Before I begin my actual article today I want to pay homage to
a real veteran of our Laker team. Derek Fisher. He is one man
that keeps his cool under duress and he lends an ear to his team-
mates plus allows them to vent as he listens patiently. This is a
true gentleman and he turns 36 in August. He helps balance any
hurt feelings or misgivings so that the misunderstandings melt away.
He is an observer and is mostly pretty laid back in nature however
his influence goes beyond the ball playing part of any game. He extends what ever is needed and has a very 'special relationship with his friend and co-player, Kobe Bryant. As a two man team, they are a winning combination. I do believe, now that Derek is a free agent they
really ought to keep him on as a Laker player and not even consider
letting this man go. Let's all keep that in mind and in our hopes please.
Now we come to losses..to write a bit about someone that is a key
player but not a Laker, let me digress for a moment, would you?
89 year old Helen Thomas, opinionated White House correspondent,
has been asked to not return to her front row seat for news coverage.
She has been in that front row perch under 10 Presidents and has
grilled each and every one. She made her name being connected with
the U. Press International & was a pioneer for women like me to be
allowed more freedoms in journalism. Retired as a columnist for Hearst News Service, she joined UPI in 1943 and thus began covering the White House for wire service in 1960. Fiercely competitive, she became the first female White House Bureau Chief for a wire service when UPI named her to the position in 1974. She also was first female officer at National Press Club where once women had been barred as members. Helen has a 'special stature that she has earned and so it is sad to me that now she has been asked to discontinue in her position sitting in that front seat at press conferences at the White House. You will be missed.
And another loss has our Laker team at the other end of the spectrum from last night's game with the Boston Celtics winning, score of 96-89. We were doing just fine until the 4th. quarter when we let our defenses down and just did not seem to be able to bring the numbers back up. Andrew Bynum had some problems with his knee so he was in the locker room making attempts to ease it some to be able to get back out on the floor to play but his contribution to the game was meager. Pau made some very interesting shots though we often lost the ball but recovered well for the most part yet the game was not ours evidently with Finals showing 2-2 now.
Sunday we can hope to redeem ourselves and come out the winning team.
Hope so.
Babs Wells