L.A.Clippers: Little Fish in Crowded Pond, Look for Road Redemption

The age old question asks if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, did it make a sound? That philosophical riddle raised questions regarding observation and knowledge of reality for centuries. 

An updated equivalent might ask if a team stuck in mediocrity begins to show signs of improving while performing in a city with several elite teams, will many notice?

The updated question is easier to answer than the older one.

Like any good philosophical query, however, the question begs another question. Is it better to be an under-performing little fish in a pond full of other bigger well-performing fish, or to have the pond all to yourself?

That question may be a bit tougher to answer.

For the Los Angeles Clippers, however, it's a moot point. They are the under-performing little fish in a sea of manatees, blow-fish, and killer sharks.

On the day they began a six-game road trip with an impressive win, the Clippers were an afterthought here in L.A. They had to compete against other bigger L.A. fish.

There was the other L.A. basketball team which also won on the road, albeit in much less dominating fashion. The other team was forced into overtime by a .500 team and only survived thanks to a shot at the buzzer by someone. His name escapes me.

Yawn.

The Clippers won by 25 points! They routed their opposition on their home court. It was a dismantling, a humiliation, and absolute and total annihilation—no overtime needed. L.A. must be jumping with excitement over this win.

*Insert cricket sound here*

The truth is that the newspaper assigned to follow all the goings on here in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times , doesn't even dedicate a blog to the team. That's right;the L.A. Times doesn't care enough about the L.A. Clippers to blog about them. 

The L.A. Galaxy have an L.A. Times blogger.

They play soccer.

Even the dysfunctional baseball team made headlines that trumped the Clippers victory.  The Angels play in Anaheim, which is in Orange County, not Los Angeles County. They were called the L.A. Angels (back when they actually played in L.A.), then the California Angels, Anaheim Angels, and now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Huh?

How can you be the L.A. Angels of a city other than L.A.? Does this make sense to anyone?

The Angels signed a big fish and lost out on two killer sharks on the same day the Clippers won. All this was apparently a bigger deal than the Clippers.

Add the USC Trojans, UCLA basketball, L.A. Dodgers, L.A. Kings, L.A. Sparks, L.A. Sol, Anaheim Storm (lacrosse), L.A Avengers (RIP Arena Football), and no less than 15 other minor league teams to the L.A. area pond and the Clippers are an after-thought. An enigma. They are the tree that falls in the forest.

I'm watching though.

I see what a stud Eric Gordon is. I noticed the dynamic duo combination of Davis and Kaman. Ponce de la Camby's relentless rebounding has not escaped my keen eye, nor has the potential of Al Thornton. I see you guys moving around in that pond. I heard the BOOM that came after your victory in Minnesota.

Now, you want others to notice? Win.

Come home on Dec. 25th after dismantling the Suns on national TV to complete a 6-0 road trip and L.A. will notice.

Unless of course, the L.A. Avengers reform, the Sol sign a player from Tunisia, or that professional Tiddly-Winks league comes to fruition. Otherwise, L.A. will be behind you.

Trust me.