All Roads Lead To

All Roads Lead To LA

• Al and Jayné Johnson

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LA wins championships, but the deeper story is how it keeps pulling people and whole histories toward it. We’re recording in fall 2020, right after the Lakers take the NBA title and the Dodgers grab the World Series, and we use that “Title Town” moment to ask a bigger question: what makes a place feel like home when teams move, families migrate, and loyalty gets complicated?

We talk sports the way real fans do, through memories, relatives, and the players who made us care. From the Lakers’ roots in Minnesota and the Dodgers’ start in Brooklyn to our ongoing debate about following players versus following teams, we connect fandom to identity. You’ll hear our personal picks and the stories behind them, plus why “not where you start, it’s where you finish” lands as more than a slogan.

Then we go beyond the scoreboard into Los Angeles culture, California migration, and Black Los Angeles history. We share our family’s journey west from Oklahoma and Texas, reflect on the grit behind the California dream, and shout out figures like Tom Bradley. We also get into the LA feel you can’t Google: flying in at night, the street grid, the air, the mountains and beach in one view, plus our must stop at Doolin’s on Crenshaw and the changing reality of gentrification. We wrap with LA TV and movie favorites, our all time Lakers starting five, and a nod to the 1984 LA Olympics.

If you’re into Los Angeles podcast stories that mix sports, history, culture, and real life, hit play, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one LA memory or one team loyalty you’ll never let go of?

Welcome And Why LA

Al

Hi, I'm Al.

Jayné

Hi, I'm Jayné.

Al

And welcome to All Roads Lead To with Al and Jayné. This is episode number two, All Roads Lead to LA. Thanks so much for joining us. And right off the top, we want to say thank you to everyone for your just kind words and all of your support for episode one, All Roads Lead to Delaware.

Jayné

Yes. We just had an outpouring of support and positive feedback. I um heard from a high school classmate that I hadn't connected with in a while who was just, you know, supportive. It was just really, it was great to feel the love. So thanks so much.

Al

So how are you doing today?

Jayné

I am great. I am so ready for this episode. I've been looking forward to it. Talking about LA. I'm ready, got my gear. I'm ready to do this.

Al

For those of

LA Becomes Title Town Again

Al

you who can't see us right now, Jayné is wearing uh purple.

Jayné

Hey.

Al

And I'm wearing blue. And that is because all roads lead to LA right now. LA has once again become Title Town because of the championships, the sports championships that have just taken place in LA. We're recording this episode in the fall of 2020. And recently, the Lakers have won the NBA championship. Congrats to the Lakers. And the Dodgers have won the World Series. And so there are titles that are back in LA. It hasn't happened for a while.

Jayné

It's been a minute.

Al

For both teams, but for the Dodgers for sure.

Jayné

For the Dodgers for the DJs.

Al

Yeah, for the Dodgers for sure, since 1988.

Jayné

That's La Sorda days, yeah.

Al

Since 1988. Wow. That's that's a long time ago. So the Dodgers are uh world champs once again, and hats off to Dave Roberts, the manager of the uh LA Dodgers, for the great job that he's done, one of the co-owners of the Dodgers, also Ervin Magic Johnson as well.

Jayné

Yeah.

Al

And maybe we can talk about this later. And now you realize that Magic has won an NBA championship as a player and as an owner. He's also won a championship as an owner of the LA Sparks. I believe he has also, if I'm not mistaken, yeah, he's won a college championship as well.

Jayné

With Michigan State.

Al

With Michigan State. So congrats and hats off to Ervin Magic Johnson.

Jayné

All right. I mean, yeah, Magic is a man. It's interesting when I look at this, you know, shifting with the Lakers. Is our family? I grew up with my grandfather watching the Dodgers. He was in his chair. I was sitting at his feet watching the Dodgers play in the summer. No AC in the house and in uh the valley in San Bernardino, nice and nice and hot. But we, you know, that's really the early foundation of sports. And the Lakers were, you know, were just must see TV always. And I think though, you know, at the time when we were watching, it was Lou Alcinder, was you know often how he referred to Kareem, and Magic was like coming in and, you know, kind of coming in on Kareem's team. And so we look at it later on when it's Magic's team, and then later with Kobe and Shaq. And so it's been an interesting, you know, role that I've watched with the different, you know, Laker teams. But there is something about Showtime. That Showtime Lakers with Magic was amazing time. And he's he's one of my absolute favorites.

Teams That Started Somewhere Else

Al

You know, when I think about LA, when I think about the sports teams, when I think about our life and life in general, kind of the saying comes to my mind, it's not where you start, it's where you finish.

Jayné

Okay.

Al

Because if you and a lot of other people out there do know that the Lakers did not start in LA.

Jayné

Yeah, you you you were the first Lakers.

Al

They started in Minnesota. They were actually the Minneapolis Lakers, kind of for Minnesota, the land of the 10,000 Lakes.

Jayné

Wow.

Al

And we know that the Dodgers did not begin in LA, they began in Brooklyn.

Jayné

Mm-hmm. Right, right.

Al

Uh and were brought to LA by the O'Malley family. So it's not about where you start, it's where you finish, and all roads led to LA. So one of the things that Jayné and I have kind of talked about, and we've kind of gone back and forth and matched this up over the years, and even from our earliest days, from our earliest conversations. One of the things, you know, you're talking to somebody, trying to get to know them, find out information about them, who you, who you, who do you like, who you what's your preference for this or that or the other. And one of the things I asked, I said, well, who who's your team? Who's your team?

Jayné

And I said, I have players, not teams.

Al

And that that's and that's that's where it got interesting. I said, I said, you follow players and not team. I said, you gotta have a team.

Jayné

And I mean you challenge me on this, but case in point, I think one of the great examples is my player, football player, was Ronnie Lott. That's that was that was my guy. He was born, I think, in New Brun, New Mexico, in Albuquerque, but he went to high school, Eisenhower High in Rialto. He played against my cousin and the arch rival and the San G team. And so, you know, by all accounts, all that matter, my cousin Mark, you know, taught him a thing or two. Yes. And so we, you know, followed him. We forgave him for becoming a Trojan and not a Bruin. Um, but then he went to the 49ers. So I started to watch that team, but I watched because of Ronnie Lott. And so, I mean, he's a Hall of Famer, amazing. And then joined up with like Roger Craig, who became one of my favorite backs, the first to ever have a thousand receiving and reception yards. I always loved John Taylor. Like, I feel like he got overshadowed by Jerry Rice, but I mean, you throw it anywhere in his direction, and it was six. Delaware State University, great by the way. Always lead to Delaware. That's right. HBCU, love him. And then Joe Montana. I feel like, you know, in these later conversations or the conversation we're having now about Brady and the six rings, but Joe Montana's four rings with that squad could have taken to me Brady's, you know, Patriot team any day. I feel like Joe Montana was just clutch, always consistent. You want his want him with the ball when the game is on the line, and at the helm was classy, cool Bill Walsh. So that that was my, I mean, I that was my team because of Ronnie Locke.

Al

So because of Ronnie Locke. That's right. We owe it all to Ronnie.

Jayné

That's it. That's it. So this.

Al

Okay, so let's talk about this. If

Players Over Teams And Fandom

Al

you were to give a rundown, just baseball, football, basketball, who would be your teammates?

Jayné

Okay. Baseball was never a love of mine. My grandfather, I think, and like you said, many, I think, because of the integration of baseball through Jackie Robinson, I think like a lot of people follow the Dodgers from Brooklyn, um, you know, to LA. So I grew up watching them. I kind of appreciated them, I think, for that. I really think so. I would say they were my baseball team, but I felt like I I really enjoyed watching baseball the most when Ricky Henderson was playing for the A's. I just love the Steals. And I love, I love tracking the running aspect of, you know, that. So that was really great for me. We could talk about that more. But okay, so I would say the Dodgers, basketball, definitely Lakers, Sparks, football would be the Niners.

Al

Football would be the Niners. Okay, okay. I'll start with basketball. Basketball for me, I'm Dr. J, Charles Barkley era Sixers fan. My grandmother, my mother's mother, brought me a Radio Shack radio, and it was in the form of a dog. And for Christmas one year, and I would put that on my bed and pretend like I was sleeping, but I was actually listening to Sixers games at night. That's blessing. I remember also my cousin, my cousin Dwayne had a picture of the 83 Sixers team, which I think is one of the best teams ever. I mean, Dr. J, Moses Malone, Andrew Tony, Bobby Jones, I mean, uh, those guys were just out of this world. Still one of the best teams ever. Uh, Dwayne had a picture of that team right by his door in his room. So I love that era of Sixers and on through when Barkley came in. Baseball, I am a New York Mets guy.

Jayné

Okay.

Al

New York Mets.

Jayné

From Billy to New York.

Al

Well, yeah, yeah. I love the Mets. Here's why. In 86, before the World Series, and we'll get to that in a second, the Mets played the Houston Astros for the National League Championship. And there was one game that went just extra, extra, extra innings. And Daryl Strawberry hit this home run that I believe clenched the game for them. And there was this picture for Houston, Mike Scott. I mean, he had a fastball that was just amazing. And the the Mets were just going back and forth with them, but eventually the Mets uh ended up winning. Uh also during that year, talking about all roads lead to LA, the Boston Red Sox were playing the California Angels, based out of Anaheim, LA market team, for the American League Championship. And there we were going back and forth on that. So it ends up being the Mets and the Red Sox that meet in the World Series in '86. So many people know the story, but for those of you who don't, the Boston Red Sox are up. They're about to win the fourth game to go ahead and win the World Series. All of a sudden, Mookie Wilson is at the plate. He hits a simple, uh ground ball towards the first base side, and Bill Buckner is there, and the ball goes right through his leg. The Mets end up coming back to win that game and end up winning the next game to win the World Series. And so I'm a Mets guy because of that, really. And so in 88, the Mets and the Dodgers actually met in the National League Championship Series. They played in the playoffs then. And so I'm a Mets guy. All right, here we go. NFL football.

Jayné

NFL.

Al

When it comes to NFL football, come on, sit back and get ready, because this is about to be around it. When it comes to NFL football, I am a Washington NFL football fan. I have been since 1982. All right? Since 1982. When Joe Gibbs was the coach.

Jayné

Glory days.

Al

When Joe Theisman was the quarterback, when Art Monk was the wide receiver. Can I say it? Shall I go on? Shall I go on? I mean, when John Riggins was the running back. I mean, when the Hogs were the Hogs. I mean, when RFK was the place to be. I mean, I mean, y'all, I mean, especially to live in that area as we did during that time. I mean, it was it was everything. And the truth of the matter is, you were either a Washington fan or you were a Dallas fan. So many people in the area, they were Dallas fans, but we're not talking about them right now. We, our family actually knew people who worked for the police department in Washington, D.C. And they said that crime would go down whenever NFL football. Loyal. Whenever the home team was playing on TV. They would they said that crime would go down in Washington, D.C. So this team was not only doing so much good on the football field, they were doing a service to the community as well.

Jayné

So no shout out to Doug Williams.

Al

Doug Williams. Oh, come on, Doug Williams. I remember the Super Bowl when Doug Williams went down and twisted his ankle or twisted his knee. Man, I I went into prayer. I mean, right then. And there. They're playing the Denver Broncos for in the Super Bowl. And they had already gone up and made a quick strike. And Denver was already up. And I was like, oh boy, here we go again. And then Doug Williams goes down. Man, I went into I went into prayer.

Jayné

That's what got him through.

Al

It was your prayers of the well, hey, that and I'm sure they shot him up with a couple of things. So prayer and medicine does work. So yeah, Doug Doug, oh man, Love Doug. Love Doug. And that was the 87 championship in 1991. I'm in high school then. And we're playing the Buffalo Bills for the Super Bowl, which actually took place, kind of six degrees of separation. That uh Super Bowl actually took place in Minneapolis. And we talked about how the Lakers came from Minneapolis to LA. That Super Bowl was in Minnesota that year. My parents let me have a Super Bowl party. A couple of my friends who I will not name, but I'm sure they are listening in some way, form, or fashion right now. They came over the house and they brought, and I could not believe this. I I could not I I just to think of it even now, I cannot believe this. They brought a Buffalo Bills cake. Bruce Smith Ants. To our house, knowing what kind of fan I am.

Jayné

Right, right. Disrespect.

Al

I instantly got a knife and started cutting that thing. And but that thing did not did not survive. I mean, you know, sometimes usually your parents are like, no, no, no. They they they really didn't they really didn't stop me for that. So that's what kind of fan I am. But you gotta have a team.

Jayné

I I hear you. I mean, I think you've challenged me on that. And I I get it that when you endure the losses, it makes the wind sweeter. And, you know, having a team is crucial. We have adopted the Reds, the Washington team is our family team. We've adopted them. Yeah. They've been a little hard to love, but we've adopted them. I completely agree. I think for me, on some level, our home base shifted. I mean, I was born in California, but we moved east, and we can kind of talk about that story.

Al

Okay.

Jayné

And so my dad was, you know, coming from Western PA. He was diehard, all things Pittsburgh, Penguins, Pirates, Steelers. And so there was definitely the Steeler influence in the home and, you know, Pittsburgh teams. He's big with ice hockey. And I think I yeah, I think I actually didn't really appreciate at the time, but ended up playing field hockey and probably was some of the influence from his ice hockey watching and discussion. But I guess the true backstory is when we were in high school, every team got to wear their way jersey. And you could wear it during the day, but I was running track, and so we really didn't have a jersey. So I was by senior year, I was like, I want to wear a jersey. So I wanted to wear a cute skirt, and I wasn't gonna be a cheerleader on the pep squad. The field hockey team has skirts. So I was like, hey, that's my sport. Okay. But I really grew to love it and would have loved to have played earlier on. But yeah, so I agree. I think what my home base shifted, but the people were what kind of kept me grounded. So I think in a lot of ways I have responded to the players and not teams. I guess I haven't had that team loyalty of being in one location or having a family team. So I think I did gravitate more to the players.

Al

Yeah, okay.

Family Migration And California Grit

Al

So it's it's the players. And really, when we talk about players, it's about the people. And when we think about people, especially LA, there is really a great story, a backstory that's kind of there of migration that took place uh there. And it really is embodied in our family story that we've now merged together, but especially with the part of the family story that that comes from your side of the family in getting there, California.

Jayné

Yeah, absolutely. My grandparents, our maternal grandparents, hail from Oklahoma and Texas by way of really Alabama and Georgia. My grandfather grew up in Texas, my grandmother grew up in Oklahoma, and they brought their budding, growing family from Oklahoma to California. I mean, that's like, you know, over 1,500 miles for a better way of life. And they wanted to raise their children, you know, in a place where they had more opportunities than they had growing up. And I really feel that that's in the DNA of California. So many times I think we talk about, you know, the southern to northern migration or, you know, people moving from one, you know, rural areas to industrial areas. But when you really look, there is a such a story of migration that goes from Midwest, South to West. And, you know, I think sometimes we focus on like the Steinback Grapes of Wrath, you know, that story. But there's a story of black folks, people like my family who travel, they left everything that they knew, everything that was familiar, their home base, their family support, and and you know, took took a leap and really took a um risk. And it was really a courageous move and uh a forward-thinking, a progressive move to, you know, to try and start in a place where they felt they had more opportunity. And I think that's in the DNA of LA, of California, because when you really think of it, there was no Plymouth, there was no Mayflower that landed in the Pacific. There was no ships that survived the Middle Passage that came to the Pacific. People who came to California, they came by choice.

Al

Yeah.

Jayné

You know, you have the unfortunate with natives whose land was invaded and seized, you have internment, you have forced and exploitive labor. But the majority of folks who came came by choice. And we often talk about, you know, immigration from the southern border. And there's a lot of similarities to those stories and the stories of those who migrated from the South and from the West and the hardships and, you know, the risk that they took. And so there's a courage, there's a grit, there's a grind in the California soil. And, you know, often people say it's, you know, you kind of you've I've heard it all of being laid back and carefree. And but there, I see it to be something more. And I think there's something liberating when you step out and you know, you're you're living in your purpose or you're living in a in a desire or a dream, and you're kind of elevating to move beyond. And I think that is really something that you still sense, people who are chasing dreams. And that often, you know, you put the work in in the dark when people don't see. Um, you're grinding, you're sacrificing. But there is a temerity and a strength. And I saw that in my uncles and my aunts. I saw it in my grandfather, I see it in my mom. I mean, I believe that's in the California, that's the part of the California spirit. And what I love so much about the people of LA and I love about Southern California.

Al

There's a book by Isabel Wilkerson, and we'll put it in the show notes. It's called The Warmth of Other Sons. In the warmth of other sons, Isabel Wilkerson does an amazing job of talking about black migration from the south to the north. And I believe the same principles apply to everything going west. And so, again, as we said before, it's not always where you start, it's where you finish. And so we're gonna come with the second half of our show today, uh, right after the break. So please stay tuned. T hanks

Flying Into LA And Loving It

Al

for hanging around, Al. And this is All Roads Lead to with Al and Jayné. All roads lead to LA. Now we're gonna talk about some of the people, the places, and the passions that have really impacted us about LA. And one of the reasons why we love LA. I I'm gonna start by saying I just love LA. I love when we fly into LA.

Jayné

Yes.

Al

And especially at night when we get a chance to see. I love looking out the window in the airplane and seeing the grid. It's just the all the streets are lined in a perfect grid. I mean, there's no going off to the left, to the right. It seems like everything is just in a straight line. I love seeing that, especially at night when we fly into LA.

Jayné

It's an impressive view. I love just the California air. I love, I mean, there is smog and that sort of thing, you feel, but I feel like particularly when we fly into Ontario, for me, there's a sweetness in the air. Ontario is kind of like our our secret airport kind of thing where we like to kind of slip in because it's easy kind of in and out. But just even especially early mornings, California sunsets, nothing like it, but there's a sweetness in the air, and I just love the majesty of the mountains and being on the beach and just having that that view is just one of my favorite. One of my favorite views in all of the country, all of the world, really, for me. It's just that it's that combination of palm trees, the majesty of the mountains, and and the beaches. But I I love LA. I love the people. We talked about that some before, and I think about um even some of my early influences. I loved the athletic divas of people like Florence Griffith Joyner. She was one of my absolute favorite, like sheros. And one of my I think track influences, watching UCL Bruin, UCLA Bruins track, loved her. Evelyn Ashford was one of my favorites. She reminded me a lot of my mom. She's just kind of like powerful, runner, consistent, petite, you know, always just always encounter on her, just one of my favorites. And so I just love, I just love the the combination for me and LA. It's like of the beauty of that California melanin, but also I think just there's a there's a there is still that grind and that grit. And I think that combination to me is just always been, and whether it was Jayne Kennedy or you know, Diahann Carroll, you know, there's just so many examples to me of just that the black diva. I think we grew up, at least when I was on the East Coast, so many people were familiar with like the Malibu beauties in a sense. But there is, you know, there's a beauty to me of Black LA that I love. So I love the people, I love the food.

Food Memories And Doolin’s On Crenshaw

Jayné

To me, it's like a fusion. I think that's become more of a thing now where you're mixing different types and styles of food. I feel like I grew up kind of with a fusion. It was like soul food and text mix.

Al

Wow.

Jayné

I mean, my mom would make chili rellano, she'd make tostadas, she would do enchiladas, but we would have, you know, cornbread. Sometimes she would do cornbread with little like chili peppers and tomatoes and corn, actual whole corn in the cornbread, and then she would make southern style cornbread. So it was Definitely like fusion food food, I think a lot growing up. But I love Tex-Mex. I love Soul Food. Holly, you know, just the whole nine. But I just I love the food in LA. And one of our favorite restaurants.

Al

Dulans

Jayné

Yes. Gotta make that stop.

Al

Gotta make that Dulans stop. Gotta gotta go to Dulans. Dulans Dulans is the place. Yeah. I'm telling you. People talk about other places, and we're not there to talk down any other place.

Jayné

And the one in South LA. That that location.

Al

Dulans on Crenshaw. Dulans on Crenshaw. That is the place to go. We were in LA a couple of years ago. It was actually my birthday weekend. And somebody told us about Dulans, said you gotta go there. Gotta go there. You have to go there.

Jayné

We've done Roscoe's and other places.

Al

We've done a couple of other places. That was our spot for a while.

Jayné

Yeah, sure.

Al

Somebody said, no, you gotta try Dulans. So we went to Dulans on my birthday and actually happened to meet the owner of the restaurant. And we were talking. We didn't know who he was. He didn't know who we were. Ended up, there were so many things that we had in common. He lived for a while close to where we lived in New Jersey. There's certain people that we knew. We actually know people he's related to. So Dulans if you want a good meal. So I mean, we have literally gotten off the plane and gone straight to Dulans. That's how that is absolutely how good. Now, that is the absolute truth. Dulans on Crenshaw.

Jayné

That's right.

Al

That is the place to go. That's one of the places we love in LA.

Jayné

It's hurt me to see that area changing so much.

Al

It is.

Jayné

The stadium's coming in, and that area is really gentrifying. I guess that's another, another full topic for another day, but it is, it does hurt to see the community really seeming to be shifting, and there's a lot of just changes that are coming as that area is becoming developed and kind of a prize in a sense now for developers. And it's it seems to be really affecting just that the culture and the you know the community that's been there for so long.

Al

It is, it is, and we see it, especially the past couple times we've gone right to Dulans. There's I guess a transit line.

Jayné

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

The Grove And Changing Neighborhoods

Al

Our other place in LA, I just love this place. It's the Grove.

Jayné

Hey.

Al

The Grove. I mean, like every time we go to LA, we got to go to the Grove. The Grove is it's it's for people to give somebody to relate to. It's like an outdoor mall, but it's an outdoor mall, LA style. It's it's a total thing. Like you said, it's an experience all in and of itself. The Grove is situated right between, right behind CBS television studio. So where they do the prices right. Let's make a deal. The young and the restless. Yeah. Literally right. Y NR. Yeah, yeah. We I guess we can talk about our YR maybe one day. Right behind there, that is the Grove. And it is right on the other side of it, is like a farmer's market.

Jayné

Right, right.

Al

The Grove is just a cool place to go. I just like hanging out there. I like, I mean, they don't have there, there, you won't find there, I should say, many stores that you won't find any other place or certain other places, maybe for some people, but it is just a nice place to go and hang out. A lot of music. Sometimes there are live shows that are there. Yeah, you'll catch your occasional celebrity sighting there every once in a while, I guess. I don't can't think of anybody who we've seen in particular that I'm sure there has been. But uh the Grove is just it's just a great place to go. I really love the Grove.

Jayné

The Grove is special. It is. And it's just, it is, I think it typifies LA. It's just, you know, there's lots of outdoor beauty. You get, you never, it's never the same. Every time we go, there's something different, great places to eat, a lot of outdoor eating. It's just it's a great place to hang out. It's a great place to shop. It's a great place to to spend time. Love, love the grove.

Al

Yeah.

Tom Bradley And Black LA Power

Al

I want to talk about the uh just go back real quick. I know you talked about a couple of the people. One person in particular that kind of embodies LA to me is uh when I think about the person of Mayor Tom Bradley, who was the first black mayor of LA, who ran for governor uh once, and that's where we get the political science term called the Bradley effect. And that's where a lot of people, uh, when he was running for governor against uh George Deuk mejian, they would answer the poll question and say, Yeah, we're gonna vote for uh Tom Bradley. But when they actually got to the polls, they actually voted for George Deukmejian. But Mayor Bradley was a uh, I mean, just a strong and a towering figure in LA uh politics and really was a part of the second wave of black mayors that took place, Tom Bradley, Harold Washington, and uh people of that era really kind of impact and flu. So when I think of LA people, uh I think of Mayor Bradley.

Jayné

Absolutely. So we can't talk about LA without talking about some form of Hollywood shows, movies, what you got for sure.

LA Shows And Movies We Rewatch

Al

So those are I now I I'm a TV guy, and so TV is one of my passions. And so let's talk about some of our favorite LA themed or LA-based shows. All right, uh, ladies first.

Jayné

LA Law.

Al

LA Law.

Jayné

Yes, that was one of my favorites. Blair Underwood and the crew. That was one of mine. I just enjoyed that show. That's that's definitely up there for me.

Al

Okay. You want to go down your list or you want to go back and forth? Okay, I'll give you a few others. I think you have a lot more than I do. I think I grew up watching Beverly Hills 90210. Yes, yes. That was Luke Perry. You know, sad to see him departed, but that was one of my favorite, favorite shows. I enjoyed a little known show. It didn't get as much airtime as I think it deserved. The City of Angels was a great med show. Like private practice, kind of that spinoff of Gray's Anatomy. Yeah. I'm really enjoying that. One of my favorite, my kind of guilty pleasures right now, which gives great homage to LA, is Insecure. Okay. Love it, love it. Issa Rae. So that those are some of my, those are something that come to mind. All right, when it comes to LA TV shows for me, all right. I'm a 90210 guy as well. And one of the reasons why, because they were a high school class of 93 and a college 97 class, just like me.

Jayné

Okay, fine.

Al

Um, so all the guys on there. So I kind of followed that show as well. The Brady Bunch. Here's the story of a lovely lady. I mean, they were they were an LA based family. Love, love the Brady Bunch. Another show that I just I mean, I I went all in, especially during the early era of it. Towards the end, it kind of got a little uh murky and everything. But CHIPs. Pounch and John. I mean, I love chips. I mean, seeing them come out there on the highway, I mean, and chase people down and all the situations they were getting there. Uh, chips was a great show, great theme song, as a uh, by the way. Uh as well. Another LA-based show, uh, The White Shadow.

Jayné

Okay, okay.

Al

Now you gotta be you gotta be a real one to know about the White Shadow. All right. Uh The White Shadow was about a uh white teacher that became an ex-basketball player. He, I guess he had played for the Bulls, and became uh the basketball coach at an LA high school. And I I love the White Shadow, another great theme song, by the way. Then we go to What's Happening!!. Ah What's Happening!! with the two exclamation points at the end of what's happening? All right, what's happening? I mean, Raj, Rerun, Dwayne, Dee, Mama, Shirley. I mean, what's happening is what's happening. I mean, what's happening is it. What's Happening!! is uh a great show. I mean, the great episodes of uh what's happening, the uh the Gibbons kids, when they went on the Gong Show, Rerun when he tried to be a page at ABC, The Talent Show, which ended up being the last uh aired episode of What's Happening!!. So many others. I could go on and I mean, oh, the Doobie Brothers. I mean, how can I forget the Doobie Brothers episode? I mean, the two uh Doobie Brothers episodes, those were that was it. And again, what's happening was actually a spin-off of the movie Cooley High.

Jayné

Ah, that was a good movie.

Al

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was kind of uh what What's Happening!! was supposed to be. All right, and I guess I'll wrap up the TV-based TV shows based in LA with one of the goats. All right. Are you ready?

Jayné

I'm ready.

Al

Should I do the song?

Jayné

Hey, that's my dad's favorite.

Al

Doom doom doom doom doom. Sanford and Son.

Jayné

Redd Fox. My Dad loves it.

Al

Sanford and Son. I mean, come on. How does it get any better than that? I mean, come on. That's Fred Sanford, S-A-N-F-O-R-D, period. Come on, Fred Sanford, Lamont, Grady, Bubba, Aunt Esther.

Jayné

Aunt Esther.

Al

Woody. I mean, come on. Grady, Grady, good, googly goo. Yeah. I mean, Sanford and Son is is just Samford and Son is it. Sanford and Son is it. I mean, the comedy that was on there. We can talk about that, and that's probably another whole nother show right there. But yeah, when I talk about, when I think about my favorite LA-based or LA themed shows, Sanford and Sun is right there with the rest of them.

Jayné

I have to say, I just came to mind. I was thinking about the Jackson family. I feel like that really gave a really interesting take. Talking about the Jackson family coming from Gary to um to Cali. I think that was a really gave a lot of insight on California at that time.

Al

Yes.

Jayné

Another one of my, this is this isn't shows, but one of my favorite movies that I feel like is LA based is Love and Basketball.

Al

Okay. Yeah.

Jayné

One of my favorites. Yeah. And I was thinking when we're talking about South Central Boys in the Hood, that really was a period piece.

Al

A classic John Singleton.

Jayné

Yeah.

Al

John Singleton classic.

Jayné

There's so many more. Those just kind of tip the iceberg.

Al

It does. It does. It does. So it's

Our All Time Lakers Starting Five

Al

not where you start, it's where you finish. And we're gonna finish off today's episode, All Roads Lead to LA, talking about LA NBA basketball on the Lakers side of things, even though the Clippers there. And you know, the thing about it is, right before we close, the Clippers did not start in LA. They started in San Diego.

Jayné

True, true, true.

Al

And the Rams did not start in LA. Even when they were there, they started in Cleveland.

Jayné

Yes. And the Raiders have been journeymen.

Al

The Raiders, they started in Oakland, came to LA, and went back to Oakland. Now they're in Vegas. So but we're going to start off, I should say, end off today with our uh all-time starting five for the Lakers.

Jayné

And at guard, from Michigan State.

Al

Okay.

Jayné

Hailing from Lansing, Michigan.

Al

Yeah.

Jayné

Ervin Magic Johnson.

Al

Okay.

Jayné

And shooting guard, gotta go with Kobe Bean Bryant all the way. Small forward for me is my favorite target. Love Michael Jordan, but James Worthy. That's that's who I'm going with for small forward. Power forward, I'm gonna go with pal. And center is the April baby. Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Going with him for center.

Al

Okay.

Jayné

There's definitely some just old school centers that definitely could rival that. I think same thing for shooting guard. You could go with Jerry West. Love him. He's a logo. He is all Lakers. But I think that's that's that's my squad.

Al

Okay. Do you consider Shaq a Laker?

Jayné

That's a good one. I I'm I'm I could see those who do, but for me, he's still he's Orlando. Like I just still see him. I think his best playing days, he was in the best shape when he was playing with Penny Hardaway. Penny Hardaway. Like that team to me, that that's I mean, but I I mean I know a lot of people claim him. I he's kind of like an honorary Laker for me.

Al

All right. For me, point guard, there's some people who would say Gail Goodrich, and I would not get in too long of an argument with him, but there's nobody like Magic. So I'll I'll go with you there. All right. As far as number two guard, it's gotta be Jerry West. He is the logo, like you said. He was the Lakers. I mean, through all of this time, coming from West Virginia to Los Angeles, his story, just amazing. But a great player as well. And as we found out with the unfortunate death of Kobe Bryant, a great person and a great father figure, Kobe Bryant.

Jayné

Yes.

Al

As well. At forward number one, I'm gonna go with Elgin Baylor. I mean, you cannot deny this man's stats that were there. And uh before he went into Clipperdom for a good little while, he was he was a part of the hardened, really part of the heart and soul of the Lakers, especially during those 60s years and that run they made there. Uh, other forward, I'll go with James Worthy. Can't argue with him there. As far as center is concerned, I'm gonna go with uh number 13, Wilton Norman Chamberlain.

Jayné

All right.

Al

All right, all-time. I know people are gonna argue by the time he got to the Lakers, he was out of gas, but they don't get those championships that they did without him, which makes him all-timer. And he he had some pretty good contributions as a member of the team. So that is our starting five. All roads lead to LA. And as a matter of fact, I was thinking about this. Not only did the Lakers and the Dodgers come from other places to LA, the Clippers came from San Diego to LA.

Jayné

Sure, sure.

Al

And the Rams, they came when they were playing there the first time. They came from Cleveland to LA. And we know the Raiders have been up and down I-5, yeah, going from Oakland to LA to back to Oakland and now to Vegas. One

The 1984 LA Olympics And Closing

Al

thing we didn't talk about really was the impact of the 84 Olympics in LA.

Jayné

Yes.

Al

That was pretty, pretty big.

Jayné

Yes, yeah.

Al

I don't know about you, but I remember the LA Coliseum. I remember when we went there, when we went to LA Moses, yeah, we went to the Coliseum. That was just like wow. It was one of those bucket list moments for me at least. Absolutely. I remember pulling out the TV guide and seeing the schedule of what would come on TV for the 84 Olympics. Absolutely.

Jayné

That was an all-American. Like, I mean, we just swept so many different sports on with the Mary Lou Retton with the gymnastics, so much. Yeah, that was that was Carl Lewis with track. I mean, that I mean, yeah.

Al

I remember the opening ceremony. My parents explained to me about the man who actually helped to light the torch was Rafer Johnson, and explained about him and uh what he meant, and more I looked up his life and what he had done. Just quite an amazing uh story. But the the 84 LA Olympics, major, major influence, at least for me, it really impacted me on the role of life.

Jayné

Absolutely. That was, yeah, I mean, there was summer was blocked off, and yeah, that was all all in. The shout out to Michael Cooper. That was one of my my players with the like honorary with the Lakers Coop.

Al

Yeah.

Jayné

And I mean, I don't think we can say without like you know, LA Sparks, Lisa Leslie, we definitely need to do. We'll probably hopefully talk a little bit more about sports and just the emergence.

Al

Remember the time we saw her at the airport in LA?

Jayné

LA, excellent.

Al

She was uh, I guess getting off of a plane and was waiting for her luggage and everything. Kind of did a little paparazzi thing. We did, we did.

Jayné

She's a great absolutely.

Al

Well, thanks again for joining us for All Roads Lead To with Al and Jayné. We will catch you next time.