EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- There was plenty of glitz and glamour at Monday's launch of Time Warner's duel television networks Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes.
Joining the LA Galaxy on the marquee were the Los Angeles Lakers, who are the station's flagship holding. While on the Red Carpet, I spoke to several members of the Los Angeles Lakers to get their impression of the Galaxy and soccer in the United States.
As a diehard Lakers fan, it was certainly an overwhelming experience to speak to the likes of Showtime Lakers' Magic Johnson and James Worthy as well as current Laker Dwight Howard about the prospects of soccer in the City of Angels.
LAGalaxy.com will have a video with thoughts from many Lakers as well as members of the Galaxy, but the quotes from the Lakers are below...
(On the importance of the new Time Warner Cable sports networks....)
MAGIC: "It's great. The Lakers are so loved and it's a team and organization that is used to winning championships. It is no question that they have captured the imagination of fans all over the world so with Time Warner having the Lakers now, it's great for Time Warner, it's great for the Lakers organization and I think that everyone can't wait to get started."
(On the Galaxy sharing the station with the Lakers...)
MAGIC: "Exactly, you have David Beckham here [in Los Angeles] and that's great, but it's always the Lakers."
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(On attending the event...)
WORTHY: "These are always fun, they're always new, it's always something different because you see new faces and in this case a totally new network so we're very happy to be here. It's always exciting."
(On whether he ever considered playing soccer...)
WORTHY: "My daughter played club soccer for many years so I was one of the assistant coaches, at one point. It's a tough game, I just saw [David] Beckham and Landon Donovan [at the event] and I've gone to see the Galaxy a few times. I have a lot of respect."
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(On any connections to soccer...)
HOWARD: "I've played FIFA [video game] a couple times. I’m just happy to be here in LA and I think that it’s going to be great for the [Lakers], the league and we’ll be good."
(On being around a series of stars in Los Angeles like David Beckham...)
HOWARD: "David Beckham is here? He is? Oohhhh. I’m just excited to be here [in Los Angeles], it’s a blessing, it’s a dream come true and I’m just looking forward to stepping on the court and playing."
(On getting a Galaxy snapback for his collection of hats...)
HOWARD: "I need a Galaxy snapback [hat], I have probably about 150 snapbacks and I need one of those."
