Clippers Are on the Move Everywhere but the ‘Net

I logged on to Latimes.com Wednesday to get an update on sports and noticed something called the “Lakers Blog.”

I thought that was interesting and a little odd. I would’ve thought if The Times were going to try something innovative such as that, it would want to focus on the best basketball team in Los Angeles -- the Clippers.

I looked closer at the Lakers Blog, and it read: “Adam and Brian Kamenetzky have the dirt on what’s going on with the Lakers.” No wonder people think newspapers always dwell on the negative, hiring two extra guys just to make sure everyone knows how crummy the Lakers are going to be this season.

Latimes.com also has the “Gold Derby Blog,” the “Oscar Beat Blog,” and “The Movable Buffet Blog.” But no Clippers Blog.

From what I know about blogs, it doesn’t appear you need much more than someone who likes to hear themselves talk, who knows how to type and who also owns a computer. It’s not as if you have to interview anyone, or even attend a game, so long as you sound as if you know what you’re talking about -- you know, kind of like sports talk radio.

To get a better idea, though, I took a peek inside the Lakers Blog and noticed the headline: “Extra! Extra!” figuring I’d get something extra, and got this: “Slow news day for the Purple and Gold in front of Thanksgiving.... “

Extra? Extra? Give me more.

“Lamar Odom, who only took 4 shots in the loss to Chicago,” the blog read, “says he’s going to try and average 20 points over the next four games.”

That last part was underlined to indicate Odom’s quote came from the Daily News, and so readers could press a button and divert their attention to the Daily News.

I found it interesting that The Times was promoting the Daily News -- kind of like that scene in “Miracle on 34th Street” when Santa Claus refers a Macy’s customer to Gimbel’s.

Santa did that, though, because Macy’s didn’t have what the customer wanted. And yet when I read The Times’ newspaper story about Odom, it had Odom saying the same thing as the Daily News reported: “Next four games, I’m going to look to average 20 points,” Odom said.

But if that’s what it takes to put together a Clippers Blog on Latimes.com -- repeating what has already been written in the Daily News, I guess the Daily News is going to have to start doing more on the Clippers. I’ll have to speak to their editors.

In the meantime, I’ll do what I can to give the Clippers their due in The Times. That’s why I was in Staples Center on Wednesday night, talking to Lara Flynn Boyle about her love affair with the Clippers, and Ralph Lawler, who was telling me Elton Brand is playing “like a monster this season.” (I wish I could have spent more time with Ralph, but I didn’t want to hurt Lara’s feelings.)

I had a nice chat with Corey Maggette, who said it’s important for the Clippers to remain humble, and I offered to help on Page 2, or 3. He laughed, and when is the last time a Clipper laughed -- rather than being the butt of the joke?

When the Clippers fell behind Toronto, the NBA’s worst team, by 10 at the half, I never once thought to myself: “same old Clippers.” I just took Penny Marshall’s advice to leave the arena. I went to the Chick Hearn media room because I might be jinxing them.

The Clippers rallied to win. By three points, as if there were ever a doubt, and they continue to be playoff-bound with nine wins already.

“Yes, we’re good enough to be a playoff team,” Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “It’s going to take 45 wins to get to the playoffs.”

If the Clippers get 45 wins, they’d finish with a 45-37 record, which would be only their second winning season since Donald Sterling took control in 1981.

Now I would think a Clippers Blog documenting such a history-making miracle would be very popular -- especially if the Daily News captures the charismatic play of these up-and-comers -- giving Latimes.com the opportunity to refer to it.

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DODGER GM Ned Colletti told reporters earlier this week he has had trade talks with the Marlins, and “we’ll see how that develops. [Marlins’ GM Larry Beinfest] knows our interest, and we’ll talk in the future.”

I wonder if Colletti ever got back to Beinfest; I know how busy he was passing out turkeys.

The Red Sox and Mets talked trade with the Marlins, and now pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell are Boston-bound, and New York added first baseman Carlos Delgado.

P.S. The World Series Champs just traded for first baseman Jim Thome. It’s a good thing the Dodgers are set at first base with Hee-Seop Choi.

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IF I had a chance to work for Frank McCourt, like Bud Black, I’d probably also ask for time, go back to bed, pull the covers over my head and just hope the Boogeyman went away. No telling the nightmares Black had Tuesday night, but he woke up Wednesday and pulled his name from Dodger consideration. I’ll bet he sleeps well tonight.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in an e-mail from Scott Williamson:

“This is the USA, home of capitalism. Arte [Moreno] bought the Angels. He can do what he wants. My ties to the Halos are so strong I will sell my home and move my family to whatever city he chooses.”

A lot of people would probably follow someone to end of the earth if they agreed to lower beer prices.

T.J. Simers can be reached at

t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.