I don't think I dislike a current franchise more than I do the Lakers. They have the athlete that I dislike more than any other athlete in Sports History in Kobe. But what caused me to discuss them is how bad Kobe has fallen off since he went nutty. He gave the league probably the biggest black eye since it's inception with the rape/non-rape trial. Devised the biggest scheming plot to get rid of one of the most likeable players of any sports generation in Shaq. Yes the dude is still the most talented baller in the league and scored 81pts last yr, but it wasn't well received by the league when you think about it. The media tried so hard to blow it up but it just didn't stick. Imagine if Wade scored 81pts, the league would have made us forget about Wilt if he did, we'd still be hearing about it. Kobe now is reaping what he sowed and that's the after affects of being the most selfish athlete ever. Couple this with some major surgeries on his body, knee and shoulder, he's starting to show signs of breaking down and has done a terrible job at carrying a franchise as the sole leader. Many Laker fans feel to this day he sabatoged their last finals appearance include me as a non fan who knows for a fact he did. The league is no holds barr with him now, he's getting suspended/fined left and right. They don't really market him at all. I don't think Stern cared for his style of play last yr to be honest, because he embodied everything Stern doesn't want this league to be about. Steve Nash kind of shifted the tide and Kobe is the Anti-Nash. The dude has never found a middle ground with Team play 11yrs into the league, it's either shoot till his arms fall off or Mr. "I'm still trying to work with my teammates everyday to get them up to speed with the intricacies of the Triangle offense". I loved his comments earlier in the yr when they were winning when he said "I don't get off anymore tryin to score points I get more joy in seeing my teammates go off". LOL! nice Kobe, it's good to know everything is on your schedule, as you see fit to do things when you're ready(sound familiar Stephon). Now Phil Jackson is trying to come to his rescue and hanging his Azz Out(oohah) for Kobe, that's how bad things are now, not to mention they are pretty much a .500 basketball team, with Kobe missing just a handful of games.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2797968


Kobe appears to be a GLORIFIED GREAT SECOND BANANA when it's all said and done.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 03-14-2007 11:14 AM]

He is a selfish bastard

But he was without Odom, Walton, and Brown

So he was out there with Smush, Cook, Vlad, Turiaf, Farmer, Bynum (who will be very good)

But he is probably the biggest ******* in the nba

Not many people can pass the test of greatness.
And talent is not a waranty to pass.
Being a good person is mandatory - talant is nice but secondary.

i would take that selfish ******* on my team anyday.

For all the hype that Kobe gets for being this great player and how he's getting the shaft when he doesn't win the MVP; he still has yet to turn in Franchise into a Championship contender by his presence alone. The only reason why the Lakers even won any games against the Suns was because the refs kept making terrible calls in the Lakers favor at the end of games.

Than of course there's Kobe the man himself. I've never met him but he comes off as a complete megalomaniac. And no I would want him on my team. I think a big reason why Kobe has such a crappy supporting cast is because of his own doing. This is the same guy who tried to dime out Shaq to the police when he was faced with the rape charges.

man kobe wouldn't last half a season under the new york media. and then there's fans like us...

kobe's the best player in the Association

^Well said Sebstar.

Do anything to win did you watch game 7 last season against the Suns he literally gave up in the game. I don't care what you say you would never see Jordan pull a stunt like that especially with the season on the line.

yea and i lost a lot of money on that game, that was depressing but at that point how much were they down? the suns were at home with a lead, no way the lakers were going to win that one, though that was a pretty pathetic move to pull in a game 7 (not to mention it cost me some serious $$$).

i just still think kobe is too good not to win another ring or two. look at his team, i mean this guy is playing with chumps. smush parker? come on, this guy couldnt make noise at fordham now hes supposed to run the triangle? gimme a break.

get kobe a pippen and rodman/ho-grant and i think he'll do just fine.

(and i think the lakers envision odom/bynum to be that combo but bynum needs to mature and odom needs to stay healthy).

what guard/fowards would you take over kobe with a straight face? d-wade? LBJ? who else?