Random acts of Thunder

May 8th, 2013

Our Blue Alliance captains and members have done an outstanding job spreading Thunder pride across our state. They truly have built a community, both within each chapter and among all the members, and we’re very proud of what they’ve done to reinforce the Thunder philosophy of “Team Is One.”

A great example came last night through a story we heard from Matthew Goeringer, the Clinton Blue Alliance captain, about one of his members’ act of generosity.

Through a work connection, Tasha Ball wound up with four tickets to last night’s Game 2 against Memphis. These weren’t just any tickets, though – these were floor seats, just off of center court.

Trying to find a few folks willing to join her in OKC that night, an excited Tasha called several friends throughout the day – including Matthew, who, having had a chance to sit in those seats once before, selflessly declined in order to give someone else the opportunity to experience a game from that vantage.

Tasha found one friend to come to the game with her, but didn’t have any takers on the remaining pair. Rather than trying to sell them, she decided to pass along the spirit of generosity that left her with the tickets in the first place.

On Tuesday night, the Kia Thunder Rewards Zone was buzzing, with it being both the Playoffs and a beautiful evening. More than 600 fans lined up for their chance to win the final 50 pairs of tickets for the game, hoping to see the Thunder in action live.

Tasha picked out a couple of people in line for the Rewards Zone and started talking to them. She asked if they had ever been to a game before; one had, but his friend had not. She waited until the numbers were called for the Rewards Zone winners and saw that the two friends had won a pair of tickets. Tasha went back to them and asked if they’d want to trade tickets with her and get an upgrade. After determining her offer was legitimate, the two gentlemen were thrilled when they realized exactly where the seats Tasha was offering were.

But she wasn’t done yet. Taking the two Love’s Loud City tickets she had traded her extra floor seats for, Tasha flagged down two people who hadn’t won tickets in the Rewards Zone, told them they were going to be able to go to the game and handed them the remaining pair.

As Matthew wrote, “Tasha made four strangers that she’ll never seen again, very happy.”

We are so very proud to see examples like this of our fans so willingly embracing the spirit of teamwork, community and family that our organization seeks to embody.

- Karina Henderson

Thousands strong

May 7th, 2013

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After the Thunder announced that Russell Westbrook wouldn’t be able to return for the 2013 Playoffs, many of our fans wanted an opportunity to show their support for Russell during his recovery, as well as for our team during the remainder of the postseason. Among those who sought to show their love were members of our Blue Alliance, who found a way to demonstrate exactly how many people across our state are standing behind Russell and rooting for his full recovery.

What they came up with was a giant banner, set out in Love’s Thunder Alley before last week’s Game 5 against Houston, for any Thunder fan to sign. Countless fans wrote their best wishes on the banner, representing the thousands upon thousands who wanted to send their support to Russell.

You could say it’s a small symbol of the depth of our fans’ pride in our team, but the banner was actually quite large. Despite its size, there still wasn’t a spare square inch on the sign.

As we go forward through the Playoffs, we appreciate these awesome reminders of the passion our fans have for this team.

- Karina Henderson

Thunder Merchandise Truck

May 6th, 2013

merchtrailerWe know that your excitement for the Thunder is already high – but we also know that it somehow finds a way to grow as the Playoffs go on. And as your excitement grows, you might need more Thunder gear to show your pride in your team every day, without having to constantly battle laundry.

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to one of our four Thunder Shop locations in OKC – we might be coming to your town instead.

Our mobile Thunder Shop is rolling around the state starting today, and it’s a great chance to stock up on official Thunder gear!

Here’s the current schedule for the merch truck:

Advanced Placement Chemistry classes at Tulsa’s East Central Senior High School are proof that Thunder fans are one smart and creative bunch. Thunder fan and chemistry teacher Jamie Holloway has found a way to combine her two favorite things by using Thunder players in her lesson plans.

I can only imagine her students’ reactions to their first assignment on the history of the periodic table of elements. To help illustrate the challenges scientists faced when organizing the elements, each student arranged the Thunder players based on height, weight, age, school or position to make their own Thunder periodic table.

Thunder periodic table

Thunder players arranged by weight

 


Holloway doesn’t stop there; she incorporates the Thunder into her lesson plans all year. Examples taken from Thunder players help her students learn about the elements, polar and non-polar bonds, how the body achieves acid and base balance, and spontaneous reactions. Students even make atom cards based on players’ jersey numbers to learn about the atomic construction of molecules and compounds by making different player combinations.

Thunder atom cards

Thunder atom cards used to help students learn the elements

The Thunder-themed lessons even inspired these budding scientists to work on a project that didn’t require protective eyewear. This wonderful piece, which they call “Kevin DurLAMP”, is made out of the paper player cutouts from their local newspaper.

"Kevin DurLAMP"

Students Sharon, Brendon and Grace showing off the “Kevin DurLAMP”

Holloway and her classes get an “A+” for finding a fun way to combine beakers and basketball. We wish the students the best of luck on their Advanced Placement Chemistry test!

-       Amy Hill

Cap, Gown, Thunder T-Shirt!

May 4th, 2013

College graduation day is one of the most special days of a young person’s life. It’s a chance to reflect on the higher education experience and, amidst the pomp and circumstance, ponder what’s ahead.

As Coby Van Loan sat through the Oklahoma State University graduation ceremony at the COX Convention Center Saturday morning, she wasn’t thinking about her future. She was thinking about the Thunder in the Playoffs and a chance to help drape hundreds and hundreds of seats in Devon Energy Thunder blue t-shirts for Sunday’s Round 2 Game 1 vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.

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As a member of the Thunder’s Event Crew, Coby has done the t-shirt mission before. But this time, her supervisor didn’t schedule her to help because it was graduation day.

“I was in the ceremony and I decided I really wanted to go. So I texted her in the middle of the ceremony instead of listening to the speaker. I just really wanted to be here, I didn’t want it miss it,” Coby said. So she shed the cap and gown in favor of a Thunder shirt and went to work with dozens of volunteers to create the sea of blue for Thunder fans, players, coaches and the national ABC television audience.

“I’m not from Oklahoma so I didn’t really understand how excited everyone was about the Thunder until I got here and got to see everything. The organization is so built around the community of it. It’s just a really cool event to come and do, especially with all the volunteers. Everyone is really excited.”

Thanks Coby! Congratulations and good luck!

-Dan Mahoney

Together, indeed

May 1st, 2013

The message on the T-shirts that filled each of the 18,203 seats in Chesapeake Energy Arena for Game 1 of the 2013 Playoffs may have been a little bittersweet for one of the wonderful volunteers who was helping put them out before the game.20130501-143125.jpg

“Together” is a word that usually describes Suzie, pictured at right, and her friend Janet – but not on that day.

Suzie and Janet have been through nearly a lifetime together. They worked together at the Social Security Administration in OKC for 40 years. They go to church together at Forest Hill Christian, a church which has sent a loyal group of volunteers to help T-shirt the arena every year the Thunder has been in the postseason.

They went through the Murrah bombing together in 1995. And they were almost together in their fight against cancer.

Suzie is a recent cancer survivor, and the only reason Janet wasn’t there with her before Game 1 was that she had just started chemotherapy for her own cancer.

Even without her friend by her side, Suzie still describes the time spent volunteering to help prepare the arena as “fellowship time.” She and many of the church members who regularly join in the efforts see helping the Thunder as helping the community, giving back to a team that she says gives so much to our city.

Both Suzie and Janet are retired, and they want to spend their retirement time giving back and helping others. As she put it, “It gets you out of yourself.”

The group from Forest Hill is back today, laying out T-shirts and doing their part to help the Thunder and its fans prepare for Game 5. Just like our team on the court, they’ll rely on teamwork and togetherness to accomplish their goal. But unlike the players, this group will be done with their task for the day before tipoff.

- Karina Henderson

 

This Girl Feels the Thunder

April 30th, 2013

The Internet is a wonderful place for people to share their unique talents. While I was looking for some uniquely talented Thunder fans recently, I stumbled across this video posted to YouTube by a girl who calls herself Alexey Drummer.

Alexey is a 10-year-old straight-A student from Las Vegas. She has been playing drums for three years and has already made quite a name for herself. Six months after she started playing, she entered the “Next Great Drummer” competition and won the beginner category; a year later, she won the intermediate category. She was also just named champion in the under-18 category for the “Hit Like a Girl 2013” contest.

We’re not the only ones who have been “Thunderstruck” by her talent. Alexey’s YouTube videos caught the attention of Eric Singer, the drummer for KISS, who is now her mentor. She has also impressed a few famous rockers like Tommy Lee, Neil Peart of Rush, Tommy Clufetos of Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper and Gene Simmons, the co-founder of KISS, whom she has met along the way.

Alexey wants to become one of the best female drummers in the world, and we think she’s on the right track.

Rock on, Alexey!

-Amy Hill

Grant Long and his college coach.

April 29th, 2013

You watch Grant Long offer his analysis on Thunder game broadcasts on FOX Sports Oklahoma, and you probably know that he played 15 seasons in the NBA. While in Houston, we ran into Grant’s college coach at Eastern Michigan University, Ben Bauer.  We talked to Coach Bauer and learned more about Grant’s playing days at EMU.

Bauer is now head coach at Rice University.

-Dan Mahoney

Rumble’s morning

April 28th, 2013

The team is on the road, but Rumble always finds a good crowd he can entertain. This morning he joined the kids’ race at the OKC Memorial Marathon and helped the kiddos warm up – even stretching their vocal cords.

It’s a testament to the talents of our furry friend that he can lead a chant without being able to yell … Good luck to all the kids running this morning, and congrats to all the grown-ups who took part in this outstanding tradition!

- Karina Henderson

#WeAreThunder For the Love of a Flag

April 27th, 2013

Losing something we love can always be tough. Six-year old Addison Ransom and her four-year old sister Joslin spared no tears when their prized Homeland/Thunder flag flew off their mom’s car. Mom Ashley captured the reaction on tape and shared it with the world via YouTube.

The Thunder saw it and we dispatched Thunder Girl Alexis to Norman to make all right with these little girls’ world.  Watch!

Nice to see the smiles again!

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-Dan Mahoney