Ron

I feel I have to chime in here, being a Laker fan for 35+ years...

I have never seen the level of Laker-hatred as I have over this past year. It's disconcerting to me, because I was a fan of the Lakers in the late 1960s, when they would lose time after time to the Boston Celtics.

At that time, I'm sure the Lakers got a lot of sympathy from those fans who were tired of watching the Celtics take it year after year. But to be honest, pro basketball just wasn't all that in the late 1960s, you had to have a true love of the game to understand what was going on.

I attended my first Laker game in 1968, when I was 10. It was a playoff game against the San Francisco Warriors. There were 11,000 people in the Forum. For a playoff game. The place seated 17,505. Amazing, isn't it?

When the Lakers won their first championship in 1971-1972, there was no parade.

When the Lakers won again in 1980, there was no parade. 5,000 people attended the parade in 1982. Amazing, isn't it?

The Showtime Lakers of the 1980s were loved everywhere...Tons of basketball fans throughout the country wore Laker colors.

For some reason, these Lakers are getting hated, as they win title after title. Why?

I believe there are a number of reasons. Someone mentioned arrogance above, I'm sure this is one. Other reasons: fans of teams that continually get beat by the Lakers cannot be happy. That is another.

But arrogance comes with the territory. The more arrogant you are, I believe the more successful you are in the arts (acting and music), and in sports. Think about it: the most arrogant are the most aggressive. The most aggressive in the public arena are generally the more successful.

If I was a fan of a team that continually got beat, I'd hate that team too. I can't stand the 49ers...they beat the Rams continuously throughout the 1990s. However, I now can't stand the Rams either, since they moved away.

It's all about perception.

My rant...is over.

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John

That's good to know you are a bull fan so I can start my famous "Bashing Posts" on your Bulls.

Chops

A Suns fan bashing a Bulls fan...?

Sean

let me explain something to you. OregonLive is a board full of homers. NJ.com is a board full of homers. this place just started, so it's a little too early to measure the homer factor. Before you make blanket statements like that, please think. Some of us are fans of basketball and come here to discuss the game. It just so happens that we are fans of a team that is winning right now.

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"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." – mom, circa 1974

"Either you are still a Laker fan, or you never were." - Guru

Chops

Well, when Lakers fans say they can get the #13 or Horry, I consider that a homer. Don' get mad. You can choose not to come to this board. I won't take it personal.....

Try not to let your bias get in the way of you understanding what a message board is for...


As for his thread, it is done. I can see it hs caused some frustration...