Article ripping Kobe and Praising Lebron - Page 4

andyfox · #31 06-05-2007, 11:44 AM

And when he'd miss, he'd miss so the rebound would get to his teammates for an easy basket. So many of today's players miss so that the other team gets the rebound.

Aloysius · #32 06-05-2007, 01:12 PM

KKF:

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"His teammates hate him and no one plays their hearts out cuz their best player doesn't respect them."

This says alot more about this teammates then it does about him. Shouldnt they be playing their hearts out regardless? Oh wait, its Kobe's fault that they are lazy? Come on man, he might be a d-ick and he might need to work on having a better personality, but I dont think there is anyone in the NBA who wants to win or gives more then he does on the floor. This alone, should be enough for his teammates.

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Completely agree - these are grown men and professional athletes who get paid millions to execute. I'm sure Kobe is a complete tool, but 1) there are plenty of reports of Kobe taking players under his wing and diligently working out with them, e.g. Caron Butler, Devean George; 2) there is a concept known as "leading by example", and no one can dispute that Kobe is one of the most driven, ambitious players in the League.

Also - what exactly is the measurable, incremental boost Kobe gives his teammates by being a better off-the-court leader? He can actually give Smush more confidence and make him a better player?

I saw a ton of Laker games this past season, and on court, he adjusted his game quite a bit during points in the season, and acted as a facilitator / distributor in the same ways Lebron is being praised for.

-Al

gusmahler · #33 06-05-2007, 01:19 PM

The articles aren't fair to Kobe. Kobe had to face the Phoenix Suns in the first round. Lebron had to face Washington--without Agent Zero.

And for the comment that Kobe's teammates are better than Gibson--have they seen Smush Parker play? Or Luke Walton? Or Kwame Brown? They aren't exactly Kareem, Worthy, and Scott.

Aloysius · #34 06-05-2007, 01:24 PM

Gus - alot of the Kobe criticism is invalid, imo, because it does not correctly value the strengths of Kobe's teammates.

They are just not very good at all.

-Al

kidcolin · #35 06-05-2007, 01:26 PM

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Come on man, he might be a d-ick and he might need to work on having a better personality, but I dont think there is anyone in the NBA who wants to win or gives more then he does on the floor.

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2006 first round, game 7 calls.

Aloysius · #36 06-05-2007, 01:44 PM

KC - haha, that's gonna haunt him for the rest of his career... isn't it? To be fair, if I had to wake up every day and suit up next to Smush, I'd prolly lose it at some point also.

-Al

Max Raker · #37 06-05-2007, 01:47 PM

Sports writers are so results based. I remember at the all star break how simmons and others where calling out Lebron for mailing in games and not finishing. The cavs then get one of the easiest roads to the finals ever and now he is a god. I think Kobe could make it to the finals with a [censored] team in the east also.

xxThe_Lebowskixx · #38 06-05-2007, 09:20 PM

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It seems much more likley to me the Lakers wanted to get rid of Shaq and then they and the media put the blame on Kobe.

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why would the Lakers want a bad name for their superstar? I'm sure they can find a way to do it without blaming it on kobe.

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Well, the Lakers did get absolutely thrashed by the Pistons in the finals inwhich O'Neal was horrible and barely getting up and down the court. I dont think its that unlikely the Lakers organization wanted to get rid of him. He also averaged 22 points that season, which was the lowest of his career. And again, if Kobe had that much power over the Lakers, why havent they brought in another player at his request?

gusmahler · #39 06-05-2007, 09:26 PM

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Sports writers are so results based. I remember at the all star break how simmons and others where calling out Lebron for mailing in games and not finishing. The cavs then get one of the easiest roads to the finals ever and now he is a god. I think Kobe could make it to the finals with a [censored] team in the east also.

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To defend Simmons, his stance on Lebron hasn't changed--he thinks Lebron can be among the best ever, but hadn't shown the will to be the best ever . . . until Game 5.

kidcolin · #40 06-05-2007, 09:30 PM

He averaged 27/11 in the Finals. So yeah, he was horrible, ON OPPOSITE DAY.

I do agree that the Buss just didn't want Shaq back for the kind of money he'd have to lock up in a long contract for a guy who was showing signs of not being SHAQ DIESEL anymore and who's dedication to fitness was suspect. I'm sure the infighting between Kobe and Shaq didn't help Shaq's cause, though.