Hello People,

As some of you may know, I was a Laker fan from 1979-2004. I was tested beginning in 2002 with the Kobe rape allegations. The Shaq trade pushed me over the edge. I have rooted against selfish play and egomania ever since. I got really excited last summer when Kobe demanded a trade because I thought that I would be free to cheer for my team once again. This is my problem though, even before the Gasol trade, the Lakers were playing fairly decent team basketball and now after the Gasol trade they are playing really well. I used to watch the Yankees and Bulls even though I didn't like them because I liked good fundamentals. Now I find myself channel surfing and when I happen upon a local station carrying a random Laker game I stop surfing and just leave it on the television. I am a huge D. Fisher fan. A large part of me still detests Kobe but it was so much easier to deal when the Lakers weren't good and I could say "See Kobe? See what you've done to our team?" Now I find myself watching them and almost rooting for them. I feel really guilty. I've even thought about scoring Laker tickets which is something I would have done in a heartbeat if I lived in LA pre-2004. I don't know if anyone has had a similar team divorce via trade where you have to choose sides. Just venting. Jay

jay,

I do understand where you are coming from. I have never cared for Kobe Bryant, but I have watched Pau Gasol grow up from a scared, skinny kid in Memphis into the man he is today. When Chris Wallace traded Pau, it was like he traded part of me. Gasol has been part of my life (so to speak) for nearly 7 years. He is kind and gentle with a good heart. Although at times he tries to hide behind a mask of false, macho bravado, that scared, skinny kid shines though. He even thinks that hideous beard makes him appear tough, though I've told him time after time it doesn't. It would be impossible for me to root against him. So now I will be forced to cheer for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, because I want no less for Pau Gasol than he wants for himself... a championship. My little boy has grown up and moved away from home. So you guys had better be good to him and that includes Kobe. Because where he is kind and gentle, his crazy gay friend is NOT!!!!

Oh I'm totally in the same boat, and I've never been a Kobe fan. I was really unhappy when Shaq left even though I knew it had to go down like that. But I was back home during Christmas and some friends took me to Staples, and somehow they had turned into a fun team again, a fun team to watch. And Kobe seems to have calmed down the jerk attitude (a little).

Also, I love Jordan Farmar. Great guy.