WOW, Laker fans are complete morons

[D-Dogg]

I don't think the strengths and weaknesses of a player's personality depend on whether he plays for "my" team. In fact I find the concept completely bizarre. Does that disqualify me from being a fan?

It makes you different than most people. There are several players I dislike greatly, mostly because they are on another team. The kind you hate to play against, but would love to have play on your team. They are usually those pesky defender types, borderline dirty or actually dirty (Malone, Bowen, etc.)

When players are in your team's unis, you look at them differently. You can't help it...it's very hard to be completely objective. It's a variation of the forest for the trees...when you know tons of details about your team's players and others only see a bit of them it is tough to listen to critics talk about your team like they know them at all.

I don't really know much about Raja, because I ignore the Suns for the most part, and I mute him when he's on TV. But my knowledge on the guy is very suspect, drawn from the media and the few times I see him play. I take Suns fans word on why they love him. This is also why I find it difficult to discuss the Lakers with other teams' fans...most people know very little about the team and run with media reports (and we all know the sports media sucks out loud). Cheese is great to debate with because he watches a lot of Lakers games...he knows the team better than most other Suns fans, and even though he doesn't like them he's knowledgeable about them. I am not very knowledgeable about the Suns, deliberately so, and therefore I don't argue when Suns fans feel differently than I do about a player (like Raja).

It's a theory. It's probably wrong.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Well to be fair, what Raja did was much more egregious, even though I doubt most of you on here would agree. There was a reason that he was suspended.

Irregardless, most of the stuff that happened in that series (and yes I am including Raja's clothsline) was a born out of competitve fire and the'heat of the battle'. I think it is ridiculous to draw conclusions on people's character because of the actions.

Do any of you think less of Raja because of what he did?

Do you think less of Michael Jordan because he once choked Reggie Miller?

Do you think less of Larry Bird and Dr. J becuase they attacked each other in a game?

Do you think less of Robert Parrish because he punched Bill Lambeir in a game?

Do you think less of Kevin McHale because he clothslined Kurt Rambis in a game?

Stuff happens in sports, especially when atheletes compete atthe highest levels, and even moreso in a playoff atmosphere when things are intensified. Calling out someones character little over the top, especially when the person doing it is making decision with a biased eye.

Now if a guy beats his wife, or shoots someone in his house and tries to cover it up, or gets arrest with 6 guns at his house then gets suspended only to be at a club the next night where his buddy is shot and killed, then maybe I can see making judgements on their character. However, doing that becuase of the realtively minor stuff that happened in last years playoff series seems a little overreactionary.

what if a guy acknowledges cheating on his wife and may have raped someone? is that enough to question character . . . hmmmm . . .

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Point one, I know that.

Point two, I completely agree with you...I would probably embrace Bell on the Lakers...but I hope that never happens because I can't stand him. He's no Danny Ainge though...if Ainge would have ever played for the Lakers, I think things would have been thrown at him in the Forum.

you'd be amazed at how quickly your allegiences can change. i hated ainge. HATED ainge prior him coming to the suns. i loved him as a sun, and as a result, i still have mad love for him. his throwing the ball at mario elie's head in the playoffs is still one of my most cherised memories.

 

[TucsonDevil]

what if a guy acknowledges cheating on his wife and may have raped someone? is that enough to question character . . . hmmmm . . .

Ouchie - This simple question should be given to each Laker fan when entereing the Staples Center. I jumped off the Jason Kidd bandwagon the moment he hit his wife (as did many others). I was so glad the Suns took a chance and traded him away soon thereafter. While I believe in forgiveness and redemption - there are some character flaws that are hard to forget. I can't cheer for those individuals with much enthusiasm - regardless of team jersey.

 

[D-Dogg]

you'd be amazed at how quickly your allegiences can change. i hated ainge. HATED ainge prior him coming to the suns. i loved him as a sun, and as a result, i still have mad love for him. his throwing the ball at mario elie's head in the playoffs is still one of my most cherised memories.

Funny...I loved Bob Horry for throwing the towel at Ainge, then he came to the Lakers and I was ecstatic. I loved him before he hit the big shots for us because of the towel incident. I just wished it was a lead towel.

 

[D-Dogg]

what if a guy acknowledges cheating on his wife and may have raped someone? is that enough to question character . . . hmmmm . . .

Not if you are confident he didn't rape the person in question. I scrutinized every detail of the Kobe case, and read every filing, everything out there. I am positive there was no crime, other than just being stupid as humanely possible.

And if I couldn't cheer for cheaters, I couldn't watch professional sports. I don't care how someone's family life works out...whatever. I worry about keeping my own house in order.

But you know, all my favorite Lakers have had some sexual issue....Kobe, Magic, Worthy. Then, since I love Kwame, he has an accusation last season.

With that said, Farmar and Bynum better watch out!