Just Kobe being Kobe

Joe Public

Joe Public

Gabibbo's Finest
Today Kobe Bryant comes out and says either he wants Jerry West back as the Lakers' GM or they should trade him. At least that's what ESPNews is reporting

Were I in charge of the Lakers this might get me to run that jackass out of town before the weekend was over.

And were I the Cleveland Cavs, I'd be on the phone right now offering my entire roster other than LeBron trying to get him.
 
While I am far from a fan of Kobe as a person, he has a point as a supreme talent in his prime and he is right to imply that his talent is being wasted on team like the Lakers. Once West left, that team has been a nightmare. They have surrounded the face of their franchise with used up has beens, teenagers who are unlikely to develop in time (if at all) to make an impact while Kobe is still playing, and piss poor players who were only acceptable players in college. Oh and don't forget the Kwame Brown for Caron Butler trade. Kobe may be a douche bag, but his will to win is unquestionable and I think he recognizes that Mitch just hasn't cut it in terms of player recruitment.
 
Mitch Kupcheck fuckin Sucks. Im Glad Kobe said this because I really want West back also being a Lakers Fan. I pray to god Kobe doesnt get traded.

Dude has had chances to get so much players but the Lakers front office wont give it to him. He could have had Baron Davis , Kidd , Magette , and a bunch of other players but they wont make a move then they trade a damn good player in Caron Butler who was good friends with kobe for fuckin Kwame Brown. Kobe wants help and he needs a GM that isnt afraid to pull the trigger and West is that guy. I hope Buss listens and gets West.
 
Whether or not he's right really isn't the point. If he gets his way it completely cuts the n*ts off the rest of the organization. Suddenly he's the boss.

I can't imagine Jerry Buss standing for that.

The problem with Kobe is that he's done jack-s**t without Shaq. Now, part of that isn't his fault because as you guys said, what they've put around him is garbage.

But the fact that Kobe's a jackass doesn't help his case.

You look at someone like KG and you feel sorry for him because Kevin McHale sucks as a GM and they can't build around a huge talent. Meanwhile, Kobe's a huge talent and his organization can't seem to build around him, yet you look at Kobe and you want to tell him to s**t the f**k up because he doesn't own the team.

If he really wanted West back he should have gone to ownership quietly, without the press, and made his demands there. Now he's put himself in front of the organization--again--and the team has to respond.

He's trying to play the good guy, saying he never 'demanded' a trade, but we all know what's going on here. Kobe thinks he's bigger than the Lakers, always has, and the baby wants his bottle.

Kobe helped get Shaq run out of town, now he can barely even get the team to the playoffs without him, and so he's whining like a little b*tch.

Personally, I'd ship him to the bottom of the Eastern Conference for as much young talent or high draft picks as I could get and be done with him.
 
Joe Public said:
Whether or not he's right really isn't the point. If he gets his way it completely cuts the n*ts off the rest of the organization. Suddenly he's the boss.

I can't imagine Jerry Buss standing for that.

The problem with Kobe is that he's done jack-s**t without Shaq. Now, part of that isn't his fault because as you guys said, what they've put around him is garbage.

But the fact that Kobe's a jackass doesn't help his case.

You look at someone like KG and you feel sorry for him because Kevin McHale sucks as a GM and they can't build around a huge talent. Meanwhile, Kobe's a huge talent and his organization can't seem to build around him, yet you look at Kobe and you want to tell him to s**t the f**k up because he doesn't own the team.

If he really wanted West back he should have gone to ownership quietly, without the press, and made his demands there. Now he's put himself in front of the organization--again--and the team has to respond.

He's trying to play the good guy, saying he never 'demanded' a trade, but we all know what's going on here. Kobe thinks he's bigger than the Lakers, always has, and the baby wants his bottle.

Kobe helped get Shaq run out of town, now he can barely even get the team to the playoffs without him, and so he's whining like a little b*tch.

Personally, I'd ship him to the bottom of the Eastern Conference for as much young talent or high draft picks as I could get and be done with him.
Click to expand...

Shaq ran himself out wanted way 2 much damn money and his fat ass never wanted to get in shape like he did right away when Pat Riley asked.

People can hate on Kobe all they want its all good :shake:
 
There are superstars I like. I love Iverson. Love KG. I don't really like him so much as I respect the s**t out of Duncan. I've actually met Shaq before, he's cool. D-Wade I've liked since Marquette.

It's just that Kobe would be easier to like if he weren't a complete and utter jackass.
 
Well, you can pick on Kobe as much as you like but he did the thing that KG should have done already some years ago.

He could have gone to backoffice and said that, but how do you know he has not done that already before and the glass is already full and pouring over. Going public puts pressure on management to act at least in some way as there are people following it and media all over it.
 
Kobe's right. Imagine how good the Lakers would be if they could somebody like Shaq to play next to him. Wait, ah nevermind.
 
When Shaq left, it was because Shaq wanted too much money, wouldnt get into shape and didnt have many years left. D Wade will soon realize the phoniness of Shaq. As for Kobe, Jerry Buss knew he can keep Kobe for several years and make him the face of the organization. As a Laker Fan, I am happy with the decision. Now when Kobe was given the big contract, I am sure he was told they would put good players around him. I have heard this being mentioned on LA radio. We keep hearing that the team will change drastically after Brian Grant's Contract is off the books and blah blah blah. I look at these teams in the playoffs and I cant fathom how bad of a group of players Lakers have. Other than Odom, not one player on the laker roster would start for any playoff team let alone be the sixth man. That is disgusting.
Kobe has done his share of work since Shaq left. What about the 81 points he had vs Toronto. What about the 40 point average he had last season and then the 50 point games he had this year. You can not deny his talent. Most if not all those games were games where the Lakers needed those points because the other players were playing like shit. This league has proven you can not do it by yourself (ala Jordan pre Pippen years)
3rd problem is that this team has no real basketball intelligence. Phil expects them to dig themselves out of their problems in the middle of the game. That style of coaching was fine with Vets like Horry, Fox, Shaq, and Fischer, but this Laker team can't do it. This team has no real heart. The last couple games of the playoffs and the season, only Kobe, Lamar and Luke (at times Jordan Farmar) gave it their all on the floor. It was obvious the rest of the team just folded. Fidn Lamar's post game interviews after game 2 or 3 vs phx. He says this plain and simple.
Kobe has only a few years left. Bynum is 3-4 years out of beign a real player, and by that time, Kobe will be an outside shooter like Jordan was at the end of his career. They need to trade to WIN NOW. The Buss family and Kupchak has openly said that they will wait for the next 2 years to see how Lakers do when they are healthy. This is the wrong mentalitly. That is why Kobe has to come out and say what he had to say. I dont blame him because he is right. And for all of you that say Lakers should trade Kobe are a bit crazy. You cant trade a guy that consistently makes 1st team all nba and 1st team all defense and starting lineup in the all star game for young talent. We have the BEST player in the league and need to enhance his abilities with people around him.

Putting a bunch of decent young players with Odom, Bynum and Luke will just make the Lakers another version of the Memphis Grizzlies. What has that team done with a 10 man rotation of no stars but just mediocre players (sorry Pau Gasol)?
 
kobe wanted baron davis didnt get him. wanted carlos boozer didnt get him. wanted jason kidd didnt get him. wanted lakers to keep caron butler they didnt keep him.

instead he gets smush potatos, shammond williams, jordan farmar as his pgs.

and luke walton, kwame brown, vlaidmiar radmonevich as his post people.

i would act like a jackass too.

he wants j oneal. im guessing lakers wont get him. and kobe will be gone.
 
Here's why I have zero sympathy for Kobe and what Kobe "wants."

Kobe has three rings if I'm not mistaken. Three.

In getting those three rings Kobe proved that he couldn't get along with the best center in the game at the time and could barely get along with Phil Jackson who coached perhaps the single biggest *sshole in the game in Jordan.

And still the f**ker got three rings. Oh, and he basically owns Los Angeles. The second biggest market in the country, it's all his now, and what's he do, he cries like a two year old.

I'm all for being competitive and wanting to win, but how many great players have there been in this league who haven't even gotten one ring and there Kobe is whining--again.

Kobe wants another big man, Kobe wants Caron Butler, Kobe wants Jerry West, Kobe wants to f**k another room service waitress up the *ss in Colorado.

It's all about what Kobe wants.

Well, frankly, I say f**k what that baby wants. That guy has more rings than Barkley, Stockton, Malone, KG, Iverson, and Ewing combined, and we're what, supposed to feel sorry for him?

Give me a f**king break. Enjoy life in Memphis, Kobe.
 
Kobe is the best player in the game, but is also the biggest douche in the game.
 
Brewer, it most likely would be conley, Yag, warrick. gasol and ODOM on the Lakers if Kobe was traded to Memphis, not the other way around.

JP,
Its not about feeling sorry for a guy, but after 3 rings, isnt it good that he has the desire to get some more? He still has a chip on his shoulder to get a ring without Shaq. Shaq has no desire anymore. I feel sorry for all those all stars you mentioned, but I dont think its about feeling sorry for Kobe.

I just want to see a good team in the purple and gold unis. I would want my star player to be vocal about the team. After all, if you are building a team around a player, then doesnt his input count? Kobe can score 35-40 a game and have a losing record but be regarded as one of the best offensive players, but he rather get players to win another ring. I just think the Kobe bashing is ridiculous across the NBA. I kept hearing that Lebron is better than Kobe right now. Put Kobe on the cavs and they are up 2-1 to the pistons.
 
I agree with you in large part, All. And I don't have a problem with the guy being vocal, especially if he is a leader, but what Kobe's doing here is what he's always done, he's putting himself above the team.

That's why it was such a trial when they were winning championships, because at least Shaq got it, that the sum was better than the parts. Kobe never did.

Kobe has done his best to be Michael Jordan, not to be like him, to be him and then, ultimately, surpass him. You saw it early on when he went so far as to model his interviews just like Mike, the way he spoke the things he said. But as great as he is, he's just not Jordan.

And the problem I have here is that it's not as if the Lakers don't want to win. Anybody who knows that organization can't make that claim with a straight face. Hell, I don't even like the Lakers, but I respect them, because they don't just want to win games, they want to win it all.

They've conditioned this town that only championships really matter, and they go after them. Are they doing a good job of that right now, no, but you can't say they don't know what they're doing historically which is exactly what Kobe's doing by trying to dictate who's in the organization.

I also agree with you that LeBron is not Kobe. I don't think Kobe's the best player in the game right now, I think Duncan is, but I think Kobe's second. Although, I think if LeBron keeps improving at this rate, he'll surpass Kobe in a year or year and a half.

Last, you're right about the Cavs and I still contend that if I were them I would call the Lakers right now and say, 'you can have our number one draft pick and your pick of our roster excluding LeBron.'

I wouldn't care if they took all the starters and a couple reserves. I believe Kidd is a free agent, I'd sign him, pick up a couple of young guys from wherever, maybe someone from overseas, fire that coach, and be the favorite for the Eastern Conference crown for at least the next three years.
 
JP,

You talk of how they have won through history and yes Lakers only believe in Championships. Hell many fans dont care until playoff time anyways. But where did those Championships come from? A large part is from having Jerry West as the GM. I dont have the exact order of how things happened, but its to no ones surprise that Lakers started going from NBA Elite to Mediocre in large part to West leaving the team. Kupchak and Buss have not brought anyone worth a nickel into this team for a couple years. When we won the three rings, our team had players like Rick Fox, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, and a young Derek Fisher. Good Players such as Kidd, B Davis, and J O' Neal have expressed interest in playing on the Lakers and we dont pull the trigger. I bet if West was here, we would have a better nucleus. That is what I think Kobe is griping about and its exactly what the fans have been wanting for a while.. a retun of the Icon.
Kobe wants to stay in La or he would have left a while ago. The trade ultimatum wont pan out. I dont like that he included it in his statements, but sometimes you have to bluff a little to get what you want. if Kobe was playing poker vs Buss, Kobe just reraised Buss with 82 of suit..lol
No way Buss will let Kobe go, maybe tell him to wait one more year to see how the Lakers are when they are Healthy, but a change is definetely in order.

The problem with West coming back is his rivalry with Phil Jackson. The fact that Phil is Dating Dr. Jerry Buss's daughter, Jenny Buss, makes things even more complicated. Ironically this whole saga is taking place near Hollywood. Wait for the Sequel coming out this Summer...lol
 
Yeah, although there are people in LA who will tell you that West really rode the coattails of the guy who set up everything right before he took over.

West not only paid off those runs, but basically set up the Kobe/Shaq mini-dynasty. The problem is that basically his hand-picked successor is running the show now and that weird dynamic you talk about is in place. Who runs that show, the Busses? Phil? Mitch? Some weird combo of all the above?

I heard Marc Stein of ESPN on the radio today basically saying he expects this whole thing to happen. That West will return, just as a consultant, but that will be enough to mellow out Kobe.

They still need help, though. And they're going to have to make some big moves to do it. Who knows if that's possible no matter who's running that circus.
 
All In said:
When Shaq left, it was because Shaq wanted too much money, wouldnt get into shape and didnt have many years left. D Wade will soon realize the phoniness of Shaq. As for Kobe, Jerry Buss knew he can keep Kobe for several years and make him the face of the organization. As a Laker Fan, I am happy with the decision. Now when Kobe was given the big contract, I am sure he was told they would put good players around him. I have heard this being mentioned on LA radio. We keep hearing that the team will change drastically after Brian Grant's Contract is off the books and blah blah blah. I look at these teams in the playoffs and I cant fathom how bad of a group of players Lakers have. Other than Odom, not one player on the laker roster would start for any playoff team let alone be the sixth man. That is disgusting.
Kobe has done his share of work since Shaq left. What about the 81 points he had vs Toronto. What about the 40 point average he had last season and then the 50 point games he had this year. You can not deny his talent. Most if not all those games were games where the Lakers needed those points because the other players were playing like shit. This league has proven you can not do it by yourself (ala Jordan pre Pippen years)
3rd problem is that this team has no real basketball intelligence. Phil expects them to dig themselves out of their problems in the middle of the game. That style of coaching was fine with Vets like Horry, Fox, Shaq, and Fischer, but this Laker team can't do it. This team has no real heart. The last couple games of the playoffs and the season, only Kobe, Lamar and Luke (at times Jordan Farmar) gave it their all on the floor. It was obvious the rest of the team just folded. Fidn Lamar's post game interviews after game 2 or 3 vs phx. He says this plain and simple.
Kobe has only a few years left. Bynum is 3-4 years out of beign a real player, and by that time, Kobe will be an outside shooter like Jordan was at the end of his career. They need to trade to WIN NOW. The Buss family and Kupchak has openly said that they will wait for the next 2 years to see how Lakers do when they are healthy. This is the wrong mentalitly. That is why Kobe has to come out and say what he had to say. I dont blame him because he is right. And for all of you that say Lakers should trade Kobe are a bit crazy. You cant trade a guy that consistently makes 1st team all nba and 1st team all defense and starting lineup in the all star game for young talent. We have the BEST player in the league and need to enhance his abilities with people around him.

Putting a bunch of decent young players with Odom, Bynum and Luke will just make the Lakers another version of the Memphis Grizzlies. What has that team done with a 10 man rotation of no stars but just mediocre players (sorry Pau Gasol)?
Click to expand...

very well said :shake:
 
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