NBA: LATIMES: Adios Lakers; Staples is Clipper land

[ElNono]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basket...6777805.column

[Ashy Larry]

As someone who attends both games, it's clearly the Clippers have a much better crowd than the Lakers. I mean, during the playoffs, the Clipps put out the red shirt and everyone wore them. Those are the true LA fans who can't get into a Lakers game because of the prices. The average everyday Joe. The Lakers put out those gold shirts during the playoffs, same city, but clearly a different class of fan. The 300 sections always rocks because those are the average Joe up in the nosebleeds, but those cell phone talking, Gucci-Prada wearing people on the floor and in the 100 and somewhat 200 sections are brutal. They looked at that gold shirt and said "not over my $1700 shirt."

And right now Staples is the place to be seen. If the Lakers sucked ass for a few years, those trendies wouldn't even be seen. Kinda like how once the Kings went to the Cup in the early 90s, the real season ticket holders who were there from day 1 were pushed aside for the 90210 clan because it was the place to be.

But with that said, until they can get one meaningful flag in that building, it will always be a Lakers building. That's fact.

[StrengthAndHonor]

I don't think there are a lot of real Clippers fans lol. I can name a very few, Billy Crystal included. People who are n ow attending Clippers games at Staples are mostly bandwagoners.

[HI-FI]

As someone who attends both games, it's clearly the Clippers have a much better crowd than the Lakers. I mean, during the playoffs, the Clipps put out the red shirt and everyone wore them. Those are the true LA fans who can't get into a Lakers game because of the prices. The average everyday Joe. The Lakers put out those gold shirts during the playoffs, same city, but clearly a different class of fan. The 300 sections always rocks because those are the average Joe up in the nosebleeds, but those cell phone talking, Gucci-Prada wearing people on the floor and in the 100 and somewhat 200 sections are brutal. They looked at that gold shirt and said "not over my $1700 shirt."

And right now Staples is the place to be seen. If the Lakers sucked ass for a few years, those trendies wouldn't even be seen. Kinda like how once the Kings went to the Cup in the early 90s, the real season ticket holders who were there from day 1 were pushed aside for the 90210 clan because it was the place to be.

But with that said, until they can get one meaningful flag in that building, it will always be a Lakers building. That's fact.

good insight. but whats up with LA people being shameless in their bandwagoning? to switch over to rooting for the Clippers is ridiculous. maybe it's because so many people go to LA to make it big, they sort of latch on to whatever is hot. that's one theory...

[Ashy Larry]

good insight. but whats up with LA people being shameless in their bandwagoning? to switch over to rooting for the Clippers is ridiculous. maybe it's because so many people go to LA to make it big, they sort of latch on to whatever is hot. that's one theory...

that's just the American way ..... go with the winning team. Every time the Lakers go to Atlanta, it's like a Lakers home game even though most of those people couldn't point to L.A. on a map, let alone California. Same with the Spurs. Some people here will say I'll pull for the Clippers because it's an L.A. team or like my old lady who'll pull for the Niners in the Super Bowl because she's a Raiders fan and from No Cal. I tell her, you wouldn't catch me dead rooting for the Clippers. I have one team in each sport and most people are like that.

That "I have an Eastern Conference team and a Western Conference team" kills me .......

[StrengthAndHonor]

There are tons of real Laker fans at the lower level, dont be confused. You'll see plenty of them rocking Laker jerseys and gear. The old timers like Jack, Dianne, Ice, Penny and Andy obviously won't wear Lakers stuff all the time but make no mistake, there are plenty of real fans down there.

[Splits]

that's just the American way ..... go with the winning team. Every time the Lakers go to Atlanta, it's like a Lakers home game even though most of those people couldn't point to L.A. on a map, let alone California. Same with the Spurs. Some people here will say I'll pull for the Clippers because it's an L.A. team or like my old lady who'll pull for the Niners in the Super Bowl because she's a Raiders fan and from No Cal. I tell her, you wouldn't catch me dead rooting for the Clippers. I have one team in each sport and most people are like that.

That "I have an Eastern Conference team and a Western Conference team" kills me .......

[ElNono]

Ash Larry with the truth bombs... That's why I never understood when people here starts threads like "who are you rooting for?" after their team is eliminated... What do you mean? I might prefer certain teams to lose, but damn I can't root for anybody else...

[TrainOfThought5]

Ash Larry with the truth bombs... That's why I never understood when people here starts threads like "who are you rooting for?" after their team is eliminated... What do you mean? I might prefer certain teams to lose, but damn I can't root for anybody else...

meh. ill always love the spurs, and hate certain teams. but in the playoffs i usually have a narrative id like to see if spurs dont win. example. this year i think i want DRose to get a championship after coming back from injury.(if the spurs are somehow eliminated.) and not just that, i want him to beat the knicks Heat and Celtics on his way to doing it; it would be a great story. in the west... its spurs or nothing. all these other monkeyrefballin teams and assorted pretenders. i would get a chuckle out of seeing the Warriors get a couple upsets and make the playoffs interesting instead of the usual OKC/LAC/MEM/SAS suspects.

[Ashy Larry]

There are tons of real Laker fans at the lower level, dont be confused. You'll see plenty of them rocking Laker jerseys and gear. The old timers like Jack, Dianne, Ice, Penny and Andy obviously won't wear Lakers stuff all the time but make no mistake, there are plenty of real fans down there.

the celebs, well some of them are true, Jack and Lou Adler (sits next to him with the shades), Denzel could have carried his New York roots but has been a long time Laker fan, Snoop and Cube, Dianne Cannon of course, Andy Garcia, Flea and Anthony from RHCP; Penny maybe - she tends to flip flop, kinda like Whoopi Goldberg.

[TrainOfThought5]

surely there are guys around the league that you guys enjoy watching (DRose) or you hope for their success after theyve endeared their hearts to yourself and other fans. (George Hill)

I think i just love the game and love to watch the next chapter in its storied history unfold...

[Ashy Larry]

great atmosphere in the black hole but can get a little thick if you wear the opposing colors. Sad thing out here is some Laker fans are Raider fans and gang members as well. 18th Street and MS13 like sports too ........

[StrengthAndHonor]

the celebs, well some of them are true, Jack and Lou Adler (sits next to him with the shades), Denzel could have carried his New York roots but has been a long time Laker fan, Snoop and Cube, Dianne Cannon of course, Andy Garcia, Flea and Anthony from RHCP; Penny maybe - she tends to flip flop, kinda like Whoopi Goldberg.

Word. Didnt know Megan Fox is a Laker fan though.

[Ashy Larry]

Word. Didnt know Megan Fox is a Laker fan though.

I think so ... also Hillary Swank (even with those big chompers, I'd still blow that back out), Dustin Hoffman and DiCaprio is always there with his Long Beach hat covering up his face and laying in the cut, blending in with the folks.

[StrengthAndHonor]

For some reason I thought Leo was a Celtics fan. But thats Matt Damon.

[ffadicted]

that's just the American way ..... go with the winning team. Every time the Lakers go to Atlanta, it's like a Lakers home game even though most of those people couldn't point to L.A. on a map, let alone California. Same with the Spurs. Some people here will say I'll pull for the Clippers because it's an L.A. team or like my old lady who'll pull for the Niners in the Super Bowl because she's a Raiders fan and from No Cal. I tell her, you wouldn't catch me dead rooting for the Clippers. I have one team in each sport and most people are like that.

That "I have an Eastern Conference team and a Western Conference team" kills me .......

This is legit talk. I'll never root for another team. I will, however, definitly root AGAINST teams which indirectly could be defined as rooting for teams. I'm a fan of whoever plays against miami night in and night out lol

[Riddler]

[Killakobe81]

Staples cant say haven been in a few years ...but L.A.? Will always be a Lakerstown and that is fact. Glad to see babybrah do well ... but the Lakers shadow looms large our struggles till dominates: ESPN, local sportstalk and the newspapers.

Even when we suck we get more pub than the CLips ...

[Killakobe81]

that's just the American way ..... go with the winning team. Every time the Lakers go to Atlanta, it's like a Lakers home game even though most of those people couldn't point to L.A. on a map, let alone California. Same with the Spurs. Some people here will say I'll pull for the Clippers because it's an L.A. team or like my old lady who'll pull for the Niners in the Super Bowl because she's a Raiders fan and from No Cal. I tell her, you wouldn't catch me dead rooting for the Clippers. I have one team in each sport and most people are like that.

That "I have an Eastern Conference team and a Western Conference team" kills me .......

I feel ya ...but rooting for and enjoying a team are two diffrent things imho. When we (lakers) sucked in the 90's I still went to teh Forum and wore my Lakers gear but I really enoyed watching GP and Kemp. I still balled decent at the time so I wanted to emulate GP on defense (and smack talk) I never bought a sonics jersey or hat but truth be told when everyone was riding with teh Bulls I just wanted to see GP and Kemp ring if we could not ... never happened. But I enjoyed some good ball. Nate Mc, Pierce, Johnson, Schrempf and Kendal Gill ...

[HarlemHeat37]

Riddler with the goods, per/usual..

Snoop is the most shameless bandwagoner of all-time, he even makes Harlem blush..

[dunkman]

After the Lakers signed their TV cable deal, Sterling has figured out he will make more money having a good team. His business scheme was to get some cheap mostly athletic players, cut the costs everywhere including the arena and maximize profits without risks. But that had to change now that the NBA has minimal salary for all the roster, so his scheme had to change too.

[Spur_Fanatic]

[StrengthAndHonor]

I understand all that except wearing a Utah Jazz jersey lmao.

[Ashy Larry]

When Snoop does many concerts, he wears the jersey of the city he's in, so that understandable. , I had a huge jersey collection once - didn't mean I bandwagoned all those squads. And yeah, I even had a Kah Maloan jersey as well.

[Trill Clinton]

ya'll chill clowning my uncle snoop.

that is a die hard laker fan, no doubt about it.