Los Angeles Galaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy are the original L.A. soccer team. From Jorge Campos to Cobi Jones to David Beckham, the Galaxy have never had a problem entertaining their fans. But even with Beckham in the lineup, soccer still sits at the bottom of the sports chain in L.A.

History
The Galaxy were one of the original 10 teams in the MLS. Their first year was a good one. They reached the first MLS Cup against DC United and played one of the most exciting games in MLS history - a 3-2 sudden-death DC United victory. The Galaxy would go on to reach the MLS Cup four more times, winning it in 2002 and 2005. The Galaxy changed the face of the league in 2007 when they signed David Beckham, an international soccer superstar.

Current Situation
Although the arrival of Beckham brought the team a lot of attention, it didn't bring success. Beckham was hurt for most of the season and the Galaxy finished with a record of 9-14-7. In the offseason, the Galaxy brought in former Dutch superstar Ruud Gullit to coach the team. They also re-signed former Galaxy MVP Carlos Ruiz to boost scoring. But in a absent-minded move, the Galaxy sold veteran defender Chris Albright to New England. This left the Galaxy's defense anemic, inexperienced, and lacking chemistry. This season the Galaxy are 1-2-1 with a league-leading nine goals against. While the defense looks terrible, Beckham and long-time crowd favorite Landon Donovan have hooked up for half the team's goals and look quite comfortable playing with eachother.

Fun Fact
The Galaxy played in the Rose Bowl from 1996 to 2003. In their first home game ever at the Rose Bowl, 69,255 fans were in attendance. Later in the year, 92,216 people came to watch them beat the Tampa Bay Mutiny, the largest crowd in the history of MLS soccer until 2006 (a game between Chivas USA and the New England Revolution in front of 92,650). However, even with the all-time high crowd of upwards of 90,000, only three months later the Galaxy would play a home game in front of only 8,561 people. In 1999, the Galaxy played a home game against the Columbus Crew in front of only 4,825 - the smallest crowd in the history of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Why People Like Them
They are the original team. If you were a soccer fan living in Los Angeles in the mid-1990s, you were automatically attracted to the L.A. Galaxy. They had the lovable American (Cobi Jones), the exciting Mexican (Jorge Campos), the gifted midfielder (Mauricio Cienfuegos), and the forward with the funny name (Eduardo Hurtado). They made the playoffs every year for the first 10 years of the league, so they were always successful and fun to watch. Now with the arrival of David Beckham, they reached a whole new fan base that no team in the MLS had been able to reach - women. Young, old, married, divorced - all women were suddenly begging their husbands or their dads to take them to Galaxy games. The Galaxy have the two most marketable players in the MLS in Donovan and Beckham.

Why People Hate Them
They suck. Like, they really, really suck. A 7th-grade girls all-star team could score on the Galaxy defense. And I'm not even exaggerating. They did a great job of picking up Beckham and Gullit, but they did nothing to bolster their defense. Last year the Galaxy gave up 48 goals - only Toronto FC (an expansion team) gave up more goals. You would think they they would have picked up some defenders in the off-season. Instead, they sold their best defender. Whoops. And as much hype and attention that Beckham gets, a lot of it is negative. Intelligent soccer fans are quick to downplay Beckham's talents and are especially critical of his style of play. For every two fans that love Beckham, there is one that thinks he's overrated. The verdict still isn't in yet - but a lot will be decided after Beckham finished his first full year in the MLS.

#1 Fan
Drew Carey. The comic is a season ticket holder for Galaxy games and has been involved with soccer for a long time. He recently competed in a celebrity/athlete video game soccer tournament where he donated $160,000 to a soccer-related fund. He even moonlighted as a photographer for the U.S. National Soccer Team! Carey's allegiance to the Galaxy may be coming to an end this year - he recently became a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders - an MLS team that will start next year. The Sounders are the only professional club in the U.S. to let their fans vote to keep or fire the general manager every four years. It's a revolutionary idea that much more teams should adopt. So with Carey gone, who will step into his shoes? Will Ferrel has been spotted at a few games. Maybe Mr. Burgundy will take it to the next level.

Best Player
David Beckham. And I am going to explain why. While most American soccer fans would say, "Dude, he's so overrated. He doesn't score goals. He doesn't play defense. He isn't quick. He's over the hill. Blah blah blah...," he really is a gifted player. He isn't the goal-scorer that many thought he was. He was never a goal scorer. But he is one of the most accurate passers in the game. He could hit a Coke bottle from 60 yards away. He can bend a ball around a wall of six men. He can hit a teammate running full speed with a perfectly placed ball to his feet. He already has three assists this season (and one goal). His job isn't to play defense or score goals. He was brought to the Galaxy to:
1) increase attendace - check
2) revitalize the MLS - check
3) make the Galaxy better - check
He has done his job, and all the haters need to back off. The Galaxy are bad because they have no defense. Beckham is doing his part, on and off the field. Here is Beckham's first goal he scored last year against the DC United in the SuperLiga semi-final.



Venue
The Galaxy play at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Opened in 2003, the Galaxy is the Holy Grail of American soccer-specific venues. Currently there are seven soccer-specific stadiums in the MLS, with three more in the works. The Home Depot Center is the largest and most popular.

Simers Says
Beckham comes here to put soccer on the map. It sounded like a good idea at the time.

Dwyre Says
I simply don't see enough of [them] to even comment.

Verdict
If you are the casual soccer fan - you like to watch it, but you don't really know players names - then the Galaxy are the team for you. Yes, you may be hopping on the Beckham bandwagon, but at least you're supporting a team with history and a team a stud.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are the original L.A. hockey team. Playing in the heart of Downtown, the Kings have had a rich tradition in Los Angeles and have a strong So Cal hockey following.


History
The Kings and Lakers moved into the newly-build Forum in 1967. The Kings would make the playoffs seven years in a row beginning in 1987, culminating in thier first Stanley Cup appearance in 1992-93, led by Wayne Gretzky, Jarri Kurri, and Luc Robitaille. The Kings would go on to lose to the Montreal Canadiens in the Finals. Since then, the Kings have only made the playoffs four times, the last in 2002. Despite the recent woes, the Kings have had 13 Hall of Famers, including the greatest hockey player of all time in Wayne Gretzky.

Current Situation
It's hard to say there is a team in L.A. that is worse than the Clippers, but the Kings give them a run for their money. I originally said they were abysmal, but to be more specific, their defense is terrible. They gave up the third-most goals in the NHL last year. They haven't made the playoffs in six years. They have a great young player in Anze Kopitar (only 20 years old and led the team in points), but have struggled all season to find consistency. This season, they used six different goaltenders - six! You can't expect to win games when you are constantly changing the player in your most important position. Because of the poor record of the Kings, the attendance has been disappointing the past couple years.

Fun Fact
ESPN's head hockey analyst, Barry Melrose, was once the coach of the Kings. In fact, it was Melrose that unexpectedly led the Kings to the Stanley Cup in his first year of coaching in 1993. The next two years, however, would not be good for the Kings and Melrose was let go halfway through the 1994-95 season. Melrose was known for his magnificent mullet in his coaching days and even made a one-time appearance in a "This is Sportscenter" commercial.


Why People Like Them
The Kings reached their peak in the late 80's up until their Stanley Cup appearance in '93. This is thanks to the most part to Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky revitalized hockey in Los Angeles. I remember the days of every kid in my school having a Gretzky jersey. He and Magic Johnson were the biggest athletes in Los Angeles during his stint in L.A. Not to mention the fact that Gretzky has arguably the hottest wife in all of sports. The Kings also play in the Staples Center, which is easy to get to and offers pretty cheap tickets in the nose-bleed sections. The Kings also have the distinction of never being owned by Disney, which is a turn-on to a lot of L.A. hockey fans. The Kings also have Kopitar, who at 20 years old, has a very bright future in front of him.

Why People Hate Them
The Kings haven't made the playoffs in six years - six freaking years! That's a longer playoff drought than the Clippers. They stink. That's the bottom line. While I doubt very many people hate the Kings, they are losing more fans than they are gaining. And with the recent success of the Ducks, the casual hockey fan is leaning more towards the Ducks than the Kings. I think the number one way to make the Kings popular again is to bring in Gretzky to be the coach. He may not be the most succesful coach in Phoenix, but he's The Great One and the Kings really have nothing to lose.

#1 Fan
Elisha Cuthbert. She is a Kings season ticket holder and used to date New York Rangers badass Sean Avery. She even use to have a hockey blog. The star of "Girl Next Door" made famous for her bit role in "Old School," she is the perfect L.A. sports fan, and just the fan the Kings need to get people talking about them. Unfortunately, no one really cares about hockey, so no one knows Cuthbert is a Kings fan.

Best Player
Kopitar. The 20-year-old wonder is part of a new breed of young players in the NHL that are making hockey somewhat relevant again. Often overlooked because of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, Kopitar is the future of the Kings franchise. At 6'4", 220 lbs., he's got everything you want in a hockey player. The kid is looking at another 20 years in the NHL, and if the Kings are smart, they will keep him as long as they can. Here's a shootout goal against Martin Brodeur, one of the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL. Watch the initial fake. Pure genius.


Venue
Staples Center. There is nothing bad about playing in the Staples Center. The place is rad. Every seat in the arena, even the nosebleed seats, is a decent seat. Again, I must mention the $12 beers, but that's the only knock I have on the Staples Center. There's plenty of parking, easy to get to by public transportation, and the food is great. It's also only a couple blocks away from The Original Pantry Cafe, one of the best diner's in Los Angeles. The atmosphere for Kings games rival Lakers games, but that's because Kings fans are:
1) usually drunker than basketball fans
2) usually crazier than basketball fans
3) usually tougher than basketball fans
4) always pissed off because their team is losing

Simers Says
Kings: Philip Anschutz owns the hockey team, and if Lakers ever go on the block, he has the first right of refusal to buy them. Long live Buss.

Dwyre Says
Management has made sure that nobody cares.

Verdict
The Kings are bad, but they aren't a bad team to support. If I had to choose between supporting the Kings or Ducks, I would pick the Kings because a) unlike the Ducks, they are actually in L.A.; b) they have a 40-year history in L.A.; c) I still have my Gretzky jersey that I had when I was 7. Ya, they may be bad right now, but they have Kopitar. He is the future, I'm telling you. His upside potential is tremendous, and next year, I smell playoffs. Now if we can just look past those damn $12 beers.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim technically aren't a Los Angeles team. Located in Orange County, the team's stadium is 30 miles away from Downtown Los Angeles. But because they have the Los Angeles name, they are considered an L.A. team.

History
The Angels started as the Los Angeles Angels in 1961. In 1966 they found their permanent home in Anaheim and became the California Angels. The Angels lived in the shadow of the Dodgers until Disney took control of the team in 1996 and renamed it to the Anaheim Angels. In 2002, the Angels won their first World Series after winning one of the most memorable World Series games in the history of baseball - they were down 5-0 with only 3 innings remaining in a must-win game six against the Giants. They scored 3 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to win the game. They went on to win game seven and take home the trophy. The Angels have won the AL West division three times since then, but have failed to make it back to the World Series.

Current Situation
Things are looking pretty good for the Angels. They won 94 games last year and the team only got better. They picked up all-star outfielder Torii Hunter and he is playing awesome - hitting .333 with four home runs through 20 games. Chone Figgins is having an all-star year as well, hitting .341, and Casey Kotchman is tied for the American League lead with 6 home runs. The Angels are tied with Oakland for first place in the AL West and have the second-best record in the A.L.

Fun Fact
They played their first season in Wrigley Field, located just south of Downtown between San Pedro St. and Avalon Blvd. Wrigley Field (which was named before the Cubs' stadium) would be the home of the Angels for only one year. The field was constructed in 1925 and demolished in 1966. A park now sits where the field used to stand.

Why People Like Them
The Angels have obvious ties to Disney. Their stadium is located within walking distance of Disneyland and Disney produced the 1994 hit-movie, "Angels in the Outfield." The Angels are extremely marketable and give off the fun-for-the-whole-family vibe. When they won the World Series in 2002, they introduced the world to the Rally Monkey. The Rally Monkey plays on the big screen whenever the Angels are in need of a comeback. The crowd loves him. The players love him. Heck, everyone likes him. Except Sportscenter.


Why People Hate Them
I don't think that anyone really "hates" the Angels. In general, people either like the Angels or they have no opinion about them. As Chris Suellentrop, a writer for Slate said in an article after the Angels won the World Series, "But nationally, the Angels don't have that image. The situation is actually somewhat worse: They're not known for anything. The Cubs are bumblers. The Red Sox are stumblers. The Montreal Expos are losers. But the Angels? They have no reputation at all." The biggest knock on the Angels is that in the midst of sports in Los Angeles, the Angels are pretty near the bottom. Part of that is the location. While 30 miles may not seem that far, the main way to get to Anaheim is the Interstate 5 Freeway AKA the absolute WORST freeway to be driving on after 2 P.M. Trying to leave for a Angels game at 6 o'clock? Don't even think about it. Luckily the train station is less than a mile from the stadium, so public transit may be the way to go when going to Angels games.

#1 Fan
Uhm. Hmmm. Let's see..... They don't have one. That's how insignificant the Angels are. They don't even have a high-profile fan to attend games. This forum tried to list every celebrity baseball fan - the Angels didn't get one mention. I'm not surprised.

Best Player
The Angels' best player is Vladmir Guerrero. The 2004 AL MVP, Vlad the Impaler is an eight-time all-star with no signs of slowing down. Last year he hit .324 and the year before that .329. He's started off a bit slow this year, but he is sure to find his touch and try his best to lead the team to a division title.

Venue
Angels Stadium sits just off the freeway in Anaheim. The stadium opened in 1966. In 1980, the Los Angeles Rams moved in and the stadium became fully enclosed to increase capacity. When the Rams moved out, Disney took over and decided to tear down a section of the seats to return the stadium to a baseball-only facility. After the remodel, Angels Stadium became one of the nicer venues in baseball. The "Big A" is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Los Angeles.

Simers Says
The Dodgers didn't think Mike Scioscia would be a good manager.

Dwyre Says
Buy some world series tickets now.

Verdict
If you don't mind the commute to Anaheim, the Angels aren't a bad team to support. The fans they have are friendly and everyone seems to have a good time at the games. It also helps that the Angels are successful and have a pretty exciting team. If you want to be the average baseball fan and you want to support a team that won't make your friends mad at you, the Angels are the team for you.

Los Angeles Dodgers

This picture may be one of the most famous in sports history. And no team in Los Angeles has more history than the Dodgers. With Dodger Stadium sitting high atop Los Angeles overlooking the entire city, the Dodgers have been the most popular team in the area ever since they moved here from Brooklyn in 1958.

History
The Los Angeles Dodgers already had plenty of history before they even got to L.A. The Brooklyn Dodgers had won the world series only three seasons before their move, with baseball legends (pictured below, l-r) Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, and Gil Hodges (arguably the greatest player not to be in the Hall of Fame.) But the Dodgers have had no problems establishing themselves in L.A., winning the World Series in their second year and twice in the next eight years. The Dodgers have won the World Series a total of 5 times, the last under Tommy Lasorda in 1988. Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershisher, Mike Piazza, Don Sutton, and Steve Garvey all made their careers in Dodger Stadium.

Current Situation
Since 2003, the Dodgers have made the playoffs twice but have failed to reach the National League Championship Series. Last season they finished 2 games over .500so they brought in Joe Torre from the New York Yankees to manage them to greatness - unfortunately, the only thing he's managed to do is start the year with only eight wins in 20 games. The Dodgers also brought in Andruw Jones to bring some power, but he's hitting .156 with only one home run. Now he's riding the bench. So basically, the Dodgers look like they are headed to another year hovering around .500, leaving fans upset and anxious to be a factor in the post-season once again.

Fun Fact
A Dodger's player won Rookie of the Year every year from 1992 to 1996, an unprecedented five times in a row! They were Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo, and Todd Hollandsworth. No Dodger has won it since then.

Why People Like Them
History and tradition. If your Grandpa was a Dodger fan, that means your dad is a Dodger fan, which makes you a Dodger fan. There's no if, and, or buts about it. You're a Dodger for life. Tommy Lasorda is one of the most beloved men in all of sports, and he is a God in Los Angeles. And Vin Scully? He's been the voice of the Dodgers since 1453. Thats over 500 years being the play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers! The guy is a legend. Scully called Hank Aaron's 715th career home run, which broke Babe Ruth's record.
Unfortunately I can't find a video of the home run anywhere. But it was one of the greatest calls in the history of baseball. When Aaron hit the ball, Scully called it until it went over the wall. Then - he was silent. Twenty-five seconds passed before he said the now famous words, "A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol." He made that up on the spot. What a legend.

Why People Hate Them
A lot of people may dislike the Dodgers for moving the team from Brooklyn. Sixty years later, and it's still a sore subject for a lot of people. Imagine being a huge fan of a team that just won the championship. Now imagine one year later, they move to the opposite end of the United States. Moving the Dodgers out of Brooklyn would be like moving the Lakers to New York. It would never happen, right? Well, it happened in 1957. Apart from that, there really is no reason to hate the Dodgers. I guess you can hate their fans. They are loud, cocky, obnoxious, and have huge illusions of grandeur. At Dodgers games, opposing fans aren't allowed to turn around and high-five each other if they are facing the crowd. Dodger's security considers this 'taunting.' Trust me, you don't want to be accused by Dodgers fans of taunting. Dodgers fans all come to the games with a 40 oz. of Old English and a butterfly knife in their glove compartments. Below me is the picture I took of the Dodger fans that were sitting behind me at the game I went to last week. Yes, those are real fans outside the stadium. And yes, they are absolutely terrifying.

#1 Fan
Robert Wuhl. I'm serious. The man best known as "Arli$$" is the Dodger's number one fan. But someone else is challenging Wuhl for the #1 spot - Alyssa Milano. Best known for her work on "Charmed," she writes a blog about the Dodgers in her free time. She may not have the comedic chops that Wuhl has, but she's definitely better to look at. All you have to do is see is see Embrace of the Vampire and my point is made. How the academy failed to nominate this movie for "Best Picture" is beyond me. I demand a recount.

Best Player
Two years ago, it was Nomar Garciaparra. Last year, it was Russell Martin. This year, it's too early to tell, but I'm going to go with Jeff Kent, based strictly on his mustache. He hit .302 last season, but he's kind of off to a slow start this year. I am sure with the help of his mustache, he will find his form and return to greatness.

Venue
Dodger Stadium. Sitting high atop Los Angeles in Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium is a landmark in Los Angeles. The stadium is pretty awesome for the fact that it's pretty much NEVER been remodeled. It looks nearly the exact same way as it did when it opened in 1962. For some, this may be a headache, but to baseball purists, it's the way it should be. Minimal luxury boxes, plenty of cheap seats, and troughs in the men's bathroom. Baseball the way it was meant to be. Dodger Dogs are a crowd favorite. Best of all, the outfield seats (pavillion seating) cost only $13! The only problem is they don't serve beer out there. But trust me - you don't want those fans drinking beer. Hell, you don't even want them at the game, much less getting drunk at the game.

Simers Says
One of most interesting stats in sports---Dodgers have one playoff win since 1988, a 3-0 shut out by Jose Lima. So where's the statue for Lima at Dodger Stadium?

Dwyre Says
Can the presenceof Joe Torre holld things together for an entire season?

Verdict
The Dodgers are beloved. Anyone can have a good time at a Dodger game. I don't even like the Dodgers, but I would never turn down an invitation to a Dodger game. If baseball is an American past time, then Dodger games are a Los Angeles past time. If you don't mind if your team wins or loses, and you just want to have a good time, be a Dodger fan. You won't regret it.