GQ includes Laker fans among the worst sports fans
If there was any such exercise that's the equivalent of throwing red meat to the masses to devour, this would be the perfect item.
Sure, there are plenty of Laker stories that cause division and uprising. There's an Andrew Bynum injury, questioning of Kobe Bryant's shot selection, debating the Lakers' all-time greatest players, Luke Walton's contract and any praise for the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. But this one surpasses them all -- questioning the Lakers' fanhood. The latest issue of GQ Magazine ranks the top 15 worst sports fans in the country and to no one's surprise, Lakers fans are on that list. Below is the excerpt:
Congratulations, Angelenos! You are the fairest of America's fair-weather fans! The Lakers unfaithful abandoned their team en masse when Magic retired in 1991, then reconfirmed their fickleness by sending local TV ratings plummeting 30 percent after Shaq departed in 2004. Meanwhile, in these championship days, the Staples Center is more bar scene than sports complex, where fans can't be bothered to clap -- their hands are too busy texting. "The focus is sometimes not on the court," coach Phil Jackson has said. "It's on the people in the crowd." Which explains why eight box suites were recently combined into an offshoot of an abominable nightclub, the Hyde Lounge. After VIPs pass a clipboard gauntlet -- at a sports stadium -- they can eat $21 nachos at a crocodile-skin bar while waiting for the space to transform into a postbuzzer dance club. When it's time to leave, a valet will even bring around their bandwagon.
Really? GQ goes through such a "heavily researched, highly scientific account of the bleacher creatures, bottle-throwers, couch-torchers, sexual harassers, projectile vomiters, and serially indifferent bandwagon-hoppers marring our national landscape" and that's their conclusion? Spare all the homework. I could've given you that synopsis in 30 or fewer seconds and then presented it as some undiscovered observation. Too bad it's as boring and predictable a stereotype as Kendrick Perkins calling Phil Jackson "arrogant" and Pau Gasol "soft."
"I think they're accustomed to success," Jackson said in amusement about the rankings. "That's kind of a natural reaction when you have a lot of success. People enjoy the show rather than feeling they have to encourage the team in an element of fanatacism."
But by no means are Lakers fans simply star-gazers [OK, GQ put it a little less delicately]. That's all part of the show of course. There's no atmosphere that can duplicate Laker games, where you'll see Jeanie Buss allowing Justin Bieber to wear Jackson's championship ring, Ron Artest chatting up Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg courtside about a possible collaboration and Dustin Hoffman appearing in every Kiss Cam segment. But to pin Laker fans as mindless celebrity-crazed socialites is simply wrong on every level.
Go to any Lakers game and you'll hear fans appropriately respond to anything happening on the court. If Kobe threads the needle through a double team, penetrates the post with amazing footwork and ends the sequence with a sweet pull-up jumper, the Staples Center crowd rises and cheers over Bryant's continued clutchness. If Artest throws up an uncontested three-pointer, runs the fast break as if he were a bull in a china shop or appears downright lost in running the triangle, the Staples Center crowd tenses up, ready to know something bad could possibly happen. And if the Lakers execute the triangle with perfect execution, the Staples Center crowd will marvel at the nuances on how the Lakers ran it. They just so happen to have the Laker girls, celebrity sightings and the beautiful people around them to enhance the experience.
"I think over here they don't understand in L.A. they have fans with swag," Artest said. "We be laid back. We got our shades on. We got our Grey Poupon. I know some fans who travel with Grey Poupon. How many fans do you know who have Grey Poupon? They're on the front row on the floor with Grey Poupon with nice silverware, just in case they want to get a slice of steak or some caviar. We got caviar at Staples Center. We got ladies dancing. We got swag."
But Artest also added something critical to understand about Lakers fans. The ones who arrive at the Staples Center are a small fragment of what makes up the organization's fanbase. These are the ones who show up enmasse to downtown L.A. during the Lakers parade, hoping they could catch a glimpse of the stars they've only seen on television. These are the ones who live in several parts of the country outside L.A. and follow the purple and gold by any means necessary, including satellite cable packages, mulitmedia coverage and box scores. And these are the ones who comment frequently in this forum. Describing these fans as fair weather and star crazed doesn't just fit a lazy stereotype. It's completely inaccurate.
With so many things to do in Los Angeles, such as hitting up Hollywood night spots, the beach and a wide range of diverse communities, many Lakers fans solely care about one thing: Watching and discussing the Lakers. They're eager to talk about things as universal as Bryant's clutchness and things as inside basketball as what Joe Smith says before the starters are introduced at games. They're equally excited about the Lakers during the NBA playoffs as they are during the dog days of August where there really is no Lakers news going on.
"The fans outside are hardcore," Artest said. "I'll tell you how they're different. You go into any neighborhood outside of Staples Center and talk about the Lakers. If you're not good, they'll show you how passionate they are."
So what's happened, Ron?
"No I'm not going to say nothing."
OK, fair enough. But I will. GQ can rank Lakers fans as one of the worst fanbases in sports. But nowhere will you meet fans of all various walks of life as equally passionate about their favorite team, whether it's at a Hollywood red-carpet event, a five-star restaurant, a mom-and-pop store or your next-door neighborhood. I'm not expressing this sentiment as a Lakers fan, but as one who interacts with them on a daily basis. For that, I can't thank you enough.
--Mark Medina
E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
Los Angeles is a transient city, where people are either moving out of LA or moving in and hard to maintain a loyal fan base.
Posted by: LA to Bay | March 17, 2011 at 04:27 PM
MM - admit it - you're slowly becoming a Laker fan! (And you're welcome).
Posted by: justanothermambafan | March 17, 2011 at 04:44 PM
Clearly typed by yet another jealous out-of-towner.
Posted by: Native Angeleno | March 17, 2011 at 04:49 PM
Appropriate fan base for a team led by supreme punk Kobe Bryant. I was a Laker fan my whole life, but I can't abide this crap. Can't wait for the OKC playoff series...it's not going to end pretty this year texters. By the way, which critical game will Kobe miss when he gets his 16th technical?
Posted by: pargrad | March 17, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Chicago Bulls have the most fair weather fans of any NBA team....Remember the Jordan Era when you would see Bulls gear everywhere you went...Bulls jackets...Bulls hats....Bulls everything!!!..I never thought I would ever stop seeing those bloody tipped horns!!
But look around now...where is the black and red where are the Jordan/Rodman/Pippin/Rose/Noah jerseys???....Zip Zero Nada Done...all of those Bulls fans have magically disappeared!
Posted by: dj ozone | March 17, 2011 at 05:22 PM
@LROB … While I am critical of Dwight’s offense, I do give him credit for working on his jump shot. But until I see him improve his free throw percentage, I will give him that shot every time down the court. He is definitely a threat on offense and not a stiff, which is something you can’t say about Noah or Perkins and many other defensive oriented centers. Would I chose him over Drew to start a team? No, but I acknowledge that most basketball experts would pick him in a New York minute.
…
The other thing about guys who “learn” to shoot vs. guys who are natural shooters is that they usually make those shots early in the game when there is less pressure but always seem to be unable to hit those shots in the fourth quarter when their legs are tired, the defense is more aggressive, and you need to be clutch. That’s why I have always been biased against guys like Dwight, LeBron, and Rondo, especially at the game end. And yes you are right that teams prefer these guys to take mid-range jumpers but sometimes taking what the defense gives you is exactly what the defense wants.
…
Dwight has problems in the fourth quarter. His outside shot gets even shakier and he is sometimes hesitant to attack the rim for fear of being sent to the line. He does not handle double teams very well as he showed with all the turnovers in the fourth quarter when the Lakers doubled him when Pau was on him. Do those vulnerabilities make him less of a player and threat? For sure. Can he overcome them with great athleticism and play the rest of the game? Obviously, but more as a result of his defense than his offense, which is improving but still nothing to build an offense around IMO. And that, in a nutshell, is why I don’t think Orlando will ever really be a contender for a championship.
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TOM
Posted by: LakerTom | March 17, 2011 at 05:37 PM
Nonsense. At least for me. I'm a LIFELONG (and that spans several decades!) Lakers fan who bleeds purple and gold.
When I moved to other states--back before NBA League Pass on DirecTV--it was difficult keeping up, I didn't get to see all the games, and I drew anger from the local city's sports fans because of my large collection of Lakers shirts, stickers, flags, and so on. Once I got NBA League Pass life was so much better. :)
But moving back home to California has, of course, been the best.
I certainly never jumped shipped. When Magic announced his retirement due to HIV I was here, I remember that night...super foggy, like pea soup, so fitting for the tone of the day. His HIV announcement spurred me to become involved in the crisis, and I became certified as an HIV/AIDS counselor so I could volunteer at an AIDS clinic back in Dallas (where I was living at the time).
Shaq leaving? I was pissed! I was pissed at Kobe, at Dr Buss, at Shaq. You name it. But bail? Never.
I hate fair weather/bandwagon fans, always have, always will. But for someone to come to the ridiculously WRONG conclusion that Laker fans as a whole are fair weather fans...what can I say? They're an idiot!
Posted by: SmartAssProducts.com | March 17, 2011 at 05:38 PM
I wouldn't doubt this article...I have seen it first hand in here....
Anyone else want to complain about Andrew's South Africa trip...AB's boss and the company he works for was not worried about it...still don't understand why so many here taught otherwise and had to roast and harshly criticize the kid, and even insulted his integrity and dedication...
This is from his boss Mitch Kupchack:
Q: On what he makes of Andrew Bynum’s recent dominance, highlighted by his 12.6 points, 14.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks on 64.2 percent shooting in March.
Kupchak: We know that Phil had a conversation with him four or five weeks ago asking him to do the things that will help us win … but I’m not sure you can tell a player to play well tomorrow in a meeting and all of a sudden he goes from 10 points and eight rebounds to 12 points and 18 rebounds, just on a conversation. I’m not sure I can point to one episode of something that caused him to play better, but to me, clearly his conditioning has been key. Being able to run the floor, being able to sustain a second and third effort is noticeable. It’s that time of year that he’s just in great shape. He didn’t play all summer, didn’t play all fall, didn’t really start playing until December, and he only had three or four practices before we threw him into games. Finally, he’s in NBA condition. He was also coming off an injury, so it takes some time to get the confidence back, feeling good about the knee.
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 06:06 PM
No one is allowed to talk about fair-weathered fans without mentioning Boston. After Bird lost and left, the fans fell off the radar along with the team. Hell, at one point, Boston fans were chanting "M-V-P!" at Kobe when he was beating their own team.
That would never happen anywhere else, especially Los Angeles.
Posted by: Ever | March 17, 2011 at 06:10 PM
pargrad..you were a laker fan...really? you disgust all of us..oh well..you are irrelevant just like your childhood...and fyi..next time you are trying to make friends dont just come out and say youre a loser...
Posted by: rossdogg76 | March 17, 2011 at 06:11 PM
Not that I'm throwing the Fans at Staples Center under the bus-which admittedly I do like to do-there is a difference between Fans at Staples Center, and Laker Fans in general. The first group is a VERY small subset of the second group.
Caveat: I do have it on good authority that the Fans attending the Lakers/Blazers game on Sunday will be an exceptionally good crowd, and will have a very high % of Real Lakers fans.
Posted by: Mark G | March 17, 2011 at 06:16 PM
The GOAT I ever saw, IMOT, was Wilt.
YMMV
As for the Kobe vs MJ, I think they are very close, and Kobe is still playing.
Their position and style is almost identical, which is why people compare them. You can't compare MJ and Magic, Wilt, Russell or Bird.
Time does funny things to memories.
I just finished watching the game 6 1995 semis with the Bulls against the Magic.
With the game close in the final couple minutes, MJ shoots an air ball, makes a bad pass, gets called for an offensive foul and then makes a bad foul with 30 seconds left in a one point game. The Magic come from 8 down to win the game and end the Bulls season.
There is not one great player who at one time or another failed to prove they were human.
We all, I hope, know how great MJ was.
Nobody is perfect, we all have opinions on who is he best.
But I know the debate will never end.
LA Lakers Back-to-Back NBA Champions
Posted by: HBMatt | March 17, 2011 at 06:27 PM
I doubt anyone from GQ actually went to a game. Having seen games in a few arenas, I can say that other fans are usually more fanatical, and much ruder as well. I would much rather sit with fans who are more laid back, less drunk, and more tolerant of others. In portland, for instance, people were chanting to hurt Ariza after his hard foul on Rudy Fernandez.
Posted by: Oregonian | March 17, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Laker fan since 1968 suffered through the losses and the history.
33-0 while living in Santa Maria kept me a Laker fan for life.
My dad laid in the hospital in Oklahoma city with a severe heart attack wanting to see the showtime Laker game that was preempted for a Easter Seals telethon. He still can't remember that.
We Cried in Bakersfield when Magic retired.
Screamed for the Lakers in OKC till I pissed off my fellow Okies and stopped going .
Also Chanted MVP and KOBE!
Laker Fans are the best fans. What other team has the number of games that attend road games and live and die with the team like we do.
Posted by: floyd | March 17, 2011 at 06:35 PM
"LA to Bay" wrote:
"Los Angeles is a transient city, where people are either moving out of LA or moving in and hard to maintain a loyal fan base."
You know even less about sports fandom than the shallow wannabe GQ magazine staff, whose "sports" coverage is traditionally 3rd-rate.
First off the Lakers have one of the largest NATIONAL fan bases of any team in pro sports...right up with the Steelers, Cowboys & Yanks. That is obvious, not only from national sales figures of sports gear, but also in the number of SELLOUT games (not only at home but also) when the Lakers play on the road. The recent Laker blowout of the Spurs in San Antonio revealed (both audio & video) an unusually high number of LAKER fans in a town considered one of the most "loyal" in the NBA.
The Lakers victory parades are legendary in both size of crowd and excitement level, with the 2009 victory parade (which ended at the LA Coliseum) ranking as one of the all-time historical victory parades in US sports history.
You can learn a lot more about sports by following just about any form of sports media rather than the athletically-challenged GQ magazine, which needs to stick with fashion and leave sports coverage to the grown-ups.
Posted by: Verballistic | March 17, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Not that I'm throwing the Fans at Staples Center under the bus-which admittedly I do like to do-there is a difference between Fans at Staples Center, and Laker Fans in general. The first group is a VERY small subset of the second group.
Caveat: I do have it on good authority that the Fans attending the Lakers/Blazers game on Sunday will be an exceptionally good crowd, and will have a very high % of Real Lakers fans.
Posted by: Mark G | March 17, 2011 at 06:16 PM
------------
iheart, justa, MVP888, Sprintz, frank, htj, BlackMambaFanatic, Lakers4Life, cofm99, and a few others will be there...We will make sure it is rocking...
Lakersholics will be representing...we are on the floor underneath the backboard...
Look for us...we will be waving a sign:
LAKERHOLICS IN THE HOUSE BAYBEE!!!
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 06:36 PM
I've had league pass for the past three years and I can tell you there are a lot of fan bases in the NBA more culpable of being bandwagon jumpers. As mentioned by Lew, it was only the year before KG and Allen's arrival that people in Boston were chanting MVP for Kobe. Before Lebron and Bosh, nobody was attending Heat games and the Heat were only a few years removed from winning their first championship. Now their annoying announcer has to tweet the definition of a triple-double. Deeeeetroit basketball is non-existent two years after their 7th consecutive conference finals appearance. Now their legacy is remembered by the Malice in the Palace starring Ron Artest. These teams are just a small sample size of the bigger fair weather fans that this GQ article attempts to highlight.
Posted by: never | March 17, 2011 at 06:39 PM
@Ever
Great point about Boston amigo...we should also mention that 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell STILL doesnt have a statue in Boston (neither does ANY Celtic player) while LA just added a statue for Jerry West to go with the one of Magic Johnson.
Posted by: Verballistic | March 17, 2011 at 06:40 PM
JAMF - Admit it. You know I'm not
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 17, 2011 at 07:00 PM
Q: On if he meant that last statement literally about not trading Bynum for anybody:
Kupchak: Anybody. If he’s healthy at this level he’s at, you’d have to think about anything. In other words, you may not trade him for anybody. If he helps your team and he’s what you need, and we can advance in the playoffs, then why would you take a chance and do anything? A lot of it is the right fit, the right personality for a team, and I think we have a group of players right now that are unselfish in the big picture, I really do. We know the players we had from last year are, because they’ve been through it, but the guys we added in Blake and Barnes feel that way too, and know what’s at stake here. We know there are going to be rumors about most of the guys on this team, but that’s just the way it is. If we play at a high level and we win, nobody has anything to worry about.
~~~~
PLEASE everyone stop the 'Trade Bynum' discussions already...it has been hashed out, it is old news, it's redundant, and for those that insist, absorb what Mitch said above...
Read this interview...sounds exactly like everything I have been preaching since this summer...
Don't you know your team by now?????
http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/110317mitchkupchak_qa.html
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 07:22 PM
Lewsters,
in your above quote of Mitch Kupchak, did you miss the last sentence &
clause?
Mitch said: If we play at a high level and we win, nobody has anything to worry about.
Every time that someone has mentioned a trade it was because a particular
Laker isn't playing well.
Just so we're clear on this: Losing 4 games in a row is not playing well.
And just so we're clear: Bynum having his knee drained is troubling.
Posted by: hobbitmage | March 17, 2011 at 07:41 PM
I agree about the Statement Center fans being a only a small representation of all Laker fans. Obviously there are people who are there to network and been seen, etc, but people do watch the game. They're a very intelligent basketball group
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 17, 2011 at 07:43 PM
GQ? Who the eff cares!
Anyhoo, I hope the guys keep the streak goin' tomorrow against Minny.
~
@LRob: Glad you enjoyed Ronnie, that's one of my favorite tunes.
~
Now for today's musical contribution, I'm gonna stick with the 'old skool' theme...enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npvF0tK48wU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0PGevRRHtw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kzJ3aXSo48&feature=related
~
Let's go Ls...all the way to a 3-peat!!!!!
Posted by: G in DC(aka GDUB) | March 17, 2011 at 07:52 PM
hobbit you take the last sentence and base your conclusion on that...lol
That's a double double scroll...
What we got here is failure to communicate...and selective reading...lol
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 07:57 PM
Kobe went for 6-24...let's trade Kobe...6-24 is not playing well...
We are dumb if we don't trade Kobe for Melo...
LMAO
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 07:59 PM
GQ lost all credibility with that ridiculous Mark Sanchez photo shoot. They lost all respectability when they named Tom Brady one of the 25 coolest athletes of all time. Really? They've lowered their standards and their male fashion types are cyclical and glib. Stop buying the magazine and this is another example of unscientific, biased journalism. The media takes a story and can spin it any way they want. I've learned their tricks over the years and in school.
Posted by: Sean | March 17, 2011 at 08:19 PM
Dan Loumena - I'm sure you will be at the Portland game...what part of the press section will you be at...we would love to meet you...
MM - don't worry, we got something special planned for you...
Posted by: LEWSTRS | March 17, 2011 at 08:19 PM
@LEWSTERS… Wow! Great post and quotes from Mitch, Lew. This should finally drive a nail into the coffin that once was the hope and prayer of Dwight Howard getting traded for Andrew Bynum. What’s ironic is that you and I and the other Bynum Boosters know that all Mitch is doing is stating the obvious. Drew is dominating the paint and boards at both ends of the court right now and there is no way the Lakers are going to trade him for anyone? And that came straight from Mitch’s mouth. Looks like it was not just Jim Buss who was tooting his AB17 horn. Way to take a stand, Mitch.
…..
It’s such a pleasure to listen to the general manager of your team and have him say exactly what you wanted to hear. Or even more to the point, exactly what we have been saying all along. Talk about your opinion being validated. Take that. Here is Mitch’s full response from the link that you posted:
………………………………..
Q. ON HOW HE DEALT WITH THE TRADE RUMORS THAT CIRCULATED
ABOUT BYNUM PRIOR TO THE TRADE DEADLINE:
…..
Kupchak: I’d say I get 10 to 15 phone calls a year about Andrew. I’ve called teams that have young, developing players myself. I don’t think that’s going to change. Certainly if he had played as well as he’s playing now for the last three years, teams would realize that, well, the Lakers would never trade him. But he’s had stretches where he’s played well and stretches where he hasn’t, and he’s been criticized, and I think general managers look at (those weaker stretches) and think maybe this is an opportunity for me to come in through the back door, let me make a phone call. And I understand that, and don’t think that’s going to change. But having said all that: when Andrew is healthy, and he plays like he is playing right now, you are hard pressed to look at anybody in this league and say, ‘I would trade him for that person.’
…..
Q: ON IF HE MEANT THAT LAST STATEMENT LITERALLY
ABOUT NOT TRADING BYNUM FOR ANYBODY:
…..
Kupchak: Anybody. If he’s healthy at this level he’s at, you’d have to think about anything. In other words, you may not trade him for anybody. If he helps your team and he’s what you need, and we can advance in the playoffs, then why would you take a chance and do anything? A lot of it is the right fit, the right personality for a team, and I think we have a group of players right now that are unselfish in the big picture, I really do. We know the players we had from last year are, because they’ve been through it, but the guys we added in Blake and Barnes feel that way too, and know what’s at stake here. We know there are going to be rumors about most of the guys on this team, but that’s just the way it is. If we play at a high level and we win, nobody has anything to worry about.
…………………………………………….
Mitch then goes on to say that there is no defensive player in the league he would rather have guarding the small forward position than Ron Artest. He also has strong praise for both Matt Barnes and Steve Blake. Throughout the interview, Mitch constantly emphasized how the Lakers pieces fit. I know that this is a hard concept for many of the fans on this blog to fully understand, but this is the NBA, not fantasy basketball. The Lakers are a team that is built to be better than the sum of its parts. It’s about synergy and team chemistry. Here is what he had to say about the Lakers front court:
…………………………………………….
Q: ON A CONVERSATION THAT’S BEEN HAD SEVERAL TIMES:
THE ADVANTAGES OF L.A.’S BIG MEN:
…..
Kupchak: Our strength is our size; I don’t think anyone would argue that. That allows us to be competitive in every game. Having a player who can close a game or take over a game like Kobe, having a defender like Ron, having a leader like Derek Fisher … those are pieces that fit. But if you have to look at a strength of our team, it would be that our guys are big and they are skilled. You look at, is there somebody that’s better than Pau out there at his position? Than Andrew? Than Lamar coming off the bench?
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The best owner, best general manager, best coach, best shooting guard and player, best center, best power forward , best team leader, best defensive small forward, best sixth man, and best bench. And the best blog and bloggers in the sports blogsphere. Andrew Bynum, leading candidate for Western Conference Player of the Month if the Lakers can win out March. Finals Co-MVP with Kobe Bryant.
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TOM
Posted by: LakerTom | March 17, 2011 at 08:23 PM
LEWSTRS - Hmm now I'm worried a little bit
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 17, 2011 at 08:58 PM
GQ is a shallow metrosexual/girlie man rag that has ZERO credibility in the sports world...
For them to insult Laker fans like they did should be taken as a BADGE OF HONOR.
Posted by: Verballistic | March 17, 2011 at 09:04 PM
LakerTom
I just wanted to drop in so that you can record my hockey assist to Lew on the Bynum comments from Mitch (not that they weren't a matter of public record). But you know how I feel about intangibles. BTW, Lew had a great altered shot on hobbitmage's piss poor attempt at the rebuttal. Hobbit threw up a brick with that effort; he should have passed the ball instead of forcing the damn thing. Hell, hobbit couldn't sell a moving screen if he tried from everything I've read since the summer. OK, I'm done. I'll flop on outta here.
Posted by: KobeMVP888 | March 17, 2011 at 09:11 PM
Forum fans fit the profile GQ would more approve of except for the fact that they're trendy and it's trendy to diss LA.
The Buss boys have got the tickets jacked up so high, you get a blue blood fan base at STaples. As John Lennon said, "just rattle your jewelry"
I sat in front of Charlie Sheen for a couple years at the Forum. Great fan. Sat next to Dyan Cannon, she's ferocious... next to Jack once. That man's totally into it. "he's holdin' him for Christ sake" They ain't there to be seen though some are, and quite frankly, that bit where Stu and what's his name interview the star du jour about some up coming project during games is a sacrilege.
Staples is a combo movie star / beautiful people tour and basketball game. The regulars don't notice the side show. It's fun, albeit expensive fun, and we win. Check out the wide shot of the "texting" Staples fans on the video of the Horry shot. Looks fanatical to me.
Posted by: VMan | March 17, 2011 at 09:42 PM
Dwight has problems in the fourth quarter. His outside shot gets even shakier and he is sometimes hesitant to attack the rim for fear of being sent to the line. He does not handle double teams very well as he showed with all the turnovers in the fourth quarter when the Lakers doubled him when Pau was on him. Do those vulnerabilities make him less of a player and threat? For sure. Can he overcome them with great athleticism and play the rest of the game? Obviously, but more as a result of his defense than his offense, which is improving but still nothing to build an offense around IMO. And that, in a nutshell, is why I don’t think Orlando will ever really be a contender for a championship.
Posted by: LakerTom | March 17, 2011 at 05:37 PM
---------------------------
LT,
My main point was Dwight wasn’t lucky by hitting jump shots. He worked hard to improve that phase of his game and now its part of his repertoire. He's shooting 50% on his jump shots. I'll take that anyday. He does need to pass better out of the double team. I think he’ll improve like Olajuwon did in that area. I agree until he becomes a reliable free throw shooter it’ll take away some of his 4th quarter effectiveness.
You lost me on the point about Orlando not contending for a championship with Howard. (You're better than that). They’ve been a legit contender the last two seasons. And I'll go out on the limb and say any team he's on that is NOT a contender ---it won't be because of him.
Posted by: LRob | March 17, 2011 at 09:43 PM
Hey LEWSTRS and the rest of you Lakerholics.
Great days, great days are upon us. Was that a heckuva game the Blazers played against Dallas on Tuesday night? One of my buddies couldn't believe how well Portland played. I reminded him they did that without a legitimate center.
Unfortunately, I will not be at Staples Center on Sunday. I will be in the office doing what I always do and that's work weekends. If I get a chance to go to a home Lakers game this season, I will let you know.
Busy, busy night in here. Much more work to do. Take care all!
Posted by: Dan Loumena | March 17, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Lew,
I commend you on your unwavering support of Bynum and ALL the Lakers from the summer until this point. But you are in the minority. At some point most fans wanted to either...
trade someone...if not Bynum, then Pau or Ron.
bench someone...if not Fish, then Pau or Ron.
fire someone....if not Mitch, then PJ or his assistants
cut/waive someone (we can fill in the blank here...lol)
They are still great passionate fans contrary to what GQ thinks. They just get a little itchy with the trigger finger when the road gets rough.
Posted by: LRob | March 17, 2011 at 10:05 PM
Congrats to the Bruin fans on UCLA taking down the Spartans. It's been a rough year for MSU and I'm happy we were able to keep our tournament streak alive at 14 straight appearances. However, next year huge expectations will return. I will be rooting for UCLA over Florida. I'm never been a big Billy Donovan guy or U-F fan.
Posted by: LRob | March 17, 2011 at 10:11 PM
The game where mj shot an airball was when he came back from a 3 year hiatus andd wearing #45. Phil ended all debate and yet the kobe fans are trying to rationalise it. Phil said mj is in the class of his own and and it was unfair to compare kobe to the legend. Phil said it is one thing to want to be like mike and another thing to be like mike. Kobe patterned his game after the greatest player of all time and carved out a wonderful career. Phil and i hate to burst yall bubble but.... Like i said there is the mercedes (mj) and then there is the lexus (kobe). Lexus is the japanese imitation of the benz. Kobe is a japanese name hmmmm....
Posted by: island priest | March 17, 2011 at 10:20 PM
@island - MJ took 1 1/2 years off, not 3 yrs. How can you tell what's the best book when read one completely and haven't finished the other one yet?
Posted by: LRob | March 17, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Why is GQ even writing sports articles? Remember the article on Rolling Stone Mag last year? They were riding LBJ's and Durant's jock.They claimed Kobe was the second or third best player in the league. These magazine journalist's need to stick with what they know, fashion and music, cause it definately isn't Basketball.
Kobe Bryant 2010 Finals MVP!!!
Posted by: ChicNstu | March 17, 2011 at 10:56 PM
GDUB - Cymande??? You stumped me on that one bruh...How that one slipped thru the cracks on me I don't know. It's tight. I've heard that 2nd track sampled on some hip-hop stuff, but I can't put my fingers on it. Good one.
Posted by: LRob | March 17, 2011 at 11:22 PM
Here's the thing...
1. There are REAL Lakers fans...
2. And then there are bandwagoneers.
REAL Lakers fans are awesome.
Bandwagonreers suck.
REAL Lakers fans are passionate and expect excellence.
Banwagoneers are prone to histrionics.
To the untrained eye they may appear to be similar.
But in truth they are very, VERY different in terms of core ethos.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 17, 2011 at 11:43 PM
My two cents is that the Laker fans at Staples in the lower bowl reflect the team. They are used to success and don't get too excited by regular season games. These folks are paid! I don't expect to see Steven Spielberg or Denzel Washington with their faces painted purple and gold and waving Laker flags. I do know Staples was rocking from start to finish last June in game 7, though! Laker fans rocked the house that night!! I've never had the privelege of attending a game at Staples, but from what I've seen on TV, the upstairs fans are passionate and loud. L.A. loves its Lakers and Laker Nation touches every part of the planet. GQ's take on this subject is just as ridiculous as some of the clothes they feature in their magazine!
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | March 18, 2011 at 01:37 AM
Lrob read the article on Phil you know the man with 11 coaching rings. If you like I can provide you with the link. 95% of the persons who watched mj play would say that he was the best player. I think I am arguing with a 20 or early 20s so you can't relate. Persons who say mj was best would include nba coaches, nba superstar players and billions of fans. Just think about this jordan shot just a shade under 50% fg as a guard. plus he is tied with wilt at the hifgest ppg. His 63 in a playoff game is the highest. He has the most 40, 50 and 60 point games. Stat doesn't do this man justice you would have had to seen it. I forgot that he also won defensive player of the year. mj was dominant. Whereas the sole mvp that kb won he was in a dog race with chris paul jordan won 5 and really should have won a few more.
Posted by: island priest | March 18, 2011 at 02:37 AM
Just in case you missed it here it is http://www.foxsportswest.com/msn/03/13/11/Stop-comparing-Bryant-to-Jordan-Lakers-c/landing_lakers.html?blockID=440081&feedID=3687
Posted by: island priest | March 18, 2011 at 02:52 AM
@islandpriest- you keep beating this deadhorse like there's no tomorrow. People have different opinions. Why is it so important that you keep beating this subject into the ground?
How old are you exactly? 95%, that's not an obvious polling number, so you pulled it out of your butt. Were you alive to see Wilt Chamberlain play? Or Bill Russell? or Oscar Robertson or Jerry West or Elgin Baylor?
The fact you keep arguing about MJ and Kobe suggests a narrow POV of the 'greatest player debate' on your part. The point of such debates is to get sophisticated, lively broad stretching players, criterion and so on. It's clear you're over protective of Michael Jordan and his image and you try to save some face by saying Kobe is one of the greatest, just not as great as MJ.
While it's clear you have a high opinion of your views, and will not be moved by anything 'Pro Kobe' or 'Pro Wilt' or 'Pro Elgin'. The points of these things is people who've watched greats in other/all eras and can participate in a conversation w/out taking sides or acknowledging that people can have their own opinion.
FYI: If you want to debate, know the difference between fact vs. opinion, someone will call you on it every single time.
Posted by: Sean | March 18, 2011 at 05:53 AM
>>>>
island priest says:
The game where mj shot an airball was when he came back from a 3 year hiatus andd wearing #45.
>>>>
No, that statement is 100% wrong.
It wasn't 3 years.
He was wearing #23.
Do you just make stuff up?
LA Lakers 2009-2010 Back-to-Back NBA Champions
Posted by: HBMatt | March 18, 2011 at 07:03 AM
And the news is...???
We can see that in this blog. Many newcomers in the post championship days. Only a few that were here during the dark days.
As Bertolt Brecht said:
"There are men who fight one day and are good; others fight for a year and are better. There are some who fight several years and are very good. But there are those who fight all their lives. Those are the essentials"
This is my humble hommage to those faithful. You know who you are.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: MrNano | March 18, 2011 at 07:05 AM
Execellent share MrNano.
It is always easy to root for a team that is winning. But to stay a fan and be there especially during times of difficulty and defeat, says a lot about the character and discipline of that person. For that I appreciate those kind of people.
Posted by: dice8up | March 18, 2011 at 08:51 AM
The fans at Staples Center watch the game, they show the same 5-6 celebrities every game but most of the fans are real people. I think the negativity about Lakers fans is more about the fact that there are so many people in cities like Boston or San Antonio that cheer for the Lakers. When cities have their own teams and large groups of people there are rooting for the Lakers, people assume it's a bandwagon fanbase.
Posted by: Bay to LA | March 18, 2011 at 09:36 AM
Hey Laker Fans...looks like an opportunity here. In this case Words can trump all this GQ action. Here's what we do: At the next Laker game brings signs, wear TShirts, and Chant LOUDLY "GQ SUCKS!"
Sound like a plan?
Posted by: RAMunoz | March 18, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Is that not the late, great Dennis Hopper with Jack ?
Posted by: Bruce Walker | March 18, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Hey, I've been a laker fan since 1975 and will always be a laker fan 4 life purple & gold blood run thru these veins which are covered by the blood of Jesus of course!!!! But no matter if they lose or if they win Im'their #1 fan will watch or listen anywhere i can. L.A. All The Way Three Peat is SWEET Go Lakers Love yall!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: LakerFan4Life | March 18, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Hey, I've been a laker fan since 1975 and will always be a laker fan 4 life purple & gold blood run thru these veins which are covered by the blood of Jesus of course!!!! But no matter if they lose or if they win Im'their #1 fan will watch or listen anywhere i can. L.A. All The Way Three Peat is SWEET Go Lakers Love yall!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: LakerFan4Life | March 18, 2011 at 12:40 PM
I'll end this quickly, GQ when it initially arrived on the scene was a magazine that peaked my interest to see what others were wearing, this has become passe with the advent of the internet. I've been an L.A Laker fan since 1961 and I have lived and died with West, Goodrich and Hairston in Boston Garden, have possibly forgotten more than the writer has learned about sports period (discounting hockey). When one talks about the Lakers fan base it extends clear across the world, aren't you aware of that small fact? So when a comment is made denigrating the NBA champion Lakers this article needs to be written in numerous languages so the fans in other countries can see how undereducated the writer is and how he is grabbing at straws. Stop yourself, please. The Staples Center is one place where you would be hard pressed to see "Beat L.A" signs, but you will see plenty championship banners
Posted by: Jerry James | March 18, 2011 at 09:36 PM
The person who wrote this article must be a Celtics fan.
Posted by: Lola O. | March 18, 2011 at 10:50 PM
i agree with this article completely. having grown up in LA watching the Shaq and Kobe era live and now living in Texas watching the Kobe 2.0 era from afar, i know how retarded such a claim from GQ is. just because the Staples Center has really expensive seats attracting the likes of the Hollywoodites, doesn't mean they're the majority of Lakers fans. thats far from the truth. Lakers fans are some of the most loyal caring fans i know of. you just have to know where to look. had GQ payed more attention to the nosebleeders rather than the courtsiders, they would have realized this.
Posted by: Peyton | March 22, 2011 at 07:22 AM