Two days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated another championship parade through the streets of Downtown Los Angeles. With the recession hitting hard everywhere, including L.A., some questioned the dire need for such a large hoopla. But the private sector made major contributions and our business leaders and philanthropists saved the parade. I like to think that the Lakers Parade is one of the more unique joys the team has to offer. While it's not exactly a Mardi Gras march, this parade has united Angelenos through a universal language: sport. Regardless of what certain city council members may say, this display of fans has showed the world just how much of an impact NBA teams, and sports teams in general, can have on an entire city.
The Lakers players themselves were very exuberant and continued to let the championship vibe sink in. After all, it's been a long road for this team. It is nice to see them showered with love from their fans for all the hard work and effort they've put in. In these tough economic times, people were able to set aside differences and come together; it didn't matter what race you were or how much money you had, you were a Lakers fan, and that was all that mattered. I guess you could say the parade had the same outcome on Los Angeles as the Michigan State team making the NCAA finals did for Detroit.
This may not be a very effective point, but the parade is also another incentive for the Lakers to win. Kobe Bryant has mentioned smiling down Figueroa with a trophy earlier this season, but now the entire Lakers squad had the chance to experience the vivid imagery they had heard about so often. Even the benchwarmers, Sun Yue and DJ Mbenga, could be seen having a good time. Oh, and did you see Josh Powell's interesting new hair style? In my opinion, it qualifies for a retro African-American old school look - but maybe that's just me. No matter where you looked, though, everyone was happy.
It's these moments that add to the memories of a championship team. The money, the fame, and the reputation are all vital catalysts, but it's the rewards like a parade that give you more reason to win. If every team had such an oppurtunity, not only would the respective fans be happy, but the NBA would get a lot more attention too. Non-basketball fans might wonder what's so special about such a simple game - or at least why there's a major traffic jam in downtown. Festivities like the parade are great for the game; more fun and frolic results in more fans. When people walking by notice the headline in their local newspaper about the Lakers parade they may pause and promise themselves they'll watch Lakers games next year to see what's so remarkable about being the world champs.
The Lakers players themselves were very exuberant and continued to let the championship vibe sink in. After all, it's been a long road for this team. It is nice to see them showered with love from their fans for all the hard work and effort they've put in. In these tough economic times, people were able to set aside differences and come together; it didn't matter what race you were or how much money you had, you were a Lakers fan, and that was all that mattered. I guess you could say the parade had the same outcome on Los Angeles as the Michigan State team making the NCAA finals did for Detroit.
This may not be a very effective point, but the parade is also another incentive for the Lakers to win. Kobe Bryant has mentioned smiling down Figueroa with a trophy earlier this season, but now the entire Lakers squad had the chance to experience the vivid imagery they had heard about so often. Even the benchwarmers, Sun Yue and DJ Mbenga, could be seen having a good time. Oh, and did you see Josh Powell's interesting new hair style? In my opinion, it qualifies for a retro African-American old school look - but maybe that's just me. No matter where you looked, though, everyone was happy.
It's these moments that add to the memories of a championship team. The money, the fame, and the reputation are all vital catalysts, but it's the rewards like a parade that give you more reason to win. If every team had such an oppurtunity, not only would the respective fans be happy, but the NBA would get a lot more attention too. Non-basketball fans might wonder what's so special about such a simple game - or at least why there's a major traffic jam in downtown. Festivities like the parade are great for the game; more fun and frolic results in more fans. When people walking by notice the headline in their local newspaper about the Lakers parade they may pause and promise themselves they'll watch Lakers games next year to see what's so remarkable about being the world champs.
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