It goes without saying that Tuesday, November 4 is a huge day not just in America but around the world. That includes each Los Angeles Laker - from Slovenia to Arkansas - even if some players (Derek Fisher) are well-known to have deep interest and informed thoughts about the political process, and others have never offered a political word.
Monday at Lakers practice, many questions from the collected media directed not just at Fisher but several other players involved Election Day. As you might expect, some of the questioning seemed eager to produce quotable line-in-the-sand rhetoric, but none of the players were really biting*. Instead, the Lakers collectively suggested that, sure, the election is a topic of conversation in the locker room, but “heated debate” would be a huge stretch. “Calm discussion” seemed to be more of the implied mood, even as Fisher encouraged his younger teammates to vote.
*To be fair, Fish did spend about 15 minutes with certain media members while we were grabbing other interviews, and that conversation will surely produce some interesting talking points.
Indeed, voting tomorrow in his first presidential election will be the newly-turned 21-year-old Bynum, whose eyes sparkled a bit when he was asked about extending his suffrage.
“I’m definitely (excited),” he said. “I’m going to vote at one of my local elementary schools … It’s my first opportunity and I can’t wait. But I hope the line isn’t too long.”
Fair enough.
Moments before Bynum came out of the locker room, Kobe Bryant spent a few minutes with the press, and one particular reporter seemed intent on getting him to share a political opinion, even using the old “Republicans wear sneakers too” line made famous by MJ. Kobe wasn’t interested in that line of questioning, and was content to suggest that players today seem more intrigued by the political process than in the past.
Finally, it’s not shocking that Odom and Bynum selected Fish as the most likely president from the team. I think it’s fair to say that there wouldn’t be much locker room dissension on that.
