Falling to the basement

The Kings won't be seen too much by the rest of the country next season.

According to the NBA's 2007-2008 schedule, released Thursday, August 2., the team will only be on national television three times next season.

Two of those appearance likely won't even be watched because they are on NBA-TV. The only chance the country will have to view the Reggie Theus-led Kings will be on Nov. 9 on ESPN when they play the Eastern Conference champs Cleveland Cavs.

Don't take this too personally though. In the past, when a game has been on both national television and Channel 10 I watch the local broadcast anyway. There is something refreshing to watching Grant Napier and Jerry Reynolds make their goofy comments and spar back and forth. It is much more entertaining than listening to Charles Barkley on TNT rant about how Sacramento will never be good and that we are nothing without Chris Webber. Not to mention all of those graphics of him with a baby bib on or of his head on a fat white guy's body.

The lack of acknowledgment is a tad flustering however though for one reason; the fans. The NBA often touts the Sacramento fans as the most loyal and as the loudest. TNT will often have several takes that scan across the crowd during games and timeouts to show the rest of the NBA just how loyal we are. Apparently that isn't enough for rankings though.

To put this in perspective though consider this. The Memphis Grizzlies have the same amount of games on national television as the Kings but at least one of them is on TNT! The Cavs have over 30 nationally televised appearances scheduled for next season.

Yup folks, we have met the floor mat of the league but this shouldn't discourage us. Kevin Martin and the chance at rebuilding will keep the passion for purple thriving!