s_knight8

http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04182004/sports/158337.asp

The only question left, now that the Jazz have scattered from Moscow
to Farjardo to McLeansboro and Jazz fans now know what it is to see
the Delta Center dark in April, is whether people here will transfer
their annual playoff interest/energy and root for Karl Malone in his
quest for a ring.
That would require severe renovations on their devotions, and, in some
cases, on their core beliefs.
Nobody around here can stand the Lakers.
Malone himself couldn't stand the Lakers, until they offered him one
final rocket to ride last offseason.
Even some of Malone's biggest supporters find themselves conflicted by
his chase for a championship. They like the man, they dislike the
method.
The way they see it, Karl is sleeping -- and winning -- with the
enemy.

Except for Southern California transplants, basketball fans in Utah
view the Lakers as anathema, as something gone unjustly wrong in a
vast hoop universe. The Lakers aren't cursed, though, they're too
blessed.
It stems back to the glitz of Showtime, and continues through the
success of a franchise that seems to have had more than its share, a
franchise that enjoys too many advantages, not the least of which is
picking up dominant players via free agency and the draft, just
because they want to be Lakers. Any superstars out there begging to be
Jazzmen?
Since the Jazz moved to Salt Lake City, the Lakers have won eight
titles. And the Jazz have won eight fewer. Fans here have poured all
the emotion they could muster into their team's tradition of hard work
and blue-collar basketball. John Stockton is their poster boy.
Heartbreak at championship's edge is their reward, their legacy.
Lakers fans show up five minutes into the second quarter, having
checked their
trendy threads and accentuated their breast augmentations before
scooting into their Staples Center seats, from which they can see the
banners and the retired jerseys of great Lakers past: Chamberlain,
West, Baylor, Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic. And there are more in the
making.

sac d

A lot of sour g****s in that vine

greg brown

This is a myth many fans of small market teams like to hold onto. I think it
makes any good thing that happens to them then seem like gravey because it's
being done by a 'handicapped' franchise.

If I'm not mistaken, both Corey Maggette and Elton Brand signed offer sheets
to play for the Jazz this past off season. Both had their offers matched by
the Clips. You might say neither are superstars but they're both real good
young players, and how often does any superstar change teams these days.
Also, they had TWO superstars who stuck around for quite a long time.

This would sure piss me off if I were a fan of any other team in the league.
Guess this is the reason their are so many haters.

Bwahahaha! Oh, uh, excuse me.

What? Does this guy have any idea how difficult it is to maneuver a limo
from Beverly Hills, and through Staples' parking and fans and make a
7:30P.M. tip off? I mean, come on.

Greg

eichler4

Utah fans need to get over it. They will never be considered the franchise
the Lakers are, and it would be better for them to accept this instead of
hate the success of others. Malone gave them almost 20 years of basketball.
He worked his butt off to make the Jazz as good as he could, and it was
obviously in the best interest of the Jazz and Malone for each to go in a
separate direction. If they don't want to see Malone win a ring after all
he gave them, they are lousy fans anyways.

c the shocker

Typical Laker fan.

--
C The Shocker
Hit Pay Dirt with K-Dirt!

yeasereno

You almost had me ready to agree till this last line. It is possible to
cheer for Karl and not the Lakers. He could have signed with almost any
other team and I would have been ready to consider them my second favorite
team. But the Lakers are another story.

yeasereno

The Jazz have spent twenty years trying to find a quality center. The best
in franchise history may be the Mt. man himself. Shall we name the Laker
center lineage over the past thirty years?

Some franchises have found it much easier than others to attract the
superstar talent. It's only a myth if you are intent on denial.

chris smith

That doesn't sound right to me. I seem to remember him admitting that his
brother and mother liked the Lakers when they weren't rooting for Karl. I
also remember him saying he'd love to play for the Lakers in 1998 and that
he'd love to play in Los Angeles as far back as the early 90s.

chris smith

And the Lakers have spent ten years trying to find a quality PF.

It's not a myth. Who wouldn't prefer living in LA (if you're rich) to Utah?
It's when you're living in the poor section of LA that Utah looks appealing.
Even Rony Seikaly shat himself when he heard he was headded for Utah.
Didn't he flat out refuse to play for Utah? Refresh my mem.

greg brown

Still sounds a little fishy. You believe superstars don't want to play in
Utah. I mention two very good young players who wanted to play in Utah. You
then lament the fact that the Jazz have never had a quality center. Yet the
Jazz reached the NBA Finals two years in a row without that superstar
center.

Who is in denial here?

Greg