Might as well be now, than later.

Training camp started. Running drills and 2 days practice are again part of the player’s agenda. Coaches looking for improvements from last year, and who will start in certain positions this year. But the Lakers cancelled the 2 scheduled practices last Sunday to rest the players? Shouldn’t the players all be well rested since they're coming off of the off-season? Apparently not, we have:

Kobe sore right knee.

Luke strained right hamstring.

Odom off-season surgery (left shoulder).

Kwame off-season surgery (right shoulder and left ankle).

Mihm ankle surgery.

Sounds like we've been through half of the season already…

However I am optimistic this year. At least we know from the very start what players are not a 100%, compared to last year. Last year through the season we have players dropping like flies due to their injury, not to mention Smush let the other team’s guard score, Parker disappeared on the playoffs. So far, looks like we have more depth in any position this year compared to the last roster.

So if that injury bug is still looming in la la land, it might as well hit now than later!

Cheers!

Remember the Cowbells?

The year was 2002 I was sitting on one of the chair from our dining table (I think we did not have a couch then) with my beers and chips watching the 1^st quarter of the Western Conference Finals game 4 Sacramento vs Lakers , the kings was up 2-1 after destroying the Lakers at Sacramento on Game 3. I was thinking no worries, the Lakers are home we can tie this series, and oh by the way! I didn’t have my 2 kids then too! So 1^st quarter is on its way and the Queens err.. the Kings started to look like their the team who is going to the NBA Finals, this is 1^st quarter and I drank 3 beers already (half of my six pack!) cause of the lack of play from the Lakers.

So…….. the 1^st quarter ended….. and we are down 20 pts!!!!! For 2 consecutive game, we are down big in the 1^st quarter. By this time I took the 2^nd six pack of beer from the fridge getting ready for the 2^nd quarter and the rest of the game, BABE! Yelled my wife, WHAT! I answered, “are you guys losing?” she asked, Shut up! I said. See my wife couldn’t care less for the Lakers, AHHHH.. Women…. Then 2^nd quarter starts Bibby and kings continued their brilliance play toying with the Lakers, I just can feel their cockiness coming out of the TV set. What the hell! Do something! Play some defense or something! I’m yelling at my TV set, I swear if my wife was not home our Television will be smashed to pieces. BABE! Your to Loud! My wife yelled again. So I went back to my chair and took a sip of my beer, then 2^nd quarter is over the Kings up by 14 points.

So by the 3^rd quarter I can see in Kobe’s eyes that he will not let Bibby score (2 points in the 2^nd half) and shut down Bibby is what he did. By this time too Shaq is bullying everyone that gets in his path. Yeah baby!! That’s how you play basketball!! As if my yelling will be heard in Staples, Lakers are playing shut down defense and a decent offense at this point. But! The pesky Kings will not go away, I can see in my head the fans back in Sacramento with their cowbells being loud. So back and forth we go in the 3^rd until it was over Kings up by 7 points. Being tipsy and all I am ready to stop being a Lakers fan forever! They Suck!

4^th quarter the moment to determine who will come out of this game winner, I am with my last beer and my chips? Hmmmm I think I ate all my chips or I accidentally threw it away because of my disgust with the Lakers. So here goes the 4^th quarter not knowing who will win the game, my emotion are the same as the scoreboared UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN, Lakers suck!! Kobe’s the Man!! Go home Shaq!! Yeah dunk on him Shaq!! I’m glad my kids was not born yet because they’ll wonder if all Daddy’s are like me. The Lakers are still down 8 points with 4 mins left in the game!! C’mon! But then with all the action it came down to Shaq hitting 2 free throws making the game 98-97 Kings with 26 secs left. At the other end Vlade missed one free throw to make the score 99-97 Kings with 11 secs left, and then came this play………Lakers inbound the ball to Kobe clock starts to tick, Kobe drove to basket for the Tie!! Missed! NOOOO!!! I yelled. Shaq got the rebound and follow through! Missed! NOOOO!! Again I yelled. Divac tapped the ball outside to run the clock out .5 secs left, Horry ended up with the ball behind the 3 point line, he let it loose SWISH!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!! YOU THE MAN HORRY!! I LOVE YOU BABE!! AHHHHH!! GET THEM COWBELLS BACK IN YOUR POCKETS!! And that’s how I remembered the cowbells. Lakers won game 4 100-99 beating the Kings and tying the series 2-2. What a game!

Drew!

I look for Andrew Bynum to break-out this year, I mean how else are you suppose to react after your superstar calls you out. “SHIP HIS ASS OUT”, that’s what Bynum heard this summer, and coming from their team captain. Andrew Bynum has a lot to prove this year since the front office of the Lakers held on to him if the other guy is not Kevin Garnett, and this is after Kobe asked empathically that the Lakers get him help. But hey, the kid shows a lot of potential and skills last year before disappearing in the 2^nd half of the season, put by many as his rookie season.

From what I’m seeing this kid is taking all the pressure well. I mean, not a lot of young kids have the Lakers (an elite franchise in the NBA) looking for you to perform, have Kobe (Best player in the NBA) expecting you to play at his level, the coach - Phil (one of the best coach in the NBA, not to mention Hall of Fame) likes you to man the middle, and mentored by Jabbar (one of the best center of all time in the NBA) who again expects you to listen and learn his ways. Dang! Just writing those things made me tense imagine what Bynum is thinking, but then again if he uses all this blessing that has been given to him by the NBA gods he will be one of the elite centers for a long time.

“No Sir.” Said Bynum when asked if Kobe apologized to him. Did Kobe lie when he said he apologized to Bynum? But what else can you say when you're Bynum. If you want to be a Laker, you have to say NO SIR. I like this chip on the shoulder thing that Bynum is showing, it only means one thing. He will be a stud when the season starts. Will Kobe and Bynum be friends all season long? Who cares! As long as the kid performs the breakout season of his career.

Cheers!

So How Well Will the LAKERS do this season?

So Mitch how will the lakers do? Well, according to our famous GM: "We think this team, if they stay healthy, is a very talented team," and "Expectations aren't very high. That's OK with me. All I keep on reading is that we're not a very good team. So if that's what everybody thinks, then fine. It's up to us to prove them wrong." Well we all hope so Mr. Kupchak. After not landing JO and KG the Lakers are exactly what they are last season with minor additions.

I think Fisher though is a very big addition after the experiment with smush failed, at least with Fisher we get a veteran guard and veteran leadership.

Depending how well the Lakers start from opening day will determine the mood of Kobe, if we do bad Kobe will go back on give the freakin ball and get the hell out of my way mode, but if we start decent Kobe will try and get this team to the next level. So to answer the question how will the Lakers to this season? really depends on Kobe's mood, I hope for my sake and for the millions of lakers fans out there Kobe stays in good mood and not throw the whole team and the franchise under the bus! We all know how that goes.

Cheers!