Extra Tidbits: Lakers Talk and Hip Hop Thoughts.

The Lakers are 11-5 since I made my last recap video and there's reason for me to chop it up on Kobe becoming a facilitator. As great as he's played, I'm happy that Mike Antoni remembered that he's a coach and has to use his players better.

I also chip in with some words on my fellow Lakers fans regarding. Dwight Howard's free agency. Stop caring and stay focusing on this season. It's beneath us to beg for someone to make a decision and I darn sure don't want to guilt anybody to committing here. They gotta want it. But til then, I'm only worried on hoping Dwight can be effective while still not at 100%.

Also, here's a bonus for you. Starting this week, I'm going to a weekly blog post over at my man XLUSIVE's website. We've collaborated before and I wrote a review on his debut album back in 2011. I'll be talking music over there so it'll be a nice change of pace from here.

Here's the first post - Reliving 1993, the year the West Coast took over hip hop led by Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. It set the stage for The Game and now Kendrick Lamar and the Black Hippy Crew breathing life into hip-hop.

Thank you Dr. Jerry Buss: Forever a Los Angeles Treasure

Dr. Jerry Buss was not just the owner of the Lakers for 33 years. He was the man who marketed Showtime to the world. He bought the Lakers, Kings and the Forum with the vision to make them even bigger just like he had made himself from a poor Wyoming boy to a billionaire businessman respected by NBA peers, fans and players alike.

10 championships and winning 66% of their games since 1979 doesn't tell the full story. When you talk about Los Angeles' biggest sports icons, Dr. Buss should be up there with Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, John Wooden and Magic Johnson. This is my way of thanking him for what he did to my city and making the Lakers an international brand and part of this city's identity.

It's probably the saddest day as a Lakers fan since Chick Hearn died. These are just a few words from me on his memory and impact as somebody who grew up just five minutes from the Forum.

"Black Days" and Sleepless Nights in Lakers Country

In a Facebook group I'm a part of, we were asked to name songs to describe this Lakers season. I named two and one of them was Soundgarden's "Fell on Black Days". It's hard, it's depressing and lyrically it's the soundtrack to a year I didn't expect in Lakerland.

I've been pretty quiet on my Lakers this year. Maybe it's because they've been too confusing to keep trying to understand. Maybe it's just that one too many stomach punches makes you numb. Either way, this season has been an unpleasant one. Just like 2004-05.

You remember that year, right? Shaq gone, Phil Jackson gone, Derek Fisher gone - just Kobe Bryant, Rudy Tomjanovich and a bunch of strange parts. Worst year I've seen as a Lakers fan as it was basically Kobe shooting the lights out and not much else.

This team looked way too promising but even when they were assembled, I had my concerns. I saw folks giddy about Steve Nash but I saw an old point guard who was still efficient offensively but wouldn't solve the Lakers perimeter defense problems. I saw folks happy about Dwight Howard signing but I saw a guy who mentally might not fit with the team and who wasn't 100% back from the first major injury of his career.

And as much as I had some issues with Mike Brown, I felt he wasn't the biggest problem. He coached this team for 83 games, including playoffs, and did as well as he could given the circumstances.

2012-13 NBA Preview: Joy in L.A., OKC's White Flag, Boston Stranglers and Miami's Reign

It's about to be a good year to be a Lakers fan. Assuming everybody stays healthy - all eyes on Kobe's foot tonight - it's the most exciting team I've seen since 2003-04. Since we all know how that went, I'm also tempering my expectations and not talking championship yet.

But since Oklahoma City decided to blow up their core in the name of money, I'm saying the Lakers will be back in the Finals. By the way, Oklahoma City deserves props for not only reminding me of the 1995 Orlando Magic once again, but for scaring themselves into worrying about money instead of the immediate future.

At least the 1995 Magic had a chance to follow-up their Finals run with a great 1996 season that ended at the hand of the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. Sam Presti robbed this team of that chance by sending James Harden for a shoot-first old Kevin Martin, a talented rookie in Jeremy Lamb and draft picks. He also had the presence of mind to do this two days before the season. Genius!!

So the Lakers only have to worry about themselves and pray that everybody gels together. Steve Nash will do that just fine. Dwight Howard just has to be healthy and he'll dominate on the defensive end/rebounding side. Kobe just has to relax and stay healthy. Pau Gasol has to play like he did during the Olympics.

Dwight Howard's a Laker (But I'm Not Celebrating Yet)

While London slept during the Olympics, Dwight Howard stole the thunder like Prometheus stole fire from the gods. His two-year trade saga ended with him coming to the Lakers and normally I'd be celebrating, especially since Andrew Bynum got shipped out. But for some reason, I can't.

Even before this free agent saga turned embarrassing on Dwight and the Magic's part, I wrote in 2011 that the Lakers need a quality point guard (Chris Paul) before getting a big man. My point was that the Lakers needed perimeter speed and despite Pau Gasol's softness/Andrew Byunm's aloofness, they were still one of the NBA's best front courts.

Well they filled that need with Steve Nash earlier this summer. I still wasn't totally thrilled, but it finally gave the Lakers another ball-handler and offensive creator. It didn't solve their defensive issues and that was a bigger problem to me.

So now that they got the best rebounder/defender in the league, I should be jumping out the window right? For some reason, I just can't. Something doesn't feel right.

Farewell to Derek Fisher: Thanks for the Class, Memories and Giant Impact

Derek Fisher may not get his jersey retired in Staples Center. But when you look back at the last 12 seasons, he did as much to make that place special as anybody. 

Fisher’s trade to Houston marks the end of an era that won’t be forgotten anytime soon by Lakers fans. Besides Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol, no player mattered more over the last decade in team history.

You can’t measure Fisher’s impact by the stats, although he played well to validate his position as a key reserve during the 2000-2002 three-peat and the starting point guard in 2002-03.  What he means to the Lakers goes beyond what you can measure.

People will bring up the 0.4 shot – the game winning shot against San Antonio in the 2004 playoffs. The best part about it is that he was probably the fourth option but he was ready and when he got the ball, the rest was history. 

But as I wrote before, Fisher’s made a living off big moments long before and after that. One of my favorites was going 15-for-20 on 3-pointers in the 2001 Western Conference Finals. It set a record for most 3’s in a sweep and he saved his best for last when he went 6-7 from downtown to close out the Spurs in Game 4.

Another fave? Getting revenge on Allen Iverson. Iverson skunked him 48-0 in Game 1 as the Lakers lost but in Game 2, Fisher got back by dunking on AI on a fastbreak. One of the rare times I've seen Fisher dunk but considering it was on the MVP who lit him up, I remember falling backwards in my house like OOOOOOOOOO MAN!!!

He won Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals in Orlando with two timely three-pointers, including one to force overtime. His drive to win Game 3 of the 2010 Finals capped an 11-point quarter in Boston. And I should mention that Derek Fisher was at his most clutch on the road?

He was always the one down to do the dirty work. Whether it was him hustling after a loose ball or setting the tone in the 2009 playoffs getting ejected after a hard foul on Luis Scola, he embodied toughness every night.

Maybe it’s the fact that the Lakers took a chance on him as a first-round draft pick out of Arkansas-Little Rock. Jerry West saw something in him that he usually sees in diamonds in the rough and Fisher wanted to prove that with his hard-nosed style and timely play.

Off the court, his respect as a leader and clubhouse presence loomed large. He had Kobe Bryant’s trust – his fellow rookie from the 1996 class – and Bryant knew that Fisher wouldn’t just back down, he’d stand up to him and let his voice be heard. It says volumes that Bryant cancelled his radio appearance that day after finding out about the trade. Even he knew that just lost a valuable piece of his career.

It’s no surprise Fisher became the president of the Player’s Association and through his tireless work, he helped save the current NBA season and sacrificed any rest a 37-year-old veteran usually should get. It was a thankless job but just as important as anyone.

His faith and his family motivated him as well and the reason he came back to Los Angeles was to seek better treatment for his daughter. The cynics might sneer at that but considering that he left the 2007 playoffs to be with her, it’s nothing but pure admiration for someone who knows what matters most.

There’s a reason why Lakers fans celebrate his return in 2007 just as much as the trade to bring Pau Gasol here in 2008. It was a reminder of someone who’d be a coach in the huddle, in practices, in meetings and a steady pulse in the organization. He cared about the team more than himself and took pride in being a Laker and treating everyone with respect.

It’s no surprise that one of Fisher’s last acts as a Laker was making sure General Manager Mitch Kupchak was doing all right personally. Nor was it surprising that he went over to Lamar Odom and hugged him when Odom checked into his first game back after being traded. 

(And in true fashion, Fisher would hit the go-ahead shot that night to beat the defending champs. Doing what he always does best.)

Fisher has been first class since the day he arrived and I hope that not only will the fans give him a standing ovation when he returns in April but the team finds a way to honor him when he retires. Without him, they don’t win their last two rings and the three-peat might look a bit different.

Personally, Fisher’s big moments coincided with great times in my life. His 2001 shooting clinic occurred while I was getting ready for junior prom. The 0.4 shot had me running in my dorm room halls as a sophomore in college. The Game 4 shots vs. Orlando came celebrating a family graduation a few months after losing my uncle. And the Game 3 shot to put Boston away? I was in my car getting a late snack two nights before I left my sports editor position at the L.A. Sentinel.

Fisher was the heart of the Lakers and that pulse can't be replaced. Character, pride, clutch, faith, family and winner. All of that describes him and what you can't describe? I'm just glad I have the memories to replay and try to share with others 

Take 6: NBA Quick Hits for the 2nd Half

With the second half of this NBA season starting this week, I figure I'd tackle some issues on my mind. Let's start with Jeremy Lin.

1) 3 weeks in, Jeremy Lin no longer shocks me. The guy can ball and the novelty has worn off as I just watch him to see how he runs the Knicks offense. He's a great story but like all great stories, the shock wears off and you just watch to see how the subject continues to thrive. It's clear Lin is a great point guard who can run the pick and roll, get to the basket and has a decent (not yet automatic) jump shot while turning the ball over like any young player does.

But my issue is how Lin reminds me that Asian people still get a short stick on how people joke about them or promote them. Take one look at some of the signs about him at Madison Square Garden and if some of them don't make you slightly uncomfortable, do a double take. Consider how a former ESPN.com editor thought it clever to use "chink in the armor" - an old phrase referring to dent in the metal - and not realize it's danger. Or how Ben & Jerry's thought it clever to have Linsanity ice cream with fortune cookies among the flavors in it.***

***FYI, fortune cookies are an American popular item that is not served in China. While Lin is Taiwanese-American and it is popular with Chinese food, ask yourself what would happen if B&J offered  up watermelon flavored ice cream in conjunction with Black History Month. Instead of people trying to dismiss it as offensive, how about we start asking IF this is offensive first?***

Oh look, another clever pun on Jeremy Lin's name and hype. *cue the snickers and chuckles while I roll my eyes*

As somebody pointed out on Twitter, 2 weeks into his stardom, 2 companies have had to apologize to the Asian-American community. That's an unnerving ratio in 2012 to some but to me, it's not surprising because when you don't deal with things daily, you become ignorant when you see it in your face.

Maybe I'm unique because I've grown up around Korean and Filipino friends since 5th grade and hooped with them.  I'm a bit sensitive to Asian jokes because looking back on it, my HS peers said some jokes that'd be questionable and I've learned to respect them. And I consider my friends today who probably cringe when they see stuff like Yellow Mamba or fans with signs of fortune cookies.

Yes it's weird seeing an Asian-American on the professional hoops circuit. Now let's get over that. Unlike another phenomenon last year where a guy played every Sunday, Lin has played in double digit games already. Enjoy what we're seeing. Enough with the Linsanity puns and promotions that are done in ignorance and quite frankly, annoyance.

Basically let the boy play. He'll have highs and then he'll have games like when Miami shut him down. Speaking of which....

2) LeBron James is having one of the best all around seasons in recent memory. To think that a perimeter player could be shooting close to 55% is beyond looney and that's a tribute to how James has improved his midrange game and post game.

But as the All-Star game proved, even his peers are mystified by how he still lacks the consistent ability to kill until the final buzzer. Even Kobe had to tell LeBron shoot the bleeping ball. It's a reminder what separates LeBron from so many others. The last two years, LeBron led a charge in the 4th quarter only to pass it in the final moments. It's easy to say LeBron isn't clutch but to me it's 2 things - he's afraid or hates to fail and (what nobody is saying) he still has a point guard mentality.

I said this in 2010 when Boston knocked him out of the playoffs. LeBron is a natural PG in a big man's body. He may be able to physically impose his will but mentally he's thinking pass and set somebody up. He acts/walks/talks like a superstar but at his core he cares about how you like him. That's a point guard mentality and if you don't believe me, ask Rajon Rondo how he felt until 2009-2010 being around the Celtics.

That may not be a great enough excuse as pure point guards like Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Isiah Thomas and Magic could kill. Maybe it's because LBJ has been insulated from pressure since he was 16 and he's finally facing adversity to challenge him. I don't fully know but we'll see what happens come playoff time. At some point, he's going to have to mentally block everything and attack the way D-Wade does (who has a bit of chokery in him too, I notice).

The ref's face says it all, he can't even believe the Spurs and Tony Parker are still playing a high level

3) The Lakers and the Spurs dominated the Western Conference in the 2000's. But one look at them now shows why one team prepared for transition and the other looks lost.

My squad has front office turmoil beyond belief, led by Daddy's Boy Jim Buss and his arrogance to exert his will. The Spurs have stability with Gregg Popovich, one of the best coaches/front office minds in NBA history.

My squad has old guys mainly in their rotation - minus Andrew Goudelock - who barely can rest. The Spurs have a healthy mix of old veterans (Duncan/Parker/Ginobli) and young blood in Dejuan Blair, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

My squad is floundering with no proven point guard and the possibility of signing Rasheed Wallace from the YMCA. The Spurs are No. 2 in the West, having only lost 1 game since January 30.

Yes I know the Spurs could lose early in the playoffs again but they're also the perfect mix of young and old balance to thrive and transition. Meanwhile, the Lakers are starting at possibly a 4 or 5 seed (which I predicted) and tense attitudes until the trade deadline shakes out. Yep, exactly the way we want to spend a year where Kobe is having one of the greatest late career scoring runs in NBA history.

Oh and the Clippers could finish with a higher playoff seed. Welcome to a better 2006 all over again - the year where Kobe went wild scoring and had a 1st round playoff exit - unless something happens.

Random Hits

- Kyrie Irving could be the first Duke player under Coach K to win the Rookie of the Year outright. Grant Hill shared the ROY in 94-95 and Irving right now is playing at a level I haven't seen a Duke rookie play at since Jay Williams 10 years ago.

As for this rookie class. Besides Ricky Rubio and Brandon Knight, not a lot of guys are standing out. I feel bad for Kemba Walker in Charlotte. MarShon Brooks averaging 14.6 points is a side story to New Jersey's free agent drama. It's still early but the obvious potential is lacking in this class.

- Who's going to be a worse trainwreck? The Washington Wizards or the Charlotte Bobcats? Right now, it's looking like a neck-and-neck race each week. Call it the fumes of the Michael Jordan curse - Wizards are cursed for letting him go like a dog and the Bobcats are cursed for him siding with the hardline owners in the lockout.

- Oklahoma City remains the scariest Western Conference team. Forget the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook drama the media wants you to buy into. Two alpha dogs can exist and it's clear they do as long as they are winning and Scott Brooks keeps being creative with the offense instead of trying to punish Westbrook being assertive.

(A key point of this "issue" is how Durant's nice guy persona hurts him on the court. His game is great to watch and admirable but not assertive enough. He'll have to learn that taking it to the basket and calling for the ball will allow him to kill with his jumper. It took Dirk almost a decade to figure that out so let's hope Durant does it sooner.)

But the key for them this year will be the play of my 6th Man of the Year fave James Harden and Serge Ibaka, who's a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. If they play well, look out.

Virgo Kent's NBA Preview (Welcome to the NBA NWO)

I may be excited for the NBA season to start Sunday but I have far less patience for the business of the game. I don’t care for owners who only see losing profits instead of seeing their role in it or trusting their basketball people to do their part. I don’t care for poor GM’s who can’t evaluate talent and chemistry and contribute to players wanting to go elsewhere.

I don’t care for David Stern threatening to ruin the game I love with his power trip. I don’t care about people mad at players realizing the power that we gave them and fulfilling Curt Flood’s dream to be agents of change instead of being happy to play and make money.

I want to get back to discussing basketball but it feels like after seeing what this lockout is about it feels secondary. I’m gonna try to anyway despite every time I think of David Stern or see the LA Clippers, I know we are watching a league that should be enjoying a great 2010-11 campaign but comes back after a drama summer.

Stern used to be the best commissioner in sports but like all great men of power, they get delusional the longer they hold it. When they get threatened by something powerful (in Stern’s case, the Malice at the Palace), they start overreacting to keep that power. Richard III did it, Tony Montana and Michael Corleone too. So did Adolf Hitler and other leaders.

It started with the dress code. Then it led to curbing everyone’s enthusiasm after being fouled with handing out technical fouls for the slightest anger instead of just far worse whiners. Now it came to being a bully in the lockout proceedings ("I know where the bodies are buried?"), something Bryant Gumbel took a justified step further.

With the aid of the owners, he held the league hostage in this lockout without addressing the main concerns. Yes, the players gave $3 billion back but how does that make the league better? When guys are still getting crazy, overpaid deals? When a luxury tax only hints at what could be possible with revenue sharing? So he and the owners bullied the players into a deal knowing that the fans would ultimately hate them if they didn’t.

This was all about restoring power, not fairness or competitive balance*. Nowhere was this more evident than Chris Paul being arranged to go (NOT traded) to the Clippers, instead of to the Lakers in a 3-team deal. Instead of respecting a great GM who made his team better and weakened a Western power despite giving them Paul, the owners whined and Stern acting as co-owner of a team killed the trade for “basketball reasons”. That’s the power move of a desperate man who isn’t thinking clear.

*(By the way, the league hasn't had competitive balance in 31 years. Look how many teams have won NBA titles since 1980. The NBA is the only league where half of the teams makes the playoffs. Factor in 3-5 teams that just finish outside and that's 19-21 teams out of 30 who are in playoff contention. By definition, those teams are competitive.)

The Hornets got a younger package from the Clippers (and guys who looked like they were not happy to be there.) The Rockets, who thought they were getting Pau Gasol, look worse. The Lakers looked lost and flustered for the first time in seven years and gave Lamar Odom away for less than they got Gasol for. The Clippers got way more exciting and got their biggest free agent in years.

If this was a genuine move, it’d be earthshaking in its own right. But the earthquake feels artificial. Instead of nature doing her thing, it’s a man made quake that could have seismic consequences on the rest of the league, its perception and a lot of other shady instances in league history.

The Decision last year was the creation of the NWO in the WWE. The Chris Paul trade being killed was the Montreal Screwjob that made WWE Chairman Vince McMahon go from owner to power player screwing with the system. One was pivotal but ultimately more beneficial for the league despite people mad at LeBron and Chris Bosh. The other was also pivotal but deeper consequences within the league that are dangerous.

Hate these guys if you will, but David Stern did far more damage to the league than they did.

All that matters now is that the powers that be have showed their hand and I’m worried what more foolishness could transpire next. David Stern and the owners have long been the Hidden Hand behind the scenes overseeing this league but now that a new world order is in effect, this could threaten what we see and love if you care about the NBA.

But this isn’t all doom and gloom. Here’s some quick hit storylines I’m watching.

1.  Will the Heat win this year? I don’t see why they aren’t the favorites. The team that lost last year got better with Shane Battier but all eyes will be on Dwyane Wade's health and if LeBron James will play angry with a lil more developed game in the post/midrange.

2.  Can Dallas repeat? I think they’ll get back to the Western Conference Finals. With Lamar Odom and a crazy X-factor in Vince Carter, they might just be another Green Bay in terms of sneaky defending champions.

3. Can Memphis sustain its great run? I've seen Portland rise and fall. Memphis looks like a team that caught fire but I have no clue what will happen the year after. The great mystery of the West.

4. The last hurrah for the Lakers/Celtics/Spurs. Last postseason was the changing of a guard in the league. This will be the last chance for this teams to remain elite and I think the Spurs have the best mix of youth to stay around.

5. Kevin Durant finally wins MVP? Maybe this depends on Russell Westbrook and how he handled his postseason. But Durant showed why he’s the most unstoppable offensive force in the league and I think this year he gets even better.

Oh yeah, can somebody explain to me how Kendrick Perkins got on the Buddy Love diet?

6. Lob City? Chris Paul trade hate aside, the Clippers are exciting for the first time in 10 years. Time will tell if they are as good as they were 5 years ago or if Donald Sterling will interfere with this run of good like he always does.

7. Kobe’s last hurrah. I said this summer that nobody has been an All-NBA selection after their 15^th season except for Shaq and Kareem. Prior to 2 weeks ago, Kobe looked as healthy as he’s been in years. But after that wrist injury and his divorce, there’s no telling how he’ll play this year and it’s pivotal because it could be his last as the KB that we know.

8. Rip Hamilton might be the best signing of the summer. Shane Battier to the Heat could compete with this but if Hamilton has anything left, he gives Derrick Rose another weapon with postseason experience. I like this for Chicago, who I think is still the No. 2 team in the East.

9. Will Golden State finally reach the postseason? Mark Jackson is my early pick for Coach of the Year if the Warriors get there. It’s about time Monta Ellis, Steph Curry and that high risk, high reward lineup makes good on their promise and mature into a formidable team.

10. Dwight Howard? This is going to be annoying and this offseason annoyed me on it. My prediction is he plays most of the season in Orlando. He's either going to New Jersey or the Lakers but watching Chairman Stern find a way to meddle in this too.

11. Which rookie will impress the most? Another weak draft class at first but I’m interested in the Cali kids I covered who are in the league (Darius Morris, Derrick Williams, Jordan Hamilton, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Tyler Honeycutt). Curious to see what Kemba Walker does in Charlotte? How quick Jimmer Fredette gets humbled. Kyrie Irving’s growth in Cleveland. 

My 1st Live Sporting Event (A Funny Thing Happened at the Forum)

In keeping with my last blog about how I became a sports fan, I figure I'd share some of my favorite childhood memories/moments. Since we're in the middle of two lockouts and the Dodgers are finding new ways to disappoint their fanbase and waste Matt Kemp's MVP-caliber season, it's more fun recalling my past than thinking about the how bleak the present is.

Somebody asked me about the first time I ever attended a game live. So let's take it back to 1995 shall we?

I was just starting to become a Lakers fan when Mom told us we'd be moving to Inglewood. The coolest thing about my Dad's house there? Literally within walking distance of the Great Western Forum. Walk down the hill, turn right and you'd see the Forum packed with cars and limos for night games. We used to memorize back routes to get home because we knew on Fridays to avoid the main streets.

My first game was against the Sacramento Kings in 6th grade. I remember being tripped out because I was so used to hearing Chick Hearn call games that I didn't know what to expect live. I walked in super excited and anxious to see the inside of the forum. There's nothing better than the thrill of walking into a stadium and being a part of that electric energy.

During the 2nd quarter, they had an announcement for a halftime shooting contest. Sure enough, they called my seat! Actually, they called my sister's seat but of course, she didn't care about shooting hoops. It was time for me to live out my dream and shoot on the same court as Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lake Show.

The 1995-96 Lakers.

We walked down to the court before halftime and while we waited, we bumped into this really tall guy. Turns out we bumped into Magic and I was like "Hey, Magic!" as you'd expect a giddy 6th grader to imagine. He flashed that great smile but was wisked away quickly before he got hounded for an autograph. I remembered Mom telling me all kinds of stories watching Magic in the house and I couldn't believe he was right there in front of us.

Finally it was time to go to work. Now granted, I was still a year removed from learning the game and I couldn't shoot worth a lick. Did it matter? Course not. I got out there wearing an oversized T-shirt they gave me and pulled up like it was a 3-point shootout I watched on All-Star Saturday. I was so geeked that I missed every single shot and didn't feel embarrassed one bit. You catch me missing that many shots nowadays and I'm walking off the court without looking back.

I just smiled and laughed all the way back to Mom and my sister. It was a memory I wouldn't forget - my first live game ever and I got to shoot on the Great Western Forum floor. Even though I've been blessed to be courtside at Staples Center, stood at home plate of Dodger and Angel Stadium and on the sidelines of both the Coliseum and Rose Bowl, that's probably my favorite on-court moment as a sports fan.

I went back to the Forum a few times where my favorite moment was seeing Shaq and Penny and cheering when they beat the Lakers by 2. Once the Lakers moved downtown, I only stepped into the Forum a few times when the church that bought it hosted a New Year's party and this past year when I saw Prince. But few things top that first time and it's a reminder when Inglewood came alive 2-3 times a week down the street from my house.

How I Became A Sports Fan

This is something I'm surprised I didn't do sooner. But I guess it's time to share how I became such a huge sports fan because it's not your typical road to being the junkie that I am right now. 

My first sports memory was my mom watching the 1991 NBA Finals and remembering the end seeing Michael Jordan and Co. celebrate. I had no awareness as a 6-year-old what I was watching but I think I was mad and I didn't want to wear any Bulls gear. That might have been the start of my hatred of the Michael Jordan era even though I didn't really become a sports fan. 

(Technically, Mom gave me earlier sports memories because she says I'd look at her confused while she'd go nuts over the Showtime Lakers. But I digress)

The next summer, I played T-Ball with some friends of mine from school. People might be surprised baseball was the first sport I ever played but I wasn't really that good. I just loved hitting the ball and that first season, I got a lot of doubles. 

But my best memory was winning the game ball for hitting a "home run" in the semifinals - a HR that was more like reaching 1st on an error then running to 2nd and seeing the ball thrown into the outfield then running all the way home when the ball got thrown past the dugout. We may have lost in the finals, but that apple cider shower we all had was great!

Not exactly Al Bundy scoring 4 TD's in one game but it's my moment, alright? Thanks to T-Ball for two years and the Sandlot and Rookie of the Year in theaters, I became a Dodgers fan and started memorizing names like Eric Karros, Mike Scioscia, Kevin Gross and Darryl Strawberry. It later included Mike Piazza and Hideo Nomo, whose arrival I still remember driving folks into a frenzy.

The mid-90's also brought me into hockey briefly thanks to the Mighty Ducks and Wayne Gretzky. I owned the LA Gear Gretzkys and those movies had everyone wanting to be the man like Charlie Conway or super cool like Russ and his knucklepuck. They made hockey cool no matter what race you were and of course, Gretzky made LA Hockeytown for his brief stay. 

I became a Cowboys fan during Super Bowl XXVII when I watched at home with the game in Pasadena. When I watched them play next year, I became a bigger fan. Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin became my favorite players and I dug into the team's history. That led me to start watching Monday Night Football with my Dad and I taught myself who the best teams were and the best players. The 1995 Cowboys were the first time I really followed from start to finish and that's the first football season that got me started. 

I never liked the Raiders or Rams so seeing them leave in 1994 was no big deal to me. I hated how folks still wore Raiders gear and their fanbase scared me. The Rams were so terrible, it was like good riddance. 

Shaquille O'Neal got me into the NBA and I became an Orlando Magic fan before I became a Lakers fan. I had to teach myself how to play and who the best teams were. As I grew up watching Shaq and Penny, I also grew up with Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell and going to sleep listening to Chick Hearn and Stu Lantz host the postgame chatter. I used to rent NBA highlight videos from Blockbuster and study all the players and their moves and I'd also buy NBA Almanacs to study the history of the game. 

And when Shaq came to the Lakers? I was actually upset because I wanted a Magic jersey and I bought it the summer after he got traded. But I was happy that my favorite player was coming to the West Coast, more excited than some HS kid we traded for who was more known for dating Brandy as well as his incredible talent. 

That was the start of me watching Fox Sports Net, which just debuted that year so I'd watch that for TV recaps of the day. I knew all of the local sportscasters by heart - Todd "Take a Hike" Donoho on ABC, Fred Roggin on NBC and Jim Hill on CBS - and I'd watch them at 5 and 6 p.m. break down local sports to a science. 

Around that same time, I started reading the sports pages every day. I'd go to school with a copy of the LA Times and read the sports section and comics religiously. By the time I turned 12 in 1996 as I entered junior high school, my sports fandom education was complete - although I had a lot to learn as I got older. 

I pretty much learned a lot about sports through experience and self-teaching. I didn't grow up thinking my teams were the greatest because except for the Cowboys, they weren't. My dad watched games with me but he didn't pass down any knowledge as much as he spent time with me watching and talking about what I saw (he always loved to needle me about the Bulls breaking my heart every holiday as much as my cousins did). 

I grew up hearing Chick Hearn criticize the Lakers on air as much as he'd praise them and put games in the refrigerator. I grew up hearing Vin Scully's easy yet authoritative and professional voice tell it like it was with the Dodgers with no bluster. To me, I never had a reason to be a homer fan because my examples weren't super fans who didn't treat their team as gods. They were stars but not beyond criticism and if the voice of the team could be impartial yet loyal, so could I.

Being a LA sports fan in the 90's was fun but challenging. Nobody won titles besides UCLA basketball (who won that 1995 title right when I became interested in the school) but you connected to players and a team identity. You liked the Dodgers' young core of 5 straight Rookies of the Year, you enjoyed The Lake Show, you enjoyed Wayne Gretzky still in his prime. I loved watching the Cowboys win 10-12 games a year and get geeked to play the 49ers every year in a classic. 

All of this I mainly discovered a lot on my own and my family pretty much let me be without influencing my team preferences. And that's how I ended up seeing sports and my teams today. 

One more note: I became a Duke fan in 1998-99 when I saw Elton Brand and Co. run through college basketball. I became a Chargers fan in 2002 when I started attending school in San Diego and for the first time, saw a city rally around a football team.

Maybe I'll do a Part 2 describing my first time attending a sport event and how weird it was to attend my first ever football game at 18. 

The end of an era

I haven't felt this bad about a Lakers exit in 7 years. For those counting, that goes past the 2008 NBA Finals and towards 2004. What I saw and heard yesterday was the last gasps of air being stomped out repeatedly while the victim just laid there praying for the end to come.

Seeing Phil Jackson at his last press conference and his kids wearing the X and XI hats reminded me of the 2004 when Phil brought them on stage as he "retired" from coaching after the Pistons dismantled us. Watching Andrew Bynum throw that cheap shot and walk off shirtless said it all - we were dethroned and kicked out the kingdom without a whimper.

As I watched Phil's last speech, I thought about how my entire hooping life was centered around him. I hated him as much as I hated the Chicago Bulls and came to love him coaching the Lakers. It reminded me how much this series made everything come full circle.

I've got no shame saying this - it's the end of the Lakers as we know it. Death by firing squad and the guilty parties? Jason Terry (13 3's, two shy of Derek Fisher's record for a 4-game sweep), JJ Barea (who's still running around like a headless chicken), and Dirk Nasty, who resoundingly restored and rebuilt his reputation as arguably the greatest international player to ever play in the NBA*.

*After watching "Once Brothers", I still believe Drazen Petrovic is the greatest international player ever besides the 80's version of Arvydas Sabonis. But unfortunately he passed before being the best NBA international player ever.*

Terry impressed almost as much as Dirk did. I said that the key to the series would be Terry vs. Odom and it was clear who the more impactful 6th Man was. Terry's been breaking my heart since I watched him at Arizona destroy UCLA 10 years ago and he deserves co-MVP of the series with Dirk Nasty and his variety of unstoppable shots. Oh yeah, Mark Cuban is now 4 wins away from the Finals.

I already played the Blame Game with the Lakers over at Bleacher Report so now I'm looking at the bigger picture. Something happened with this team after 17-1 stretch and it's more than just Kobe got old, Gasol got scared, the Lakers bench disappearing, Artest looking old and Andrew Bynum becoming part beast, part No More Mr. Nice Guy. This team's identity was stripped and nobody found a way to keep everyone refocused.

No love for Bynum's cheap shot on JJ Barea either. Like I said on Twitter, I've given my share of hard fouls but you always go for the ball to make it legal. Whatever suspension he gets (as long as it's 5 games max), it's deserved.

You always knew that the Lakers would find a way to respond in April-June with focus and intensity but this year, that just didn't happen. It's no surprise that in Kobe's two 30+ point games this postseason, the Lakers lost. He didn't have enough consistent support and he couldn't bring those type of performances against Dallas in the 4

Suddenly, I have flashbacks of 2004. My lowest moment as a Lakers fan. The team got battered in 5 games by Detroit and you knew that team would never be the same. Phil Jax left, Shaq was traded, Derek Fisher left and all you had was Kobe and whoever the team could keep or find around. I was left missing Shaq and hating Kobe for shooting us out of that series.

That's why this is worse than 2008. When the Lakers lost Game 4 after a 22-point lead, that was rock bottom. The 39-point soul stomping finale in Game 6 was a mere formality but as bad as that was, you knew the Lakers would be back. That team wasn't ready to win a title yet and they showed why in 2009 and 2010.

In 2004, you didn't know what was going to happen or if the Lakers would ever return to being a contender. It was a beating that tore apart your insides and left you lost about the present and future. That's how this feels. The Mavericks - the MAVERICKS of all teams! - got tough, stole the heart and soul of my Lakers and ended not just a season, but an era. 

Game 4 yesterday will forever be one of the worst losses of the Lakers era. Game 6 in  08 was bad but Game 4 that year to me was worse because an epic choke job is worse than a beatdown when you're already reeling. This game was also the latter but it still hurts because it means more than an exit.

I've never seen so many Laker legends embarrassed like I saw Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Michael Cooper and James Worthy come out and criticize this team. Last year, they all celebrated us beating the Celtics. A lot can change in a year.

Next year, the Lakers will be still be a Top 4 team in the West but they won't be a contender for the NBA crown unless they make some drastic longterm moves. That means getting players who will be effective for longer than 2-3 years and building up Trey Johnson and Devin Ebanks to be guards of the future. After 2011-12, it's gonna be the 90's all over again with a new direction and back to contending in the West but not a championship contender.

I saw Kobe decline like I feared he would in 2009. Those knee/ankle injuries are adding up and he can't carry the Lakers on his back anymore. He's still a top-10 player in the league but in 09, I said that he has 2-3 years before he drops. This is when it happens. And now Dr. Jerry Buss has some tough decisions to make after we've spent the last couple years mortgaging the future for the present.

I won't be surprised if half the roster is gone by next training camp. I just know that I'm seeing the Kobe era end before my eyes and next year will be the next stop on the decline. Can't even bear to read most of the columns describing the game because it's like a numbing whirlwind of dirt being thrown. This is my eulogy and final word. It was a great run and it's a shame it ended like this.

Reality's a Trip and the Fall is Hard

You know that feeling you get when your best just isn't good enough. That's what I'm feeling right now about the Lakers, who are down 0-2 for the first time since the 2008 NBA Finals. Just the mere mention of bringing that up is hard to swallow because that's the last time I felt like this team was overmatched.

I'm seeing Dirk Nowitzki have his way and pick his spots with no counter. I'm seeing Tyson Chandler neutralize one Lakers big man at a time each game. I saw JJ Barea in Game 2 and got flashbacks of Phoenix's Goran Dragic from Game 4 in last year's Western Conference Finals with how he sliced and diced through our defense in the 4th quarter.

Most of all I'm seeing a Lakers bench that can't keep up with Dallas.  I'm seeing a Lakers team confused and bewildered. Sad of all, I'm seeing a Lakers team settle for outside shots, the ultimate sign of a team that has no clue what to do against a better team. And to top it off, Artest got ejected. Word to Phife Dawg, I'm having problems.

This isn't the soft Dallas Mavericks. We aren't the dominant LA Lakers. The roles have reversed and I'm seeing a dynasty that looks shaken and old with a king who can't will a team to be better for some reason. I've known this feeling before and I'm not trying to deny it.

2004, I watched the Pistons outmuscle and out-tough the Lakers like I hadn't seen since Karl Malone and John Stockton in the 1998 Western Conference Finals. 2008, I saw the same thing happen with the Boston Celtics. I know this feeling but my heart won't let me give up. I just know that feeling you get when you know your team is in a deep hole.

Oh yeah, having Andrew Bynum say this team is having trust issues isn't helping either. It's not over but it's looking scary. And heading back to Dallas possibly without Ron Artest for a game, the odds aren't in our favor. I have faith but I'm also a realist.

We're seeing a changing of the guard in this playoffs. San Antonio's gone. Boston's in the same situation as the Lakers. Dallas is playing like the Spurs did in the regular season with the right balance of vets (J. Kidd), international stars (Dirk, Barea), bench (Terry, Barea, Haywood), youth/athleticism (Chandler, Barea) and size. Chicago, Miami and Oklahoma City are showing why they're going to be face of the next decade in the NBA.

Part of me though is still bugging out at how good Tyson Chandler has been this series. I grew up in high school seeing him as the biggest recruit ever and thinking he made a mistake going to the draft out of Compton Dominguez. 10 years later, we're both in our 20's and fulfilling some of the promise folks had for us back in 2001.

I'm just mixed about Friday because I'll be at a concert. The last time I attended a concert on a Lakers playoff game? Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Yeah, one of the worst games I've had to handle. I'm hoping that Prince isn't the only thing I'm celebrating that's wearing purple.

This could be the end or the start of something bigger. All my life, I've been a rational Lakers fan and I know when the hand we're dealt isn't a good one. Friday night's either gonna be a good night to be in Purple or an escape from reality sinking in.

Tonight was Dallas showing something extra that the Lakers haven't shown. The roles have reversed and it's not a pretty sight.

The Lakers biggest threat to a 3-peat? Themselves

(This article appears on Bleacher Report - the latest expansion of my resume)

Every April, Lakers fans have to be wondering which team will show up in the postseason.

This year is no exception. 

Will they see the team that went 17-1 after the All-Star break or the team that lost five in a row and barely beat San Antonio and Sacramento? 

The two-time defending champs face the double dilemma of being at their most vulnerable while the Western Conference is more loaded than it’s been during their reign. 

As a result, that annual Finals trip is no longer a safe guarantee. 

Oh sure, folks are smart not to count the Lakers out. Everyone’s deferring to them as the West’s favorites and certainly they showed it by going 4-0 against Dallas and San Antonio in the second half 

Yet living in Los Angeles, you can feel a different edge about this team. Like there’s more at stake and that championship aura just doesn’t feel as confident as before. 

It’s because for the first time in four years, the Lakers face more teams that aren’t scared of them, can match up better and are hungry to prove themselves. 

Last year, they entered the playoffs after losing seven of their last 11; they also entered as the No. 1 seed with home court advantage and benefited from seeing their top rivals bounced earlier than expected in the playoffs. 

San Antonio has a great balance of youth and experience; Oklahoma City is now tougher with Kendrick Perkins in the middle; and Dallas, well—they were a threat before the Lakers beat them by nearly 30. This year’s different.

But the more things change, the more they the same.

Namely, all eyes remain on the left knee of Andrew Bynum. The MRI said Tuesday’s injury was a slight bone bruise and he’s expected to play in Sunday’s opener against New Orleans. 

It’s another reminder how fragile and unpredictable this playoff run will be. The team will already be without backup point guard Steve Blake until at least the second round due to chicken pox.

It also shows their biggest concern isn’t the revamped Spurs or Mavericks. It’s not the meaner Thunder. It’s not Miami or the Bulls looming in the East with the ultimate matchup nightmare in Derrick Rose. 

The Lakers’ biggest threat to a three-peat are themselves and making sure they are motivated and healthy enough to get there. 

It’s not about being in cruise control anymore and expecting to roll over the West. It’s about playing every game with a sense of urgency, knowing that this will be the last hurrah and anything less than a parade is unacceptable. 

If Kobe and company showed us anything after the break, they’re unbeatable when they want to be. No team can match their frontcourt and Bryant is still the most clutch player around.

But the key word is “when they want to be.” 

It’s time for Lamar Odom to remember why he played like the likely Sixrh Man of the Year. It’s time for the Killer B’s (Shannon Brown, Matt Barnes and Blake when he gets healthy) to get consistent. It’s time for Derek Fisher to find that spring clutch gene and tap into one more time.

It’s time for Andrew Bynum to be that force he was after the All-Star break and for Ron Artest to transform into the Queensbridge Strangler not the Lakers' headache. It's time for Pau Gasol to join Bryant in leading by example. 

And it’s time for Bryant to go into Black Mamba mode for two more months to solidify his legacy as the best player of this era. 

There’s no room for error this time around. History has shown that the third leg of a three-peat is the hardest. 

The 2002 Lakers had to survive a thrilling Western Conference Finals with the Sacramento Kings and win Game 7 on the road. The 1998 Chicago Bulls had to survive against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and defeat Utah in the NBA Finals without home court advantage.

This year’s Lakers team could face their own version of that adversity starting in the second round. That’s why it’s time they flip on the switch like a still wily gunslinger, instead of being treated like the sheriff in No Country for Old Men. 

The only thing standing in the way of another Figueroa parade is the Lakers. So like Spike Lee said, it’s time for them to wake up and start resembling the team Lakers fans know they can be.

The road is much harder this time, but it will also be the most rewarding.