The Problem with Lakers Fans Is..........

[ACF]

Hey people, let's not be too rough
on Discoflux and other Laker posters
here at CB. Heckling and taunting is
one thing. But this seems to have gotten
a little bit out of hand.
After all, it must take cajones to join
this board and more so in what is clearly
a battle that will be LOST.

Thanks.

[Roper]

I also live in LA.... I listened to Micheal Thompson say that the Turiaf vs. Garnett match up was a wash because Turaiaf is the best low post defender in the league... (most of you are lucky you dont have to listen to am radio in LA)... Vic the Brick and all the callers here in LA made fun of the Celts like they were a CBA team... it is bitter sweat now... Zero laker flagson cars on the freeway... The sports talk dont even talk about the finals anymore.... GO BOSTON... GO CELTCS... BACK WHERE WE TRULY BELONG... #17 IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER... BEAT LA

[freshinthehouse]

The Lakers tradition is a phoney one.  14 Championships and representing in over 50% of all NBA Finals should be overlooked.  The long line of hall of fame players the Lakers have had from Mikan, Baylor, West, Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Shaq and Kobe don't really equal 'richness'.  All that stuff is just hype while the Celtics tradition is truly rich.

TP from a C's fan.  The OP is laughable.

[Thruthelookingglass]

I will second this.  Jeff created rules for our conduct on this site.  But his rules are a minimum standard of conduct; we should all aim for higher standards.

Most of the Laker fans who have visited (and I've been glued to Celticsblog virtually nonstop) have been polite, inquistive and frankly, worth reading if only to understand what it's like on the other side.  Good natured ribbing is fine, but let's honor our team and their effort by minding our manners and representing our side well.

Kudos Amager Celtics Fan!

Hey people, let's not be too rough
on Discoflux and other Laker posters
here at CB. Heckling and taunting is
one thing. But this seems to have gotten
a little bit out of hand.
After all, it must take cajones to join
this board and more so in what is clearly
a battle that will be LOST.

Thanks.

[Roy Hobbs]

Most of the Laker fans who have visited (and I've been glued to Celticsblog virtually nonstop) have been polite, inquistive and frankly, worth reading if only to understand what it's like on the other side.

Boy, I wish that were true.  90% of the Lakers fans that have come here have been trolls.  You don't see them because they've been banned.

Good natured ribbing is fine, but let's honor our team and their effort by minding our manners and representing our side well.

This, I agree with.  Certainly in regard to Lakers fans visiting this site, they should be treated with respect and courtesy, and they'll be protected on here as much as anybody else.  Every fan base has both good and bad fans, and the good ones should be applauded.

That being said, as for the current thread, it's a shot at the city of Los Angeles, more than anything else.  I think it's a pretty accepted fact that *on average*, east coast fans are more committed and more passionate about their teams than west coast fans are; California fans *generally* tend to be a bit more relaxed.  I think it's fair to explore some of the differences between the two fan bases, while keeping in mind that generalities do not apply to all fans of each team.  Los Angeles has many down-to-earth, committed diehards, and Boston has its share of out-of-touch bandwagon jumpers.

My own personal opinion on this is, I've been extraordinarily disappointed with many of the Lakers fans I've encountered.  Many of them are good, and the ones remaining on this blog fit into that category.  Also, the fans on forumblueandgold seem by and large decent.  However, looking elsewhere on the internet (thelakersnation.com, lakersground.net) I've seen a lot of things that disgust me, from the incessant whining, to the mob mentality justifying nine guys beating up on a single Celtics fan.  I understand that such fans are present in any fan base, but on those Lakers sites I've been to, they seem to be 90% of the fans talking.  When the fans at the game don't cheer, and the fans on the internet conduct themselves like buffoons, I think it's fair for us to take some gentle shots at the other side.

[Brickowski]

There's no difference whatsoever between Lakers fans and Celtics fans. Both groups are irrational when it comes to evaluating the teams they support.

The difference this year is that Lakers fans were also exposed to a ridiculous amount of media hype.  I'm not sure why the media fell in love with the Lakers, but they did, and virtually every one of the so-called "experts" picked the Lakers to win.  The fact is that most of these journalists and talking heads (1) rarely watched the Celtics, and (2) don't really understand the game of basketball.  These bozos were still patting the Lakers on the back for "stealing" Pau Gasol.  My guess is that they are a little less happy with that deal now.  It's true that the Lakers would not have made the finals without Gasol, but I'm still not sure how they got by the Spurs.

This Celtics team is not a great team.  It is probably not quite as good as the 2004 Detroit team that beat Shaq's Lakers.  But the Lakers have been exposed in this series for what they are: a mediocre team with one very good player who was overhyped. IMHO any one of the four Eastern Conference finalists (Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando) would have defeated the Lakers in the finals. Can you imagine the Lakers trying to deal with Dwight Howard?  He would have murdered them.

So, getting back to Lakers fans, they are having a difficult time coping with reality after all the hype.  If the shoe were on the other foot, and the Celtics were down 3-1 after being heavily favored, the comments on this blog would closely resemble the ones you are seeing on the Lakers forums.

[RMO]

The difference this year is that Lakers fans were also exposed to a ridiculous amount of media hype.  I'm not sure why the media fell in love with the Lakers, but they did, and virtually every one of the so-called "experts" picked the Lakers to win.  The fact is that most of these journalists and talking heads (1) rarely watched the Celtics, and (2) don't really understand the game of basketball.  These bozos were still patting the Lakers on the back for "stealing" Pau Gasol.  My guess is that they are a little less happy with that deal now.  It's true that the Lakers would not have made the finals without Gasol, but I'm still not sure how they got by the Spurs.

Trust me, the media hype for the Lakers will not end even if the Celtics win this year.  The Celtics will get their due coverage initially but it will quickly be replaced by how good the Lakers will be next year once Bynum returns.  Just be prepared to hear about the Lakers all summer long.

[Roy Hobbs]

An example about the vileness of internet Lakers fans that I was talking about:

Somebody started a thread calling Pierce out for joking that the difference between he and Carmello was that he never got a DUI.  First, the idea of calling out Pierce for that is pretty weak.  Anyway, that generated some comments like:

Pierce deserved to get stabbed now that he does nothing but open his mouth.

One of this days he will be shot from one of the real thugs....in Inglewood.

that guy is one stupid punkass.

you think he got stabbed like 30 times on accident?

They don't like black people in Boston.

That's all in one page of replies.  Again, I don't want to judge all Lakers fans by what some lunatics post on their most popular fan site, but you see comments like this constantly.  This, from the fans that so vehemently defend Kobe.

[Hrvoje]

Until this series I didn't really know much about Laker fans and I didn't hate Lakers. Now I know that two is changed.

I can't believe this! It was just a joke and it was not anything serious or drastic. Also that what Laker fans are. They are joke (not everyone of course)

I wonder if they, on their forums, talk about Phil and his low down tactic; his reaction to the FICTION COMMENTS from KG that only he was aware of.

[bbc3341]

I was just in Long Beach on a business trip and was listening to all the local sports talk radio, what a thrill! I was out there just before the finals as well and they were so cocky, talking about where the parade would be, if Kobe was now better than Jordan and if this Lakers team was one of the top 5 of all time!!! Now? Not so much... Their angst was so intense after that game 4 collapse that I hoped the C's would win game 5 handily and let them start the healing process!

[ConnerHenry]

I too live in LA and have encountered more than my fair share of bandwagon jumping Lakers fans these past few months. Insufferable? Uneducated? Sure. But I would also say that there is minimal difference between the "Lakers flags on Cars" brigade and the "Pink Red Sox hat" and the Pats bandwagoneers these past few years.

I do know many knowledgable Lakers fans and they are legit. Are they at the games? Unfortunately not, as the cost has priced them out.

So I would say that the problem with Lakers fans is that the true fans are having their reputations damaged by the bandwagon jumpers and obnoxious fans who root only for a winner.

I am also interested in seeing the types of fans the Celtics will attract this summer and after the newest banner is raised.

[ACF]

I was referring to those Laker fans
that just came here to discuss stuff.
As far as the rest of them go, well...
I'm right on the same page as everyone else.

[fairweatherfan]

The Lakers tradition is a phoney one.  14 Championships and representing in over 50% of all NBA Finals should be overlooked.  The long line of hall of fame players the Lakers have had from Mikan, Baylor, West, Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Shaq and Kobe don't really equal 'richness'.  All that stuff is just hype while the Celtics tradition is truly rich.

29/62 < 50% of all Finals.  And weren't a bunch of those in Minneapolis?  That said, I respect the Lakers, they are the most consistently successful franchise over league history (sorry C's, it's true).  They run their team well, haven't really had any catastrophically bad periods of ownership or mismanagement, and star players want to come there.  And, when we play them in the Finals, they're usually polite enough to fold faster than Superman on laundry day  .

[RO33]

I met a Lakers fan on friday in Amsterdam. 'Are u a Celtics fan' he asked me, while i'm wearing my  green Celtics starter jacket. Before I could compliment him with this brilliant stroke of investigative genius, dude starts apologising about being a Lakers fan. How sweet is that??
Obviously he wasn't aware of what happened in game 4.  I've never seen eyes look as empty as his, after telling him about one of the best games I've ever seen. Priceless!

[cdif911]

An example about the vileness of internet Lakers fans that I was talking about:

Somebody started a thread calling Pierce out for joking that the difference between he and Carmello was that he never got a DUI.  First, the idea of calling out Pierce for that is pretty weak.  Anyway, that generated some comments like:

Pierce deserved to get stabbed now that he does nothing but open his mouth.

One of this days he will be shot from one of the real thugs....in Inglewood.

that guy is one stupid punkass.

you think he got stabbed like 30 times on accident?

They don't like black people in Boston.

That's all in one page of replies.  Again, I don't want to judge all Lakers fans by what some lunatics post on their most popular fan site, but you see comments like this constantly.  This, from the fans that so vehemently defend Kobe.

pretty ignorant comments, yes.  Though the last one I've heard from many many places - there is a perception that Boston is not friendly towards African American Athletes.  There has been a lot of research done on the lack of black free agents who have willingly come to Boston - many blacks have come through trade, but only a handful through pure free agency (especially top tier guys) - off the top of my head with the c's I can think of a small handful in the last 10-15 years - Dana Barros (but he's a hometown guy) Nique (he supposedly hated it here though) Xavier McDaniel, Chris Mills, House, Posey (though you can argue they came for the ring) - remember how much Gary Payton didn't want to be traded here, same with KG before Ray came. The city seems to be a deterent for many, I'd blame the weather more than anything though.

there's an interesting blog article (read the comments) from Bill Burt here:

http://blogs.eagletribune.com/sports/2007/07/02/race-baiting-again-in-boston/

Now I don't think the C's as an organization are racist, and I (probably naively) hope the average sports fan is not as well here, but there is that stereotype, and as they say stereotypes are based off of truth in some way