Apologies From a Laker Fan

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I can understand why everyone hates laker fans, I really do. I've grown up a Laker fan, I've seen showtime, I watched games at the Forum, I've seen many at Staples center, I'm a Laker fan for life. But I have to admit, sometimes reading the Laker message boards I desire nothing less than to mercifully shoot myself in the face.

Some Laker fans just don't have a clue, they have the combined intelligence of a pre-pubescent sophomore (remember those? The 15 year olds that still appeared to young to even get acne, let alone grow a pube?). But there are also those other Laker fans who are very educated, don't allow ourselves to get to high, or to get too low. The fans are going ape **** because we got Gasol, but I'll be the first to tell you we aint winning Jack this year. We have meshing issues to work through and it's not gonna happen over the course of 35 games, not when Bynum will only be available for 20 of those if we're lucky, and not without a training camp. We'll be bounced in the 2nd or 3rd round by the Spurs or somebody, and get ready to take our place next year.

I don't believe that the Lakers are entitled to anything, what I will say is that the Lakers contrary to popular belief are an extremely efficiently run organization. After showtime was over in the early 90's (the year after Magic retired), we had one bad season going 33-49, missed the playoffs, returned the next season as the 8 seed, nearly knocking off the suns, made a 2nd round run the year after, then we landed Shaq and Kobe. It took them a little while to mature since Kobe was still all of 18 years old, but then they went on their three peat tear and the rest was history.

After Shaq was traded, the Lakers were bad for one season going 34-48. Then they Drafted Bynum and Turiaf, were summarily bounced in the first round after nearly knocking off the suns (notice the pattern?) They drafted Farmar, had some early success the following season before falling apart due to injuries getting bounced in the first round again. Then we drafted Crittenton and Marc Gasol. We were at 26-11, 1st in the western conference before Bynum went down, then we ripped Gasol from the Grizz for Crittenton, Gasol...oh yeah....and Kwame. And now we're poised for a 3rd run of championships to close out the decade.

Thats what you call efficient management. And that my friends is why Laker fans are so spoiled, and admittedly ignorant. It's not supposed to happen that way. After the Chris Mullin years in the 90's, how long did it take the Warriors to get back to respectability? After the Celtics run in the mid 80's, how many years was it before they landed Garnett? Has the Bulls organization ever been right after MJ left? How long did it take Detroit after the 89-90 season to matter again? Organizations are not supposed to be able to mortgage their "BAD" years. Somehow the Lakers have managed to do this, and that is why they are hated.

If it's any consolation to the rest of the League, soon Jerry Buss will be handing over the keys of the organization to his idiot, suicidal, Paris Hilton'esque brats, and they will summarily run the franchise into the ground.

My point is only to argue that the Laker fans ignorance is the direct result of never having to delve deep into the depths of how to run an NBA franchise, because that has always been taken care of them by Buss, West, and now Kupchake? Laker fans expect titles because they have never been bad....ever....for more than one or two seasons at a time. In the 60's and 70's we had Chamberlain, Goodrich, West, Baylor....hell you all know the names, in the 80's we had Showtime, in the 90's and 00's we had Shaq, Kobe, now Gasol.

The Lakers feel a sense of entitlement they way Bill Gates kids are disappointed that they only got 2 million each after they graduated College. It's not realistic, it's not even fair, but it's a product or growing up surrounded by wealth before knowing the meaning of having to earn a dollar.

From an avid Laker fan,

My sincerest Apologies....