I am an “optimist” on this site. I feel the lakers are one of the top three teams in the league. They, along with CLE, are the favorites to go the finals this year. But I, along with most “optimists” on this site, know the lakers have problems right now. Here’s a list that is constantly in my head right now:
1. Lakers offense is disjointed. In the last month, the only games where the Lakers were running a smooth offense were the games that Kobe was injured.
2. Kobe’s integration of the offense since his return from injury. I will be in the minority on this because people feel the team should integrate itself around Kobe; but I am a team player type of guy. The team played well in his absence. I thought if Kobe integrated into that offense our team would be tough to beat. But it seems the team is still out of sorts.
3. Gasol’s slump. Soft? I won’t say he is soft. I’ve never known what it would feel like to play the post against guys bigger than me, so I won’t say he is soft. I will say he is not performing as well as he has in the past.
Here is why I feel I am an optimist: the lakers have correctable problems. Will they be corrected? Idk. I do know that this team has in the past. And they have the same core to do it again.
I see artest turning into the defender we hoped we would get. I see farmar playing good controlled basketball lately. And I see a team, with all it’s faults as the second best team in the league.
My only problem with “pessimists” are when they make conclusory statements such as “we are not winning it this year.”. A few months ago, I got into a discussion with Aaron about his statements about Fisher being the cause of the losses for the lakers. That’s my beef. And my beef gets worse when the statements come out during the in game chat, because every bad play becomes something more than it is.
I think Darius is right: too many laker fans feel they are entitled to the championship. The last time I felt like that was when we faced Detroit. I don’t make that mistake anymore. It’s not ours. Last year was ours.

I have no, and no optimist on this site has, any problem with criticism. I do it all the time. I criticise this team a lot. We should have beat the Heat. But in joel’s post regarding that game, he stated that the lakers played with no intensity, and I don’t think that’s accurate. They took the lead with 1 minute left in regulation after being down 9 at the 2 minute mark. That was intensity. Those are the remarks I don’t like because I don’t think it’s based on what he watched, but rather his disappointment over the loss. Same goes for the team not being a good defensive team or rebounding team (I don’t remember exactly).
So Zirk, when I make comments about someone being overly pessimistic, it’s because I disagree with what they are saying. I am not the only one who feels perplexed when people say the lakers won’t win it this year. And I am perplexed when people say the lakers WILL win this year with certainty.

@Darius: I loved the team with sedale threatt! Him vlade and Elden were awesome!!! Along with Cedric ceballos!! I am not kidding! I loved watching that team. They played hard every night under Randy pfund.

Had scheduling been in reverse, i.e., with the Lakers starting off exclusively on the road, the Lakers would have jelled, and comraderie would have replaced the semi-isolation that many Lakers exhibit when they’re at home and only have to hang around team mates in practice (barely) or at game time (barely).

Thus, I as a longtime Lakers fan need not be so distressed over the malaise that the team has exhibited upon the return of Kobe Bean Bryant. In his absence the team played inspiring defense and brilliant offensive execution because they could not take games off and allow Kobe to win the game. Upon his return it seems as though to a man–except Ron Artest and Lamar Odom–they are content with sitting back and watching Kobe make history for them.

Its time for Farmar to start and Fish to come in off of the bench because he has improved with playing time this season. Yes, he is inconsistent but starting these last 20 games may be the stabilizing factor for Farmar to become what he was drafted to be: The Lakers starting point guard! Here’s hoping that Shannon regains the confidence that he appears to have lost since entering the Slam Dunk contest.

However, what I find just as annoying are the comments made by fans that take on the “ho hum, we played like crap and lost another game, no big deal” attitude. I absolutely don’t understand that! How can someone not be concerned with the way they’ve played for much of the season and especially with the way they’re playing now?! You’d have to be completely oblivious to not see that there are serious issues with this team that need to be corrected.

So yes, while a bad loss definitely doesn’t mean the sky is falling, it also doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is fine and dandy. I think their play of late completely warrants criticism and concern. The great thing about this site is that the majority of the fans are quick to praise the team when it’s deserved, but will also call them out when it’s warranted. There’s usually a good balance. The thing about pessimistic comments is that many of us die-hard fans are competitive in nature and often get very emotionally invested in our team. And sometimes, that may translate into certain “negative” comments when the team loses or doesn’t play well.

But criticism, concerns, or frustration on the part of fans shouldn’t be misconstrued as “abandoning ship” or “giving up hope” because I certainly haven’t! I may scream the worst profanities at my TV during a game, and immediately after a loss, I may tell myself “I hate this team” because my emotions are running high at that point, but guess what? My butt will be sitting right there in front of the TV the very next game rooting them on! And I think most fans on this site would be doing the same. Always rooting them on, not giving up on them, and believing that the Lakers will win the championship. We may have our concerns, but we believe that the team’s issues can be corrected, and will ultimately lead to another title.

So if someone wants to be an extreme pessimist or extreme optimist, that is completely their right. If I read a post from someone that is full of the typical excuses and cliches that are thrown around after many of our losses, and if the comment comes across as having a “there’s nothing ever to worry about” attitude, I don’t criticize the person making the comment. It’s completely his or her right to feel that way. But I read so many posts jumping all over anyone who has any critical comments of the team, and I don’t think that’s right either.

I love how the majority of the fans on this site are very knowledgable when it comes to the game. I love the insight provided by Darius and many other fans. I love how people can have differing opinions and discuss them rationally. And I especially love how most of us on here are very respectable towards one another and each person’s posts. So when it comes to pessimism vs optimism, I definitely think there should be a balance of both. And as long as there isn’t an abundance of posts that border on the “extreme” side of either, then I think we should all continue to be respectful of each other’s comments and not jump on anyone’s case over these type of posts.

Parker breaks hand.

I would no doubt be in a streight jacket if I grew up a Clipper fan.

As for the optimist/pessimist views, I just think we should be more grounded as fans. There are things that aren’t that great with this team right now, but there are plenty of things to feel good about every night and against any opponent. When comments or when fans focus on the negative, I understand the perspective I just never understand why that is all that is expressed. And when winning – especially at the rate that this team wins at – starts to get taken for granted that does bother me. The Smush/Kwame years are not too far removed from my memory nor are the years following Magic but before Shaq/Kobe where guys like Teagle and Threatt were the players that donned Lakers jerseys trying to keep this franchise competitive. So, I appreciate our current players that make up our team; I appreciate our coach. The lean years are over and I think fans should recognize that more and enjoy what we have as fans instead of putting so much energy into pointing out what the players aren’t doing right (and also being pretty mean spirited about it) and acting like those things they’re not doing right are the norm because they’re not. This team has the record it has for a reason and it’s not because they’re as bad as it is portrayed (on a lot of sites, not just this one) when the Lakers are playing a game that night.

Is my view to harsh? Yes. Does it fall into the negative? Yes. But we fans tend to remember the great players and teams not the few lean years we have had.

This is the best organiztion in basketball. If you lived in New York or Philly my posts would be light. I expect 100% from players so Bynam looping down court or Odom disapearing or Fish taking 13 shots when he can’t shoot all bothers me.

I feel my past blasts aganist Smush, KBrown Radmonovic etc on the radio helped to get them traded. Delusion on my part? No doubt but then I am the poster boy for fanactic in the word fan. I do love my Lakers and haven’t missed a game in many years.

If you feel my posts are too negative and harmful to this site just let me know and I will stop posting. I do know the game and hope that my thoughts can be used as postive criticism to help the team and its fans to get to the end goal.

I consider myself neither a pessimist or an optimist, because I cant predict the future. The comments made by some optimist makes it seem that they are downing the pessimist for an answer that is unknown to all until the season ends. Nobody has the right or wrong answer until the season is over with.

P.S. If Pau continues to catch passes and rebounds in the lane like he is waiting on his finger nail polish to dry. I will throw up on my tv tommorrow. Im out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=4970154