Re: Why Do Obnoxious Lakers Fans Keep Coming Here?
posted at 4/2/2011 11:52 AM EDT
I posted this separately in a new post but feel that my comments within about the city of LA & its fans makes it appropriate to copy & paste here. Please know that I am a Celtic fan in my 70s going back to the Cousy/Sharman days. (Sox too Williams, DiMaggio etc.). Spent 1st 21 years in Maine then military(USMC) & jobs brought me to California past 45 years. But it is in night and day different SF and not LA that I live. I am first a Boston teams fan---roots run deep---but also a local team fan. We hate LA teams & have the same bitter rivalry as Boston vs. NY teams(mostly Sox-Yanks & Pats-Jets). SF, the west coast Bay Area, is a nice quaint town, hills, seafood etc. similar to Boston. LA has smog & Hollywood Blvd is trolled by bunch of junkies, pimps, hookers, transvestites, bookies, vagabonds, hoodlums etc.
Guess what ??? Many of these are fans. At the Forum the TVs show Jack Nicholson and all the tinsel town stars at the choice seats near the court. But up in the stands, it's a dangerous area for Laker opponent fans. How about MLB opening day when Dodgers beat Giants yet a taunted SF fan argued back & got severely beaten and is in critical condition.
I would like to add that most sports bars here in No. Cal when Celtics play the Lakers have at least 75%, I estimate, of fans rooting for Boston as if they were the Golden State Warriors. But now to the Laker team & not the fans. As much as I hate them---same with Yankees---and I'm still smarting from game 7 last year and disparity in foul shots, they basically won with the sometimes Avatar type Kobe(best since Michael Jordan I think) hitting only 6-24(25%) and the team only 32% because we were out-rebounded and they got 2nd & 3rd chances. I personally think our team this year is not a cohesive a group now w/o Perkins & Sheed.
JON, based on performance past 2 games, is not going to save us.
I hate to say it but the Lakers are the team to beat. They have the best 3 man combo in the paint, Gasol, Bynum & Odom. And even if Kobe, Artest, Fisher have off shooting nights when they get another shot from an offensive rebound, they don't usually miss 2 in a row. We, on the other hand, need Ray, Pierce & Garnett to shoot almost 50%---don't need worry about a rebound when 1/2 shots go in the basket ! One of the reasons Ray Allen appears in a slump is that it's tough to get free as opponents seem to have another defender leaving Rondo almost free to shoot at will. We can't do anything about this now. He needs to drive to the basket more & either get a big man in foul trouble or worse come to worst, get his shot blocked. I'd try & talk Sheed into returning. Although he's not a banger like Howard of the Magic and a dunker, even not in the best shape he can give us 10-15 minutes---will probably foul out too---but can battle their biggies & tire them out too.
Don't wish to be the prophet of doom but unless
WE HAVE SHAQ BACK, WE WILL NOT COMPETE WITH THE LAKERS IF WE MAKE IT THAT FAR THAT IS. IF NOT, WE WILL BE SAVED THE FRUSTRATION & DISAPPOINTMENT OF LOSING TO THE LAKERS AGAIN. I DO NOT SEE THE SPURS OR MAVS KNOCKING THEM OFF…ONLY THE THUNDER HAVE A CHANCE I THINK. AND IF THE BULLS OR HEAT WIN THE EAST, THEY LIKE US DO NOT HAVE THE BIG MEN TO COMPETE UNDER THE BASKET.
