It Could Only Happen To the Clippers

Let's see now...Baron Davis bolts Golden State for the L.A.Clippers, and suddenly the prospect of him teaming up with Elton Brand and possibly Cory Maggette makes the Clips look like a major threat for the first time since the franchise played it's home games in Buffalo when Bob McAdoo was manning the pivot. But just like that, the Warriors got even by stealing Maggette and then out of nowhere the 76ers swoop in and fly off with Brand, the key to the whole thing, leaving Los Angeles right back where they started. Or worse. The Clippers probably should get some kind of credit for creating the shortest, most insignificant dynasty on record. It lasted less than a week and not one minute was played. Baron Davis has to be thinking, "What the hell have I done?!"

With Donnie Walsh now in charge of the New York Knicks, it looks like the Clippers are poised to reclaim their long-standing position as the worst franchise in the NBA. In the 24 years since they relocated to Los Angeles via San Diego, the Clippers have managed only two winning seasons, the most recent in 2006. But the floor gave way as their record fell from 47 wins to 40 and this past season they dropped to 23-59 which is actually only the10th worst record in the 38-year history of the franchise. But this one really stings because in 2006, for the first time in recent memory, the Clippers' future not only looked bright, but they were actually better than the rebuilding Lakers. Now, with the Lakers back on top and the Clippers on the outs, it's business as usual in L.A.

In 1979 Donald Sterling purchased the then San Diego Clippers for $12.5 million and now, for some reason, in spite of the teams never-ending failures, the franchise is worth over $294 million according to Forbes Magazine, so we know why Sterling hasn't sold out. The question has always been why Elgin Baylor has remained in charge all this time. In all fairness, Sterling's deserved reputation for not giving a damn would hinder any GM. Baylor was voted NBA Executive of the Year in 2006, but the speed in which things have collapsed ever since reinforces the belief that Baylor hasn't exactly been a raging success since he was hired in 1986. In fact, in spite of the team's horrible overall record under his reign, Baylor has the most comfortable situation in sports. His job has never been in jeopardy and he hasn't even considered moving on to another team that would give him a chance to really show what he can do. Maybe he can't and he knows it, so he's happy to stay where he is as long as he wants. At age 74, he's home, he's gainfully employed and he controls his own future. Nice work if you can get it. No other exec in sports has that kind of job security. Many Americans today don't have that kind of job security.
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Rooting for the Clippers is roughly the equivalent of rooting for lemmings. Lemmings will eventually jump off the cliff (as myth has it). But the Clippers aren't a myth. Only their success is.