Are the Lakers a evil empire?

[HarlemHeat37]

I wouldn't say they're an evil empire..they're just an organization that happen to have 2 of the biggest jerks in NBA history, Jackson and Kobe..they represent everything wrong in the sports world..from Kobe's many serious incidents, to Phil Jackson's smug atttidue, to rigging titles..the Lakers have it all covered..

[mojomarc]

In a word, yes.

[pillwenney]

It's just tough because they have definitely gained some advantages over the years just by virtue of their location and their franchise's history (I don't think Kobe would have ever refused to play anywhere but Minnesota), and that kind of thing creates and advantage for them, but it's not like they're evil for taking advantage of it. It moreso just kind of sucks for everyone else.

[celticfan42487]

The "evil empire" was coined for baseball concerning the Red Sox v Yankees, much like a fanbase being a "nation" was for the baseball team the Red Sox. The 2 things that make such a franchise an "evil empire" are one.. the empire part wich implies lots of dominating success through a number of years. And two "evil" wich is associated with egotistical players and still to this day abuse of money.

If it were based on success it would traditionally be the Celtics. Since they have the most championships and more importantly they have beating the Lakers in the NBA Finals 85ish% of the time the two teams meet. So they Celtics are the big brothers who regularly beat the little guy Lakers. In the past the Celtics had both with Red Auerbach and his victory cigar as a clear sign of a dictator on the NBA.

MJ being so successfully in combination of being a poor excuse for a human, would be the successor and then I beleive the "evil empire" chair has been left empty.

Mostly because Shaq is just too likeable to fill both requirements. And Duncan is seen as too humble/quiet/normal to take up the torch for an evil empire.

Today there is no such sign of true dominance and egotistical displays. Kobe is the leader of someone to hate for egotistical reasons and other moral deliquency but he has never dominated the NBA on his own. And no team has been able to really maintain continued years of success long enough.

So for today I'd have to say no, but if the Lakers do amass any success in the future it would be the return of one that has been absent since MJ's days.

[LLcoleJ]

lol

[Rasho Brezec]

Stupid thread, everyone knows Spurs are the evil empire:

[TonyMontana]

I wouldn't say they're an evil empire..they're just an organization that happen to have 2 of the biggest jerks in NBA history, Jackson and Kobe..they represent everything wrong in the sports world..from Kobe's many serious incidents, to Phil Jackson's smug atttidue, to rigging titles..the Lakers have it all covered..

Come on Habibi not this again.

[DEEP3CL]

He can't help himself Tony.

[Sashobe]

Celtics are the evil empire in my book.

[snitch55]

Kobe Vader ...nice . And Phil "The Emperor" Jackson ...nice !



Someone said it perfectly - everyone hates the best !

[Inc]

so we all hate the Celtics since they are the best from last year?

[Rocky5000]

In my mind, the Yankees are considered the Evil Empire because they are from the 'Empire State', have strict rules on player appearance and behavior, a owner who rules as a dictator with an iron fist over personnel, and have, throughout the years, consistently and calculatedly demolished the hopes and dreams of other fan favorite teams.

I don't think there is a team that fits that mold in the NBA. I'm not sure that there has ever been one. Even when the Bulls were dominating the league, they were still a likable team for most people and few considered them the bad guys.

[NO-KG-AI]

The Lakers don't bother me at all, I don't feel like there is any team in the NBA that is just hated. I don't watch baseball, but Yankee's/Red Sox just drives me up the wall, the Cowboys can go jump off a cliff, but the most evil empire in sports is most definitely the New Favre Favre's.

[Chubby Chaser]

There's not really one team in all professional sports franchises that I absolutely hate. There are teams that I really really don't like like the: Yankees, Red Sox, and Patriots. Maybe the Suns just in the past couple years. But for teams that I absolute HATE it would have to go to college football teams. I absolutely LOATHE Ohio State... I can't wait until USC KILLS Ohio State this week.

[Baller 24]

Nah, I don't hate the Lakers (some of their fans are low class homers, but some of them are superb). I hate the Jazz the most today I'd say, always bitchin, floppin, whinnin, eh, but besides that their aren't really teams that I hate the most, probably the Yankee's...just typical trash.

[ronnymac2]

You know, to a certain extent, people should feel bad for the lakers. You know that poker saying "the worst hand is the second best hand." We get to the finals a lot and whatnot, but we lose a lot too, mainly to boston throughout our history. Now i know it's not the same as poker because if you lose in poker, you get nothing, while if you make the finals, it's still pretty successful, but still.....it's not all happy times with the lakers.

I don't think the lakers are an evil empire. I don't think basketball can have that. In football, it's obviously the pats (i hate the pats...i also hate the broncos, ravens, bucs, and seahawks). In baseball obviously the yanks and red sox (but i'm a yankees fan lol). For bball, i just love the nba. I hate the pistons (they are hardly an evil empire though, and i do respect them), but i don't really hate anybody else (not even the suns or celtics, though i'm a laker fan lol).

Like i said, i don't think the lakers are an evil empire....but i see where you can hate them. They have a lineage of having the greatest centers ever with mikan, wilt, kareem, and shaq. Their guards have been west, magic, and kobe. lol As far as star power goes, lakers win that. If i didn't like them, i might hate them myself.

[BubbaTee]

The Lakers don't bother me at all, I don't feel like there is any team in the NBA that is just hated. I don't watch baseball, but Yankee's/Red Sox just drives me up the wall, the Cowboys can go jump off a cliff, but the most evil empire in sports is most definitely the New Favre Favre's.

Look at who's doing all the Favre hyping. The same people who do all the Yankees/Red Sox hyping, and all the Cowboys hyping.

ESPN is the evil empire. The rest are just little satellite puppets, a bunch of Romanias and Lithuianias to ESPN's Mother Russia.

[BrewCityBBQ]

Honestly I think that all big markets are hated on by the rest of the county just because they are big markets.
Every one cheers for a David vs. cheering for a Goliath.
It honestly sucks to see the Yankees field a competitive team every year just because they can buy one.
The Lakers getting Pau Gasol for basically nothing helps the cause for people hating on them.
I never really hated on the Cowboys since I've been blessed to grow up in Wisconsin and we have the greatest team of all time in the Packers.