June 20, 2007

Greetings, Hornets fans. The Hornets are back in New Orleans full-time, so it’s time to “Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!” (For those unfamiliar with the French language or New Orleans tradition, that translates to “Buy Tickets Now to See the Best Young Team in the League Finally Play as a Healthy Unit and Challenge the Big Dogs in the Western Conference!”).

In the last month, Hornet Henry has heard enough arguments and counter-arguments regarding this unfortunate incident to last a lifetime. He thinks Hornets fans can all agree on one thing, though: Our mutual distaste for the Spurs.

Sure, I’m just a lowly, unofficial fan blogger, but I assert that the process of LLBTR needs to officially begin on Thursday, June 28, at the Hornets’ annual draft party in New Orleans Arena. I can’t wait to see who the Hornets add to the roster with the No. 13 overall pick.

Without any further delay, I present the Top 13 Reasons why Hornets aficionados like you and me should attend the draft-party extravaganza and LLBTR:

13. Free parking at the Superdome.
You won’t pay a red cent to park your customized teal and gold-painted vehicle on draft night.

12. A chance to talk Hornets Basketball with other diehard fans.
I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve heard plenty lately about Kobe’s trade demands, Billy Donovan’s House of Waffles and whether NBA players should be suspended for leaving the bench after one of their teammates gets clotheslined into the scorer’s table. It’s time to discuss more important issues, such as will Devin Brown re-sign? Is Tyson Chandler the NBA’s next great center? How will a healthy Peja Stojakovic impact the Hornets in 2007-08?

11. The Stingers will be there.
I have to admit, Hornet Henry is no expert when it comes to hip-hop. In fact, I’m fairly certain that the last rap album I purchased was Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s 1982 classic “The Message.” Nonetheless, I’ve become arguably the numero uno Stingers fan in the United States. These high-energy kid dancers have better moves on the court than some of the Hornets’ less-coordinated opponents, even though several of the Stingers are still in elementary school.

Any chance the Stingers can work in a dance routine featuring a snappy tune from this vintage album?

10. A worthy cause.
Admission to the draft party is easy – fans can either make a $5 donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, or bring five cans of food. Hornet Henry loves to joke around, but hunger is no laughing matter. The Hornets have teamed up with one of the area’s most important organizations to help some of those who are less fortunate in Louisiana. That’s something everyone can get behind – even if you’re a closet Spurs or Mavericks fan (and if you are – stay in the closet)!

9. You’ll know why the Hornets selected the player they chose at No. 13 before anyone else.
Prior to the Hornets’ turn in the first round of the draft, Chris Paul is planning to discuss some of the options the team can choose from with the No. 13 overall pick. After CP3 breaks down the possibilities and the choice is announced on ESPN, an official from the Hornets' war room will explain the reasoning behind the selection.

8. Hugo will be there.
With his customary brand of crowd-pleasing antics, everyone’s favorite teal and gold mascot, Hugo the Hornet, promises to keep you entertained throughout the evening – even if the Knicks haven’t just made a pick!

7. Prizes galore.
The Hornets are giving away numerous goodies at this draft Shinndig, including an autographed jersey and a special invitation to the June 29 press conference that introduces the team’s first-round pick. Some of New Orleans’ finest TV sports anchors and newspaper writers will also attend that press conference. Forget about meeting the Hornets’ first-round pick… you’ll get the rare opportunity to introduce yourself to local media celebrities such as Times-Picayune beat writer Ben Hochman and Baton Rouge Advocate scribe Les East!

6. Food and beer specials.
Let me get this straight: They’re going to have $1 beer specials at the draft party and we’re only including that as the No. 6 item on this list? Remember, Hornet Henry encourages drinking responsibly and strongly advises that you should NEVER drink and drive, fans. But $1 beers? Two of those Big A$& Beers they sell on Bourbon Street could run you 20 bucks. You do the math…

5. A chance to prove your NBA Draft expertise.
OK, so you often think of yourself as the NBA version of Mel Kiper Jr. You’ve been spending at least three-fourths of your workdays reading online mock drafts and breaking down videotape of some of the top NCAA prospects. Well, the Hornets are going to give you a shot at confirming your basketball scouting brilliance with a “Pick 6” contest. Fans who correctly predict the exact order of the top six picks on draft night will win an exciting prize – and more importantly, show that all of that company time hasn’t been wasted.

4. Another chance to show New Orleans is back.
OK, so much of America didn’t think pro sports could succeed in post-Katrina New Orleans. The Saints emphatically proved that line of thinking to be false. Now they’re saying the Big Easy can’t support TWO pro teams. Let’s pack New Orleans Arena on draft night and show that the enthusiasm for the return of the Hornets is far greater than the skeptics would ever imagine. Let’s make the draft party one of the first steps in making the Hornets’ full-time return to Louisiana one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history!

3. The Honeybees will be there.
I’ll keep this brief in order to keep Mrs. Hornet Henry off my case. The Honeybees are the NBA’s premier dance team. They’re going to entertain fans during the draft bash on June 28. If you don’t attend, you won’t get to see it.

2. Season tickets at a 50 percent discount.
When I heard about this special offer on season tickets, I immediately called the Hornets’ ticket office to confirm that it wasn’t a misprint and/or that I wasn’t delusional. I can’t imagine any other team in sports is offering this kind of discount on season tickets. Here’s the deal: By attending the draft party, you will be able to purchase season tickets in select areas of the lower level of New Orleans Arena at half-price! I haven’t seen this big of a steal in the NBA since Larry Bird’s famous pickoff of an Isiah Thomas inbounds pass during the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. Great seats, at 50 percent off the listed price, but the offer is only valid at the draft party.

And the number 1 reason to attend the Hornets Draft Party… Chris Paul will be there.
When was the last time we saw CP3 in a basketball arena? April 18. By my calculations, that means Hornets fans like you and I have now been forced to trudge through two consecutive Chris Paul-less months. Talk about withdrawal! Let’s be honest, that’s two months too many. Sure, Stuart Scott’s favorite dry-cleaning gopher/Rookie of the Year won’t be showing off any new crossover-dribble moves or making any sweet no-look passes on June 28, but that’s a minor quibble. Just his presence in New Orleans Arena alone will bring a smile to your face and raise your excitement for the 2007-08 season to a new level.