Let's Play 82

When Howard Schultz bought the Sonics, he spoke of a five-year plan to win a championship. It started out fine with a year-one trip to the playoffs, then the second and third year--nothing. Last year the team made the leap and finished as a third seed in the West, taking the eventual champion Spurs to six games in the conference semi-finals.

The off-season also started out well with the re-signing of Ray Allen. Everything was moving forward, and then the Sonics drafted two French guys … okay, it's your team, just don't let ... Oh crap, Nate McMillan left to coach Portland. We ended up screaming ourselves to sleep that night.

We are doing much better now, except for our facial tic that emerges every time McMillan's name comes up.

All of that is in the past [twitch-twitch], and the Sonics who, because of league rules, needed a head coach, hired former assistant coach Bob Weiss--who if you believe what you read in the liberal Ruth Bader Ginsberg-run media, likes magic.

The 2005-06 team, much like your mother, will be high-scoring. However, the national pundits aren't giving them much of a chance because of their defense, and the losses of Nate McMillan [twitch-twitch] and pivotal role player Antonio Daniels.

In year five the team may not reach the same heights that it did last year, but with a superstar at their core, a superstar in the making, and grippa young players who freaking reek of potential, they will be fun to watch and root for this season.

The season starts tonight against the Clippers. Buy Tickets.