Dwightmare part 2..or 3 or 4, Lost count

[BOTSLAYER]

I do not think D12 can redeem himself unless Kobe lets the game go through D12.

If Kobe really wants him to stay then not talking to him might be best LOL

Honestly it will take Kobe being 2nd fiddle which we know he can not do.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Dwight to announce his "DECISON" on July 10th?

A source close to the All-Star center told ESPNLosAngeles.com that Howard expects to be ready to choose his team as soon as the NBA’s moratorium on new business is lifted on July 10

Lakers GM Kupchak thinks a quick decision is a good thing

“It’s in everybody’s best interest, I think, to proceed in a timely fashion,” Kupchak said. “I don’t think it’s Dwight’s goal to drag it out. Whether he’s with us or with another team, everybody this time of year has business to take care of. If he’s here, he wants us to know that so we can build around him in this period of free agency, when it moves very quickly, and if he’s with somebody else, that team is going to want the same thing.”

 

[OregonDucks]

Dwight to announce his "DECISON" on July 10th?

A source close to the All-Star center told ESPNLosAngeles.com that Howard expects to be ready to choose his team as soon as the NBA’s moratorium on new business is lifted on July 10

Lakers GM Kupchak thinks a quick decision is a good thing

[I]“It’s in everybody’s best interest, I think, to proceed in a timely fashion,” Kupchak said. “I don’t think it’s Dwight’s goal to drag it out. Whether he’s with us or with another team, everybody this time of year has business to take care of. If he’s here, he wants us to know that so we can build around him in this period of free agency, when it moves very quickly, and if he’s with somebody else, that team is going to want the same thing.”[/I]

makes it sound like he's gone.


LOL

 

[trojanfan12]

What if he wants to be the man somewhere else? Why is it weak not to want to play for the Lakers? Do you guys really believe this or is it just part of the Jedi mind trick stuff Howard is dealing with? If he goes to another team then wrecks the Lakers next season will he still be weak?

It's weak because there is more pressure on whoever is "the man" with the Lakers than pretty much anyone else.

Dwight was "the man" in Orlando and playoff appearances and making the finals was good enough to keep the fans there happy. With the Lakers it's championship or failure. So there is more pressure to win.

 

[Jims_Doors]

It's weak because there is more pressure on whoever is "the man" with the Lakers than pretty much anyone else.

Dwight was "the man" in Orlando and playoff appearances and making the finals was good enough to keep the fans there happy. With the Lakers it's championship or failure. So there is more pressure to win.

C'mon, be realistic. When you're a contender, fans don't say at the beginning of the season "I hope we just make the CF and I'll be happy / satisfied."

It's not like LA fans went on strike halfway through the 90's and quit going to games because there wasn't a title won for X amount of years.

You're laying it on pretty thick.

 

[Paul Fizzle]

Well, well, well .... if it isn't Jim doors himself.

 

[trojanfan12]

C'mon, be realistic. When you're a contender, fans don't say at the beginning of the season "I hope we just make the CF and I'll be happy / satisfied."

It's not like LA fans went on strike halfway through the 90's and quit going to games because there wasn't a title won for X amount of years.

You're laying it on pretty thick.

You should probably pay more attention to teams then. Attendance in L.A. was down throughout the 90's, especially in the seasons when the Lakers weren't contenders. Guys like Nick Van Exel etc. were harshly criticized in years when they actually had solid playoff runs because they didn't get to the finals or win any championships.

Van Exel was all but run out of town after a playoff series loss because he made some flippant remark about getting to start his vacation early.

Sportstalk radio out here is all Lakers all the time (even in the off-season) and it's always either complaining about not winning the championship and who they need to get to win it the next year. When they win, it's all about how are they going to repeat the next year.

Also, I didn't say fans of contenders say "I hope we make the CF", but the truth is that in most other places, that keeps the fans happy. When Dwight was in Orlando, that fanbase was happy with him being a perennial all-star and having solid playoff runs. With the Lakers, it's just not good enough.

So no, I'm not "laying it on pretty thick", I'm saying exactly how it is with the Lakers.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Alright man. I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with ya about this, but it seems silly to suggest fans of other teams are just happy and content with getting close, like you suggested.

Win or nothing is a motto throughout sports, not just in Laker land.

 

[geneh_33]

Dwight to announce his "DECISON" on July 10th?

A source close to the All-Star center told ESPNLosAngeles.com that Howard expects to be ready to choose his team as soon as the NBA’s moratorium on new business is lifted on July 10

Lakers GM Kupchak thinks a quick decision is a good thing

“It’s in everybody’s best interest, I think, to proceed in a timely fashion,” Kupchak said. “I don’t think it’s Dwight’s goal to drag it out. Whether he’s with us or with another team, everybody this time of year has business to take care of. If he’s here, he wants us to know that so we can build around him in this period of free agency, when it moves very quickly, and if he’s with somebody else, that team is going to want the same thing.”

Who is this guy kidding? "so we can build around him" The Lakers aren't going to build around anyone but Kobe. That is what Dwight was supposed to be - a building block for Kobe to use.

 

[trojanfan12]

!

Who is this guy kidding? "so we can build around him" The Lakers aren't going to build around anyone but Kobe. That is what Dwight was supposed to be - a building block for Kobe to use.

The Lakers aren't building around Kobe!! He's too old and his contract is up after next season. The idea behind getting Dwight and Nash was to see if they could get a championship or 2 before Kobe retires and then re-build around Dwight!!

 

[geneh_33]

The Lakers aren't building around Kobe!! He's too old and his contract is up after next season. The idea behind getting Dwight and Nash was to see if they could get a championship or 2 before Kobe retires and then re-build around Dwight!!

Well, it didn't work out that way and it isn't going to work out that way.

Anyway, Dwight was brought in to play on Kobe's team, not the other way around because Kobe aint having none of anything that isn't centered on him. I guess you guys are just stuck with him and his ways until he decides to retire.

You won't be able to build around anybody but Kobe as long as Kobe stays on the team.

 

[TRIPLE 777]

THE LAKER'S DYNASTY IS OVER---JIM BUSS WILL NEVER BE LIKE HIS DAD..
AS LONG AS JIM BUSS RUNS THAT TEAM,THERE WILL BE NO MORE NBA TITLES..FOR THE LAKERS...WORD
KOBE BRYANT IS WASHED UP AND DONE.
LIKE PHIL JACKSON-SAYS IN A INTERVIEW-KOBE BRYANT WILL COME BACK ON FIRE.BUT WATER CAN PUT OUT FIRE...WORDS and the TRUTH...HE WONT PLAY AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL..EVER AGAIN..

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Alright man. I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with ya about this, but it seems silly to suggest fans of other teams are just happy and content with getting close, like you suggested.

Win or nothing is a motto throughout sports, not just in Laker land.

I dont agree with this. Of course all fans want championships, but I'll bet the fan bases of 20/30 teams would sign up right now to just either make the playoffs or win 1 round.

Laker fans have been spoiled over the years (as Heat fans are right now) but I think they as well as all other past successful franchises better be prepared to share the wealth because thats what the new rules are geared to do.

 

[TRIPLE 777]

WIKI3 HAS A JEDI MIND--LoL

What if he wants to be the man somewhere else? Why is it weak not to want to
play for the Lakers? Do you guys really believe this or is it just part of the Jedi mind trick stuff Howard is dealing with? If he goes to another team then wrecks the Lakers next season will he still be weak?

WELFARE-WIKI3 HEAD HAS A JED MND....

 

[trojanfan12]

I dont agree with this. Of course all fans want championships, but I'll bet the fan bases of 20/30 teams would sign up right now to just either make the playoffs or win 1 round.

Laker fans have been spoiled over the years (as Heat fans are right now) but I think they as well as all other past successful franchises better be prepared to share the wealth because thats what the new rules are geared to do.

Exactly the point I was trying (and failing) to make!! Well said!!

To compare and contrast:

I have been a Laker fan since 1970 and I have family in Phoenix who have been Suns fans for as long as I have been a Laker fan!! They are every bit as die-hard Suns fans as I am a Laker fan.

In those 43 years: the Lakers have been to the finals 42% of the time (18 times) and have won the championship 26% of the time (11 times). I would have to look it up, but I believe that I can count on one hand, the number of times that the Lakers have missed the playoffs!!

Over that same time span, the Suns have been to the finals twice with 0 championships. Their fanbase is happy to just to make the playoffs and they were ecstatic to have made the finals. They still talk about those finals appearances!!

So yes, as a Laker fan, I am spoiled and expect championships. Anything less is failure!!

Heat fans have gotten a taste of that with this recent success. Virtually every one of them expected to win the championship this season and if Ray-Ray had missed that 3 in game 6, I'd bet the majority of Heat fans would have considered the season a failure!!

 

[Heatles84]

Heat fans have gotten a taste of that with this recent success. Virtually every one of them expected to win the championship this season and if Ray-Ray had missed that 3 in game 6, I'd bet the majority of Heat fans would have considered the season a failure!!

Yep.

 

[RobToxin]

I dont agree with this. Of course all fans want championships, but I'll bet the fan bases of 20/30 teams would sign up right now to just either make the playoffs or win 1 round.

Laker fans have been spoiled over the years (as Heat fans are right now) but I think they as well as all other past successful franchises better be prepared to share the wealth because thats what the new rules are geared to do.

As Spurs fans have been under Pop.

I remember the excitement of getting David Robinson and having a winning record all the way to finally after one playoff disaster after another finally winning the NBA title.

Then the second.

Then the third.

Then the fourth.

After that, just making the playoffs and losing was a forgotten season.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

As Spurs fans have been under Pop.

I remember the excitement of getting David Robinson and having a winning record all the way to finally after one playoff disaster after another finally winning the NBA title.

Then the second.

Then the third.

Then the fourth.

After that, just making the playoffs and losing was a forgotten season.

The Spurs have been the model for consistency.
Had they had been playing any of the other 14 teams in the East, I for sure would have been hoping they would have won.

 

[Heatles84]

The Spurs have been the model for consistency.
Had they had been playing any of the other 14 teams in the East, I for sure would have been hoping they would have won.

Ya it's definitely hard to root against the Spurs. Every team the Heat have faced the last 3 seasons in the playoffs, I've found a way to find something I disliked about them (especially the Bulls and Celtics....fcking hate Joakim Noah). But the Spurs are just so damn classy.

 

[tlance]

I dont agree with this. Of course all fans want championships, but I'll bet the fan bases of 20/30 teams would sign up right now to just either make the playoffs or win 1 round.

Laker fans have been spoiled over the years (as Heat fans are right now) but I think they as well as all other past successful franchises better be prepared to share the wealth because thats what the new rules are geared to do.

I think this very idea is a huge problem in the NBA. Fans want to see a winning record and playoff basketball. Thing is, of the 16 teams in the playoffs each year, at least 10 of them have no chance to win a title. Some, like the Rockets and Warriors this year are possible future up and comers. Most are just dead money, waiting to be eliminated.

It is not in the best interest of the franchise to be one of those mediocre play-off teams, yet the average fan seems to want this. Obviously, fans would prefer their team to be a contender, but they typically do not have the patience to endure rebuilds. Just check some of the Celtic fans' reaction to my Rondo trade suggestion.

Since there are only a couple franchises in the NBA (Lakers are one) who can rebuild on the fly due to their ability to attract free agents, many teams end up striving for the playoffs in order to appease their fan base with no real hope of going anywhere.