Why Do King Fans Turn On Their Stars?

At several points during the end of the Kings glory years, you couldn’t even call into the Kings flagship radio station KHTK 1140 without getting a busy tone. The phone lines were blocked with angry King “fans” spewing their desire to remove Chris Webber from the Kings. If it wasn’t Webber, it was Stojakovic they wanted gone. If it wasn’t Peja, well, you get my drift.

So bring us to Wednesday evening, the Kings again struggle, and the evening is wrapped up in one not so pretty reverse lay-up attempt by Kevin Martin. Off of a beautiful pass from Tyreke Evans, Martin blows a wide open reverse lay-up, missing everything but the backboard which results in a showering of boo’s for the one time “savior” of the franchise. And while Martin says he didn’t take it personally, we’ve heard that before…except it was Martin on the other end.

With Tyreke Evans the new hot commodity in town, King fans no longer have a need for Kevin Martin, so it seems. You listen to KHTK…it’s all about what Kevin Martin is doing wrong. How Kevin Martin is ruining this team. How Kevin Martin needs to be traded – and not even for equal talent – just an overall desire to remove anything and everything Kevin Martin from this franchise. You go onto King message boards or blogs and it’s all the same – Kevin Martin for sale signs every place you look.

Flash back a few years and you’ll see this scenario has already taken place, multiple times. One time King stars being run out of town by the fans and media. Boo’s shower down from the Arco seats and not long after, those once proud Kings are now wearing another uniform. Is this Kevin Martin’s fate? I for one, hope not.

I’m far from a Martin backer. But I appreciate what he can do and understand what he can’t do. I don’t expect him to be something he’s not nor do I expect him to be Cal Ripken Jr. But Kevin Martin gave us reason to believe when there was no reason. Peja Stojakovic gave us reason to believe when there was no reason. Chris Webber gave us reason to believe when there was no reason. Yet, both grew the erie of fans in due time and it appears Kevin Martin has been dealt the same hand.

With a new toy in town, Kevin Martin is no longer the lovable shooting guard out of Western Carolina who’s job it was to save the Kings. Now? Now he’s nothing more than a old toy thrown by the way side. A toy that somebody else will appreciate.