ClipperBlog Writes Back
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The Los Angeles Clippers have built a strong fan base over the years that they have played in Los Angeles. Let me be the first to say that I’ve often joked around and laughed at those people who are fans of teams that never win. I always laughed at my close friends who have supported the Clippers for years now and never saw a winning season. This was until they finished with a better record than the Lakers, made it one round deeper into the playoffs, and made more noise in the league than their crosstown rivals.
Enough with the flashbacks, things are back to normal. The Clippers are again playing in the shadow of the Los Angeles Lakers and they are no where near the playoffs. The West has been extremely competitive and the Clippers are in the lottery prepared to start yet another rebuilding process. They have a few key pieces and will hopefully be back on track on the near future.
With the Lakers playing at Staples Center tonight on the Clippers home court, I decided to get in contact with the best Los Angeles Clippers Blog and have them answer a few questions regarding the franchise. Please enjoy and leave some feedback here as well as at Clipper Blog.
LA Ball Talk: How do Clippers fans truly feel about their ownership? Donald Sterling has long been known as an NBA owner who runs his franchise too much like a business and not with enough passion for winning. Are the fans beginning to give up on the team or are they still just as committed as ever?
Clipper Blog: I think Clipper fans are resigned to the fact that Mark Cuban is not walking through that door. Paul Allen isn’t waking through that door. But however stingy DTS has been historically, he’s doled out the shekels in recent years. He maxed Elton; backed up the money truck for Kaman, and has the payroll up near the cap. That said, I can’t vouch for his character — which seems sketchy. Then again, NBA fans would support a team owned by Ahmadinejad if it averaged 55 wins a season.
LA Ball Talk: How would fans feel about the possible moving of the team. With the Lakers as strong as they are again, do Clippers fans once again feel overshadowed? Even Bill Simmons mentioned that the team should make the move to Anaheim and create a new fan base of Orange County residents. How do you and the rest of the Clippers world feel about this?
Clipper Blog: The notion that a team with a sizeable fan base and a great lease deal should move seems silly. The team doesn’t need to create a new fan base. I’m not going to suggest that its existing one is anywhere near in size to the Lakers’ fan base, but it’s bigger than people realize. The Clips continue to draw…and it’s been some unwatchable stuff. They’ll average just shy of 17,000/game this season, at 89% capacity. In 2006-07 coming off their playoff run, they were 11th in the league with 97% capacity. Do Clips fans feel “overshadowed”? Nobody who carries a social stigma with them into sports fandom becomes a Clipper fan. They honestly don’t worry about the length of the Lakers’ shadow.LA Ball Talk: Elton Brand has finally made a return. Shaun Livingston is yet to return. How much does the recovery of these two players determine the direction this franchise will go this summer?Clipper Blog: I’ll be surprised if the Clips don’t offer Brand a max extension. So the decision is likely to be Elton’s. Where the Clips are positioned in the draft might have more to do with Shaun’s future than his recovery. If the Clips can nab a leading PG, I imagine they will.
LA Ball Talk: Cuttino Mobley is getting older. Sam Cassell is gone. Al Thornton and Chris Kaman really seem like they are the only bright spots left on this team. What kind of offseason moves do you expect/ wish for from your franchise? What would be the ideal realistic outcome of a summer full of activity?
Clipper Blog: Provided the Clips get the 6th pick, I imagine they’ll draft a top PG, maybe a Jerryd Bayless. They’re shaving both Cassell and Maggette’s contract, so there should be money to go after a FA guard. Most important, they need to lock up Brand.
Leave a Comment
April 10th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Great Q&A!
April 12th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Great post!