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Petty, or not?


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The LA Clippers play in Los Angeles, and share the same arena as the Kings and Lakers, as well as various other minor sports (WNBA, etc.). This is the same arrangement in virtually all cities.

 

As in all cities, all of the "home" teams have their banners hanging from the ceiling. For example, if you go to Chicago, you will see the championship banners for the Bulls and Blackhawks hanging from the ceiling, as well as things like retired numbers (Michael Jordan, Bobby Hull, etc.).

 

So, the coach of the Clippers (Doc Rivers) has decided that the Lakers' banners "offend" him, and for Clipper home games, he will cover up all of the Lakers' stuff with generic Clippers banners (since they have no championships or retired numbers).

 

The Kings' stuff, however, will not be covered:

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers-20131019,0,3646795.story

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It may be petty, but it is Rivers' attempt to give the team an identity, other than being "the other" team in LA. The Clippers have an inferiority complex to the Lakers (they should), he wants them to feel equal to, not less than the Lakers. It is an attempt to get his team in a fighting posture...

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It may be petty, but it is Rivers' attempt to give the team an identity, other than being "the other" team in LA. The Clippers have an inferiority complex to the Lakers (they should), he wants them to feel equal to, not less than the Lakers. It is an attempt to get his team in a fighting posture...

 

But he looks like a crybaby for doing it.

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But he looks like a crybaby for doing it.

 

He doesn't care what he looks like to the rest of the league. I think he is doing this solely for his guys, on his team. Doc is one of those coaches who really embraces that "us against the world" mentality.

 

He perceives a "second-class citizen" status for the Clippers in regards to the Lakers (it is real) and players are aware of it too...he is trying to to throw it out there, maybe they get some negative press for it, but it makes the players work harder (reacting to the negative attention) to prove that they are every bit as good as the Lakers. They will obviously never have the Lakers history, but right now, they have enough talent (it seems) to make that next step toward being an elite team. I know, from being a Celtics fan, Rivers is big on using history as a motivating factor for the present. The Clippers don't have a winning history....so he is using a slightly different tact...it has worked for him in the past.

 

For years, going to see the Clippers at Staples center is what you would do when you couldn't get in to see the Lakers..just to see the home of the Lakers. If you have ever been to a Jets game at Giants stadium, it is kind of like that, x100. As a sports venue, the Staples Center exists for the Lakers...

 

Most of the guys in the NBA rigth now, grew up wanting to play for the Lakers...the Clippers have always been viewed as a horrible franchise...Rivers is trying to instill some pride in his team. If he looks like a jerk, so be it. His players will love him, and they will have his back...and be a better team for it...so he hopes. Rivers best assett as a coach is motivating his teams....I can't argue with his results. He got a ring out of aging roster, and had a roster, in Boston, that was counted out, year after year, vying for rings when nobody took them seriously. The guy can coach. Rivers wants to create a home court advantage for his team...

Edited by Buftex
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Besides the Giants/Jets... Do any other teams do this within the same game/league? Giants/Jets are @ least different conferences & divisions. The Clippers are even in the same conference/division! Gotta be brutal. Just imagine the Bills sharing a stadium with the Pats*! Or the Sabres w/the Bruins or Leafs. Yikes!

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He doesn't care what he looks like to the rest of the league. I think he is doing this solely for his guys, on his team. Doc is one of those coaches who really embraces that "us against the world" mentality.

 

He perceives a "second-class citizen" status for the Clippers in regards to the Lakers (it is real) and players are aware of it too...he is trying to to throw it out there, maybe they get some negative press for it, but it makes the players work harder (reacting to the negative attention) to prove that they are every bit as good as the Lakers. They will obviously never have the Lakers history, but right now, they have enough talent (it seems) to make that next step toward being an elite team. I know, from being a Celtics fan, Rivers is big on using history as a motivating factor for the present. The Clippers don't have a winning history....so he is using a slightly different tact...it has worked for him in the past.

 

For years, going to see the Clippers at Staples center is what you would do when you couldn't get in to see the Lakers..just to see the home of the Lakers. If you have ever been to a Jets game at Giants stadium, it is kind of like that, x100. As a sports venue, the Staples Center exists for the Lakers...

 

Most of the guys in the NBA rigth now, grew up wanting to play for the Lakers...the Clippers have always been viewed as a horrible franchise...Rivers is trying to instill some pride in his team. If he looks like a jerk, so be it. His players will love him, and they will have his back...and be a better team for it...so he hopes. Rivers best assett as a coach is motivating his teams....I can't argue with his results. He got a ring out of aging roster, and had a roster, in Boston, that was counted out, year after year, vying for rings when nobody took them seriously. The guy can coach. Rivers wants to create a home court advantage for his team...

 

 

This this and this. Simply saying it looks weak is talking checkers strategy at a chess match. This move may not work but it's a much more calculated deliberate move than some give credit for and he's earned the benefit if the doubt here.

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