From Rocks to Riches

This is the story of how Chris Webber changed my life.

When your team is terrible, it is still pretty easy to root for them if you live in the local market. That's how I felt when I was growing up in Sacramento. Even if the Kings lost, you could still watch every game and have all of your friends feel your pain.

But when I moved away when I was 9, all that changed. First, there were no Kings games on TV. Not only that, most of the time, because of the late starting times of the games, I wouldn't be able to read the box score in the paper the next morning (this is pre-reliable internet). The only time the Kings were EVER on TV, was when the Kings played the Sonics in the 1995-1996 season playoffs. I didn't see a Kings games for two straight seasons.

Plus, I had no support at school. Not just among my friends, but teachers too. My gym teacher actually used to make fun of me for being a Kings fan.

Then it all changed. I remember the day vividly. I was in the schoolyard during recess and this kid in my class came up to me asking how I felt about the Richmond-Webber trade. I flipped out. In a bad way. Mitch Richmond was the only thing the Kings had. Remember when he won the All-Star game MVP? That was like the Kings highlight of the mid-90s.

But of course, we were going nowhere. As troubled as Webber was, at least it was change. Now I can go on forever on how much the Richmond-Webber trade transformed the Kings and the attitude of the basketball world towards them.

But without that trade, I probably wouldn't have started this blog. The Kings wouldn't have ever been on television (when was the last time the Hawks were on ABC), and it would have been tougher and tougher to stick with the Kings living on the East Coast.

I can't think of anyone else who deserves to have their number retired more than C-Webb. It's sad that he never won us a championship, but really, who cares? As great as it would have been, Webber made us relevant. And that is all I can really ask for.