At this point, we are well aware of how incompetent the Hornets franchise has been and this off-season looks like it may be the proverbial cherry on top. With that being said, a guy on reddit who goes by the username of u/rmarti78 may have somehow single-handily complied the most tremendous list of their screwups. 99% of this list was made by him with only 1 or 2 minor edits from us. Oh, and yes…he gave us permission to post it. So without further ado, find yourself a quiet space where no one can see you cry and read away.

• One of only 6 teams in the NBA/NFL/MLB/NHL that’s never even made a conference finals. They’re the second oldest of those 6 teams behind the Clippers.

• They’ve only drafted 4 All-Stars that went on to play for them despite being around since 1988: Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Baron Davis, and Kemba Walker. And they’ve had the most chances to draft All-Stars too: the Hornets rank #1 with the lowest average draft spot in that time.

• Then-coach Steve Clifford wanted the Hornets to draft Donovan Mitchell in 2017, but Rich Cho overruled him and drafted Malik Monk instead.

• The Hornets were seriously looking to draft Pascal Siakam in 2016, but decided to trade their pick for Marco Belinelli who spent one year with the team before being traded to Atlanta in the Dwight Howard trade.

• The Hornets were offered three first-round picks by the Celtics for the #9 pick in 2015. Michael Jordan turned the offer down to pick Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky was always in the coach’s doghouse here, his family hated Charlotte, and Kaminsky signed with Phoenix this offseason.

• After having the worst record in NBA history in 2012, the Bobcats lost out on the #1 pick which was going to be Anthony Davis. They then selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the #2 pick instead of Bradley Beal. In the same draft, they selected Jeffery Taylor with their 2nd round pick, just ahead of Draymond Green and Khris Middleton. They also reportedly turned down a trade for James Harden for that #2 overall pick.

• They did select Kemba Walker in 2011, but they also gave Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, and the pick that would turn into Tobias Harris so they could jump up and draft Bismack Biyombo. They selected Biyombo instead of the player that had been mocked to them in several mock drafts: Kawhi Leonard. They also had Klay Thompson on the board.

• The second best draft pick they’ve had since their 2004 rebirth has been Emeka Okafor.

• They haven’t won a playoff series since April 2002 when LeBron was in high school, Zion was 1 year old, The Scorpion King was #1 at the box office, Ashanti had the #1 song in America, and Hollywood Hogan was WWE Champion. The closest they’ve come to winning a series since then was the Purple Shirt Guy game when they were up 3-2 vs. the Heat and had cut a 9 point Heat lead to 2 with 1:30 left. A Hornets fan known as Purple Shirt Guy started inexplicably jawing with Dwyane Wade who proceeded to drop a quick 5 points to tie the series up. The Hornets would go on to lose Game 7 in Miami by 27 points.

• Despite letting their best player ever walk for nothing, they’re hard-capped at the moment. They’ll be hard-capped this season with a starting 5 of Terry Rozier, Cody Zeller, Nic Batum, Dwayne Bacon, and Miles Bridges. Bismack Biyombo will be making $17 million off the bench, Marvin Williams will be making $15 million off the bench, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be making $13 million off the bench. Nic Batum (who has turned into a completely worthless player) will be entering the 4th year of a 5 year deal (final year a player option) that will pay him $25.5 million. He’ll almost certainly use that player option in 2020 and will be making $27.1 million.

• Michael Jordan hasn’t given an interview where he’s discussed the Hornets in any detail (besides Kemba Walker) since 2014.

So as you bitch and complain about how your team hasn’t done anything in a long time or how you only have one All-Star and you’re disappointed you didn’t get another, remember that things could always be worse.

Stockholm syndrome is a condition which causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors as a survival strategy during captivity. These alliances result from a bond formed between captor and captives during intimate time together, but they are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims. 

Local media, national media, everyone is literally telling us how bad the Hornets have done these past couple of years and more specifically these last couple of months. We know this. They have told us we have every right to be pissed. We also know this.

They may have arrived late to the party on discussing it but well, let’s be honest, we aren’t exactly relevant… until we screw up.

We lost Kemba. But it’s not just that. We lost him because we seemingly didn’t have a plan. we lowballed the offer. In December you should’ve known the ballpark of what Kemba wanted and if you knew it was too high THEN YOU SHOULD’VE TRADED HIM. You knew he’d reject that number… So why didn’t you trade him? The all-star game? That’s the rumor and if that’s the case, you are stupid. Beyond stupid. One of the stupidest to ever operate a professional sports team. Did you think he’d take the 160? If so then you didn’t know your team and couldn’t even figure out the wants and needs of the best player you’ve had in 20 years who works under your roof. If that’s the case, you’re ignorant. There’s only two possibilities here. You are either ignorant or stupid…

Then you over pay a guy when most of the fanbase just assumes our strategy was to suck for a couple years and get the young guys some burn. He’s a solid player but it just comes across as not knowing whether or not you want to shit or get off the pot

it doesn’t help that when Mitch speaks on the topic he can’t even properly get a message across that explains his reasoning for not trading Kemba or claiming that Rozier is a “lottery pick”… whatever that means. He says things like “I’m not sure we could’ve done better a year ago” when discussing the Kemba situation. Leaving fans speculating that he didn’t try. We won’t even dive into the other quotes of him defending himself from criticism over the signing that left fans scratching their heads more than trying to figure out where the airports were during the revolutionary war.

And yes where the hell is MJ? We just lost our best player of all-time and he is nowhere to be seen. Wasn’t in Charlotte when Kemba cleared his locker, wasn’t even in the US when conversations were going on and sends us a message likely typed by his assistant that literally said nothing……….nothing actually would’ve been better.

This isn’t an article about why MJ is one of the worst owners in the league. This isn’t about how he is the constant between bad management moves from Cho to Mitch and before them. Because there really isn’t an argument that he is a good owner. We can discuss Frank to Vonleh to Dwight to this Kemba situation etc. why he’s bad and if your argument is that “we have a team” (we got two teams before he came on the scene) for him being a good owner then that’s pretty sad. I mean all he did was green light the rebrand that fans forced down his throat and took the organization kicking and screaming to the purple and teal finish line.

This is more of a discussion that FANS DESERVE TO BE ANGRY.

Here’s what leads me to the meat of all this.

While a lot of fans are expressing their anger there are still fans defending this organizations every move. No matter how dumb it looks and no matter how many mistakes we’ve watched there are those that dismiss the litany of faults as whining and complaining.

Despite losing your best player of all-time, despite being the only team in the east to have never made the Finals, despite being one of 3 teams to never make conference finals, despite not making it past the second round, despite it taking 14 seasons to win a playoff game we should just be happy we have a team…

They defended Batum for years, ignored the writing on the wall and called him a “glue guy”. They defended Kaminsky’s play and dedication to Charlotte until Kaminsky left the damn building.

They wipe Jordan of any guilt because the team makes money and they say there is no proof even though every credible source in the NBA from Woj to Lowe source him as being a major root of the disfunction. if you remember, the fans handed him the olive branch of the rebrand and gave his team a second chance.

They dismiss all listing of problems and the overwhelming issues as people complaining and I’m here to say that the fans owe this team no benefit of the doubt until they have proven and earned the fans trust. Until they compete this fanbase has every right to second guess and scrutinize every decision because if you are keeping count at home they are wrong WAYYYYY more often than they are right.

We watched what this organization did the last time the fans were apathetic and didn’t hold them accountable and I’m guessing many of these people weren’t fans yet so they don’t understand the value of holding the team’s feet to the fire.

For some reason they view fans being critical as them being disloyal and I’m here to tell you that I’d rather have a fanbase passionate enough and that care enough to complain than one that suffers from Stockholm Syndrome of this organizations tactics and sympathizes with “how hard it is to manage a team” and rationalizes this mediocrity with a “let’s just wait to see” how it plays out this time so we can discuss another bad decision in hindsight.

I want that building to be afraid of how fans will react. Not a building that measures their success on whether or not Jordan makes his money.

Designer Alexander Julian and Kelly Tripucka show off the original Hornets uni in 1988.

New scoreboard at new Charlotte Coliseum after falling to the floor in a 1988 photo taken by Jeep Hunter

Opening Night 11/9/88 Starting lineups were announced

The cover of the Charlotte Hornets 1989-90 Media Guide, A picture of the attendance championship banner for the 88-89 season.

Everybody in the NBA world, from MJ to Magic, came to Charlotte for the 1991 NBA All-Star Weekend

Hornets Draft LJ 1991

Hornets Draft Zo 1992

Larry Johnson 1992 Slam Dunk Contest

LJ, Muggsy and Mourning (The Big 3) 1993

Alonzo Mourning Scores 33 Points vs Celtics (1993 R1 G4) + Game Winner

Charlotte Hornets stars Muggsy Bogues, from left, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, a mural was painted of them on an uptown wall in 1995   

Vlade Divac and Anthony Mason lean on a fence during a 1996 SI

Glen Rice 1997 MVP NBA All-Star Game

Ric Flair before a game against the Supersonics in 1998

Master P’s short stint on the Hornets in 1999

Hornets Draft Baron Davis 1999

Bobby Phills jersey is retired

Edlen Campbell, Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason Rd. 1 Playoffs in 2000

Hugo brings out a Buck Head on a plaque at halftime of a game during the Bucks v Hornets playoff series 2001

Charlotte fans in 2002.

Hugo, shown here in 2002

David Stern (red tie) poses for a picture with BET founder Robert Johnson (M), Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory, and young children during a street party for the unveiling of the Charlotte Bobcats expansion NBA team on June 11, 2003

July 2003 ground breaking of Time Warner Cable Arena

Gerald Wallace 2004

Emeka Okafor was named the 2004-05 NBA got milk? Rookie of the Year

Rolling Stone Concert. first event in Time Warner Cable Arena 2005

president Fred Whitfield, majority owner Bob Johnson, managing partner Michael Jordan and executive vice president Bernie Bickerstaff (left-right) pose for a photo with the new head coach for the Bobcats Sam Vincent (center) at the Charlotte Bobcats arena on Friday, May 25, 2007

Charlotte Coliseum demolition in June 2007

Michael brings on Larry Brown 2008

Jordan becomes majority owner 2010

Bobcats make playoffs. Get Swept by Magic 2010

Fans begin campaign to get Hornets name back to Charlotte

Kemba picked No. 9 2011

The Bobcats win 7 games in 2011-12 season

New Orleans Hornets get #1 Draft pick, Bobcats get 2nd 2012

Jordan announced in May 2013 that the team had filed an application to the NBA to change its name to the Charlotte Hornets, beginning in the 2014-15 season.

Bobcats get swept by Miami in Playoffs (RD 1) 2013-14 season

MAY 20, 2014 – After 12 years, the Charlotte Hornets name has officially returned to the Charlotte

Kemba Walker hits 3-pointer to force overtime and OT game-winner to push Hornets past Bucks in first return of the Hornets name. 2014

Hornets win their first playoff game in 14 years but lose the series 4-3 to the Miami Heat in 2015-16 season

Kemba Walker passed Dell Curry at the top of the Hornets’ all-time scoring list. 2018

Kemba Walker becomes 3 time all-star as Charlotte hosts the 2019 NBA-All-Star week

Kemba is traded to the Celtics.

A new age of Hornets youth takes over. Contracts of veterans begin to be bought out or expire as the Hornets finally commit to rebuilding with a young core. Terry Rozier is received in the Kemba trade from Boston and Devonte Graham has a borderline all-star year filled with surprising story lines from players like Bridges, PJ Washington and Martin twins!

So these tweets came out today and the Hornets social media world flipped the F$&@ out

All this means is that Kemba can be offered more money by the Hornets and was eligible for the super max. In reality this makes it easier for the Hornets to come up with an attractive deal for Kemba that nobody can match because of bird rights. Basically we can offer him wayyyyyy more money than other teams

In my opinion OF COURSE you offer the max to Kemba but the big question is IF you have the money.

The hardest part about this is making the moves to have that money for Kemba not the convincing Kemba to stay part.

I’m not really that worried about Kemba wanting to stay as long as we have the money and at least make it seem we are at least attempting to win now.

I’m gonna keep it real with you. If you ask me would I rather see Kemba leave and win a title or would I rather see him stay and win a series… you’re damn right I’m picking watching him as a Hornet win even just a series. #Sports #Fan

At the end of the day I’m a Hornets fan. He can make more money here than anywhere else and he’d rather win here more than anywhere else. Show him the money and show him a plan.

You can win with Kemba and eventually you’re gonna have to pay someone if you want to compete. Especially in this market. This isn’t a Kemba problem as much as we have never put anything around him. So pay him if you’re ready to actually put talent around him and compete.

It’s only a waste if you give him no help. We could have any superstar in the league and it would be “a lot of money to spend to get the 12th pick” if you never put someone there to assist them.

So it’s not a question of if he’s worth it. Its if we do something to help him.

Now you have many people saying “set him free?”… why would i want to do that? We’ve had 2 teams in the finals for damn near the past 5 years, he’s more likely to have team built around him here then he is to make it to a finals somewhere else. I love him but i can’t really see you being that big of a fan if you’re saying “set him free”

All y’all asking for Kemba to leave for some noble reasoning gonna be sitting next to us at games for the next 5 years as we suck?

Cus it’s pretty easy to say he should leave when you won’t actually be the ones suffering through it and you can just tune back in the next time we get an All-Star or make the playoffs.

The future will be rough either way. I’d just much rather watch it with Kemba in a Hornets Jersey. The greatest Hornet of all time.

After 20 years in the league, at the age of 42 “the Chief” (given the nickname by former Boston teammate Cedric Maxwell, who said Parish reminded him of Chief Bromden in the movie, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”) Robert Parish was gifted a grandfather clock from the Hornets organization At halftime after breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA record for career games played after taking the court against the Bulls for his 1,560th game! He had stood the test time.

The Chief was brought in to assist Mourning in his development but Mourning was later traded. The Chief was in Charlotte from 1994-6. Even though it was short-lived he is beloved by Hornets fans to this day.

Let’s be honest. This franchise has done nothing for what looks like it’s going to be 15 seasons now. We’ve had 7 coaches in the past 10 years. The fan base threw them a raft with the rebrand begging them to show life and things are beginning to feel all too familiar again. The rebrand was never meant to be the “fix”. It was meant to be a second chance to get things right. This may be shocking to some of you but this stint has been around for just about the same amount of time as the original Charlotte Hornets franchise.

Now I’m a visual guy so let’s take a look at the progress reports lined up.

Around the 6th season the Original Hornets had established themselves, besides the 1998-99 lockout season, as a consistent mid-40 win team that you could occasionally expect to break 50 on a good year. Consistent isn’t even a word I like using in the same sentence as the “Take 2”.

Now I know it’s not exactly fair to compare the 2 of them but it is more or less showing what can be done in 14 seasons and what we have done in 14 seasons.

This is the result, in our humble opinion, of complacency. As a fan base we’ve knocked the hornets nest before and forced, what felt like kicking and screaming, this organization into giving back our name. We deserve better. We should demand better. We have done our part to support this organization even when they didn’t exactly earn it and we have very little to show for it in return.

The question is what do we believe as fans we should do to make this change happen?

HAVE YOU NOTICED YET THAT I JUST COPIED AND PASTED AN ARTICLE WE WROTE FROM TWO YEARS AGO AND IT STILL APPLIES?

All I did was add some numbers and we are in the exact same position.

A couple days ago a local radio personality commented on how he was disappointed that the Hornets attendance was 23rd. I replied that with another season quickly fading away and having statistically one of the hardest remaining schedules in the league this fanbase has been outperforming this team for the ENTIRE SECOND STINT. Is this team a top 23 product in the NBA? Has it done anything to give the fans hope for in the past 15 years? We have won 3 playoff games since 2002. We are on the edge of losing the best Hornet of all-time with nothing to show for it. We are on the edge of being on a 3 to 5-year rebuild process while technically we haven’t even finished the last “rebuild”.

What exactly do you want from a fanbase? I am as diehard as they come BUT even I realize that in any market with any team there is no fanbase that is going to just keep caring. This fanbase isn’t even asking for much. They would be happy with a playoff appearance and little bit of drama every couple of years but we can’t even provide that.

Eventually, the price of season tickets, which have inexplicably risen, won’t be rational to a seasoned fan who has seen the same outcome year in and year out. And can you really blame them?

A record crowd watches the NBA All-Star basketball game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD

As I’m scrolling through Facebook I see an article on the Charlotte Observer, admittedly I didn’t open it because I loathe the bombardment of ads that ensues when you visit their page. The article title was “NBA All-Star Weekend once shut down Las Vegas. Charlotte, you’ve been warned”… I’m like okay this is exactly what we talked about on our podcast. I (Evan) asked Scotty if he had heard anybody outside of the sports or entertainment circles we roam in discussing the All-Star game with it being only 2 weeks away? We both answered “No”. And we discussed why that made us nervous.

I opened the article comments to take a look at what my fellow Charlotteans are saying on the topic and all I see are a bunch of Brads and Karens scoffing at the notion that we may be “shut down”. I see one Brad say “Charlotte isn’t a destination like Vegas, we won’t get 10’s of thousands of people.” with a host of other people echoing this sentiment.

I just have one question to ask you…. ARE Y’ALL STUPID?!?! Just because you are not an NBA fan does not mean there aren’t millions of them across the globe and this is the event where they all come to celebrate their favorite sport. This isn’t a little event where Charlotteans are the ones who attend. This party isn’t being thrown for us. 

Almost every venue in uptown and south end has been booked for months for this one week… and not by people from Charlotte. Y’all hoping to just wander inside uptown and just enjoy the atmosphere are in for a rude awakening.

Ya’ll bitch and moan about CIAA and how it’s soooooooo inconvenient but that’s a $50 million event…The All-Star week is projected to bring in over $100 Million in local impact.

The city infrastructure just isn’t ready. We as a city haven’t even finished the 1-77 South ramp from 277. This is the same city who didn’t have a plan for a parade or on how to handle the crowds if the Panthers won the Super Bowl in 2015. Just to give you an idea, over 100,000 people attended the All-Star game in 2010… And that was only one event.

I’m just saying if you aren’t taking this seriously and aren’t preparing for what is to come then I don’t want to see you complaining about it in 2 weeks. This is the time for Charlotte to step up and show off our lovely city and I don’t think enough of you are talking about what is coming to our small southern town. You think your 30 minute commute to work is rough?