Wednesday, January 28, 2009

What's wrong with the damn Clippers!








10-34…10-34! That’s the record my beloved Los Angeles Clippers have as we approach the season’s half way mark. Now as you read this you
might frown your face up ever so slightly and mutter to yourself, “THE CLIPPERS”…yes you read it right, the Clippers.

My love for the franchise dates back to my days in Inglewood, CA. Everyone was a Lakers whore but not me. I rode for 2 teams during that era…The Chicago Bulls (well not really the Bulls, I was more of a BJ Armstrong fan but they did have gold old #23) and the Clippers. I had attended many Lakers games but the Clippers were cheap. They were heavily involved in the community and always dishing out free tickets to schools in urban areas. That’s where my love began.

With Larry Brown we shocked folks and went to the playoffs during the 91-92 season, and made it back to the 1st round during the 92-93 season. From then went the team endured a downward spiral but gained momentum by drafting Lamar Odom during the 99 draft and moving to the Staples center. By the next season we acquired D.Miles, Q. Richardson, and Keyon Dooling in the draft and picked up Corey Maggette via trade. Now we were on a roll and were dubbed the high flying Clippers, exciting to watch and a good ticket.

The next season I started my internship and ended up working with the organization for the next 7 seasons. The same season they picked up Elton Brand via trade for Tyson Chandler. During that time players came and went but the organization continued building. The highlight of my sentence as a Clippers fan came during the 05-06 season. We picked up Cuttino Mobley and Sam Cassell via free agency, Shaun Livingston was entering his 2nd season and was proving himself to be a stellar PG in the NBA. The Clippers made it to the playoffs and were a game shy of making the Western conference finals.

After that my friends…I don’t know what happened. My Clippers….My beloved Clippers just keep hitting a wall. Its bad enough I don’t recognize anyone on the roster (EVERYONE FROM THAT 05-06 PLAYOFF SEASON'S GONE). I think the only positive move the team has made was building a practice facility in Playa Vista.

Now I know you didn’t log-on for me to rant about my Clippers but I’m angry. I can’t continue to keep being a laughing stock out here. The only thing that keeps me going is that run during 05-06 when I was able to hold my head up high and was proud to be a Clippers fan. What I wouldn’t give to have those days back.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

awhhh I shed a couple of tears on that one! lol