When Did You Become a Laker Fan?

LandsbergerRules · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:04 pm Post subject: When Did You Become a Laker Fan?

This has probably been done a bunch of times, but I was curious when everyone here started watching the Lakers? It was in '82 with me, when I moved to California. Showtime will always be my era.

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"Chick lived and breathed Lakers basketball…but he was also fair and objective and called every game the way it was played."
-from Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him

bumrusherer · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject:

96 draft
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LandsbergerRules · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:11 pm Post subject:

My bad. I accidentally posted this twice because I fixed the poll on the other thread (I didn't get the poll on this thread quite right). Can a mod merge the two and get rid of the poll on this thread?
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"Chick lived and breathed Lakers basketball…but he was also fair and objective and called every game the way it was played."
-from Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him

_LAKESHOW_ · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:18 pm Post subject:

its kinda like being born a vampire, its been in the blood since birth.

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Krispy Kreme · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Mar 2003 Posts: 12252

1994-1995. the year I got into basketball and started rooting for the LAKERS. It was the year where we beat Seattle in round 1, then lost to SA in 6 games.
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Panthera · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:20 pm Post subject:

Smel Counts · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:24 pm Post subject:

Early 70's.
I was born in 67 but I lived right by LMU and the local kids all played on the campus because it was safe. The Lakers practiced there for years and it was easy to sneak in or get autographs as the players were entering/ exiting.
Visiting teams practiced there a lot also. But it was a huge deal in the early 70's because the Lakers had finally broken through w/ a championship after being so close so many times.
I was also born at Daniel Freeman right by the Forum on the Avenue of Champions.
God I love the Lakers.

M-V · Sixth Man Joined: 31 Mar 2005 Posts: 68

When they drafted Vlade. He looked like my dad and ended up being my favo player till this day.

lakers_less_340+ · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:38 am Post subject: Yep, I'm that old!

1963, when I was nine years old! When I was 14 my dad took me to see the lakers and celtics play. Had a blast.

D-Dogg · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:52 am Post subject:

Early-Mid 80s. I adored Magic and as a point guard, he was my basketball hero. The way he moved the ball and anticipated the way players would move on the court was..uh...magic. He was amazing. Best player I've ever seen and the other MJ wasn't near him in my mind. Magic was the greatest, and I've always emulated his game (though in my foot smaller frame). He made passing COOL...he made it so my boys and I checked the stats after games tallying up our bragging rights by one column and one alone...assists.

Worthy was, and remains, my second favorite Laker, with his lightning first step and monster dunks. What a gamer. That dude was amazing and sorely underappreciated. He was a stud of the highest order. I remember sitting in Staples in the VIP section one playoff game, going out at half to get a beer and running into James; I was tounge tied and didn't even really talk to him other than slapping him on the shoulder and saying something like "let's win this one."

Coop was another fave of mine. At a high school bball camp in New Mexico, he was there and signed my Magic shoes...he laughed out loud when I took them off and asked him to sign them as I said..."sorry man, they don't make Coop kicks"

Kobe's third on this list of faves. Worthy better watch his rearview!

CabinCreek44 · Star Player Joined: 16 Apr 2001 Posts: 3856

!968. Loved 'em ever since.

KA_2 · Star Player Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 1883

I think a 1980 regular season game. I don't quite remember, I was still kind of young then. I didn't start seriously watching until 82 when we drafted Worthy.
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John O · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 4:27 am Post subject:

Mid 80's. Magic, I miss you.

orwell · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:06 am Post subject:

Circa 1978!

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BestDamnLakerFan · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:12 am Post subject:

Magic's rookie year.

32tapout · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:21 am Post subject:

78-79. I grew up listening to Chick Hearn on the radio on KLAC and staying up late to watch the tape delayed playoff broadcasts on CBS at 1130 pm. I'll never forget being a 10 year kid watching the Lakers beat Philly in Game 6 in 1980 with my Dad which will always be a special memory for me. I've been fortunate to have witnessed 8 Championships as a Laker fan and bleed purple and gold!

ignardlakerfan · Star Player Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 7457

I was born and raised in Inglewood and lived a few blocks from the fabulous forum (when it was burgundy)...so i consider myself the only true laker fan around

I've been a fan since 73....the year i was born....

LongtimeLakerLover · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:32 am Post subject:

Early 80's.

Going to the forum and sitting wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy up in the nosebleed section with everyone and their little transistor radios, listening to Chick call the game. It was great. I miss those days. No matter what, I'll always love the Lakers.

Bergamotichek · Retired Number Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 16777206

I was following the NCAAs leading up to and during the clash of the Titans (Magic/Bird). I wasn't an NBA fan at the time (though I was a big Dr. J fan - ABA). Anyways... Magic came West... Bird went East. My best-friend introduced me to the Lakers/Celtics rivalry and history.... which fell right in place, with this brewing court battle between Bird and Magic.

I was hooked from that point on.

Kobewan_Kenobi · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:48 am Post subject:

I became a fan in the early 80's...

Do any of you guys recall how popular those 80's Lakers were? I remember going to the mall during the playoffs, and while my mom shopped, my father and I would join many others at Sears or any other department store to watch the games in their TV section... that section would be pretty crowded, like watching at a sports bar, only w/o the alcohol, hot wings, and scantily clad chics... hahaha...

Flight · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:50 am Post subject:

1990

My favorite player growing up was Sedale Threatt. The Thief!!

Mel Rose · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:52 am Post subject:

1997 when i moved to the US and LA. Both Clippers and Lakers were in the play-offs. I remember billboards with Dennis Rodman going: Wtf?! - Clippers. Deal with it. Too funny.

I think Utah swept us in 4, agonizing. The town was going nuts over a certain kid with swagger. Air Ball! the headlines screemed. In any way, I was hooked.

TOTALECLIPSE24 · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:31 am Post subject:

since cooper was drafted from the lobos

CabinCreek44 · Star Player Joined: 16 Apr 2001 Posts: 3856

Yeah, how about The Forum. God, I miss that place! No disrespect to the Staples Center, they did a great job and I like it there, but it will never take the place of The Forum in my heart.

I'm an east coast kid who grew up a Lakers fan. The Forum was a mythical place to me when I used to see it on TV and read about it. My cousin who has lived in SoCal her whole life used to clip all the Laker articles out of the LA Times and send them to me in the mail after she stored up like half a season's worth and stuffed them in a big brown envelope. I still have them.

When I finally had the personal wherewithal (i.e. didn't have to beg my parents for the money), I went to LA for the first time in 1988 and attended a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks at The Forum. I still remember my heart pounding as I first saw the place driving up Manchester, and the wobbly feeling in my knees and stomach as I walked up to the building. I've been going back once or twice a year ever since (my in-laws living there also gives an easy excuse to go there too!). And I went to LA just to be there on the night of the final Lakers game ever played there, a preseason game in October of 1999. I still remember driving away after the game right alongside the building, and the basketball-sized lump in my throat when I listened to Chick break down on the radio as he said, "So for the final time, good night from The Fabulous Forum".

Anyway, I miss it. When I'm in town I always drive over there just to make sure it's still there.

T I · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:21 am Post subject:

1954
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