A history of celebrations… 1972: “I don’t yell much, and I’m not much of a drinker,” West said. “Really, I can’t figure out much that I’ll be able to do except maybe smile a lot.” When they did win, the Lakers were subdued. They drank their victory champagne out of wine glasses, while West smiled […]
A Great Light
Coach John Wooden, who passed away yesterday at the age of 99, was a father, husband, teacher, and coach. The lessons he left behind will be mined for their wisdom for ages to come. He is by far the most decorated college coach in the history of the game, but his legacy is not measured […]
A Lifetime of Giving
“We are the communities we serve.” -Magic Johnson On Sunday, April 11th, 2010, The Toberman Neighborhood Center will be presenting Earvin “Magic” Johnson with their Humanitarian of the Year Award. The event will be held at the Manhattan Beach Marriot. Magic’s on court heroics crafted many indelible memories for Laker fans, but his off the […]
The Lonely Perfectionists
[picappgallerysingle id=”434180″]In recognition of Kobe Bryant passing Jerry West as the Lakers all-time scoring leader… Jerry West was born the son of a coalmine electrician. Kobe Bryant was born the son of an NBA journeyman. …Raised in Cheylan, W. Virginia. …Born in Philly, raised in Italy from the age of 8 to 14 and returned […]
Hot Rod
For the next two weeks, while Stu Lantz deals with a family situation, the Lakers will have a new guy beside Joel Meyer helping out calling the action. “Barhopping, fast-talking, wisecracking West Virginia basketball cult figure of the 1950s.” “Hot Rod” Hundley played for the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers. Known for his flashy play, […]
Preview and Chat: LAL vs GSW
[picappgallerysingle id=”4318859″] Lakers: 11-3, W4 Offense: 101.8 Defense: 96.5 Golden State Warriors: 5-9, L1 Offense: 109.3 Defense: 111.5 Pace Factor: 101.3 (1st of 30) Starters: LAL: Bryant, Fisher, Artest, Gasol, Bynum GSW: Curry, Ellis, Morrow, Moore, Radmanovic Lakers Coming In: The biggest worry for fans these days has been the shaky bench play. There may […]
Remembering Cazzie Russell
“To be able to take over a game and be influential is a great feeling.” Dubbed “Mr. Two-two-two-points” by legendary Times columnist Jim Murray , Cazzie Russell was a singular talent with a unique set of skills. Cazzie would make his name as a 6th man with a knack for coming in and filling it […]
The Great Book of L.A. Sports Lists: A Link-tastic Review
The genre of the sports list book has received a new addition. This new series that has been released has gone to several of the major sports towns (or at least those with rabid sports fans) and tapped local sports personalities or journalists to create an insiders view of that city’s sports culture. A nice […]
Game 2: The Pivotal Game
“It is the second game and not the first that dictates the tempo and the mood of the series.” -Brent Musburger before Game 2 after the “Memorial Day Massacre”. A brief history of the Lakers, The Finals, and Game 2. 1984: Gerald Henderson steals the ball. Celtics win in 7. 1985: Kareem has 30 points, […]
On Chuck Daly’s passing…
The game we watch today has Chuck Daly’s fingerprints all over it. From the ticky-tack nature of assessing what level of physicality is allowed to the way Kobe is guarded. It was Daly’s Bad Boys who, along with the Knicks and Pat Riley, turned the game “ugly” in the late 80’s and early 90’s by […]