No doubt Clipper fans are used to being disappointed, used to losing, and used to be scorned by fans of other teams.



But July 8, 2008 was not just another day.



For years Elton Brand had been the face of the Clippers. In contrast to all the spotlight hogging attention whore superstars we have in the game today, we saw FElton as a hard working, upstanding, honest guy. That was his appeal (and the fact that he is a tier one power forward who put up a guaranteed double-double every night), we thought he was different.



That’s why we never saw it coming. It’s true that he wanted out in 2003; to the point that he begged DTS not to match the contract he signed with Miami. But over time things seemed to change, he seemed to want to be here. We thought that there was finally someone we could believe in, we were wrong.

In Brand we Trust.

My message box and cell phone texts blew up that day. “Of course EB left, the Clippers suck they always have, they always will.

They suck, why are you even a fan?”

That’s the question people always ask me. It really doesn’t matter how or why you became a fan, only that you are a fan. I suppose I became a fan by accident. I was never really a Laker fan, but my two favorite players were on that team (Nick Van Exel & Eddie Jones). I wasn’t happy about their trade and looked elsewhere. I liked Odom as a rookie and it so happened he played in LA, for that other team. They sort of grew on me and every year they had promise, Brand came, Darius Miles came, Q, Maggette, Kandiman, Andre Miller…. every year those hopes were crushed.



I find it funny how a lot of Laker fans call me bandwagon…what bandwagon? I’ve always understood the term to refer to those that jump on the winning team….Lakers have tradition, they have championships, and they win.  It’s not easy being a Clipper fan. I’ve managed to stick with it, to get excited year after year for my team.



“You aren’t as big of a fan, you don’t watch every game like I do.” Easy for you to say, your team has made the playoffs every year except 2005 and 1994. Does Sedale Threatt ring a bell? I wonder how many so called fans would be around if the Lakers didn’t make the playoffs for five years straight? Wait, I don’t remember that many watching the Lakers during the ONE year….



Why am I a Clippers fan? Who cares? Why am I still a fan? One word: Loyalty.



I still have high hopes for next year. I think we can field a good team. Call me optimistic, but I think BD can spark something in Kaman. I think we have promising young talent in Thornton, Gordon, and DeAndre Jordon.



I have faith in my team. That is what being a fan is about; believing in your team.



F-Elton. We thought he was different, he wasn’t. We’re moving on.