Oklahoma City is still near the asshole of America (which is, of course, Arkansas)

Remember when the city of New Orleans was beset by a couple of thunderstorms, tornadoes, floodings, and some high winds that all hit the city at the same time and endured for about a day or so?

You might not.

Anyway, the city's professional basketball team used the event to fly the coop to Oklahoma City, albeit only temporarily. But, then, an amazing thing happened: the team's attendance sky-rocketed and talk began of moving a team there permanently.

But New Orleans and the state of Louisiana made some sizable financial guarantees to both the basketball Hornets and the football Saints, and both teams committed to staying in the rebuilt metropolis for at least the short-term.

So then a group from Oklahoma City went out and bought the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics, and rumors began to swirl that unless the Sonics got a new arena in Seattle, the squad was Oklahoma City bound.

It kind of reminds me of when the owner of the Hartford Whalers of the NHL rattled his sabres and held that city hostage for a new arena. When it didn't happen, the team moved to the hockey hotbed of North Carolina (North Carolina!). NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman endorsed the move, saying that the NHL needed to have teams in competitive markets, thus insinuating that the Raleigh-Durham market was somehow potentially more lucrative than Hartford -- the insurance capital of the world and a de facto suburb of New York City. Whatever.

But moving a basketball team from Seattle to Oklahoma City? Seriously? Have you seen this picture from last night?

Unless thousands of Oklahoma City basketball enthusiasts came to the game dressed as empty seats, it looks as though the novelty has worn off. Or the shine is off that apple. Or the honeymoon is over.

Think again, Oklahoma City.