A Classic Corna

I just feel the need to post one of my old newspaper columns up here, my most recent to be exact. This is hands down, the best column I've written for the newspaper. It was written to make a point. I don't know if anyone noticed the point, but life has been a bit easier since this was published, so I don't know. The main reason for this post is, well, it's been a slow sports day. I realize it's only 12:40, but still. If anything worth while happens, I might just make another appearance. By the way, don't get too used to a daily post, unless I get bored.

And now, the feature presentation:

Life is like being a part of the Los Angeles Clippers organization.

Now take a moment to let that settle in. No worries, I’m not going anywhere…

So you thought about it and it’s probably the silliest analogy you have ever heard. I wouldn’t be surprised if you though Forrest Gump could come up with a better one. However, there is more truth in it than you think.

Let’s start of closer to the top of the food chain, with a Mr. Mike Dunleavy, Sr. For those who don’t know a thing about the Clippers, a) count your blessings and be thankful and b) Mr. Dunleavy is the current coach and General Manager of the Clippers. Dunleavy has been around for a bit as a coach but recently entered the realm of general managing. This is his first year as the guy in charge of player personal. Nothing against him, but to use a Bill Parcells reference, Dunleavy can cook the dinner, but he doesn’t know how to buy for the groceries(Editors note: The Parcells clip begins at 0:43). As GM, Dunleavy brought in new ideas to change the Clips from a disgrace to losing team. With common sense nowhere to be found, it’s safe to say that Mr. Dunleavy is on a crazed power trip.

Back to life. I think it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that most people have experienced their own personal Mike Dunleavy, Sr. It’s pretty sad how power can corrupt people. Power also creates a certain type of tunnel vision. Imagine a Ferrari F50 driving at 150 mph in a tunnel. The car swerves back and forth to avoid traffic, causing major accidents. The driver can’t even see the mass chaos behind it because the car lost its side-view mirrors a long time ago. Especially when your everyday Mike Dunleavy tries to juggle multiple things at once, the effects can be more disastrous than the turmoil in the tunnel.

Then you have your teammates, more specifically Ricky Davis. Ricky Davis is the shooting guard for the Clippers. Despite having great skill and talent, his selfish and arrogant qualities overshadow all of that. Davis would do anything, and I mean ANYTHING to pad his stats and ego. Exhibit A: During a game when Davis was a rebound away from a triple double, he purposely missed a shot on his own hoop in order to get the rebound. To be very blunt, Ricky Davis is known to be a cancer on teams.

Now I am willing to give up my future college admission that everyone knows a Ricky Davis, at least to a degree. Ask anyone, working with difficult people is…well difficult. In many cases, a Davis-esque person will also have multiple faces to them. Not only are they selfish, but they appear to be on your side, your team. If it’s any consolation prize, the Ricky Davis’ of the world never win anything. Just ask Mr. Davis how many trophies he has in his home.

So far life sounds very cynical with Mike Dunleavy and Ricky Davis, but you are forgetting the most important part of any organization, even one as crappy as the LA Clippers: the fans. To be a Clippers fan, one has to be very dedicated be a fan, let alone go to the games. Most people would stop believing in the Clippers, but the true Clippers fan always has hope that the team might actually win two playoff series!

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the Clippers fan is like the few actual friends we have. Like Clippers fans, true friends are few and far between. Also like fans, friends can’t always be around during the dismal times, but friends have the ability to turn everything around. On days when Mike Dunleavy is riding his high horse again, and Ricky Davis decides the create havoc in the locker room, the sight of the fans on game day just reminds everyone why we actually get up in the morning.