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Dodgers: Celebrity Fan Shares His One Gripe With the Team Since Their ’88 Championship

Rob Lowe is here to literally fix everything. Ok, by now I’m sure you’re growing tired of seeing me write about what the lifelong Dodgers fan is saying… but I’ll stop writing it when it stops being funny slander on the cheating Astros or, in this case, close enough to an arguable fact.

Recently while on with the guys at Jomboy Media, Lowe shared his thoughts on a key element missing from the LA ballclub for a long time.



Like, since their last championship.

If I had a knock on the Dodgers — and it’s similar to the last time they went to the World Series — if you remember before the ’88 season, they were good but they never really got there. And then they needed a badass to come in and they got [Kirk] Gibson.

By now you know the story. In his first full offseason as general manager, Fred Claire signed free agent outfielder Kirk Gibson to a three-year deal to help a talented but perhaps unmotivated team learn how to be winners. Gibson had been a spearhead in leading the 1984 Detroit Tigers to their first world title in nearly 20 seasons. 

With Los Angeles, Gibby brought his football gridiron intensity to a relaxed Tommy Lasorda led ballclub that lit a fire under the group of misfits. An intensity perhaps missing since then in the eyes of Lowe.

I think the Dodgers always lack a little badassery and a little fire. That’s always their issue. And it’s an LA thing — it’s 100% an LA thing, everybody’s young and they’re cool and they’re great guys. … A little old school badassery goes a long way.

No doubt it’s an interesting take, but it’s definitely arguable. Perhaps an early ’90s Mike Piazza might have fit the bill, but he was shipped to Miami before he could fully mature into a bonafide leader. Kevin Brown in the early ’00s was an intense dude, but he also struggled to stay on the field and was part of mostly bad Dodger teams.

Where do you stand on this narrative? Let us know in the comments below.

NEXT: Rob Lowe Fixes Feud Between Dodgers and Astros

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

6 Comments

  1. It’s a silly take. The ’88 team was exceedingly lucky – perhaps a little magical – and had Hershiser. The ’81 team didn’t have a badass player; they just had a lot of really good players.

    Betts isn’t a badass but sure looks like he puts them over the top.

  2. Kershaw is intense but not vocal. Turner is a good guy. Betts might fit the description of a added team leader as he has won the WS, is a team player and wants to win.
    Betts reportedly was one of the first guys at Spring camp every morning, works hard and he has had team discussions about winning.
    I think it has to be an everyday player as pitchers are a littler removed from the day to day.
    Bellinger is too young. Seager is too introverted. Muncy is just happy to be in the MLB. Pollock is new to the team but has been hurt and does not appear to have the personality for it.

  3. I think the Dodgers always lack a little badassery and a little fire. That’s always their issue. And it’s an LA thing — it’s 100% an LA thing, everybody’s young and they’re cool and they’re great guys. … A little old school badassery goes a long way.

    That should have nothing to do with the sports team though, just because the residents of the surrounding area are like that doesn’t mean players have to be. Either get some real leadership for once that doesn’t tolerate that or go after players who wouldn’t go Hollywood in the first place. I think Lowe is onto something, it’s something I’ve noticed since the 90’s and that was with Lasorda still here, not sure if he lost motivation or if it didn’t work the same way like it did in the 70’s and 80’s. Really started seeing it in the 2000’s and current years. Something about the players they draft and bring in just aren’t that championship type, talented yes.

  4. Badassery? I think they were lacking it for a while. And as I said someone or something had to light a fire under their pants to get them going. Whatever it was I hope it gets better and lasts the rest of the season.

  5. How about Kelly? Throwing behind someone’s head sure sounds badass especially since that team cheated them out of a WS trophy.

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