Where does this crazy laker hatred come from? I'm both a laker and rocket fan. The lakers aren't the evil empire, they spend about what other teams do. They can't exactly stockpile the talent. Yes, they have superstars with big egos, but I expect superstars to have big egos. Tmac shouldn't be the most humble player in the league, he's one of the most talented and should acknowledge it. It definitely makes the player more interesting, for better or worse. And say what you want about the delusional fans, they're just looking at future seasons in a positive light. It happens on every board, including this one. Every fan should be able to be excited about his team. Even bucks and hawks fans are happy right now. The only team i can think of who's fans have completely given up are the grizzlies. I honestly don't know why you'd hate the lakers more than say, the kings or mavs. Lakers have the dark times and good times. They don't win all the time, the fans are normal. Lay off em.
Dude, I've been to prison. I hate anything you constantly try to shove down my throat. F*** the Lakers. And no, you can't have my dessert either.
Because the Lakers tend to draw might-is-right fans, kinda like the Yankees. Always on TV, always having the announcers schlob their knobs, the networks and the league dying for that team to win it all. Then you get the refs to follow suit. Everyone loves a winner. Why not give them a little hand. Let Shaq jump into every player and never get called for an offensive foul (yes, I know he's in Miami now). Let Kobitch hack the s**t out of every player and the refs look the other way. Until the whole thing imploded. Not to mention how Kobitch basically raped that girl and yet so many female Lakers fans stood by their man; you couldn't tell them how much of a jerk the guy is, rape or not; by all accounts the most isolated man in sports because he trusts or likes no one, and so no one trusts or likes him. Why do we hate the Lakers? Let me count the ways.
The intensity of the feelings probably comes from having played the Lakers in the playoffs seven times since 1981. Both times in the 1980s when the Rox went to the NBA finals, we pulled off huge upsets of the Lakers along the way. Unfortunately, I think we've lost 4/5 last times we've faced them in the playoffs. You must also admit, Kobe and Shaq, with their arrogance (you may call it confidence) dripping off them like sweat, were easy targets for hatred by fans of other teams. I don't think it's just Rockets fans that dislike them so much. Maybe I'm wrong. I liked the 1980s Lakers a lot because they were bitter rivals of the Celtics, but the Shaq/Kobe/PJ trio turned me against them hard core. I find Shaq a lot more tolerable now that he's left LA.
The Lakers? Dark times? The Lakers have failed to make the playoffs a total of FIVE times since the franchise first came to the NBA 57 years ago. Only once did they fail to make the playoffs in two consecutive seasons. Of those 52 playoff appearances, they've made it past the first round 47 times. They've been in the NBA Finals 28 times, and have won 14 times. The Kings were a perennial 35-win team throughout all of the 80s and 90s, either making quick 1st round exits or not making the playoffs at all. The Mavs were one of the NBA laughing stocks throughout the 90s averaging only 22 wins per season between 1991 and 1999. Those are "dark times." If there's a single franchise in the NBA that has never experienced a true "dark period," it's the LA Lakers. When a team is consistently good for close to 50 years...fans will just love to hate them. Couple that with things like the Lakers/Celtics domination of the league in the 80s, old-school Vlade's constant flopping, our multiple playoff meetings, and more recently Kobe and Phil Jackson's arrogance... You have a team that I just can't stand.
