Leave the scowl at home, Kobe

[Diesel J]

Oldschoolbball/Loki is going to like this:oldlol:


The strangest moment of the NBA playoffs took place during Game 3 of the Lakers-Rockets series, when Kobe Bryant hit an 18-foot turnaround jumper from the left elbow with Shane Battier's right hand in his face. Bryant immediately began shaking his head with a look that indicated he smelled something really bad. This -- as you know -- is Kobe's dismissive face, the one he now makes after nearly every basket.

But that wasn't the strange part -- after all, how can something be strange when it happens anywhere from 10 to 25 times a game? The strange part came afterward, when he started back downcourt and turned to the TNT broadcasters at center court and yelled toward commentator Doug Collins.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4310/nbagkbryant160034a7eb6.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nbagkbryant160034a7eb6.jpg)

We get it Kobe, no one can guard you. Now keep quiet and play the game.

"He can't guard me," Bryant said. Shaking his head, his mouth curled downward in a semicircle of disgust, he stared down Collins and said it again, "He can't guard me."

There was a pause on the broadcast. OK, that was meant for us, you could almost hear them thinking. So ... what do we say now? They couldn't ignore it, because it was clear to everyone watching that they were taken aback and that Kobe was the reason. Kevin Harlan acknowledged that Kobe was targeting Collins, one of the most even and knowledgeable minds in the game. When Harlan asked his partner what it was all about, Collins sounded genuinely perplexed. "I'm not sure," he said, and they quickly and quietly moved on.

And that's the deal about Kobe: None of us is sure. How can a guy with that much talent play with such little joy? Why does he feel he has to put on that phony tough-guy show all the time? Underneath all that pre-fab armor, who is he? Does he even know?

It's sad, maybe, but Kobe will never be appreciated in a manner commensurate with his ability. He's in the process of turning himself into an antihero. (In many respects, he is similar to Alex Rodriguez, another tin-eared superstar.) Everything he does reeks of insecurity, which is a really weird trait for a guy who -- along with LeBron James -- is a once-a-decade basketball talent.

Unlike LeBron, though, Kobe can't let his game speak for him. He has to accentuate everything with the facial expressions and the dismissiveness. It's not enough for him to beat someone; he feels compelled to belittle that person in the process. That's why one of the best things about the Lakers-Rockets series -- and, really, it's turning into a 700-page novel -- has been Shane Battier's reaction to Kobe's antics. And that reaction is this: zero. None. He acts as though he can't hear or see any of it.

Hey, Kobe, we know you're great. You know you're great. Shane Battier knows you're great. How about letting someone else say it first every once in a while? The way it works now, you're telling us so often that we're getting tired of it. Let us be the judge of whether someone can or cannot guard you. It's pretty self-explanatory, to Doug Collins and everybody else.

You see, I want to be able to enjoy Kobe's talent. I want to see it the way I see LeBron's: transcendent, mostly pure and emanating outward. It probably will never happen, though. Kobe won't let it.

For a guy with such a constant flow of creativity running through his game, it's amazing to see how calculated he is about his image. He comes across as though he's reading a script, and he's all wrong for the part (maybe Alan Alda reading a part meant for Harvey Keitel). There are just too many false notes, and the worst part is, he actually seems to believe this is what people want from him. This is the persona he has cultivated, and he's going with it no matter what. It's really kind of sad.

And this is where Kobe veers from the arrogant antihero routine perfected by someone such as Barry Bonds. Bonds didn't care what you thought about him. He thrived off the anger he generated. But this preening, jaw-jutting, head-shaking character is what Kobe believes people want.

Maybe it's his attempt to answer the questions of the Lakers' toughness. I don't know, but in the playoffs, his performances generally follow one of two themes: (1) He takes over the game and taunts everybody in sight, demanding that all acknowledge his greatness or (2) he steps back and intentionally doesn't take over a game, in which case his attitude seems to be, "See what they look like without me?" Either way, it's a tough act to embrace.

In the wake of Sunday's Game 4 disaster, when Battier and Ron Artest did guard Kobe -- and after which Magic Johnson said the Lakers defiled the team's honor -- it's a good bet Kobe will be at his contrived best in Tuesday night's Game 5. He'll probably dominate, and he'll undoubtedly let us know.

But here's a radical idea: Stop with the smugness and the arrogance. Play your game and let your talent speak for itself. You might not know this, but it does a much better job than you do. And if you're not going to enjoy what you bring to the court, at least give us half a chance.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keown/090512&sportCat=nba

[blasian]

I'm no Kobe fanatic, but this is a terrible article.

So basically, the writer is mad at Kobe for trash talking?

:oldlol: Do we need to list the amount of NBA players past and present that have done the same exact thing?

[Diesel J]

I'm no Kobe fanatic, but this is a terrible article.

So basically, the writer is mad at Kobe for trash talking?

:oldlol: Do we need to list the amount of NBA players past and present that have done the same exact thing?


He's talking more about the antics such as mean mugging and when he pops his jersey (remember in the first round when he dunked on Mislap and screamed "get the *** off me" and started mean mugging?) more than that the vocal trash talk.

[bruceblitz]

I'm no Kobe fanatic, but this is a terrible article.

So basically, the writer is mad at Kobe for trash talking?

:oldlol: Do we need to list the amount of NBA players past and present that have done the same exact thing?
You're comprehension sucks. Read, don't skim.

[Meticode]

You're comprehension sucks. Read, don't skim.

If he skimmed it has nothing to do with comprehension. It would have to do with being lazy and having no clue what the article is talking about.

[BRINKER]

its funny how artest has hit some of the biggest shots in this series, and after each one he acts like it was nothing.

meanwhile kobe bryant, the guy who supposedly is used to making big shot after impossible shot, is acting like a rookie making his first playoff bucket every time he makes a shot.

its pretty embarrassing. kobe has no class on the bball court.

[blasian]

He's talking more about the antics such as mean mugging and when he pops his jersey (remember in the first round when he dunked on Mislap and screamed "get the *** off me" and started mean mugging?) more than that the vocal trash talk.

Watch a Bulls game from the 90s. Jordan did the same shyt
ie. 92 series against the Knicks, he dunks on Ewing, gives him a slight shove to the ground, towers over him, then screams down at him.

But I guess Jordan was just being competitive...

[bruceblitz]

If he skimmed it has nothing to do with comprehension. It would have to do with being lazy and having no clue what the article is talking about.
I would suspect that it's a little of both, anyways....

This article kind of goes hand in hand with this statement from Bill Simmons:
[QUOTE]Take Spike Lee's upcoming Kobe Doin' Work, which could be headed for an Oscar next year -- not for best documentary but for best actor. Blanketed by 30 cameras covering his every move during a 2008 game, Kobe tries to be funny, supportive, helpful, charming

[bruceblitz]

Watch a Bulls game from the 90s. Jordan did the same shyt
ie. 92 series against the Knicks, he dunks on Ewing, gives him a slight shove to the ground, towers over him, then screams down at him.

But I guess Jordan was just being competitive...
Jordan got smacked in the face on the play. Nice try.

[blasian]

You're comprehension sucks. Read, don't skim.

No, this is my second time reading the article. All the psycho-analysis that the writer does doesn't change the fact that all Kobe was doing was trash talking.

Just about every claim that the writer makes about Kobe's true intentions in his court demanor are based upon mere assumption.

[Meticode]

To be honest, I skimmed it also. I'm in the middle of grilling steaks on the girl with baked potatoes.

http://timeinthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/steak-on-the-grill-1024x768.jpg

[Tainted Sword]

Lebron does the same sh*t (crying to the refs/mean mugging crowd/doing hercules poses), yet they claim Kobe should take notes from him. :oldlol:

ESPN has become the Lebron station now, so they're just trying to take Kobe down a notch. ;)

[bruceblitz]

No, this is my second time reading the article. All the psycho-analysis that the writer does doesn't change the fact that all Kobe was doing was trash talking.

Just about every claim that the writer makes about Kobe's true intentions in his court demanor are based upon mere assumption.
The author of the article is great at reading a personality. He's spot on. Kobe's persona is almost a mirror image of Terrell Owens.

I personally am glad to see a writer who was able to pinpoint this truth:

it's amazing to see how calculated he is about his image. He comes across as though he's reading a script.

Cha ching.

[bruceblitz]

Lebron does the same sh*t (crying to the refs/mean mugging crowd/doing hercules poses), yet they claim Kobe should take notes from him. :oldlol:

ESPN has become the Lebron station now, so they're just trying to take Kobe down a notch. ;)
Good thing this guy isn't in charge of jury selections. You are comparing Kobe's personality to LeBron's. That's like comparing a Yin to a Yang.

[blasian]

The author of the article is great at reading a personality. He's spot on. Kobe's persona is almost a mirror image of Terrell Owens.

I personally am glad to see a writer who was able to pinpoint this truth:


Cha ching.

I agree that Kobe's demeanor outside the court is incredibly forced(as is the case for most athletes)

But criticizing him for his on the court taunts? Come on
When Reggie Miller makes a choke sign to the crowd, its entertaining
When Lebron stares down a fan/argues with an opponents gf its entertaining
Dikembe does the finger wave after blocking a shot, its entertaining
When Kobe says "He cant guard me" its absolutely classless....

[blasian]

If he skimmed it has nothing to do with comprehension. It would have to do with being lazy and having no clue what the article is talking about.

Like I said, this is my second time reading the article. Cut through all the bullshyt, and its essentially someone who didn't like Bryant from the start being mad about him trash talking.

[TryToBeUnbias]

I agree that Kobe's demeanor outside the court is incredibly forced(as is the case for most athletes)

But criticizing him for his on the court taunts? Come on
When Reggie Miller makes a choke sign to the crowd, its entertaining
When Lebron stares down a fan/argues with an opponents gf its entertaining
When Kobe says "He cant guard me" its absolutely classless....

kobe is the basketball anti-christ to ppl on ish

[TheGrassIsGreen]

I think the main qualm the author has with Kobe's 'meanmugging' is that it's contrived. Kobe is not only strategic in game situations, he calculates his persona on and off the court as well.

Kobe may in fact be a narcissist. Not that it's any revelation, but this series has solidified it for me. It makes sense that he would be insecure. He never had an identity as a child due to him being American born— raised in Italy. Comes back to the US where he does not know the culture of his heritage. He had to be fake his whole life to be accepted.

[bruceblitz]

I agree that Kobe's demeanor outside the court is incredibly forced(as is the case for most athletes)

But criticizing him for his on the court taunts? Come on
When Reggie Miller makes a choke sign to the crowd, its entertaining
When Lebron stares down a fan/argues with an opponents gf its entertaining
When Kobe says "He cant guard me" its absolutely classless....
Kobe's had some great stretches in the regular season in his career. Kobe's had some decent showing in the playoffs in his career (vs Suns). Kobe's a great talent and his skill level as far as playground type skills is pretty high. He's got a lot of flash to his game. When it comes to his all time rankings I have Kobe in my top 10 perimeter players of all time list. That being said, when it comes to personality, wow, just wow, sucks. You see him talk sometimes and it makes you want to :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Like in these commercials where he's pumping up this documentary and he's downplaying passing. He basically says the way to help players improve is to show them your work ethic. Forget drawing in about 30-40 double teams per game which leaves players like Mo Williams and Big Z open so they can take open shots, it's all about showing up at the gym early. The guy is so image concious it's crazy. He reminds me so much of Terrell Owens. I really don't want to waste much more time on this topic.

The author of the article was talking about his personality over-all. I don't think the article was strictly pinpointing on the court behavior but over-all personality. Just my take on it and I think the article is spot on. The author could have gone into a lot more depth but didn't.

[Lebron23]

Expect Kobe Bryant to score 50 points againts the Yao-Mcgrady Less Rockets.

:cheers:

[lolwut]

the phony tough guy routine is the reason why people hate Kobe Bryant

apologizing for a phony tough guy is the reason why people hate Laker fans

[OneMoreSucka]

Expect Kobe Bryant to score 50 points againts the Yao-Mcgrady Less Rockets.

:cheers:
Highly doubtful.

[Duncan21formvp]

Excellent article. That is why ESPN is the best.

[DonDadda59]

[QUOTE=TheGrassIsGreen]I think the main qualm the author has with Kobe's 'meanmugging' is that it's contrived. Kobe is not only strategic in game situations, he calculates his persona on and off the court as well.

Kobe may in fact be a narcissist. Not that it's any revelation, but this series has solidified it for me. It makes sense that he would be insecure. He never had an identity as a child due to him being American born

[lolwut]

I've never seen Lebron act like a fake tough guy prima donna.

I've seen Lebron whine, but I've never seen him attempt to belittle his competition without just provocation. (I'm looking at you Deshawn).

Kobe on the other hand thinks it's "cool" to belittle his competition. Even when the competition is a great person like Shane Battier.

Kobe could shut up and play like everyone else, or he could belittle other players. He chooses to belittle others. He could have waited 1 second to get up off of Shane Battier without driving any knees or elbows into his head...instead he wants to spring right up regardless of who's directly under him and to hell with what happens to another person's head/face.

It's too easy to show examples of Kobe being an absolute prick from this very series.

I think Lebron pointed at the crowd once. lol.

[Doranku]

I'm pretty sure that's one of the reasons why a lot of people like Kobe. They find his arrogance and "I'm better than you and I know it" attitude entertaining. Some people like trash talking and the mean mugging, not everyone enjoys the guy who goes out there without emotion and plays, but is still a nice guy.

[lolwut]

I'm pretty sure that's one of the reasons why a lot of people like Kobe. They find his arrogance and "I'm better than you and I know it" attitude entertaining. Some people like trash talking and the mean mugging, not everyone enjoys the guy who goes out there without emotion and plays, but is still a nice guy.

which says a lot about the character of the individuals that like a prick because he's a prick

[Da_Realist]

When Kobe says "He cant guard me" its absolutely classless....

Hmm...seems like I've seen this one before. Ahh yes. MJ did the same thing against the Cavs in 92. In response to Gerald Wilkins "Jordan stopper" routine. Cute. ORIGINAL.

17 years later? ...not so much. :rolleyes:

[bruceblitz]

Hmm...seems like I've seen this before. Ahh yes. MJ did the same thing against the Cavs in 92. In response to Gerald Wilkins "Jordan stopper" routine. Cute. ORIGINAL.

17 years later? ...not so much. :rolleyes:
It's no secret that Jordan engaged in trash talking. It wasn't a degrading I'm so holy and you aren't **** type trash talking though. He wasn't as repulsively arrogant and phony. Don't bring Jordan into this. It was an article on Kobe Bryant's personality. If you think Jordan's personality was even close to having a true similarity, that means you admit to us that you know NOTHING about Jordan's career. Kobe's personality is spot on par with Terrell Owens. If you disagree, fine, but I don't respect your ability to read people. Stop :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Doranku]

which says a lot about the character of the individuals that like a prick because he's a prick

I'm not sure where you get the notion that Kobe is a 'prick', he seems like a pretty nice guy to me. These past couple years he's seemed to mature a lot. Sure, he's been a bonehead in the past, but really, what has he done in the past few years that's been so awful outside of Battier? LeBron threw the ball at a woman in the stands, but that's not a prick move? He told his own mother to sit her ass down, that isn't rude and disrespectful? Melo threw a punch a Nate Robinson. Shaq has talked **** about everyone in the league. Rondo threw Hinrich into the scorer's table and decked Miller in the face. Hell, even Dwight Howard threw a 'bow in that Philly series. I could go on and on, but you get the point.

[bruceblitz]

I'm not sure where you get the notion that Kobe is a 'prick', he seems like a pretty nice guy to me. These past couple years he's seemed to mature a lot. Sure, he's been a bonehead in the past, but really, what has he done in the past few years that's been so awful outside of Battier? LeBron threw the ball at a woman in the stands, but that's not a prick move? He told his own mother to sit her ass down, that isn't rude and disrespectful? Melo threw a punch a Nate Robinson. Shaq has talked **** about everyone in the league. Rondo threw Hinrich into the scorer's table and decked Miller in the face. Hell, even Dwight Howard threw a 'bow in that Philly series. I could go on and on, but you get the point.

This is what I just don't understand. An article about KOBE all the sudden brings relevence to the way other players act. It isn't a comparison article. It's an article that is a microcosm of the way Kobe acts all the time. The article basically implies that Kobe puts on a facade.

[Diesel J]

LeBron threw the ball at a woman in the stands, but that's not a prick move?

No he didn't lol..that was one of those and1 ball tricks he did.:oldlol:

[Doranku]

This is what I just don't understand. An article about KOBE all the sudden brings relevence to the way other players act. It isn't a comparison article. It's an article that is a microcosm of the way Kobe acts all the time. The article basically implies that Kobe puts on a facade.

I wasn't really referring to the article when I brought those other players up. I was moreso asking why Kobe is labeled as a prick when numerous other players in the league have done worse things on the court.

I don't know if it's just me, but I don't see Kobe talking **** or being arrogant "all the time" either. When he lit Utah up for 38 on 16-24 earlier in the post-season, dude didn't say a word.

[lolwut]

I'm not sure where you get the notion that Kobe is a 'prick', he seems like a pretty nice guy to me. These past couple years he's seemed to mature a lot. Sure, he's been a bonehead in the past, but really, what has he done in the past few years that's been so awful outside of Battier? LeBron threw the ball at a woman in the stands, but that's not a prick move? He told his own mother to sit her ass down, that isn't rude and disrespectful? Melo threw a punch a Nate Robinson. Shaq has talked **** about everyone in the league. Rondo threw Hinrich into the scorer's table and decked Miller in the face. Hell, even Dwight Howard threw a 'bow in that Philly series. I could go on and on, but you get the point.


there's nothing nice about belittling your opponent, kneeing and elbowing a great guy like Shane Battier because you don't have the patience to wait a second so everyone can get back to their feet without elbowing any heads

then looking over at the announcers after a shot to make sure everyone heard you belittle the same guy over and over again

that's trashy.

[bruceblitz]

I wasn't really referring to the article when I brought those other players up. I was moreso asking why Kobe is labeled as a prick when numerous other players in the league have done worse things on the court.

I don't know if it's just me, but I don't see Kobe talking **** or being arrogant "all the time" either. When he lit Utah up for 38 on 16-24 earlier in the post-season, dude didn't say a word.

Once again, in that 38 point game his demeanor was "I'm the ****" "look at me" "watch me stare into the crowd like a badass". He comes off as a phony tough guy, just as the article implies. I wouldn't say he's a prick, I would say he's a con artist though.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Completely agree with the article. Spot on. I've never seen a more immature display than the way Kobe acted in game 3. From the first basket to the last, the dude was mugging for the camera, mouthing off, and generally acting like a douche.

[bruceblitz]

Start studying "non verbal body language". There are very good videos on youtube and great articles and tutorials all over the internet. When you have mastered the art of reading non verbal body language, you will be able to peg ball players like Kobe for what they are. I can personally say I truly believe this author has done his homework on non verbal body language.

[Doranku]

there's nothing nice about belittling your opponent, kneeing and elbowing a great guy like Shane Battier because you don't have the patience to wait a second so everyone can get back to their feet without elbowing any heads

then looking over at the announcers after a shot to make sure everyone heard you belittle the same guy over and over again

that's trashy.

Trash talking is part of the game dawg, I agree what he did to Battier was immature and uncalled for, and sure looking over at the announcers was going a bit overboard, but I really don't see a problem in him screaming "He can't guard me". Trying to get in your opponent's head isn't trashy, I'm sure Battier isn't at home blogging crying about how trashy Kobe Bryant is for screaming at him..

[Da_Realist]

It's no secret that Jordan engaged in trash talking. It wasn't a degrading I'm so holy and you aren't **** type trash talking though. He wasn't as repulsively arrogant and phony. Don't bring Jordan into this. It was an article on Kobe Bryant's personality. If you think Jordan's personality was even close to having a true similarity, that means you admit to us that you know NOTHING about Jordan's career. Kobe's personality is spot on par with Terrell Owens. If you disagree, fine, but I don't respect your ability to read people. Stop :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

I was being sarcastic. I'm actually surprised more people didn't catch on. He tried to mock MJ and Doug Collins didn't even know what he was talking about because it came out of nowhere. But in Kobe's mind, I guess he was playing Cleveland. :oldlol:

[lolwut]

I was being sarcastic. I'm actually surprised more people didn't catch on. He tried to mock him and Doug Collins didn't even know what he was talking about because it came out of nowhere. But in Kobe's mind, I guess he was playing Cleveland. :oldlol:


He must have thought he was playing Cleveland in game 4 too.

[OldSchoolBBall]

its funny how artest has hit some of the biggest shots in this series, and after each one he acts like it was nothing.

meanwhile kobe bryant, the guy who supposedly is used to making big shot after impossible shot, is acting like a rookie making his first playoff bucket every time he makes a shot.

its pretty embarrassing. kobe has no class on the bball court.

Yup. Don't ever expect any Kobe/Laker fan to agree with that, though.

My biggest gripe was that he was doing it after his FIRST MADE SHOT of the game, and after EVERY SINGLE made shot for the entire game. I mean, come on already...

[Diesel J]

Look at this act by Kobe:oldlol:

Kobe fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIJ_JDeWws

The same guy that got whooped by Reggie Miller:violin:

[Twiens]

:roll: Only kobe can have haters as obsessive as this....

[OldSchoolBBall]

Watch a Bulls game from the 90s. Jordan did the same shyt
ie. 92 series against the Knicks, he dunks on Ewing, gives him a slight shove to the ground, towers over him, then screams down at him.

But I guess Jordan was just being competitive...

You're wrong. Jordan stodd over Ewing and shouted in ANGER, not trash talk or arrogance, because he was mugged on a shot (it wasn't the famous dunk you mentioned). After that famous dunk, Jordan simply gave Ewing a slight look, a little hop, and that was it.

Jordan definitely talked trash and OCCASIONALLY gesticulated and was animated after shots, but nowhere near what Kobe does in both frequency and severity.

[bruceblitz]

Look at this act by Kobe:oldlol:

Kobe fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIJ_JDeWws

The same guy that got whooped by Reggie Miller:violin:
Everyone from Jordan to LeBron knows when the cameras are on and they put on their "on-air personality". Kobe Bryant takes this to a whole new level. As seen in that video. One of his many moments. What really makes me :banghead: is the way he diminishes players like Jordan and LeBron. I know that enrages myself and many other fans. We sit there going :hammerhead: :mad: :banghead:

[OldSchoolBBall]

Look at this act by Kobe:oldlol:

Kobe fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIJ_JDeWws

The same guy that got whooped by Reggie Miller:violin:

LMAO @ a grown man acting like that -- and towards the crowd, no less. :oldlol:

[bruceblitz]

:roll: Only kobe can have haters as obsessive as this....

Here's case in point, one person who's fallen for his con. He's a con artist, and a very good one. That being said, other great con artists include Drew Peterson and O.J. Simpson. I'm in no way implying Kobe is scum like those two.

[bruceblitz]

If you study non-verbal communication you will notice so many similarities between Kobe and O.J. Simpson or Terrell Owens. It's sad actually.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=non-verbal+communication

[oh the horror]

How many more threads do we need thrashing Kobe? I mean at what point does it become a little over the top?


This article is stupid. One man's opinion, based off of nothing.


And then especially on THIS forum, we get to hear a series of more BS from the members here, whom we ALREADY KNOW have a distaste for Kobe in general, tell us why its horrible when HE does this, or when HE does that, as opposed to OTHER basketball players who do the same.



Give me a break, this is beyond petty at this point.


And no, it has nothing to do with being a Lakers fan, it has to do with being a GUY THAT DOESNT CARE.

[Allstar24]

It's sad, maybe, but Kobe will never be appreciated in a manner commensurate with his ability. He's in the process of turning himself into an antihero. (In many respects, he is similar to Alex Rodriguez, another tin-eared superstar.) Everything he does reeks of insecurity, which is a really weird trait for a guy who -- along with LeBron James -- is a once-a-decade basketball talent.
He doesn't have to, the media took care of that already. ESPN writes such awful trash...yeah let's pretend that Kobe's the only player in the history of the game to ever taunt his opponents...damn these writers are pathetic, can't believe they get paid for writing this sh*t :oldlol:

[oh the horror]

Seriously, I MEAN SERIOUSLY are we going to sit here and act like a TON OF OTHER PLAYERS DO NOT DO THIS AS WELL?



Christ almighty can this man do ANYTHING without a mass of people over analyzing it, and eating him alive about it?

[lolwut]

How many more threads do we need thrashing Kobe? I mean at what point does it become a little over the top?


This article is stupid. One man's opinion, based off of nothing.


And then especially on THIS forum, we get to hear a series of more BS from the members here, whom we ALREADY KNOW have a distaste for Kobe in general, tell us why its horrible when HE does this, or when HE does that, as opposed to OTHER basketball players who do the same.



Give me a break, this is beyond petty at this point.


And no, it has nothing to do with being a Lakers fan, it has to do with being a GUY THAT DOESNT CARE.

show us all how much you don't care by not posting about it

[crashbangboom]

show us all how much you don't care by not posting about it

Good point.

In my humble opinion Kobe is a DB.

[bruceblitz]

How:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
:hammerhead:

[oh the horror]

show us all how much you don't care by not posting about it


I dont care about the damn guy (Kobe) to bi*tch THAT OBSESSIVELY about it every other day. No one in the NBA is on my "to do" list.


I mean really dude, this guy, along with some here, are now complaining about his antics during a game? Antics, that every OTHER player does as well? It doesnt make any sense.


Yet here we are, somehow its worse because its Kobe.

[bruceblitz]

:mad: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: .
:hammerhead:

[lolwut]

I dont care about the damn guy (Kobe) to bi*tch THAT OBSESSIVELY about it every other day. No one in the NBA is on my "to do" list.


I mean really dude, this guy, along with some here, are now complaining about his antics during a game? Antics, that every OTHER player does as well? It doesnt make any sense.


Yet here we are, somehow its worse because its Kobe.


post some .gifs of players looking over to the guys calling the game and belittling the man that's guarding him

and no not in And 1 games

[oh the horror]

:hammerhead:


Dude, I know you of all people are not talking about crying. At one point, I believed you honestly didnt work for a living with the epic posts youve thrown out there.

[oh the horror]

post some .gifs of players looking over to the guys calling the game and belittling the man that's guarding him

and no not in And 1 games


You actually need that to believe it happens? Havent you seen it for yourself? Reeeeeeeeally?

[lolwut]

You actually need that to believe it happens? Havent you seen it for yourself? Reeeeeeeeally?


not seeing those .gifs

[bruceblitz]

Con artists typically have a psychotic following.

see: David Koresh

[blasian]

post some .gifs of players looking over to the guys calling the game and belittling the man that's guarding him

and no not in And 1 games

You must have missed last years playoffs.

Chris Paul to Jason Kidd(an NBA legend) "You can't guard me!"

Where was the outrage then?

[Allstar24]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjH4MCFjysw&feature=related

[lolwut]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjH4MCFjysw&feature=related


so basically nothing even remotely close to the way Kobe treated Battier?

[Diesel J]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjH4MCFjysw&feature=related

scowls and jersey popping isn't the same as trash talking:oldlol:

Find me a Jordan, Bird or Magic video similar to this


Look at this act by Kobe:oldlol:

Kobe fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIJ_JDeWws

The same guy that got whooped by Reggie Miller:violin:

[DonDadda59]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjH4MCFjysw&feature=related

:oldlol: Jordan was such a dick...

[miniharrison37]

Trash talking is the GAME! I mean honestly, people, try to just find any excitement in a game without the Technical Foul's and all the Trash Talking.

[lolwut]

Trash talking is the GAME! I mean honestly, people, try to just find any excitement in a game without the Technical Foul's and all the Trash Talking.


you must really love the game if the only excitement you're getting out of watching professional basketball is trash talk and techs

[Da_Realist]

What a phony. It must be tough defending this guy every day.

[Da_Realist]

:oldlol: at all the people that think this is about "trash talking"

[Diesel J]

:oldlol: at all the people that think this is about "trash talking"

exactly:lol

[TheCommish]

Lebron and Kobe are both fake. Lebron with his fakea$$ class clown routine and Kobe with his fakea$$ tough guy on the court nice guy off the court shenanigans

[Diesel J]

Lebron and Kobe are both fake. Lebron with his fakea$$ class clown routine and Kobe with his fakea$$ tough guy on the court nice guy off the court shenanigans


I doubt that's fake. JUst go looks at some of the team videos from the Olympics. Dude is a real jokster lol

Vitamin Water "Viral" Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LelfrVbm4fc

[imdaman99]

there's nothing nice about belittling your opponent, kneeing and elbowing a great guy like Shane Battier because you don't have the patience to wait a second so everyone can get back to their feet without elbowing any heads

then looking over at the announcers after a shot to make sure everyone heard you belittle the same guy over and over again

that's trashy.
Play some basketball in real life you f*cking nerd. Get off the computer for a change. Tell me if you ever get emotional on the courts. Instead of judging athletes, why dont you try playing for a change. Basketball is a sport that I play all the time, fights happen, a lot worse than this trash talking happens all the time, and we just play for fun. Get over your hatred for Kobe, it seems obsessive. Brucey, you ever dribble a ball other than MJ's nuts before? :D

[imdaman99]

And lets face it, you gonna get into dirty trash talking matches with your biggest rivals. Rockets are developing into a bigtime rival of the Lakers. It was the same with Lakers-Kings. Bulls-Knicks, Knicks-Pacers, Knicks-Heat.

[StealthNoob]

Look at this act by Kobe:oldlol:

Kobe fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIJ_JDeWws

The same guy that got whooped by Reggie Miller:violin:

Ahh **** thats funny lol.:roll:

Man i hope he does this when the lakers beat the rocket in game 6!:rockon: :rockon:

[Younggrease]

:roll: Only kobe can have haters as obsessive as this....

funny the people calling Kobe sad are the same people who obsessively watch him and spend their free time talking about him on youtube. Who is really the sad one?

[oh the horror]

funny the people calling Kobe sad are the same people who obsessively watch him and spend their free time talking about him on youtube. Who is really the sad one?


You really do have to wonder.


Lets get something straight....there are players I do not like, but do i spend countless hours, blogging, making videos, and threads about them? NO!


Why? BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.

[jjayfive]

i'm not gonna even bother... these people are just basketball players to me... i have too much of a life to care about there antics and personalities

[HANNIBAL SMITH]

:roll: @ Other Grown ass men worried about how Kobe shows his emotions on the court in games. So ****IN pathetic. He didn't do anything different than any other superstar in the NBA hasn't done, but i guess because he didn't grow up in the hood like a Lebron,Pierce, AI and etc he's not allowed to scowl and trash talk in NBA playoff games?

I guess people would like him more if he took the Tim Duncan route huh? Bullshit. Kobe gonna catch flack for no matter what he does, dude is a marked man by the media. **** leaving the scowl at home, it's still not changing shit about peoples perception of him as a player/person, minds are already made up, there is nothing he can do that will change that.

[amfirst]

Horrible and bias article. Who would hire these people.:hammerhead:

Pierce throwing gang signs and KG going off on the sideline is ok, but Kobe enjoying a competitive game = the antichrist.

[halffttime]

even though this writer is definitely a homer, he does make one good point.. kobe is definitely over-doing his mj impressions.. i can recount several moments in these playoffs where kobe would turn to either the camera man or one of the broadcasters after a shot just to remind them who he is..

alas, the "jordan shrug"

[rawimpact]

must suck being compared to jordan. What's next?

Damn we're all trying to be like jordan because we enjoy basketball and wear hanes! oh no!

[Peter Griffin]

even though this writer is definitely a homer, he does make one good point.. kobe is definitely over-doing his mj impressions.. i can recount several moments in these playoffs where kobe would turn to either the camera man or one of the broadcasters after a shot just to remind them who he is..

alas, the "jordan shrug"

T-Mac, Iverson, Carter, LeBron looked at camera and broadcasters before!

I haven't seen this many double standards since standards were doubled!

[rawimpact]

T-Mac, Iverson, Carter, LeBron looked at camera and broadcasters before!

I haven't seen this many double standards since standards were doubled!

They're all trying to be like Jordan... :roll:

[dazed27]

haha damn since when did this site become about social behavior....i thaught it was about basketball....

this is funny you people need to get off the internet or go get laid

[oh the horror]

haha damn since when did this site become about social behavior....i thaught it was about basketball....

this is funny you people need to get off the internet or go get laid


Because when nitpicking at someone's game doesnt pan out, most hatred tends to find other things to nit pick. Which leads into someone's personal life, their preferences, their hobbies, etc.


Its pathetic these days.

[gpfanz]

Yao Ming didn't play thats all :violin:

[Bodhi]

I love how Kobe get multiple threads dedicated to his trash talking and this gets almost completely ignored:

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2186/nbaagarnettgordon576.jpg

ISH: Where agendas happen.

[zabuza666]

[QUOTE=TheGrassIsGreen]I think the main qualm the author has with Kobe's 'meanmugging' is that it's contrived. Kobe is not only strategic in game situations, he calculates his persona on and off the court as well.

Kobe may in fact be a narcissist. Not that it's any revelation, but this series has solidified it for me. It makes sense that he would be insecure. He never had an identity as a child due to him being American born

[bruceblitz]

:roll: @ the last few posts of page 5 and the posts on page 6 of this thread.

[godofgods]

If somebody would just kill Kobe, the world would be a much better place to live. There will be even peace in the Middle East.

[lolwut]

Play some basketball in real life you f*cking nerd. Get off the computer for a change. Tell me if you ever get emotional on the courts. Instead of judging athletes, why dont you try playing for a change. Basketball is a sport that I play all the time, fights happen, a lot worse than this trash talking happens all the time, and we just play for fun. Get over your hatred for Kobe, it seems obsessive. Brucey, you ever dribble a ball other than MJ's nuts before? :D


this garbage post would be relevant if the Rockets did a lot of trash talking and belittling Lakers when we win or make a basket

instead it has a common denominator...Kobe's ****ty attitude. Just admit that he was acting ****ty and move on. He's capable of being classy, but he chose not to.

[MaxFly]

I love how Kobe get multiple threads dedicated to his trash talking and this gets almost completely ignored:

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2186/nbaagarnettgordon576.jpg

ISH: Where agendas happen.

Lol, I love that picture... KG is such a punk sometimes... I can't help but laugh...

[phoenix18]

This is the thing that I dont get. Kobe is yelling he cant guard me, he cant guard me at the guy that shut him down in game 1 and then did it again in game 4.

[bigkingsfan]

I love how Kobe get multiple threads dedicated to his trash talking and this gets almost completely ignored:

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2186/nbaagarnettgordon576.jpg

ISH: Where agendas happen.
Ignored my ass, there was a photoshop with a little girl crying.

[Allstar24]

This is the thing that I dont get. Kobe is yelling he cant guard me, he cant guard me at the guy that shut him down in game 1 and then did it again in game 4.
:oldlol: at the notion that Battier "shut down" Kobe in games 1 and 4. Keep believing that. And since when does scoring 32 points mean you got shut down?? Kobe must be that damn good...the best you can do is hold him to 32 points :oldlol:

[White Mamba]

:oldlol: at the notion that Battier "shut down" Kobe in games 1 and 4. Keep believing that. And since when does scoring 32 points mean you got shut down?? Kobe must be that damn good...the best you can do is hold him to 32 points :oldlol:

Game 2 was a key game - 40 points on 27 shots

Game 5 was a key game - 40 point W & 20 points at the half

who shut who:oldlol:

Kobe bryant is the best, period:applause:

[Tricks]

If you study non-verbal communication you will notice so many similarities between Kobe and O.J. Simpson or Terrell Owens. It's sad actually.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=non-verbal+communication

And if you have too much time on your hands, you'll look up youtube video clips so you can convince people there are "similarities" between Kobe, and O.J Simpson or Terrell Owens.

[dazed27]

Because when nitpicking at someone's game doesnt pan out, most hatred tends to find other things to nit pick. Which leads into someone's personal life, their preferences, their hobbies, etc.


Its pathetic these days.

totally agree......damn kobe haters on this thread are acting like they have a master degree in psychology......lol.....

[Mdog1]

It is not his actioons like "he can't guard me". That does not bother me one little bit. In fact I kind of like that nasty nature, but the problem with Kobe is he has this sense of entitlement. He feels that he should win and therefore he can do what he wants because he will win. It is that nature that really bothers me to no end. He is one of the greatest talents ever, but he has this persona to make people not like him.

[LA_Showtime]

Kobe isn't the most popular guy on ISH, which makes sense because of his personality... but some of you would rather see him killed? Pathetic.

[Rasheed1]

while I hate kobe like any good human being.. I think the article is late and a little over the top.....

Kobe has always been a contrived phoney when it comes to his actions on the court..

he only did that "he cant guard me" crap because jordan did it back in the day..



the difference was Jordan would react to the moment instead of trying to create one out of thin air


Gerald Wilkins would boast about how he was brought in to stop Mj and Mj would take him apart and then do the 'he cant guard me' thing.....

Mj would look at the scorer's table and talk at the announcers when he was on fire in the Finals...

it was usually a culmination of a moment when everyone understood what was going on.....

Kobe seems like he manufactures these moments because he saw Jordan do it.... or at least because he thinks its the cool thing to do in that spot...

Jordan just did it and it came off correctly .......


kobe is acting and its obvious...

[Da_Realist]

Hmm...seems like I've seen this one before. Ahh yes. MJ did the same thing against the Cavs in 92. In response to Gerald Wilkins "Jordan stopper" routine. Cute. ORIGINAL.

17 years later? ...not so much. :rolleyes:


:oldlol: at all the people that think this is about "trash talking"

This guy gets it. --->
while I hate kobe like any good human being.. I think the article is late and a little over the top.....

Kobe has always been a contrived phoney when it comes to his actions on the court..

he only did that "he cant guard me" crap because jordan did it back in the day..



the difference was Jordan would react to the moment instead of trying to create one out of thin air


Gerald Wilkins would boast about how he was brought in to stop Mj and Mj would take him apart and then do the 'he cant guard me' thing.....

Mj would look at the scorer's table and talk at the announcers when he was on fire in the Finals...

it was usually a culmination of a moment when everyone understood what was going on.....

Kobe seems like he manufactures these moments because he saw Jordan do it.... or at least because he thinks its the cool thing to do in that spot...

Jordan just did it and it came off correctly .......


kobe is acting and its obvious...

[Mor'Fiyah]

while I hate kobe like any good human being.. I think the article is late and a little over the top.....

Kobe has always been a contrived phoney when it comes to his actions on the court..

he only did that "he cant guard me" crap because jordan did it back in the day..



the difference was Jordan would react to the moment instead of trying to create one out of thin air


Gerald Wilkins would boast about how he was brought in to stop Mj and Mj would take him apart and then do the 'he cant guard me' thing.....

Mj would look at the scorer's table and talk at the announcers when he was on fire in the Finals...

it was usually a culmination of a moment when everyone understood what was going on.....

Kobe seems like he manufactures these moments because he saw Jordan do it.... or at least because he thinks its the cool thing to do in that spot...

Jordan just did it and it came off correctly .......


kobe is acting and its obvious...

In the end its all subjective. If you like Kevin Garnett you will find his mean mugging and scowls and howls from the Celtics bench entertaining and spirited. You will think "there is a guy who really cares about his team!". If you are not a fan of KG it comes off as indulgent, arrogant and a little scary. Same goes for Kobe. Being a Kobe fan I literally would yell at Shane Battier on the tv telling him he can't guard the best player (to me) on the planet. I would pump my fist and whoop at some ridiculous, twisting, twirling, jump shot Kobe made with a Battier hand two inches from his eyelids. You view point on whether Kobe comes across as fake or uncool depends on whether you actually like Kobe Bryant or not (cue troll post saying "I am a big fan of Kobe Bryant, BUT he is a fake ass mo^&*#*ker"). The article is also the subjective opinion of someone who also does not like Kobe Bryant. Its not an absolute truth by any means.

[Torious]

Even though I think the artcle is garbage, I wish Kobe'd play like he did in game 5 more often. Focused, no trash talk and only talk to the revs when you actually got a valid complaint.

Also for a second it looked like Sasha'd start crying when Kobe talked to him on the bench. This is always a bonus.

[Da_Realist]

Also for a second it looked like Sasha'd start crying when Kobe talked to him on the bench. This is always a bonus.

:oldlol:

[wang4three]

The internet really let any idiot novice with a voice talk. I miss the days where things went through editors before money was spent to put it onto paper. This **** is the dumbest thing ever.

[MaxFly]

totally agree......damn kobe haters on this thread are acting like they have a master degree in psychology......lol.....

Where have you been... University of Phoenix has an online course dedicated to this discipline... You can be certified and recieve a degree in 10 weeks. The commercials are on television all the time. Don't know how you could have missed them. :confusedshrug:

[BallPhunk]

In the end its all subjective. If you like Kevin Garnett you will find his mean mugging and scowls and howls from the Celtics bench entertaining and spirited. You will think "there is a guy who really cares about his team!". If you are not a fan of KG it comes off as indulgent, arrogant and a little scary. Same goes for Kobe. Being a Kobe fan I literally would yell at Shane Battier on the tv telling him he can't guard the best player (to me) on the planet. I would pump my fist and whoop at some ridiculous, twisting, twirling, jump shot Kobe made with a Battier hand two inches from his eyelids. You view point on whether Kobe comes across as fake or uncool depends on whether you actually like Kobe Bryant or not (cue troll post saying "I am a big fan of Kobe Bryant, BUT he is a fake ass mo^&*#*ker"). The article is also the subjective opinion of someone who also does not like Kobe Bryant. Its not an absolute truth by any means.

Best post of the thread. :applause:

And if you like LBJ, you love it when he dances after a dunk or flexes after a 3pt play. If you don't...

(although we haven't gotten to a point yet with LBJ where a handful of posters have a .TXT file full of anti-Kobe quotes they can cut&paste at will to fill up threads like this)

[Rasheed1]

Best post of the thread. :applause:

And if you like LBJ, you love it when he dances after a dunk or flexes after a 3pt play. If you don't...

(although we haven't gotten to a point yet with LBJ where a handful of posters have a .TXT file full of anti-Kobe quotes they can cut&paste at will to fill up threads like this)

that is not the same as people hating Kobe for aping Mj.....

alot of players have habits that I dont like... I didnt like Isiah Thomas or Larry Bird or Reggie Miller or Karl malone for various reasons..


the difference is that all of them were originals... I never felt Bird was a phony... I feared Larry Bird and that is why I disliked him.... I feared zeke and I know very well if you (the fans) provoke Reggie Miller he would heat up and assassinate your team... their mannerisms and little side shows were not so important


kobe on the other hand... I dont fear kobe..he is just annoying.... He is a great player and blossoming into an even better one...

but he isnt a guy I fear like I feared Bird or Magic or Jordan..

my dislike comes directly from great effort to try and be somebody he is not.....

its different than just liking or not liking a guy

[Mor'Fiyah]

that is not the same as people hating Kobe for aping Mj.....

alot of players have habits that I dont like... I didnt like Isiah Thomas or Larry Bird or Reggie Miller or Karl malone for various reasons..


the difference is that all of them were originals... I never felt Bird was a phony... I feared Larry Bird and that is why I disliked him.... I feared zeke and I know very well if you (the fans) provoke Reggie Miller he would heat up and assassinate your team... their mannerisms and little side shows were not so important


kobe on the other hand... I dont fear kobe..he is just annoying.... He is a great player and blossoming into an even better one...

but he isnt a guy I fear like I feared Bird or Magic or Jordan..

my dislike comes directly from great effort to try and be somebody he is not.....

its different than just liking or not liking a guy

Understood. But take this statement:

"my dislike comes directly from great effort to try and be somebody he is not....."

In my opinion, Bryant isn't imitating anybody. Its not his fault that there are some things he does that reminds people of MJ (part of the reason Kobe has so so so many fans and so so so many jersey sales, and part of the reason he is so so so hated and has so so so many negative articles written about him). It goes without saying that if you are not particularly a fan of Kobe then his fist pumps come off like he is trying to be just like Mike. Or the other way around... maybe you arent a fan because in your opinion his fist pump came off as fake. A large number of people see it completely different. I challenge you to find another NBA player alive today with more fans. Not Lebron. Not Wade. Not Iverson, Carter, or TMac even come close to Kobe's popularity as a basketball player both here in the US and abroad. He is the single most liked player in the world and the single most hated. As a result viewpoints range from Kobe being a fake-ass Jordan clone to Kobe being the GOAT. You seeing him as being fake MUST be a subjective perspective or so many people would not be Kobe Bryant fans.

[ikoiko]

the article is not criticizing kobe for scowling and trash talking, it's saying how it's so extremely forced when kobe does it. it's obvious that he's just doing it because that's what he thinks the cool kids do. he doesn't know how to be himself, and that is sad.

but it looked like he got the memo before game five tho!

[Mor'Fiyah]

the article is not criticizing kobe for scowling and trash talking, it's saying how it's so extremely forced when kobe does it. it's obvious that he's just doing it because that's what he thinks the cool kids do. he doesn't know how to be himself, and that is sad.

but it looked like he got the memo before game five tho!

Correction. Its saying how the author (not a Kobe fan) thinks its forced. The most popular player in the NBA probably has more people who think otherwise.

[YAWN]

the article is not criticizing kobe for scowling and trash talking, it's saying how it's so extremely forced when kobe does it. it's obvious that he's just doing it because that's what he thinks the cool kids do. he doesn't know how to be himself, and that is sad.

but it looked like he got the memo before game five tho!

how is it extremely forced? What the hell do you want this guy to do. Even when I am sitting on my couch watching these games i do the fist pump when my team makes a crucial play. If a mere fan like myself gets that excited then why can't the players?

Get off the net and go play some competitive sports, those types of reactions come natural.

[Mor'Fiyah]

how is it extremely forced? What the hell do you want this guy to do. Even when I am sitting on my couch watching these games i do the fist pump when my team makes a crucial play. If a mere fan like myself gets that excited then why can't the players?

Get off the net and go play some competitive sports, those types of reactions come natural.

It really doesnt matter. If you don't like Kobe, no matter what his reactions are you will find fault. I remember reading an article that basically berated Kobe for looking forlorn and uncaring as Boston systematically beat the Lakers in last years finals. The author wanted to know why the snarling, angry, I will fight till the bitter end Kobe didn't show up. Someone even criticised Kobe for not showing more emotion when the Rockets blew them out in this series' game four. This has nothing to do with Kobe or Kobe's mannerisms and everything to do with an individuals perception of Kobe.

[Younggrease]

Get off the net and go play some competitive sports, those types of reactions come natural.

exactly..I have yelled he cant guard me to opposing players and coaches many times...And no I wasnt thinking about Jordan. I have fist pumped and I wasnt thinking about Jordan. People do these things all the time its not uncommon. Go to a AAU game and you will hear this stuff all the time. This is poor journalism. This wouldnt even pass in HS English

[asd]

how is it extremely forced? What the hell do you want this guy to do. Even when I am sitting on my couch watching these games i do the fist pump when my team makes a crucial play. If a mere fan like myself gets that excited then why can't the players?

Get off the net and go play some competitive sports, those types of reactions come natural.

it does seem like bad acting once in a while, like he's putting on a macho bravado for the cameras

[KobeRules24]

In the end its all subjective. If you like Kevin Garnett you will find his mean mugging and scowls and howls from the Celtics bench entertaining and spirited. You will think "there is a guy who really cares about his team!". If you are not a fan of KG it comes off as indulgent, arrogant and a little scary. Same goes for Kobe. Being a Kobe fan I literally would yell at Shane Battier on the tv telling him he can't guard the best player (to me) on the planet. I would pump my fist and whoop at some ridiculous, twisting, twirling, jump shot Kobe made with a Battier hand two inches from his eyelids. You view point on whether Kobe comes across as fake or uncool depends on whether you actually like Kobe Bryant or not (cue troll post saying "I am a big fan of Kobe Bryant, BUT he is a fake ass mo^&*#*ker"). The article is also the subjective opinion of someone who also does not like Kobe Bryant. Its not an absolute truth by any means.

This. i don't know why people act like kobe commited a crime or something every time he makes a gesture towards an opposing player, this wouldn't be an issue if this was Jordan doing the same back in the day or Lebron/Wade now. They are likable figures, people in general just do not like kobe's personality and that's why they hate everything he does.

[Rasheed1]

it does seem like bad acting once in a while, like he's putting on a macho bravado for the cameras


it is acting that is the point...


there is a difference between disliking a great player because you fear him and disliking a player because he is a phony




that being said, I'll give kobe this much credit... He is getting better year by year (leadership wise which is all Im looking at regarding him at this point in his career) and he is starting to get it...

the problem is Lebron...

he may get eclipsed by Lebron if he doesnt win a title (wo Shaq) before Lebron wins one..

[nnn123]

exactly..I have yelled he cant guard me to opposing players and coaches many times...And no I wasnt thinking about Jordan. I have fist pumped and I wasnt thinking about Jordan. People do these things all the time its not uncommon. Go to a AAU game and you will hear this stuff all the time. This is poor journalism. This wouldnt even pass in HS English

I think the thing with Kobe, though, is that when people accuse him of acting like Jordan they're not looking at one little thing, such as a fist pump...they're looking at the sum aggregate of all his actions. His style of play is self-explanatory, he obviously learned many moves from MJ....the way he sticks out his tongue when he's about to dunk...the way he likes to palm the ball with one hand on the perimeter as if he's pllayin hide-n-go-seek...the way he shoots a fadeaway and immediately starts backpedaling to the other side of the court even before the shot hits the net...the way he trash talks and shakes his head at the crowd as if to say "you can't guard me". All these things, COMBINED, is why people associate his every move with MJ....and if you grew up watching Jordan some of these things are undeniable.

That's why if LBJ ever hits a game winner and then does a fist-pump, or yells at the commentators "he can't guard me!!!" very few will accuse him of trying to act like Jordan. That's because he does not have a track record, like Kobe, of obsessively copying all of Jordan's mannerisms, and people will pass it off as just natural emotion. Everyone fist pumps every once in a while or does some MJ-like move, but it just seems like Kobe does it excessively. And I mean, let's be real....the Lakers have been a pretty damn popular team this entire decade, they're on nat'l TV every damn night, all of this is pretty apparent...it's not like I'm obsessively observing Kobe's personality or anything. To be honest, it doesn't even bother me THAT much, after ten years of observing it it's actually pretty cute :)

[LA_Showtime]

People everywhere are copy cats... I don't see what the big deal is. If this wasn't Kobe and if half the people on ISH didn't have an agenda they wouldn't care.

[Cerebral Jedi]

I don't know what amused me more. The guy who kept mentioning Terrel Owens and saying Kobe is the same as him. Hmmmm? Could he not like TO? Or how MJ invented everything ever done on the basketball court and everyone else is a copycat. No one ever shrugged their shoulders before Jordan. No one ever stuck their tongue out while playing before Jordan. No one ever pumped their fist before Jordan. Jordan was the first to shave his head. I could go on and on.

Or maybe it was the amateur head shrinks.

[LA_Showtime]

Some of the stuff in the article is true... I wouldn't mind seeing Kobe smile every once in a while. He always looks pissed off.

[OldSchoolBBall]

I don't know what amused me more. The guy who kept mentioning Terrel Owens and saying Kobe is the same as him. Hmmmm? Could he not like TO? Or how MJ invented everything ever done on the basketball court and everyone else is a copycat. No one ever shrugged their shoulders before Jordan. No one ever stuck their tongue out while playing before Jordan. No one ever pumped their fist before Jordan. Jordan was the first to shave his head. I could go on and on.

Or maybe it was the amateur head shrinks.

Maybe you'd like to believe that other players were known for sticking their tongue out on drives, or shooting FT's with their eyes closed, or kicking one leg out with a slight hop after a jumper, or performing the "lean back" in the post, or performing the double inside pivot in the post, or palming the ball on the perimeter holding it behind you when guarded closely, or doing a repeated scissor between the legs dribble, or executing a lead foot cross jab step into a drive, or a lead foot cross jab step into a pirouette the other way, or the fist pump after a shot, or bending down and knocking on the hardwood after a shot....but there weren't.

Only one person did these things (and many others)...until Kobe. Make of that what you will.

[Heilige]

I was being sarcastic. I'm actually surprised more people didn't catch on. He tried to mock MJ and Doug Collins didn't even know what he was talking about because it came out of nowhere. But in Kobe's mind, I guess he was playing Cleveland. :oldlol:


How was Kobe mocking MJ?? :wtf:

[Doranku]

Maybe you'd like to believe that other players were known for sticking their tongue out on drives, or shooting FT's with their eyes closed, or kicking one leg out with a slight hop after a jumper, or performing the "lean back" in the post, or performing the double inside pivot in the post, or palming the ball on the perimeter holding it behind you when guarded closely, or doing a repeated scissor between the legs dribble, or executing a lead foot cross jab step into a drive, or a lead foot cross jab step into a pirouette the other way, or the fist pump after a shot, or bending down and knocking on the hardwood after a shot....but there weren't.

Only one person did these things (and many others)...until Kobe. Make of that what you will.

A lot of those things are just aspects of Kobe's game. I don't understand why it's such a crime that Kobe molded his game after Jordan, the GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYER EVER? Wouldn't that make sense, you know, to try to be like the best? And man, I've never seen ANYONE fist pump after a shot, that's just unheard of. Such an unnatural reaction! And repeatedly scissor dribbling between the legs gets you into a shooting rhythm, or can serve as momentum to get that first step on your man. Maybe if you'd actually play basketball instead of worshiping the Jordan shrine in your closet you might know that..

[Da_Realist]

How was Kobe mocking MJ?? :wtf:


"He can't guard me," Bryant said. Shaking his head, his mouth curled downward in a semicircle of disgust, he stared down Collins and said it again, "He can't guard me."

MJ --> "He can't guard me...he can't guard me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VMR3fO1UNs)"

[Heilige]

MJ --> "He can't guard me...he can't guard me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VMR3fO1UNs)"


Still, though how is that mocking Jordan?? :confusedshrug: If he does the same thing as Jordan that doesn't mean he is mocking or ridiculing him.

[Diesel J]

MJ --> "He can't guard me...he can't guard me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VMR3fO1UNs)"

:roll:

[Valliant13]

Is that why we all had to endure this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpzJgLzzX38

Ewww...I actually felt embarrassed for him. It's like someones drunken father trying to rap for his daughter highschool friends.

[G-train]

We all know Kobe is a strange individual, so I don't why people still care to write about it.

[zabuza666]

Honestly you people need to grow up. I hate Kobe Bryant, but you guys are just ****ing sad. Let it go already jesus

[raptorfan_dr07]

:oldlol: at the notion that Battier "shut down" Kobe in games 1 and 4. Keep believing that. And since when does scoring 32 points mean you got shut down?? Kobe must be that damn good...the best you can do is hold him to 32 points :oldlol:

He needed 30 shots to get those 30 points. That's either good defense or Kobe was being a ballhog. People rip AI for the same thing. He went 7-17 in Game 4. Again, either that's good defense, or he should have passed the ball. He went 11-28 in Game 3 and the Lakers still won. Again, either good defense, or he was chucking. If a guy needs 40 shots to get 40 points, I'll live with that. It means he isn't being very efficient and he's taking away from the rest of the team. Yeah he had a great Game 2 and a great Game 5, but he should be playing like that the entire series if he's so great. He shouldn't be turning in these pathetic FG%'s. Either Shane Battier was playing great defense or Kobe is an inconsistent and non efficient player. Which is it? There is no other option.

BTW, I find it pretty annoying when Lebron does all that bicep flexing after a dunk or dancing around just as much as Kobe's antics. There's a difference between trash talking and just making yourself look like an @$$.

[Cerebral Jedi]

Maybe you'd like to believe that other players were known for sticking their tongue out on drives...

Known for doing something and being the only person to have ever done it/being the originator are two different things. So you're telling me that in the history of basketball Jordan was the first to do all the things you listed? FOH! I guess everyone is copying Magic when they do a no look pass eh? :rolleyes:


Only one person did these things (and many others)...until Kobe. Make of that what you will.

I heard Jordan also turned water into wine first. Jesus is such a ****ing copycat.

[LA_Showtime]

Why does it matter if Kobe copies Michael Jordan? It happens all the time in the real world... younger brothers copying their older, cooler brothers... friends copying what their friends wear to look cooler. Stop being so insecure, Kobe is not better than MJ.

The guy you should be worried about is LeBron James. I can't wait until he's the most hated player on this board so Laker fans don't get flamed @ for no reason.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Known for doing something and being the only person to have ever done it/being the originator are two different things. So you're telling me that in the history of basketball Jordan was the first to do all the things you listed? FOH! I guess everyone is copying Magic when they do a no look pass eh? :rolleyes:



I heard Jordan also turned water into wine first. Jesus is such a ****ing copycat.

Nice try, but yes, Jordan was the first and only player to do many of those things. Maybe one day you'll get it. Keep trying.

[Geandily]

To be honest, I skimmed it also. I'm in the middle of grilling steaks on the girl with baked potatoes.

http://timeinthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/steak-on-the-grill-1024x768.jpg

Dude if that's your steak you need to press your spices into the meat a lot more than that, they're just gonna fall into the grill!

[Younggrease]

Maybe you'd like to believe that other players were known for sticking their tongue out on drives, or shooting FT's with their eyes closed, or kicking one leg out with a slight hop after a jumper, or performing the "lean back" in the post, or performing the double inside pivot in the post, or palming the ball on the perimeter holding it behind you when guarded closely, or doing a repeated scissor between the legs dribble, or executing a lead foot cross jab step into a drive, or a lead foot cross jab step into a pirouette the other way, or the fist pump after a shot, or bending down and knocking on the hardwood after a shot....but there weren't.

Only one person did these things (and many others)...until Kobe. Make of that what you will.

these are advanced post moves. For one Jordan did not invent the lean in the post move, that is false. Kicking one leg up on a jumper with a slight hop is almost instinct for a lot of players.....Jordan isnt god he didnt invent the instinct...

A double inside pivot is just a very advance move, that Kevin Mchale has done and so did Hakeem and adrian dantley among others.

A lead foot jab step is another advanced move that has been done before..i remember Bird doing it and Dr. Jay.

And the fact that you think MJ patented the fist pump speaks for itself...

What a joke, a lot of these things are jump basic things that everyone does....Basketball was played before Jordan.

And please with the between the legs move...I have seen Kenny Anderson do that in college and Timmy was doing the same thing. And from what my uncles tell me about Kenny Anderson he was doing that all the time.

[lovethetriangle]

I don't know how anyone can read this and not deem it true. How stupid are some of you people? Do you eve watch basketball? Sports???

I'm a ****ing laker fan for crying outloud!

[OldSchoolBBall]

Kicking one leg up on a jumper with a slight hop is almost instinct for a lot of players.....Jordan isnt god he didnt invent the instinct...


Find me a single video of another player besides Jordan doing it. Pre-2004 preferably. Thanks.


A double inside pivot is just a very advance move, that Kevin Mchale has done and so did Hakeem and adrian dantley among others.

Not exactly the way Jordan did it, no. At least not from what I've seen.


A lead foot jab step is another advanced move that has been done before..i remember Bird doing it and Dr. Jay.

Lead foot ACROSS the defender's body? And doing it multiple times in a slow, "rocking" fashion? Nah...


And the fact that you think MJ patented the fist pump speaks for itself...

Any video of any basketball player doing it before him?


What a joke, a lot of these things are jump basic things that everyone does....Basketball was played before Jordan.

Unfortunately, you're wrong. Only two players have ever attempted eyes closed FT's in a game. Only two players have ever stuck their tongue out on drives. And on and on. If you can find me ANY video to disprove any of this, I'll shut up.


And please with the between the legs move...I have seen Kenny Anderson do that in college and Timmy was doing the same thing. And from what my uncles tell me about Kenny Anderson he was doing that all the time.

Stationary multiple between the legs dribbles? Tim Duncan? You're reaching. Also, it's the sum total of all these things that earns Kobe the "copycat" label. Not just one thing here or there.

[Younggrease]

Find me a single video of another player besides Jordan doing it. Pre-2004 preferably. Thanks.



Not exactly the way Jordan did it, no. At least not from what I've seen.



Lead foot ACROSS the defender's body? And doing it multiple times in a slow, "rocking" fashion? Nah...



Any video of any basketball player doing it before him?



Unfortunately, you're wrong. Only two players have ever attempted eyes closed FT's in a game. Only two players have ever stuck their tongue out on drives. And on and on. If you can find me ANY video to disprove any of this, I'll shut up.

And please with the between the legs move...I have seen Kenny Anderson do that in college and Timmy was doing the same thing. And from what my uncles tell me about Kenny Anderson he was doing that all the time.[/QUOTE]

funny how you pick the eyes closed free throw and the tongue....two things I did not mention.

And no im not going to dig through hours of tape to prove an obvious point. I'll leave that to you and that other guy

Its hard enough finding tape of older players at all...

oh I didnt mean Tim Duncan...I meant Tim Hardaway(dont know why I only used one name)

[OldSchoolBBall]

funny how you pick the eyes closed free throw and the tongue....two things I did not mention.

And no im not going to dig through hours of tape to prove an obvious point. I'll leave that to you and that other guy

Its hard enough finding tape of older players at all...

oh I didnt mean Tim Duncan...I meant Tim Hardaway(dont know why I only used one name)

The videos don't exist because it never happened. Period. Not because you won't take the time. I can guarantee you that no one has done the leg hop pre-2004 besides Kobe and Jordan (while holding the follow through on the shot and twisting slightly). Guaranteed.

[Younggrease]

The videos don't exist because it never happened. Period. Not because you won't take the time. I can guarantee you that no one has done the leg hop pre-2004 besides Kobe and Jordan (while holding the follow through on the shot and twisting slightly). Guaranteed.

Isiah Thomas has done it when he had the injured ankle in the finals against LA...it happened

James Worthy has palmed the ball on the wing and in the post...

[OldSchoolBBall]

Isiah Thomas has done it when he had the injured ankle in the finals against LA...it happened

:oldlol:

Wow...

And it wasn't even the same thing I'm talking about, either.


James Worthy has palmed the ball on the wing and in the post...

Not in the particular way and the particular situations Jordan did.

You're smarter than this, yet you continue to defend something that's blatantly obvious to everyone.

[Nevaeh]

This. i don't know why people act like kobe commited a crime or something every time he makes a gesture towards an opposing player, this wouldn't be an issue if this was Jordan doing the same back in the day or Lebron/Wade now. They are likable figures, people in general just do not like kobe's personality and that's why they hate everything he does.

The problem is Kobe totally f@cked up his own legacy by trying too hard to be like Mike. we're talking about a kid who was aping MJ's moves while MJ was STILL PLAYING. What kind of sh!t is that? Kobe's got no one to blame but himself for why he is so hated. It's kinda sad, but oh well.

[nnn123]

The problem is Kobe totally f@cked up his own legacy by trying too hard to be like Mike. we're talking about a kid who was aping MJ's moves while MJ was STILL PLAYING. What kind of sh!t is that? Kobe's got no one to blame but himself for why he is so hated. It's kinda sad, but oh well.


You know I don't think it should bother people that Kobe learned from MJ's moves....jordan is possibly the best player ever I don't think there's anything wrong with that, in fact players should learn from previous legends whose moves were so successful. It's the part where he seems to almost copy Jordan's entire personality, along with all the other stuff (tongue wagging, etc....). At least that's what makes me laugh

[Diesel J]

Why does it matter if Kobe copies Michael Jordan? It happens all the time in the real world... younger brothers copying their older, cooler brothers... friends copying what their friends wear to look cooler. Stop being so insecure, Kobe is not better than MJ.

The thing is, Kobe went pass the level of being "influenced". He's a straight jacker and not only did he jack some of MJ's moves he also has jacked some of Jordan's non-bball related mannorisms:oldlol:


The guy you should be worried about is LeBron James. I can't wait until he's the most hated player on this board so Laker fans don't get flamed @ for no reason.

Lebron will never be as hated as Kobe. There is a reason a good % of players would rather play with Lebron than KObe:oldlol:

[KobeRules24]

The thing is, Kobe went pass the level of being "influenced". He's a straight jacker and not only did he jack some of MJ's moves he also has jacked some of Jordan's non-bball related mannorisms:oldlol:



Lebron will never be as hated as Kobe. There is a reason a good % of players would rather play with Lebron than KObe:oldlol:

oh really, show us a graphic or something to back that up. stop talking out of your @ss

[oh the horror]

Im sorry, but some of you are going WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY beyond the normal realm of OVERANALYZING a player here.


Jesus christ almighty, i'd swear some of you want to f*ck Kobe with the way you study his movements. Give it a REST.

[Diesel J]

oh really, show us a graphic or something to back that up. stop talking out of your @ss

Here..


In last weeks Sport's Illustrated, a poll based on a survey of 190 NBA players was released. The question being,
"Which opposing NBA player would you most like to have on your team?"

32% wanted to run next to LeBron James,
13% wanted to go to war with Kobe Bryant,
8% wanted to run-and-gun with Steve Nash,
7% wanted to experience the intensity of Kevin Garnett
%7 wanted to fill the lanes for Chris Paul.


Which player would you least like to have on your team?

Stephon Marbury, Celtics G.....22%
Ron Artest, Rockets F.....9%
Stephen Jackson, Warriors F/G.....5%
Kobe Bryant, Lakers G.....5%
Gilbert Arenas, Wizards G.....5%

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126378

[Younggrease]

Im sorry, but some of you are going WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY beyond the normal realm of OVERANALYZING a player here.


Jesus christ almighty, i'd swear some of you want to f*ck Kobe with the way you study his movements. Give it a REST.

I guarantee Loki or blitz would let Kobe f them in the azz and tape it so they put it in a vid and post it online. All just to say that Kobe is a homo. The fanaticism runs that deep.

[oh the horror]

Its all:


"YEAH, THE WAY KOBE HAPPENS TO TWITCH IN ONE EYE AFTER HE MAKES A FREETHROW THE WAY JORDAN DID"


Damn folks, are you watching THAT CLOSELY??

[BallPhunk]

The problem is Kobe totally f@cked up his own legacy by trying too hard to be like Mike. we're talking about a kid who was aping MJ's moves while MJ was STILL PLAYING. What kind of sh!t is that? Kobe's got no one to blame but himself for why he is so hated. It's kinda sad, but oh well.

You do understand that a very small number of people, mostly on boards like this, hate him or would ever think about this type of crap. They spend hours of time filling up pages and pages - thinking about clever ways to make troll posts.

I know that's sad.

I'm not so sure though, that some small number of people hating Kobe because he resembles MJ is all that sad. I'm pretty sure Kobe, along with most sane people, don't give a sheeet.

[oh the horror]

So let me get this straight...Kobe ruined his own career by trying to be like Mike?


Oooooookayyy....

[KobeRules24]

Here..



http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126378

:oldlol: a lot of players are jealous of kobe, this is sad

[KobeRules24]

I guarantee Loki or blitz would let Kobe f them in the azz and tape it so they put it in a vid and post it online. All just to say that Kobe is a homo. The fanaticism runs that deep.

:roll:

[bruceblitz]

Kobe walks on water, heals the blind, saves the hungry by feeding them, helps the endangered species, he's the ambassador of rap, can leap over cars and a pool of snakes and he's amazing! Wooooo hoooo!

I know I know, he's the best human ever, I can't stop worshiping him!
:bowdown: {Kobe}


Kobe misses too many shots, his personality is forced and abrasive at times, he's fun to watch but I think he's a bit overrated.

Oh you dumb **** toting moron! Worship Kobe like us or you are a loser!

That's how Kobe topics generally go.

[bruceblitz]

In last weeks Sport's Illustrated, a poll based on a survey of 190 NBA players was released. The question being,
"Which opposing NBA player would you most like to have on your team?"

32% wanted to run next to LeBron James,
13% wanted to go to war with Kobe Bryant,
8% wanted to run-and-gun with Steve Nash,
7% wanted to experience the intensity of Kevin Garnett
%7 wanted to fill the lanes for Chris Paul.


Which player would you least like to have on your team?

Stephon Marbury, Celtics G.....22%
Ron Artest, Rockets F.....9%
Stephen Jackson, Warriors F/G.....5%
Kobe Bryant, Lakers G.....5%
Gilbert Arenas, Wizards G.....5%

Just proves that 32% of the NBA players are Kobe haters! They want to get f'ed by Kobe!

The 5% who don't want to play with Kobe rode the short bus to school!! Idiots!


If you don't :bowdown: to Kobe you are an idiot too!

[Rolando]

Kobe just has the typical Southern California plastic personality. He's always putting on a show but that is very normal for SoCal.

[Nevaeh]

So let me get this straight...Kobe ruined his own career by trying to be like Mike?


Oooooookayyy....

Come on now, you know that career and legacy are 2 different things. Your Career is mainly what you accomplished stats wise. Your legacy is the overall rep that you've built in the eyes of fans, coaches and your fellow peers.

So yes, it's sad to say that Kobe will most likely be remembered as a spoiled bitter MJ wannabe who lacked the mental ability to just "Be Himself". That's not trolling, that's just basic observation.

[juju151111]

Its all:


"YEAH, THE WAY KOBE HAPPENS TO TWITCH IN ONE EYE AFTER HE MAKES A FREETHROW THE WAY JORDAN DID"


Damn folks, are you watching THAT CLOSELY??
ok the post moves are maybe just the way u do it, but explian the the tP THE FLOOR??? Mj was the first one to do that.

[Knoe Itawl]

You do understand that a very small number of people, mostly on boards like this, hate him or would ever think about this type of crap. They spend hours of time filling up pages and pages - thinking about clever ways to make troll posts.

I know that's sad.

I'm not so sure though, that some small number of people hating Kobe because he resembles MJ is all that sad. I'm pretty sure Kobe, along with most sane people, don't give a sheeet.

What nonsense. In the real world, Bryant is the most polarizing NBA player EVER. As many fans as he has, he has just as many people that can't stand him. I've talked to people all over at bars, parties, wherever about the NBA and sure enough many people dislike him. From casual fans to hardcore ones. So it's not just a "small number of people on boards like this".

As for people in denial about the whole Jordan thing, it's amazing to me how much Bryant defenders will go through to deny the OBVIOUS. I've seen peopel from all walks of life, all different colors, who never met each other notice the EXACT SAME THINGS. About how he's tried to mimic Jordan. And not just his playing style. His mannerisms and everything.

So all these people, who don't know each other, from all over the world just got together one day and decided to "hate" on Bryant and make up noticing his Jordan imitation? Or MAYBE it's something that a large number of people have observed, and Bryant Fanatics deny because they are so in love with him?

What's the more likely scenario? I can't figure it out.

[lakerspng]

Kobe just has the typical Southern California plastic personality. He's always putting on a show but that is very normal for SoCal.

whoah there. Talk about a bs stereotype. People from SoCal get a bad rap for what the people who move here to SoCal act like. Trust me, it's the people from other states that moves here, that act the way you're refering to. Real SoCal'ers are very down to earth people. Don't get it twisted.

[Hoopz2332]

the phony tough guy routine is the reason why people hate Kobe Bryant

apologizing for a phony tough guy is the reason why people hate Laker fans


:oldlol:

[hawke812]

Kobe had consensual sex in Colorado. But because he was so big down there, and the woman not experienced with something that large, it caused her to pass out from the pain. She was then confused from such an experience, that she falsely accused Kobe of rape. It was all a misunderstanding.

Basically, who wouldn't mean mug and talk trash if you were so large down there?