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activeverb
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 Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: Kobe’s Final Years (2014-Current) Will History Be Kind or Unkind? |
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| yinoma2001 wrote: | | Unfortunately, I think history will be unkind to Kobe when it uses the final years against him when the discussion is about the best player ever. But for purposes of the top 10 (where Kobe should be firmly in place), I don't think these final years will be a decisive knock against him. |
The last few injury-ridden years didn't hurt Kobe's standing: the problem, if you are advocating him for GOAT, is they didn't help his standing -- no rings, didn't make an assault on the all-time scoring record, didn't have the amazing longevity of great performance into his late 30s or early 40s as some hope/predicted. |
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E_Wulf420
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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If Harrison Barnes could've just sagged off and let Kobe hit a jumper, Kobe wouldn't of had gotten injured and he could've been retiring at the top of his game 
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greenfrog
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Being a shell of your former self and/or overall detriment to the team has never hurt the legacy of any star before. And the list crosses sports: Cal Ripken Jr, Derek Jeter, Muhammad Ali... |
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yinoma2001
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Kobe’s Final Years (2014-Current) Will History Be Kind or Unkind? |
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| activeverb wrote: | | yinoma2001 wrote: | | Unfortunately, I think history will be unkind to Kobe when it uses the final years against him when the discussion is about the best player ever. But for purposes of the top 10 (where Kobe should be firmly in place), I don't think these final years will be a decisive knock against him. |
The last few injury-ridden years didn't hurt Kobe's standing: the problem, if you are advocating him for GOAT, is they didn't help his standing -- no rings, didn't make an assault on the all-time scoring record, didn't have the amazing longevity of great performance into his late 30s or early 40s as some hope/predicted. |
Agreed. Shouldn't hurt his top 10 ranking. But the pursuit of GOAT probably required Kobe balling out these final years.
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Vancouver Fan
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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Still top 5-6 player ever imo and arguably the most skilled perimeter player ever.
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70sdude
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, there's a season ahead of us to watch before wiser heads weigh in on it. |
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fadeaway3
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| Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Love Kobe, he is top 5 in my book. |
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Telleris
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| Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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| SuperboyReformed wrote: | | ocho wrote: | | I don't think anyone is remembered by their worst years. In terms of Kobe's place in history, it should be noted that even his most of his biggest detractors still have him as a Top 10 player All Time. |
the funny thing is the MJ is probably the most revered player of all time, and even HE gets a lot of unkind treatment and jokes regarding his wizard years. so for kobe, i'm just bracing for the reaction, if you know what i mean. he is nowhere near as universally loved as MJ....people are going to really dig in on these later years. it's going to be rough. |
That's all it really is though, jokes about coming back, not retiring soon enough etc, no one really pegs much about careers to stars for their last few years being bad.
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yinoma2001
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| Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| Telleris wrote: | | SuperboyReformed wrote: | | ocho wrote: | | I don't think anyone is remembered by their worst years. In terms of Kobe's place in history, it should be noted that even his most of his biggest detractors still have him as a Top 10 player All Time. |
the funny thing is the MJ is probably the most revered player of all time, and even HE gets a lot of unkind treatment and jokes regarding his wizard years. so for kobe, i'm just bracing for the reaction, if you know what i mean. he is nowhere near as universally loved as MJ....people are going to really dig in on these later years. it's going to be rough. |
That's all it really is though, jokes about coming back, not retiring soon enough etc, no one really pegs much about careers to stars for their last few years being bad. |
unfortunately, IIRC, MJ took like a 1m salary or something his final years? Kobe will be remembered for being the highest paid player in the final 3 years of his career (if this is it). People will remember that.
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Telleris
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| Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| yinoma2001 wrote: | | Telleris wrote: | | SuperboyReformed wrote: | | ocho wrote: | | I don't think anyone is remembered by their worst years. In terms of Kobe's place in history, it should be noted that even his most of his biggest detractors still have him as a Top 10 player All Time. |
the funny thing is the MJ is probably the most revered player of all time, and even HE gets a lot of unkind treatment and jokes regarding his wizard years. so for kobe, i'm just bracing for the reaction, if you know what i mean. he is nowhere near as universally loved as MJ....people are going to really dig in on these later years. it's going to be rough. |
That's all it really is though, jokes about coming back, not retiring soon enough etc, no one really pegs much about careers to stars for their last few years being bad. |
unfortunately, IIRC, MJ took like a 1m salary or something his final years? Kobe will be remembered for being the highest paid player in the final 3 years of his career (if this is it). People will remember that. |
that's more likely to play out as "can't blame kobe" and "lolakers", tbh it already is.
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Dreamshake
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| Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| yinoma2001 wrote: | | audioaxes wrote: | | athletes slowing down is a fact of life. Nobody holds that against them |
Well, I have a feeling that Kobe's final years may be held against him by some, and I just wanted to show that other top 25 guys didn't exactly finish their great careers with guns blazing. |
I doubt it. He's missed the last two seasons and the only complaint I really hear is about how much $$ he's making. Folks typically don't knock athletes for losing to Father Time. |
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yinoma2001
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| Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Dreamshake wrote: | | yinoma2001 wrote: | | audioaxes wrote: | | athletes slowing down is a fact of life. Nobody holds that against them |
Well, I have a feeling that Kobe's final years may be held against him by some, and I just wanted to show that other top 25 guys didn't exactly finish their great careers with guns blazing. |
I doubt it. He's missed the last two seasons and the only complaint I really hear is about how much $$ he's making. Folks typically don't knock athletes for losing to Father Time. |
But this is Kobe. A different kind of lightening rod than other superstars.
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MIZ83
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Kobe’s Final Years (2014-Current) Will History Be Kind or Unkind? |
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| yinoma2001 wrote: | | activeverb wrote: | | yinoma2001 wrote: | | Unfortunately, I think history will be unkind to Kobe when it uses the final years against him when the discussion is about the best player ever. But for purposes of the top 10 (where Kobe should be firmly in place), I don't think these final years will be a decisive knock against him. |
The last few injury-ridden years didn't hurt Kobe's standing: the problem, if you are advocating him for GOAT, is they didn't help his standing -- no rings, didn't make an assault on the all-time scoring record, didn't have the amazing longevity of great performance into his late 30s or early 40s as some hope/predicted. |
Agreed. Shouldn't hurt his top 10 ranking. But the pursuit of GOAT probably required Kobe balling out these final years. |
This. |
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1hu2ren3dui4
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| Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah. Niche groups of people will claim him as the goat. Most of those being laker fans. |
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