<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> On further consideration, maybe Kobe Bryant should sit out the season. </p><p class="textBodyBlack"><span></span>If the Lakers aren't serious about trying to compete, then why waste his best years? Say what you will about the Chicago Bulls and breaking up the team or any of the criticisms that endured during their championship years: They never put Michael Jordan in a position where he couldn't win every year once he did. They never experimented and never rebuilt. They brought in veterans and took chances on talent to go for it every day.</p><p class="textBodyBlack"><span></span>You'd have difficulty saying that about the Lakers, and while I may not have gone about protesting the way Bryant did in dialing up talk radio stations — unless I could win a trip to Tijuana by being the 15th caller to guess Jerry Buss' blood alcohol level — he may have a point. We haven't heard much from Bryant about his plans for this season since the blowup in the spring, when he told various media outlets he doesn't intend to return to the Lakers and wants to be traded, ostensibly to the Bulls.</p><p class="textBodyBlack">The Bulls, like several teams, made perfunctory inquiries, but were told Bryant was not available. </p><p class="textBodyBlack"><span></span>Bryant then went to play for Team USA in the Olympic qualifier. He declined to discuss his Lakers situation, saying he didn't want to detract from the U.S. team, but then his play said all that needed to be said.</p><p class="textBodyBlack"><span></span>He was easily the best player on the U.S. team that swept to first place in the tournament. True, the field was weak, but the U.S. team was strong and Bryant shone brightest. He was the team's only true two-way player, as ferocious on defense as he was skilled on offense. He scored from everywhere, as we've seen before, and again left little doubt that while he may not be the most popular, or certainly obliging, player, he is the most talented in the NBA today. </p><p class="textBodyBlack"><span></span>He turned 29 last month, and the Lakers are squandering the best part of his career.</div></p><p class="textBodyBlack">Source: MSNBC</p><p class="textBodyBlack">We've heard it all before, but in case you needed a reminder it's a 3 page article.</p><p class="textBodyBlack"></p> </p>
Yeah. Kobe should sit out the season. That way David Stern can ban him from the league forever (which I'm sure he would be happy about, along with Stu Jackson), and we can land OJ Mayo! Yay!!
"Say what you will about the Chicago Bulls and breaking up the team or any of the criticisms that endured during their championship years: They never put <font color="#1b4588">Michael Jordan</font> in a position where he couldn't win every year once he did. They never experimented and never rebuilt."</p> Except in 1998, when he came off an MVP year, best record in the league, and a World Championship, and they dismantled the team out from under him. That's the sole reason for his second retirement. </p> Jordan did sit out a few years, then and after his first retirement, and showed that at Kobe's age and older, it's possible to come back at a high level of performance as long as you're still in shape. </p> If Kobe seriously thinks that the situation won't improve in Lakerland, then maybe he should sit out, wait until his contract expires, and then sign with the best team in the league and win a few more titles. However, just as I thought with Jordan in 93, that was a mistake, and Kobe ought to learn from history. Jordan may have left at a high level and returned at a high level, but those years in the middle that he lost were lost forever. Jordan fans will always be left with the lingering what-ifs about those lost seasons: would he have cracked 40,000 points, would the Bulls have won 8 straight? 9? 10? Would the GOAT have ganked a few more Podoloff's on his way to Springfield? We'll never know, and if Kobe does this, then he'll never know either.</p>
That's Sam Smith,a chicago sportswriter (and author of the book "Jordan Rules"). He's not highly respected by Chicago fans, FWIW</p> </p>
I really doubt that Kobe will sit out a season considering the type of player he is but then again anything is possible.
I don't trust anything MSNBC says on any subject, including this one. IF by any chance Kobe sits out, he will lose all respect from 90% of the fans (at least).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (YourNewChef)</div><div class='quotemain'>I don't trust anything MSNBC says on any subject, including this one. IF by any chance Kobe sits out, he will lose all respect from 90% of the fans (at least).</div> Except the fans of the team he comes back and plays for.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (YourNewChef)</div><div class='quotemain'>I don't trust anything MSNBC says on any subject, including this one. IF by any chance Kobe sits out, he will lose all respect from 90% of the fans (at least).</div> Except the fans of the team he comes back and plays for. </p> </div> </p>
