The City of Alley-Oops

Well it's "official": Chris Paul is a Clipper. Lamar Odom is a Maverick. The Lakers signed three other players, but no "superstars" yet. I'm feeling okay though, aside from losing Lamar which hurts on many levels. Everyone is in panic mode, but I honestly believe we still have a good team. We still have Kobe. We still have Pau and Andrew, and Fish (for locker room speeches and 0.4 shots, if nothing else). We'll be okay. I don't mind sharing Staples with CP3 and Blake Griffin- that is a SportsCenter Top Ten moment waiting to happen every time they step on the court. I think this whole process of trades, and vetoes, and non-stop Twitter chatter has numbed me a bit. I'm just thankful we have a season at all. Everything will take care of itself. It's paradoxical, but whenever the Lakers are the worst is when the true fans shine the most. No one can take the purple and gold running through my veins away. We have a good core. And there might be more surprises left in store, if everyone is just patient enough to find out.

CP3 and the Mysteriously Vanishing Trade

I'm basically waiting to comment on the Chris Paul craziness until all is said and done.... I went from happiness to disbelief and shock in literally 20 minutes last night and have been glued to Twitter ever since. I still find Twitter crazy, the way we get information nowadays. Literally up-to-the-second updates. But anyway shame on the NBA and David Stern for putting the players, teams and fans through this fiasco. Everyone feels wronged, and rightly so. I contemplated writing an article last night too, but there is nothing I could say that hasn't already been said... It's a unique problem when you find yourself with Celtics fans and all kinds of Laker-haters on your side. If Stern can veto this trade, why not any other in the future? Stay tuned for updates, the teams are talking again. I'm afraid to report anything because it changes so quickly lol. I'm also not convinced it's the best trade for the Lakers even though I've personally wanted Chris Paul on the team for years, but now it's about the principle of the trade, and of choice, as well. It has to get done.

David Stern Makes a Colossal Mistake- Ian O'Connor, ESPN New York
" The National Basketball Association has lost its way."- Bill Simmons, Grantland
NBA Sets a Dangerous Precedent- Ramona Shelbourne, ESPN Los Angeles
Chris Paul Veto: Vindictive and Petty- Michael Wilbon, ESPN

LD2k Laker Fan Videos

Here is the link to my boyfriend's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ld2kVIDEOS.

His old YouTube channel had over 20 million views, but had to be taken down temporarily; the new one doesn't reflect what an amazing worldwide following he truly has. I promise if you are a Lakers fan at all, you will love the videos. If you are as diehard and passionate as the two of us are, you'll really love them! He really has an eye for matching amazing footage with inspiring cuts and music and dialogue. Plus they're fun! His newest video is the featured front page one, and it incorporates a Coach Taylor speech from Friday Night Lights, which is my favorite show ever.

I have personally gotten 6 other people to watch the show and they all fell in love with it and watched all the episodes as fast as possible. The acting is incredible, the writing is impeccable, and it just has so much emotion and heart. It's real. It's different from most shows out there because of how real it is. There's football, but it's also about a small town and the people in it. Their relationships and their lives; so many nuances to each character. And the music is breathtaking. I cannot recommend Friday Night Lights highly enough. I've watched all five seasons about three times all the way through.

66 GAMES

THE LOCKOUT IS OVER!!!! OVER, I SAY!!!

First Lakers game is on Christmas Day against Chicago at 11:15am. I can't WAIT! This whole scenario has seemed like a bad dream and it's finally over. I'm just so thankful to have basketball back, I missed it so. And it seems like a very good possibility that we could get Dwight Howard! That would be incredible and give us an even better shot at the championship, no question. Dwight is already talented. With Kobe there to give him extra motivation he'd be unstoppable and insatiable too. I'm writing an article outline right now comparing the careers of Shaq and Dwight; I think it will be a good piece. Gonna wait to post it until it's "official"... knock on wood.

But yeah, I'm back (for the three readers I have). I moved recently and have a busier schedule that unfortunately won't allow me to continue writing for Lakers Nation on a regular basis, but I should get to watch every game now. I have weekends off for the first time ever, and we're going to get NBA League Pass too. I'm going to post my articles on here in the mean time, and try to get my bf to help me reformat this blog so it looks a little better. I'll post some of his incredible fan-made Lakers videos as well. He's very talented, and if you're a Laker fan you'll enjoy them.

LeBron side note, because there's always a LeBron side note: I've been hearing that he's been working on his game the past few months, working on his post moves and everything under the sun. That makes me respect him more. He can definitely earn back my respect, he just has to show me that he wants to win. That he wants to get better and reach his full potential. That's what drove me crazy about him; he didn't seem to care. He'd talk the talk, but he wouldn't walk the walk. And now he's finally walking. Scary thought.