That was the funniest thing I have seen in a hot minute. That was PRICELESS.

After reading today's sports page, I had a thought...are the Laker's ticket prices going down. They are going to suck next year (forecasting) and I don't see the fickle LA fans paying the high prices.

I don't think this team is going to "suck." All wishful thinking. Now if you keep either Kobe or Shaq, you will still see a relatively solid season.

But will "solid season" sell seats in LA where there is huge competition for the discretionary entertainment dollar?

Well, if they keep Kobe (like the management wants to) at the expense of Shaq (which is dumb considering the fact that they do not know if he will be a free man or not), I don't see it. I guess people will come to see Kobe. If they are able to trade Shaq for someone like Jermaine O'Neal or Antoine Walker, then I guess the fans will still come. But, I think prices are too darn high anyway. I hate the Staples Center!

Hard to tell. This is still Kobe Nation. That may be the key to whether seats are going to sell. I don't know if Dr. Buss can lower ticket prices, particularly if Ko-bay stays and gets a max-out deal.
:confused:

good points, ST, abaici. Oddly enough, Shaq (32) is in a spot. He is the dominant force but his window of dominance is 1 maybe 2 more years at most. Kobe can be the man a lot longer. Will Kobe's legal situation be resolved before his (and by extension Shaq's) contract situations have to be resolved?

yall need to become ESPN NBA analysts and team with my bruh Stuart Scott and just rock that AKA/APA/AKA panel. ...can you say RATINGS out da azz?!?! :D

p.s. but abaici, you gon have to let that bizarre Sacramento Kings thing go to make this happen.

NEVER!!! I'm a Sac fan...although if Chris leaves the love will slowly wane. I'm his #1 fan (pushing Tyra to the side).

Say it ain't so
 

Is Shaq really thinking about leaving the Lakers? I heard he's putting his house up for sale.

Re: Say it ain't so
 

His Bev Hills home is on the market for over $7 million. He's serious about leaving. Insiders are saying that this is not a contract strategy. He's tired of being disrespected, and when the management stated that would listen to trade talk from him, that was it. Again, word is Dallas, Sacramento, or Indiana. *sigh* I just don't know. Again, I have mixed feelings about him ending up in Sac. Mainly, because they are talking about trading my other hubby Peja. NOT COOL!!!

Re: Re: Say it ain't so
 

mixed feelings, huh? Abaici, you KNOW you and me are --->HERE<---- but I gotta call bullisht on this one....

how could you not want Shaq in Sac?? To date, what has Sacremento won....pocketlint. Granted, the diesel is waaaaay too familiar with the interior of Krispy Kreme, but he's STILL the NBA's most dominant guy. I think he's got another year, maybe 2 of dominance left, and then he'll still be an upper-tier player.

And....I know he lost the "whose is it" battle for the team to Kobe, but really, how you "disrespect" someone to whom you paid $28.9 million in salary last season?

Again, as a King's fan, I really have mixed feelings about Shaq joining the team. On one hand, I think that he would contribute greatly. Also, their major block to a championship would become a non-issue. However, I'm still a little bitter about the "queens" comments. I'm a woman remember. We never forget anything!Also, they are talking about trading Brad Miller, Peja, and Christie. Aww, heck naw!! I mean, you cannot get rid of Peja!! **sigh**

And disrepecting Shaq is limited to picking Kobe over him this time around. I think it's an insult.

If Shaq ends up with the "Queens," I may have to become a reluctant rooter.
Obviously, I'm put off by all of this mess. Shaq, yes, he may need Hooked On Phonics, he may take off during the regular season and he even may be a crappy dresser. But he's still a dominant force and basically a decent citizen, unlike the boy wonder who decided to creep in Colorado, but I digress.

True, true!!!

"Disrespect?" I just think Shaq was a victim of timing. Shaq's 32 and is putting on major lbs.; Kobe is 25, immature as isht, but a major baller who is the Lakers' future. Deep down, Shaq has to see this. ....pay me $29 million per annum and you might could "disrespect" me for a minute.

Steeltrap, pointing out Kobe's "Colorado creep" move, all I'll say is you on-point. Hooked on phonics? Are you separating your Laker love from "the diesel" already? :p :D

I'm going to be a Laker lover and a Diesel lover. I just am having a hard time wrapping my mind around him being part of another team. I've been a Shaq lover since 1991, when he was at LSU.