L.A. Lakers Fans: Let's Go Back to Those Old-School Uniforms

My shameless confession: I really, really, really like the Lakers' old uniforms. I asked the L.A. Times' Mike Bresnahan what he thought, and he said he likes them, too.

We're not going to roll over and let the organization ruin the beloved visual aesthetic of our team.

The L.A. Lakers are a storied franchise. And the Lakers uniforms ought to reflect our glorious, championship-studded history. Like Chicago and Boston, L.A., I'd argue, is better off sticking to its old school uniforms.

It's tradition. You just don't mess with tradition. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Raiders have kept their uniforms basically intact.

To residents of Los Angeles, the Lakers are a public trust. We must believe that. Without the fans, the team is nothing. If people stopped attending games, the franchise would continuously lose revenue to the point of bankruptcy.

We have power. Believe it.

This go-back-to-the-old-duds petition is an opportunity for an Angeleno (whether Armenian, Vietnamese-American, Chicano, or Black American) to express how he feels in his gut about the look of his team.

Consider the San Fransisco 49ers, who recently returned to their classic look. Look at the Sixers, whose demanding fans eventually had the owner redesign their uniforms to reflect their '80s look.

When watching games, these old-school Lakers uniforms will provoke in fans a sense of nostalgia, reminding them of their franchise's dominant history. The uniforms will also provide fans a sense of continuity from one era to the next.

We can make it happen, too. And it starts with you. Yes, you. The Iinternet-addicted person reading this buzz right now. YOU. ARE. THE. ONE. WHO. CAN. MAKE. IT. HAPPEN. Your voice, even though it's only one voice, is critical to the success of this petition (in the form of the poll on the right).

In one of his clearer moments, remember what the late master of micro-dancing, Michael Jackson, said: "There's nothing that can't be done if we raise our voice as one."

The fact that you are reading this means that you may be destined to be one of the people who will play a part in bringing back the classy, nostalgia-evoking look to the Los Angeles Lakers.  

Vote. Now.

P.S.: I spoke to Lawrence Tanter, the team's public address announcer, and he told me he believes the stripes going down the sides of the jerseys (on the current uniforms) may be an "adidas" thing.