3/24/08 Box Score: Sonics 97 Blazers 84
Posted on Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 9:27 pm by Big Chris
Maybe SOS needs to host more get togethers! I’m totally giving this win to the fans, especially those who chanted “Save our Sonics!” While I enjoy the new brand of Blazers, it sure is nice to beat them.
What’s the over/under on numbers of beers imbibed by the SOS crew tonight?
Damien Wilkins had a solid game with 20 points, reminding teams around the league that he might be a good fit there. Kevin Durant led the Sonics with 23 points on 9 of 13 shooting, plus 9 rebounds. All five Sonics starters in double figures scoring. Luke Ridnour had points 15 and 9 assists. Nick Collison added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Johan Petro chipped in 10 points.
(37-34)
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(17-54)
| Portland | |||||||||||||||
| Starters | Min | FG | 3Pt | FT | +/- | Off | Reb | Ast | TO | Stl | BS | BA | PF | Pts | |
| G | 39:59 | 5-17 | 0-2 | 1-2 | -11 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | |
| S. Blake | G | 36:39 | 3-8 | 1-5 | 0-0 | -12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| J. Przybilla | C | 34:51 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 1-2 | -15 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| M. Webster | F | 33:39 | 8-20 | 5-9 | 1-1 | -10 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 22 |
| L. Aldridge | F | 22:34 | 5-13 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Bench | Min | FG | 3Pt | FT | +/- | Off | Reb | Ast | TO | Stl | BS | BA | PF | Pts | |
| T. Outlaw | 21:07 | 5-12 | 0-0 | 3-4 | -9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 13 | |
| J. Jack | 19:22 | 2-6 | 1-1 | 5-5 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| C. Frye | 17:27 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| J. Jones | 14:21 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| R. LaFrentz | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| S. Rodriguez | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| V. Wafer | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 33-86 | 7-17 | 11-14 | 8 | 35 | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 84 | |||
| Percentages: | .384 | .412 | .786 | Team Rebounds: 15 |
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| Seattle | |||||||||||||||
| Starters | Min | FG | 3Pt | FT | +/- | Off | Reb | Ast | TO | Stl | BS | BA | PF | Pts | |
| L. Ridnour | G | 43:30 | 6-12 | 0-2 | 3-4 | +12 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| K. Durant | G | 38:45 | 9-13 | 1-2 | 4-5 | +13 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 23 |
| J. Petro | C | 25:57 | 4-9 | 0-0 | 2-3 | +6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| J. Green | F | 41:39 | 5-17 | 2-4 | 4-4 | +13 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| N. Collison | F | 38:15 | 6-8 | 0-0 | 1-4 | +15 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| Bench | Min | FG | 3Pt | FT | +/- | Off | Reb | Ast | TO | Stl | BS | BA | PF | Pts | |
| D. Wilkins | 30:29 | 7-11 | 3-3 | 3-4 | +7 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 20 | |
| F. Elson | 16:41 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| E. Gill | 4:30 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| A. Griffin | 0:11 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D. Marshall | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| M. Sene | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| E. Watson | DNP - Coach’s Decision | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 37-74 | 6-12 | 17-24 | 7 | 41 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 97 | |||
| Percentages: | .500 | .500 | .708 | Team Rebounds: 9 |
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| Game Info | |
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Technical Fouls: None |
Arena: Key Arena, Seattle, WA |
Legend
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March 24th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
KD is really showing us his true colors now. can’t wait to see what he can do when he has bigger muscels than me or a ninth grader.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
AK1984, what do you have to say about the “volume shooter” this month? Is he still single-handedly destroying the team?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
SOS story on KONG news
March 24th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
My voice is gone. That was awesome.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
That was the most fun I’ve had at a Sonics game this year. Shall we do it again 4/13 vs Dallas? Last home game of the year.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
That was awesome. Great job everybody!
March 24th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
You guys ROCK!!
Let’s do it again!
March 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
The SOS group was awesome tonight. I was sitting up in my season tickets up in the nosebleeds but we had a group of 20 kids sitting next to us and got them screaming Save Our Sonics. The SOS chants made the ESPN story
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280324025
March 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Game was awesome. I had such a great time, even got something from the Sonics blimp! Nice to meet some of you out there, totally agree we should do this again for another game. On the way home, both Collison and Durant commented on how loud we were. Durant said we were so loud we almost messed him up on free throws, and Collison said it was nice to see fans cared about them. Congrats to us!
March 24th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Stern hates how Seattle loves the NBA and the history the Sonics have made.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/photos?photoId=1882468&gameId=280324025
March 24th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Yeah, I remember that bald-headed cop. He was staring at me the whole game.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/moore/356322_moore25.html
March 24th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Oh god, that was the greatest thing ever. Seeing the dance team join in with the clapping was amazing.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I was at the game tonight in the upper bowl - I want to give all you folks in the black T-Shirts in the corner of the lower bowl props for a GREAT job!
Everyone should read the ESPN game recap - the first half is all about the SOS effort & very positive.
I can’t be at the Last game of the season against Dallas but I’d recommend an all-out effort to pack the Key arena. Even without the game on National TV it will be a National Story-Line on that night…….. “Will this be the final NBA game in Seattle?”. With the BOG meeting a few days away the national sports media will be watching.
If Sonics fans can sell-out the KEY for that game & bring signs & loud voices I think the dynamics of the evening could be great.
My estimate is the KEY was about 35% full tonight. The attendance was LOW. Tons of empty seats. Understandable - Monday night at the end of a brutal season & long losing streak Etc.. But you guys got the crowd into it and if we could sell-out the KEY for the final game I think it could become a strong & positive story to put just a bit more pressure on the NBA owners & get just a bit more support from national media & maybe even local citizens to the SOS effort.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
JJ, I completely agree that the last game against Dallas would be a great opportunity for another SOS demonstration. When i bought the 50 ticket package for tonight’s game, my ticket rep said the same package was available for the 4/13 game vs Dallas. I’ll check with him tomorrow to see if it’s still possible to get 50 or 100 tix to that game.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Quick ideas on how to pack the Key for the final home game of the year…..
I really believe a sell-out and awesome eveving can happen - this is totally doable with the energy & efforts of just the people on this web site getting it in motion.
1. Word of mouth by everyone on this site - encourage your friends to get tickets & come!
2. SOS fans call KJR and mention this effort during airtime when calling in. Try to get KJR hosts to mention this occassionally. E-Mail them & ask them for this help.
3. Send notes to all the main Seattle area NBA newspaper writers and tell them this grass-roots effort is happening to try & use the Final game as a type of “SOS Rally” game. The vision is simply to pack the key and let our voices say … “SOS”. Send note to all the main local TV stations sports news departments telling them this is a story worth mentioning.
4. Make some simply flyers and take them to other Sonics home games in the coming weeks - hand them out as people enter/leave the KEY arena. The Flyer can simply encouraging people to get tickets and come to the last home game of the season. Anyone can do this on their own - just take the initiative. Post the flyers in sports bars, resteraunts, lunch rooms - anywhere.
If the fans on this web site Do these 4 things starting soon and I really believe the Key will be a sell-out and it will be a big-time moment in Sonic history.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Go for it Sam K!
March 24th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I agree EJ. Let’s do this again for the final game. Let’s end the season with a powerful statement just like tonight.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
If somebody is going to get a package for the season finale, i am in.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
1. Spread the word to get tickets & come to the 4/13 game & scream SOS
2. Call KJR & voice this vision on the radio
3. Make some flyers and hand them out to people if you go to any other Sonics games prior to the Dallas game. Anyone can do this.
4. Send an e-mail to Steve Kelly & Percy A. & Jayda of the Times & other Seattle NBA writers saying Sonics fans are working to pack the KEY for the final game.
If we (The regular people who post on sonicscentral) do these 4 things the spark will be lit, the momentuem will build and the KEY will be full for the final game.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Think about it….
TONIGHT: the KEY was 35% full - near the end of a season - and there was a special energy in the building because of the awesome fans in the black shirts in the lower bowl.
Now think about April 13 & exaggerate - multiply that by A LOT…
April 13: The place is packed - the synergy & energy will be unique and dynamic. Remember most of the fans in the house on April 13 will likley have bought a ticket specifically to be present at potentially the final Sonics game ever and to voice their support for SOS. Everyone knows that the NBA BOG will be voting in a few days about whether or not the Sonics will be hi-jacked to OKC? People will likley have been hearing Stern whine about Seattle’s lack of support blah blah blah… People are ticked. Seattle radio & news will likely be talking about this game much more that any game this year in the days leading up to it.
The place will be ballistic - Everyone who attends will look back on it as one of their greatest memories as a sports fan.
I can totally see it… Serioulsy…We just need a bunch of us from this web site to put some energy into this doing the above 4 things & this will be a great event.
Some will say…. It won’t make any difference….. Hey - we’ll never know but the team is on the line - this is something we CAN do -and it Might help - so let’s go for it!
March 24th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
I had 5 beers before the ‘free beer’ time started. Then I had 3 beers (But it was miller)
It was definately a zoo, and I thought the Arena went in well, I would love to hear some audio, because the rest of the key was definately getting involved.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Nice on the ESPN (AP) article, we were the lead into the game story.
Love it.
Great job everyone!
March 24th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Let’s get that ticket package started! I want 4!
March 24th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
What is this about?
A more “radical” protest is planned for the April 6 game against Denver in which Save Our Sonics will encourage everyone to leave KeyArena after the third quarter.
Do we have something else planned? or is Jim Moore misinformed?
March 24th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
What would us leaving the Key even prove? We’re not going to abandon the Sonics… that would be counterproductive…
March 24th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I agree, no point in leaving the Key. This is not a part of SOS plans to my knowledge.
I have to check my finances after this one. A good part of your free beer was covered by the airplane banner donators (SHOUT OUT TO THEM!!); Griff and I will cover the rest. There are other charges due to PayPal.
Give me a day or so to check this out. Then I will likely be on board for another game.
We now have all yer email addresses! Yes! One thing we should do is create a private Yahoo message group (email sucks for this kind of thing).
OR - we could keep the whole thing public and just decide right now not to do anything illegal or anything that Key Security would not approve.
Just saw us on Kiro and King5. You fans are awesome!!
I’d like to give a special shout out to Griff, Eric E, Denise and Silvervan for creating the HUGE signs. That kind of thing takes a lot of time and effort, so PROPS TO YOU GUYS!
PS - I’m not sure but leaving the game it appeared we are missing one huge sign. If anyone has the sign, please let us know.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I will not do anything illegal or anything to incur the wrath of the “heightened security”.
That would be dumb.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:01 am
The key was not 35% percent full. I would say around 50%. The attendance was 11,292, but assuming 2-3000 people didn’t come (they count promotional giveaway tickets even if no one actually comes)…thats around half full. it just looked like 35%.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:05 am
I think the positive focus should be…
1. Get a Sell-Out for April 13
2. Plan to cheer SOS during all Dallas FT attempts during this game and any other time it seem to feel right. Get people on their feet for this as much as possible
If these 2 things could happen we have a big success IMO. This will for sure make some positive media attention (Local & National) & just put a bit more pressure on everyone involved to know that Sonic fans have passion & have not given up.
We want to make Stern & Clay sound like idiots when they say Seattle does not support the NBA/Sonics. This effort on April 13 will help.
There may another creative idea to do something positive on April 13 - That is worth considering - but IMO the main focus now simply needs to be on getting a sell-out.
If that happens I think the synergy of the event will be so unique it will be historic and the evening will be a fanastic multiplcation of what happened tonight. Everyone will be glad they came to this game.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:08 am
ME….
You may be right and I understand how the attendance #’s posted work etc…. but as I looked around from the upper bowl IMO the Key was no more than 35% full tonight. But either way… imajine what a packed house would be like on April 13!
March 25th, 2008 at 12:16 am
That Dallas game on 4/13 could be interesting- Dallas is only 1.5 games up on Denver, and Nowitski could be out for a while. This game may decide the 8th playoff spot.
Generally, I’m against anything that would disrupt the game, But… Imagine if at the end of the 3rd quarter, the Sonics are up by 5 (with Dirk out it could happen), and 100 fans walk out & take a seat on the court. (likley more would follow)
Just think how bad Stern & Bennett would look if something like that happened in such a critical game. Would they have Seattle forfiet? The games meaningless to Seattle. What a way to have the final playoff spot decided.
Something worth thinking about. May depend upon the standings at that point.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Maybe we should get this guy next year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IRg1n1jTo4
March 25th, 2008 at 12:31 am
A suggestion to walk out of the arena or sit on the court during the game is counterproductive. Filling the arena with supportive fans and an energy brought back from the 96 Finals is how to best represent the Sonics, imho.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I was there in my normal seats and to me it seemed like most of the chanting ended up happening during the in game entertainment when they were blasting music. In my section of the second level I’d say maybe 4 of the chants were audible and those were all in the second half (which were the only times the rest of the Key really followed). Not being a party pooper just info for future planning.
I know the sound is way different from upper to lower bowl. There are many times up there when I have to plug my ears the music is so loud and the few times I sat below this year I was surprised how little music I could hear.
In the end, as long as the reporter dude thought it was all-on 100% of the time thats all that matters.
The presence of Clay was there too. THOUSANDS of times people have brought signs and they put a camera on them and got them on the big screen but they didn’t show one of the SOS signs ONCE. Also, in normal situations Squatch would have been over there with you guys a few times but not once tonight. Both orders from above I assume. At least the dunking ushers pointed you out
Speaking of things on the big screen a thousand times (too many), why is Big Lo not involved in any SOS type stuff? He is like the face of Seattle fandom apparently.
Talked to my usher (yes, I know they are reliable sources) and he told me he heard through the backroom grapevine that the city is going to bail and take a buyout. Anyone heard this?
March 25th, 2008 at 12:49 am
The city is not taking a buyout. I can tell you it is wishful thinking on the part of ownership.
I spoke with Jim Moore for a long time and made no mention of a walkout. To the best of my knowledge nobody did. I’m not inerested in that difficult of a battle. At this time it is not in the plans in any way. It is just too hard to motivate people to do things.
I think the NBA looks silly with the heightened security.
They hit us with the extra loud music second half in a pretty blatant attempt to silence. Overall I thought it went really well. Most importantly it was a fun game. I just like reading the players comments and understanding that they feel the energy and are pulling for us.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:16 am
Guys…. GOOD WORK as always.
Wish I could’ve been there but
YOu know I am in for the April 13th game.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:51 am
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004303895_sonifans250.html
March 25th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Yeah, you could tell how our section was being avoided. I did see one tiny sign SOS on the big screen, but then the camera man tried to cover it up by panning the camera so that you couldn’t see the sign. Definitely Clay Clay’s orders.
Overall, I had a great time. Great game, great atmosphere, and GREAT fans.
March 25th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I really don’t like the idea of a walk out during a game. An idea I had for the 4/13 game would be to try to get as many people as we can to just refuse to leave their seats after the game is over. Even if we got 1,000 people to do it for 15 minutes, add in a SOS chant and that could be a pretty cool thing. That would send the message that even though the games are over, we’re still gonna fight to keep the team until the last second, instead of everyone walking out on them.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Good idea Scott H. I think a good way to do that is to have volunteers in the parking lot handing out flyers with instructions on what’s going down after that game. As volunteers are handing them out, they can say “save our Sonics” so people won’t think it’s some kind of shameless club promotion.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
It’s been an up and down year for Kevin Durant. But he’s be amazingly efficient as of late and has shot over 50% this month! Thus raising his FG% to 42%. Pretty good for “just another forward” in his rookie year playing on a bum ankle for the majority of the season.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I was in my season tickets across from the sos group. It sounded great and we got people around us to chant but it was way off from the main group. If we do it again we need to coordinate with small groups on either side so we chant as one. Sounded great though..Awesome job.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
One more thing..is it just me or does it seem like last night and all year, that everytime we chanted they turned the music up louder???
March 25th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I sat in the upper bowl in my normal seat with my SOS black on. I got looks from all the security people as I entered the arena late. My son’s fourth birthday party went way over. It seemed during the early chants that the arena music was being turned up to drown out the chants. I could barely here them.
Starting them during the free throws worked a lot better.
A number of players clearly took note of the signs when they first went up. I swore that their play also picked up when the chants got louder and their quotes today seemed to back up that feeling.
Great job everyone on being so classy. I hope the Sonics organization is embarassed at their needless over reaction. In the break between the third and fourth quarter there were up to 6 blue and black uniformed officers at each entry to the court.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I’ve already got my ticket for 4/13, but I’m definitely down with anything organized for the game.
Last night was a blast. I definitely noticed the louder music, and I also noticed that the dance team only came out once in the first half. Made me wonder.
I also caught one of the extra police clapping along with our chanting
March 25th, 2008 at 11:08 am
“I also caught one of the extra police clapping along with our chanting.”
One of the extra police officers there plays basketball with me three times a week. We both got a good laugh at his being paid overtime to be there.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:14 am
My brother was one of the Seattle police officers working the game last night and he was chanting SOS along with us. His boss told him to knock it off but he kept right on doing it.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:53 am
“AK1984, what do you have to say about the “volume shooter” this month? Is he still single-handedly destroying the team? ” {Sam K}
Kevin Durant has quit chucking three-pointers like a maniac, which has helped improve his field-goal percentage and true shooting percentage. Defensively, however, Durant is still hurting the team in a major way (Net Points Allowed Per 100 Possessions: +8.6 & Net eFG% Allowed: +4.8%).
Until Durant manages to somehow improve his defensive metrics — which’ll be a nearly impossible task due to his mediocre athleticism, scrawny frame, and questionable effort on that end of the court — he’s not the type of player who can lead a team to championship glory.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hey I am in Dallas and could not make the game last night, but I watched it on NBA League Pass and it sounded AWESOME! I was almost in tears! I caught myself chanting from my couch a couple of times. I am SO THERE on the 13th. SOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 25th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hey I am in Dallas and could not make the game last night, but I watched it on NBA League Pass and it sounded AWESOME! I was almost in tears! I caught myself chanting from my couch a couple of times. I am SO THERE on the 13th. SOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Scott H Says:
March 25th, 2008 at 11:14 am
“My brother was one of the Seattle police officers working the game last night and he was chanting SOS along with us. His boss told him to knock it off but he kept right on doing it. ”
F’ing AWESOME!
March 25th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
AK…in my opinion any defensive analysis of an individual player with current NBA tracked statistics is virtually worthless. They don’t track enough individual defensive metrics leaving all the formulas out there heavily dependant on team statistics.
What this means is that a mediocre defensive player on a great defensive team looks significantly better than a mediocre defensive player on a poor defensive team.
You can look at Durant’s defensive numbers within the context of the team (is he better or worse than other players on the team) but once you expand the context to other teams, the value of the data drops off greatly.
While this is merely my opinion, it is one which I feel confident is shared by most of the basketball statistical analyst community, and often discussed in the APBRMetrics site.
Subjectively, I would say that while Durant is a better defender now than at the start of the season he is still a mediocre defender wiht some flashes of defensive strength shown where he leverages his length.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Go Supes!
March 25th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Focus on getting a sell-out.
If that happens the energy will be so real the musics drowning out just won’t be abel to stop us.
Also - specifically - they can’t play music during Free Throw attempts. For this game I’d suggest preparing people with the idea that during all Free Throw shooting everyone STANDS UP and does the SOS chant.
BR… I sure hope you are right about the city not backing down. If the extra 75 million does not come in & Ballmer backs down I think the city will end up settling. Again - that is “IF” - I think the money will in fact come together and Seattle will force the owners into a VERY tough decision - & I think they will back down & refuse Clay’s move request.
Any news on what is happening in terms of finding the final 75 million?
March 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
For the game on the 13th, there’s already a contingency of 112 people on Facebook who are willing to be arrested to try to save our sonics. I know that this is against the policy of the S.O.S group, but on some level every bit of support helps. My question to you guys: If over a hundred fresh faced college kids begin peaceful protests and getting arrested, will you really stand by idly? Or will you head past the rent a cops who seem to be fairly supportive, and walk the walk?
March 25th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Anyone else not able to log in?
March 26th, 2008 at 10:30 am
put me down for 6 at the april game!! we are there