I was at the game tonight vs the Cavs in Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Jasikevicius' debut as Warriors, and all I can say is:
Wow.
I have been attending Warriors games regularly for the past 10 years, and I have never seen an atmosphere in Oakland close to that ever. Period. The sold out crowd was going absolutely insane, and we didn't even have Baron Davis. It seriously had that playoff atmosphere. Amazing what one trade can do to an organization. Even though we lost in OT, I can see that this is a totally different franchise.
Anyways, Stephen Jackson has already won the fans over in Oakland. Before the game he came out in midcourt on the mic and thanked all the Warriors fans for giving him a warm welcome (he received a standing ovation in the pregame intros) and wished a great season to come and promised new things for Warriors fans. Later in the game, after dropping consecutive three's in the 4th in a 29 point performance, he ran to the stands and waved his arms in the air, getting the place going absolutely ballistic. Bottom line, the "problem child" of Indiana has already become the golden child of Oakland. (Ironic?)
This is what he had to say in a postgame interview: "I still have to learn all the plays and get a feel for everyone," said Jackson, who also had season highs of seven rebounds and five steals. "I could easily tell that the fans here appreciate basketball, and I'm going to give 110 percent for them."
This was the dawn of a new day for Warriors fans, who have been suffering unjustly for the last 13 years, and especially for the last 5 in the hands of Dunleavy and Murphy. The "Murphy sucks" and "Dunleavy sucks" chants were CLASSIC tonight. I know Stephen Jackson isn't the most popular man among these boards, but I seriously think OS is infamous for prioritizing athletes' off the court (or field) antics over their actual play. As long as the guy performs and continues to have a great relationship with the fans, I think the Warriors future will remain very bright.
Wow.
I have been attending Warriors games regularly for the past 10 years, and I have never seen an atmosphere in Oakland close to that ever. Period. The sold out crowd was going absolutely insane, and we didn't even have Baron Davis. It seriously had that playoff atmosphere. Amazing what one trade can do to an organization. Even though we lost in OT, I can see that this is a totally different franchise.
Anyways, Stephen Jackson has already won the fans over in Oakland. Before the game he came out in midcourt on the mic and thanked all the Warriors fans for giving him a warm welcome (he received a standing ovation in the pregame intros) and wished a great season to come and promised new things for Warriors fans. Later in the game, after dropping consecutive three's in the 4th in a 29 point performance, he ran to the stands and waved his arms in the air, getting the place going absolutely ballistic. Bottom line, the "problem child" of Indiana has already become the golden child of Oakland. (Ironic?)
This is what he had to say in a postgame interview: "I still have to learn all the plays and get a feel for everyone," said Jackson, who also had season highs of seven rebounds and five steals. "I could easily tell that the fans here appreciate basketball, and I'm going to give 110 percent for them."
This was the dawn of a new day for Warriors fans, who have been suffering unjustly for the last 13 years, and especially for the last 5 in the hands of Dunleavy and Murphy. The "Murphy sucks" and "Dunleavy sucks" chants were CLASSIC tonight. I know Stephen Jackson isn't the most popular man among these boards, but I seriously think OS is infamous for prioritizing athletes' off the court (or field) antics over their actual play. As long as the guy performs and continues to have a great relationship with the fans, I think the Warriors future will remain very bright.
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