D’Oh! Clippers — on Verge of History — Have Simpsons Creator’s Backing

Homer Simpson and Paul George, Clippers

Getty Homer Simpson and Paul George, Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are, once again, on the brink of reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, which means that the long-suffering fans of the team are, once again, waiting for disaster to strike.

Looked like that had already happened this past Wednesday when, hours before Game 5, it was reported that All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard would, at minimum, miss the remainder of L.A.’s series with Utah, at the time tied 2-2.

A knee injury — from a collision with Joe Ingles in the fourth quarter of Game 4 — and just like that the season was thought to be over. The odds swung heavily in Utah’s favor, both literally and figuratively, with Vegas making the Jazz 8.5-point favorites heading into Game 5 and numerous “analysts” preemptively writing the Clippers 2021 obituary, including one L.A. broadcaster who posited that God simply isn’t a Clippers fan.

But then, Paul George.

Thrust into the leadership position that he had previously ceded to Leonard, George defied the naysayers and put up 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in leading L.A. to an improbable Game 5 victory, 119-111.

Now if L.A. can just eke out one more W, they will advance further than any Clippers squad before them, and perhaps set the stage for a first-ever NBA title, the prospect of which has one Clippers fan in particular swelling with pride … and anxiety. Ay caramba!


A Fateful Switch

That brings us to one of the most prominent Clippers fans out there: James L. Brooks, founding father of “The Simpsons.”

Brooks was just 25 when he moved from New York to Los Angeles to write documentaries, and it wasn’t until 25 years later, in 1984, that the Clippers (without NBA approval) relocated the franchise from San Diego to the City of Angels.

By that time, Brooks had become a TV and film bigwig, working on the staff of “The Andy Griffith Show” and “My Three Sons” before co-creating “Taxi” in 1978 and adapting, directing, and producing 1983’s Oscar-winning “Terms Of Endearment.” In 1989, Brooks would strike even bigger gold as the developer and producer of “The Simpsons” — now recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running sitcom ever.

A Lakers fan initially, Brooks remembers the day he switched team allegiances.

“1983 and I had had it with the Lakers — too much glitz for darker souls,” wrote Brooks in a series of tweets from 2019. “Heard while driving Clippers were coming to L.A. – pulled over and bought season tickets.”

But even for the darkest of souls, the Clippers were a tough team to back, according to Brooks:

Then came years when, honestly, the loudest noise in the arena was the ball bouncing off all those empty seats. There was a season when the most memorable event was when our center, Stanley Roberts, took time from the game to give the finger to the fans. We had no idea what we had done.

Our owner [Donald Sterling] was the foulest of men, who picked up the Clips on the cheap [in 1981] and, as legend correctly states actually asked the assistant coaches (there were maybe two) to save him money for trainers by taping the players themselves. During these years there were stunning injuries — incredibly gifted rookies suffering horrific injuries (Shaun Livingston, Blake Griffin etc) giving rise to the ‘Clippers Curse.’

During these years I never once told anyone I was a Clipper fan (total truth) without their laughing. And then Blake was well and won the dunk contest, we got Chris Paul, and Doc Rivers and ding dong, confetti please, the owner was recorded by his mistress delivering a racist rant which had him barred forever from ever entering an NBA arena. We got a great owner [Steve Balmer]. We got a great front office. Yeah, Chris Paul rejected us but when he went our character changed.

The day Brooks gave his brief summary of the Clippers was, not coincidentally, the same day news broke that Leonard was leaving Toronto for the bright lights of Hollywood. It was ultimately a joyous occasion for Brooks, but even so, in true Clipper-fan fashion, it didn’t come without a few moments of anxiety.

“I was texting my youngest son about doing earthquake prep,” wrote Brooks, “and a bulletin came in: ‘Kawhi Leonard was signing with the Los Angeles…’ I turned away…I did…my spirit was crashing for maybe two seconds before…’Clippers’ and then the rest.”

Leonard had chosen the Clippers over the Lakers, and the rest, of course, was the news that George would be signing with the Clippers, too. “Never a shred of a rumor about Paul George and suddenly he was part of us,” Brooks wrote. “Here’s to a great friggin’ NBA season for all.”

It wasn’t a great friggin’ season though — far from it. First, the global pandemic shut down the league at the beginning of March 2020. And when play did finally resume, inside the Orlando bubble, the Clippers, who were well on their way to a showdown in the conference finals with the Lakers, somehow managed to lose three straight to the Denver Nuggets and were knocked out of the postseason. It was a turn of events that left Brooks and his fellow Clippers fans in need of a hug.


Even The Simpsons Took a Shot at the Clippers

But with a new season comes new hope, and Brooks is feeling as hopeful as ever as the Clippers ready themselves for Game 6 tonight in Los Angeles. No doubt Clippers fans are steeling themselves for heartbreak, but following the team’s exceptional performance in Game 5, there’s a sense that this year could be different.

The day after Game 5, Brooks tweeted a picture of himself holding a Clippers hat and grinning widely. The man who has helped generate laughter for millions of people across the globe is enjoying this current Clippers run tremendously, but he still couldn’t help taking a dig at all the bad jokes aimed at the franchise over the years. “People ALWAYS laughed in your face if you admitted that was your ball club. ALWAYS easy shots from dull comics,” wrote Brooks.

Yes, the Clippers have been the butt of jokes for many years, but not even Brooks’ beloved Simpsons could resist getting in on the fun. In Season 12, during an episode called “Tennis the Menace,” Chief Wiggum tells sergeant Lou that he is playing tennis that night at the Simpsons’ newly constructed backyard court against Marge and the athletically-challenged Homer.

“The Simpsons?” says Lou. “You mean the L.A. Clippers of backyard tennis?”

D’oh!

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