How Paul Pierce is treated in LA

[Mogreen17]

I've been wondering for a while now and Im glad Greg wrote that article regarding Paul. Its no big secret that both Boston and LA natives consider the rivalry to be a very sensitive subject. My question is: What do LA folks make of Paul when they see him driving down Hollywood Blvd. or similar.

Does the fact that he's had a very successful NBA career as an LA native outweigh the fact that he plays for the one team his city is everything against? Especially now that the rivalry is "renewed".

[PosImpos]

I guarantee you that 90% of Lakers fans have no clue that Paul Pierce lives in LA or is from LA, and give him a hard time when they see him (though I'm sure they don't go overboard or anything - they aren't NY fans).

[Drucci]

I don't know how Paul was treated by L.A fans before 2008 but I'm sure the Finals totally changed whatever good perception they could have had of him, since he is know hated by L.A fans for his "wheelchair acting" as they call it. (But what they really can't dig is how he killed the Lakers in the Finals ).

[Mogreen17]

Ya that sure is hard to stomach. Especially that he does it with such passion when playing against them (popping the jersey while in LA etc).

I respectfully disagree that 90% of Laker fans do not know that he is from LA.

[Roper]

I am a Celtics fan that lives in LA so I will tell you guys from my experiences....

laker fans HATE HIS GUTS!!!! They dont shut up about the wheel chair thing until this day....

btw Celtic fans are not like much either...

and AM radio here hates the Celtics too... they wanted to change St. Patricks day into another holiday because St. Patricks day reminds them of the Celtics!!!!

[PosImpos]

I respectfully disagree that 90% of Laker fans do not know that he is from LA.

I think you're overestimating the actual NBA knowledge of 90% of Laker fans.  I bet most of them don't even know what team originally drafted Kobe, or that Pau has a brother playing in the league.

[buzz]

As far as I know, he doesn't get smacked in the head with a champagne bottle and then stabbed a dozen times with a hunting knife by a bunch of wannabes when he goes to clubs in LA.

Look, I have lived in Socal for like 5 years now and I hate Lakers fans ridiculous style.

But many of them grew up watching championship hoops, and they aren't dummies like most other fans.

And people in LA are just excited to see a celebrity of any kind, when you get down to it. They aren't going to get all Celtic Pride on a fool. Or maybe, they actually have their own life going on and just ignore a dude.

I swear, I love Boston. Born and raised, went to college there, worked downtown for 15 years and didn't move until I was past 30. But it is brutal seeing all the other billion New England transplants out here rocking Boston sports gear at all times. It's like a Red Sox hat is a required uniform or something. What are you, 12 years old?

Best part is, 90% of them are from outside of Route 128.

[Kiorrik]

Topics like this make me wonder what you think about Celtics fans that aren't from Boston.

Or not from America at all, for that matter.

[GreenFaith1819]

Wow - this is So Ironic..I just wrote an Essay Paper for my class on Green vs Gold (and purple)..

As far as the thread: All I know is that when I have visited Silver Screen and Roll, the bloggers there are rather respectful to me as a Celtics fan, but boy do they hate Paul (and KG and Ray Ray for that matter).

They had a Fanpost a few months ago where they listed KG and Paul as making the Top Ten of their most hated, lol...

I asked them: Why the Paul Pierce hate? And sure enough, they brought up the Wheelchair incident.

Most of them of course are pining for LA and Boston to meet again in June.

I thing if we can polish them off once again in June this year, then this will bring Paul some level of respect I think. But we must get through the East first, and that will certainly be tough.

And God forbid Paul should get hurt again - he will need to ditch any thought of using a wheelchair....the collective angst about that June 2008 incident will certainly boil over if anyone sees a Wheelchair anywhere near Paul.

At the heart of it all, is that LA just hates Boston..and that's good. It's a healthy rivalry..like Washington Redskins VS Dallas.

[GreenFaith1819]

I respectfully disagree that 90% of Laker fans do not know that he is from LA.

I think you're overestimating the actual NBA knowledge of 90% of Laker fans.  I bet most of them don't even know what team originally drafted Kobe, or that Pau has a brother playing in the league.

I don't know about that..they all seem pretty knowledgeable, at least from when I've chatted with them on their blog.

Healthy hate for our Celtics? Most Definitely..Intelligent about their history? I think just as much as we are about the Celtics.

Even I can't name every Celtics starting five from back when I first became a fan in 1981, and my memory of them is blurry outside of Bird from back then in 1981.

[GreenFaith1819]

Topics like this make me wonder what you think about Celtics fans that aren't from Boston.

Or not from America at all, for that matter.

TP.

[Greenbean]

Reading this makes me appreciate so much more a guy who actually wants to be a Celtic for life. Here is a player who grew up idolizing the Celtics bitter rivals. I mean he grew up in the 80's! I bet he absolutely HATED the Celtics. Then he played here and they lost for his first decade. He had every right to sour on the thought of playing here but he stuck it out (Im not sure he would have waited too much longer but still). I think it shows how much Paul felt a connection with Red and the history of this team, and still does to this day. Bill Simmons wrote in his book that Before 08, when both Kobe and Pierce were demanding trades, that he could see a scenario where players switched squads. You know what? I could see that too. My response? Go ahead Paul, you deserve a better situation even if it is with our rivals. At that point LA fans still had no reason to hate PP and he would be welcomed back home with open arms.

Instead he stayed, we built a championship roster and emabarassed LA in the finals. I love writing that!

Anyway the point is, Paul Pierce is a true Celtic in an era when you cant really fault a player for switching teams. There are so many variables in the business of basketball today that situations just get too complicated. Paul has been an elite player for our team and although there were some tough times, has always been dedicated to bringing more banners to Boston with his stamp on them. I think it is beautiful that he cares so much about his legacy with the Celtics.

So to answer the question, yes LA hates Paul Pierce. It is because he torched them in the finals. And this is perhaps his strongest bullet point on his resume to becoming a Celtics legend that no one will forget.

(TP for a great topic!)

[2short]

I doubt ray allen is hating by any fans in the league.  I personally don't hate the current laker group, Kobe has grown up and the others are ok.   Sure artest is artest but PP has had his number for  years now.   think lebron brings more hate for his not shaking hands, primadonna attitude and getting calls all the time.   The "magic" lakers I certainly rooted against but I greatly respected that team from magic-cooper-rambis, actually probably not kareem (whiner).  To me a true fan is going to respect an opposing player, be civil at least if they meet each other.  Most kids are just going to want an autograph anyways.
All this makes me think of matt damon going 1 on 100 during the finals and not backing down to cheer on the celtics.  Of course he's jason bourne and would kick ass.

Oh and I still remember with great shame being at a celtic game and our fans chanting mvp to kobe.

[BballTim]

I guarantee you that 90% of Lakers fans have no clue that Paul Pierce lives in LA or is from LA, and give him a hard time when they see him (though I'm sure they don't go overboard or anything - they aren't NY fans).

  I don't know that 90% of the Lakers fans would recognize their own players away from the court, let alone players from other teams. And how many of those fans are diehard enough to say something to an opposing player if they did figure out who he was? A few hundred?

[Thruthelookingglass]

I am a Celtics fan that lives in LA so I will tell you guys from my experiences....

laker fans HATE HIS GUTS!!!! They dont shut up about the wheel chair thing until this day....

btw Celtic fans are not like much either...

and AM radio here hates the Celtics too... they wanted to change St. Patricks day into another holiday because St. Patricks day reminds them of the Celtics!!!!

All the more reason to honor St. Patrick every week.