SHANNON BROWN POINT GUARD OF THE FUTURE –BANDWAGON
(Formerly Shannon Brown is a Keeper – Bandwagon *******)
*
(01) YELLOW FEVER – SOLE OWNER
(02) NEVER – DRIVER - I'll be glad to be the driver of the Shannon Brown wagon. Screw tailgating Farmar, I'll be passing him on the left hand lane.
(03) PSYCHED LAKER GIRL - I want to be in the car with Never and Shannon. Not only
is Shannon's name cool but he will be breaking out in the fast lane this year - I just know it!
(04) #4 – LIKES SHANNON FOR 4 REASONS
(05) JUSTANOTHERMAMBAFAN - I would like to roll with the Shannon Brown's a Keeper bandwagon s'il vous plait.
(06) KEIFO – RIDING SHOTGUN
(07) THE OUTLAW – TAUGHT SHANNON TO PLAY DEFENSE
(08) BABY OUTLAW – WAAAAAAA
(09) FATTY – THINKS SHANNON BROWN IS LAKERS SECRET WEAPON
(10) LAKERSRYDEORDIE – ALWAYS BEEN A FAN
(11) NEMAIA FALETOGO - Shannon is more athletic, stronger and a better defender than Farmar
(12) TALIQ – HE’S GOT MY VOTE IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT I HAVE A CELL FOR YOU.
(13) DOC4daLakeShow - Glad to see Shannon get the run.
(14) JON K - Brown has shown us glimses of potential for us to get excited about.
(15) BD - JORDAN FARMARS WAKE UP CALL FROM MR. BROWN
(16) Sir CHARLES –
(17) utzworld THE BANNER HOLDER - put me on the Shannon Brown bandwagon, por favor. He's most def gunnin for Jordan's (and Fish's) spot.
(18) TALIQ - not only can he play but every minute he spends on the floor means less of farmar refusing to pass to kobe's bff, i.e. sasha"
(19) JOHNNYP - How crucial is Shannon Brown when we have this bench slump going on?
(20) EDWIN GUECO – Air Traffic controller to clear the lanes
(21) JAMIE SWEET – GO SHANNON –(It’s always good to keep your options open)
(22) LAILA - shannon brown was awesome
(23) ChicNstu |- UPS ..Thats what Brown can do for you!
(24) EASTCOAST-JESSIE - I also have to say that Shannon Brown is getting lot's of love from me. The kid is ridiculously athletic and his defense is much better than Farmar's.
(25) LONGTIMELAKERLOVER - I'd love to be on the Shannon Brown bandwagon. Love his passion and committment! Go Brown!
(26) JEFF - ShanWOW's a thrill to watch, he's my new favorite laker not named Kobe or Pau.
(27) BILLY IN SLO - Great attitude + great ability = Great player and teammate
(28) JUSTIN - I'll admit, I'm definitely on the SB bandwagon. Excluding LO, he is simply our Bench Mob X factor. As Shannon raises up, the crowd goes wild.
(29) LAKER TRUTH - Shannon has the skills and the mental strength to be the starting PG in this system.
(30) VMAN - Love Shannon Brown, undoubtedly slotted by Phil to play Ron Harper in the upcoming blockbuster season.
(31) KOBESBAD – Big, Big Fan.

puddle,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thank you for that intelligent spot on defense of Jordan Farmar. As a long time Farmar fan, even I have to confess to having forgotten how well Jordan is capable of playing. Phil and Tex recognized the impact that a true point guard could have on the Lakers even though they played the Triangle Offense. It was Tex who convinced Phil to go more up tempo to take advantage of Jordan’s skills. That is quite a compliment to a young player for the Lakers to actually change their game due to him.
-
You hear so much cliché reasoning that says we don’t really need a true point guard since we run the Triangle Offense when the better and more intelligent issue is how much better we might be with a true point guard running the Triangle and turbo-charging our transition offense. And that is not even counting how important it is going to be down the road to have a point guard who can feed the post. I thought two years ago that Jordan might be that player. Then came last year’s disappointment.

So where did the train get derailed because I find myself cringing more than cheering when Jordan is on the floor the last few games. Here is my theory. I think getting abused on defense led to frustration that undermined Jordan’s confidence and his entire game. I also don’t think the problem was entirely Jordan’s fault because there really was no clearly set strategy last year as to how to play the pick and roll and hesitation is the kiss of death for the defense against a team that runs the PNR well.
-
Phil’s philosophy on defense is similar to his philosophy on offense. Rather than set a specific strategy on how to play the pick and roll, such as how UCLA’s Ben Howland does by almost always trapping the ball handler, Phil prefers to let the players make the judgment, sort of a read and react strategy. Counting on players to make the right judgment on how to defend the pick and roll on the fly is tough, which is why the Lakers always seem to have problems with pick and rolls. Simpler is often better as Howland’s players know exactly what to do and act decisively. Do you see that with the Lakers?
-
Anyway, I think there are good reasons for the Lakers to perhaps experiment with Farmar by even giving him a series of starts in place of Fisher to (1) see how he performs over a series of games working with the starters and (2) possibly showcase him to another team, if we decide he is never going to be good enough to be our starter. One way or another, I think him coming in always looking over his shoulder is going to do nothing but turn a potential asset into an actual expiring contract.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tom

OH BY THE WAY, MONEY DEZ I HAVE TO SAY IT
YOU'VE EARNED THE..."OUT FREAKIN STANDING" OF THE WEEK.
SO SAY WE ALL!

Good Morning: JustAnotherMambafan, LakerTom, MoneyDez
& the rest of the Crue'.

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?

I’m a Laker fan but now I find, a couple of Phils actions are making me loose my mind
I aint been the same since Arriza left town, now you giving the shaft to Shannon Brown
I wont’t use my own words today, Put MoneyDez to rhyme & see what he has to say
“damnnn what a guy has to do to get some P.T here!! Preach Money Dez I said & burst into tears
“ He's dunked on several dudes alah Kobe. Yet you fools keep trying make us go for the OK doke”
He's made some critical shots & he hustles on defense. Goddogit Man this dude needs a chance.
“Can You Hear Me Phil? Sannon Brown needs a chance!! I think he’s our ticket back to the big dance”
Can you hear your fans Phil, hear what they say? Doggone it we want Shannon to start today
Dfish is an Icon and Fish much love to you, but all careers wind down so here’s what you should do.
Show the team what a true team player you are, first have a talk with that goof Farmar\
Tell him for the good of the lake Show , Shut the F up or he will have to go
Then go to Sasha and tell the Machine, You had it, you lost it, Time to fade from the scene
Then this will be the hardest thing to do, give your truly honerable self a good talking to.
Remind yourself that for the team you love, you graciously gave up your job to the Glove
And with that selfless act this I will say, you earned millions of new fans in the NBA
I’m sure yourself will then do the right thing, and you and Kobe will go to 10Rings
Tell him 10Rings don’t get up sit you’re A down, It’s time for playing time for Shannon Brown
And if he tries to give you that smirk, just tell him Phil that B.S. will no longer work
Tell him we need Shannon, of that there's no doubt, Shannon's the man, if not "Ship 10Rings @zz Out"
Then grab him and before he has a chance to swear, Say Brown or your legs & point to the wheelchair
II think that offer he can’t refuse, On second thought let Ron-Ron deliever that wheelchair news.
And when you repeat and retain the crown, You will thank God you stood up for Shannon Brown

Re Bynum- Injury prone? Every 7 foot tall guy is injury prone. When you are carrying that much weight on your legs, you have a lot less margin for error. So I’m mostly glad at this news, as 1)its his arm, which probably wasn’t used to that much banging and rebounding, and 2)He isn’t going to play in Memphis.

Wes- thanks for the link, but aren’t all spaghetti westerns shot in Italy? Well, by Italians, I mean. I think most of them were shot in spain. Either way, you are doing a great job of culturing up this here blog with music and movies.
Puddle, et al- good points about farmar, but if I might join the chorus of armchair analyzing, wasn’t that (07-08)farmar’s first full year of serious minutes? I think a big part of playing in the nba is adjustments. Like a pitcher studying the habits of a particular batter, the pitcher is more likely to get him out the more of him he sees. I think other teams have learned how to play farmar, and farmar has not improved his game to match. And I suspect that farmar, like a lot of good college players, just might not have a much higher ceiling to improve into. Obviously, this is an oversimplification and not the only factor, but I haven’t seen it pointed out much, so I’m throwing it out there.

Ex- Con Air and the Rock are such great movies I can’t believe Luke Walton and Magic Johnson weren’t offered starring roles in them.

LOVE, YADDA YADDA.

BK sums it up perfectly in regards to Sasha, Farmar, and Brown:

"The problem currently for the Lakers is that all three options behind Kobe and Fish are imperfect. It's not like CP3 is riding pine while Jackson starts Fisher. Sasha fills a need for a pure shooter who forces defenses to extend to the three point line, except he hasn't shot well over the last year-plus. Farmar has the best pure point skills of the three, operates pretty well in the open floor, and can attack and finish at the basket. But he isn't a great fit for the offense, struggle with his decision making, and continues to have problems with screen and roll defense. Brown is the best defender of the bunch, is supremely athletic (some call him UPS, I prefer YouTube), and has shot well in purple and gold, but as Jackson explains here, is still learning how to operate as a lead guard in the offense (this, by the way, is Fish's primary non-intangible value to the team- he gets them organized, and fast). Remember, Brown isn't a classic point in terms of ball skills and passing ability. He's still learning."

Derek Fisher is the perfect fit for this team. He does exactly what this Laker team needs, and he does it better than anyone in the league aside from Chauncey Billups.

The truth is, there will be a point in the season where all three Sasha, Brown, and Farmar will come in handy. There is some nice flexibility with our PG situation this year.

As far as PG of the future. It would be cool to see Shannon Brown be our high-flying PG, but he is a SG. We'll have to see if he develops through the years as a leader. I'd like to think if Ron Harper was able to do it, Shannon Brown could too. But Ron Harper was an allstar and a 10 year vet before Phil Jackson turned him into a facilitator. Shannon Brown at this point is a journeyman, and he doesn't have the fundamental skills that Ron Harper had.

Go Lakers!

131 - it is way too early to gloat, shame on you. Gloating is a waste of time, and I won't do it even if we win. I'll just enjoy it quietly like I did in 2008. As for LA? They've hung tough in overtime twice in a row. Now,I think jackson is playing the starters too much this early, but hey, Joe Torre did the same thing with his bullpen in 2004 and look what happened (:))

Cavs lose again. Spurs looked really old last night. What happened to parity in the league? 6 games in, and there are only a handful of teams with a CHANCE of winning it all. Makes me long for the days of 8 teams, when they were ALL good!!!

How many bandwagons must we print
Before one calls Brown to the point?
How many more games must Lakers play
Before UPS is called to start?
Yes, how many times more T/O's will they commit
Before they heard our cries?
The answer my friend, Shannon is the man
The answer is a phantasm in our imagination.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | November 06, 2009 at 08:50 AM

OUT FREAKIN STANDING!!!!!

BK

I think sometimes you write articles just to write an article because this one is much ado about nothing. Phil Jackson has had a season, training camp, exhibition games, and practice to determine where the minutes should go. If there is a problem at this point maybe Phil Jackson is the problem. Have you ever considered that BK?

It is not just Phil Jackson it is also partly the media for not consistently raising ALL of the possible reasons for our lack of depth. When you make the statement

"Luke Walton has a utility to the Lakers that makes him a handy rotation/role guy."

This statement is part of the problem and I'm quite sure an opinion shared by Phil Jackson....DESPITE ALL THE EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY. The ironic thing is this opinion boggles the mind of people who know the game. I want you to read this carefully.

IF LUKE WALTON WAS LET GO TODAY ............HE WOULD NOT BE PICKED UP BY ANYBODY!!

The biggest harm in trying to keep Walton relevant (which by the way has nothing to do with basketball) is it stops the team from actively finding a worthy replacement! We could have drafted Blair or kept the kid from France that was in camp.......they would help us in the depth department and I'm sure both would have improved because they were young players. But Luke Walton is pushing 30 years old and has not improved his game at all. As a matter of fact during the exit interviews the only thing that was asked of Walton was to get healthy. WTF???????? Nobody suggested that he should do defensive slide drills to work on his lateral movement, or try to extend his shooting range to beyond the three since he can't create his own shot and he dribbles with his head down. The expectancy level for Luke Walton is soooooo low that it has become increasingly obvious that his contract has nothing to do with basketball or improving this team.

I look at a kid like Trevor Ariza that has improved in leaps and bounds but his potential was ALWAYS evident as least it was to me......but Phil Jackson who is rapidly developing a track record for not being able to develop talent actually STARTED LUKE WALTON AHEAD OF ARIZA FOR NEARLY A SEASON AND A HALF!!!!!!!

Despite the obvious fact that Ariza had a world more potential and much younger Phil still yo-yo'd Luke and Ariza the same way he is doing now with Brown and Sasha and Farmar. When it is obvious in this situation that Brown is the better player with much more potential and should be given more minutes than Derek Fisher even so he can continue to improve.

I know BK that you are blinded by the 10 rings but divorce yourself if you can from that emotion and try to remember last week's meal does not satisfy tonight's hunger..........the process must continue. The goal is to always strive and move toward the absolute, always look for ways to improve yourself. So if Kobe does self-evaluation after his resume of success and decides that he would seek out Hakeem to work further on his post moves........can Phil Jackson improve BK? Or is he perfect in your mind? If you think he can improve then write an article that will address that instead of pointing to the 10 rings and using that as an excuse for cowadice journalism. I know Phil Jackson has a problem with arrogance and that makes his 10 rings at times more of a detriment than it does an asset but I expect more from you BK..............you're better than this...........or not

LT-

"Phil’s philosophy on defense is similar to his philosophy on offense. Rather than set a specific strategy on how to play the pick and roll, such as how UCLA’s Ben Howland does by almost always trapping the ball handler, Phil prefers to let the players make the judgment, sort of a read and react strategy. Counting on players to make the right judgment on how to defend the pick and roll on the fly is tough, which is why the Lakers always seem to have problems with pick and rolls. Simpler is often better as Howland’s players know exactly what to do and act decisively. Do you see that with the Lakers?"

Not at all true. The Lakers have a defensive system, and definitely have a strategy for how they want to defend teams, the P and R, etc. Executing it is another matter, but the notion that Phil wants to "let his players figure it out" on that end isn't true. Yes, you have to read the situation, but that's true of any defense played by any team. The reason the Lakers struggle to defend the P and R is the same as it is for most teams- at the NBA level with NBA talent, a well executed screen and roll will almost always lead to a shot somewhere. Given what you can't do to ball handlers in terms of checking them, it's almost impossible for any guard to stay in front of his man, especially on a screen. From there, it becomes a team game, often with a big, and someone like Drew is still learning how to effectively play his role to show and recover, and guys beneath him have to be decisive on rotations to protect the basket. But almost no team in the league defends the P and R consistently well, which is why just about every team runs it all the time.

As for Ben Howland and college, it's a mistake to compare how things are defended/executed at that level to the NBA. It's easier to trap and play aggressively or run just about any disciplined defensive system because the players aren't as good. Ballhandlers aren't as strong, the guys setting the screens aren't the same level of threat. The quality of player at the NBA level gives them myriad options on the P and R, and thus makes it that much harder to defend.

BK

Anyone saw Spurs' game yesterday vs the Jazz??

All that marquee additions they made - Richard Jefferson, McDyess and that "steal" draft guy... still I dont think SA is the best team in the West. (they have a mega-bench though, Manu, McDyess, Mason etc)

However, when I saw yesterday's game, one thing was clear. Duncan is not what Duncan used to be. Jefferson and McDyess dont seem like they'll be able to fill the void. So, I would say still we are the team to beat in the west.

131-92, your "unbeaten" Celtics could have been beaten by the lowly Wolves but for the questionable call at the end of the game.. What happened to those blow-out wins?? Or since Minnesota was once-home of the Lakers, your old men's knees started quivering to play there?? :-)

Part of my pre-season excitement about the Lakers was the prospect of an expanded role for Shannon. Hasn;t happened yet and I'm a little puzzled as to why (blog explanations above notwithstanding). As the season rolls on, we are going to lose games if we don't have a reliable guy to split/take minutes with/from Fisher.

I think it's worth mentioning too that Shannon has the advantage of not having already disappointed Lakers fans on one level or another. He's always been in a position to exceed expectations, b/c they were pretty low when he arrived, and his contributions were seen in a lot of ways as an unexpected benefit (I thought he'd play a lot more than Morrison, but SB definitely worked his way into the rotation faster than I thought he would). Meanwhile, Sasha has totally lost the shooting that got him his contract, and Farmar backslid last year all while displaying an attitude that turned a lot of people off.

It's very easy, though, to overrate the unknown, or decide that 5 or 8 minutes of effective play at a time can be extrapolated to 15 or 20 minutes of it. It happened some with Powell last year, too, but with JP it's pretty clear there's a diminishing return the longer he stays on the floor. Craig Smith is one of those guys for me, too. I LOVE him as an 15-22 minute a night guy- he's one of my favorite role guys in the league- but if he plays 35 a game you've got problems.

Shannon has made some spectacular plays, works his ass off, has a great attitude, is humble, and is impossible not to root for. I'd love to see him grow into a bigger role. But at the same time, I think he's still working on the small, mundane things that help a team operate. That's where he's growing, and improvement there will be what lands him more time. Like I wrote, I think he and Farmar will, at worst, start picking up whatever rotation time Sasha eventually loses, and if Brown can get himself more comfortable with the details of the offense, he'll get more minutes than any guard off the bench.

BK

RUGGED START ...

1. INTENSITY? Sloppy, squeaker of a win against the Clips. Blowout loss to Mavs. Unconvincing win over Hawks. Two OVERTIME WHEWS versus projected lottery teams. Welcome to the 2009-2010 Laker's NBA Season! Everyone geared up for taking a shot at the Champs, while the Champs struggle to find game focus and intensity as they predictably (perhaps even excusably?) roll out to a slow-moving start to the season. Playoff level intensity cannot ~ I repeat CANNOT ~ be sustained from November to June.

2. INJURIES! Yeah, the rest has long-term benefits for Gasol. Oops, a string of five or so superior games by Bynum then an injury (have we seen this before?!). Not exactly devestating news or impact yet, but a key element to lack of continuity and team aspects on defense and offense.

3. BENCH?! With roughly the same cast of characters, last year this team was labeled DEEP with a capital "D" early and often. Struggles mid to late season were thought to be an abberation. But now, a concerning reality seems to be setting in. The Bench is weak and far from Deep. This is an issue that falls squarely on Jackson as coach. It is not about "potential" (unseen possiblities). It is about blending chemistry and balance to RETURN to PAST levels of performance. Farmar & Sasha haven't "lost a step." Walton's past numbers weren't before some career-altering injury. Those THREE should be better coached for production. POTENTIAL is about Brown & Powell, showing improvement and promise.

4. LEVEL OF COMPETITION Last year we saw it over and over again. The Lakers would play to the level of the competition. Apparently that is not going to change. So true measure will soon come with games against upper-tier teams like Denver, when Lakers will put on their game-faces for more than a stretch here or there in regulation, or out of late-game/OT neccesity.

5. D-FISH??? Count me as a diehard, loyalist in support of Fisher. I had my doubts at times last year. Fighting those doubts even more than ever, now. Wondering if BENCH AND FISH might perform better with him leading that group, and STARTERS AND FARMAR might perform better with him fitting more in with that group. Could somebody with access and clout (AHEM... AK/BK) suggest this to Phil before T.J. Simers does and all hope is lost for it ever happening!?

Mike

Good Morning Everyone....

Im in my mates wedding today so all updates and stressing will be done via my iphone...

Kobe fan ...I watched the game..Tim Duncan looked 115 years old last night..
I love the guy but Boozer abused him...A couple of times Boozer used a crazy drop step in the key while Duncan looked in very slow motion.....

For the fans who like myself have concerns about our guard and bench situation,please remember we have a guy thats deal is worth 5mill sitting on the bench ...And or the Farmar contract as well...The trade deadline count has already begun in this house..

Jon K ....Hope your trip out west went well man....
I have another band you need to listen to....

WOLFMOTHER.....Cosmic egg.......This band is really good...
If anybody liked Led Zep or that style of music then you will fall in love with these guys.....Trust me...

I will have my phone on silent during the church but just in case we loose Mbenga to injury and need a 5,8 center i will have it back on at around 3.30pm...My fade away jumper is crazy....A mix between Samaki Walker and Greg Ostertag all rolled in one...

Good Morning Charles...Good Morning Everyone...

I think this guard "situation" will be worked out extremely favorably this season, possibly by the trade deadline...

it seems that at least one of the players in question (Fisher, Brown, Farmar, Sasha) will indeed step it up as the season goes on, if not Mitch will have a trade ready that will blow our little minds no doubt..

as some have aluded, coaches and management see the problems / potentials and are working on contingencies as we speak, as that is their job, seemingly...

and this summer the Lakers will not be idle either I suspect, with the cornucopia of free agents, the economy and our ace in the hole (i.e. most NBA players would rather play for the Lakers (and hence win championships) and live in LA than any other franchise / city (at least until Honolulu or San Diego gets a team as far as cities go or so)...

the season is long enough for our coach to give everyone and all combinations of players their chance, hopefully he does just that, though sometimes it does seem as if that is indeed not his modus, as it were...but then again there's that pesky 10 ring thing, i.e. he alsmost seems like he knows what he's a doin'...

"Nowhere man can you see me at all?"

"because I'm 6 foot 4 and eat punks like you for breakfast"

AS ALWAYS, AS EVER, YET ANOTHER GREAT DAY (AND CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON) TO BE A LAKER FAN !!!

GO LAKERS !!!

Greetings, beloved blogmunity!

It's time for...

Jon K.'s Early Thoughts That He Has Not Put Too Much Thought Into Yet!

1. I love L.A.

2. Just returned from Los Angeles, had a wonderful time, my interviews went well, spent time in Long Beach, Riverside, Hollywood, Woodland Hills, and Santa Barbara and was impressed with every place I went to.

3. What shocked me was that California had not been transformed into zombieland. I completely expected that the wrath of the current economy would turn California into a wasteland. This was not the case. Sure, I saw more "For Rent" signs and some empty stores, but nothing compared to what I expected. Quite frankly, the development I saw was intelligent and California looked better than I remember it when I last visited two years ago. By comparison, Ohio looks like a tsunami just pulled back. I don't get it. The unemployment rate is significantly higher in California than Ohio, but Ohio looks devastated and California looks vibrant by comparison it makes no sense to me.

4. I was so disappointed by listening to KROQ. I came to California eager to listen to new music and KROQ has become the equivalent of "classic" alternative rock. I mean, they're still playing Bush's "Glycerine" in their rotation. Really? Really? Why? It's the same music that was tired when I left California THREE YEARS AGO. What the hell? In contrast 92.9 in Santa Barbara played almost exclusively NEW music that was intelligent and quality. It was a far superior listening experience. If KROQ is supposed to be one of the leading radio stations in the country, they should play something other than boring music. I'll take KCRW or KJEE (Santa Barbara) any day over the crap that KROQ is currently playing.

5. I was so busy during my trip that I did not get to watch a complete game, but I was able to watch (and listen to) large chunks of Lakers and Clippers games. It was nice. The commentators are so much better than TNT and ESPN guys. L.A. fans are spoiled by quality.

6. I hooked up with some old friends and was annoyed by what they found time to complain about. Los Angelenans have it good. Really good. So good that they complain about things that would simply be met with the mildest shrug most places in the country. Time to celebrate what you've got as opposed to complain that life isn't perfect.

7. My experience in L.A. has invigorated a personal antipathy towards chicken littles. This team is awesome. Thriller is such a wonderful acquisition. Sure, we've struggled at times, but EVERY team is bringing their absolute "A" game when they play us--EVERY team--Thriller is still intigrating himself, and Pau Gasol is in street clothes. Give me a break. When this team is healthy and Thriller is intigrated, this team is going to be amazing.

8. I don't give a damn about the 73 win goal. What I care about is that this team is playing the equivalent of an entire season of playoff intensity because of opponents bringing their "A" game every night. While that is exhausting, it also builds a strength into the playoffs that no other team will have.

9. [Lakers secret agent special report]: I've spoken to approximately three dozen people recently about the inclusion of Shaq into the Cavs. The concensus is that it is not going to work out. I have not spoken to a singular Cavs fan who believes that the Cavs will win it all this year, which is a dramatic break from the attitude last year.

10. I THINK I may have a job in Los Angeles in a few months and I HOPE that I will get into these graduate programs I'm applying to. I was absolutely invigorated by the programs at UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara. I will be thrilled to be a part of these programs. I just love communicating with intelligent, educated, passionate, open-minded people. It is so different from what I'm used to.

11. Chicken littles! Be forewarned! I'm going to go after you more aggressively than I will trolls (whom I will ignore). This is a year of celebration, not cynicism!

12. The season is young, but the only teams that I see that are truly monsters are the Lakers and Celtics. That's it. Denver, the Mavericks and Orlando are also pretty darned good, but they ain't no Lakers or Celtics.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!!!

Mamba24/Edwin Guerco,

I've got a man-crush on Shannon Brown as much as the next guy, but it belies the question, "How good a distributor is Brown?"

Sure, the guy can dunk from the three-point line and I like his defense, but can he distribute the ball effectively? Just quickly thinking about things, Brown might be the eighth best distributor on the team. Is that what we NEED in a point guard?

What do we play for? RINGS!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

Rocky/Laker Tom,

"Derek Fisher is the perfect fit for this team. He does exactly what this Laker team needs, and he does it better than anyone in the league aside from Chauncey Billups."

I agree. It annoys me that people don't recognize that Derek Fisher brings something special to this team that is not always shown in statistics except winning percentage.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

So, are we going to see Lamar Odom at center doing his best Magic Johnson impersonation?

That would be rad.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

How is 3OH!3 not in KROQ's rotation?

How?

http://tinyurl.com/qnqhx7

What do we play for? RINGS!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

exheldovr,

"Does anyone know if they are they going to televise the ceremony tonight when the Celtics getting their CrackerJack rings for having the best record so far?"

I laughed.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

Go Lakers!

Giant Green - Thanks for the compliments on the handle! I'm a philosophy grad student originally from Cali, so I thought it would be interesting if I put both of those together.

I think this is amusement as well, since I'm in a state that will only broadcast Mavs, Rockets and Spurs games regularly. I do need my Lake Show fix, and this is a fantastic place to get it.

I would hope that you would point out hypocrisy on this blog; sometimes people need to know that what they're saying is incoherent/fallacious/contradictory. It keeps people sharp .

I laughed heartily when you said what you would say if you were a GM. Quite hilarious. :-)

I must confess that (being where I am) I haven't seen much of NBA action generally (I've seen most of the last 2 lake show games). With KG healthy, it looks like the C's have that intestinal fortitude that they had 2 years ago...which is scary, because it seems as if Orlando is the only team that has that same swagger. I think the christmas game this year should have been C's vs. Lake Show, because it would have been electric.

And you can call me Caliphilosopher or Cali-P. If I get my PhD, I'll probably change it to Dr. Caliphilosopher (but that's a while off). :-)

Hope your afternoon is going well! :-)

I think Gerald Green still has an chance to be successful under the right direction of that of Phil/Kobe..

Looks like we will never make a play for him though..

When Farmar is getting extended minutes, 20-25, i feel like he concentrates more on trying to drive and dish to teammates (saw a lot of that in preseason)

But when he's in there 10-12minutes he's pretty much looking to score
because
A.) fewer minutes/fewer looks for him and
B.) i think he feels pressure to score cause he doesn't think Powell or Mbenga can finish. i think he could make things happen with the starters, and would have more confidence.
I know it was preseason, but Farmar had some nice games when he was playing extended minutes he was dishing it to Bynum under the basket, finishing, getting to the line, finding the open man.

I am confident that Farmar can be a productive PG in our Offense.
I truly don't think he is as bad on defense as everyone thinks. Man-on-man he's OK, pick n roll he needs work (Fisher can't fight through screens like he used to). I like Shannon a lot, but is his decision making isn't much better than Farmar's. I just don't see Brown ever being our PG of the future.

What i would enjoy seeing if Fisher continues to struggle is:
SG Kobe: 35 min. / Brown: 12 min
PG Fisher: 22 min / Farmar: 21 min / Brown: 5min
I still like that combo of Farmar & Brown together in the BC

Great to hear about Jon's trip back to the land of milk and honey!

Like 85% of people on here, I'm on the Brown bandwagon. If I were in charge, it would either be Brown or JF starting right now - and make no mistake, UPS is the real deal.

We were having this same debate a year ago with Ariza. People forget that it took LUKE himself to go to the coach before anything changed. Vlad was a stronger starter than Luke, and Ariza was a stronger player than either.

But here's something that perhaps NONE of you will be able to argue against... can someone tell me why on the last possession of the game (a defensive possession) with only a few seconds left on the clock, why we have a less than optimal defensive line-up in the game????????

Let me preface what I'm about to say with something powerful, I'm a huge Phil Jackson fan and there's no one I'd rather have coaching the Lakers.

However, the guy, over the years, has had a tendancy to default into extremely stupid rotations and line-ups. We were once in a cruncher with Detroit and the last offensive possession dictated a 3 point shot and nothing less - so Phil puts Kwame in the game along with Lamar and a few other non three point threats. We lost the game, and that was the last game Kwame played for the Lakers, but it still bewildered me why he'd do something that served no purpose at all.

Well, the same thing happened in Houston. We're nursing a tiny lead and it's the final possession of the game (less than 24 secs), and we're on defense coming off a time out. Phil has Derek Fisher playing PG.

I'm wondering "what??"

Wouldn't you want your best defensive line-up in that situation?? UPS should have been in the game there. Are our players so deficient mentally that in a defense only situation we'd bypass an athletic big guard in favor of a guy that's been getting burned all night on D??

Phil continues his lousy substitutions, rotations, and line-ups - but he's also still the undisputed greatest coach in the game (IMO)

moneydez,

>>>Jordan Farmer:
>>>Oh,my how can I go on without getting a bit pisted off. This guy has been
>>>given oportunity after opp. to prove he can be a starter in this leauge.

HUH?

That's completely false.

Farmar was given a chance to start TWO games at the end of his rookie season,
and the playoff games that season.

The only game he got to start in the last two seasons was game 3 vs Houston.
He shut down Aaron Brooks in that game, got 7 assists to 1 turnover, and the
Lakers won handily.

So, in other words, since the Lakers dumped the trash like Smush and Kwame,
they have WON 100% OF THEIR GAMES when they start Farmar. When given
a chance as a starter, he has played GREAT. He hasn't always played as well as
a backup.

BK
Response to pfunk36

I really LAUGHED OUT LOUD- WOW

"If I go for major surgery, I'll look for the best surgeon I can find. One with a track record of success. That doesn't guarantee my procedure will go well, but I'm far more likely to value his/her opinion over a guy in the comments section of a surgery blog."

Hey 82-101 (when are you going to move into the present and drop that 131 name?)

>>>Let me get this straight ... the deepest most talented team in the NBA needs
>>>a point guard and a center 5 games into the season?

Yep, it's true, injuries to a couple of Lakers starters has exposed the fact that MBenga
isn't capable of playing big minutes and the guards have been a little shaky.
Like Sasha Vujacic. You remember him? He's the guy who dropped 20 on your
Celtics in a Laker victory in the finals. But he's not really up to the standards of
the Lakers.

I'm sure when KG inevitably goes down with a re-injury of the knee, then if
either Sheed or Perk went down, Scal would be equally exposed as MBenga.
And while Eddie House and Sheed have been shooting very well, and Shelden
Williams has taken up FatBaby Davis minutes nicely, Marquis Daniels has
been about as much of a dud as Starbury. And JR Giddens and his 0.61 per is
far below any of the Laker guards.

But to be fair, congratulations! You have the best bench of October. You must
be very proud. Do Celtic fans have special parties for that? Do you hang banners
in the gym for that. See, in LA, we only care about who wins the finals. Who's
the champion is what matters most. And at the present, that's the Lakers.

So if your old guys can stay healthy, then we'll see you in the finals. If not,
then maybe it's time to put your old fogeys out to pasture and rebuild around
Rondo. You should be back to the finals again... in another 20 years.

Jon,
- - - - - - - - -
Glad to hear your LA trip went well. One of the schools I attended where I actually got a degree was UC Riverside. I loved my time at UCR. Great intramural basketball program. If you get there, check and see if the Pottsville Maroons are still playing. When I played, we had a history of over 15 years of competition with multiple championships. Anyway, great area of pickup and rec basketball.
- - - - - - - - -
Tom

EagleBoy-

Thanks for the prize but we dont want no cracker jack rings or cracker jacks for that matter. Thanks for reminding the franchise with the most titles that titles are not won in November. But as long as they bother to keep score in November, we might as well win. BTW even if its only November, where there is smoke ... there is fire.

Regarding your health comment ... I agree its better to have injuries in the front end then at the end of the season but where does it say that its an either/or proposition. Sometimes they happen both in that the start and at the end of the season. Apparently it even happens to young fresh legs and elbows.

LT -

Thanks for the props on the Farmar writeup. It pains me to see him struggling so badly when I know how much talent he's got bottled up in there. It's not a popular thing on the Lakerblog these days to have even an inkling of belief in Jordan Farmar, but I'm still holding out hope he'll turn this thing around.

AK or BK, what happened to my comment?

It's amazing what some people will post just to get attention.

Long-Time
why don't you stick to the the lakers and let CELTICS fans stick to the Celtics. Hoping KG re-injures his knee? Nice!!
Here's a fact - He is 33 yrs old and has been in the league since he was 18. He has had ONE injury, so inevitably doesn't seem to fit here.
Daniels has been MUCH better than Marbury.
In the playoffs last year, we were without KG AND Powe. There was no way we could win. I was disappointed we didn't get to play Cleveland, but we did make it to the second round. Took Orlando to 7 games. The reason we got Sheed was
because Scal was exposed. Thanks for pointing that out, but Danny Ainge was way ahead of you. Hey, maybe Orlando will GIFT you Martin Gortat for some of koME's old jock straps, because no one wants your bench players.
True, the Celtics are SLIGHTLY older than the lakers (don't make me do the math AGAIN, I've already done it twice!!)
But Phoney Phil's insistence on winning meaningless games in Nov, with Bryant, Bynum and Odom each playing over 40 mins per game, WILL tire them out come playoff time, just like it did with us last year.

Fisher has logged more minutes this year than Rondo. Difference? Fisher is 35 and Rondo is 23. Why won't Phoney Phil start Farmar or Brown?? Because koME wants Fisher - and koME is the coach!! Just like Jordan was!!!
Have a great day and happy posting!! Good luck against the mighty Griz.

Fan of the Mamba,

"Great to have you back on the blog brother. Wasn't the same without you!"

Thanks, brother! It's good back. I only wish I was typing from California, not Ohio.

I got off the plane, found out they had lost my bags, and was greeted by 28 degree weather and ubiquitous grayness and leafless trees. Urgh.

Go ask Thriller. He'll tell you how good Californians have it.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

Rick Friedman,

"Welcome to the club. They've completely lost their groove. KROQ has become more like a safe Top 40 station"

I know, man. I was SO disappointed. KROQ is still thinking that the Grunge revolution is enduring. It's not. That point in time is past.

In my humble opinion, the future of alternative rock is rooted in the growing techno-rock movement with bands like 3OH!3 (who I believe will be a beefier version of the Depeche Mode of this generation) as well as some artists that are actually gifted songwriters like Band Of Horses (who have the potential to be this generation's R.E.M.).

When I was listening to KROQ, they were playing almost exclusively music from five to eight years ago and not even good music. I was thinking to myself, "This is America's leading alternative rock station? What the hell?"

There IS good music out there from talented, intelligent, inspired artists and it is not being given a voice over major radio... and that is just tragic.

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!

Jon K, loved UCR enough to get a degree there. I was there in the late 90s. Twas a good time, and good school. Still have plenty of friends working in and around UCR.

I think its definitely upped its game since going Division 1. I was talking to one of my younger cousins (or nieces/nephews, I get confused with such a huge extended family), and it seems like UCR their primary choice.

forgive me, I love the school, but it was never a primary choice in the 90s when I went to college.

My loyalties remain with ASU, but I'm a highlander too. I had a fun time there - I should, I met my wife there.

Shannon Brown's work ethic and talent far exceed the other two. Give him the chance to suceed or fail, at least until midseason.

See, this is what I LOVE about septic fan Green dude.

>>>
why don't you stick to the the lakers and let CELTICS fans stick to the Celtics.
>>>

Here's a septic fan on a Lakers blog, who bashes the Lakers, telling us what we should talk about on our blog.

You couldn't make this stuff up!

LOL!

Just wish he'd listen to himself.
Well, I'm sure he is listening to voices in his head, they're just not helping.

LA Lakers 2009 NBA Champions

Jon K

Good to see you. I haven't been a regular since we signed LO. Full time school, work and interning.

I have been learning the Major Market Radio side quite a bit. KROQ for september was ranked #4 in the ratings charts. We now use what's called a
Portable People Meter (PPM).

Instead of the archaic diary note taking, it is a device that records the duration and station when a signal gets picked up. I believe it is more accurate since the beginning of 2008.

Radio has changed and I see how it is account executive driven. The balance has shifted where the the radio spots sold want that "noise." I have sat in a mixer conference and Urban - AC heads understand the youths listernership is lost and the program direction is malovent to art.

Longtime-

The name has not changed nor will it. That is unless we give u another beat down and we establish a new Finals record. I will then consider changing the name but not til then. So better hope I dont have to change my name. But u never know ... it could happen next year.

Injuries exposed what? What are you talking about? I told you that a few weeks ago. Dont you read my posts? Do you think I write these because Ive got nothing better to do between Celtic wins? Pay attention to what I say and you might learn something. I exposed them a long time ago. You just dont pay attention. You are to busy laughing at me. I told you our bench was better then yours. I even broke it down player by player. Please tell me I didnt waste my time.

Do I remember Sasha? LOL. How can I forget him. The look on his face as Ray Ray went around him to cap the 24 pt comeback of Game 4 was priceless. I will never forget him. Besides 148-114(the Memorial Day massacre) ... the only other name I would change to would be 97-91. (Did we really win that game by 6 after spotting you a 24 pt lead on the road?)

You need to watch the Celtic games not just look at the box score. Daniels has not been a "dud" like Marbury. He has been very productive. I know for Laker fan to think someone has played well he must score a ton of points but thats not the case in real basketball. Like KG getting a jumpball call late in the Minnesota game ... it was a huge play but you never saw it in the box score. We dont rely on one guy to carry us and score 40 a game on 35 shots. We have a balanced attack and it can come from many different guys.

Like you said the present is all that matters. Presently the old "fogeys" are undefeated all playing 25-30 mins per and the young fresh legs and elbows are sitting with injuries. And your starters are aging by the 40 mins a nite they are "forced" to play.

BYNUM & GASOL TO PLAY SUNDAY…
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://tinyurl.com/y88dbpz
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Here is excerpt:
-
For a team that learned it will almost certainly be without its top two big men against Memphis tonight, the Lakers left their practice facility on Thursday with plenty of reason to be upbeat.
-
Andrew Bynum flashed a relieved grin after an MRI exam revealed that the right elbow injury he sustained the previous night in Houston was just a strain rather than something more serious.
-
Pau Gasol also came away encouraged that he might return as soon as Sunday after his strained right hamstring held up through his first full day of practice since he sustained the injury on Oct. 10.
-
And Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he's confident his short-handed team can cope without the two 7-footers in the short term, whether by starting backup D.J. Mbenga or going small with either Josh Powell or Lamar Odom playing center.
-
"We just have to patch it up and play as well as we can," Jackson said. "We've got guys who can play."
-
Bynum had better range of motion Thursday than he did Wednesday night, when he could barely lift his arm high enough to pull his shirt over his head. He is still experiencing discomfort but didn't rule out a potential return Sunday against New Orleans.
-
"When the pain goes down, I'll be able to play," Bynum said. "It's just a matter of time."
-
Bynum was injured late in overtime Wednesday night when Houston's Chuck Hayes fouled him across the arm as the Lakers center went up for a shot. It was somewhat fortuitous timing for Bynum considering that next up on the schedule is Memphis, which was the Lakers' opponent both times he sustained serious knee injuries the past two seasons.
-
"I'm kind of excited about not having to play that one," Bynum said, grinning.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tom

LTLF,

>>> they have WON 100% OF THEIR GAMES when they start Farmar.

T h a n k y o u !!!

The blog is in love with what they WANT Shannon to be. I'd like him to be that, too. He's not there yet. And I still think he's better as a 2.

JF played a solid game the other night in Houston. He's just got to string a bunch of those together. Given the opportunity to play with the right lineup, he can. His horrible game at OKC was with a group that had zero chance of creating any offense.

Unfortunately for Sasha, he's likely to be the odd man out when the rotation shortens. But he'll likely get the call again. We can only hope he'll have his confidence back and be ready.

We're only a few games into the new season and too many fans think the team should already be playing the way teams do in April, May, and June. It just doesn't happen that way. Need I remind folks that patience is a virtue? I guess I do. Go Lakers!

#4,
- - - - - - - - - -
Another UCR alumnus. And a point guard, too. Ever play intramural ball at UCR? They used to have great leagues there and great pickup games there and at San Berdo State. Excellent school with only one problem when I was there: smog. In fact, much of the major research on the effects of smog used to be done at UCR. They were just division II when I was there, although the football team was just starting to compete at the division I level. When I was there, my wife and I had lived in married students housing, which was a great neighborhood of small bungalows left over from the military. Great memories of the two years I spent there getting a second BS degree. Go, Highlanders. LOL
- - - - - - - - - -
Tom

Jon K.,

Man, you must have missed the blog. How many posts have you submitted? You really are making up for lost blogging time. LOL!!!

I live in Southeastern Wisconsin so I know about ubiquitious gray skies and cold temps, though we don't have either right now. However, things can and do change quickly here in the midwest.

I see you're still in that California state of mind. Good luck to you, Hope you get the job of your dreams in Southern California.

Hope we can get a couple of behind enemy lines reports before you depart Ohio.

zach from san diego--

congratulations. I don't think i've done a literal spit-take in years. I usually don't read comments directed at trolls, but hey...

Jon K, LakerFox- sorry, but radio is dead. Something about its stars being killed by video, or the internet or something. If you want to listen to new music, try to live within about 25 feet of a college that has an alternative radio station or something, or maybe public radio if you can catch them between garrison keillor and all things considered.

Hey zach - igmore me if you like, but if you want me to stick around, keep posting ridiculous and crude comments like that.

HBMatt - thanks, I love reading your comments, too. So insightful and knowledgeable about hoops - man, what a zinger that was - ouch

Edwin - much love right back at ya, man. Yeah, my comments were directed at Loooong time - did you read the whole post, or just the part you responded to? Tough to not have an attitude when I read you guys want KG to get hurt again. Yeah, nice attitude there. Find one post where I wish harm to the laker players - you won't. I want us at full strength, and you at full strength. If you want in on my posts, address me personally. I hardly ever back down, ask Matty boy.
Good luck tonight against the mighty Griz

You know the Big green bald guy is alright so no slam to him, but why do other Celtic trolls think they get rings for November?
Last time I checked the Geriatrics hadn't beat us in over a year.
Just see if you can get to the finals this year then we can talk.