Kobe and Karl

[lazarus]

So, any thoughts on the latest soap opera out of LA?

[NNguyenMD]

1. I don't believe a damn word that comes out of Bryants mouth...he took away

the fun out of being a Laker fan. I'd rather spend the rest of the season watching a real team.

[lazarus]

2. Amen

People forget that he's quite young, and his wife is only 22. No wonder this garbage is happening.

But he's alienated 3 Hall of Famers in the past 8 months. That's a real coup, I guess.

I'm just happy this crap doesn't happen with my Spurs.

[Bleacher Creature]

3. There might be something to the college thing after all.

I live in DC and like to listen to John Thompson (the former Georgetown coach) on the radio. Like a lot of people, including me, he's really concerned with the way these kids keep passing up college for the NBA. However, his point has nothing to do with basketball. When players skip college, they miss out on learning some really important social skills.

I don't want to preach and I'm fully aware of the fact that people like Kevin Garnett, Lebron James (at least so far) are really mature and solid citizens. But Kobe just doesn't seem to get it. Putting aside the criminal allegations (if that's at all possible) the whole way he relates to his teamates is pretty unreal.

[lazarus]

4. I agree

Too many NBA coaches have to spend time babying these kids.

What's interesting is that the foreign players tend to start pro very, very young. Tony Parker, San Antonio's French point guard, has been a pro since he was 15 or 16. Same with their backup PG, Beno Udrih.

Somehow, they're able to handle it. I wonder if the system is just different there?

[Bleacher Creature]

5. I'd be interested in finding out.

I know the Eurpoean media can be downright ruthless, but my guess is that they don't spend that much time covering young point guards and centers in the French, Italian, Spanish leagues, etc. In the NBA, however, these kids get put on magazine covers, get shoe contracts, not to mention the groupies and "friends" who come out of the woodwork.

And in many cases, it starts when they arein junior high or even younger. Lebron was on the radar since he was something like 12 or 13. Basically, they just don't have a chance to be kids.

[catzies]

16. My team has a Spanish point guard. He's a superstar there, lots of ink

:shrug:

[catzies]

8. Same with the Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko. Pro at 15 in Russia.

Jazz drafted him while he was still in his Russian contract, and had to wait for it to be fulfilled before he came here.

[Forkboy]

6. Kobe has always been a shitheel

and he always will be.

Malone ain't no prize either :)

[slestak]

7. Ugh

For the sake of discussion, let's assume everything that Kobe and Vanessa said about Karl is 100% true:

HE CHEATED ON HIS WIFE! Is that less disrespectful than Malone's inappropriate comments? When did he start caring about his wife's feelings so much, because he obviously didn't BEFORE he got caught.

[catzies]

9. I've been reading everything I could find on it. Google News has tons

of links.

My favorite was a comment by Deion Sanders - Deion's now a moral authority? - on how Kobe has broken the bonds of brotherhood by ratting out both Shaq and Kobe.

I love Karl Malone, but at the same time I'm under no illusions about him. But I do think that the Bryants are employing a "scorched earth" policy by practically ensuring that if you ever cross Kobe, they will destroy you by any means necessary.

I think that by Vanessa asking her "What are you hunting, cowboy?" question not once but TWICE, she was goading Karl into an answer. I've seen Karl go from nice to cranky in an instant and I think that was one of those times, and I don't think his "Hunting little Mexican girls" answer was fliratious. I think he was trying to shut her up.

I don't think highly of the Bryants. I boycotted Lakers games last year because I couldn't endure the sight of Karl in a Lakers jersey, and now I definitely have no reason to ever go back.

When I was at Stockton's jersey retirement last month, Karl was in town and he and Larry Miller (Jazz owner) have kissed and made up, so I think we're going to hear very soon on where Karl is going to land. I think between now & Xmas, we'll hear about Karl signing with the Spurs or back with the Jazz. He's thin-skinned and looks for motivation in controversies, and just to say fuck you to Kobe, he'll keep playing and hopefully the Spurs and the Lakers will match up in the playoffs.

[Bluzmann57]

10. Malone and Stockton are the Utah Jazz

and the thing Malone should do is return to Utah and retire immediately so he and Stockton can go in the Hall of Fame together. As far as Bryant is concerned, he is very lucky he isn't in the Colorado penal system. I suspect that he and his pretty little wife won't be married much longer and Bryant will wear out his welcome in L.A. soon enough now that they aren't dominant anymore. The NBA sucks now anyway. Bring back Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain! Yeah, I know Wilt is dead.

[catzies]

12. Now, not even winning the scoring title is in the cards. He should quit.

While he still has some reputation left.

[goodbody]

13. Thoughts:

You're way too obsessed with the Lakers.

[catzies]

15. Really?

You're wrong.

[goodbody]

17. Wow. I didn't post this a 2nd time

I just logged on now for the 1st time today to respond to this duplicate. hmmm.

[goodbody]

11. Thoughts:

You're way too obsessed with the Lakers.

[lazarus]

14. really?

This is a big story right now. And Malone may be coming to the Spurs.

How about I'm just an NBA fan?