Taliq,

Well said.

Although AK is still a closet Kobe hater, in fairness to AK, his Kobe haterade meter made a significant drop this season.

Here's someone who strongly advocated trading away the best player on the planet, refusing to even acknowledge the possiblity that Kobe was simply (although in an immature way ala Magic) asking for help in the offseason, and he wonders why we think he is a Kobe hater. The "Kobe fanatics" felt Kobe's frustration over playing alongside Smush, Kwame, Cook and Luke. If AK didn't watch every single Laker game, I might give him a free pass, but that is obviously not the case. What I don't get is, how does someone that has watched Kobe and this team for years, attribute the huge improvement of Farmar, Sasha, Ronnie, and Bynum to Kobe involving his teamates in the offense? How does someone so rational ignore the fact that Kobe was involving his teamates last year before the injuries, as well as the threepeat years? AK actually tried to argue this point with me. I don't dispute AK when he stresses Kobe's improvement this year, but Kobe pretty much improved every single year he's been in the league. This year is no different. That's what hard-working and dedicated players do. "Kobe haters" have created an environment where anytime he shoots alot, he is being a "ballhog", which is very unfair. Even the "Kobe haters" can ackowledge that he is playing excellent team ball this year, but for argument's sake, what if the entire team goes down with injuries, and Kobe is forced to play alongside Mbenga, Mihm, Coby Carl and Newble in the starting lineup? I'll tell you what will happen, KOBE BALL will be unleashed once again, and the media will feast on the manufactured notion that Kobe is a selfish ballhog once again.

GO LAKERS!

Charles, toad, PsychedLakerGirl

Polly wanna a cracker, if anyone says the same thing over and over its you guys.
Kobe for MVP, down with the Kobe haters, Lakers are going to showw the world how good they are on this road-trip, PJ's the best, KB24 is better than LBJ, wait till Bynum gets back. Yep, same ole regurgitated homer crap.
How about, no defense, no coaching adjustments, the Phoenix Lakers (nothing but 3's), floppers, pretenders, can't guard a quick PG if their life depended on it

Gonna get spanked

LAKERS WILL BE EXPOSED

FEED THE TROLLS homers aka gomers

Someone actually thinks we're going to be -68 pts in the next four games??

Pony up, I've got $10,000 for the under on that one.

I'm willing to wire it into an escrow account immediately. You win if the Lakers are minus 68 or more, I win otherwise.

Put your money where your mouth is. Mine is sitting right here. Choose an escrow account and let's get the deal done before tip-off tomorrow.

Tim-4-Show

LakerTom actually posted that the Lakers would be + 68 in the next 4 games

I just turned it (his blog) around and interjected my opinion

Now you want to put that same bet on the Lakers?
Neither one is realistic but someones gotta check your pathetic unrealistic homer statements.

LAKERS WILL BE EXPOSED

FEED THE TROLLS
GET IN MY BELLY

Angry - Thanks

Jon - Hang in there buddy, Happy B-Day

DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS

DIT DA PAU BABY!!!

Happy Birthday, Jon K.

If Kobe doesn't win MVP this year, he isn't winning ever. The 'freshness' aspect of it will be gone.. (there is a "LA story" this year.. to use the Sports Illustrated column title from today).. every year, it's going to be one way or another to discredit Kobe's work and of course there are many candidates rising with the talent level in the NBA rising. If he has any chance, it's this year.

But as long as this award doesn't have a set criteria, it's going to continue to be very debatable. at least, I wish the people who actually are involved in the game vote, not the media. players, coaches, GMs.

What's up Laker Fam...

How's it? Someone fill in on what;s going on....

Laker Truth,

To put it mildly, you're not telling the entire "truth."

Did I advocate trading Kobe this offseason? Yes. But it wasn't because I didn't acknowledge that Kobe wanted help (I did, and more on that later). It's because I (along with probably 95% of this blog's readership and Kobe himself) didn't think this team, as constructed, could improve enough on its own to make him happy. Along those lines, if Kobe wouldn't be happy, I saw the season as a disaster in the making, so they'd be better off biting a very unpleasant bullet ASAP and getting the most they could in trade. That's not me truly "wanting" to trade Kobe (as I continually pointed out), but feeling that they had to. Big difference. Obviously, I was wrong about the team's future this season, which I've owned up to, but I was hardly alone.

As to me "not acknowledging" that Kobe wanted help, I absolutely did. But because I didn't think they could make a suitable trade, it goes back to my original point: They won't be able to make him happy, so moving Kobe was inevitable, anyway. However, a large reason that I didn't think they could make a trade was because of Kobe's offseason tantrum (in your own words, "he went about this in "an immature way"). And yes, I criticized him for it, because it was not only unprofessional and as you said, immature, but totally counterproductive to what he wanted.

The radio tour put the Lakers in a position where they'd have to trade from a position of disadvantage and would have had to make one-sided deals like LO and Bynum for Jermaine O'Neal. That would have made them considerably worse and thankfully, despite some fans screaming for it to happen, the front office didn't cave to pressure. And that the proposed trade of Bynum and the entire frontline for Kidd in '07? Kobe would have signed off on it, which would have been a huge mistake. With all due respect to Kobe, he's inarguably one of the all-time great players, but by his own admission, he would be a terrible GM, because patience isn't his long suit.

Also, my argument has never been that Kobe "didn't" involve his teammates. It's HOW he involved them and, more importantly, the vibe he gave off while doing it. His leash and patience for guys not coming through every single time was considerably shorter in the past then now. Do they have to hold up their end of the bargain? Of course and they sometimes didn't. But it's also very hard to perform well when you constantly feel like they're auditioning. Kobe's given some and he's in turn received. Guys improved through their own hard work, but they also improved because Kobe helped them improve. It works both ways.

AK

Please add me to the HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON K bandwagon.

Thank you.

AK,

I agree with you. Though I think it's Kobe's year. We as Laker fans, seem to be rooting against LBJ for the wrong reasons.
I'm from Rhode Island, and one of my good friends (also a huge Laker fan...you'd be surprised how many Laker fans are out here) hates seeing LBJ have a great game. It's not because he dislikes LBJ, but because like D-Wade 2 years ago, it's the media's coverage, or over coverage, and love of LeBron and in return, seemingly lack of love for Kobe, that makes him cringe. So unfortunately, we cannot properly enjoy the greatness of LeBron because his greatness somehow means Kobe gets slighted.
LeBron is having a great year, and should be mentioned as a candidate. But not compared to Kobe, not when Kobe had stat years like those, and still didn;t get a sniff at the O'Brien trophy. Kobe scores 52 pts, nabs 11 rebs, and dishes out 4 assists in a big game, on national tv against a top tier team, but yet it's LBJ's 50, 10, and 8 against the lowly Knicks, that has John Hollinger crowning LBJ and canonizing his performance as one of the greatest ever.
It's not fair to basketball, never mind Laker fans. Our frustration takes it out on the players that we feel give the "hating media" something to latch onto. I don't accuse you guys of it, but I can level with taliq, but at least your so called "hating" is subtle, if at all. I mean, you do blog for the LA Times. Kobe hating seems like a company policy.

STOP THE HATE, BOTH ARE GREAT LBJ AND KOBE

cleveland loses to the wizards. lebron has 7 turnovers tonight and chokes on the last second 3 pointer that would have won the game for cleveland. not only did he lost the game, but the mvp vote. come on lebron, you're better than that.

Lebron is having a great year but his team is going know where. That trade his team made was bad and now lebron is having to do everything. Watching tonights game and last nights game you could tell lebron is getting tired cuz not only does he have to do all the scoring but also the facilitating.

Yes, please let's not diss LBJ to promote Kobe - let them stand on their own merits. Both are great players. Each is better than the other at some things. As Laker fans we want Kobe to win MVP, and may be he will. If he doesn't, big deal - I'd be sadder if he doesn't get the ring!

Look lonely

no worries, none taken

Look lonley....Any chance of getting whatever your on..?
Its amazing how every time the Cavs drop a game its his team mates fault....Dude how do we get some of what your taking..?

Does the Sun's radio announcer seriously say "Shazaam" every time they convert a three? Please tell me that I'm hearing that wrong.

Never mind. I just heard "Whammo" on an Amare dunk. I'm beginning to feel seriously sorry for Suns fan.

are you watching the suns-warriors game? the suns looks more solid inside than the lakers. suns isn't even known to have defense but they are more solid than the lakers now. they're getting there now. watch out lakers...

Oh wow ... time to take AK to school ... hater expose below

"For starters, he's hardly the only so-so defender to win MVP .... it's very difficult to honestly say Nash wasn't a reasonable choice, even if you think it was the incorrect one. "

Really, you're so bad defensively that your small forward has to guard the oppsoing point gaurd on a consistent basis ... you're calling that a so so defender ... that's the reasonable choice? please do tell who are the past mvps that have been as bad defensively?

"But he's valid and anybody complaining that LBJ would only win because of a writer-wide agenda to keep it from Kobe is delusional. Too many Kobe fans are so wrapped up in him not winning to make this very important distinction."

I don't think they're trying to keep it from him, I honestly think they believe he doesn't deserve it for reasons that seem legitimate to them (e.g. ball hog, not a good leader etc) ... what makes it so annoying is it's not the case, e.g. take ball hog dude averages 5 assists for his career, that's pretty darn good for a shooting guard. Take not a good leader, sure he called out his teammates at the end of the season but he's also the same guy we saw encouraging smush at the lowest points last season, he laid his heart out on the court during the season as a leader and wrecked havoc during summer when NO ball was being played, granted it's not an ideal situation but it entirely discount the leadership he brought to the court last season, Sasha didn't just start loving to play with kobe this season.

"Would it be weird to see LBJ win before Kobe? Honestly, yes. Very. But that doesn't automatically mean it's a conspiracy. Timing is oft a bitch. Karl Malone is the 2nd all-time leading scorer and one of the best players to ever lace up sneaks. And he doesn't have a ring. Why? Because he played in the Jordan era and the Kobe/Shaq era. Sucks, but it happens."

Oh wow I guess the pen really is a mighty weapon. Very slick argument, somehow using Malone's quest for a championship ring which the media plays no factor to argue for the MVP award which the is determined solely by the media (not coaches, gms, or players). And trying to compare Lebron-Kobe relationship to a Jordan-Malone one is riduculous. Let's forget that even lebron himself acknowledges kobe is better, even his die hard fans cant claim lebron is significanlty better than kobe which is the jordan malone relationship.

"As for the "hater" thing, I dislike it because I think it often serves as an intentional means of avoiding actual discussion. I often find that people who use "hater" as a common explanation also typically refuse to acknowledge that somebody could be making a reasonable point, even if it's a point you don't agree with."

Hmm I'd consider this an actual discussion wouldn't you. And yes your arguments are reasonable but just cuz you make a reasonable argurment don't make it right ... you could make a reasonable argument for a dictatorship, communism, or banning affirmative action but that don't make it right.

For years now his peers have acknowledge him as the best in the game ... no one else sells out road seats like he does ... so he got the fundamentals and the flair down right ... what more he need to do before y'all kiss the ground he walks on ... give him his due, 12 years of waking up at like 5am or w/e crazy hours he puts in means he's earned it ...

and I ain't talking about the MVP award, y'all can give it to the next so so defender ... by give him his due ... I'm saying for once back down and stop saying we rant ... say while there might be reasonable arguments out there, you understand our pain, u understand why this is not fair ... and maybe tell us everything will be ok at the end of the day, that 5 years from now when they're all kissing the ground the new laker dynasty is walking on, that kobe will be at the helm

Look lonley....And another point ...Please ...Try not to insult Magic again...If your smart enough to use a computer then do a little research on Magic...Please do your home work before trying to compare Lebron with Magic....That was not a very smart statement...

Taliq,

Okay, let's get the quick item out of the way now. Go ahead and say "hater" if that's how you roll. It's not looking to make a federal case of it. I'm just saying, I think the phrase is both overused and beyond played out. Again, just one man's opinion.

Back to basketball.

As for MVP's who were bad defenders, how about the reigning trophy holder? If Dirk's better than Nash on D, it ain't by much. By his own admission, Barkley wasn't much on D. Magic never had much of a lockdown rep. Those are just a few guys off the top of my head. Mind you, I'm not saying these guys weren't better than Nash. My point was simply that huge defensive ability isn't always a must. Especially when you take into account how effective Nash was on the other side of the ball. And like I said before, he wouldn't have been my personal choice. But he was absolutely a reasonable choice. That's a valid and important distinction.

I also don't know what writers you're referring to who are constantly saying Kobe is a bad leader/ballhog and doesn't deserve consideration. If anyone's saying that, they're in the minorty. Kobe's been acknowledged since about mid-late December as one of the frontrunners. I challenge you to find an article discussing MVP that doesn't include Kobe heavily in the mix. At this point, it's basically Kobe and LBJ, unless CP3 and the hornets win the West. It's odd how you're almost making this sound like Kobe is currently an MVP dark horse. At worst he's about 40/40/10 with LBJ and Paul, and may very be the leader. And in any event, like I said, I don't see how it's possible to look at LBJ (or Paul, if they won the West) and say they're "bad" or "unreasonable" choices, even if they're not your own. And I say that as somebody who, as I stressed many times, would personally vote for Kobe.

I wasn't also trying to make the Malone/MVP comparison as an apples to oranges thing. Obviously, they're not entirely the same. My point was simply that fate can be a bitch and work in strange ways. As can timing. And if you can accept LBJ as a legit MVP winner (which I can, even though I wouldn't actually vote for him), then it's part of that "timing" example I was going with. Sometimes the world works in unpredictable ways.

AK

Thirty2,

No problem man.... it just kills me whenever Laker Lover starts talkin.. he doesn't have a clue to what he's talking about..

BTW, Magic is one my favorite players of all time.. with Larry Legend and now KOBE!

Peace bro!

Go Lakers!

Look lonely

I know they are old but here it is:

MJ to Kwame Brown: "Flamming F*****" "I'll let them stand up and take responsibility for themselves."

"They've got no idea what it's all about. The white guys, they work hard, but they don't have the talent. And the rest of them? Who knows what to expect? They're not good for much of anything."

"We have to do some things. We need to make some changes."

"...I call them 'the Looney Tunes.' Physically, they were the best. Mentally, they weren't even close."

"He's scared. He's got no heart...Nobody told me that. If I had spoken up, he wouldn't have been here."

"I know I can recognize what to do, but I'm not sure they can."

"It's a hell of a lot easier to make Earl Monroe look good than it is Brad Sellers."

"I hope there's a jumpshot in there." - Michael to Stacey King who was walking into the locker room with a box

"They don't need a ticket to watch you sitting on the bench. They can go to your house for that." - Michael to Charles Davis who was sorting through his tickets for his family and friends

"Give me the ******* ball." - Michael to Doug Collins who drew up a play for Dave Corzine

"I hate when I have to read that in the papers the next day, that I couldn't do something. It wasn't my fault."

"You're an idiot. You've screwed up every play we ever ran. You're too stupid to even remember the plays. We ought to get rid of you." - Michael to Horace Grant

"I hate being out there with those garbagemen. They don't get you the ball."

"If you [pass the ball to Bill Cartwright], you'll never get the ball from me. "

"We're not winning because of talent. We're just beating bad teams."

"Headache tonight, Scottie?" - Michael asks Scottie, while showing him his 2-for-16 line

"It's probably a twelve-day. He needs two days to wake up." - Michael on a ten-day contract teammate

"Five more years and I'm out of here. I'm marking these days on a calendar, like I'm in jail. I'm tired of being used by this organization, by the league, by the writers, by everyone."

"They're not interested in winning. They just want to sell tickets, which they can do because of me. They won't make any deals to make us better. And this Kukoc thing. I hate that. They're spending all their time chasing this guy. "

"If I were a general manager, we'd be a better team." He can't do anything with the ball. Don't give it to him." - Michael yelling at Paxson who passed the ball to Perdue

"We're beating a lot of poor teams. So what? We won a lot of games last year, too. Will Horace and Bill still be playing at this level in the playoffs...Can Pip keep it up?"

"I know what's gonna happen. We'll wait until the last minute and then they'll say something like they couldn't get a deal done because of the cap or somebody pulled out at the last minute. It happens here all the time. I don't know why I'm surprised every year."

"You ever hear of a guy, six-eleven maybe and two hundred sixty pounds, a guy big and fat like that and he can't get but two rebounds, if that many, running all over the damn court and he gets two rebounds? Big guy like that and he gets one rebound. Can't even stick his a** into people and get more than that...Big, fat, fat guy. One rebound in three games. Power forward. Maybe they should call it powerless forward." - Michael ripping Stacey King a new one

"He was scared in there and panicking. He just lost it when Stockton scored." - Michael on B.J. Armstrong's mental fragility

Yeah Brylle, where is our new T'Shirt design? You did a nice one last season with Smush/Kwame/Cookie around, how about this year with possible MVP and Champ?

Brylle is in the Philippines and it's still 3am over there, I'm sure he will design a good one for the blog. Also another design for AK sparring with Cuban at the Dallas locker room. lol! (That will sell more in blog than the Pacquiao vs. Marquez fight on Saturday.)

Posted by: Edwin Gueco | March 13, 2008 at 10:56 AM

Hey Edwin,

Ha!I'm glad u still remembered me..lol..Hmmm..

I'll be makin that design in 3 days, i have a hell week (Finals) right now..(Man, Calculus and Engineering is a pain, but i enjoy it though..lol)..I have a new concept on my next gfx for the blog..I'll just put AK's face on Pacquiao's and Cuban's face on Marquez..lol..(a bit biased?lol)

Watch the bout of Pacquiao and Marquez on Feb.16(Feb.15 there)..It'll be a slugfest fo sure..

Who do u place your bet on?
PACQUIAO or MARQUEZ

PACQUIAO all the way!

and LAKERS for the Championship this April!

and oh, KOBE BEAN BRYANT for MVP!

Brylle