PORSCHE INTRODUCED AS OFFICIAL LUXURY AUTO BRAND OF LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

PORSCHE INTRODUCED AS THE OFFICIAL LUXURY AUTO BRAND OF THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

The Los Angeles Clippers are proud to welcome back Porsche as the official luxury automobile brand of the Clippers 2010-11 season.

A partner of the Clippers during the 2008-09 season, Porsche returns to team up with the Clippers and will have an elevated presence on the club’s television and radio broadcasts while also serving as the official luxury automobile sponsor of the Clippers Foundation Charity Golf Classic presented by Chumash Casino Resort on Oct. 20, 2010.

All participants in the golf tournament will have the opportunity to win a Porsche by sinking a hole-in-one during the Porsche Hole-In-One competition.

Throughout the season, Clippers fans can visit the Porsche Courtside Club during every Clippers home game at STAPLES Center. In addition, Porsche is offering the Preferred Porsche Valet Experience, where the first 12 Porsche owners that sign up at www.clippers.com prior to every Clippers home game win free valet parking at the STAPLES Center Southwest entrance.

Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro is eligible for the Porsche Valet Experience, as the Clips first-year head coach is driving a 2010 Porsche Cayenne.

On Oct. 23rd and 24th Porsche is hosting a driving event at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, where Clipper fans will be able to test-drive Porsche vehicles and ride around a test-track with a Porsche driver. For more information on the Porsche driving event, contact: events.socal@west.porschesponsoredevents.com

The Clippers dropped the first preseason game of the 2010-11 season on Tuesday, Oct. 5, losing 115-86 in Portland to the Trailblazers.

The only place to watch exclusive video of Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro’s post-game comments is on LAC TV at www.clippers.com

To watch Vinny Del Negro’s post-game press conference, click here.

CLIPPERS GET IN SHAPE WITH STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH RICHARD WILLIAMS

Many fans consider training camp the time when athletes prepare for the regular season, but the reality is that the preparation begins many months before official practice even begins. Gone are the days when players could show up at training camp out of shape and work their way back to fitness in the weeks before the season. They must stay in shape during the off-season, and it is up the Clippers Strength & Conditioning Coach Richard Williams to make sure they do just that.

“The first thing we do to get these guys in shape is to get them a nutritionist,” Williams said. “We teach them about eating right.”

However, there is more to staying in shape during the off-season than just eating properly.

“We have all our guys do a V02 max test, which tells us how they should train, cardio- wise,” Williams said. As the team approaches training camp, usually about a month away, the players will start to do more basketball-focused conditioning. “We do plyometrics drills, sprints on the courts, anything to challenge them cardio-wise to help get them in shape for the game”.

While it is important to make sure the Clippers are always in top-shape, Williams has to be sure not to push the players too hard, as well.

“Overtraining them,” Williams said. “You most definitely need to have a plan each day when you work with them so you don’t over train them. That’s the biggest thing so when they go into training camp they are actually prepared and not tired.”

Williams is in his seventh year as the Clippers Strength & Conditioning Coach.

YOUTH IS SERVED THROUGHOUT CLIPPERS ROSTER

With seven rookies on the current training camp roster in addition to the 21-year old Eric Gordon and 22-year old DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers are not lacking in youth.

It is rare for a team to have as many rookies on their roster as the Clippers have going into this season, but all of the players, whether young or old, see it as an opportunity for growth and success.

“We have a lot of potential as a young team,” said Blake Griffin, “The youth is something exciting. I think that will bring a different aspect to the Clippers that they haven’t had for the past few years.”

To read more about the Clippers youth movement, click here.