| Kobe Bryant: GLADIATOR | ||||
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| Robert Elkhorn |
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The Lakers have been living fat by feeding on weak teams this season, but that’s a good thing. Look no further than Denver losing to subpar teams like the Heat, Bucks, Clippers, Timberwolves, Bobcats, Pistons, Hornets and Grizzlies for proof that taking the night off in the NBA is a bad idea. Any team can beat another on any given night…If you allow them. OR, you can impose your will instead. Approach every game like it’s your last. Like winning means everything. This is how The Black Mamba plays the game…Like a Gladiator.
Kobe gives no one a break. Not superstar Dwayne Wade of the Heat.
Not unknown Charlie Bell of the Bucks.
Another overtime game, another clutch buzzer beater. **yawn** The Milwaukee game was mundane for the most part seeing the Lakers going through the motions with weary legs on the second night of a back to back, barely keeping pace with the inferior but motivated Bucks. Two games before, the talk of Los Angeles was all about Kobe’s finger injury. He had tanked in a loss to the Utah Jazz, but he soared in the victory over the Bulls last Tuesday night, scoring 42. Last Wednesday he dropped 39 on the Bucks, none more impressive than the two awarded for the turn-around swish as time expired in the five minute overtime period. To kick off 2010 in style, it was more of the same from Kobe Bean Bryant. The same young Sacramento Kings that Kobe yanked the rug of victory out from under in a double overtime win on December 26th with two late three pointers rolled into Los Angeles with intentions of revenge on their minds Friday night. The Lakers looked like they were going to let it happen before they decided to turn up the heat late in the 4th quarter. All looked lost for L.A. when Pau lost the ball trailing by two and the Lakers sending Eme Udoka to the line to ice the game. Almost as if scripted, he missed both free throws leaving the door cracked open for Kobe to add to his rapidly growing legacy of clutch. The ice water in his veins flowing Kobe reared up with the clock ticking down and calmly drained a three point swish and raised both arms in celebration.
Happy New Year Lakers fans! It’s almost routine anymore. The man is unflappable on the court. No one is surprised when he drops a dagger to end a game…It's actually more surprising when he misses. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s been through it all. The Trials of Kob have been of biblical proportions.
Through it all, Kobe diligently showed up for work and is now the best player in the NBA. Kobe’s been in the limelight since high school and under a microscope the entire time. He’s been the most maligned and most harshly judged athlete of the modern era this side of Mike Tyson. The vilification of Kobe is evident on any NBA thread…People either love him or hate him…There is no in between.
Tiger Woods hasn’t seen anything near the trials and tribulations that Kobe has endured yet he has been hiding from the public eye since the incident on Thanksgiving. For all of Kobe’s public transgressions, he has never run from them. He stayed front and center and played through each and every controversial problem that arose. And there were many that arose. First it was his so-called “street cred” because he grew up a child of privilege with his father being an NBA player and growing up in Italy rather than an inner city in America. He heard the criticism about shot selection, having a huge ego and being standoffish with his teammates early in his career. He shot four airballs in a row vs Utah in an ugly playoff loss as a rookie. He had a very public battle with Shaq to be the face of the franchise and after losing to Boston in the 2008 Finals, Shaq asked Kobe in an impromptu rap that ended up all over the place asking, “Kobe how’s my ass taste?” He faced a lengthy rape trial while flying back and forth so as not to miss any playoff games. He bought the bling heard round the world when he dropped $4 mil on an “I’m Sorry” diamond ring for disgraced wife Vanessa. He ingested purposely poisoned cheeseburgers in Sacramento at the height of the Kings/Lakers rivalry yet played that night anyway. He starred in an amateur parking lot video scandal criticizing young Lakers center Andrew Bynum saying, “Ship his ass outta here” which validated the negative opinion of those who didn’t like him already. Luckily, Lakers management didn’t take his advice on that one. Hitting clutch shots is the easy stuff. The basketball court is his refuge. Though a star since entering the league, he’s following in the footsteps of Karl Malone in that he delivers through rain, sleet and snow...Illness, broken fingers and sore toes. And just like The Mailman, he won his first MVP award in his 12th season in the NBA and looks well on his way to winning his second in his 14th …just like Malone. Michael Jordan is the only other player to win after so many seasons in the league. He won his fifth and final MVP award in his 13th season while still with the Bulls. Meantime through all the drama his game has only gotten better. Often in the past he was referred to as a ball hog, black hole or gunner for his propensity for shooting. But isn’t that what being a shooting guard entails, to SHOOT? That always bothered me as a fan of the game. Jordan was worshipped for his scoring and was put on a pedestal for putting up 30 or more without fail. No one ever questioned Michael for not passing. That could be that he didn’t have the roster depth surrounding him like Kobe did early in his career or it could be that much like Kobe, it took time for him to trust in his teammates as much as he did in himself. With his exploits on the court, he has surpassed Jerry West…The man who represents the logo of the NBA…Mr. Clutch….Mr. Laker. Kind of makes one wonder what the next step in the evolution of Kobe Bryant holds…
The Lakers finally did on paper what the educated basketball fan knew already…that they were the most valuable franchise in the NBA. Winning the title last June vaulted them past the New York Knicks after finishing behind them for years. The purple and gold is now valued at $607 million, up 4% from last year. The pathetic Knickerbockers value went exactly the other direction, dropping 4% to $586 million. Chicago ($511), Detroit ($479) and Cleveland ($476) round out the top five. Milwaukee was dead last at $254 million. The Lakers also turned more profit than any other team pocketing $51.1 million on $209 million in revenues. Kobe is a huge factor in all of this. Turns out, Jerry Buss made the correct decision (as usual) in choosing to trade Shaq and keep Bryant in the summer of 2005. The league’s best sidekick, Pau Gasol, just signed a three year contract extension that will keep him in Los Angeles through the next five years. Kobe is expected to follow suit which means the Gladiator and the Spaniard will lead the Lakeshow into battle for the next half decade.
With Lamar Odom, Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum already locked in for the next four years, the Lakers core will be rock solid barring injury. The only holes to fill will be bench players and a possible upgrade at point guard after this season when Derek Fisher’s contract is up. Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison and DJ Mbenga are the only other players who are eligible for free agency once the season wraps. Morrison and his $5+ million can be used much more efficiently where Farmar needs to prove he is worthy of re-signing before being brought back. The development of Shannon Brown should help motivate Mr. Farmar. Fisher should be brought back at a reduced cost, while Powell and Mbenga could return if their position needs aren’t met through free agent replacements. Taking all this into consideration, Kobe Bryant has the talent surrounding him to make runs at the championship for the next 5 years with a core of players that know the offense and have extensive playoff experience. Ron Artest is the only player on the current roster without a ring. Don’t count on that being the case once his five year contract expires in 2014. Two more titles and Kobe will tie Michael Jordan’s career total of six. He may dismiss the notion that these types of achievements aren’t a determining factor in his motives, but in the end, winning and the amount of rings he wins is exactly what will define him. Don’t think for a minute that Kobe doesn’t want to surpass Michael’s ring count. He admitted in a post game interview with Magic Johnson last night that he wants what the Magic man has….A fifth ring. Do you honestly believe he’ll be content with five? To be like Mike isn’t just a goal for Kobe…It’s an obsession.
Some even speculate that he chose to switch his uniform number from #8 to #24 just so he could one up Jordan, I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, but without the six rings to back it up it’s all in vain. He needs at least two more just to tie MJ. Kobe has always maintained that his goal as a basketball player was to finish his career as the best to ever play the game. That goal is certainly now within reach. Watching him try to get there will be pure joy for Lakers fans. For those that don't love L.A........Not so much.
Comments (6)
  written by theuclan, January 10, 2010
great stuff Bleed - as always.... Lake Show in 6
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 written by Sportschump, January 10, 2010
Whaddaya think, man?
Would you trade Bynum straight up for Chris Bosh? report abuse
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 written by blood, January 06, 2010
I believe we have...my email is
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Be well compadre! -B report abuse
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 written by Robert Elkhorn, January 05, 2010
LOL...We've discussed this before, no?
I agree...He always yells out AAYY! on almost every foray into the paint...And rarely gets the call whether he gets fouled or not...I think it has something to do with the refs swallowing their whistles. It's annoying to say the least. The zebras would probably give him as many calls as P-double if he would STFU and play...Everyone knows if you want calls you use body language like Fish or Pierce. Unfortunately, the NBA lets it go...not only from Kobe but 99% of the league. It's one of the many things about the league David Stern needs to address. Incessant whining should be left to the likes of Dusty. I'm a huge fan of Kobe's desire and skills but if he weren't a Laker, I'd probably hate him too....But he is. report abuse
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written by Blood, January 05, 2010
Sorry, I'm one of those hata's...and not because he's a Laker, or THEE best player in the NBA but because of the constant whine. I am a ball fan and have lost respect for this man not for the scandals, or for the fact that he is a winner and a gladiator but for this constant whining (after the miss of course.)
This always happens when, I watch Laker games and most of the time there isn't anyone close to him to complain of that foul. A few years back in the Finals they stopped showing replays cuz it became so ridiculous... Why must he always do this? If I hate it, ken you imagine the ref's who he constantly barrages and petitions? This can't win him any personality points or give him the benefit of the doubt when a close call comes (see the boy who cried wolf!), which will only hurt the purple and gold in the long run. Brother, this drives me nuts! I respect the game and the work ethic but Kobe did not invent the game of basketball, Dr Naismith did. His tantrums of X-mas day were revolting... Is there crying in gladiating? report abuse
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 January 2010 19:29 ) |
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In six would be nice.
Chris,
I haven't heard that rumor but it's tempting.