http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3248048 I have to agree. Some things should be settled in the clubhouse, and since Kobe's gone public with his trial, he's aired every kind of dirty laundry. Take care of yourself by yourself, do you need camera's for everything you do? Damn son. He just seems like a puss to me in regards to what he's doing.
One question: what would you do if you were Kobe, and everyone was asking you...over and over again...about Malone, Shaq, Phil, Nas, etc? Almost 90% of you will say avoid it. Okay...now let's talk Artest. What would you do if you were Artest, and you had a drink thrown on you? Is it worth a season's suspension? That guy paid a few dollars for that drink, and you just paid a few million for it. Now, what's more logical...fighting fans for a spilled drink and purchasing it (actually, the empty cup) for $6 million or so...or speaking your mind, just as Malone's agent is doing, just as Shaq was doing for a year, just as Phil did in his book, just as Nas did in his song?
I wonder what President Bush and Madonna think . Everyone has an opinion. It's getting to the point where I can't believe that this is motivating the man to "prove people wrong", it's hurting him. Sanders made some good points. How can you look at this guy in the locker room? Not to mention that he ratted Shaq out/made up lies about him last year (we may never know which it was). Then someone comes out with a survey about who would make a better teammate, and people get mad that Lebron beat Kobe? I can see why Kobe lost, even if he is fun to play with, I wouldn't want to deal with the aftermath once I got traded/left the team/retired. Remember the days when people played the game of basketball? The only thing that separates basketball from Soap Operas is that NBA games are at night.
Well, just before everyone congratulates Deion for his great comments, here ya go. http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/2004...25750-8128r.htm Here's some dirt for ya, Deion. Did God tell you to say this stuff about Kobe, after he told you not to pay your car repair bill? (people who follow football know what I'm talking about)
I don't know how it is where you are, but where I come from it's just not cool to sit around and start spillin' after you've been caught. Kobe got caught in a bad predicament......"I should have done what Shaq's done when he did this", now it's " Karl was flirtin' wit my girl ". Understand, I don't have a problem with him having a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is how he's dealing with it. I'm not telling him to go out and shank Karl or anything, but why run to the media with this late-breaking story that is going to be a lose-lose situation. Is he trying to pull himself out of the shadow of his trial by framing himself as a victim here? How much truth is there in these accusations? How far should it be taken? Artest was stupid and I agree, but there's a difference between someone punching you in the jaw and someone saying they'll do it.
Ah, but there's the problem: Kobe doesn't run to the media. The media runs to him. That's exactly why he's having trouble right now. On court, off court...wherever. If Kobe doesn't speak, he'll be known as a prick...and BSPN will pick him apart on SportsCenter just like they did others who refused to give interviews in the past. If he talks, this happens. I wonder if anyone else realizes that others are running their mouth, also.
I would encourage everyone (especially Laker fans) to watch the video posted in the original article. The window opens and it is the 2nd one down on the left (underneath the one about Pedro). Interesting video, and funny/sad to watch Kobe stand there and lie. "What's personal is personal, we keep it between us", "I dont hold grudges against anbody". He lied throughout that entire interview!! As much as he has gone public with things, how can he now say that he keeps things to himself?!?! Also scroll down and watch "Kobe clears the air". In that one he says "I never said that Karl was a distraction". While he may not have said that directly he certainly implied it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Real Deal:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe doesn't run to the media. The media runs to him.</div> Actually last year Kobe ran to Jim Gray. Called Jim Gray on the phone and requested an interview so that he could insult Shaq. This was after Phil told them both to keep their mouths shut by the way.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Real Deal:</div><div class="quote_post">I wonder if anyone else realizes that others are running their mouth, also.</div> Real Deal, I think your under the understanding that I don't like Kobe. Here's how I feel. At first (when Shaq and Jack left) I felt he should go to the Clippers. That way he'll begin his own story instead of being known as the guy that broke up America's team. Anyway, I wanted him to struggle.....BADLY. I wanted him to get about 7 - 12 wins and :shakehead and say "What was I doing"? But earlier I watched a Laker game and thought "Why do I want him to be miserable? He reminds me of a little brother who wants to prove that he can be successful without his big-brother's help". At that time, I wished him all the luck in the world and still do. BUT stuff he was doing is just not cool in my eyes. Example: HI, Karl...come on over.... BYE Karl....don't come back. That would have been better than crying about it. Make moves to prove that you've taken care of the situation, you don't have to let EVERYONE know that you have. I think that if there was some way he could take a season off and disappear, he could come back with a clean slate per-se. But WE need his game, cause he's .
Sabretooth, I understand what you're saying...but the point is, would you welcome Malone back after hitting on your wife? Even if the media had no idea? And for everyone else...when DOESN'T the media know about something? They knew about Jordan's affair, Wilt sleeping with thousands of women...they massacred Garnett for referring to the military in an interview during the playoffs last season, they're digging up info about Carmelo, they heard Phil Jackson diss Allen Iverson after the Olympic games, they exposed the Iverson/Brown troubles in Philly, they ran to Rafer Alston to get him to say that he's ready to retire, found Artest trying to take time off the game to promote his CD... ...so let's blame each and every one of those guys for speaking out, and then I'll blame Kobe.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Real Deal:</div><div class="quote_post">Sabretooth, I understand what you're saying...but the point is, would you welcome Malone back after hitting on your wife? Even if the media had no idea?</div> See, my point is Kobe IS the Laker poster child and if he took care of the problem in the clubhouse, the fans would just think the Karl wants to move on to another team that he feels has a better chance of taking the Crown. Kobe's name wouldn't even have been mentioned. If a rumor came out that Karl had flirted with Kobe's wife, ppl would go "Karl? Karl Malone? Suuuuuuree ". This is something that the player has to decide to do. The examples you showed, some of those were obviously taken out of context, but I believe that there is a program (and vets on your team) that helps players understand what they can and cannot do (media events, in public, etc.). If you saw the Tara Reid "P-Diddy Party" fiasco, you know that the media has <u>NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO</u> scruples and will take as much as they can before you come back. The player has to be smart enough (and strong enough) to say what he's going to say and leave anything he doesn't alone. It is simplified being that I'm not a millionaire and have paparazzi every where I go, but the character of other athletes has shown that it can be done.
LMAO Kobe said he'd mess up Malone. Good luck Kobe ! I'm sure Malone is much stronger than Chris Childs and Reggie Miller combined lol
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If Kobe doesn't speak, he'll be known as a prick...and BSPN will pick him apart on SportsCenter just like they did others who refused to give interviews in the past. If he talks, this happens.</div> Right now, Kobe's already hated on by a lot of people, so I think people will insult whether or not he talks. But I would rather be known as a prick by a bunch of people who are payed to dig dirt on people, than start a reputation as a bait. Now he's got people he doesn't even know on his back. Especially about something as private as this, he should realize how what he says sometimes affects others.
There have been thoughts that this was a set-up to hurt Kobe by his wife. Usually I would think that this is an elaborate stretch......but anyone who has had a look at the darkside of the woman psyche knows it's not THAT far-fetched. A guy will let you know that he's got a problem, but a woman will stay with a guy she's mad with until the winter and he'll come home and see his stuff sitting outside with ice on it because she's used the hose on it. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...whitlock/041216 ....Now I don't agree with everything he said. Magic Johnson said the Malone situation should have been taken care of internally and Paul Silas showed how it's done when reports questioned him regarding Eric Snow. And Magic also agreed that Kobe needs to lay low for a while.
