Kobe #40

[Shaqdaddy11]

If Kobe is #40, Dirk shouldn't even make the top 50.

 

[LogicMan]

Looks like Jeannie Buss had to get in on the drama. Man that article hit some nerve chords

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Looks like Jeannie Buss had to get in on the drama. Man that article hit some nerve chords

Yeah, she was calling out all the pussies.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Looks like Jeannie Buss had to get in on the drama. Man that article hit some nerve chords

Considering the fact that she was on SportsCenter, I assume they asked her about it and she answered truthfully. How that translate into hitting a nerve? I don't know. Judging by her comments, she seemed upset about the fact that someone working for the Lakers would help with the troll piece ESPN wrote. Which is a legitimate reason to be upset, I'd be mad too if one of my employees was slandering the company anonymously.

As far as the whole "losers" thing, is she wrong? Dwight's a loser.

 

[LogicMan]

I see Bleacher Report just did a similar piece. Why? Because funny enough Kobe still gets more attention and hits than LBJ. Check it out on NBA . Com

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I see Bleacher Report just did a similar piece. Why? Because funny enough Kobe still gets more attention and hits than LBJ. Check it out on NBA . Com

Guess Kobe's not irrelevant after all.

 

[wildturkey]

Looks like Jeannie Buss had to get in on the drama. Man that article hit some nerve chords

Not really. She was already scheduled to do interviews at ESPN before. So its not like she demanded to respond. Personally, I didn't think she came off very well. She seemed nervous. Her "loser" quote was bit much and seemed petty for an executive. I would have liked to see her more polished with a more "i'm above this, we're moving on" attitude but it came across more as reactionary and defensive.

 

[trojanfan12]

Not really. She was already scheduled to do interviews at ESPN before. So its not like she demanded to respond. Personally, I didn't think she came off very well. She seemed nervous. Her "loser" quote was bit much and seemed petty for an executive. I would have liked to see her more polished with a more "i'm above this, we're moving on" attitude but it came across more as reactionary and defensive.

I disagree and I think more players and team execs should fire back on this crap. We all like to complain about how terrible sports journalism is and how these idiots are writing sensationalistic crap just for web hits. But when someone actually responds and calls them on their bullshit, we say "they should be above it and move on".

The only way these idiots are going to revert back to having any journalistic integrity is for athletes and team execs to start fighting back.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I disagree and I think more players and team execs should fire back on this crap. We all like to complain about how terrible sports journalism is and how these idiots are writing sensationalistic crap just for web hits. But when someone actually responds and calls them on their bullshit, we say "they should be above it and move on".

The only way these idiots are going to revert back to having any journalistic integrity is for athletes and team execs to start fighting back.

Exactly!

 

[wildturkey]

I disagree and I think more players and team execs should fire back on this crap. We all like to complain about how terrible sports journalism is and how these idiots are writing sensationalistic crap just for web hits. But when someone actually responds and calls them on their bullshit, we say "they should be above it and move on".

The only way these idiots are going to revert back to having any journalistic integrity is for athletes and team execs to start fighting back.

But she never really fought back against the piece as being outright bullshit. In a way, she even acknowledged, perhaps unknowingly, that maybe some of it is true by saying they'll be going after those sources inside the organization. Why not just flat out say the reporting is wrong and challenge them to provide detailed sources? The loser comment just comes off as childish in way. Like "You rejected us? Well...we don't like you anyway so we never wanted you to begin with!" I only saw the SC interview. She looked nervous and not quite sure of the direction she wanted to go in. She probably did enough for most Lakers fans but more broadly I guess I was just expecting more. Something along the lines of "We saw the report, it's inaccurate and we'd be happy to go into detail more with you if you actually bothered to put names to your quotes. As for our free agency moves, we're championship organization that holds any player we're interested in to a very high standard. Some can handle it, some can't."

 

[trojanfan12]

But she never really fought back against the piece as being outright bullshit. In a way, she even acknowledged, perhaps unknowingly, that maybe some of it is true by saying they'll be going after those sources inside the organization. Why not just flat out say the reporting is wrong and challenge them to provide detailed sources? The loser comment just comes off as childish in way. Like "You rejected us? Well...we don't like you anyway so we never wanted you to begin with!" I only saw the SC interview. She looked nervous and not quite sure of the direction she wanted to go in. She probably did enough for most Lakers fans but more broadly I guess I was just expecting more. Something along the lines of "We saw the report, it's inaccurate and we'd be happy to go into detail more with you if you actually bothered to put names to your quotes. As for our free agency moves, we're championship organization that holds any player we're interested in to a very high standard. Some can handle it, some can't."

Well, she did say that she didn't buy any of it and that she didn't agree with any of it.

Any free agent that would be afraid to play with Kobe Bryant is probably a loser and I'm glad they wouldn't come to the team. If there is someone on our payroll that's saying things like that, I will get to the bottom of it and and they won't be working with us anymore. That's an unacceptable comment, especially when it's anonymous. I don't buy any of it, I don't agree with any of it.

As for acknowledging some of it (inadvertent or otherwise) I don't think there is any doubt that there are some FA's that don't want to/are afraid to play with him and if they are, the Lakers don't want them. Nothing wrong with that message.

I agree that she seemed a little nervous during the interviews. I'm sure some of it was that she's pissed about the article and was trying to get her point across without being too over the top. Also, from what I understand, the interviews were set up so that anything was on the table, so I don't think she knew exactly what questions she was going to be asked. Your statement in the bolded is great for a prepared statement, but it was an interview so she really didn't have a prepared statement.

Like I said, I have no issue with what she said and am glad she said it.

 

[wildturkey]

Well, she did say that she didn't buy any of it and that she didn't agree with any of it.



As for acknowledging some of it (inadvertent or otherwise) I don't think there is any doubt that there are some FA's that don't want to/are afraid to play with him and if they are, the Lakers don't want them. Nothing wrong with that message.

I agree that she seemed a little nervous during the interviews. I'm sure some of it was that she's pissed about the article and was trying to get her point across without being too over the top. Also, from what I understand, the interviews were set up so that anything was on the table, so I don't think she knew exactly what questions she was going to be asked. Your statement in the bolded is great for a prepared statement, but it was an interview so she really didn't have a prepared statement.

Like I said, I have no issue with what she said and am glad she said it.

But she had to have known what she was in for going in. If you're the boss, I'd expect you to be more prepared. I guess she really didn't know though. I ran across her interview on Olbermann which was later in the day from the other interviews and she was much better there. He gave her the chance to walk back the loser comment and she came across a lot better overall too.

 

[bksballer89]

Assistant coach comments on Kobe

He compared Kobe to Wizards-era Michael Jordan. It's pretty brutal:

I'm in total agreement with those who say Kobe's done. Look, you could put any high-level 2-guard on a bad team, let him jack up shots and get 20 points a night. So Kobe will be able to do that. But they ain't going to win. We don't judge Kobe off scoring 20 points a game. We judge him off dominance, off: 'Will they win 50 games, will they make the playoffs?' But now, we're not even talking about any of that. I'm not saying he can't play anymore. That's not what we're talking about.

It's like Michael Jordan in Washington. I, for one, didn't want to see Michael's last tour with Washington. Nobody did. When the Lakers play Philly and other low-level teams, Kobe will do whatever he wants. But when he plays good teams and gets doubled? That's when we'll see that he's not the same player.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nba-assistant-coach-rips-kobe-143232944.html

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Assistant coach comments on Kobe

He compared Kobe to Wizards-era Michael Jordan. It's pretty brutal:

I'm in total agreement with those who say Kobe's done. Look, you could put any high-level 2-guard on a bad team, let him jack up shots and get 20 points a night. So Kobe will be able to do that. But they ain't going to win. We don't judge Kobe off scoring 20 points a game. We judge him off dominance, off: 'Will they win 50 games, will they make the playoffs?' But now, we're not even talking about any of that. I'm not saying he can't play anymore. That's not what we're talking about.

It's like Michael Jordan in Washington. I, for one, didn't want to see Michael's last tour with Washington. Nobody did. When the Lakers play Philly and other low-level teams, Kobe will do whatever he wants. But when he plays good teams and gets doubled? That's when we'll see that he's not the same player.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nba-assistant-coach-rips-kobe-143232944.html

Fuck, did he see the rest of Kobe's team? I swear, some people are just plain stupid. Of course they will lose a lot of games, but how does that prove he is done?

 

[Black Adam]

Fuck, did he see the rest of Kobe's team? I swear, some people are just plain stupid. Of course they will lose a lot of games, but how does that prove he is done?

this was ALWAYS the point...

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Fuck, did he see the rest of Kobe's team? I swear, some people are just plain stupid. Of course they will lose a lot of games, but how does that prove he is done?

Totally depends of what the definition of done is supposed to be.

Does Kobe have the ability to still make a difference on the court? YES

Does that ability make any difference towards any games that will be important or elevate his all time status?

Probably not.


IF him taking the 2/48M or his personality was a major reason that top FA have shied away from the Lakers recently, then he's been done, because he said winning #6 was most important to him but yet he perhaps didn't help his own case in accomplishing it.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

LeBron was going to go to Cleveland no matter what. He chose Cleveland over Pat Riley and a Heat team he had went to 4 straight Finals with, a feat I believe only ever achieved by the Celts and Lakers.

Melo had a difficult decision, he took Phil Jackson and more money, can't really fault him for that. Both of these guys are said to be friends with Kobe as well so I don't see how Kobe scared them off. Besides those 2, there really weren't any other big name free agents out there. Despite all the negativity, Pau still waited to see if the Lakers could sign one of these guys before making his decision to bolt. I wouldn't consider Bosh on the same level as LeBron or Melo, and I don't think signing Bosh was ever a realistic possibility for the Lakers considering how much the Heat paid him.

In conclusion, I don't think Kobe's personality chased anyone off, if anything were to intimidate free agents it would have to be his injury woes the past 2 seasons. Saying that his personality is the cause for the Lakers downfall is blatant haterism and is a sentiment that fails to stand on it's own.

 

[Black Adam]

Totally depends of what the definition of done is supposed to be.

Does Kobe have the ability to still make a difference on the court? YES

Does that ability make any difference towards any games that will be important or elevate his all time status?

Probably not.


IF him taking the 2/48M or his personality was a major reason that top FA have shied away from the Lakers recently, then he's been done, because he said winning #6 was most important to him but yet he perhaps didn't help his own case in accomplishing it.

i guess this part is true. he's still a difference maker on the court, but the degree OF that difference making has steadily been in decline for years now. still, i'm not see his personality as a reason for top FA's staying away...

money's another matter...though that's ALWAYS gonna be an important factor...

 

[MrHoople]

Totally depends of what the definition of done is supposed to be.

Does Kobe have the ability to still make a difference on the court? YES

Does that ability make any difference towards any games that will be important or elevate his all time status?

Probably not.


IF him taking the 2/48M or his personality was a major reason that top FA have shied away from the Lakers recently, then he's been done, because he said winning #6 was most important to him but yet he perhaps didn't help his own case in accomplishing it.

I think it's still a bit early to determine what Kobe can or cannot do still. Let's give him a month or two into the season before we assess what's left. His last full season before his injury he was still one of the highest rated SGs in the league.

 

[trojanfight]

Totally depends of what the definition of done is supposed to be.

Does Kobe have the ability to still make a difference on the court? YES

Does that ability make any difference towards any games that will be important or elevate his all time status?

Probably not.


IF him taking the 2/48M or his personality was a major reason that top FA have shied away from the Lakers recently, then he's been done, because he said winning #6 was most important to him but yet he perhaps didn't help his own case in accomplishing it.

I think the team he has is why he cant make a difference on the court...hell whats the ceiling if you replaced kobe with LeBron on the lakers with current team..not a ton changes...they still don't make playoffs