From the Top of the Heap to the Bottom of the Barrel

Highest of highs, lowest of lows.

As we stood in our family room jumping for joy as the Lakers just won their first championship in 12 years, we shed tears as Shaq embraced Kobe. We yelled and clapped when Shaq was named MVP. We tried to impersonate Chick Hearn saying for a full year, “You’re listening to the world-champion Laker broadcasting network.” Later we saw an emotional Dr. Buss with Magic Johnson.

Cut to outside the Staples Center. Fires. Cars turned over. LAPD cars and news vans burned. “Fans” saying they got in our way of “celebrating.” News commentators trying to justify what was happening saying, “It is not that bad compared to . . .” or “This is 12 years of pent-up energy without a championship.” LAPD not responding. Certain businesses being vandalized.

This has never happened in the City of Angels after a sports victory. Outside of the Staples Center were not the true Laker fans. Real L.A. or Southern California fans do not act that way. They had to be from somewhere else.

JEFF SANTAROSA, JIM SANTAROSA,

JOHN SANTAROSA, JAY SHUIT

Santa Barbara

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I’d like to extend a well-deserved and heartfelt congratulations to the NBA champions, the Lakers. This is a proud moment for many Los Angeles residents. For thousands of children, it’s their first chance at having a champion team in their own backyard. The tragedy in all this is what memories they’ll have of this night. Free throws, three-pointers and burning cars with police in riot gear.

To the fans who disgraced our city before the eyes of the world by rioting, setting cars on fire and harassing those who were exiting the Staples Center, shame on you! I hear the strains of the song “I Love L.A.” You sing along, but the roar of the fires you set and your groans from being hit by rubber bullets drown out any music and any cheers coming from the civilized fans and proud Angelenos.

I hope to see a repeat performance next year, but I hope a bodyguard isn’t necessary.

ELIZABETH PEISNER, Woodland Hills

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After 12 years of pro sports futility and disappointment, I thought I’d be ecstatic once the Lakers won. But I felt nothing but dismay and disgust at the behavior of all these uneducated, uncivilized hooligans vandalizing and wreaking havoc. What a shame that a glorious and happy moment for the city of L.A. had to turn into such a mess. If this is how it’s going to be, I’d prefer if the Lakers don’t become a dynasty.

TOM CHENG, Chino

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To the mindless idiots of L.A.: Thank you so much for spoiling something I’ve been waiting 12 years for. I was sickened to see what happened outside the Staples Center after the victory Monday night. While celebrating this city’s first championship in 12 years (let alone it being the Lakers) I had to try and explain to my 5-year-old son why people were lighting things on fire; how do you explain that to a 5-year-old?

It’s time for this kind of garbage to stop. What kind of message does what happened send to our children, that it’s OK to burn and destroy property just because one of our teams wins a championship? Why can’t people celebrate a championship without going over the edge? The people responsible should be ashamed of themselves. They have given our city a black eye and tainted something special.

BILL PIENIASZEK, Long Beach

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This is so embarrassing. The Lakers have just broken a 12-year championship drought and are on the verge of a dynasty, and the fans need to destroy everything in sight? What Jerry Buss described as “the greatest fans in the world” put on a show outside. The whole country is going to see this. Everyone around the world saw a great game of basketball, but it shouldn’t have ended the way it did.

PHILIP KOENIG, Granada Hills

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My wife and I were so happy when the Lakers won the championship. We were commenting about how the Laker fans would not be like the fans of other cities and act irresponsibly. We were happy to see that they were. Then what happened, the “Raider” fans appeared and ruined the evening. How disgusting, that a few fans think they have the right to destroy other people’s property because our team won a big game. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers and the real Laker fans.

BILL SCHIEFFER, Oxnard

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To some of the fans of the Lakers: Shame on you!

I am a “hick” Hoosier Pacer fan and proud of it! We are proud of our team even though we didn’t win. Had we won, we wouldn’t have shown our pride by looting, burning cars and injuring people. The fans that participated in this showed great disrespect to a great team by acting like that.

I think the best team did win, but we fought a good battle and have nothing to be ashamed of. I’m not sure that can be said of all of the residents of L.A.

No, we don’t have stars sitting around our court at game time. Our stars are on the court. No, we aren’t a huge, famous, star-studded city, but after this experience I’m glad to live where I do.

I want to congratulate the Lakers. You played well and deserved to win, and I’m sorry for you that some of your fans didn’t show you the respect you deserve.

DAWN M. BAUER, Indianapolis

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I am a resident of Austin, Texas, and woke up to see the shameful way L.A. fans acted to winning a championship. It really takes away from one of the greatest accomplishments of your home team.

The San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Stars both won championships last year, but you never saw any childish acts of destruction here locally or nationwide. We were proud of our victors and didn’t disrespect them by making them look like thugs to the world. To all the truly proud L.A. fans, congratulations.

ROY FLORES; Austin, Texas

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Admittedly, I know very little about basketball. Will someone please explain to me what rioting has to do with the game?

GEORGE POISSON, Signal Hill