FanPost

A Report from Bright Side of the Sun

Christian Petersen

I have to admit, I've been lurking on the Phoenix Suns' SB Nation blog, Bright Side of the Sun (BSOTS) for awhile now. So far, I haven't dared leave a comment, for fear my ignorance will immediately show through, and I will be decapitated. And that might well be justified. After all, I've never quite got around the strange idiosyncrasy of basketball that you can tune in with ten minutes left in the game and see the game's drama unfold pretty much in its entirety. (Of course, with the 2014 Diamondbacks, you can turn the game OFF after the first ten minutes to much the same effect.) During my lurking, I have seen quite a few familiar names from the Snakepit, not surprising given that avid home town fans really ought to comprise the natural order of things, regardless of the sport.

In any event, I wish to point out some differences between the Dbacks' and Suns' fanbase, not by way of criticism, but simply as an interesting contrast, as it has been a very uplifting experience to read the enthusiasm surrounding the Suns, and I recommend to anyone who doesn't follow the site to check it out. I mean, I wouldn't be posting taco recipes if I were you - there's a certain quaintness to the Snakepit that can't be replicated elsewhere - but we're basketball crazy in this city, and the hard core fans know that of which they speak.

First of all, the BSOTS site is extremely active and fast-paced, much like the team they follow, even during Summer League, a notch or two lower than spring training in its relevance to basically anything.

Now, it has to be said that Phoenix is a basketball and football town, and, as far as professional sports franchises are concerned, perhaps basketball first and foremost, with a grander tradition and reputation than any other of the major pro sports. Baseball would come in third, despite their championship, in my estimation.

Second, the fanbase is highly energized and optimistic right now in anticipation of the 2014-2015 campaign, and it's exciting to participate in that enthusiasm, albeit vicariously. You could say that the Bright Side of the Sun is aptly named, given their over-the-top optimism. But why are they all so gung ho? They BELIEVE in the management, and the direction that the organization is going. They SEE a plan. The GM Ryan McDonough (whom I recently learned is a brother of the prominent ESPN announcer Sean McDonough, but hey, I'm out of the loop) probably should have been GM of the Year last year, and is someone who you might perceive as the diametric opposite of Kevin Towers. He buys incredible assets at bargain basement prices, sells low, and has a vision of what this team will be like.

And what is that vision for the Suns that is being brought to fruition, in a building process that is fast and incremental? It's indubitably based on a team concept, rather than superstars, though perhaps a superstar is still needed to push them over the top. Like great Suns' teams of the past, the new Suns depend on dominant scoring-minded back court play and a fast up and down offensive game.

But to me, the real interest in the current Suns is that they employ a two point guard system, which is quite innovative. Pulling for a winning team is amazing, but pulling for a team that changes the way the game is looked at is even better. The Bear Defense of the 1985 Chicago Bears, or the West Coast offense of the 49ers are other examples taken from football. These weren't just great teams, they revolutionized the game. The Suns, in theory, have the potential to do something similar, which would make the wait for a championship so much the sweeter. This off-season, the Suns signed Isaiah Thomas as a third elite point guard, which means that the team can now run the two point guard system while constantly rotating in a fresh player who is the equal to the two on the court. Simply awesome.

But their deficiencies may still kill them. They lack rebounding above all, not to mention shut-down defense and a big enough inside presence that can also keep the other team honest with outside shooting ability. For all intents and purposes, the Suns were a playoff team last year, missing out only because of injuries and the insanely dominant western confernece. Now they're even better, with the continued development of their young players, good draft picks, and the acquisition of Isaiah Thomas. But they downgraded at their stretch 4 position, and still have the other issues mentioned above. So are the fans of the aptly named BSOTS overly optimistic, in the same way that perhaps the Snakepit fans are overly pessimistic? I'm not sure, but it is an interesting contrast. We have villanized our front office, while Suns' fans have glorified theirs. But it's all about championships, as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, the Suns SEEM to be headed in the right direction, but can they get over the hump?

Another interesting contrast between the two respective fan bases comes under the category of character players. Arguably the Suns' best player last year, point guard Eric Bledsoe, is in the process of negotiating his next contract with the team. Many Suns' fans aren't endeared to Bledsoe because, well, he's a bit stand-offish. He's said nary a critical word about the Suns, he comes across as supportive enough of the club in interviews, but I guess he's never come right out and said on bended knee how much playing for the Suns, and living in the great cit of Phoenix, means to him. So that matters to many Suns' fans. Contrast that to the Snakepit, where I would say the majority of members thought that we should pick up Barry Bonds several years back notwithstanding he's the biggest a-hole on the planet. We also gave Schilling and RJ character passes, and today we mock the organization for putting character above talent. Suns' fans do not take character lightly, trust me. So why is it ok for them to put such a premium on character, yet "grit" becomes the standing joke of the DBacks? I can't answer that, but I think the DBacks need to be given credit for the fact that the players we root for are also likable. Goldschmidt is now the face of the franchise, and quite possibly the salt of the earth. Despite the lack of success this year, there isn't obvious dissension on the Dbacks. (Probably they all know that they'd be balls to the wall if they said anything, but still).

In summary, Suns' fans have faith in their team philosophy and vision, and that faith is largely incarnated in the person of Ryan McDonough. Dbacks fans do not trust their team's front office or concommitant vision, and that lack of trust is personalized in their contempt of the GM, Kevin Towers. Suns' fans are energized and excited about this upcoming year. Even if they're not contenders yet, it's felt that they're heading in that direction. Dbacks' fans seem guardedly optimistic that we still have a core of talent that can be turned around, but it needs the right leadership and is still a couple of years off. Suns' fans feel that team chemistry is critical in putting together a winning squad. Dbacks fans scoff at the recent emphasis on player character, insisting that talent will ultimately win the day.

As I said, I'm not picking favorites here. The Suns overachieved last year, so their fans are psyched. The Dbacks are underachieving, and their fans are discouraged. That's natural. But there is still a current of trust in the Suns' organization and how they do things that does not exist with the Diamondbacks.