The Sound of the Suburbs

Congrats to the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Trevor Ariza ... need I go on?

No.

So many, many sports teams have come back from humiliating finale defeats to rebound (sic) to victory the following year.

And being a Laker-hater, I couldn't even watch Game 5. I knew they would win. Kobe Bryant finally put his foot on the neck of an opponent and crushed them to defeat when it mattered. God, yes, Obama et al. predicted a series in six Victoire for the Staples boys but they collectively said No Mas and burned it down like a Cramps encore of Fever on the road to success.

Let us give credit where it is due. Kobe Bryant, the man who cannot lose. Trust the art, not the artist as we learned from Woody Allen, Norman Mailer, Mike Tyson, etc. Kobe does it all on the hardwood and has solidified his place in hoop history as one of the greatest of all time.

Gasol permanently shed his inaccurate "soft" label with a demonstrative performance throughout the entire post-season, the quintessential big man posting up anybody in his way.

Trevor Ariza, joining the ranks of great Laker midseason pickups along with Bob McAdoo and Mychal Thompson, was in my small mind the difference in the series. Defensive warrior, rebounding animal, three-point stud ... Mitch Kupchak will take him over Lamar Odom in a heartbeat to return next season and it's the right call.

And speaking of Lamar, I am reminded of Rick Mahorn fouling out as Chuck Daly gave him a long leash in spring 1989 as Detroit swept a decimated Laker team for the first of back-to-back Bad Boy titles. Mahorn walked off the court to be cut 24 hours later (as Daly surely knew) and Odom faces the same fate.

Lamar may finish his career in Sacramento or some other ignominious final destination, but he can always Stand Proud, having played an integral role in this team's success.

And what can you say about Derek Fisher. The Sam Jones of the modern era. Written off in the WCF as done, he rose up when it mattered and I have frankly lost count of how many rings he has. Either way, D-Fish is Da Man.

Not to be didactic, but I can only think of one way to wrap this blog, my meager symbolic tribute to the Lakers after 82 plus 16 = 98 ...

Let the music do the talkingLet the music do the talkingLet the music do the talkingLet the music do the talking.