Staples Center-Area Shoe Stores Breathe Sigh of Relief After Lakers Loss

Los Angeles may be mourning the playoff loss of the Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games to the Dallas Mavericks, but not the shoe store owners in the area surrounding the Staples Center.  That loss saved them tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise that would have been stolen and looted by rioting Lakers fans.  They always seem to go for the expensive sneakers first.

This loss has hit the commercial window replacement business particularly hard.  They're used to a surge in business thanks to the efforts of the purple and gold hordes that stream out of Staples Center after a big playoff win, but they won't get that "Lakers Stimulus" this year.

And the Yellow Cab company which usually can count on an hour or so of free TV advertising as the news helicopters focus in on their burning cabs will also have to look elsewhere for publicity. It's always a mixed blessing with a Lakers.

There is one more victim from last night's Maverick Massacre:  Zen Buddhism.  The "Zen Master", coach Phil Jackson, led a team that had two players thrown out for cheap shot flagrant fouls and generally acted like immature thugs.  Not a ringing endorsement of the "peaceful" religion.

No three-peat this year.  Just peace and quiet in downtown L.A.