The Oklahoma City Blazers were reborn in 1992, with the help of Bob Funk, Senior. In their 17 seasons, the Blazers won two championships (1996 & 2001) and had rivals in the Tulsa Oilers and the Wichita Thunder. Every year, on December 25th, the Blazers would play one of their rivals. The Cox Convention Center became a Christmas Day destination and tradition.
I have over 250 ticket stubs from just Blazer games, totaling more than 50 games in 12 years. We were there for the grand opening of the Ford Center (know known as The Chesapeake Energy Arena or The Peak). With the Blazers selling out the Myriad Arena (Cox Convention Center), the Ford Center would allow for them to continue to expand and grow. In the fall of 2002, the Blazers moved to the Ford Center and remained there until the spring of 2008, when they moved back to the Cox Convention Center to make room for the new OKC Thunder NBA team.
Now, I am not saying that I don’t support the Thunder, but they did kicked out my hockey team and I already loved Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. I played basketball for 7 years and even got to play in the Ford Center before an OKC Hornets game. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans NBA team needed a new home while their facility underwent renovations. The Hornets were moved temporarily to OKC for 2 seasons, which put a new spotlight on the cities and showed that we could host a major league team like basketball. Hockey if my favorite though.
I loved the games so much, I wanted to spend my Sweet Sixteen Birthday at the game with my closest friends and family. My parents rented a sweet at the Ford Center, where 30 party guests came to celebrate with me on December 22, 2007. I received my second Blazers jersey with my favorite players name, number and signature. Marty Standish wrote “To Kirsti, Happy Sweet 16! All the Best.”
I turned 16 during the Blazers 16th season. The 2008-2009 season was the Blazers last. They had the highest attendance of any minor league team of the Central Hockey League, but the Blazers left to make way for a new farm team. The NHL Edmonton Oilers had found a new home for their AHL team, brought in with help from Bob Funk, Junior.
NEXT ON HOCKEY IN MY YEARS: THE BARONS
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2020 @ 8 PM
Categories: Uncategorized
Kirsti Rose Deyoe 
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