And we're back!

The Bobcats have won their first game in nearly a month, and I've ended the self-imposed moratorium on my blog.

Instead of writing about the things that were going wrong -- all the injuries and all the shortcomings -- I chose not to take the negative path and not write anything at all.

The dreadful streak has come to an end against one of the teams people like to dislike, the Lakers, and I couldn't be happier. I decided to dislike the Lakers after having them shoved down my throat by the media a few years ago.

I don't think it's possible to like the Lakers unless you have some kind of ties to the area or you're just a front-running fan that has yet to realize that the Lakers aren't the same team that won a couple of titles a few years back.

Honestly, does anyone care if No. 8 talks to or likes the former No. 34? What's there to like? There's a selfish superstar player that leads a "group" (can't call them a "team"), of other players into playing a broken-down version of Phil Jackson's triangle offense. I didn't know you could have a triangle with only one point.

The Bobcats, on the other hand, are a team of players that play hard night-in and night-out, and when they do win, the fans appreciate it. It usually doesn't come on the back of one player, but rather from a team effort. THAT is the reason why it's great to be a Bobcats fan -- you see basketball as it was meant to be.

Deals Are Done By The Real Pros

This week, I started my new job. I've got a two-hour commute back and forth each day until we're able to move in April, and it's really been cutting into my family time, which in turn has cut into my goofing-off time.

I think everyone needs goofing-off time or else we'll become shells of people and not learn anything new or enjoy life. For me, the Bobcats are part of my goofing-off time.

Seems like there has been a lot of chatter on our message boards lately revolving around trades. It seems that everyone is a virtual GM now days, including myself, and we all think we know what is best for the team -- both in the short term and the long run.

I admit it, in the days of Fantasy Football and Xbox, it's fun to talk about trades, but fans have to keep things in perspective -- what will work on paper and in your head doesn't mean it'll work in real life. These guys have egos and personalities, too.

For What It's Worth...

’Tis The Season
It's been crazy lately. The Panthers are trying their hardest to miss the playoffs, Christmas time has come and gone, the Bobcats are in the middle of an injury crisis and I'm in the middle of changing jobs.

December has been hectic to say the least. Earlier this month, our site (bobcatsfans.com) was hacked and someone put an eBay phishing scam on our account. It wasn't until eBay's security folks contacted us that we knew what was going on. So we decided to delete the account and start a new one from scratch just to be safe.

I'll be starting my new job in January and have to commute to and from Winston-Salem every day until my lease is up with our current apartment in a few months. I will probably have a lot of time to think about the blog while I sit in traffic each day.

BK the All-Star?
Brevin Knight has just been stellar. This is the guy who the Cavaliers thought they were drafting with the 16th pick in the 1997 draft. Check out these stats (courtesy of NBA.com):
Ranks No. 3 in the NBA in Assists Per Game (8.6)
Ranks No. 4 in the NBA in Assists (214.0)
Ranks No. 2 in the NBA in Assists Per Turnover (4.65)
Ranks No. 2 in the NBA in Assists Per 48 Minutes (12.5)
Ranks No. 2 in the NBA in Steals Per Game (2.52)
Ranks No. 1 in the NBA in Steals (63.0)
Ranks No. 3 in the NBA in Steals Per Turnover (1.37)
Ranks No. 1 in the NBA in Steals Per 48 Minutes (3.67)

Knight is also averaging a career-best 12.6 points per game.

In my opinion, those are All-Star worthy numbers. BK deserves to be recognized as one of the best in the East this season.

He led a nice win against the Hawks last night, especially shorthanded. Man, it's gonna be weird to see this team play with tall players in the lineup again when May, Okafor and Voskuhl return from their respective injuries. Kudos to the un-injured players for stepping up their games and performing in their absence.

Alternate Uniforms?
A few weeks ago, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wrote that the Bobcats were considering adding an alternate uniform next season.

Almost nothing gets the fans fired up like the talk of changing uniforms, or adding one in this case.

The fans on our site seem to favor a Bobcats Blue or Bobcats Black alternate uniform. Personally, I'd like to see the blue one come to fruition. There are too many black uniforms now days. Black and orange would look too Halloween-ish anyhow. Of course, there are a lot of blue ones, too.

As long as it's not that hideous yellow like the Hornets went with in the last few years, I’m fine. I haven't seen a uniform that nasty since those tie-dyed Nets jerseys of the early 90's. It would be interesting to hold a contest and let the fans vote on which uniform to add. That way you do your market research publicly and almost assure yourself of a hot seller.

Now That's A Response

After some scathing words yesterday, I thought it would only be right to come back today with words of praise. Last night, this team hustled and won, despite playing without several key players.

Primoz Brezec put his money where his mouth is. He came out and played aggressively, atoning for the team's poor effort on Saturday.

"I think everyone gave 110 percent, and that's what we needed," Brezec said. "We're going to Chicago tomorrow for a back-to-back, and everybody is going to have to step his game up."

"As demonstrative as I was the other night about a lack of commitment to effort, I'm going the other way tonight about the effort," Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said after the game. "The guys just really reached down in and just got after it. That just goes to show you what hustle and effort can do. I think the first thing you have to have is a commitment to effort."

And effort was evident all around.

Primoz's 26 points were just one shy of his career high of 27. Gerald Wallace had a career-high six steals to go along with his 15 points. Raymond Felton poured in 14 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in his second start of the season.

It was good to see Felton start and play well. After leaving the game with an ankle injury, he came back and helped the team come through down the stretch.

"I thought he did well," Bernie Bickerstaff said. "It's a learning experience for the young guys. You don't get better through osmosis. You just have to get out there and mistakes."

It was great to see the effort on the court last night. That is the Bobcats team we've come to love and respect.

Tonight It's Time To Respond

One thing fans could count on with this team was that they would work and play hard. Saturday I didn't see it, and I was disappointed. I've seen this team out-hustle and out-heart teams many times in the past, only to come out on the losing end -- but at least they showed the effort. As long as they did that, the fans would support them.

This weekend against the Pistons, it seemed like the Bobcats had left early for Christmas break and had some doppelgangers going through the motions for them.

"The effort early in that basketball game, particularly in that first quarter, was probably the worst I've ever seen from a Bobcats team," Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said after the game.

That wasn't even the worst part about the loss. The worst part was that it was in front of a sellout crowd in the new arena. People have become accustomed to the Bobcats playing hard, and that's why they come to see them.

It's not because we expect them to win -- we just want them to play hard. There wasn't any effort, and for me, a guy who touts the Bobcats as a hustling team, it was embarrassing.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't come out and compete against them," said Bickerstaff. "I'm not worried about the shots that we missed, we just didn't compete."

The fans feel the same way, Bernie.

After the game, Primoz acknowledged that the team had let the fans down.

"The fans came out to watch us -- they sold out the place, and we didn't put up a fight," said Brezec. "It's just embarrassing. They're a good team, and we didn't do the things the coaches talked about offensively from the start. It's tough when you don't put up a fight, and get beat like that."

Hopefully, this is the genesis of something good though. The players know what they have to do. It's not a matter of wins and losses at this point -- it's a matter of pride.

Tonight we’ll see how they respond.

"Defense" Of Emeka

When Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wrote about Emeka Okafor being in a slump a few days ago, I would have agreed with him, but there is one thing that Okafor has done to improve his game greatly -- playing with more intensity defensively.

Last night in the win over the Nets, Okafor had six blocks – including one on a high-flying Vince Carter as he attempted a one-handed dunk. Okafor blocked it, infuriating Carter, who was then called for a technical foul.

"I just tried to protect the middle," Okafor said of his block on Carter's dunk attempt. "(Carter) is strong with the ball and obviously he can jump, so you have to time it just right or you'll wind up on the SportsCenter’s Top 10."

Okafor's defensive toughness seemed to be lacking last season, but it's evident that he's put more emphasis on defense this year, resulting in several outstanding performances so far.

Tuesday night, after a tough performance and a loss to the Nuggets, Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff praised Okafor's tough play inside.

"The positive is that if the big fellow (Okafor) plays like that, we have a chance," Bickerstaff said. "I thought he played very well tonight. He was a presence in the paint. He made shots around the basket and he went up and he dunked his shots as opposed to the flips."

It seems that Okafor has found his confidence again.

Before the game last evening, Emeka spoke with Bobcats TV reporter Stephanie Ready and said that the Bobcats would come out and win the game that night.

And they did.

What Fans Are Talking About

I sat down and was ready to write my weekly blog post, and Rich Giunta, one of the administrators of BobcatsFans.com sent me an instant message… so then I had the bright idea - let’s blog the discussion Rich and I were having, since it’s Bobcats related:

Brad: So, are you tired? I'm tired... staying up late to watch the Bobcats games out on the West Coast. I really thought they'd pull one out during this trip.

Rich: Well they had a few opportunities to eek out a win but just came up short. I've stayed up late to watch them, and it looked like some of the Bobcats were staying up late with me... you could tell some were fatigued. One thing I will say however is, despite his shooting woes, Okafor has quietly increased his blocks per game... he swatted six in Golden State.

Brad: Yeah, that was an awesome game. He's stepped up on the defensive end, but he needs to be more consistent offensively.

Rich: He's shown the new moves he's gotten over the summer from the Dream, but he still has some work to do as far as finishing and when to use what moves.

Brad: Yeah, I think he's shown great potential.

Rich: He's still putting his game together offensively... he's always had that ability to be a monster on the boards and come up with big blocks like he did in college. Now he just needs to work on his offensive game so he can finally become our "go to guy.”

Brad: Now some on the message boards are talking about Ely starting... do you subscribe to that line of thinking that he'd be better off a starter, or do you think he's more effective off the bench?

Rich: While it is nice to have a key guy to come off the bench and give you a scoring punch... I think right now, he's better off starting for us because it gives us that one-two punch inside the paint from the 4-5 spots. He seems to open up Okafor's game a little bit because Primoz likes to play outside more.

Brad: I think the last few games it's shown how monstrous Okafor can be defensively at the C. Those blocks have been awesome, and it makes guys think twice about driving the lane on him. Primoz just isn't as good at the C, defensively, but he's picked up his rebounding and scoring lately.

Rich: I agree, and Okafor being able to play the C opens the door for a guy like May to step on the court with Okafor to give us some added bulk up front.

Brad: Ah, could that be the master plan?

Rich: It's possible. I think as time goes by and some of the guys playing big minutes like Brevin start to wear down a bit - we may see a lot more of Felton, May, and Bernard Robinson. We've all seen glimpses of what they can do, I think those glimpses can become more of an everyday thing.

Brad: You and I have been big Bernard Robinson fans since the beginning. He showed a lot last night against the Lakers in Rush's absence... I'd like to see Felton get more minutes though. He's been a little shaky on the floor lately. It's interesting that the game that Brevin missed, Felton started and seemed to play much better the entire game.

Rich: I agree on Robinson, he's shown some nice moves around the rim. He always seems to show some acrobatic moves under the hoop that nobody knew he had. He's also playing some pretty good defense which helps his cause. I think Bernie knows his potential and loves his versatility. He's molding him into a nice option for us off the bench. As for Felton, I think when he's playing consistent minutes and has confidence he's one of the better young PG's in the league because of his quickness, swift accurate passing, and NBA ready range. I think it's clear that he's going to be an exciting point guard for this team and eventual full-time floor leader.

Brad: I think you are right, he seems to be a guy that needs to find his rhythm and hasn't had a chance to in short spurts.

Rich: When he was called upon to come through, the Bobcats ended up having one of the best games I've ever seen them play with Felton leading the way.

Brad: I attended that game, it was awesome in person... the arena was jumping. Good times.

Rich: Lets hope we get to see a lot more of that in the near future and for a long time after.

Brad: Agreed. Just think of all the wins the Bobcats could have if they could play crunch time defense. Why do they struggle? Inexperience?

Rich: I think the biggest thing is there's still no clear cut "go-to guy" on this team. There's not that high scoring All-Star on this team that we can call upon to come up with a last-second shot to win a game... yet. If that guy is on the roster now is yet to be seen. It may just be a matter of throwing a few guys into the fire or having someone step up and say "put the ball in my hands, I'll make it happen" to find out who can become that guy for us.

Brad: I think Rush can be that guy. Initially, he started off pretty slow, but he's been money since then.

Rich: It's very possible. When he gets a set shot with his feet set, he's money.

Brad: I just think it's odd that when the game has been on the line, we've got a guy who isn't statistically a good shooter taking the last shot. But hindsight is always 20-20, right?

Rich: I guess so, we've seen it happen so many times with all of the close losses last season. I think it's time to try out something different and see how it works. The young guys will be leading this team for years to come - it has to be one of them who learns how to come up in the clutch.

Brad: So, maybe there should be more veteran leadership on this team to go with some of the young leaders (Wallace / Knight)? Kind of like Steve Smith, last year. We need to develop a guy like that, who is clutch... but it takes time and confidence.

Rich: Well we can't rely on older veterans to do these things, because in a few years when we're a contender - those guys won't be around to put the team on their shoulders. We'll be looking at Felton, Okafor, May, Rush, Wallace, etc. to come up with a play.

Brad: I guess we're just destined to suffer through the growing pains this year in order to prosper in the years to come.

Rich: Yeah I think so. But we've seen the potential the young guys on this team have shown and I think the future is bright. It will only take a few more pieces and some time to gel and develop and we'll see the Bobcats evolve into a contender in no time.

Brad: yeah, and that is why we watch, because we want to be there from the beginning.

Rich: Right on, we were there from the start, which will make it that much more rewarding when we get the big prize.

Brad: Some people can't stand that fans say "we" when talking about their team... I think we can say "We" because we have an emotional and monetary investment in the team.

Rich: I think all of the fans of this team will agree it's "we" because after all, there would be no team or NBA without "we the fans".

Brad: Good call. On that note -- I think we have a blog post!

November 28, 2005

Bobcats Play Deserves Respect

The national media needs to realize that the Hornets play in Oklahoma City, and the BOBCATS are the team that plays in Charlotte. I don't know how many times I've heard the Bobcats referred to as the Hornets recently in print, web or TV lately, but you'd think people would have gotten that straight after the first full calendar year of the team's on-court presence.

What is even more laughable is that guys like Chris Sheridan from ESPN.com, who are paid to be "insiders" write stuff like this:

"The Bobcats, especially Gerald Wallace, have made such a positive impression that we at ESPN.com are actually considering a change in official policy to allow for the writing staff to acknowledge the Bobcats' existence." - Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com

Yeah, Chris, they do exist, and they are a pretty good team. The Bobcats are playing better than most people expected so far, beating the Pacers by 32, the 76ers by 17, the Knicks by 13 and the Wizards by 18 last Saturday night.

Gerald Wallace ranks first in the NBA in steals per game, averaging 2.63 a contest, but isn't even on the All-Star Ballot, (how about that for respect?). A little bit further down that steals per game list you'll see another Bobcats starter, Brevin Knight, is third in the NBA, averaging 2.46 per game.

In fact, the Bobcats lead the NBA in steals as a team, averaging 11.6 per contest – 3.1 steals per game more than the second place Indiana Pacers. The Bobcats also cause more turnovers per game than any other team in the NBA, averaging 19.6 per contest. New York is second with 16.2 per game.

The Bobcats obviously are a better team with Wallace in the lineup than without him. In the eight games that Wallace has played, the Bobcats have won half of those games, and by a wide margin. Wallace is the catalyst for this team - there is no doubt about it, and it's a shame that he and the rest of this team have been ignored by the national media who seem to only want to feature a handful of "established" stars.

Frankly, I'd just be happy with them knowing that the Bobcats play in Charlotte and that the Hornets are in Oklahoma City.

---

Some of the more interesting stats of the young season: The Bobcats are 5-5 in the conference, 1-2 in the division, 4-3 at home and only 1-6 on the road.

Still, the Bobcats are just 2.5 games out of first place in their division.

Charlotte has three players averaging in double digits (Wallace, Kareem Rush and Emeka Okafor), and two other players right under 10 (Knight at 9.8 and Sean May at 9.2).

November 23, 2005

Some Recent Observations

I guess Kareem rush is out of that funk he was in. After a slow start, Rush came out of the gates firing against Indiana last week, setting a franchise-high in the process with 35 points. If Rush can continue that kind of output with Gerald Wallace and Melvin Ely returning, this team can be really dangerous.

---

I'm really liking what I'm seeing from Raymond Felton and Sean May so far. Both guys hustle 100 percent and have been pleasant surprises so far this season. In fact, NBA.com has both May (fifth) and Felton (eighth) ranked in their top 10 rookie performers right now.

Look out for Chris Paul though. The guy is averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game. If he keeps up that level of play, he'll be the leading contender for Rookie of the Year, no doubt.

---

What kind of a league is this where the leading scorer and the most energizing player on your roster is left of the All-Star ballot?

Despite averaging 16.2 points and nearly three steals per game, somehow Gerald Wallace's name was left off the list when the ballots were released.

Are you kidding me? I may sound like a homer here, but he's the one guy on this team above all else right now that would deserve to have that kind of recognition.

November 15, 2005

Emotions Intensifying Is A Good Thing

We've had some upset posters on the forums lately, which some people might see as an annoyance.

As a passionate Bobcats fan, I see it as a good sign - people are caring about the Bobcats.

Sure, I might not agree with everything that's been going on with the team lately, but I'm hardly in a position to criticize. I’m a fan, and fans tend to see things a bit differently. Seeing things from a fan’s perspective and seeing things from a front office perspective can be as different at night and day. As fans, we can only speculate as to what is going on inside the Charlotte Bobcats Arena on a day-to-day basis, and that’s what makes us fans. We don’t work in the front office or as an assistant coach. All we see is produced on the floor by the players.

Sure, we second-guess coaching decisions and shot selection. We discuss trades we think would be beneficial, again, from a fan perspective. It's all part of being a fan. Everyone does it.

That is why these seemingly negative discussions are good. People are starting to invest in the team emotionally more and more. If they didn't care, they wouldn't get so frustrated.?

---

One stat I find interesting is that Primoz Brezec is averaging similar numbers to Sean May, despite May playing seven minutes less per game on average. Both are averaging just over four rebounds per game, one assist per game and nine points per game. Brezec, the Bobcats starting center, does not have a blocked shot to his credit this season, despite playing 24.4 minutes per game, but does have the edge in field goal percentage, shooting .575 to May's .404. Looking at the stats, it can be assumed the Bobcats need more production from Brezec.

So what's the problem?

The latest article by BobcatsBasketball.com columnist Leonard Laye gives us some insight.

"There is a popular theory – backed with considerable logic – that Brezec had too much work,” Laye said, “that his exhaustive summer of basketball with his national team left him in need of some time off even as the Bobcats were just beginning preparation for their second season in the league.

Brezec’s seven-game start has come at a slower pace than last season's norms of 13.0 points and 7.4 rebounds, creating averages of 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds (heading into tonight’s contest with Orlando). The results, and Charlotte's 2-5 beginning, frustrate Brezec and leave him turning as much as ever to a tough practice routine for improvement. "

Laye goes on to write that Bickerstaff believes that because of Brezec's outstanding work ethic, that he'll work through his recent troubles.

What is comforting is that Brezec realizes he hasn't been as productive as he should be, however, practicing harder might be the problem, rather than the solution. Whenever I struggled in any kind of sport, my coach would stress to just focus on the fundamentals and everything else would take care of itself.

Maybe Primoz just needs some rest?

November 11, 2005

Bobcats Will Miss Wallace's Spark

As a fan, you hate to see a guy like Gerald Wallace go down with an injury. We thought he’d miss the game against the Spurs due to a concussion, but he was back on the court just 48 hours after suffering it only to come away with another injury - a small bone-chip fracture in his right wrist.

Wallace is 23 years old and has more than one concussion in his career. You expect that from ex Rams/Falcons QB Chris Miller or Jets WR Wayne Chrebet, but not a 23-year-old basketball player that has at least 10 years left in his career. I love the way Wallace plays with reckless abandon, but I hope he doesn’t hurt himself so badly that he’ll have long-lasting effects that he’d have to live with the rest of his life.

At least the first few games so far this season, Wallace has been the Bobcats sparkplug. He’s currently leading the team in points (16.2) and steals (2.8), is third in rebounds (6.2) and is second in field goal percentage (.566) while averaging 32.4 minutes. Much of Wallace’s game isn’t shown on the stats sheet, though. He often hustles to make plays and comes through in crucial situations. As co-captain, Gerald has been one of the key components in the Bobcats’ very competitive start this season.

Someone is going to have to step up and match his intensity if the Bobcats hope to come away with victories against Dallas, Miami, Indiana and Minnesota in the upcoming week.

Who will it be?

November 7, 2005

Opener A Family Affair

You only get to go to a grand opening once, and something like a new arena is special. That is why I chose to take my three-year-old son with me to the home opener at Charlotte Bobcats Arena against the Celtics on Saturday night. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I wanted him to be there to experience it.

He was decked out in his Bobcats orange Emeka Okafor jersey, as was I, and we arrived around 5:00 pm for the 7:30 tip. I knew his three-year-old attention span wouldn’t last long, but I wanted him to see all the pregame festivities. We saw the Bobcats arrive and walk down the blue-carpeted runway and met up with some friends from BobcatsFans.com.

We entered the arena and met with Bobcats TV play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin. My son is a shy little guy at first, but once he gets to know you, he won’t leave you alone. Matt greeted us near the entrance with a couple of Bobcats caps for my son and me. We went down to the court and saw the TV play-by-play area where Matt and Adrian Branch work during the games. Matt asked the little guy if he wanted to put the headphones on or hold the microphone, but he was still in his shy phase at this point and declined. We took a couple photos down at the court, and then made our way to our seats in the upper deck. Matt didn’t have to do all that for us, but it was an awesome gesture from a genuinely cool guy. Some people when you meet them are fake… not Matt Devlin. He introduced us to all the TV production staff and one of the Bobcats scouts.

After that, we made it to the concession stand, where we got two hot dogs and a Coke to share. When we made it to our seats, my son kept asking where Matt was and I’d point out where he was sitting. He kept taking his hat off and looking at it, then putting it back on and strutting around the area in front of our seats.

The game festivities got underway with a group that jumped off trampolines and made high-flying dunks. There was so much going on, I forgot their name, and I apologize. At that point, the little guy was ready to go home and see Mommy. “The game hasn’t even started yet,“ I told him. He was perturbed. So much had happened already, I guess he forgot why we were there to begin with.

The pregame introductions were explosive and he got a kick out of that. He couldn’t care less about the game action, but he liked the fact that he could scream and yell when the Bobcats scored.

After being pelted continuously by the “can we go yet” cry from my son, I finally gave in and we made our way to the car. He fell asleep before we even got out of Uptown Charlotte.

Even though I didn’t get to watch much of the game, it was worth it to be there for the first game with him. From meeting Matt Devlin to seeing the game for the first time in the new house, it’s something I’ll never forget.

October 31, 2005

Bobcats Fans Going Global

When the Bobcats tip off this Wednesday in Chicago, fans all over the globe will be watching and listening intently. Sometimes that’s just a clichéd term PR people use to pump up the magnitude of their event, but in our case, it’s actually true.

At BobcatsFans.com, we have fans participating from all around the nation and several different countries around the world.

But what draws fans from around the globe to the Bobcats?

Two of the administrators of our site, Dan and Rich, live in opposite ends of the country.

Dan lives in Lakeland, Florida and is a huge Panthers and Bobcats fan. Although he’s never lived in the Charlotte area, Dan visits family here frequently and has been to the area several times on business trips. He proudly sports his Bobcats gear around Lakeland, often drawing awkward stares. Like many fans, Dan wanted to get in on the ground level with the Bobcats and watch the team blossom from the beginning.

Rich lives in Forks Twp., Pennsylvania, and will be traveling down to Charlotte this week to see the season opener against Boston.

“I followed the Hornets till they left,” Rich wrote on our message board. “Then I supported the idea of an expansion team for Charlotte and helped pursue the idea of this website with Brad to show the fans support for an expansion team with and help develop a growing new fan base.”

Rich watches the Bobcats games on NBA League Pass, but some fans aren’t that lucky – like Joel in Melbourne, Australia; Justin in Shanghai, China; and Thomas in Coventry, England.

Joel is about the same age as I am. He follows the games through our site, NBA.com and listens to the games by streaming them live over the Internet.

“I had always been a basketball fan but never followed a specific team,” wrote Joel. “When I heard that there would be a new franchise and it would be based in Charlotte, I thought it would be a good opportunity to align myself with a team and give them my 100 percent support. I also visited the area in 2003 when I was in North Carolina and fell in love with the place.”

One of our late night posters - or daytime posters depending on what continent you are in - is Justin, a 16-year-old Bobcats fanatic in Shanghai, China. Although Justin was born and lived in Florence, SC for the first 12 years of his life, he hasn’t let the fact that he lives in China deter him from following the Bobcats.

“I just started following basketball the year that the Hornets left (also when I was in China already) and was sad that I had no hometown team to support,” Justin wrote. “When the Charlotte Bobcats team was formed, I immediately became an avid fan. The Bobcats represent more than just Charlotte. They represent the Carolinas, and I think they have done an excellent job.”

For a guy like Justin, getting NBA coverage is a tough task.

“I can only really follow the Bobcats through the Internet,” Justin admits. “I am a extreme statistics person (since that is all I could follow). I enjoy the few highlight reels every now and then that I find on NBA.com or on ESPN. Every piece of information that I find about the Bobcats on the web is gobbled up in mere seconds. Currently my favorite player on the team is Raymond Felton. It is sad that I couldn't watch him play in real life. From the articles that I have read on him, he played some high school ball in a tournament at Francis Marion University...a mere 20 minutes away from where I used to live. I'm hoping that he becomes great because that would really feel nice and he would be a true hometown favorite for me.”

What is surprising is that the Bobcats have an avid fan in England as well, where soccer (football), rugby and cricket are all bigger draws than basketball. Yet Thomas, a 16-year-old Englishman, ranks the Bobcats as one of his favorite professional teams.

“I supported the Hornets until they left Charlotte,” wrote Thomas. “I thought they were an awesome team and loved the players and the jerseys. I never wanted to support the best team in the league when I first started watching the NBA, and the Hornets were an above average team, so I followed them. I hated how the organization left, so my support fell. When I learned of a Charlotte expansion, months before they selected Okafor, my support began again.”

Like his other foreign brethren, Thomas follows the Bobcats and the NBA via the Internet, although he does get some TV coverage from time to time.

“Mainly though the Internet, its the only way,” Thomas explains. “Go on NBA.com and this site (BobcatsFans.com) for community talk about the Bobcats. Also, I get to watch some games on TV, but not many. My favorite players are Raymond and ‘Meka.”

Just more and more examples of how the NBA truly is a global game.

October 26, 2005

Out With The Old, In With The New

I’d like to thank the bobcats for giving me the opportunity to write this column from the fans point of view. I think it is important for the fans to voice their opinions, open dialogue and learn about the team. That is why I started BobcatsFans.com, an independent, unaffiliated Fan Site of the Charlotte Bobcats. Everyone is welcome to come, voice their opinion and talk about the team. – BT

As my family and I went through the Arena on Saturday, it suddenly hit me - the Hornets are completely gone now. There is no trace of them left.

That last piece of the puzzle, the thing that made it complete, was the opening of Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Uptown Charlotte.

I think we all had bad psychological associations with what is now "the old Coliseum." That was the Hornets house.

It was the HIVE.

I’ve had a lot of good memories in that building: seeing the Hornets’ first win; seeing them beat the Bulls in that initial season; seeing the Slam Dunk competition when All-Star Weekend rolled into town; the first playoff win and the last playoff win.

But with the good comes the bad. Traffic getting out was brutal. People would leave early to get a head start so they wouldn’t have to sit in line waiting to get out of the one exit for 30-45 minutes. The environment was never very friendly, from the cold colors to the antiseptic, hospital-like way it was set up.

It had no character of it’s own. Every section looked exactly the same, inside and out. You could walk around and around and around and see the same things over and over and over again. It wasn’t very inviting at all.

I don’t know about you, but when I was in the Coliseum, it was easy to get lost as you circled around looking for either a bathroom or a concession stand that didn’t have a long line. Everything looked the same, and there were no visual markers other than the huge numbers.

We won’t have that problem ever again.

Now, not only are there more choices for concessions, you get more of a variety of things to eat. Each stand has its own theme, which also lends to the visual cues of where you are sitting.

Remember that dim scoreboard in the old Coliseum? The first thing you see when you enter the seating bowl is how BIG and BRIGHT the scoreboard is. It’s truly one of the coolest technological things I’ve ever seen.

The next thing you notice is how close you are to the court, even in the "nosebleeds." I went to the top corner of the arena and sat down to take in the view. You truly do get more for your money in this arena as opposed to the old coliseum.

If you are the guy that sits back and says, "All I can afford is the $10 tickets, why bother going," you need to see for yourself why the $10 ticket is the biggest pro-sports bargain in this city.

The mural is long painted over. The team is long gone and the former stars traded away or retired. The building they played in will quickly become just a memory.

It’s time to make new ones at Charlotte Bobcats Arena as you watch the Bobcats blossom into one of the NBA’s best.