So the Minneapolis Lakers won a championship, then moved out to sunny Los Angeles to soak up the sun and bask in the glow of so many adoring fans. They’ve spent the better part of three decades beating up on their step brothers, the Clippers. Now, as the Lakers begin to slide into nothingness, the Clip ship is finally sailing – versus sitting in port with a 35-foot hole in her bow. They’re off to the best start in franchise history and, maybe more importantly, have 5 more wins than their better brother. The fans are also showing this trend. Laker game crowds always feature the biggest of the big names in Hollywood. Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon have been seen courtside since before God was born. All your top tier celebrities have spent at least a couple nights watching the Lakers play hoops. Of course, when those Lakers go on the road, those same fans do as well. The light go down, then come back up, but for the Clippers instead. Now, rest assured, they play in LA as well, so they get their fair share of celebrities too. Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey showed up regularly until their 'Reality TV' relationship when sour. Ashton Kutcher has been spotted in the crowd as well. These are your second tier entertainers. They don’t have the name or the acclaim as many of their Laker-fan counter parts, but they’re climbing, making their way to center stage. They’re stepping into their own, “Gettin’ Some Kiiid,” as one man may say. As is their team.
But will it last?
That brings us back to Minneapolis. Instead of Lakers, they’re Timberwolves, and instead of winning championships, they’re going through a rebuilding phase. But let’s shy away from the Lakers and focus more on those wiley Clippers. They failed to make the playoffs last year, just like the Wolves. They had an active off season, just like the Wolves – hell involving the Wolves. They’ve even improved the team attitude, just like the Wolves. “Dude! They’re like twins dude!” The one thing they did that the Wolves didn’t do, was to improve the talent on their team. But the Wolves did that two years ago, remember? It involved a familiar face in Sam Cassell, the man T-Hud anointed “2 S’s and 2 L’s.” The Fourth Quarter Kid, Mr. Ice In His Veins himself. Remember how well that worked? It got them into a match up with – hey – the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They lost, as you may remember, but boy was there hope. Hope for the next year, hope for another Midwest Division Championship, hope for a #1 seed in the playoffs. Hope for an elusive Championship ring for God Almighty Himself (That’s Kevin Garnett for those who didn’t know that). And what happened? Cassell bitched, Spree fed his kids, and Flip Saunders got labeled scapegoat. Now, a year after all the hope and expectations have faded, making the playoffs even seems like an extreme long shot.
How does this concern the Clippers?
Well, I’ve got two words. Sam. Cassell. Yeah, your off season acquisition. Boy, he looks good, doesn’t he? He’s just what the Clips needed, right?
Yeah, maybe. For one season anyways.
Has he helped revitalize the laughing stock of professional sports organizations? Sure, this year. Has he held up his claims of being healthy and still being a very dangerous player? Absolutely. So far. Will he help them get into the playoffs? He certainly won’t hurt their chances of achieving that goal. Will he be around in the future, to continue the Clippers growth as a franchise? Absolutely not. He wants a contract extension he won’t get. He wants to get paid more than his team will even consider. He’s playing on a team where a veteran point guard is not in the plans of the future. He’ll bitch, he’ll complain, and muck up the positive feelings in that locker room, until the Clips are right back at square one: Not playoff bound, lucky to get 41 wins, and again, the laughing stock of professional sports. Of course before he does all that he’ll get hurt. Bad hip, bad back, whatever it is, it’ll break. And with it, so will the spirits of the Clippers. They’ll crash land just like they did last year. I’m sorry to say that, but it’s true.
And so the Clippers fans, like their team, will slide into the background and play second fiddle to their big brother. The Hollywood stars will be center stage in Staples, while all the up and comers will be there on Laker nights off.
Clippers fans, you’ve just been Punk’d.
Again.
Just like Wolves fans a year ago.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
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