When I was a Raider fan it was players like Bo Jackson, Ronnie Lott Howie Long. As far the Lakers we can bring up names like Oorlando Woolridge, Kurt rambis, Rick Fox, Shaq, Fish, and now Artest.
I mean since Fox and Shaq I have never considered anyone else as an enforcer, not even Kobe or Lamar, but now that we have Artest I cant wait till he starts sending out his message and letting teams know that you are going to have to work a lot harder at beating us and think twice about coming in the paint.
I love the offseason energy that he has brought so far.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/play ... kers-tough
Ron Artest brings a certain kind of toughness (thuggery?) to the Lakers, something that they have lacked in recent years. Sorry Pau Gasol.
But he is not the first tough player to wear purple and gold. Far from it.
Magic Johnson was tough when his back was up against the wall, much like Kobe Bryant. Kurt Rambis was seen as a player who would go through that wall, while Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal were as immovable as a ton of bricks.
Who were the toughest players to play for the Lakers? There are plenty of criteria to define a player's toughness and we're sure we missed the mark on some and nailed others. So add your thoughts and opinions