In the following video, we see a mama bear and a baby bear climbing a snowy hillside. Mama trots at a brisk pace and occasionally turns back to see where her little one is. Mama makes it to the top and proceeds to watch the cub. Each time he seems to make a good distance, he loses his footing and drops even further than where he had started. With each fall, the little cub remains determined. He tries, gets a little closer, then falls. He tries, makes a little more progress, then falls again. What seems like eternities later, he makes it to the top! The viewer is excited that he finally made it, but Mama seems less than impressed. She gives him a look over and continues on her way. Though they are now on the same level at the top, he still trails behind her. Only now- he’s nipping at her heels.
That’s the story of the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve been working on getting to the top of the mountain with the Lakers, and they are well on the pace to matching in talent and capability to win.
The Journey
While we were all watching arguing about Kobe’s legacy, LeBron’s arrival, and ruined murals, the other team in Staples Center launched a sneak attack and ended up at the top of the league.
This next summer, the Los Angeles Clippers cleared enough room to snag two top free agents. Steve Ballmer, Doc Rivers, and Jerry West have silently gone through a rebuild after the lob-city trial run. When Blake Griffin was seemingly double crossed and shipped to the frigid northern state of Michigan, fans and sports commentators alike counted the Clippers out.
The current roster doesn’t bolster any flashy names; one commentator described the current Clippers as a collection of guys who were the sixth man on their respective teams, all jumbled in a bag. And this combination of guys has been just weird enough to work.
The Arrival
Boban Marjanovic is the gigantic human who dropped out of the sky (the Serbian sky) and can dunk without leaving the floor. Tobias Harris, their leading scorer, and the rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have found their own way to dazzle the fans without dunks in every play.
With Patrick Beverly’s grittiness, Lou Williams consistency, and Luc Mbah a Moute’s defense, the Los Angeles Clippers have a 17-12 record and are three games out of the top spot in the Western conference. If playoffs started today, they would be matched up with the big brother Los Angeles Lakers!
A little more than 10 miles from Staples, another team has been overshadowed in Los Angeles. Being the new kid in town or in school isn’t easy. Remember when Giannis Antetokounmpo came into the league? Maybe not, because truthfully many of us weren’t watching. And then the Greek Freak had his first jaw-dropping play. Then he had a double double. And then another. The funniest part was how no one ever tried to say his name. I’m of the belief your name is your name, you shouldn’t change it or shorten it for anyone because if they want to learn it, they will.
Some people will tell you it’s easier to have a nickname than have to constantly correct people when they butcher your name. and butcher Giannis’ name we did. Repeatedly. Fast forward to MVP chants from away crowds early last year whenever he would touch the ball. Everybody knew how to say his name then, because he was all we were talking about.
That’s the story of the Los Angeles Chargers. They’re not asking for statues or welcome parades. They are in LA now and they just want some respect put on their name!
The Journey
The Los Angeles Chargers are not just playoff contenders, they are Super Bowl contenders. Take a deep breath and read that again. Let’s just run it back and look at how they got here. San Diego Chargers fans, I know you know, but the rest of us are new here so just close your eyes.
- In 2014, the record was 9-7; they didn’t qualify for playoffs.
- In 2015, the record was 4-12; they didn’t qualify for playoffs.
- In 2016, the record was 5-11; they didn’t qualify for playoffs.
- In 2017, the record was 9-7; they didn’t qualify for playoffs
- 2018- Your Los Angeles Chargers are 11-3 and have clinched their first playoff spot since 2013!!!
They came to LA second. That first few weeks of preseason last year when the Chargers offered free tattoos to their fans in LA seemed like a very bad sign, and the small numbers in their home crowd at StubHub have been discussed across social media this year also. Through all the background chatter, this team kept showing up every Sunday. Their resilience paid off. Without their top running back and top receiver for a large part of the season, these Bolts pulled out wins that shocked opponents and fans alike when they stunned both the rolling Pittsburgh Steelers and the heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs.
The Arrival
What stands out most about this team is how they’ve been able to balance the tenacity and the fight with the humble attitudes among their leaders. Quarterback Phillip Rivers this year has 310/447 (Attempted/Completions), giving him a percentage of 69.4. He’s notched 3,951 yards (1,488 more than MVP candidate Drew Brees), along with 31 touchdowns.
Yet and still the joy on his face during the interviews after beating the Chiefs? He said that came from just having the opportunity to play well enough on a primetime game to earn a postgame interview.
Coach Anthony Lynn has rallied this team, never missing a chance to reiterate the faith he has in each guy on his roster. This season has shown that they are capable of standing tall in the bright lights with all the other stars in the city of Angels.
Both these teams are underdogs. Both these teams have gone through adversity and uncertainty. But both these teams never stopped getting back up when knocked down. Maybe, just maybe we owe the other two teams in Los Angeles just a little bit more of our attention.
