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spflakers Star Player
Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 4077 Location: New York, NY
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 8:04 am Post subject: Q for Los Angeles LGers: Who *are* Clippers fans? |
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So no one has to ever defend their fandom. This is pure curiosity. Clippers fans, I'm happy for them. Go nuts. That said....
So I grew up in MN. My dad was a Minneapolis Lakers fan, stayed loyal after the move west, lived and died (mostly died) during the '60s and early 70s travails. I was born in '75, inherited Laker fandom from dad and my uncles. First NBA memory is '80s Finals. Been on the ride ever since.
My question is for those in the LA area. What does an average Clipper fan look like (metaphorically)? Who are they? How'd they get that way? Again, more power to them but I do wonder, as an outsider, how you're in LA and would pick them over the Lakers.
I kind of figure there are a few types (maybe totally off):
* Those who loved them as San Diego Clippers, fondly remember the 11-game Bill Walton era, stayed loyal and maybe moved to LA when team also moved.
* Came of age in '80s and...uh, somehow latched on to Benoit Benjamin? And then Danny Manning?
* People who just got sick of the Lakers and Lakers fans and took a contrarian viewpoint.
* Similarly, they just like underdogs, got tired of Lakers success, adopted the adorable little brothers.
* They were like 10 or 12, hadn't really fallen for any NBA team, when CP3 got traded there and they became fans of Lob City during their formative fandom years.
* Former Lakers fans who are total bandwagoners and switched to the Lob City Clips when they became better.
Anyway, just my own curiosity. This isn't a dissertation or anything. Just interesting from an outsider's perspective. Also because I can't imagine growing up in LA and somehow cheering for...the Clips. |
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danzag Franchise Player
Joined: 28 Apr 2013 Posts: 22431 Location: Brazil
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 8:40 am Post subject: Re: Q for Los Angeles LGers: Who *are* Clippers fans? |
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spflakers wrote: | * People who just got sick of the Lakers and Lakers fans and took a contrarian viewpoint.
* Similarly, they just like underdogs, got tired of Lakers success, adopted the adorable little brothers.
* They were like 10 or 12, hadn't really fallen for any NBA team, when CP3 got traded there and they became fans of Lob City during their formative fandom years. |
I think a mix of those 3 categories |
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HeatCandela Star Player
Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Posts: 6114
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 10:57 am Post subject: |
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My neighbor is a bandwagon fan who was a Lakers fan when we were winning but is now a Clipper fan because of these signings..... _________________ "I got a hand that'll rock ya cradle, cream ya like cheese, spread ya on my bagel." - Shaq, 1992. |
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10scott10 Star Player
Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 7428 Location: Making the games you play
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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I know one who was a Clippers fan because his parents moved here in the early 90s, and they went to Clippers games because the tickets were cheaper |
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spflakers Star Player
Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 4077 Location: New York, NY
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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10scott10 wrote: | I know one who was a Clippers fan because his parents moved here in the early 90s, and they went to Clippers games because the tickets were cheaper |
Now that's a good reason I hadn't thought of! And makes sense. There are old YouTube clips of Finals games in '80s with Musburger intoning "and a courtside seat will cost you...100 dollars!" So I can imagine how cheap Clips tix were as folks fell in love with Ken Norman. |
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Hammett Star Player
Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 9546
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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I've met a few Clippers fans.
Combination of hating Kobe plus jumping on the bandwagon during the CP3/Blake Griffin years. _________________ Lakers. Built different. |
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Huey Lewis & The News Star Player
Joined: 18 Dec 2015 Posts: 5234 Location: So what's the uh...topic of discussion?
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Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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additionally,
what diseases are you susceptible to?
do you have any allergies?
do you have large windows on the front of your house?
did your parents have any children that they'll admit to? _________________ "All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers."
http://forums.lakersground.net/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=13018 |
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SGV-Laker fan Star Player
Joined: 23 May 2013 Posts: 9015
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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there may be true Clipper fans in San Diego, but in LA, those so called Clipper "fans" are those who want to be seen by acting different, going against the mainstream. same can be said about those fake Red Sox, Yankee, Cub "fans" whenever they're in town playing the Dodgers. |
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ocho Retired Number
Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 54014
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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Clippers fans barely existed before the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin teams. They still barely exist. For years the best thing you could say about them is they were a cheap ticket to see another team’s stars. Their fans mostly consist of contrarians and people who moved to LA without a team and wanted to feel different. I can’t imagine there’s a team that is less relevant in their own city. They were legit contenders a few years ago and nobody cared. People were more interested in the crappy Lakers teams back then. Around LA I hear more people discuss the Lakers, Dodgers, USC Football, UCLA basketball, the LA Kings, and even LAFC, a franchise that is just 4 years old. They’re a franchise that is prime for a relocation to a city that will care but it will never happen because they’re in LA. _________________ 14-5-3-12 |
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slavavov Star Player
Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 8463 Location: Santa Monica
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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I always felt like all Clippers fans during the Lob City era were simply Laker/Kobe haters or people who thought they were too cool to root for the Lakers.
Before CP3 became a Clipper I thought that anyone who was a Clippers fan should've been required by the county of Los Angeles to submit to a full psychiatric exam. _________________ Lakers 49ers Chargers Dodgers |
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oasisdude77 Star Player
Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 2737
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't call myself a Clipper fan, but I semi root for them when they're playing anybody other than the Lakers.
I grew up in the late 80's/early 90's and would watch a lot of Clipper games on KCOP 13 when the Lakers weren't on basically to get my fill of basketball. I grew fond of the likes of Ken Norman, the 'general' Gary Grant, Danny Manning, 'Hollywood' Ron Harper, Loy Vaught etc. Plus I loved the banter between Ralph Lawler (Bingo!) and Bill Walton.
I enjoyed the Elton Brand, Maggette, Q Rich teams as well.
The only time I really rooted against them was Lob City, mainly because that team was the direct result of the league screwing us over with the veto. |
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numero-ocho Franchise Player
Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 18248 Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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ocho wrote: | Clippers fans barely existed before the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin teams. |
If there's one thing you won't find is a lot of Clipper fans with longevity and unless it's Billy Crystal, Frankie Munoz or Clipper Darrell, I'd find anyone's claims of being a "long time" Clipper fan to be dubious. _________________ "Suck it up. Don't be a baby. Do your job." - Kobe Bryant |
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venturalakersfan Retired Number
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144584 Location: The Gold Coast
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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They are a local team so I watch them whenever the Lakers aren’t on. Probably a few times when the Lakers were on since we have been in continual suck while they were fun to watch. I grew up in Illinois and am a longtime Cards fan, first went to Busch in 1967. I am a Bear, Blackhawk and Blues fan (couldn’t stomach the Big Red, and I see of their ownership fail with the Buss kids). I cheer for the Rams on occasion since they are now local. Lived in Louisiana in the 80’s and love the Saints (especially since their coach was our QB my last two years in college). Lots of reasons to become a fan and hate typically isn’t one of them. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023. |
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lakersken80 Retired Number
Joined: 12 Aug 2009 Posts: 38898
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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Petros had a good explanation on why he became a Clipper fan. It was the only game they could afford to go to. If you are working class or poor, you can't afford to go to the expensive Laker games....the free or cheap Clippers games were all you could afford. So those people eventually became Clippers fans even though the Lakers own the city. Also there are the people who moved to LA and didn't care for the Lakers. Maybe they rooted for another team, like the Celtics....they could never root for the Lakers so they adopted the Clippers. Then there are those people who are lifelong LA residents but always root for the underdog. The Clippers were their calling. |
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vman Sixth Man
Joined: 30 Jun 2019 Posts: 28
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Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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I doubt you'll get any Clipper fan answers from a Lakers forum but like some of the other replies..I did go to a couple of Clipper games growing up since the tickets were cheap.
Lob city era was a boon for them I distinctly remember the 91-92 roster of Ron Harper, Loy Vaught, Steven Smith, Danny Manning, Doc, Olden Polynice, Ken Norman etc being a pretty good team. Now with this new era I wonder if they will be known for their tough defense |
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