Dear Kobe Bryant,I was peacefully lying on my bed last night, sipping some Pepsi through a straw as your Lakers played in Phoenix. The game was on nationally (Obvious, considering I do not have League Pass), meaning the pressure was on both yourself and your teammates to win an ever-important game that could eventually determine your playoff seeding (Or lack thereof)As the game began, I was perplexed at your efficient, almost robotic-like scoring techniques. At one point, you squared up to the net on the wide-left wing, and stepped into your jumper, barely touching the mesh upon its finish. How do you do it? How do you make the most complex shot in the game look so easy? The way you turnaround like Mike? The way you swing the ball from side to side in synchronization with your two steps to the hoop en route to a finished dunk? It was at this time that I had laid down my Pepsi; straw chewed into a ball, and realized that I respected you. Hell, I was envious of you. Your 81 point performance. Your 62 points within 3 quarters of play against the "defensive minded" Dallas Mavericks.I admit to you now, that you are simply legendary. Yes, Legendary in every facet of the word. If you retired today because you had shot someone, you would go down as a top 50 player in the rich history of the National Basketball Association.Minutes later, after you had made 8 of your first 12 shots, my eyes fixed on your every offensive move, you took a fade away 20 footer. Brick. You drove into the lane and shot a floater. No. You drove into the lane, Smush Parker open in the corner, and decided to shoot over Shawn Marion. Grazed rim.Flashbacks flooded into my mind, as vast and lifelike images reappeared. Missed pass to the top of the key to Lamar Odom, more open than a certain body part of Paris Hilton. Missed passes on the kick outs. A pathetic, almost humorous 9-33 performance on one gloomy night. It was then, that I despised you. Your swagger, the way that your face gives off that look that you are thinking of something stupid and controversial to do. The way you have always been known as a selfish player, especially the past two years of your otherwise meaningless Laker run. The way you threw a TV screen at Lamar Odom because he wasn't performing, and then wondered why he had no confidence. The way you passed up Smush Parker to win the game, a decent shooter in his own right, in order to shoot a 26 footer. I hate you Kobe Bryant. Not as a person, because obviously I don?t know you whatsoever, but as a basketball player. You are everything that is wrong with the sport. You are selfish, you have always been selfish. You shoot idiotic, almost retarded jump shots in traffic, for no reason whatsoever (Refer back at Houston earlier this year) You yell and scream at your teammates, and blame it all on them.On opposite sides of the ladder, you are everything that is inspirational about the game. Average kid...lived in Italy I believe? Proceeded to dominate High School Ball in the States, moved up to the pros where you went from bench player to Star. Lazy to 8-hour-per-day workouts. Skinny to ripped. No jumpshot to an NBA record 12 threes in one game against Seattle. Scoring 42 first half points against Michael Jordan, "killing the master ninja" as Shaquille O' Neal quoted.Why Kobe? Why do you do this to me? Why do you make me envy you, yet despise you? Now I ask a favor of you, one that many of us basketball fans sharelease, Kobe Bryant, don't try to be the Greatest Ever. Please Kobe Bryant; don't try to be like Mike. Kobe, please don't think you can win games by yourself. Utilize your abilities to pass the ball, shoot, rebound, and defend. Take some juice out of the "O" tank to pump into the "D" tank. You have nothing to prove to anyone, yet you have everything to prove to everyone. Prove to me, that you are more than simply a scorer, more than simply "Michael Jordan's career in reverse"Prove to me that you are worthy of being considered "<span style="color:#FF9900">legendary</span>"- KMart
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>A pathetic, almost humorous 9-33 performance on one gloomy night.</div>You do know that he shot 19-33, right? Not 9-33.When you score 51 points on 33 shot attempts (an incredible 58%), you're efficient.Hope I didn't kill the article...since it was all based on last night's "terrible" performance by Kobe.
Just to let you guys know now, Kobe will go down as the best player to ever play the game. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. People have it cemented into their head that no one will ever pass MJ, well Kobe will. I watched Jordan's fadeaway when I was younger, I've seen clips of him, I've watched movie on him, and I have come to the conclusion that Kobe's fadeaway/shot is better than Jordan's.Him getting on teammates is a sign of leadership. MJ did that all the time. If he was being doubled or tripled and he found you open and you missed, he would be all over you. People miss that because they are brain washed with MJ is the best no matter what you say.Kobe will go down as the greatest. Let's just hope the Lakers don't ruin the rest of his prime, becuase what im seeing now from the others outside of maybe 2 or 3, they look like SCRUBS. Seriously. They have no desire or passion to win. Hopefully Kobe puts it in them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real Deal @ Apr 8 2006, 10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You do know that he shot 19-33, right? Not 9-33.When you score 51 points on 33 shot attempts (an incredible 58%), you're efficient.Hope I didn't kill the article...since it was all based on last night's "terrible" performance by Kobe.</div>Notice how I said: Flashbacks?Notice how I drew from both the positives and the negatives?The Kobe loving continues...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KMart @ Apr 8 2006, 10:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Notice how I said: Flashbacks?Notice how I drew from both the positives and the negatives?The Kobe loving continues...</div>It's not loving.It's recognizing greatness...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Apr 8 2006, 10:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Just to let you guys know now, Kobe will go down as the best player to ever play the game. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. People have it cemented into their head that no one will ever pass MJ, well Kobe will. I watched Jordan's fadeaway when I was younger, I've seen clips of him, I've watched movie on him, and I have come to the conclusion that Kobe's fadeaway/shot is better than Jordan's.Him getting on teammates is a sign of leadership. MJ did that all the time. If he was being doubled or tripled and he found you open and you missed, he would be all over you. People miss that because they are brain washed with MJ is the best no matter what you say.Kobe will go down as the greatest. Let's just hope the Lakers don't ruin the rest of his prime, becuase what im seeing now from the others outside of maybe 2 or 3, they look like SCRUBS. Seriously. They have no desire or passion to win. Hopefully Kobe puts it in them.</div>Now that is just being biased.Top 10 seems reasonable.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Apr 8 2006, 11:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Just to let you guys know now, Kobe will go down as the best player to ever play the game. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. People have it cemented into their head that no one will ever pass MJ, well Kobe will. I watched Jordan's fadeaway when I was younger, I've seen clips of him, I've watched movie on him, and I have come to the conclusion that Kobe's fadeaway/shot is better than Jordan's.Him getting on teammates is a sign of leadership. MJ did that all the time. If he was being doubled or tripled and he found you open and you missed, he would be all over you. People miss that because they are brain washed with MJ is the best no matter what you say.Kobe will go down as the greatest. Let's just hope the Lakers don't ruin the rest of his prime, becuase what im seeing now from the others outside of maybe 2 or 3, they look like SCRUBS. Seriously. They have no desire or passion to win. Hopefully Kobe puts it in them.</div>Are you serious? Name me one thing Kobe has done better then Jordan besides individual game performances? Jordan is the better shooter, better driver, better defender, better passer, better rebounder, better leader, won more championships.Jordan has 6 Finals MVP's. Kobe has how many?Kobe has never LED his team to a championship.That whole post was retarded and homeristic.You should be ashamed of yourself for even suggesting that theory. Total bs.
What night did you flash back to against Phoenix? 9-33 shooting?I'd like an explanation as to why he shot 58% against them last night, scored 51 points and still saw his team lose. The rest of the team shot 18-49 (which is a disgusting 37%).He's still selfish? Good. So was Jordan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 8 2006, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Are you serious? Name me one thing Kobe has done better then Jordan besides individual game performances? Jordan is the better shooter, better driver, better defender, better passer, better rebounder, better leader, won more championships.Jordan has 6 Finals MVP's. Kobe has how many?Kobe has never LED his team to a championship.That whole post was retarded and homeristic.You should be ashamed of yourself for even suggesting that theory. Total bs.</div>Why do you guys have to bring up championships so much? You don't determine greatness by championships. Most of us say Karl Malone is the best PF of all time, or atleast up there. He hasn't one a single ring.Your like everyone else, you think that MJ will never be passed up as the greatest of all time. Please realize that Jordan will be PASSED, wthether it be Kobe or not.Kobe is still in his prime. That's anoher thing you guys dont realize. He has alot left in front of him. You act like he's done in a couple years or something..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 8 2006, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Are you serious? Name me one thing Kobe has done better then Jordan besides individual game performances? </div>What else is there to do better?<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 8 2006, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Jordan is the better shooter, better driver, better defender, better passer, better rebounder, better leader, won more championships.</div>Kobe has better range on his jumper, and by the end of his career, he will be the better clutch player (statistically, he is only 4 game winners behind Jordan). Kobe is a better passer than Jordan; you would honestly recognize that during the 3-peat, when he had someone who could catch and score (Shaq). People aren't giving Jordan's teammates enough credit. Jordan won more rings, but he didn't win them with a team like the Lakers of this season, either...true? Pippen was possibly the greatest defender of our time.Here's something I find very ironic:<span style="colorurple">Kobe has never won a playoff series without ShaqKobe never had a 50 win season without ShaqKobe never won 1 playoff game without Shaq.Kobe's 1st season without Shaq was lottery.Kobe never won 40 games without ShaqKobe loses more games than wins when Shaq isn't on his team. </span>But...<span style="color:red">Jordan has never won a playoff series without PippenJordan never had a 50 win season without PippenJordan never won 2 playoff games without PippenJordan's first three seasons without Pippen were under .500Jordan never won 41 games without PippenJordan loses more games than wins when Pippen isn't on his team</span>
In Jordan's early years, he was selfish. In his latter years with Chicago, he was a scorer. He wasn't the most passive player, but he wasn't selfish to Kobe's degree.I was referring to a game vs. San Antonio in November. Also, upon gracing back, Kobe has also had an 8-29 performace and 9-24 performace in the past month. And I wasn't just talking about the Phoenix game. I just read over the whole article, and don't know how you drew that I was talking only about the Phoenix game. It was my way of introduction.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Apr 9 2006, 02:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Just to let you guys know now, Kobe will go down as the best player to ever play the game. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. People have it cemented into their head that no one will ever pass MJ, well Kobe will. I watched Jordan's fadeaway when I was younger, I've seen clips of him, I've watched movie on him, and I have come to the conclusion that Kobe's fadeaway/shot is better than Jordan's.</div> Eh...I don't know about any of that....they are two completley different people.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Apr 9 2006, 12:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Why do you guys have to bring up championships so much? You don't determine greatness by championships. Most of us say Karl Malone is the best PF of all time, or atleast up there. He hasn't one a single ring.Your like everyone else, you think that MJ will never be passed up as the greatest of all time. Please realize that Jordan will be PASSED, wthether it be Kobe or not.Kobe is still in his prime. That's anoher thing you guys dont realize. He has alot left in front of him. You act like he's done in a couple years or something..</div>Greatness in sports is defined by a players' leadership and his success. That's why people don't say that Peyton Manning is greater then Tom Brady, even though his skill as a QB is greater then Brady's. People do say that Malone is great because he and Stockton led that Jazz team to the playoffs countless times. He would probably almost have his hand full if the Chicago Bulls never existed. When you are comparing two players' and how they stack up all time then championships will definately come into question.Maybe someone will be greater then Jordan, who knows but that person is not Kobe Bryant. Kobe doesn't have anything on Michael Jordan. What has he done that Jordan hasn't? Kobe has also never won MVP which is a prime factor with this. He wasn't nearly as important to his teams success as Jordan was. Jordan got his teammates involved as well and put everything on the line when the game started. Jordan is god to basketball fans. You can't achieve much more then what Jordan achieved. He did everything so well. And then yuou go out and say that Kobe Bryant will be better then Jordan because what? He led his team to a 7th seed and he scored alot of points in one ball game?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KMart @ Apr 8 2006, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In Jordan's early years, he was selfish. In his latter years with Chicago, he was a scorer. He wasn't the most passive player, but he wasn't selfish to Kobe's degree.</div>Jordan's FG attempts/game:1987 - 28 per game1988 - 24 per game1989 - 22 per game1990 - 24 per game1991 - 22 per game1992 - 23 per game1993 - 26 per game (third ring)And on and on and on...Kobe's FG attempts/game:2000 - 18 per game (first ring)2001 - 22 per game (second ring)2002 - 20 per game (third ring)2003 - 23 per game2004 - 18 per game2005 - 20 per game2006 - 27 per game (playoffs)Looks as if Jordan was more selfish than Kobe. Ironically, Kobe was the assists leader in all three years the Lakers won the championship.Even better...Kobe averaged a career-high 6.0 assists per game last season...without Shaq...and only took 20 shots per game. The bad news? The Lakers finished with a 34-48 record.Selfish Kobe > any other Kobe. It was the same way with Michael Jordan.Criticize Kobe if you wish...but don't forget to criticize Jordan as well.
Well stated. Just last week, Nitro told me he thought DWade was as good as LeBron because he has won. Shaq is known as a great player because he has won. People are judged by success, bot just in absketball, but in life. Considering Kobe will probably never win jackshit again, that doesn't help
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 8 2006, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Greatness in sports is defined by a players' leadership and his success. That's why people don't say that Peyton Manning is greater then Tom Brady, even though his skill as a QB is greater then Brady's. People do say that Malone is great because he and Stockton led that Jazz team to the playoffs countless times. He would probably almost have his hand full if the Chicago Bulls never existed. When you are comparing two players' and how they stack up all time then championships will definately come into question.Maybe someone will be greater then Jordan, who knows but that person is not Kobe Bryant. Kobe doesn't have anything on Michael Jordan. What has he done that Jordan hasn't? Kobe has also never won MVP which is a prime factor with this. He wasn't nearly as important to his teams success as Jordan was. Jordan got his teammates involved as well and put everything on the line when the game started. Jordan is god to basketball fans. You can't achieve much more then what Jordan achieved. He did everything so well. And then yuou go out and say that Kobe Bryant will be better then Jordan because what? He led his team to a 7th seed and he scored alot of points in one ball game?</div>Let me reapeat myself, YOU CAN'T DETERMINE GREATNESS OFF OF CHAMPIONSHIPS. MJ's supporting cast kills Kobe's supporting cast by a mile right now. They had passion and desire to play basketball, these guys don't.Kobe doesn't have anything on Michael Jordan? Anything? Just because you call him "selfish", just because he had some allegations and the rape (don't want to bring that <Censored> up, because you know how many professional players do that and don't get caught), just because he get's on his teammates for making BONEHEAD mistakes, this is why you don't say Kobe is on Michael's level. Get real man. Yeah I'm a Laker fan, yeah im a Kobe fan, but im recognizing greatness, something you're not. I respected Jordan's game to the fullest, and 2-3 years ago, I considered him the best player ever, I still do, but now by the time Kobe is done, he will be the best. Who cares about the MVP awards... wouldn't it be hard to win a MVP award when you have a supporting cast like Kobe did back when the Lakers won their titles? Kobe wasn't the top option like he is now. Jordan was always the top option. Like I said, even Steve Kerr admitted to it, Jordan got on his teammates just like Kobe now (which you call wrong) if they missed open shots when he gave them the ball. And dont come at me with this <Censored> of well Kobe doesn't pass to his teammates, that's an ignorant comment from a person that OBVIOUSLY doesn't watcht the games and only read baox scores and watch highlights on ESPN. Again it may sound like im obsessing over Kobe, but im recognizing something that you can't. And again you have it notched into your brain that MJ will never be passed. Why did you say Kobe will not pass MJ but someone will? You saying Kobe isn't as good as Jordan. You obviously haven't seen him play.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Real Deal @ Apr 8 2006, 10:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Criticize Kobe if you wish...but don't forget to criticize Jordan as well.</div>They can't. They act like it's against the law or something...
Here are some numbers for ya.Kobe in the playofs over his career: 22.6 ppg, 4.4 apg, 4.8 rpg, .434 shootingMJ in the playoffs over his career: 33.4 ppg, 5.7 apg, 6.4 rpg, .486 shootingKobe played worse in the playoffs then he did in the regular season. And he made the playoffs in his greater years yet still didn't play his best at times. MJ on the other hand, upped his already monster numbers into godlike numbers when he got to the playoffs. Thats what defines greatness. How you play when everything is on the line. MJ clearly beats Kobe there. He also beats Kobe with 6 championships and 6 Finals MVP's to Kobe's 3 and 0. MJ's career numbers are also much higher then Kobe's. I honestly don't know how you think Kobe will be better then MJ considering the only other jewelry Kobe will ever get will be from a shop. But seriously, how can you even say this? Explain to me why you think Kobe will be greater then MJ?
Let me put them all into one post. That'll work better.Kobe doesn't make his teammates better. True? No. Kobe is too selfish. True? Not quite. Kobe's individual statistics aren't that impressive to give him the MVP. Is that so? Not sure about that. But wait, so many teams are far, far better than Kobe's Lakers. Really? But Nash makes his players better, every one of them. Does he? Well...that was fun.
