George Hill sounds off about Lakers Fans at Pacers home game.

[mellow]

So there were more Lakers fans than Pacers fans at last nights game in Indiana.

George Hill, the Pacers pg who was born and raised in Indy, and played college in Indiana too didn't like it too much.

“It sucks. It was 70 (Lakers fans) – 30 (Pacers fans) out there. These are the same people that wants autographs after the game. We’re out there in the community. We’re doing our job, doing what we’re supposed to do on and off the court. Something has to change. I tip my hat to this team. We’ve been trouble free. Been out in the community shaking hands, we’re winning. It shouldn’t feel like an away game, especially with an important like this. Tonight, that’s what it felt like.”

“They always say your fans are your sixth man and you feed off that energy. Energy is down and we turn the ball over and we’re hearing cheers. We’re missing shots and we’re hearing cheers. That kind of brings your head down cause you know you’re at home. It shouldn’t be like that. Now we see how it is. We have to move forward, don’t worry about. Stay focus on what’s in this locker room and don’t worry about the rest.”

“(We’re) not a team that’s in the bottom in the East. We’re one of the top three teams in the East. We’re winning the Central Division and it should show. Right now it’s not and it’s been all season long where it’s not showing and I don’t think there’s nothing else we can do as an organization and as players. Now it’s up to the community.”​

I see why George Hill and the Pacers are frustrated. It also probably frustrates the loyal die-hard fans. It bothers me to see & hear the Lakers fans at the ESA.

I read a column earlier this season explaining that despite Indiana winning, and having a roster full of good community guys they are not selling out and support is not strong. If I recall the column concluded that Indiana fans had been so Jilted that it would take time for them to come back. I thought it was interesting because of the parallels to the Jazz, but I thought his conclusion was flawed. Fans relationship with a team is not like a relationship with a spouse or

The problem is not an Indiana or Jazz problem, it is an NBA problem. The NBA is broken. Broken because of greed and laziness. I blame Stern foremost, he once tried to put two stars on every team and market them. Now he is content to let a few superteams build, sit back and enjoy the huge TV contracts. The Lakers, Heat and Thunder fans at Indiana,Utah and nearly every other areana have figured out that there is no hope that 'their' team is going to win it all, so they jump on the bandwagon of one of the superteams.

Stern put a band-aid on the wound by throwing the other owners a bit of profit sharing in the last CBA. It bought him some time, long enough for him to retire, but the league can't last as constructed.

 

[fallenchicken]

If the Jazz had a team as good as the Pacers, Utah fans would be there every night. Jazz fans just want to root for winners--we're spoiled that way. I hope we'll come around to taking a step back next year, support the young guys and the organization through a full rebuild. I'm not sure Indiana cares about professional basketball anymore. Thinking of the Reggie Miller days, it's criminal that they can't get out to support a pretty good team take on the Lakers.

 

[bluenote]

Thanks for posting Mellow....well said. It's mostly Sterns fault with the rest of the blame falling on the fans who don't appreciate what they have there in Indiana. You would think even bandwagon fans would switch to the home team once they started playing well.

I really miss the days of 1-2 superstars leading every team. For me as a fan, the Stern superteam model took the air right out of the basketball.

 

[carolinajazz]

I can't see Jazz fanzs every rooting for the Lakers in SLC.....unless it would guarantee that Corbin would get fired!