Boo-urns.

Look, I know I made arguments this very summer saying it's OK to boo the Seattle Mariners - at least, those struggling members on an otherwise overachieving team - but I have to say here and now that it is NOT, 100% Not OK to boo these Seattle Supersonics.

Not this year.

Not this team.

See, we booed the Mariners (mostly Richie Sexson) because after a couple months, we got a taste of winning and started to care about the team again. It's kind of like being in a relationship with someone. If you care about the person, and they do something wrong or stupid, you fight with them because you don't want them to do wrong or stupid things. If you didn't care at all, you'd let them go hog-wild putting that fork inside the plugged-in toaster.

It wasn't until the Mariners started winning that we as fans decided there was finally something to lose in repeatedly trotting out Richie Sexson, Horacio Ramirez, and Jeff Weaver onto the field. No, they weren't supposed to contend for a playoff spot according to pre-season prognosticators, but things change, and as they do, fans have to adjust accordingly.

Well, the Sonics are not the Mariners. Yes, going into the season they were predicted to be among the three worst teams in the league, but no, there's no chance this team will get close enough to see within 15 games of a playoff spot.

They're too young and where they're not too young they're too crappy. Eventually, through draft picks, shrewd deals, and responsible free agent signings, you weed out the too-crappy players, retain the servicable role players, and hopefully pick up a third tangible scoring option and a defensive stopper for the paint. But, that's what a rebuilding franchise is. Especially one rebuilding around a superstar rookie. You let him play, you let him take his lumps for the first year, you hope he improves by the time April rolls around to give you something to look forward to in subsequent seasons.

But you DON'T boo him while he's a fresh-faced rookie trying to make a name for himself! You don't strip him of all confidence he could've possibly built up over his one year in college. You don't sour him on your city, especially when you're a city that might not have a basketball team next year.

Also, if you just want to go and boo because you hate the ownership group, or you hate the NBA, or you hate David Stern, I'm sorry, you'll have to stand outside the Key and do that. The Seattle Supersonics are like a family dog with a terminal illness. The dog's been living with you for 40 years and has been loyal the entire time; you don't slap his nose with a rolled up newspaper because he can't control his bowels on your carpet. You treasure the time you've got left and then you mourn accordingly when he's gone.

Booing these Sonics is like booing the last place finishers at a Special Olympics. They're overmatched in every facet of the game! Our centers are huge busts all the way around; our power forwards are better as 10th men on playoff teams; our small forwards are the youngest in the league; our shooting guard is Kevin Durant; and our point guards aren't even good enough to crack the third string in a European league team. If the other team isn't having an amazingly off shooting night, then there's no chance we win (and even then that's not nearly enough of a guarantee).

Look, if you're going to games this year, keep it in mind that you're watching NBDL basketball. Beating a dead horse never made it run around the Preakness faster.