I can surely say Sacramento fans trump all.

I get so much BS from so many people for being a die-hard Kings fan. From the Richmond days to the GLORY DAYS to now, I’ve seen the true difference in band wagons and true fans. I’ve been to various countries throughout my military career and I’ve seen it all. People swearing they love the Kings when they were always on primetime and lighting opponents up left and right. From the flashy J-Will highlights to the clutchness of Bibby, those fans were everywhere. People saying great things about the Kings only to be silenced as the Ls rolled along. Nowadays, those people are long gone. This place here is where the true fans are. Players come and go, yet, we still believe that Purple Passion will raid the nation once again. Through the good and bad, I know I can go to StR and find die hard fans. I too, am bummed about Speed Racer leaving. I too, still believe in Petrie. I mean, what else is there left for a die hard fan to do? Only 4 words can roll off of my tongue…IN PETRIE WE TRUST!!! GO KINGS!!!

IN PETRIE WE TRUST!!!! GO KINGS!!!! kings fan forever!!!!!

Awesome post. Of my 28 years on this earth, I have only lived in Sacramento for about 8 of those. My parents and in-laws are still there though. I have always been a Kings fan, even though when I was young it was hard to know what was going on with them, as there was no internet then, and they weren’t on national TV too often. In my high school years, I loved watching our Kings get some recognition and loved being able to watch some games. Then came our playoff series against the Jazz, which didn’t end how we would have liked, but we had the respect of the Jazz, and the league. During our run in 2002 I was living in Guatemala, so I didn’t get to experience it the way I would have liked. I returned to Sacramento just in time to see C Webb blow out his knee against the Mavericks. My wife and I were on our honeymoon the following year when we played the Mavericks and then Minnesota. She is not a fan anymore, in all honesty, she is one of those bandwagon fans that we mention on this site. I still love her though.
The point of this post is that I have always had one thing in common with my father-in-law that none of my brothers-in-law have had… a love for our team from Sacramento. Even during our horrible season last year, we would call,text, and email each other about the Kings, and we would always mention one guy… number 23.
Change is hard, and I have always had a hard time letting go of players that have done us well. Ritchmond, Webber, Bibby, and even Artest. Today, though, was a different feeling. Kevin Martin, in my eyes, was a class act. In 2007 I was home for Christmas, and was able to go to a game. Martin was injured at the time, but he was out shooting before the game. He came to sign autographs, and as he signed my ticket stub, I told him to rest as long as he needed to, because he was our future. He told me that he appreciated what I said, and I was able to get a quick picture with him.
But, it is time to move on and look ahead. The Kings are our team too, and I think it is great that most of us have an emotional tie to this team. But guess what? All these hard times will make the good times that much better. We, as fans, will get that experience that others will not.

Thats just how I feel about it. I can’t imagine rooting for a team and not forming an attachment to more than a few of the players, that would be like being some mercenary Yankee fan.
What bonded me with Kevin the most was that he was on that team for a few years that was clearly just drifting, no real future in sight except for he and Cisco. Despite what some think I believe he tried to win every damn one of those games.

Sure there were games or even weeks were he was frustrated and not having fun, where he felt the burden of being all things to all fans too much. The roster was pretty empty of anyone else for fans to point at so he got most of the attention good and bad – and it was mostly the latter.

There were a lot of what ifs that he paid the price for. What if the team had decided to protect G Wallace in the expansion draft rather than one of the older guys often comes to mind. I don’t really blame the team for that, I understand but . . . What if they’d accepted that that Championship team was past and had torn it down and started rebuilding around him in 2005 as they should have?

It would have been painful but some pretty nice players have been drafted since then.
I blame Kevin for nothing and the team for only their desrire to hold onto that ghost of a team that was gone. The organization, the Maloofs were weak of heart, of resolve, not Kevin.

He surely didn’t deserve to become the punching bag for disillusioned fans, an indifferent preoccupied ownership and especially petty, douchey sports ‘experts’ who should have known better.

There are some young guys on the team I really like, Casspi, Brockman and Donte’ and one whose potential I respect in Tyreke
but I’ll miss him.

Crazy Cowpoke Passion – and getting to share that fanaticism with the other nuts on this site. Kevin Martin has supplied hope, joy and goodness on the court and ambassadorship and determination off the court. A true King and someone that made us all proud to cheer these group.

Thanks for the lyrics for the bittersweet swan song of the Kevin Martin Sacramento era.

It captures the essence of being a fab very well, and has made me rethink my stance on staying a Rams fan if they sign Micheal Vick. I have been rooting for the Rams ever since I was 4 and watched my brother play for the Carmicheal Rams Pop Warner team, who I susequently played for; but must admit I am struggling with them thinking about allowing Micheal Vick on the team.

It is odd how we will overlook certain behaviors and root for players and our teams because we are FANS and the passion for that team can be blinding!

At first it took me off guard. I thought they’d really keep him, but I’m not Petrie. At first, I thought, “Carl Landry? Dude can’t even beat out Scola.” But then I stopped and realized I really can’t judge this trade til I see what happens in the off-season. If they don’t sign anyone big, then it was a horrible trade, IMO. But I think Petrie can get something done, so I’m not too worried about it.

As far as being a Martin fan, I’m happy that he got sent to a contender. I think he was treated like crap this year, and from what the rumors are saying, he didn’t wanna be here anymore. I’m glad he gets to go with Adelman and be the old Kevin Martin (my fantasy team will be better cause of this!)

All in all, I’m a little anxious to see how Landry fits in with this team. I’m anxious to see how martin plays in Houston, and I’m really anxious to see if we can get a big name free agent here. I’m thinking we can.

It all started back in the Richmond-era and my team was truly horrible. I’m from Stockton so I liked the Ports, the Tigers (that’s UOP y’all), the A’s, the Niners, and most of all the Kings. My favorite early-Kings memory was when Mitch was MVP of the all-star game (remember when the all-star game was cool). We had finally won something!! It seemed as if the world had learned our little secret; The Rock is solid. This seems like a close parallel to Kevin and this trade.

My next favorite early Kings memory was finally getting my #2 jersey. All I asked for Christmas was the damn black jersey. No Nintendo games, no…. honestly, all I ever really asked for was video games so this truly was a sharp departure from the norm. I rocked that “Rock” jersey at every opportunity. Every so often I’d wear it to pickup games and I swear it elevated my game to the next level. I was draining threes and bullying my way to the hole all while locking down my man in D. Good times.

When Mitch got traded I was OK with it. He was my favorite player for sure but I could see the decline. He was not what ge once was and I was pleased to get Webber. Nobody could have predicted how fast and furious that Mitch was about to fall but we were lucky that we got his best years AND the best possible trade in his departure.

Then the best years of my life came. Dear God why did he have to hit that shot!! I mean… fuck!!! Really!!! Did Robert Horry sell his soul to the devil?!? Sorry, I am still bitter and this post just brought it all back. AARrrggghhh! OK I’m done. The good thing about that series was that it gave me my new favorite player and second jersey purchase in Mike “big f’n ballz” Bibby. I loved me some Mike. The way he nearly single-handedly destroyed the redacted was special. he never really lived up to the hype (and that contract) after the series, but I will never forget my man-love for Mike Bibby. Christ, did I just say “man-love”?!?

I was very bittersweet when Mike was traded. Very much like how I feel now, but I’ll be honest I was more attached to Mike. I can speak rationally about losing Kevin but if you look at my posts from back then you will see I supported Bibby to the end. Yeah, I’m a StR veteran.

Then the storm of Ron Artest. I was a big fan of Ron. I wanted to keep him here unlike most on this site. I now realize that he cannot be the alpha-dog or he’ll crush tour team. Too bad we didn’t have the team to keep him in-check as I would still root for Ron to this day (I simply cannot do so now as he is in league with the devil).

Then the losing started. My Kings have come full circle from when I started my obsession having gotten close but never quite reached the zenith of existence. Losing sucks. People shit on your team and your city and you really cannot say much beyond, " but have you seen this Kevin Martin guy play?" The losing continued. But Kevin got better every year and offered hope that one day it can all go away. The new breed was taking shape. Then C-Webb called timeout at the draft and got penalized with the 4th pick. The worst possible situation just happened, WTF can’t we ever win anything!!! Who knew that we struck gold Jerry, GOLD!

Tyreke muthaf’n Evans is a beast of beastly proportions. We had the best backcourt in the league. Talented young bigs. A .500 start. Watch out world, Sacramento is coming atcha. Whoopsie-daisy. Guess not. Go to jail, do nit collect $200. Oh and BTW, Kevin, get the he’ll outta here. The rug gets yanked, just like that.

The ironic thing is that I live in Houston now and will get to see more of KMart now then I ever did (live, of course). I know from watching the Rockets that we got talent in Landry. He is their best player with Yao out. I am really not displeased with our return, it just stings as it is so unexpected.

All-in-all I’m a Kings fan and always will be. I still root for Peja, MB10, Ronny Price, but not Jason Hart. I will root for Kevin Martin. Unfortunately, just not as hard as I will for Carl Landry, or Tyreke, or even Ime Udoka. Why, cause they wear purple and KMart wears red.

my answer to "What does it mean to be a fan?‘, if we’re talking about the Kings, is pain. Lots and lots and lots of pain.

:-)