My life in a few words...

My thoughts/response to “Clippers Haters”

scottyoshimoto:

CAUTION: BE PREPARED FOR AN ESSAY LOL (it’s a good read I guarantee though)

I don’t understand why there is so much hate?!  I mean, for the first time in history we have two great basketball teams in Los Angeles.  One team is just drenched with history and championships, the other is just finally making the right moves to become a much better team.  Any idiot that thinks they can compare a history of Champions to a team that has none is just stupid.  You can’t, duh.  Los Angeles is a Lakers town, and will probably be a Lakers town as long as the Clippers still play in LA and not to mention in the same building.  So yes naturally they will always be compared.

But that’s the thing, people are trying to compare this “new-look Clippers” against the 16x Champion Lakers… and that’s just stupid.  What many people on the other hand should be recognizing is that the Clippers are finally making the right moves to become a better team, which definitely did this season.  And admit it… they are exciting as hell to watch.

Now I want to make clear that I’m not trying to say my answer is right, or the only answer… this is just MY PERSONAL OPINION to something I’ve been noticing a lot, and feel like sharing my own opinion towards.  You can think otherwise… this is just mine.

My friend on Facebook, who is a die-hard Lakers fan, posted this as a response to tonight’s Lakers win over the Clippers:

• “Fake Griffin and Chris Bawl better recognize this is Kobe’s city and a Lakers Paradise, no matter what. Heart&Hustle&Finesse&Skill > Dunks&Lobs&Hype.
  Lakers all day everyday, fuck the Clippers and all their Lame Fans! if you a clipper fan post a picture of all your clipper gear! let’s see it. you guys ain’t real fans. and if you say you root for both lakers and clippers because they’re both LA….. Nope shut up!…we just need that hunger back and we can do it again. today was a huge testament of that. if we’re hungry, no one in this league can beat us. it’s just a matter of wanting it every time we step on that court. Feeding our bigs is gonna be a huge part to our success in the future. Name me the last NBA champion to win it all off Athleticism and Alley-Oops? now don’t get me wrong. they’re good but they overstep their boundaries when it comes to playing the lakers. they show no respect at all. they’re too cocky”

 

and it had me thinking… why?  Why all the hate (not just in this quote, but many other people in general)?  This is not like the Lakers vs the Celtics… that I can understand hahaha.  These are 2 LA teams!  Me personally, I’m loving it.  The reason why is because I’m a fan of BOTH.  Yes BOTH.  I’ve been a Lakers fan my entire life, I grew up watching the Lakers, my parents grew up watching the Lakers, Kobe is the best player in the league, my all-time favorite player is Earvin Magic Johnson.  But at the same time,  I’m a Clippers fan, a Clippers season ticket holder (yes before Chris Paul coming to the Clippers was even announced), one of my most exciting memories was when I had the chance to play basketball on the Clippers actual court as a child, and my current favorite player is Blake Griffin.  So to all those people who say you can’t be a fan of both, bullshit… I am.

This was my response to that quote:

•  “I will disagree with everything you just said because I am a fan of both because they are both LA, and just check my profile because I’m not afraid to rep Clippers strong. You’re are right about the Lakers and our bigs, if they utilize them correctly then they can be unstoppable… it just makes me mad as a fan that it took this game, to make them realize they need to play like this all the time. And man did Pau play one hell of a game, we need him to do that more often. As for lack of respect, I don’t know what you’re talking about, because Clippers have shown nothing but respect. (certain Clippers fans on the other hand who are #lakerhaters are the are the ones you should be hating on, not the team). But other Clippers fans like me respect that fact because this is a Lakers town, always has been and probably will be as long as Clippers play in LA, and are not stupid to think that one season changes all that. But anybody that knows basketball can’t deny how well the Clippers are playing THIS SEASON. We’re not trying to compare with Lakers history because you can’t, we’re just talking RIGHT NOW. The Clippers are becoming a great team NOW, and games like tonight just prove even though we lost, we’re not the same team as before and can compete with Champion level teams. I know people have their lakers pride, believe me I love the Lakers, always have, but I have to admit I’m loving the Clippers this season and people just hating on the team just to hate are dumb. I’m just happy they’re looking good and doing better than ever. For me, personally, not speaking for anybody else, they are more exciting to watch and I’m rooting for them to do well. Gotta stand up for my dude Blake Griffin, he has transformed the franchise and the team is finally making the right moves to keep their franchise player by putting talent around him. What a great battle tonight, and was impressed by everybody who stepped up to the plate to battle it out. As far as I see it, it’s 3-1 Clippers this season, and 1-1 that count which is pretty damn good to me. LA is lucky, we have 2 amazing teams… just think if we were Washington with 1 bad one LOL we got it good”

Gotta admit both teams wanted it so bad tonight, Lakers just got the W.  Clippers made some crucial mistakes in the final minutes, and it cost them.  No excuses really, they just lost and the Lakers won. Series is now tied 1-1 (although I do count pre-season games making it 3-1 this season).

When Lakers are playing against other teams, I want them to win.  When the Clippers are playing against other teams, I want them to win.  But when they play each other, I’ve actually always wanted the underdog to do well… and want the Clippers to win believe it or not.  Tonight was no different, I wanted the Clippers.  The Lakers will always be the Lakers, and they will probably always be “the destination” for anybody wanting to play basketball in Los Angeles.  So this season, when I truly believe the Clippers have made the right moves to put them in a place to be very successful, I really want them to do well this season, including tonight.

You’re free to like whoever you like, a fan of the Lakers, not a fan of the Clippers… whatever.  But to all those people who can’t see the Clippers themselves are not trying to compare themselves to the Lakers history (despite what stupid fans are trying to do), the Clippers themselves are not.  They’re simply just making a statement they aren’t the same Clippers they used to be, and have great potential this season to do extremely well as they are already proving… and making themselves into a formidable opponent to a great team such as the Lakers is a statement in itself (not to mention defeating the Heat and defending NBA champs Dallas Mavericks).  When we Clippers fans finally have fun rooting for a good team, let us brag and say whatever we want…we as Lakers fans have always been spoiled with great teams over the years, and we’ve had our share of bragging and taunting other teams too.  So come on people, like them or hate them, the Clippers need and deserve a lot of respect from their own LA natives.

-Scott Yoshimoto

agree. as much as i dont like half of the clippers roster, gotta respect their talent and they are exciting as hell to watch.