Happy Here We Stayed Day!

One year ago today, the NBA Board of Governors definitively voted down a relocation of the Sacramento Kings to Seattle by a vote of 22-8.

Since that day, the team was sold to Vivek Ranadivé and an arena plan has come to fruition and will likely be made final and official next Tuesday, May 20th at a City Council meeting that I encourage all of you to attend.

Last year was one of the most nerve wracking and yet rewarding years I've spent as a Kings fan.  I still remember the day in which I heard the Hansen-Ballmer group and the Maloofs had come to a deal.  It was Martin Luther King Day, and I was driving back from a trip from LA.  It was a long drive home, and I spent it trying to call everyone I could even as my phone kept losing connection as I traversed through the Grapevine.

The fight seemed all but over at that point.  Seattle had already basically declared victory, and the mood among Kings fans was grim at best.  But in large part thanks to the leadership of our Mayor Kevin Johnson, and the support and loyalty of this community, we did not give up.  We kept going, we kept cheering and kept supporting until by the time the season ended, it felt less like a wake and more like a celebration.

Today is a day to celebrate and commemorate.  It's the most important day in Kings history since Greg Lukenbill brought the team here from Kansas City.  And it's all thanks to you guys.

Here We Stayed, and here we shall stay.

UPDATE 12:49 PM:

Check out the awesome Storify Kevin made of tweets from that day