If you have spent any time on NBA.com you’ve become familiar with the team templates that seem to be league mandated. If you haven’t seen them check out…
These templates have gotten so out of hand that they have become unruly. For example, check out my team the Raptors’ home page.
Sweet thundering Jesus… horrible.
Now look at the new Supersonics home page.

Wow… wow… wow. If there was ever a case for simplifying a template this is it.
Check out the difference between the schedule pages
Did the NBA give the Sonics some design love to make up for the pending move out of Seattle. Who knows? When do the Raps get the overhaul?
I always thought these sites were subject so some horrible standard template handed down from the NBA office. Now I know there’s no excuse for the Raptors abysmal web presence.
That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a professional sports team page (from within one of the NBA or NFL “portals”) not completely suck on all levels. Who know such things were possible; there’s hope yet.
[…] Jon Lax added an interesting post on Sonics own NBA.com […]
The Raptors site gives me a twitchy migraine. Making matters worse: the RSS feed for Chuck Swirsky’s column doesn’t work, so I have to subject myself to the site every freaking day just to read it.
You are a glutton for punishment, bad design and Swirsky.
It’s my daily self-flagellation. Like that albino monk in The Da Vinci Code, but less whip-y.
There’s a Hoopus Dei joke in there somewhere…