<div class="quote_poster">Quoting illmatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Shape, I was thinking about it, I don't even think he'll be allowed in the building. Artest, for example, wasn't allowed to be there at the Indiana games when he was suspended, no?</div> You might be right, but I think Artest's situation was different. Artest was basically kicked out of the league for a year. Maybe it's better if Kobe does stay away because he needs to get his mind right with this time off. I don't think watching the Lakers run the Tri without him is going to be good for his current anger management issues. I wonder if the league got to the part of the game where Kobe busted open and bleeding?
Speaking of Artest, I just think kobe is trying to prove to Artist that he is really " Welcomed with open arms. " Bottomline Kobe deserved it. I think the league just got sick of BSPN reporting Kobe's comments so they have decided to suspend Kobe.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">The suspension is warranted, but the league has to be consistent with these rulings. If Kobe is getting suspended for his elbow then the league needs to suspend Josh Howard, Mike Miller, Dwyane Wade, and anyone else who's throwing intentional elbows. How about the elbow Shaq gave Kwame in his throat in the XMas game? Not only was Shaq's elbow intentional, it was also very dangerous. I'm sure his arm weighs a good 30lbs, so imagine getting hit in the throat with a 30lb dumbell. It's not right for the league to single out players and turn the other way on everyone else. The league has to go back and review what lead up to the elbows and then hand out the suspensions accordingly. Kobe probably deserves an extra game suspension, so slap him with two, and slap Miller with one.</div> Shaq probably deserves a suspension for what he was doing to Mutumbo in the finals. I saw Mike Miller's elbow hitting Kobe multiple times and it seems accidental, so I don't think it merits a suspension. Josh Howard probably deserved a suspension, he seems like a young guy who would be foolish enough to take things into his own hands. Although Howard probably deserved it, Kobe's foul was obviously intended.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SkiptoMyLue11:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq probably deserves a suspension for what he was doing to Mutumbo in the finals. I saw Mike Miller's elbow hitting Kobe multiple times and it seems accidental, so I don't think it merits a suspension. Josh Howard probably deserved a suspension, he seems like a young guy who would be foolish enough to take things into his own hands. Although Howard probably deserved it, Kobe's foul was obviously intended.</div> That foul was intentional by Josh Howard and a lot more vicious than what Kobe did to Miller. I agree Kobe does deserve to be suspended for his elbow, but the league has to be consistent with these decisions. Also Kobe was only given a flagrant 1 by the refs. If they felt he was out to injure a player, Kobe would have been ejected immediately.
I actually have to disagree with your argument Shape. In the article I read, Phil Jackson stated that Kobe's post game comments played a role in the suspension. Josh Howard, Dwyane Wade and Mike Miller didn't come out after the game and say that they were "trying to protect our home court of Hollywood and send a message that we are the only ones allowed to be flaunt in front of the camera". Also, Kobe admits that he didn't believe Miller's hit was intentional based on game footage, so there is no reason to claim that Miller should be suspended. Not to mention that fact that just a couple days ago Kobe broke a camera or tv or whatever it was. Players who constantly show that they can't control their temper get unfair attention from the refs. By no means is Danny Fortson in the same league as Kobe, but it's the same concept. He has a target on his back because he is always fouling people hard and losing his temper. It's insane how you guys support Kobe through everything that he does wrong. Avery brought up a great point, AI never retaliates. He gets banged up more than anyone in the league aside of Shaq. Remember when Karl Malone elbowed Steve Nash in the face? Nash didn't do anything back. This forum will justify the actions of any player that is wearing purple and gold, and it's ridiculous.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">I actually have to disagree with your argument Shape. In the article I read, Phil Jackson stated that Kobe's post game comments played a role in the suspension. Josh Howard, Dwyane Wade and Mike Miller didn't come out after the game and say that they were "trying to protect our home court of Hollywood and send a message that we are the only ones allowed to be flaunt in front of the camera". Also, Kobe admits that he didn't believe Miller's hit was intentional based on game footage, so there is no reason to claim that Miller should be suspended. Not to mention that fact that just a couple days ago Kobe broke a camera or tv or whatever it was. Players who constantly show that they can't control their temper get unfair attention from the refs. By no means is Danny Fortson in the same league as Kobe, but it's the same concept. He has a target on his back because he is always fouling people hard and losing his temper. It's insane how you guys support Kobe through everything that he does wrong. Avery brought up a great point, AI never retaliates. He gets banged up more than anyone in the league aside of Shaq. Remember when Karl Malone elbowed Steve Nash in the face? Nash didn't do anything back. This forum will justify the actions of any player that is wearing purple and gold, and it's ridiculous.</div> Let's not make a blanket statement and say everyone justifies it. I don't, I said he deserves to be suspended for going after Miller. I just want to see the league be neutral in their decisions. Suspend Kobe 1 game for the action, and also 1 game for his post game comments. I'm fine with the suspension, but I also think Howard deserves 1 game for going after Kobe and Wade also deserves one game for going after Kobe. Isn't that fair? I don't blame Kobe for going after Miller, but his post game comments were stupid. He should have kept that to himself and in the confines of the locker room. But with the league only suspending Kobe for retaliating they aren't standing on neutral ground. It's ok for other players to flagrantly foul and retaliate against Kobe, but when Kobe does it he gets suspended? Kobe admits it wasn't intetional after he had the benefit of seeing the footage replay. In the heat of the moment and your face bleeding I don't the first thing that pops in your mind is "it was an accident" you see the blood and you want to hit the person back who did it to you. Maybe someone on the coaching staff or a teammate should have settled him down and explained to him it wasn't intentional?
Jurrassic how about the rest of the quote from Kobe, where he apologizes about it? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bryant also said he didn't believe the elbow from Miller was intentional. "You look at the replay, my face was nowhere near him," Bryant said. "My face was nowhere near his arm. "I wish I could go back in time and take that foul back knowing what I know now, getting two games for it. But no way in my mind did I think it was going to be a suspension for something like that. No way."</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bryant was called for a flagrant foul for elbowing Miller with 8:24 remaining in the fourth quarter in Wednesday night's 100-99 overtime loss to the Grizzlies. He is scheduled to serve his suspension Sunday, when the Lakers host Utah, and Tuesday, when Los Angeles plays at the Jazz. "Very surprised. Shocked, actually. Very, very surprised," Bryant said after practice Friday. "Angry and frustrated. I've been hit with a couple of flagrant fouls already this year. I've been hit with a clothesline and no suspensions come of that, and I get two games for this?" </div> Source
I feel sorry for Kobe's situation. He deserves more respect from the league though. I guess retaliating from all the punishment he's been getting in the last 3 games is the best way he's able to show that he's fed up with them. I do think what Kobe did was unsportsmanlike but.... Kobe served with 2 games suspension while Dwayne Wade commits the same act and foul play by elbowing Kobe in the chest does not? Technical fouls needs to be addressed in the NBA because its getting way out of hand.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Jurrassic how about the rest of the quote from Kobe, where he apologizes about it?</div> Alright, I just thought of a perfect example to explain my point. Remember last year in the Mavs-Suns series when Stack fouled Joe Johnson hard and Johnson landed on his face? Stack apoligized to JJ right afterwards. Of course we all know tha Stack was trying to prevent an easy bucket, and send a message. But after the game did he come out and tell the media that the foul was a message? Of course not. He wasn't suspended, and the league later reviewed the play and rescinded the flagrant. (I double checked this information before posting: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7823347). Edit: broken link, but you can find it if you type "Jerry Stackhouse + Joe Johnson" into yahoo I see the quote you posted, where Kobe "apoligized". I don't really see it as an apology, I see it as remorse for the consequences of getting punished/caught (kind of like a similar incident, where he "apoligized" after getting caught). If Kobe had said: "I apoligize for hitting him, because what I did was wrong", then maybe I would agree with you. But he only apoligized because of the consequences "knowing what he knows now". Also, I think you misunderstood part of my first post. I'm not saying that Kobe shouldn't have retaliated after awknowleging that Miller's shot to him was an accident. If my face was bleeding, in the heat of a game I would respond the same way. I'm just saying that you can't argue that Miller should be suspended. Don't group Miller in with Howard, Wade, and those guys who obviously were out to get him, simply because he hurt your star player. Oh btw, you're right, I shouldn't have made that blanket statement in my first post. It's understandable that all fans will defend their star player, I just think at times this forum and some others, take it too far.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Alright, I just thought of a perfect example to explain my point. Remember last year in the Mavs-Suns series when Stack fouled Joe Johnson hard and Johnson landed on his face? Stack apoligized to JJ right afterwards. Of course we all know tha Stack was trying to prevent an easy bucket, and send a message. But after the game did he come out and tell the media that the foul was a message? Of course not. He wasn't suspended, and the league later reviewed the play and rescinded the flagrant. (I double checked this information before posting: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7823347). Edit: broken link, but you can find it if you type "Jerry Stackhouse + Joe Johnson" into yahoo I see the quote you posted, where Kobe "apoligized". I don't really see it as an apology, I see it as remorse for the consequences of getting punished/caught (kind of like a similar incident, where he "apoligized" after getting caught). If Kobe had said: "I apoligize for hitting him, because what I did was wrong", then maybe I would agree with you. But he only apoligized because of the consequences "knowing what he knows now". Also, I think you misunderstood part of my first post. I'm not saying that Kobe shouldn't have retaliated after awknowleging that Miller's shot to him was an accident. If my face was bleeding, in the heat of a game I would respond the same way. I'm just saying that you can't argue that Miller should be suspended. Don't group Miller in with Howard, Wade, and those guys who obviously were out to get him, simply because he hurt your star player. Oh btw, you're right, I shouldn't have made that blanket statement in my first post. It's understandable that all fans will defend their star player, I just think at times this forum and some others, take it too far.</div> He apologized about his actions after seeing Miller's elbow was an accident. I'm sure he'll get the message to him personally and let him know he's sorry for the flagrant foul. I'm still wondering why no one explained Miller's elbow was an accident before they let him back on the court. You have about 8 members on the coaching staff, a bench of 10 players, and 4 other guys on the court. You would think someone would pull him aside and say "calm down." I agree Kobe's post game comments were idiotic and he deserved to be suspended and fined for them. Trying to come off as a tough guy was lame and took away from the statement he made with his actions. He doesn't need to explain it to anyone; laying a guy out driving to the paint sends a loud and clear message. Wade also admitted he went after Kobe in post game comments because at the time he thought Kobe elbowed him intentionally. Yet no suspension or fine. It's a blatant double standard and it's not right. Since when does the NBA over rule an officials ruling and take two days before coming to a decision? The officials ruled flagrant 1 on the play and that should have been the end of it.
