G1
"Woah, woah buddy. Usually I let some of your comments that I disagree with slide, but this one? That's crazy talk. Donald Sterling is a Scrooge and that's the reason Lamar isn't on the Clippers. "

i agree Donald "penny pincher" Sterling is a Scrooge, but that year, Mr. Scrooge did open up the pocket book for Magette and Brand, but decided to, wisely, pass on matcing Odom's offer from Miami. Don't get me wrong, Odom will make a great role player, but Odom+Butler=Shaq? Come one, i would have been less upset had kobe signed, then trade Shaq for better value or at least expiring contracts. Just my take. And thanks for letting my shizzle slide, i owe you one.

Rocky,
"I'm a Lakerfan first. Kobefan second. I'll never sellout my team. "

i'm a b-ball fan first, laker fan second and kobe fan never. But i respect your POV and you're a better fan than me.....i'll condede that point.

Faith, our nurse in residence, has a unique appreciation for the fate that's befallen Derek and his family.

Agreed, a thread change would be appropriate.

Gino,
"D-Fish is going to be a Laker no question... Kobe needs to call him up right now and offer him the gig....."

i agree with you. BTW, did you get my post on if you're a season ticket holder? you don't have to respond. the reason i'm asking is that season ticket holder's opinion should carry more weight on this blog. just my take.

"i'm a b-ball fan first, laker fan second..."-KLBeast

In order to be a Lakerfan, one must love the game of basketball right?? I don't understand your point.

I'm a Lakerfan first. I love basketball, that's why I'm here wasting my time typing up stuff about the Lakers and Kobe's punk ass. I am a better fan than you.

Korey,

Bynum played over 1700 minutes last season averaging 21.9 minutes a game with 52 starts. The guy who invented PER, John Hollinger, thinks that is way more than enough for PER to be valid and relevant. So that's enough for me.

As for flashes of brilliance how about these games:

Oct. 31 against PHX - In 24 minutes he shot 63% from the field scoring 18 points, grabbing 9 boards, and dishing 5 assists. (This was without Kobe)

Nov. 7 against MIN - In 29 minutes he shot 67% (6 of 9), scored 20 points, 14 rebounds, blocked 3 shots, with no fouls and no turnovers.

Nov. 19 agains CHI - in 28 mintues he shot 50%, scored 12 points, pulled down 13 boards, and blocked 4 shots.

Jan. 5 against DEN - In 29 minutes he shot 89% (8 of 9), scored 19 points, grabbed 10 boards, blocked 6 shots, 3 assists, and even 1 steal, with only 2 fouls and 1 turnover.

Jan. 28 agains SAS - although he only shot 33% in 44 minutes he scored 14 points, got 11 rebounds, 1 block and 3 assists. Not bad for a 19 year old sophomore against the best defensive team in the league and the NBA champs.

He has definitely shown flashes of brilliance. Remember when Shaq handled him on a dunk and then on the next play he outmanuevred him on in the post and threw it down in his face! That showed fire and balls. I also hear he is working out like crazy this summer.

If Bynum is with us next season he'll average a double double and 2 blocks per game. Pair that with Odom and Kobe and we've got a chance to advance to the second round.

Rocky,

Basketball is the best game on the planet (not pluto either). American Footbal and the NBA are on similar levels for me, but my passion is basketball.

"I'm a Lakerfan first. I love basketball, that's why I'm here wasting my time typing up stuff about the Lakers and Kobe's punk ass. I am a better fan than you."

You and I, both on wasting time. I guess we're not that dissimilar.

"In order to be a Lakerfan, one must love the game of basketball right?? I don't understand your point."

my point is that there are a lot of bandwagon fans who don't play ball or know laker b-ball history making lame comments on kobe. so my point is that a laker fan (particularly the fans uber-partial to kobe) are not necessarily basketball fans. am i talking out of my a$$? i certaintly feel like it today.

Everyone!!!!

Stop taking KL's bait!!!!

He's just a troll!!!!

It's easy to scroll past his posts, but other bloggers' responses to him make this blog unreadable. How many times does someone have to respond to his irrational and unfactual statements before you realize it only produces more crap?

RMA,

i thought we cool? remember the sparring we did? i actually agree with you that if you don't like what i have to say, then just scroll away.

It's all good KLBeast.

I actually enjoy your crusade against the overlyloyal Kobefans.

JJ,
If you only list a player at one position, especially with bench players, you don't give a true picture of what the rotations will be, and what real depth, or lack of depth, a team has.

For instance, at some points last season Mo Evans could accurately be listed as being the primary backup at both SG and SF. Rony Turiaf is realistically in the rotation at some point for both C and PF. There were times last season when he was the primary backup at both of those positions.

Mike,
Korey is right about Bynum. The games you reference were very solid games. I would call the Oct 31, Nov 7, and Jan 5 "great games" but not "flashes of brilliance." The other two games were not "great", just pretty good.

If a player is going to be GREAT, asopposed to GOOD, they will almost always show in increasing number of games that take your breath away. Bynum hasn't done that. If you could show 20 games from last season with box scores similar to those five, I might agree with you. But so far he looks like he is on track to be a decent player, but not a consistent all star.

KL,
I couldn't agree with you more. If you don't like the "typical" content of a poster's message, then scroll past it.
What do you think i do when i see AK's posts?... jk
No harm, no foul.

Shaq...big ego.
Kobe...big ego.

Shaq...big adulterous.
Kobe... also adulterous.

Shaq...Run out Van Exel and Eddie Jones.
Kobe called out teammates for being mediocre.

Phil Jackson...Kobe arrogant and selfish.
Tex Winter...Shaq arrogant and selfish.

KObe....too many shots.
Shaq...always complains for more shots.

Shaq...KObe and Wade championships companions.
Kobe...Lamar and Luke Walton.

Shaq...Called Buuss dirty old men.
Kobe...Called Buss idiot.

Shaq...Never work in his conditioning.
Kobe ...overwork in his conditioning.

Phil....Kobe need to submit to team ball.
Pat Riley....Shaq should return half of his salary.

Shaq ran out Steven Van Gundy.
Kobe ran out Phil Jackson.

Shaq 4 championships.
Kobe 3 championships.

Shaq....2 more productive seasons.
Kobe still in his prime, 6 more productive seasons to go.

Kobe blame others for team failures.
Shaq blame others for team failures.

Kobe cursing expletives in a video.
Shaq cursing expletives to Stern and the NBA in national tv.

Kobe ...Fought with Samaki adn Reggie Miller.
Shaq....with Brian Miller and Ostertag.

Shaq...Most dominant ever (his own calling)
Kobe the best basketball player( Entire league opinion)

Mike in the Mountain West, I'm with you. I think it is insanity to unload Bynum for someone like Jermaine ONeal or pretty much anyone else but Garnett. Every team in the league is screaming for a franchise Center and there's about what? 3 of them? Here we are, sitting on a young guy that just played his first real season, showed some nice touch around the basket, the ability to block shots and clearly wore down from playing too many minutes and everybody wants to unload him for NOTHING!!!

NOTHING!!! I SAY! NOTHING!!!

Can't these people look more than one season ahead? There's very few real Centers in this league, there's some 7 footers, but very few real, traditional centers and now that we have sat on a developing one for 2 years, we're going to dump him right before he starts paying dividends? INSANITY, I tell you! I think this Oden thing is the greatest thing that could have happened to Bynum. They're both about the same age so they'll push each other over the years and WE should benefit from that IF we keep him.

What is it? Like 110 degrees today? Maybe I should go stick my head in the pool... it's overheating... LOL!

Some may consider it wrong of me for bringing up but I am slightly confused as to why Fisher would opt right out of his contract with three years to go...even if he took an entire season off and returned to the jazz...presumably they would want him and it would be in his interests to return to that deal and promising team.

Im guessing it must be possible as far as the rules are concerned becasue Jordan returned to his original contract after retiring the first time.

What am I missing here?

KL was a TEST TUBE BABY!!! bitchazz blogger!

Kiwi,

Besides his daughter, I think Fish saw this as his way out of Utah. I think he wanted to go somewhere else.

Kiwi,

Fisher doesnt plan on retiring and I believe still would play next year. He just wants to move to a city where he can get good health care for his daughter. Places like New York, LA, Florida, I would imagine.'

Fisher should come here to City of Hope. They saved my grandmother's live twice.

God bless.

KL,

LOL, I think wow might be looking for you in the streets. As far as a back and forth between you, and me goes, I'm always down to be civil. The blog is a place where opinions SHOULD differ, and where people should be able to come to talk about the team they love (or in some cases hate). I can disagree with you without talking about your mom, or saying your an idiot (even though some of the stuff you say qualifies....J/K). Even though you don't like Kobe you seem to have reasons, and usually present those reasons in a logical way so I can respect that.

Weave Man,

KL does not want to see me in the streets. He better hide behind that computer.

On other news, My man Flea wrote a blog in the NBA about Kobe. I was really jamming to their cd Stadium acradium yesterday..

An Open Letter to Kobe Bryant
Posted by Flea on July 3, 2007, 8:55 a.m. ET

dear kobe,

i have been a huge supporter of you since the moment you first put
on a laker uniform
i have stood by you and defended you against your detractors
throughout every moment of your professional basketball career
i have always respected your work ethic
your unrelenting desire to give your all night in and night out
and your creative and exciting basketball game......dope!!!
i have sincerely hoped the best for you at every turn
i have also been a laker fan since i was a boy
i am now 44 and i love the lakers the same as when i was 11, but deeper
i am always hoping that they will get better and make good decisions
and tap into the magic at all costs
go lakers

when they resigned you for 6 or 7 more years or whatever it is
i was so happy
kobe bryant! the best player in the game! my favorite!
i listened to people call you arrogant, selfish, and dishonest, only
out for your own glory
i argued with them telling them that they mistook your greatness,
confidence, and burning desire to win for arrogance
and i told them that we were lucky to see a person so dedicated to
their craft playing at such a high level
that you expected others to work hard on their game too
that you were a good guy
and that you were an athlete not a p.r. man, and that lots of other
players put on a smiley generous face but were selfish when the
cameras were down
and i respected your privacy
kobe.......... you have given us laker fans a lot of joy we love you
and respect you

in any event
during my time as a hardcore laker fan
there have been ups and downs
lots of ups!
we had magic johnson!
kareem abdul jabbar!
and you!
and michael cooper one of my favorites! he had a lot of heart!
when things have not gone well for the lakers
it is very difficult for a focused fan like me
arrghhh....... when tim thomas made that three a couple of seasons
ago.............OUCH
someone for whom, no matter whatever else is going on in my life
the lakers have been a constant, something that keeps going on..........
life is great?.....watch the lakers game
getting a divorce?......watch the lakers game
just went to a funeral?.............watch the laker game
depressed and in bed?
just made a million dollars?..........rode a ten foot wave in costa
rica?...............you get it......
it is hard to be a fan when things are not going well
but it is an emotional investment, that, over time, always pays off
never lose hope
and when the winning comes, it is all the more worth it to have been
through the drought
and all us real fans, the ones who stick with the team no matter
what, we know it, and we relate to each other
and it brings us, the community of los angeles together, and it is
beautiful, and transcends all ethnic and economic boundaries

it seems to me that it is harder than ever to build a great
basketball team in the nba
there are so many teams
not to mention so many good ones in the west
ooh how i hoped we could have gotten jason kidd, and ahhhhh, i felt
it when we couldn't get boozer
and now, man i still hope that maybe somehow, just possibly, we could
get kevin garnett
i love that guy, always have, he is a cool cat and has unbelievable game
i hope i hope i hope..........

kobe, you have said that you are a laker fan
that you grew up a laker fan
wow, and you grew up to become the best basketball player in the world
and on the lakers!
and they gave you more money than 99.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9 percent of the
people in the world could ever dream of to do it
what a story of a life!....whoa!

kobe bryant....................we true fans, have lived this story
too.................we know it is not easy to do what you have
done.......

if you leave kobe
if you do you will break our hearts
the ones who have stood by you through thick and thin
the ones who love you
and truly care about you
we all know that things have not gone as well since jerry west left
for whatever the reason is........too many cooks in the
kitchen......it is impossible to measure up to the greatness of jerry
west......
mitch has had a lot of tough breaks too and not a lot too work with
thank god we are rid of that absurd brian grant salary finally
but us fans can only really guess at what is really going on
seems a little confused over there right now though.....

but the bottom line is............
KOBE.........DO NOT TAKE US TRUE FANS FOR GRANTED
we are on your side
we believe in you
we love you
we feel your frustration
and know that it is rooted in the truth
but...............come on man
don't leave us
whatever the front office problems are, that is the negative right
now for you
but we are the positive
who is more important?
we grew up with you
we have been your fans no matter what
you will never have as deep a love anywhere else
not in any other teamcity where they have hated you for your whole
career?!??!?!??????????
i have friends in new york and chicago, serious nba fans
they have been talkin garbage about you forever
they hate you
all of them............
talk about whatever idiot in the laker organization mouthed off to
the press? they all say that stuff about you...all of them!
yeah they will be happy if you go there because you are the greatest
player , but it will not, could not be the truth, their love will be
shallow
US TRUE FANS KNOW THE TRUTH
we do not talk trash about you, havenot
we are here for you
we have been through all of it and stood by you

and that is more important than anything else that you will ever get
anywhere else

don't make ray allen look like nostradamous

don't prove your doubters right

sincerely,

flea

Would love to see Fish on the Lakers again
But not if Kobe is here. D. Fish doesn't deserve that.

Kiwi,
"even if he took an entire season off and returned to the jazz...presumably they would want him and it would be in his interests to return to that deal and promising team"

I don't think they would want to lose a key player "on purpose" with the plan being to get him back, especially someone like Fisher who is on the backside of his career. I think a major part of his value to Utah is his leadership; his stats last season were not that great, and his defense is not what it used to be. He had a couple of excellent games in the playoffs, which is what people remember, but they were not typical of his play last year.

How would that work with the salary cap? I suspect it would count against it. Otherwise teams would be likely to do that frequently. (i.e. Kwame, here's 8.2M, just take the year off!)

Miss van,andrew Z and Zen,

Thankyou all...Being in a city to help his daughter is a noble and sensible move for the present but I think there is a possibility Zen is on the right track ...I would have thought it more likely to keep the door open at least for a certain period of time..but who knows and it's one instance where I dont want, and should not, get into detail.

Best wishes to the Fishers and respect to the jazz.

jorema,

I would hate to trade Bynum and have him become the very player you don't think he will become. What would you say then when Kobe is nolonger able to do it?