Spring Loaded

“Beat L.A! Beat L.A!”

The chant has reverberated across the nation for nearly three decades in large stadiums and small arenas, echoing off hardwood and ice, uttered by men in business suits, women in tank tops and kids in oversized jerseys.

Doesn’t matter if it’s the Lakers or the Dodgers or the L.A. Angels of Anaheim. Heck, even the Clippers get subjected to it.

When the Boston Celtics clinched the championship last June at the TD Banknorth Garden, stomping the Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, delirious Celtic fans didn’t know what to do first, cheer their favorite sons or chant “Beat L.A!”

This week, it’s being screamed at an ear-numbing decibel level in Salt Lake City’s EnergySolutions Arena where the Jazz are hosting playoff games against the Lakers.

The Lakers were the first target of “Beat L.A!” and they weren’t even within earshot when it began. It started in the old Boston Garden, the memorable, but now-demolished home of the Celtics, their arch rivals. But it was directed at the Philadelphia 76ers, who were about to eliminate Boston in the 1982 Eastern Conference finals.

That victory would pit the Sixers against the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

And so Boston fans, who had no great love for either Philadelphia or the Sixers, nevertheless were rooting them on against an enemy who instilled even greater hatred.

“Beat L.A.? That’s great,” said Dick Stockton on the CBS telecast, giving the network stamp of approval.

A game was lost that day, but a chant was born.

What’s next? Beat Tiger because he’s from L.A.? Or the Rams and Raiders because they once were in L.A.?

So what’s the deal? Why not beat New York? Beat Chicago? Beat Green Bay?

It’s not as if L.A. has been a dominant sports town on the national landscape. Yes, the Lakers have been a force in the NBA, winners of three titles this decade and the favorite to add a fourth this spring.

But the Dodgers hadn’t won a playoff series in 20 years before beating the Chicago Cubs last season, and they haven’t won a World Series since 1988.

The Angels won a world championship only once and aren’t even an L.A. team. Neither are the Ducks. The Kings are a perennial joke. The Clippers are worse. And soccer in town will again become inconsequential with the departure of David Beckham.

L.A. doesn’t even have NFL teams. It does have USC, an annual contender for an NCAA football championship, and UCLA, a frequent Final Four participant.

But “Beat L.A!” doesn’t sound quite right in a college venue.

People may hate the Yankees, but, when they do, they chant “Yankees suck,” not “New York sucks.” So no, it doesn’t have to do with dominance.

It doesn’t have to do with personalities. The same crowd can chant “Beat L.A!” when the Lakers are on the floor, yet come back with “MVP! MVP!” when Kobe is at the free-throw line.

So what is it?

Jealousy, that’s what it is.

The rest of the country looks at the sunshine, the ocean, the Hollywood stars, the laid-back style (never mind the fact California is broke) and seethes with envy.

It’s not just “Beat L.A!” It’s beat those smug, arrogant Tinseltown prima donnas who are living the life we want.

The Lakers could lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. But when’s it’s over, the Lakers get to come home while Cavalier fans have to stay in Cleveland.

Disagree? Shoot us your take below with your reason for chanting “Beat L.A!”

I’m betting it boils down to one word: Envy.