Finally we'll be able to move forward. But this deal to me was never really there. Al wanted to be a Pacer again, he said it over and over again, and it seems he'll get his wish.

As much as I've loved the Harrington talk, I'll be fine with being done with all of the speculation.

Hey, is this Al Harrington guy worth all this? he was a 18pt per guy on the HAWKS! LOL That'll probably translate to 9pt per on a GOOD team. If Mihm healing right I'd KEEP HIM!

:'(

"It ain't over til it oooo vaaa"

AK,

I know, can you believe it? We agreed on something.
I was trying to find something to debate you, but I could not find it, oh well. Just kidding.

All the talk about Al was just that, I think it was just a strategy for him to get more money. Is he worth 10mil a year?

Well I guess its almost a done deal.

LETS START THE "BRING KG TO L.A." DISCUSSION NOW.
LOL.

It was fun while it lasted I guess unless this is all a front by the Pacers to try and get other teams to pull out. Conspiracy??? LOL

Ok so I say we package Mihm, Vlad, Cookie, Walton and MckIe for KG. LMFAO

AK

You actually think THIS (Al Harrington) is more interesting to the blog than Kobe's Sony deal and the re-birth of his marketing appeal?

AK I don't mean to be disrespectful to the blog by changing subjects but I just read your entry from the last thread.

Do you really think 6 years of "being around the team" qualifies you to PROPERLY evaluate Kobe? "In your mind" you are qualified? What? What standard should I or anyone use to examine your subjective mind?

In order to gain some reasonable understanding of why Kobe is such a "polarizing" figure with his former teammates (6 years ago) requires a much more indept study than just 6 years with former teammates and NBA players and writers most of whom suffer from the disease of envy, jealousy, and just plain ignorance. Why do I say this?

6 years ago would place you smack dab in the middle of the problem.....and interviewing individuals does you no good unless you can uncover and understand the prevailing MINDSET and culture that has infected everyone involved and tackle the root or genesis of the issue. Does that make any sense?

Interviewing these people without a total understanding of the MINDSET would be like examining a diseased tree by looking at all the symptoms that occur on all the different branches......without ever going to the tree's roots......you would be on that tree forever looking at all the branches....until you get smart enough to go to the diseased root.

Have you interviewed Kobe's highschool coach? What did he think of Phil Jackson saying Kobe "sabotaged" games in highschool?

Have you interviewed Kobe's highschool teammates? Did he exhibit leadership skills at that level when he led them to a championship? This would be interesting reading for the average fan if journalist were not so lazy in uncovering facts. Don't you think?

I think most people on this blog would be interested in hearing the answers to those questions.

Have you talked to Kobe's Dad?

Have you done your research?

Finally, in regards to the Brian Shaw interview which I would like to see again, what do you expect Brian to say? This guy has to adopt the "triangle mindset" even if he doesn't agree with it.......if he hopes to advance any further in that system.

You would get a better answer from someone like Jerry West who has the knowledge but no longer has a vested interest in this "mindset" or system.......do you agree?

Most of Kobe's problems with the media go back further than the rape charges but directly to Phil Jackson and his masterful manipulation of an unsuspecting press.....in this regard Phil Jackson was evil incarnate.....and he still may be, but that's another story.

These are some things to think about when you examine Kobe.....maybe you will have a paradigm shift if you go to the root and leave the branches alone.

Sixonezero-

i know, of course, i couldn't agree more. But what im tryin' 2 point out is when Kobe takes his 2 min. rest or so in the game, perhaps we could use Miles out for spot 2. It wouldn't really matter if he's 3, he'll prbly adjusts. Not 2 mention he's a good shooter.

Trades, deals and gotchas! beyond scope or imagination (which is saying a lot to a La La Land crowd) may still lie ahead, even before the season starts. In a nine, no make that 14 team deal, imagine picking up KG, and an all star defensive stopper or guard for lets say, the Saint.

Think about it. How would you like your chances? You could watch -spectacular Kobe- score 82 points on another team which you know, because of him, will be pretty good but is doomed to never climb higher than a 6th or 7th seed.

No doubt, there is some wheelin' and dealin' going on somewhere. It is unfortunate for Brokebackers that the Saint probably isn't on the table, but one cannot be certain of that. In Hollywood, it is never over until the fat lady stinks.

Furthermore AK,

I want to know what kind of toothpaste Kobe uses, how often he brushes and if he suffers from the heartbreak of scoriasis.

Psycho-analyizing Kobe? Hmmm. Sounds like a challenging yet worthy project. I've seen some pretty good starts right here. So how about it Brokebackers? Let's get to the bottom of PJ McMurphy (a famous Brokeback fan), so to speak.

USA won against Slovenia 114-95. This is the country of our Sasha Vujacic, they're good and fast that includes Nesterovic and in fact, they were leading in the 2nd quarter but proned to turnovers by equally fast moving USA. Our team was steadier with a deep bench and widened the lead to 30 in the 3rd quarter. The USA team has the markings of the Dream Team I, more agile, good teamwork and good three point shooters. I think they just missed too many free throws especially D'Wade.

Perhaps, the Laker Front Office should be taping and watch over and over again these FIBA games since Kupcake hates traveling to scout european players, he can be FRUGAL by just relying on the TV feed of ESPN. I'm not an expert but I saw a good point guard by the name of Lakovic and a power forward, Brezec. They should be in the radar of Mitch K. and asked V. Divac to shadow their games throughout the year before the Spurs get them. These are the type of players that falls on the Lakers budget - CHEAP, fast, good shooters and reliable in guarding.

Much has been said about Al Harrington, hey if at the end of the day, he's still available, then I can only quote Abe: "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." If the fate of Al is Pacer, so be it tho' I'm just curious why he would accept $35M for 4 years when there was a previous offer of $57M for 6 years? The fate of the Lakers must be on the hands of Chris Mihm, he must have a purpose driven life destined for him on this team. Having said that, be ready to pay him more before his contract expires at the end of next season. Going back to the USA team, Lakers should also watch Dwight Howard PF of Orlando available in '09 and Kirk Hinrich SG of Bulls in '08, they're playing exceptionally well for USA team. I doubt if their teams would not extend their contracts before they become F/A but Lakers should always have a grand strategy in attracting these type of players in trying to fill the best players per position rather than engaging in swap meat shopping or continuous development of scrubs. lol!

ponz-

even if you had darius miles on the squad, there is no way you would sub him in for kobe at the 2. i know anything is possible...but no. miles is more of a weakside shot blocker. not a face up lock down defender. he isn't a good shooter. he is an open court, slasher type player. i know mike t will argue with me until armaggeddon about this, miles does not necessarily fit the triangle offense. our best bet would be having RADMANOVIC start on the 3 and have LUKE come off the bench for him. if MILES miraculously developed a reliable mid range jumper...then yeah he'd be a good pick up.

I loved today's article on Wilt Chamberlein.

GO LAKERS!

AK,

"I think the whole thing's been a hoax to sell papers."

I'm with you. I think this is one of those "Wag the Dog" or "A Long Kiss Goodnight" episodes.

Creepy.

On the other hand, this speculation has not only sold papers, but sparked, "AH is alive" or, "AH is dead" or "who the heck is AH, anyway?" talk on this blog.

Of course, there's been that silent debate as to whether to abbreviate his name AH or Al. That one has been running neck-and-neck for the past couple of days. Everyone knows which side of the fence I stand on THAT one!

--Fearless

Edwin G,

To add to your comments about D. Howard or Heinrich, if west could get shaq from orlando, anyone can be had. We just need to ensure we put ourself in a position to make a good offer.

In Kobe we Trust,
Go Lakers

Pfunk36 and Taliq,

Listen, I think Kobe does some good stuff and is genuinely a good guy, AND SO DOES AK!!! The dude is more than fair in anything he has said or written about him, and yes, his being around the team extensively for the past six years gives him GREAT credibility in the matter. In a profession where "team" and "hanging with the boys" is probably the norm, Kobe's introverted personality and propensity to come off aloof during his career has caused him some trouble. What about that don't you agree with? All AK has said from Day 1 is that Kobe would do himself a favor if he opened up a little. He doesn't say he's a bad guy or anything, he just keeps to himself and that's fine, but he could make his life way easier by just coming off as a more normal guy. Anyway, AK made a great point that if you're not bowing down to King Kobe then you're a "hater". That line of thinking is ridiculous.

Andrew Z,

What "introverted personality"?? Am I the only dude on here that thinks it's not that simple and it's just media hype this whole kobe doesn't get along with teammates. Why is it ok to state this like it's fact. Hell even "genuinely a good guy", how do you know?

If it's just an opinion, cool, but if so then if you carry a press pass like AK, pls make sure to offer a different side in your article/posts ( and umm i dnt care if you had 10 posts in november 05 that were overly positive, if no one checked you then to ask why you as the media take that stance, then whatever )

This is my blog, our blog. And I'm throwing down a gauntlet. Anyone out there that feels kobe in 2006 is more introverted than his peers, pls argue your case. I say '06 cuz sure you can find clips from the past, but in my opinion he was young and his team wasn't very understanding of who he was because Shaq set a bad tone from day 1. If you want to argue that, that's ok too, just take into consideration stuff like Shaq slapping this kid in practice and no one standing up for him. As for the present day I saw him hugging Smush Parker in a manner my own bro hasn't ever done with me, saw him stand up for 7foot bynum in a way no one on his old team did when he got into it with chris childs, can give you a link with odom saying he and kobe are friends on and off the court. I do not see an introvert...aloof...doesn't get along with guys...or that whole bs about him not having street cred, I live in crown heights brooklyn, kobe's jersey get's rocked as much as the next guy. If any blogger here want's to call him an introvert, cool, but if AK ( i got a press pass ) jumps in the mix then I'm holding him to some standards ( see my prior post )...it's same as when sonny calls kobe a r*pist, fine it's his opinion, but if our friends with passes make the same comment, then I'm like whoa...where's that coming from

In Kobe we Trust,
Go Lakers

Ponz

Evans is our back up 2 guard. Don't forget about this guy. He is a very solid basketball player. He is our best backup 2 and I am glad that he is aprt of our team this year. Upgrade from George.

This is pretty funny. Al Harrington isn't even worth this trouble. Granted I don't even like Joe Johnson, but atleast he was worth some kind of trouble. The Hawks want to get rid of salary cap so bad. And aparently Al Harrington doesn't want to stay. They should just not resign him and let him sign some low ball deal with whoever has cap room. That's what him and his agent get for being so stubborn.

Taliq,

Please drop this. It's getting ridiculous. Plenty of Kobe's teammates have come out on the record and said that he'd distanced himself from them in the past. Here's one from Fish (last year's ESPN The Mag NBA preview issue) in reference to Kobe and Phil's new relationship and Kobe starting to open up around teammates during the preseason.

"That never, ever happened when I was there. I'm 90% happy, while 10% of me is, man, "I wish that was the Kobe I spent 8 years with." I hope he takes himself out of the way and lets his greatness shine. Be the kid Jerry West saw in Pennsylvania who just loved to play."

Fish is saying that Kobe often stood in his own way and it often made his life more difficult than necessary. That sentiment is exactly what I was talking about in sparking all this. And it's reminiscent of things I saw while around the team and heard from various people while being "AK (I got a press pass)", as you put it. You're acting like I'm making this crap up, which is frankly, pretty insulting.

As I also said (and has been TOTALLY ignored by everyone on "Kobe-worship" alert), he's getting better with this. But I still think he has issues of trust to get over. Again, my opinion and I think I've stated clearly why I feel this way.

But I imagine that article is just an extension of ESPN's agenda against Kobe. And you'd like me to cite another 100 examples of this before my opinion means anything, since it's all one big media conspiracy, anyway. None of it has even a sliver of truth.

AK

Zakee,

I think the Evans pick up was the move of the off-season for Mitch. In the small amounts I've seen him play I like what he brings, and the fact that we got him for a second rounder is even an added bonus. With Kobe averaging 40 minutes a game, we don't need a superstar as a back-up, just a guy who can go in and not screw up. I think we got that in Evans. The upside of it is if he turns out better than we thought, we might see him in the line-up with Kobe, which sounds promising.

And I don't think Kobe got slapped by Shaq, although I remember stories of them almost getting into it in practice.

Blah, Blah, Blah...it's always someone trying to make someone else conform to their idea of what life is all about. Fish was, is and will always be a follower. Bryant is a ALPHA-MALE! That's why he was to himself. I was waiting for his time to lead. As long as Shaq was there we were never going to see Bryant in his true greatness.

What Fisher is saying is: Come on Kobe, just go along, go with the flow. It's what "followers" always say when they're around alpha-males who are in position to the alpha.

mike

Doesn't look like Harrington is signed yet- crazy stuff!
Crazier yet is this jive about AK - lay off him his reporting is fine and lightly biased towards King Kobe so give him a break here. The Blog is great almost always- Thanks AK / BK!
Kobe has had faults and will have more, so will AK and all of us, let it be. Kobe is working it out and doing a great job of re-upping his value. Whether its a PR move, or out of the goodness of his heart - who knows. WE DON'T!
Kobe is growing up and has been in the spotlight since 17, it has to be rough. He gets snagged by some dumb blonde in Colorado and she goes off to live out her new millionaire lifestyle and Kobe is never going to live down this tramps-"girls gone wild" night at the expense of Kobe. He blew it, she must have been pretty hot- cause Kobe's wife is gorgeous, dumb move Kobe, whatever happened its over. Thank God his wife forgave him.

The thing is he is getting better always with his game and in his communication capabilities. The team allows him to lead and Shaw gets it, John Salley understood and still gets it- all kinds of dudes give Kobe props in the League as the best in the League and that goes for former players too. That is where it is at, its about the play of the player. I mean who cares how bent he is, Charles Barkley is dumb as a box of rocks, but he is funny and his charm is in his knuckleheaded demeanor. Ron Artest is a thug and a straight up idiot for ever going into the stands but IF he or Barkley would be playing for the Lakers - I would be rooting for them.

Forget about head games and all this babble and gossip nonsense, lets get a few new players that boost the level of play to the Western Conference Finals.
Amazing story about Dujuan Wagner and what he has overcome to make a return to the NBA. This guy can ball and is an offensive bonus if any team will allow him to go off. 2009 is too far off to be waiting around for another player. I think we need to be heavy into what is out there if we truly are going to compete. Europe and some of the Free Agents have to have something that helps this team. Kupchak might think MEvans and VRadmonivic is enough but I don't. OH yeah Shammond - nice move Mitch, what was that anyway. Any package for a decent guard who can handle some tough D and get the ball across the line without turning it over and be able to dish 7-8 assists would be a godsend. Monta Ellis.

Mike T,

In a team sport, it helps if the "alpha-male" or one who wants to be the leader, is able to relate to his teammates and develop enough trust in them to convince them to follow him. Fortunately, like AK mentioned, Kobe is getting better at this. In years past, he's been bad at it. It has nothing to do with "followers" other than the fact that someone is a sh*tty leader if no one follows.

For the most part I have to agree with Taliq. I can see where AK and others feel like Kobe was isolated and aloof. Why? Cuz he was isolated and aloof. There have been instances and examples supporting that notion. But I think Taliq is right in that it is almost impossible (and borderline ridiculous) to call Kobe out on it or to lay the majority of the blame on Kobe. Everyone here knows how ridiculously selfish and baby-like Shaq is. Since when is it up to a 17yr old rookie to force himself to fit in? Derek Fisher said that from day 1, they were simply taken aback and almost shocked by how hard Kobe worked. Think about how weird a dynamic that creates, when as veterans, you see a 17yr old kid working twice as hard as you...it hurts the ego. Its like in the movie "Rudy" and everyone is like "geez, Rudy, lighten up man, its a practice." Well, who's wrong? Should Rudy lighten up or should the leaders of the team work harder? How can Kobe fit in when his team (and COACH!) naturally rejects him? Had Shaq not been such a big baby (or not there at all), or if Phil wasnt such a biased stubborn prick, this would not ever have even been an issue. But to blame Kobe for what happened when it really couldnt have happened another way due to shaq, phil, and the weird dynamic created by shaq's dominance and laziness vs. kobe's talent and determination to be the best ever, i think thats unfair. Like Taliq said, Kobe is a great leader now...and he very well couldve had that in him from the beginning. To point to isolated instances is like pointing to Steve Nash's stats while he was playing behind Jason Kidd as an argument that Nash is great now, but "sucked" back then.

Andrew Z,

"It has nothing to do with "followers" other than the fact that someone is a sh*tty leader if no one follows."

Now that is funny. Are you telling me that Shaq and Phil had nothing to do with Kobe isolating himself? If we're talking sh*tty leaders then you have to point to Shaq and Phil during those years because Kobe was up and coming during that time. Shaq and Phil downplayed his greatness as if he was an afterthought. That is sh*tty leadership! And that's why they both got the boot while Kobe got a 130 million dollar contract.

mike

What about this Oklahoma big man Taj Gray. Runor has it he is on his way to France after being undrafted. If we need size up front what about getting Mitch to look his way before he departs? Forget Harrington and find someone we can afford and work with. Sam Amico wrote about him on Aug 11. http://probasketballnews.com/amico_blog.html

We need to do something to get big and toughen up (sounds like I am on the Muscle and Fitness blog now) and the free agents are dying up quickly this time of the year.

T-Woody

have you guys ever read Roland's book...I have to say it opened my eyes tremendously (well that and other sources).

If it makes any difference, Cook has said that he feels Kobe is more trusting and open this couple of seasons than he has in the past. Course that doesn't really correllate with PJ's book comment in which he said Kobe would "coach" (or help out) young players while they're in a timeout, or the fact that this is now his team.

Kobe's marketing campaign is fact...it wasn't contrived or a ploy (though it's a brilliant one). In my opinion people do love him or hate him...as indicative by that whole dichotomy being referenced long before the commercial.

In the end, I'll have to agree that while I'm a big believer that there are some biased media out there (remember BSPN?) the K Bros are as far away from them as possible. Course that doesn't explain their "slant" on Kwame LOL...jk. They strive to be subjective often at the risk of looking like they're not fans at all...all for the good of the blog. Now if only the rest of the "media" would do the same (or be partially unbiased for that matter, esp our "local" media).

Mike T,

No, I don't think Shaq and Phil had anything to do with Kobe isolating himself. For one, Kobe was with the Lakers and developed his reputation for four years before Phil got there, and by all accounts of everything I read (which is what I assume is the same stuff you've read and use as evidence since neither of us was actually on the team) Kobe did all the isolating himself, it was just his way of doing business.

I also don't think Shaq or Phil ever pitted Kobe against his teammates or the media. He was known by many who covered and followed the team to NOT include himself in activities such as going out to dinner, movies, etc. when on the road, which is his perogative, but you have to agree that actions like that would cause some alienation amongst you and your teammates.

And I don't think either Shaq or Phil downplayed his greatness. I distinctly remember Shaq calling Kobe the best player in the league.

As for the $130 million, that's strictly a business decision by Dr. Buss and has nothing to do with this conversation at all.

Ultimately Kobe made his bed and has spent most of his career lying in it. I like the fact that he seems to be making positive progress towards a "warmer" public image, he just made it more difficult than it had to be.

Taka,

It was a 22 team deal see. You get KG and Iverson, or comparable. All make believe. For once, I thought some of you people might relate.

I just like the feel of "Brokebacks".

It's under your skin.

Taliq,

"Maybe wahat you're trying to say is umm...hey dude this is a blog and i dnt have time to ensure each post is balanced, if it was an article, then sure. But on the blog i just expect my posts to be accumulative and not have 1 singled out. Talk to me AK, tell me where ya comin frum ;)"

Honestly, that point feels so obvious I didn't feel it needed to be expressly stated, especially to someone who's been reading the blog for a while and has a pretty good idea what I've written. But that certainly covers some of my perspective, yes.

Again, if you wanna disagree with me, disagree with me. I've never asked people to be on board with my every opinion. I don't care if people aren't on board with any of my opinions. But to "require" me to include various sources with every single comment I make, essentially turning anything I say into a formal article, is pretty unreasonable. Not only don't I have time for that, but it's completely unnecessary for a topic ("Kobe's a pretty guarded guy who hasn't trusted easily") that's been pretty freakin' well documented and never particularly disputed. Even those in the media who think Kobe gets a bad rap (Greg Anthony, the "Loose Cannons" guys) have conceded this point.

It just feels like some Kobe worshippers (and I think it's safe to say anyone signing their posts with "In Kobe we trust" falls into that category) are stubbornly trying to avoid a simple truth about Kobe. He's made some mistakes. Haven't we all? Doesn't mean EVERYTHING in the world is all Kobe's fault. It just means he carries SOME responsbility. And I think he's making progess in improving upon them. Hopefully, it continues. Can't we just leave it at that?

AK

Taliq -- I didn't know you was from Crown Heights??? I am from Jamaica Queens but I lived in BedStuy for 10 years (not too far from Crown Hghts) any ole wayz..

Though at first I though Tariq was being too hard on AK, now I think he has a legit point.

It isn't that AK is wrong about his facts, it is that he continues to drag out the facts of past years while ignoring the most recent evidence. Maybe Kobe has already changed and realized the error of his past ways. Maybe his maturation has already taken place. And maybe the media, AK included, continue to latch on unfairly to the confortable stereotypes of the past.

AK says he just wants Kobe to be more instinctively open to those around him. The past year or two I think all the evidence suggests he has been more open--to his teammates and the public. To say or imply otherwise is unfair.

LucasinOhio,

Not only have I acknowledged that Kobe's made some strides in that area, I actually said that in my original comment that sparked all this. That's just gotten lost in the shuffle because people are jumping all over the part of the comment they didn't like.

AK

ANDREW Z!

"I think ESPN shot JFK."

LMAO

That is about the funniest post you've ever made!

--Fearless

SLMAO

T-Woody,

"But I would rather have Fish than Evans, Smush or Sasha in the line up today, follower or not."

I could not have said that better myself. I'd take Fish and his fat contract and all. In a heartbeat.

--Fearless

Dude! You are on a roll today.

lakersrydeordie,
"I think there is a consensus that we need a bunch of stars to become successful and advance. "

No one has said that the Lakers need a bunch of stars. What most are saying is that the Lakers need someone else performing at the all-star level, and better play out of several more positions. The "better play" could be achieved by current Lakers improving, or it could be achieved by bringing in someone else currently not with the Lakers.

Sonnyfart!!

Will you shut up already. Do not force me to use the force!!!

We get it now, you hate Kobe and you want the lakers to trade him!!

AK can we please trade this idiot or better still
create him his own blog so he can blog himself all day and agree with himself to his hearts content.

We on this blog have long suspected the Sonnyfart is the long lost illegitimate son of 'Steven' & 'Tarugo'.

May the Force be with You!!

Sith_Lord

I agree with Mamba. You put the Kobes, Shaq, DWade, T-Macs in a room and they are all after the spotlight. They have all been selected almost from the day they stepped on a court to be the godsends of thier generation of players. That is a lot of presure on a jr high or high school kid. No one has ever been willing to tell them no. That is why we get ego problems. They surround themselves with yes men and then don't like it when people start to distrust them or dislike them. I love Kobe, but I also understand that he is human and has the same potential for dissaster or success as the rest of us. We created the monsters ourselves, then we don't like where they end up.

T-Woody

Oh well its official...

Al is a Pacer. :(

I think the Kobe Shaq thing was as much the managements fault as thiers. They were both selfish and pig headed but I refer back to my other post that we all made them what they are today. Mitch and Phil should have stepped in before it escalated to the level it did. But water under the foot bridge now. Just learn from the mistakes and don't let it happen again.

And I for one, would love AK's job, maybe he needs an assistant that is not blood related?

AK,

I think what many find frustrating is that the subject keeps coming up with no apparent impetus. Is there a fresh new story about Kobe being selfish? The other part I find distressing is that you feel saying he has taken strides is enough. How many strides must he take before you stop emphasizing the past stereotype? At what point will you be willing to declare his rehab is complete? If the answer comes down to winning a championship, then the relevance of his so-called problems should be questioned, since he helped to win three just fine despite his selfish ways. Any other criteria would seem to be even more arbitrary.

I want to say that normally I just read this blog and note how intense Laker fans are. But I do acknowledge all of your objective reporting on the Lakers, and believe you do an admirable job-especially given the intensity I mentioned already. I also believe you to be one of Kobe's supporters and a true fan.

It wouldn't be right on this blog, however, to not get in one last word. Whenever you note his past problems, you place a huge presumption against him that is very unfair. It is as though those same problems are continually plaguing the Lakers as a team, when they do anything but. And you didn't have anything to with "Kobe's me problem" (an article on ESPN about Kobe watching team USA from the stands and failing to use the word "we"--implying all kinds of negative and incendiary things and based on absolutely nothing), but when you continually raise this as a valid subject, the negative aspects are both assumed and dignified in the present day all over again. Just as that ridiculous story reminded everyone how selfish Kobe used to be and, by extension according to certain ESPN writers, still is.

wiZo:

I wanted to thank you for your excellent post regarding how difficult it must have been for Kobe as a 17 year old Laker rookie who worked harder than anybody else on the team. Your comparisons to Rudy and the peer pressure for Kobe “to lighten up” were very insightful.

I wish Kobe had never gone to Colorado to have his knee operated on. As a one-time aspiring lawyer, I followed the legal case in Colorado intensely and was totally convinced that Kobe had not committed the crime of which he was accused. Most of the knowledgeable legal experts felt that that there had not been enough evidence to justify filing charges. Unfortunately, even though the case was settled, there will always be those who believed wrongly that Kobe “bought” his way out of the situation and must have been “guilty” on some level. Kobe stood no chance against the political correctness of the women’s movement in Colorado at that time.

That Kobe did unfortunately cheat on his wife and did thoughtlessly invoke Shaq’s name were devastating blows against his up-to-then perfect public image and reputation. This is where the “Love me or hate me” version of Kobe Bryant was truly born. Even the media that was willing to concede that a crime had not been committed crucified Kobe for his “offenses” against his wife and teammate. His fall from the pedestal of perfection was truly that of a saint found to be a sinner.

I hope someday that Kobe’s great performances, his many good deeds and actions, and the passage of time will give him some peace of mind and blunt the criticism that the media and the Kobe haters are “so ready” to dispense whenever his name comes up. None of us are perfect and I am sure Kobe has already paid a greater price for his "sins" than any of us could imagine.

Very few people today really remember all of the criticism and questions Jordan faced during his early years for his gambling, his father’s death, and his marital infidelities, just as few people seem to remember how Magic Johnson contracted HIV. Until then, however, it will always be “love me or hate me” for many people whenever Kobe Bryant’s name comes up. Fair or unfair, that's the price and the cross that Kobe must bear.

Tom

You guys have it all wrong. All of you were worried about getting Al Harrington, a man who definitely does not fit the bill for our squad. Dont get me wrong, he's a great player, a good asset, just not for us.

Whats wrong with pieces we have? Are we forgetting we have one of the best three point shooters in Rad. The best player since Michael in Kobe, the most versatile and stat-stuffer player in Odom.

And while we're all talking about Bynum and his potential, we seem to forget about Roni. Roni can straight-up play!

Lets give Farmar and Bynum some room to breathe and grow. Lets not set them up for failure by billing them up too high.

The key words are "status quo" (how things are now). I like these Lakers. I dont expect any more changes, and I wouldnt mind if there arent any.

They're good now..... on paper.

I guess we'll see.

LakerTom,

As usual, your comments are very salient. I did mention in this Blog that Magic Johnson's indiscretions were to a level that no man should ever reach. He risked the lives of his wife and daughter and was lucky to get out of that "relatively" unscathed (if you can call being HIV positive unscathed).

But, Magic is personable, so the press gives him a huge pass. I think that is what AK is talking about.

On the other hand, the level of fairness being leveled against you by the press should not be dependant on how cozy you are with them. So, I understand the utter frustration of the dissenters.

The truth is that Kobe's court case should have had absolutely no impact on his professional career and the Press' treatment of him because it never went to trial. But, the reality is that court cases affect careers, even if you are completely exonerated. Not fair, but true.

It is what it is.

--Fearless

Fearless:

I do remember your post. It's amazing the incredibly stupid things that "good" people sometimes do and it's important to always remember that we are all human and capable of great mistakes. Luckily, Magic and his family survived his stupidity and hopefully Kobe and his family survived his stupidity. And that's more important in the final analysis than either of their basketball careers. I hope the best for both of them for the joys they have given me and will always love them despite their "sins."

And as we both have said, it isn't fair but "it is what it is." Three more rings and a few years of being a great team leader and maybe by the time Kobe retires, the haters will have faded into the woodwork, as they did with Michael and Magic.

Thanks, Fearless. Go, Lakers. Go, Kobe.

Tom

Jobi - Good Comments, Harrington would have been a lousy fit and everyone is sleeping on Turiaf. Because Turiaf jumps up and down a lot on the bench, I think a lot of Laker fans have him pegged as some kind of Mark Madsen-type. Not so, Turiaf has good hands and feet, unlike Madsen.

AK - I don't disagree with your perception of Kobe and how he is seen as separate and aloof from his teammates. What I find strange is that the history of sports is full of great players who can be perceived exactly the same way and are not.

Could the same thing not be said about Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio or even St. Michael Jordan (to name a few)? Super talent combined with a relentless work ethic is going to put a lot of teammates off, but Kobe is one of the few who is consistently villified. I have read in various places that LeBron James can be a bit of a pill, but this is not part of the "official" mythology being built around him.

I guess the bottom line is that Kobe bears a big piece of the blame for how he is perceived, but don't dismiss the mass media's role in this. Is there another player in the NBA who could average 35 PPG, make 1st Team All-Defense, improve his team by 11 games in the standings and finish FOURTH in MVP voting? That's the media and the media alone.

Joby,
I agree with everything except your comments about Turiaf. At this point we have no idea whether or not he can play at this level. He certainly has a great attitude, but that doesn't always translate to performance on the court.

Jman,

It's interesting how media perceptions often shift and change. With Ted Williams and Joe D, comparisons are impossible because news was so different back then. But people forget that Jordan started out taking a LOT of media flak. They didn't like that he was a ball hog. They didn't like that he wore sweat suits everywhere. They thought he was selfish. Then things eventually turned his way. And it was the result of both MJ and the media changing.

People also forget that Kobe began his career as a media darling. He was the young, good looking, smart, clean cut kid who did the angelic McDonalds commercials and was the heir to MJ. Plus, Shaq was taking a fair amount of heat for not bringing the Lakers a title. Then word started getting out about his relationship with Shaq and (later) Phil. Stuff grew more public (the fault of Shaq, Kobe, Phil and just about everyone involved) and things slowly eroded. But he was still in reasonably good shape.

Then came Colorado, which obviously didn't help. But honestly, while the media undoubtedly sensationalized the case by keeping it front page news, I also think they were pretty fair in maintaining a "benefit of the doubt" stance. Whether that was because (like me) they felt Kobe was innocent, were worried about libel issues, or simply didn't want to permanently destroy any future interaction with Kobe, I can't say. But you didn't see many, if any, writers/analysts taking a stand against Kobe when it came to guilt or innocence.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I really think Kobe's image started taking a beating on a regular basis after the core dismantled, especially with fans. Early on in the 2004-2005 season, I actually heard some boos for Kobe upon his introduction at Staples. And Shaq probably got more cheers than him during Heat-Lakers I. A little weird, but it also made some sense, because many fans/media blamed Kobe for the team’s situation at the time.

In their minds, he orchestrated the entire break up in quest for solo-glory. He took the Lakers hostage during his free agency period after they stood by him during the Colorado drama. He forced the speed of the Lakers' hand, which made them take a bad trade for Shaq. He wasn't capable of leading the troops in the first post-Shaq season. And so on and so forth. That's where the bottom dropped out, in my mind. It’s one thing standing by him as the rape charges played out, because many thought he was innocent. But when it came to his effect on the Lakers during that period, folks were less forgiving.

Are ALL of those accusations fair? No, of course not. Are SOME? Yeah, unfortunately, I think so. But at this point, it's almost irrelevant if they're fair or unfair. They're simply what Kobe's had to live with and through.

But I do think things are slowly moving in a positive direction. It helps that the team is winning and Kobe-Phil II has been drama-free. Kobe’s loosening up a bit, on and off the court. And if Kobe continues to play the way he did in the playoffs, relinquishing some control and trusting his teammates in a more unconditional fashion, he's gonna see his coverage grow more favorable. I said that after the playoffs and I still think it. Maybe I'm naive, but I also work in this world, too. Yeah, some writers will still have it out for him. So be it. But the majority are concerned about maintaining some integrity, and if it’s obvious that Kobe’s changing, they’re gonna feel obligated to acknowledge it. Besides, the “Kobe’s Transformation” angle makes for a good story. If it’s there, these guys aren’t gonna pass up the opportunity to jump on whatever bandwagon. That’s happened with plenty of other athletes. It can happen for Kobe. Give it time and be patient. Just as people can’t expect Kobe to change overnight, neither will the coverage.

AK