During the post-game presentation of the Western Conference Championship trophy Thursday night, several Lakers (front office staff included) made references to how big a win it was for the city, and for the fans in Los Angeles. Having been a teen while the Lake Show won three rings in a row, I know how fervent Laker Fever gets in the city around this time of year. Everywhere you go, everywhere you look, there’s someone wearing a Kobe jersey; every car has a Lakers flag posted on the window; every retail outlet and restaurant from Santa Barbara to San Diego has some sort of Lakers promotion. It’s a great feeling; somewhere in between gaining colonial independence and playing ‘Spin the Bottle’ in sixth grade. However, I feel like there are lots of people being left out of the mix. I’m talking about absentee Lakers fans.
There isn’t really any logical reason to leave Southern California, but surprisingly, there are thousands upon thousands of fully-blown Lakers fans that have relocated all over the world. Every time I watch a Lakers game at a bar here in New York City, it seems like all the king’s horses and all the king’s men are a hootin’ and a hollerin’ whenever D-Fish rips up the net. When I was in South Korea last year, Kobe Bryant hosted a basketball clinic at Seoul’s Olympic Gymnasium, and the line of purple and gold waiting to get into the event snaked all the way around the parking lot. I got a pretty cool free t-shirt and a good sense of how large Laker Nation really is.
Now, I’m not saying that I feel shunted because Kobe, GM Mitch Kupchak, and Jerry West all neglected to acknowledge wayward fans; I know that in the heat of the moment, the thrill of victory, and ecstasy of pure joy, it’s difficult to remember all of the important people. Daniel Day Lewis forgot to thank his momma after winning Best Actor at the Oscars; Kanye forgot to thank himself after winning 4 Grammys this year. Things like this happen, I ain’t trippin.
I just want to dedicate one post to all of my fellow off-site Lakers fans out there, and recognize your service and dedication. Here’s to you. Thanks for making the world go ‘round.
Viva Los Lakers! Live the Dream
There isn’t really any logical reason to leave Southern California, but surprisingly, there are thousands upon thousands of fully-blown Lakers fans that have relocated all over the world. Every time I watch a Lakers game at a bar here in New York City, it seems like all the king’s horses and all the king’s men are a hootin’ and a hollerin’ whenever D-Fish rips up the net. When I was in South Korea last year, Kobe Bryant hosted a basketball clinic at Seoul’s Olympic Gymnasium, and the line of purple and gold waiting to get into the event snaked all the way around the parking lot. I got a pretty cool free t-shirt and a good sense of how large Laker Nation really is.
Now, I’m not saying that I feel shunted because Kobe, GM Mitch Kupchak, and Jerry West all neglected to acknowledge wayward fans; I know that in the heat of the moment, the thrill of victory, and ecstasy of pure joy, it’s difficult to remember all of the important people. Daniel Day Lewis forgot to thank his momma after winning Best Actor at the Oscars; Kanye forgot to thank himself after winning 4 Grammys this year. Things like this happen, I ain’t trippin.
I just want to dedicate one post to all of my fellow off-site Lakers fans out there, and recognize your service and dedication. Here’s to you. Thanks for making the world go ‘round.
Viva Los Lakers! Live the Dream
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