So you think you can dance?
by Adam Rose
What's better than 20 Laker Girls?
500 prospective Laker Girls.
While the Kamenetzky brothers were busy this weekend (probably out saving the world with Jordan Farmar), one of their fellow L.A. Times bloggers discovered another good reason not to sleep in on Saturday morning -- the 2008-09 Laker Girl auditions. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.
You might be surprised that many of these girls have been training as dancers since before the players could pick up a basketball. It takes an incredible amount of talent, looks and personality to wear those purple and gold skirts. In fact, a couple years ago, the Laker Girls were more fun to watch than the team.
After the jump, enjoy some of my favorite photos (I only took 350). Of course, you can click any image to see a larger version.
Later on, I'll have a video report on all the drama, the hopes, the fears, the wardrobe malfunctions ... and an impromptu spelling bee. But after the jump enjoy some more coverage.
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The selection process takes several rounds. Laker Girls from the previous season do not qualify for any sort of "legacy" status. They get to skip the first round but must compete the rest of the way to keep their jobs.
A number of girls were reportedly disqualified for not bringing a headshot.
Several members of school dance teams were at the tryouts, including UC Irvine, UNLV, CSU Long Beach and UCSB ... but rumor was that the largest single contingent came from Disneyland.
The ladies in the yellow T-shirts were former Laker Girls who came back to help with the selection process.
The line at 9 a.m. wrapped around two sides of the Lakers training facility.
Other than someone wearing a #24 jersey, none of the girls auditioning wore costumes. A pair of Spanish-language TV reporters wore #0.5 jerseys, explaining that together, "we're No. 1!"
-- photos and post by Adam Rose (UCLA and USC blogger) / LA Times
WOW
Posted by: | July 21, 2008 at 01:47 PM
Fire32,
How are Phil's tactics getting old and not working? He coached a team to 57 wins and a 12-3 record through the Western Conference playoffs. We ran into a team that was hungrier and superior defensively, simple as that. A coach can only get you so far. Larry Brown coached the Knicks to 24 or so wins a few seasons ago, does that mean he lost his touch too?
Posted by: Xodus | July 21, 2008 at 01:56 PM
Edwin...
I think Josh Smith is a better Defender and has more upside than Odom...Is he a better fit and can he handle the ball better than Odom in the triangle?..Im not sure......As for a smaller player..If Sasha does not sign soon Odom could be the player traded to fill a shooting guard roll along with another forward...14mill could fill both of those positions....
Childress ,Marvin williams...Ben Gordon and maybe Thomas or Noah....That contract is gold for us before the deadline...
As for Vlad and Luke ....Lets pray someone wants at least one of them in a deal.....I think Rick F mentioned it yesterday...Vlad would be a good fit for Mike and the Mechanics in New York.....On the other hand im not sure about Luke.....
The young players you mentioned...I have not seen them play so im not sure..( i trust your judgement..lol)....Pinnock would be a good cheap option ....
Posted by: Thirty2 | July 21, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Edwin Gueco,
Dude, there is totally a cultural difference between Orange County and Los Angeles! Just because people commute, it doesn't mean that the communities are similar.
Orange County is culturally a lot more similar to San Diego than it is Los Angeles, while Long Beach is more similar to Los Angeles than it is Orange County.
The Angels are an Orange Country team. They do not represent Los Angeles. No way.
Long Time Laker Fan,
"California Angels" is a much more appropriate name. If they don't want to be called the Anaheim Angels (as they should be), then they should be named the California Angels, just like the Golden State Warriors have named themselves because they are ashamed to be from Oakland.
And, yes, I've travelled all around the world.
Rocky,
I didn't say that Orange County was as good as San Diego. Just that they are more culturally similar to one another than Los Angeles is to Orange County.
I've lived in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Huntington Beach.
I've also lived in Long Beach, Agoura Hills, Westwood, Santa Monica, Midtown, Venice, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Valley Village, Silverlake, Echo Park, Franklin Hills, Los Feliz, Lake Balboa, and Hollywoodland.
There's a huge difference between Orange County and Los Angeles County. "The Los Angeles Angels" is simply a marketing gimmick. Nothing more.
Go Los Angeles Dodgers!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 21, 2008 at 02:21 PM
By the way, you don't have the name "The California Angels" and "The Anaheim Angels" for like 40 years and then change your name to "The Los Angeles Angels" WITHOUT CHANGING LOCATION OR STADIUMS unless it is a marketing gimmick! Capiche?
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 21, 2008 at 02:24 PM
puddle,
Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!
Why don't we change the name of the Ducks to "The Los Angeles Ducks of Anaheim/Orange County" while we're at it?
Ridiculous.
I hate the Ducks. How God let the Disney Corporation buy a professional hockey team and use them to market a kids movie is a mystery I will never understand.
Go Los Angeles Kings!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 21, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Andrew Z,
>>>I think New Jersey would have a tough time going for
>>>that. You referred to them as "young" but that trade
>>>immediately takes that away.
Not sure which trade, but even after the big 3-way trade I
tossed out with wreckless abandon, the Nets would still
have 5 players with 2 or less years of NBA experience:
Maurice Ager (2)
Ryan Anderson (rookie)
Josh Boone (2)
Yi Jianlian (1)
Brook Lopez (rookie)
And Devin Harris at 25 and Jarvis Hayes at 26 are still fairly
young players.
If they keep Sean Williams (1 year exp) and Marcus Williams
(2 years) and Chris Douglas-Roberts (rookie), then that's just
too many young players to be competitive.
I mean, look at Portland. With Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, Webster,
Frye, Jack, and Rodriguez (not to mention Oden), they're a pretty
deep and talented team. But it's rare for a team with that many
young players to make the playoffs (which they haven't
for years). A couple of key veterans, even veteran role players,
can be the difference between an 8 seed and a 10 seed.
And I know that new Jersey is trying to make a run for LeBronze,
but if they're a bottom-feeding team by the time he's a free agent,
he's not going to want to sign with them. If they can develop
the best of their young talent (i.e. Yi, Harris, Lopez) and keep
the youth-veteran balance at a level where they can keep making
the playoffs, they'll look more attractive to Bronnie in 2 years.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 21, 2008 at 02:35 PM
JonK,
"Just that they are more culturally similar to one another than Los Angeles is to Orange County."
I just don't agree with that. I've been to and partied in Orange County. They have their own culture up there and it's nothing like San Diego. Talk, dress, ethnic diversity, food, nightlife, it's completely different.
I think Orange County is more similar to many parts of Los Angeles than any in San Diego, culturally speaking. After all, it is a suburb of Los Angeles.
To tell you the truth, most San Diegans don't even know the difference between Los Angeles and Orange County. It's all LA.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rocky | July 21, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Rocky,
Well, I've had relatives who lived in San Diego, so I know the town pretty well, but not nearly as well as you do, obviously.
How about this? Central and Southern Orange County are more similar to Central and Northern San Diego County than they are to Los Angeles County. How about that?
Don't get me wrong. I like San Diego, though I think it lacks the edge that Los Angeles has.
In any case, "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" is the lamest and most inappropriate geophysical name in the history of sports.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 21, 2008 at 03:58 PM
WITH ALL THE COMMITENT THESE GIRLS PUT INTO IT THEY DO DESERVE A MORE CAMERA TIME THAN THEY GET. THE GET THE EYE-ATTENTION FROM SPECTARORS IN THE STADIUMS . WHY NOT FROM THE CAMERA MAN SO THE TV AUDIENCE CAN ENJOY THE PAYOFF OF ALL THE GIRLS HARD SWEAT & PREP? JERRY, DOCTOR OF LOVE JERRY, LOOK UP FROM THE POKER TABLE A MOMENT AND TELL THESE CAMERA-PEOPLE TO GIVE THE LADIES THEIR DUE, PLEASE. LONG LIVE JERRY BUSS & OUR TEAM & THE LAKER GIRLS!!
Posted by: PIERRE BAUDLAIRE | July 21, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Jon K,
South Orange County can be seen as somewhat similar to North San Diego County since they are so close together. But overall, I would say Orange County is more similar to Los Angeles, culturally.
I hear you on the LA Angels. They became like the Clippers when they did that.
They should have stayed as the California Angels, that was the best name right there.
Posted by: Rocky | July 21, 2008 at 04:43 PM
#103 - Blonde girl with the yellow bikini top is in for sure.
Posted by: lakers_sth | July 21, 2008 at 04:46 PM
you girls look cute
Posted by: | July 21, 2008 at 04:50 PM
WITH ALL THE COMMITENT THESE GIRLS PUT INTO IT THEY DO DESERVE A MORE CAMERA TIME THAN THEY GET. THE GET THE EYE-ATTENTION FROM SPECTARORS IN THE STADIUMS. WHY NOT FROM THE CAMERA-MAN SO THE TV AUDIENCE CAN ENJOY THE PAYOFF OF ALL THE GIRLS HARD SWEAT & PREP? JERRY, DOCTOR OF LOVE JERRY, LOOK UP FROM THE POKER TABLE A MOMENT AND TELL THESE CAMERA-PEOPLE TO GIVE THE LADIES THEIR DUE, PLEASE. LONG LIVE JERRY BUSS, OUR TEAM & THE LAKER GIRLS!!
Posted by: PIERRE BAUDLAIRE | July 21, 2008 at 05:16 PM
Jon K.
You are entitled to that opinion if that will make you happy.
All I can tell you, every morning I step in Orange County which is the northern part and in the evening I sleep in LA County which is the eastern part. Culturally, it is the same people that I meet in both counties. Anyway, just my 2 cents perhaps I'm color blind.
With regards to Los Angeles Angels, all I'm saying this has been mandated by a court order. Unless, it is reversed by Appelate or Supreme Court, it will stay that the Angels are named Los Angeles. LOL (I'm sure it boils your blood, what is in a name? A rose will still smell the same, even if it is called by another name! so the proverb goes)
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | July 21, 2008 at 05:45 PM
Orange County and San Diego are not very much alike.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 21, 2008 at 07:24 PM
Fire32,
The Lakers came within a few points of a sweep. Against a team that had the best record in the league, was more experienced (both in total playoff games and in time in the league), and had home court advantage. And this Lakers team had only had about 30 games together. That is what you call an excellent job of coaching.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 21, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Edwin Guerco,
"Jon K.
You are entitled to that opinion if that will make you happy."
That was probably the best condescending critique I've heard in sometime.
We don't agree. That's okay with me.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 21, 2008 at 09:13 PM
LTLF,
Very good points about that Nets deal. Honestly, if I was a fan of that team I wouldn't know what to feel. You get amped for the Lebron Plan but the front office also doesn't go all out in that direction. To make matters worse, they're in the East which makes them one player away from a 3-4 seed.
As someone who thinks you come up with the best trade scenarios I like this one, it just seems that NJ gives up too much, IMHO.
The team that I think could be the biggest mover or shaker in the entire league is Chicago.
How about Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni for Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar?
Posted by: Andrew Z | July 21, 2008 at 09:32 PM
LTLF, that's an interesting deal, but I don't see much that would interest Jersey in it. I mean, what would Radmanovich and Mihm give them that their young bigs don't? Some outside shooting in Radman, less overall D, probably less rebounding...I'd rather keep Krstic, if I was them.
For us, obviously, it works.
Posted by: Michael A | July 21, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Engineero says: "That's HOT." At least I can cheer for some faction of the LA Fakers. Way to go ladies. If you just give me the chance I will love you so closely and dearly.
Now that I think about it, I think your basketball team is just a bunch of dancers with WWFNBA appointed drones calling fouls for them. Subsequently, they can win the games at the foul line.
Posted by: Engineero | July 22, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Talk about "filling the frame"
Is it too much to ask for all 350 pix?
Why so serious? Enough trade talk; Bring Back Kwame!
Posted by: Kevin H | July 23, 2008 at 04:37 AM
Fire32, you've... got to be... kidding?
Do you even remember when Phil Jackson came back and referred to the roster as a mess? Phil took a team that didn't even come close to the playoffs the year before and used Smush Parker and Kwame Brown to scare Phoenix in the first round of the the playoffs? How many coaches could pull that off?
I don't think you guys appreciate the turnaround that has happened here and it took a coach with Phil's "cache" to get the guys and Kobe for that matter to "buy in". Look at how fast we got back to the finals vs any other team in the league on a full rebuilding project no less.
Wow... how could anybody question the coaching job Phil has done? Especially BEFORE Gasol got here. All the other "name" coaches, Larry Brown, Doug Collins, blah, blah, blah, dude... we've got THE BEST coach in the business right here and what? You want to replace him? LOL! Ridiculous...
Posted by: Kwaminus Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me Brownicus | July 21, 2008 at 10:36 AM
---------------------------------------
I have to side with Fire32 as PJ's cred has already come into question. He is living on past deeds and times. He is out of touch and does not coach or adjust or use his bench. I hope he goes soon for the betterment of the team.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | July 23, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Fire32,
How are Phil's tactics getting old and not working? He coached a team to 57 wins and a 12-3 record through the Western Conference playoffs. We ran into a team that was hungrier and superior defensively, simple as that. A coach can only get you so far. Larry Brown coached the Knicks to 24 or so wins a few seasons ago, does that mean he lost his touch too?
Posted by: Xodus | July 21, 2008 at 01:56 PM
===================
PJ did not coach a lick and as I have stated the Lakers won because of the players in spite of PJ's FU's.
With apologies to Fire 32 that is my input.
JLF
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | July 23, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Fire32,
The Lakers came within a few points of a sweep. Against a team that had the best record in the league, was more experienced (both in total playoff games and in time in the league), and had home court advantage. And this Lakers team had only had about 30 games together. That is what you call an excellent job of coaching.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 21, 2008 at 07:28 PM
=====================
Apologies to Fire32 but the truth is PJ did not coach a lick. I saw Kobe coach more in huddle and on floor. Give Kobe props not the has been old 9 rings ages ago. PJ blew now 3 playoff series with his questionable substitutions and lack of adjustments. He should have been 10 rings a long time ago. If he had any cred he should have been 12 rings by now. But he keeps getting outcoached in series he should have won.
Fire32 is right his zen garbage is tired and nobody buying into it.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | July 23, 2008 at 07:15 PM
Very nice and photos.
LAKERS ROX!
Posted by: Vedetta | July 23, 2008 at 09:13 PM
Where's the video that was supposed to be added?
Posted by: Amanda | July 24, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Their parents can be so proud!
They finally get to put to use all those years and thousands of dollars of dance classes without spinning around a pole and throwing off their clothes....
Posted by: Gerry | July 25, 2008 at 06:51 AM
When does the official team posted?
Posted by: | July 27, 2008 at 09:11 PM
I WANT TRYOUT INFORMATION FOR NEXT TIME, I'M MAD I MISSED THIS YEAR!!!
Posted by: cherish | November 05, 2008 at 06:39 PM
heres whats better than 20 laker girls. 30 magic girls :)
Posted by: dhhtt | June 11, 2009 at 10:05 AM