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lakerz4sho'
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Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 1024
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 Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: Great Article out of Salt Lake - "Time for a Confession: I Heart Kobe" |
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| Quote: | Call me an L.A.-loving sycophant. Label me a superstar-gazer. Blame me for aiding and abetting the Jazz's enemies.
But I like Kobe Bryant.
So shoot me.
There goes my invitation to Larry H. Miller's Christmas party.
Now that I've outed myself, I may as well move to West Covina and file my columns from there.
I'm not going to have many friends after this.
When the Jazz and Lakers resume their series tonight at ES Arena, it's not going to be pretty. My guess is it's going to be downright personal. That's what happens when someone threatens the Jazz. He automatically becomes the worst person since Caligula, even if he is the MVP. Or maybe because of it.
Admittedly, the man has a world class smirk. And the chest- pounding and and shirt-tugging can certainly be annoying. He demanded to be traded last year if the Lakers didn't surround him with better talent. He called Jazz fans classless when they booed Derek Fisher.
Still, if you've been around Bryant at all this post-season, you have to ask: Why do so many people hate this man? He has excellent hygiene. Doesn't swear in public — much. Reportedly he's quick to pick up the lunch tab for teammates. He's polite, articulate and, yes, even humble.
Story continues below
Did you notice when presented the MVP trophy, last week, he credited his teammates? Were you paying attention, Sunday, when he had a wide open chance to blame his injured back for L.A.'s loss to the Jazz? Instead, he credited Andrei Kirilenko, saying, "No excuses for me. AK did a great job. Great defensive player. They just did a terrific job."
It wasn't condescending, or even tongue-in-cheek. It was genuine.
And that was after scoring 33 points.
Not all MVPs have been so generous with their praise.
Shaquille O'Neal was never good at lauding someone who blocked several of his shots. The last guy who did that was Greg Ostertag, and he got slapped to the floor for his trouble. Karl Malone wasn't good at praising opponents, either.
Yet after Wednesday's game, someone asked Bryant if he thought the Jazz would battle back, now that they're on the brink of elimination, and he replied, "That's a Jerry Sloan trait. They're going to keep coming. They don't know any other way."
It was unvarnished respect, one hyper-competitive person to another.
Some say this is all damage control, thanks to that sexual assault case in Colorado, in which Bryant was acquitted of criminal charges and settled the civil suit out of court. Could be. But it doesn't seem rehearsed. When he was 19, he air-balled two shots in Salt Lake when the Jazz eliminated the Lakers from the 1997 playoffs. Asked in a press conference last week if he remembered those shots, he said good-naturedly, "Yeah. Horrible experience. Thanks for bringing it up again." |
Link for page 2... great ending quote, and so true about kobe. people hate him because they can't have him.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700226431,00.html?pg=1 |
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jordanplusone
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 726
Location: Porthofhellhey
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Maybe it's damage control, maybe it's not...But give respect to Kobe for really maturing over the years. He's such a great player that whatever he does, he gets bashed but still playing his heart out every game. Good article. |
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RowellGboy7
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Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 909
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| jealousy is a b**ch |
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LA_UNION
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Location: Liverpool down under
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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I say this article is a way of softening up the Lakers.  Its very refreshing though and a big kudos to the wrtiter and hopes he survives to move to Covina.
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LSM (aka LakeShowMan)
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Joined: 29 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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Never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would see that article on the eve of Game 6. Kudos to Brad Rock. |
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81 reasons
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| kobe was 17 btw |
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Free_Kobe
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Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 13197
Location: @ the beach
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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West Covina???
he must be Filipino... just like Kobe and David Archuleta! 
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So hit me with music! ♪ ♫ |
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PrplReign
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Joined: 19 Aug 2005
Posts: 2796
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| 81 reasons wrote: | | kobe was 17 btw |
WTF? Kobe never played an NBA game as a 17 year old. No player has. Bynum was the youngest then Jermaine O'Neal, then Kobe. BTW, if you are not sure of a statement you are about to make, do a little fact checking.
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KobeDunk
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Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I wish we had writers like this here in LA! |
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Free_Kobe
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Joined: 02 Sep 2005
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Location: @ the beach
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| PrplReign wrote: | | 81 reasons wrote: | | kobe was 17 btw |
WTF? Kobe never played an NBA game as a 17 year old. No player has. Bynum was the youngest then Jermaine O'Neal, then Kobe. BTW, if you are not sure of a statement you are about to make, do a little fact checking. |
yeah he signed his contract at 17, but played his first game at 18.
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The Dagger
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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| PrplReign wrote: | | 81 reasons wrote: | | kobe was 17 btw |
WTF? Kobe never played an NBA game as a 17 year old. No player has. Bynum was the youngest then Jermaine O'Neal, then Kobe. BTW, if you are not sure of a statement you are about to make, do a little fact checking. |
I hope you don't own a gun. |
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dre3kla
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Joined: 14 Apr 2008
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Location: Glendale, CA
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Every Kobe hater should read this article. He makes some great points that haters just can't get over. |
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Mark_in_Tulsa
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Joined: 11 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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| The Dagger wrote: | | PrplReign wrote: | | 81 reasons wrote: | | kobe was 17 btw |
WTF? Kobe never played an NBA game as a 17 year old. No player has. Bynum was the youngest then Jermaine O'Neal, then Kobe. BTW, if you are not sure of a statement you are about to make, do a little fact checking. |
I hope you don't own a gun. |
Seriously.
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Lakers 4 eva
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Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Posts: 3820
Location: Anaheim, CA
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| KobeDunk wrote: | | I wish we had writers like this here in LA! |
Nah LA sportswriters won't write this lovefest crap. Plashke and Simers know writing negative pieces about the local sportstown hero gets peoples attention and readers. In Utah this type of article will get alot of hits. |
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24KaratGold
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Joined: 13 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| KobeDunk wrote: | | I wish we had writers like this here in LA! |
Well we do have writers who praise other teams' players. But they make sure to emphasize that so-and-so player is better than anyone on the Lakers.
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Total_Package
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Location: Utah
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Free_Kobe wrote: | | PrplReign wrote: | | 81 reasons wrote: | | kobe was 17 btw |
WTF? Kobe never played an NBA game as a 17 year old. No player has. Bynum was the youngest then Jermaine O'Neal, then Kobe. BTW, if you are not sure of a statement you are about to make, do a little fact checking. |
yeah he signed his contract at 17, but played his first game at 18. |
Not when he air balled the shots......................................................................................................................................
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[quote="JUST-MING"] | SirRunnethOfSoCal wrote: | Ladies and gents, your 2008 Champs, Boston Celtics!
Thanks Kobe! Back to your old self, circa 04 Finals. |
| OX1947 wrote: | | (bleep) phoenix, bunch of whining freakin (bleep)..... |
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JUST-MING
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Joined: 23 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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Kobe Bryant was 18.262 years old: rookie year boxscores
Bryant's 18th birthday was August 23, 1996. His first game was November 3, 1996.
... and technically, Andrew Bynum never played a game as a "17 year old" rookie year boxscores |
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genester
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Location: Land of Disney
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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| excellent article, kudos to writer |
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MAjic5ringz
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Kobe= They just hate me because they not me. |
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F. Poopak
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| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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| MAjic5ringz wrote: | | Kobe= They just hate me because they not me. |
"You can hate me now, but I won't stop now."
"From Italy to the U.S., yes, it's raw." |
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