Rings, Rings and more Rings!

What a nice ceremony we were able to witness
before our game at Staples center with the Houston
Rockets. Derek Fisher gave a most honorable tribute
to our Kobe Bryant calling him the very best basketball
player in the world. Ron Artest gave the little speech
before the presentation of the Laker banner unfolding
with the Championship blazing brightly for all to see
of our big Title win last season over the Boston Celtics.
Glee is the keyword to describe the scene as our
players were presented their hard won diamond-
encrusted Championship rings Tuesday evening.
Their second consecutive title when the rings were
given out for doing so, brought the house down with
a full seated crowd applauding and cheering for
their Laker team. It was an awesome feeling to see.
However the game that followed was an almost
let-down as the Rockets kept on soaring ahead.
Then in the final seconds, Steve Blake became
a hero with his 3 pointer right on target allowing
us to win 112-110.
Our next game this coming Friday is in Phoenix
and we are hopeful of another win there.
NBA commissioner David Stern apparently likes
revenue sharing and stated as master of ceremonies
Tuesday night, on making a statement for the possibility
of eliminating franchises as a way of increasing
revenue in the next collective bargaining agreement.
The deal between owners and players ends June 30th.
Derek Fisher is the acting union president and has said
"It's fair to say that a construction would be unacceptable".
Phil Jackson, is in his last year as head coach &
is going to be writing a book about his time with the Lakers.
Jeannie Buss, Phil's long time girl friend and daughter of
owner Jerry Buss, has already written a book and at the
end of ring ceremony she showed it to the camera all
about her daily findings living with Phil and other tidbits
of information she wanted to share with the fans too.
But, speaking of Derek Fisher, I ought to mention that
in Tuesday's game that was his 414th. consecutive
game played in a row and the only other player to be
so diligent was Andre Miller of the Portland Trail Blazers
having done so also with 613 games played in a row!
True dedication is what we seem to see so often with
our favored Laker team and with that I will beg off &
begin thinking about this brand new season ahead of us!
Babs Wells

Golden State Warriors slid past the Lakers
like a melting Hershey bar in the sunshine
in Friday's game in Ontario and yet the
Lakers woke up in the game's ending minutes.
We beat them 105-102. Interesting, huh???
No Andrew Bynum playing, Kobe Bryant
out icing his knee sitting on the bench a
lot of the time and we evidently still have
that spark that is needed to win. Fun!
On a recent bus ride one of our newcomers
got into conversation with coach Phil Jackson.
Seems they both have a lot of interest in Zen.
They had quite a lively conversing on the subject.
The rookie is Devin Ebanks from West Virginia.
Phil, being a very intelligent man, enjoyed the
ride speaking on one of his favored subjects
with somebody that also was an interesting
conversationalist. Lakers owner, Jerry Buss,
will have yet another ring to add to his collection
when Tuesday night rolls around. Lakers play Tuesday
at home in Staples Center with the Houston Rockets.
It will be a game none of us will want to miss.
Stay tuned.....
Babs Wells

Ready, set, go!

Wins and losses..exhibition games seem to bring
out playful antics out on the courts. Last eve's. game
was a fun one to see playing in San Diego with Luke
Walton on the floor having passed out 46 tickets to
his Mom to allow family to be there watching him.
Phil Jackson was ill so did not show up but the
coach Brian Shaw took over and did a super job.
Sasha Vujacic played last night also. It appears
he is now engaged to tennis star Maria Sharapova.
Any other news on that score to be announced at
a later date. Sasha looked so good playing that it
would seem his latest Casanova ways must have helped!
One of our newest players, Steve Blake, really did
a good job and of course Shannon Brown did also.
We won this one with score of 120-99 over the
Golden State Warriors but they get another chance
to get back at us tonight in Ontario. Kobe Bryant
had his knees iced for almost the entire game last
eve. but is hopeful that by next Tuesday when our
opening new season begins he will be able to play.
Devin Ebanks seems to have impressed our coach
with his skill and will undoubtedly be playing
guard from small forward. Another new face with our
team is Derrick Caracter. He sat out the last games
due to back spasms. He is a forward from El Paso, TX.
NBA commissioner David Stern, in an interview with
a Spanish newspaper praised Pau Gasol saying that
he is one of the 5 best players in the league today.
They will have to lean on him extensively if Andrew
Bynum is not up to playing when the regular season
begins October 26th. Pau will have to be our go-to
player in the paint. We did win over Denver Nuggets
at Staples center 102-95 but we lost two games in
a row with the Utah Jazz and that was not what we
would wish for, certainly..although during the exhibitions
games it really is not counting too much.
We shall see how our team plays tonight then.
Ready, set, go!!
Babs Wells

Magic Magic

Magic Johnson..also known as Earvin Johnson, has
sold his Laker share to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong.
He is a 25 yr. Lakers season ticket holder and
he is an innovative physician, businessman,
philanthropist and UCLA Professor.
Magic is now even considering buying into an NFL
Franchise. He is originally from Michigan and so
has been thinking of joining the Detroit
Pistons as either part of the teams new ownership
group or as a member of the front- office staff.
Magic would continue efforts toward his ongoing
friendship with Jerry Buss (Lakers executive
vice president Jeanie Buss, his daughter)
and General Manager Mitch Kupchak.Jerry Buss
is majority owner of the Lakers and has been friends
with Magic Johnson for many years. Magic was with
the Lakers for five NBA titles & was not only a player
in his own right but was made MVP three times. He
was also a coach and then a minority owner with
the Lakers. He was a member of the so called
Dream Team that won gold for the U.S. at the 1992
Barcelona Olympics. In 1996 he was named one of
the Leagues 50 greatest players & was enshrined
into the Hall of Fame in 2002. So we bid you
farewell but not goodbye Magic and may the
Gods be with you in this new chapter in your life.
Babs Wells

Here We Go!

New faces and new players we now see on our
Laker team. Seems last nights game went quite
well with our former starters really doing their
job. Even Kobe Bryant continued playing and
did not have any brace on his knee.
The two games played overseas in London
and Barcelona were won by our opponents,
but last nights game we won over Sacramento.
Score: 98-95 and hard won too especially so
with sharing air time for the heroic efforts shown
in freeing the 33 trapped miners over in Chile.
Engineering expertise and effort along with the
peoples determination for the whole process
was contagious to see and to know you had
the rare opportunity to witness such an act.
Phil Jackson, Lakers coach, is a bit concerned
over the practice time our team will have due
to the 5 games coming up out of 7 days
for exhibition games being played.
Derek Fishers' consistency in playing games
one after the other without a break seems to
have quite a positive effect on our team.
413 games having been played without any
break in his routine. It has become a badge of
honor to show up and play game after game.
He says "When it is time to go to work, you
go to work" so it is a mindset for Derek.
Lakers host Saturday nights game with the
Denver Nuggets at Staple center so perhaps
by then they will have more offense and defense
plays to find another win for us. Lets' hope so!
Babs Wells

Not about our Laker team right now but a bit more
regarding "Make a difference day" October 23rd.
(yup! My Birthday! HA! )
Anyway, Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns NBA team
says that to invest in the children of America is one
of the best ways to spend your time, energy and
money. He has created the Steve Nash Foundation.
Goals are simple: to give under served children a
chance at good health, a good education, and the
opportunity to live in an environment where they
can flourish. The Foundation has been so rewarding
with focus toward efforts made for for underserved
children in British Columbia, Arizona and Paraguay
(Steve's wife's home country). Last month the
Foundation broke ground for their Education Center in
Phoenix. The game plan for October 23rd. is as follows:
USA Weekend Magazine, the NBA & NBA players
association are joining forces to make a difference.
For more information concerning this, go to: NBA.com
and NBPA.org and begin your own real-life action.
Be innovative and find your own inspiration for caring.
After you have planned a project, enter details into
Make a difference day to bank (or)
NBA.com/nbacares & nbpa.org/community
as again this year 10 volunteers' efforts will be
named National Honorees & receive $10,000 in
awards from Newman's Own. For the first time, 3 cities
will be receiving a City Award & $10,000 from Newman's
Own . This new award is sponsored in partnership with
the Corporation for National & Community service.
Lend a helping hand to somebody that needs just that
little nudge from somebody else caring about them.
Hopeful this can catch on. NBA causes are always
such a wonderful way in which to show you care.
Babs Wells

On October 23rd. this year, the day has been designated as
"Make a difference day for folks to go out and
see how best they might extend a hand of help
to another in a way that would benefit.
Last Sunday I read about this with Lakers National
Basketball Players Association President,Derek Fisher.
He told about growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas & always
being taught the value of sharing what ever they had
with others. He also works with the Teaching Garden
which is an effort to teach inner city kids how to grow
their own fruits and veggies. In addition, he is also involved with
the Darfur Dream Team which connects American
schools with students in refugee camps.
Derek & his wife have created the Derek and Candace Fisher
Family Foundation which supports
issues concerning education in health and fitness.
One of his favored causes is very close to his heart.
This is the research and funding for cancer of the eye.
This is called: retinoblastoma.Their youngest daughter
was diagnosed with this defect a few years ago and
now their Tatum is doing well and has had the opportunity
to live a happy life and he intends to help others do the same.
There is such a joy that comes with giving someone a visit
or another form of extension of love and sharing that we hope
this can catch on. Follow your own instincts in how you too
can make your own difference in the world and by the way,
October 23rd. just happens to be this writers Birthday as well!

In case you would like to learn more about all of this, do please
write and share ideas on: Facebook.com/makeadifferenceday.
Babs Wells