We've always been the laughingstock of the league. Before, it was because of our bad play, it was the injuries and an owner not really caring about the sport of basketball.

We couldn't do anything right, and when we actually tried it really didn't go that well. But we did try! The perspective of the Clippers didn't change though; it was almost like people seemed to enjoy our misfortune. A couple of laughs and a pat on our heads.

We were cute, not a real danger to anyone, a fun team to make up jokes about. It seems that people liked having someone to look down at, we were that team.

We were bullied.

Now, we've grown up, we are a danger to others. And guess what, we're actually quite sexy. We have a superstar point guard, the most athletic and hardworking young big in the league and the upcoming executive of the year steering our ship.

This is not a comfortable situation for others. Not at all. The comfort zone has been rocked, old roles are being challenged. The little cute ugly kid that it was so easy to mess around with is gone.

So what do others do to keep the world as it once was? Well, of course we have to be beaten down again. Now, because we've grown, the old arguments doesn't work and the beating takes other forms.

Flop City, the latest scheme is quite genius. They took the best thing that has ever happen to us and then rebranded it to a negative. It's such a schoolbook example of trying to keep down someone trying to rise.

For those of you that are new on this ship it might feel a bit strange with the unjust treatment. But, it's our history, it's a part of the present and I'm sorry to say that it might not get any better.

In the playoffs, we have a chance to fight back, by winning, supporting out team and being a class act doing so. Not all of us will be able to get to the games. A message to those of you who are lucky enough to be at Staples:

Please support the team as much as you can, scream, shout, sing and clap, even though we're down 20 or up 10. You’re not at the game only as yourself, you're there as a representative for all fans. You're there as a representative for our fight, our history and our future.

We're together, we've grown up. But we're still the Clippers.