In the last five years, the Los Angeles Lakers were made out to be the 'Evil Empire' of the NBA with our share of cocky arrogant players, a proud head coach with a brilliant track record, championships galore, and lastly our rising empire-like fanbase which looked like it could go all around the world and everybody in their own sets of languages could recognize what the word Laker meant. To stick to the purpose of the thread, what makes a Laker bandwagoner? And what are the typical words of a Laker wagoner that truely fits their identity? Would these certain individuals only identify who Shaq and Kobe were and not recognize the ten other players on the team? Would they have to hop on after the 1st championship and support the team? Everybody's opinions is welcomed on this, and I'd like some solid answers.
Shaq fans...but seriously, Laker bandwagoners are ones that follow the gold. They own a Bulls jersey, Rockets jersey, Spurs jersey, and a Laker jersey but they aren't collectors. When the Lakers won their championship, they put on a facade of true exhiliration because they cannot remember the days that didn't seem long ago in which Kobe was just some snotty kid out of high school and Shaq needed to put more work into winning (hmmm...), the days when you'd wonder how with young talent like Nick and Eddie, and then with Shaq and Kobe as well, we still couldn't get a ring. Bandwagon fans don't feel the same pain of a made jump shot with only .4 seconds left on the clock because they've already got a Spurs jersey waiting but when .4 seconds is enough, they'll jump up and down with us and give a smile wondering how we could be so excited. I'll add more later...
They don't make Shaq-Lakers bandwagoners anymore If you guys have any bandwagoners they're their for Kobe. Unless...are there any Odom or Vlade bandwagoners? Malone Bandwagoners are still undecided as to which team they should hop to
Laker bandwagoners would be fans who goes to cheer for whereever thier favourite player plays. For example= If Kobe were to go to another team (say the Suns), the majority of the Laker fans here (who are huge Kobe fans) would claim the Suns as thier new favourite team. I have also noticed a lot of people were bad-mouthing Shaq PLUS the Lakers prior to the LAL-Miami trade and now all of a sudden there's so many Miami Heat fans (who used to hate on him before) with "Shaq" on thier favourite players list. That's absurd, I don't care, if Shaq came to the Raptors, he wouldn't be my favourite player. I would watch the games, still support the team but I won't start watching just cause Shaq is there. Another example of Laker bandwagoners are people who only started watching last year all of a sudden because Malone and Payton were there and this was supposed to be a '82-0' team. Face it. America....Infact, North America is basically a bandwagonning station. Middle-America, the people that DON'T have a basketball team just go for the one that has the most chances of winning it. That is why the Lakers had huge bandwagoners.
Shaq used to be one of my favourite players to watch but now I dont really care what he does. I have more love for the Lakers than for just one player. I dont hate him cause of the Heat deal but still dont understand why he left. Does this make me a bandwagoner?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting theclown1:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq used to be one of my favourite players to watch but now I dont really care what he does. I have more love for the Lakers than for just one player. I dont hate him cause of the Heat deal but still dont understand why he left. Does this make me a bandwagoner?</div>He was traded because Kobe was an unrestricted free agent and wasn't gonna resign with the Lakers if Shaq and Phil were still there. Shaq confirmed this in his track when he said 'Even if you getting me traded'. I'm the same way I'm a bandwagoner of any player on my team but when they leave it's like w/e
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">He was traded because Kobe was an unrestricted free agent and wasn't gonna resign with the Lakers if Shaq and Phil were still there. Shaq confirmed this in his track when he said 'Even if you getting me traded'.</div>Do you have a secret source or something that we don't know of? Do you have a link were KB says I won't sign if Phil and Shaq are still here? Just because Shaq says it it doesn't make it true.
It's called reading between the lines. Top priority was to resign Kobe Bryant. Now that Kobe was a unrestricted free agent he was seriously exploring options of signing with another team that would give their franchise to him. Kobe was not going to put up with Shaq and Phil anymore. I've explained this a million times, anyone who watches sports will tell you that Kobe was a big part of the ousting of both Phil and Shaq, and then Shaq comes out and confirms what everyone's been saying. I know it's hard to accept because you like both Kobe and the Lakers but it's true.
My secret source? Reading between the lines. 1. Top priority, ordered from Jerry Buss, was to resign Kobe Bryant. 2. Kobe was always talking about opting out of his contract, and when he became a free agent, he was discussing deals with other teams that would've handed their team over for him to lead. 3. Kobe knew since that the Lakers wanted to resign him badly, he could pull the strings to have Shaq ousted, and he did. That's how Shaq got away with demanding a trade, because a trade was inevitable. Shaq kept his pride by demanding the trade before the Lakers announced anything. That's also why the Lakers never got equal/greater value for Shaq, because they Lakers were going to HAVE TO trade him to resign Kobe, not because Shaq was 'old, fat, this and that'. Anyone who watches sports will tell you that Kobe was a big part of the ousting of both Phil and Shaq and then Shaq comes out and confirms what everyone's been saying. I know it's hard to accept because you like Kobe but it's true, Kobe used his FA as leverage to oust Shaq.
Shaq was traded by Buss because Buss wanted him traded. It had little to nothing to do with Kobe. Buss didn't like the fact that durring PRE-SEASON of last year Shaq was publicly complaining about a contract extension, even thought he had 3 years left on his current contract. A Lakers Bandwagoner has a hard time describing their love of the Lakers without using words like Shaq, Kobe and Phil Jackson.
Yeah ok Kobe was going to resign with Shaq and Phil still running the show? I've stated before in another thread the reasons why Shaq was traded (including him wanting an extension) and I said at the end of the day, the real reason he was traded was to guarantee the resigning of Kobe Bryant.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">He was traded because Kobe was an unrestricted free agent and wasn't gonna resign with the Lakers if Shaq and Phil were still there. Shaq confirmed this in his track when he said 'Even if you getting me traded'. I'm the same way I'm a bandwagoner of any player on my team but when they leave it's like w/e</div> What? Please tell me where you got this information from. Im itching to know. Tabloid? A rap song is your verification? Now thats funny.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting trenchteam:</div><div class="quote_post">What? Please tell me where you got this information from. Im itching to know. Tabloid? A rap song is your verification? Now thats funny.</div><div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq demanded a trade BUT the Lakers didn't have to trade him, but they had good reasons to trade him: 1) Pretty much guarantees that Kobe would resign since the team would be his. 2) They thought he was getting old, fat, and would be a liability on the Lakers. 3) He still has market value according to Kobe so they can get a lot for him. 4) He was disatisfied the way this organization was being run and it would reflect in his attitude. 5) Shaq was asking for a lot of money, but that's because he was putting up with all the BS that they were giving him and money was the only way he probably would've stayed, also he was suppose to get the extension because he helped bring Malone and Payton for minimum salaries. Anyways, he demanded a trade, but the Lakers didn't have to trade him, <font size="3">they just felt it was the best way to get Kobe Bryant to resign and show Kobe that the team will be his to lead</font>.</div>When the Shaq trade was going down every sports analyst knew that Kobe was pulling strings (his FA as leverage) and all sports fans were talking about it. All I said was that Shaq confirmed what everyone else knew was true, that Kobe was pushing to get him traded. If you would read between the lines you would see it too but instead you rob me of 5 minutes of my time by making me spell it out for you. And next time that you try to reply to someone's post that you don't agree with, don't try to make them out to be an idiot.
No it doesn't answer the question. Your arguement is all based on what the public thinks. Its based on analysts. They basically analyze what the hear and see and make a judgement based on their studies. That does not make it fact. Besides whos in charge of the Lakers? Kobe or Buss? I think you know the answer. Buss made the moves based on what was best for the teams future. He choose to keep Kobe because unlike Shaq, Kobe will still be in his prime in another 3-4 years while Shaq will be at the end of the line. Smart move IMO. It had nothing to do with Kobe pulling strings. It was all about longevity. Kobe fills that role very well. In 4 years Kobe will be just 30 years old. Shaq will be 36. Big difference. Shaq didn't like the idea that he wasn't the focus of the Lakers anymore, demanded a trade and the Lakers agreed and got some youthful talent in return. Odom and Butler at 24 years old. Good Deal. No one can replace the Diesel, he is one of a kind, but he is still Human and will get older and slower. You also mentioned that Shaq confirmed it in his rap album. When was the last time we got reliable info via a rap song? Hit em up by 2pac???? muwhahahahaha.... yours truly, SLICK
Wow too bad you are blind to the fact that by getting rid of Shaq and Phil was the best way to show kobe that the team would truly be his to lead (which is what kobe really wanted all along) I'm not saying it was the only reason to trade shaq, but it was the best reason, to keep kobe So in effect you have proven my point that Buss chose Kobe over Shaq which led to the trading of O'Neal. <font color="red">The part that you DO NOT understand/comprehend is that Kobe put Jerry Buss in that position by using his FA as leverage.</font> And when I just say that Shaq confirmed it, I'm just saying that he put his view on what everyone else knew was true the second he was traded. <font color="Blue">los</font>: shaq demanding an extension during a preseason game is not a valid reason, in a sane person's mind, to trade the most dominant player in the game ESPECIALLY when Shaq still had 2 years left on his contract. <font color="Blue">trench</font> you need to try responding in a more mature manner, trying to belittle people doesn't make your post any more valid. Btw you guys eat up the thought of J. Kidd going to L.A. and you think I'm feeding you garbage? :shakehead ok this thread went off topic, sry about that, no more from me, bye !
Shaq is extremely arrogant and Buss didn't like that. You don't embarass the owner of the team yelling "Pay Me!" and expect that he's going to be happy. You also have to look at it from a business/personal perspective : Like Trench said, Kobe is the future. Sure, Shaq has a few good years left in him, but Buss didn't want the stress of dealing with Shaq. To understand what really went on, you have to start looking at when the talks with Shaq and PJ ended. With PJ contract extension talks ended in February of 2003 long before the Kobe situation became an issue. With Shaq contract extension talks ended before the begining of the 2003-2004 season, again long before the Kobe situation. The Kobe situation didn't even become the Kobe situation until the end of the regular season. A Laker bandwagoner can tell you a lot about the Lakers' championship seasons, but virtually nothing about the other seasons.
Guys...to jump into the off-topic discussion for a second, Kobe did have something to do with Shaq leaving, but it wasn't because Buss wanted him to re-sign. Shaq and Kobe weren't working anymore...obviously...for two years now, and even with Payton and Malone. Everyone has to understand that when you get used to winning, losing is hard to accept as an option. Buss and the Laker organization went two years without a title, and to them (and to us fans), it's just too long (probably ridiculous to you Kings fans ). So, if I was Buss...here's what I would be thinking about: <ul> [*]Salary. Here we have a man who's making around $29 million a year (Shaq) compared to one who's making $14 million a year (Kobe)...yet both are pretty much on the same plateau as far as being the best in the league goes. The kid will definitely last longer than the veteran (yes, he's considered a vet)...and more than likely it'll be 7 years longer, because of age and the fact that Shaq has been plagued by injuries now for a while, and he's always getting banged up in the paint. Those seven years was the contract that Kobe signed...good job Buss. Winner - Kobe. [*]Age. This ties with the first argument. Shaq is 32 years old right now...he's not going to be playing that much longer, maybe 3 years...especially if the Heat don't win a title in those three, he'll be gone. Kobe is only 26, and he's too young to even think about retirement or giving up. Now that he's pulled out of his legal troubles, and getting back to being healthy and strong, he's going to play until he's in his late 30's. Aging is terrible for a basketball player...it sent Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing in directions that they never thought they'd go in their careers, and it make them worthless before they retired...two great centers that could probably eat Shaq alive if all three were in their prime. Winner - Kobe. [*]Health. I'll give Shaq credit...he's turning to a nice cardio workout and has lost alot of weight due to it. Bad thing...it's about time, yet it's probably too late. Shaq's injuries have really put him down in the last two years, from toe injuries to calf and thigh troubles. Hey, there's a reason he promotes the icy hot patch for his back...because he uses it. Kobe's injuries stem from a bad shoulder...that's it...and it sounds like a big deal, yet he's already had surgery to repair it, and he's even played with it being re-injured. Shaq has to focus on three or four different injuries to watch out for...Kobe just has to watch the shoulder. Winner - Kobe. [*]Value. Be it true or just an opinion, Shaq has said to have been responsible for all three Laker championships. While the icing wouldn't have been put on the cake without Kobe, coaches still want a great center...in comes Shaq. These days, nobody wants to build the Chicago Bulls team (no strong center, just an incredible SG and a great SF)...they want to build the Rockets/Spurs championship teams, led by a big man (in that case, Hakeem and Duncan). Why? Because since 1994 (with the exception of the Bulls), every team that has had a title run has brought forth a big man as a dominant reason for their championships. Even the Pistons have credited Ben Wallace for their title run...not because of his scoring, but because he is arguably the best defensive center in the league. Point is...the Laker organization can get more out of Shaq in a trade, than with Kobe (by a sign-and-trade) and it's because Shaq is worth nearly $15 million more than Bryant. Would you rather sell your 2000 Dodge Viper for $40,000 or for $55,000? Winner - Kobe. [/list] These are the reasons that Shaq was traded. He did even mention that he wouldn't mind leaving the Lakers (this was long before Kobe toyed with free agency) and if I had the link, I'd post it. Buss just looked at his options, and Kobe's "resume" outweighed Shaq's, simple as that.
<font color="Red">Fellas, no need to drift back into the Kobe/Shaq argument once again. Let's try and stay on topic about Laker bandwagon fans for a change. That's the purpose of this thread. If we can't seem to do that, thread closed..it's as simple as that.</font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Emo:</div><div class="quote_post"><font color="Red">Fellas, no need to drift back into the Kobe/Shaq argument once again. Let's try and stay on topic about Laker bandwagon fans for a change. That's the purpose of this thread. If we can't seem to do that, thread closed..it's as simple as that.</font></div> Yeah, my bad Emo. However, I did mean to tie that to the topic...because what I presented was something that the Heat fans (the newest ones, not those who have stuck with them since Rony Seikaly) aren't thinking about at the time. The issue is jumping on the "Shaq bandwagon" just because he's migrated to Florida, and they don't stop and think of the negatives he brings there. Therefore, all of these so-called "fans" are only fans because the Heat are beginning to look like a threat in the East. Kind of like some Laker fans...I've noticed that alot of guys at my college aren't bragging about the Lakers as much. They are talking about Garnett finally winning his title, or the Pistons repeating...these guys who I thought were Laker fans, are only following the teams that are making their run for the gold. Funny thing is...I've always been a Bulls fan also...and that's ironic. I loved the Bulls (but I was young) in the early 90's when I first started watching basketball. I remember getting all of the McDonald's toys of Michael Jordan (frisbee, stopwatch, etc.) and trying to be like him. Then Kobe came along...I was 12 at the time in 1996...and I had seen some of his high school games and heard about him. When he was drafted and traded (the Divac trade), I immediately followed the Lakers and have been a fan ever since. When I was old enough to respect a team and stick with them, the Lakers were my choice, but I'll always cheer for the Bulls in any game they play unless it's against Los Angeles...even if they go 0-82 in the season, I'll cheer for them. Same for the Lakers (yet I don't ever expect that ) but that, to me, is the opposite of a bandwagoner. Hating the Lakers for years, and then following Shaq to the Heat and suddenly claiming to be a Heat fan...that's jumping the wagon...
I am going to miss the big man, but like realdealbneal said the age really did play a factor in the trade of the big man. Although, I am not going to be one of those people that say that was the only cause for his leaving obviously something else was going on inside the organization that none of us knows so all this saying it was Kobe's fault saying it was Buss' fault it cannot be verified so speculating on it will not get us any where we have to pick our heads up and move on. Though to go back on topic, and away from the Kobe and Shaq argument I think what makes a bandwagon Laker fan is one of those guys that I see every year there where a whole lot of them this year. Like this one kid at my school his name is Anthony Reed during the regular season he proclaimed himself the biggest Laker fan in the world after the NBA Finals first three games you would find him around the school getting in other Laker fans faces saying "What happened to LA?" Also what makes a bandwagon Laker fan is imo anyone who became a fan after 2001 just because the Lakers won the title. Like Lebron said once " Truly To appreciate something you have to be there thru the tough times not just jump on the wagon when things are going good." Ask Freddie Mitchell his definition of a fan I am sure he can explain it much better than I ever could if I tried taking five paragraphs to explain it. Although, every team has its share of bandwagon fans (no offense, but has everyone seen around the town they live how many new heat fans there are?) as long as a team is successful or has a good player people will jump on the team, and call themselves fans simple examples Lebron and Melo never new there where so many Cavs and Nuggets fans before last year. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">Btw you guys eat up the thought of J. Kidd going to L.A. and you think I'm feeding you garbage?</div> I am sure every team that has been mentioned in the J Kidd sweepstakes, and even some that have not, but have the cap room for him speculate about possibly trades to acquire him why should us the Laker fans not?
