Lakers and Life

Ok while everything in me wants to write the longest most braggadocios blog about the Lakers Championship. I will refrain. This is more about why I love the Lakers so much…

With the influx of bandwagon fans that we have picked up over the years, it’s become really difficult to decipher REAL fans from the fair-weather feathery folks whose loyalty floats them to where ever the next likely championship will land.

A REAL fan stands by their team through success and prosperity as well as lowly sub par years and rebuilding stages. A REAL fan knows the team’s history and accomplishments. A real fan doesn’t make excuses, flip flop, or deviate from supporting their team. A REAL fan is often obnoxious and even pushed to the brink of anger in defense of their team. There is no room for objectivity for a REAL fan.

Growing up I didn’t have much. I was also not raised with a family for much of my life and didn’t have cousins, aunts, and uncles around me. My brother and I were raised by our father on the west coast 3000 miles away from the rest of our family. As a single father he had to work a lot to be able to support his boys.

Without our mother around living with us, there was a lot we missed out on as far as sensitivity and nurturing. As a man, it took dad a while to learn that skill. Instead, our family time and bonding came during what was a family pass time…LAKER GAMES!

We weren’t allowed to eat in front of the TV…so I remember inhaling dinner so that we wouldn’t miss tip off. I remember always laughing at my dad throwing things at the TV when they would be losing. I remember being allowed to cuss with him at the TV. Or maybe he just never noticed. He was much better at it than I was. I remember days being great and we usually got Burger King is they won! I also remember staying out of dad’s way when they lost.

My passion for the Lakers isn’t some fly by night fix. My passion for the Lakers reminds me of times with the only family I had coming up. It reminds me of the times when we forgot about the things we didn’t have. We forgot about all the troubles life offered us and we were all on the same page. There we say at every game huddled on the couch yelling and screaming, cheering and cussing (and getting away with it). I’m reminded of watching Magic go coast to coast, Kareem with his sky hook, Big Game James with his patented spin move, Coop’s socks and tenacious defense, and just the overall culture of SHOWTIME.

So much has happened to the three of us since then. And though life has pulled the three of us in different directions. We are still bonded together by our team. We still cuss at the TV. We are still emotional when we lose. We still call each other to talk about the games. And we still get together when we can to do it all just like we did back then.

More than anything, I am reminded that I am a black man who ALWAYS had a father in his life. So many of us don’t know what it’s like to be able to sit between their father and big brother on the couch and just bond. Or the excitement of scoring tickets to a game and cheering just as hard as Jack Nicholson even though we’re in the nose bleed seats. I am reminded that things can always be worse than anything I may go through.

The Lakers aren’t just a team. And it is never just a game to me. The Lakers have always been and will always be a part of my life…

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers! You got ya “Good Drawls” on…

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