With apologies to The Nails
Cooper was the defensive type
Except during the Coop-a-loop
Cederic Ceballos liked to drive
But to ‘zona, not the hoop
Byron Scott’s outside shot
Was the key to many wins
While any Chuck Nevitt shot
Belonged over by the bins
Frank Brickowski’s touch was better
Than his name would suggest
Elden Campbell played for years
But never really did impress
Magic led the Showtime break
His passes made our jaws drop
Vlade Divac smoked and played
Plus he knew how to flop
Riley’s hair was stiff with gel
He promised us back-to-back
Jackson’s style is much more Zen
He wins with a different tack
Vern Mikkelsen is in the Hall
The game’s first power four
Mark Madsen could be hard to watch
Both on the court and dance floor
A.C. Green did hit the boards
But then did not hit the clubs
Rick Fox sure loved that scene
Still was one of the super subs
Kareem ‘s skyhook did amaze
Just ask Parish what he thinks
Shaq’s game is power based
He gives you dunks not dinks
Robert Horry did not miss
If a game was on the line
Glen Rice could fill it up
Rarely seemed to drop a dime
George Mikan is an all-time great
He won titles by the lakes
Kobe’s won some titles too
Guys bite on his head fakes
Smush Parker may not be great
But people love his name
Jim Pollard’s kangaroo hops
Were the secret to his game
James Worthy filled the lane
Ready for a Tomahawk
Connie was already known
Everyone just called him “Hawkâ€
Goodrich was a crafty guard
And he sure knew how to win
Wilkes had a funky shot
That always just seemed to just go in
Sam Perkins was “The Big Smoothâ€
Had a silky outside shot
Rambis was a cult hero
Who always seemed on the spot
Mitch Kupchak was a player first
Now he makes all the trades
Mychal Thompson had played too
Now he is known for tirades
Harriston was called happy
But he could crash the boards
Sedale Threatt was a fav
Who never got his just rewards
Elgin Baylor was a first
Played his game above the rim
Eddie Jones could shoot the rock
But always looked very slim
Jerry West may be the best
Whether player or GM
Nick Van Exel got his points
Because he was quick to the rim
Stu Lantz played a couple years
Then got a nice color gig
Lamar Odom’s three point shot
Is very good for a big
Chamberlain got a second ring
Russell must have haunted him
If McAdoo shot the ball
It never seemed to touch the rim
Derek Fisher’s name will be
Forever hated by the Spurs
Luke Walton is a passer first
At least that is what he prefers
Norm Nixon earned two rings
He was quick with an assist
Chick Hearn, you’re one I miss
I chose you to end this list
88 lines about 44 Lakers
Mannie Jenkins says
Chamberlain had a ring before coming to the lakers.
Kurt says
Good point, I’ve changed the phrasing in an effort to be accurate.
Burningjoe says
Ahh…Chick….man….best for last!
Ivan Sanchez says
Why is this post called blue and gold? Arent their colors purple and gold? The were royal blue and white in the 60s right?
Kurt says
Ivan, let me direct you (and the many new visitors here the last couple days) to one of the first posts ever on this site, it should answer your question:
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2004/11/17/forum-blue/
Don Ford says
As a great oldtime fan of this Nails song, and also a fan of even longer standing of them Lakers, I say:
Ha ! Well done.
Gatinho says
Ha… that was great. Reminded me of the golden years of KROQ… Roq of the 80’s…
kwame a. says
kurt you are really doing it, im loving the preseason creativity, keep it up
Kurt says
A couple of news things that I’m not going to put in their own post this morning (because I like the 88 lines post and this afternoon the Pacific Roundtable discussion moves over here).
1) UPI has run a news story, part of their daily wrapup, that says Kobe will miss the opening game. They based it on a day-old Phil Jackson quote, and I briefly posted it here, but took it down when I did more research and saw nobody else — not the beat writers particularly — had this. But I know this apparently false story was picked up a few other places. When I see confirmation I’ll run it.
2) Today’s LA TImes story says that cuts are comming and Aaron McKie will not be among them, the Lakers are not willing to eat his $2.5 mil for the season. It looks like bad news for Devin Green, who played well but is destined to be cut now, along with Wafer and Pinnock.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakerep26oct26,1,1267361.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers
Kurt says
By the way, the ESPN Daily Dime preview is up. Be sure to check out the right-side columns.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-LALPreview0607
Rob says
Should we hold you to your word if the Lakers win this year? I’d go down to Sunset to see it happen. Maybe get some pizza at the Rainbow Room afterwards.
Congratulations on the mention.
Mannie Jenkins says
I like the new line!
Reading that list of predictions about the lakers on espn makes me happy that I don’t have to do anything so silly. I remember Chris Sheridan’s embittered prediction last season. Apparently he does too. He’s now smoking from the other end of the crack pipe.
Here’s my idea of a sound prediction (the kind you’re not allowed to make in sports pages):
I am optimistic for the Lakers this year. However, I understand that my optimism may be paid off only with moral victories rather than a playoff appearance. While the spectre of injuries and the possibility of an improved conference may make the latter difficult, the team does look poised to play better together and several individual components look ready to grow ahead of themselves. Even if they don’t make it this year, the future of this team looks pretty good.
At the very least, I do not expect them to implode.
Kurt says
For the record, I’ll have predictions out Saturday. And they are closer to Mannie than Sheridan.
kwame a. says
i’ll drink the sheridan kool-aid, deeper team, better balance, more experience, new defenseive coach, phoenix and sac and the clips having to implement new pieces, i dont think the division title is far-fetched at all.