Lob City: Yay or Nay?

by cliptakular on Jan 8, 2012 9:30 PM PST

It was a tumultuous week in December, when Clippers get the best point guard in the NBA and be it unintentionally, created a phrase that fans have either embraced or disliked.

"LobCity"

From the moment those words came out of Blake Griffin’s mouth, the name LobCity has been a hit. LobCity Tees were sold even before you can finish saying Sofoklis Schortsanitis. Everyone was excited. The nation, not just Clipper Nation but NBA nation was following Lob Angeles. Clips acquire Chris Paul while the Lake show loses former 6th man Lamar Odom. The Clippers became the talk of the town. The Lakers, on the other hand, was reeling fast desperate to make a move. Excitement and buzz about the Clippers was through the roof.

Somewhere along the way the appeal of LobCity went sour, for both its players and fans. Clippers players became defensive, wanting to disassociate with the term. Even its author, Griffin, wishes he never uttered the remark. Disapproving fans argue that it belittles the team because it only makes the team known for their dunks. Others argue that it will attract bandwagon fans.

Let’s be frank. Bandwagon fans will come and those two words alone will not attract them to the Clippers. For that to happen the team will need to start winning a lot of games first and that’s not a bad problem to have. Heck, everyone was a Bulls fan in the Michael Jordan era days. Who wasn’t? When the Clippers start winning games, bandwagon fans will come. With or without LobCity.

The media will not let go of the perfect moniker any time soon (See Phi Slama Jama). If the Clippers continue their success, games are going to continue to sell which means merchandise associated with the name will continue to sell.

Love it or hate it, LobCity is here to stay.

Tweet Comment 37 comments | 1 recs |

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I equate Lob City to LeBron referring to the Heat as "The Heatles" last year

or Vince Young calling the Eagles “The Dream Team.” Both were simple, matter if fact statements made by an athlete and the fans and the media ran with it both positively and negatively. I am sure it is something Blake regrets being shown and heard on camera.

"Great Balls Of Fire, Reggie's Back!"

by PV Mike on Jan 8, 2012 9:51 PM PST reply actions

well the heatles is long gone haha

by Dawool Huh on Jan 8, 2012 11:24 PM PST up reply actions

DAWOOOOOOOOL

I know where u live. I know who u r. I know everything about u. U live in PV and I stalk u all day errday :]

by Dawool's Stalker on Jan 9, 2012 10:30 PM PST up reply actions

haha, creepy.

Speaking of PV, are there fires right now?

We need Bill Walton back: "Where would the LA Clippers franchise be without Sean Rooks? Bo Outlaw might be the best pick up of the off season.
THROW IT DOWN BIG MAN...THROW IT DOWN"
___________
Follow @manlinessprime

by banandy on Jan 9, 2012 11:03 PM PST up reply actions

what the heck...

PV like PV Mike… oh my god

by LJ Hann on Jan 10, 2012 12:15 AM PST up reply actions

Yes a brush fire in RPV that they put out. No homes lost.

"Great Balls Of Fire, Reggie's Back!"

by PV Mike on Jan 10, 2012 6:51 AM PST up reply actions

Fun name

I understand why Blake and CP3 want to distance themselves from it. They want to be viewed as a team that wins basketball games, not as a team that throws a bunch of lobs and dunks a lot. But it’s a fun nickname, and it’s going to stick. Phi Slamma Jamma went to three straight Final Fours – you can be known for your dunking, and win basketball games too. It’s OK.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jan 8, 2012 9:56 PM PST reply actions

Really, Last year was more "lob city"

Paul doesn’t throw lobs like Baron did. Many times in games will I see Blake or DJ running somewhere nd I expect a lob, because that is the lob that Baron would have thrown. Paul makes good things happen, just not often via lobs. He also doesn’t throw the difficult lobs that Davis often tried. I expect Bledsoe to greatly increase the lob count when he returns. But I like seeing wins more than lobs.

by LJ Hann on Jan 8, 2012 9:59 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

I like lob city

it is a fun nick name and it represents more than anything the excitement that is a part of the clippers game plan. It isn’t the whole offense but it is the part that brings in the crowd.

"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"unknown

by bestclipfan on Jan 8, 2012 10:11 PM PST reply actions

Lob City was cool at the beginning

but the freakin media (mostly ESPN) hyped it up way too much. I just want the Clippers to be referred to as the “Los Angeles Clippers.”

we’re cheap, like to drink and are pissed off.

WHO WANTS A FREE SHARPIE?? -- Blake Griffin

by ClipperBEAST on Jan 8, 2012 10:30 PM PST reply actions

This.

I thought it was cool. It seemed fitting, but it was blown out of proportion and now it seems like people only expect lobs. They don’t realize Paul+Griffin and everyone else is so much more. Not to mention all the bandwaggoner fans who give Clippers a bad name with "LOB CITY 2012 CHAMPS. AND NEXT SEASON THEY ARE GETTING D12 AND WILL REPEAT! "

by SurfinQ00 on Jan 8, 2012 10:34 PM PST up reply actions

NBATV called us

Lob Angeles during NBA GameTime the other night.

by LJ Hann on Jan 8, 2012 10:39 PM PST reply actions

Lob City Will Grow!!!

As long as Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler give BG and CP3 more chances to touch the ball, and they try to think about team work then individual themselves then I believe Lob City will Grow!! If they keep trying to make pts for themselves without working out with others, it’s hard to win every game.

Btw, CP3 and BG needs more practices to know others’ thinking while passing the ball. So I believe time will make LOB CITY actually happen BAM BAM BAM!!! :D

It’s exciting to see DJ and BG dunk and I LOVE IT!

:D CLIPS FTW!!!

by clips_ftw on Jan 8, 2012 10:41 PM PST reply actions

I think if they players embraced it too much

it would turn me off. Blake said “It’s gonna be Lob City” in a candid atmosphere, and didn’t proclaim the Clips to be “Lob City” to the media quite the way the “Heatles” or “Dream Team” came across, but if the team chose to call themselves “Lob City” I could easily see it go that direction.

I think they’re handling it well, but should let the media and fans enjoy the “Lob City” moniker as long as it’s still fashionable. I know I’ll enjoy it as long as the W’s keep coming with it.

by osamu on Jan 8, 2012 11:50 PM PST reply actions

for better or worse

almost every nba dynasty (am i getting ahead of myself? haha) had a nickname

when you think of Magic and Kareem…you don’t just think Lakers. Lakers could have been any year…instead of think of the Showtime Lakers.

…there are a bunch more examples

its the same idea. They are the Clippers…will always be the Clippers…but for now, at least this season…its the Lob City Clippers

Ralph, "Last year so often with Blake Griffin you would see these things coming, with Paul, he's so crafty, all of a sudden boom there it is."

by KidJustin on Jan 9, 2012 12:00 AM PST reply actions

Lob City will be big as long as they win

When the Clippers start losing all the media will jump on them as them being a one dimensional team. And Lob City will be made fun of. But if the Clippers keep winning Lob City will get bigger. I’ve already seen articles using it for other teams.

by fallen0987 on Jan 9, 2012 12:01 AM PST reply actions

actually...if (when?) the clippers go deep in the playoffs

i think Lob City will be gone

Lob City is more like a “youngster” term…its all fun and games

if (when?) the Clippers establish themselves as one of the elites in the playoffs, then they will be known as something else, as if they transcend or grow up from the young moniker

Ralph, "Last year so often with Blake Griffin you would see these things coming, with Paul, he's so crafty, all of a sudden boom there it is."

by KidJustin on Jan 9, 2012 9:06 AM PST up reply actions

Nay

out of respect for BG and CP3. It’s winning that matters.

No, it's the Clip Show!

by dan73962 on Jan 9, 2012 9:14 AM PST reply actions

Win City?

Ralph, "Last year so often with Blake Griffin you would see these things coming, with Paul, he's so crafty, all of a sudden boom there it is."

by KidJustin on Jan 9, 2012 9:19 AM PST up reply actions

That has a nice ring to it.

Jets, Cowboys, Mets, Islanders, Bulls & Clippers

by Xfactor26 on Jan 10, 2012 9:18 AM PST up reply actions

Yes it doesn't match the team's goals, but is that a bad thing?

I don’t mind if it distracts anyone from their true focus of winning smart. Then it can only be good when they’re 40-26 and have won with good solid basketball rather than highflying athletics.

by Thretch on Jan 9, 2012 9:16 AM PST reply actions

But here's the downside of "Lob City"

If the team does not perform well (or one of the key Lob players misses some games), critics are going to say that “Lob City” was a bust and was not a practical model for a successful NBA team in the first place.

But we know that “Lob City” is NOT the model this team is following (CP and BG have already said so), so those critiques are going to be very irritating to us long term fans.

This won’t be the first time that there’s been a major media misperception of the Clippers. For instance, where did the “Clippers never resign their players” statement come from? There is no basis, yet the media cranked it out and it became truth to the general NBA fandom. The same will be true again: “Clippers failed to make Lob City a winning proposition” will be the misleading tagline.

by Thretch on Jan 9, 2012 9:23 AM PST reply actions

I would like it more...

if the t-shirts weren’t ugly.

by Handsome_B._Wonderful on Jan 9, 2012 12:36 PM PST reply actions

We were Lob City but CP3 has yet to turn it on!

Its seems that he favors DJ on the Lobs. When Mo comes in he lob’s it
to Griffin and then i know Bledsoe will get in the act too. Maybe CP3
doesn’t feel comfortable yet but when Blake points up he can throw
it up any where and Blake will slam it. Well except when it hits the
backboard like it did on saturdays game. I guess we can Lob city
more when we have big leads. Its part of being a legend because
say that we win the Championship we will be known as Lob CiTY
champions.

by ENCUEROMAN on Jan 9, 2012 1:10 PM PST reply actions

DJ vs Blake

well…its quite possible that since Blake is trying to have a more all around game….he doesnt want so many lobs from CP3…..

as for Mo…he’s been trained to lob it to Blake last season and probably practiced it a lot since he thought he was going to start and needed to practice to replace Baron’s lob abilities

with DJ…his only move is lob, which is why if CP3 sees DJ he only has one option…throw the lob. if he see Blake, he knows he can get it to him in a number of ways than just the lob

Ralph, "Last year so often with Blake Griffin you would see these things coming, with Paul, he's so crafty, all of a sudden boom there it is."

by KidJustin on Jan 9, 2012 1:29 PM PST up reply actions

It is easier to throw Lobs to DJ.

I am not saying it is difficult to throw them to Blake, but DJ can dunk it from anywhere near him. Griffin requires a tad more accuracy.

by SurfinQ00 on Jan 9, 2012 5:16 PM PST up reply actions

i beg to differ

throw a ball anywhere near the rim and either guy can go get it…

the difference is if u go to DJ in the post vs Blake in the post…VERY different results…its a game of options and with DJ there is really only 1

Ralph, "Last year so often with Blake Griffin you would see these things coming, with Paul, he's so crafty, all of a sudden boom there it is."

by KidJustin on Jan 9, 2012 11:20 PM PST up reply actions

DJ v Blake

DJ jumps higher, is taller, and has longer arms. So when he is open, just flip it up and he will get it. Blake is smarter, faster, and stronger. So he is more likely to fill a lane in transition or ger himself open off of a spin.

by LJ Hann on Jan 10, 2012 12:17 AM PST up reply actions

Can any oldies tell us the story of how "showtime" became the phrase to describe the Lakers back then?

I think that’s the closest comparable…or,

Clutch City was coined for the Rockets during their championship run…

by banandy on Jan 9, 2012 3:33 PM PST reply actions

It was coined to describe the entertaining fastbreak style of the mid 80's Lakers

Showtime began under new coach Pat Riley coupled with a “showtime” style of running and incredible passes by Magic Johnson to James Worthy, Kareem, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis etc. It also was in sync with the aura and atmosphere a younger Jerry Buss nurtured by giving free front row tickets to highly visible show business people.

"Great Balls Of Fire, Reggie's Back!"

by PV Mike on Jan 9, 2012 4:53 PM PST up reply actions

well, yeah...i knew that part

but how did it originate? who coined it?

by banandy on Jan 9, 2012 6:16 PM PST up reply actions

I actually think Jerry Buss did as a way to market the team.

"Great Balls Of Fire, Reggie's Back!"

by PV Mike on Jan 9, 2012 7:14 PM PST up reply actions

The Clippers have been the laughing stock of sports forever

Lob City or Lob Angeles, I don’t really mind. Image means a lot in sports, especially one with as much visibility as the NBA. If the “Lob” moniker means positive imagery then Lob me to death, damnit.

by yaggiefresh on Jan 9, 2012 11:16 PM PST reply actions

Good point

Unlike the term “Heatles,” which most people viewed as Miami just being egotistical douches. Lob City is definitely viewed more positively like Phi Slama Jama or Showtime.

when you hear the Clippers, it’s not going to be a joke anymore. I can guarantee you that -BG32

by cliptakular on Jan 10, 2012 1:56 AM PST up reply actions