It'll soon become official
"It" being Kobe's ownership of the MVP trophy, which will be formally pronounced his at a hotel press conference this afternoon. To put this in reality TV speak, Kobe's "journey" to this point has been quite the ride, even within the context of just 2007-2008. But here we are, with Kobe being recognized for being essentially impossible to guard, as his teammates can knowledgeably attest. Those same teammates are also bearing the fruit of Kobe's play this season, specifically the confidence he's created in them by allowing them a little more leeway. But all heralding aside (and warranted), don't expect Kobe to get caught up in hoopla and lose his playoff focus. He, along with the entire roster, remain aware of the tasks still at hand, like getting their hands on more loose balls. The lion's share of step up will have to come from Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, but a group effort will be needed for the Lakers to iron out a rebounding margin leaving them shortchanged. Rebounding is often a matter of tussle willingness, but whether or not a lack thereof is causing the glass eating woes, matching Utah's physicality is also being labeled a must for game two. The Lakers spent much of the game pushed around in victorious fashion, if that makes sense. The Jazz to-do list is topped by a mission to keep the Mamba from kicking it so often at the line, which will require a team-wide improvement on the defensive end. That would include the man called D-Will.
The Hornets are not only making the Spurs look like a team in trouble, but an old team in trouble.
Chicago, Chicago. That toddlin' (and D'Antoni-in'?) town.
Not sure exactly who's overlooking Tony Parker when it comes to listing top- flight point guards, but apparently, we should stop.
Hey,
Kobe's come full-circle in a lot of ways this season, and he's working on some more circles to complete. He's the MVP of the league while playing for a team from which he said he wanted to be traded.
He's playing against the team against which he's had his single worse playoff game. In Utah Kobe should have a chance to exorcise the demons of 6 air-balls;
1) One Two-pointer to win the game
2) Three three-pointers in overtime
3) Two free throws.
He's even had MVP chants in Colorado, of all places.
A lot has changed.
--Fearless
Posted by: Fearless | May 06, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Players with 3 rings, at least one MVP, a scoring title, and 5 or more All Defensive Team appearances and a rape arrest:
Kobe Bryant
Posted by: | May 06, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Why bother answering to a guy or girl that doesn't have the corones to sign the post
Mamba from the east coast
Posted by: Mamba24Fan4Life | May 06, 2008 at 03:33 PM
does anyone have a link to a vidoe of the press conference. I live on the east coast and I can't find anything.
KOBE MVP!!!!!
Posted by: tellitlikeitis | May 06, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Players with 3 rings, at least one MVP, a scoring title, and 5 or more All Defensive Team appearances and a rape arrest:
Kobe Bryant
Posted by: | May 06, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Why bother answering to a guy or girl that doesn't have the corones to sign the post
Mamba from the east coast
Posted by: Mamba24Fan4Life | May 06, 2008 at 03:40 PM
Robyn
I agree. Once Kobe has won this one, it will make the haters look at Kobe differently.
Next year, he won't be carrying any baggage to start the season.
More will become Kobe appreciators.
If the Lakers have a great playoffs and next reg.season. It will be much easier for him to get recognition.
I'm surprised and impressed at Kobe getting 82 1st place votes. With all the old hatred that was going on.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | May 06, 2008 at 03:40 PM
I doubt Kwame comes back next season - I think they keep Mbenga instead, who has improved very significantly in his time with the Lakers. Figure they will have Bynum (hopefully), Gasol, Mihm (unfortunately) and maybe Turiaf (with luck) to man center, as well as Mbenga. There just wouldn't be room for Kwame.
Posted by: akrasian | May 06, 2008 at 03:41 PM
Wish I could have seen the press conference. And I can't find it on the KCAL website. Anybody know who has it? I'm sure Youtube will at some point, but I'd like to watch the whole thing when I get home...
Posted by: greenpaz | May 06, 2008 at 03:41 PM
That Esquire story was excellent. Thanks to whoever spammed it.
Posted by: "Pig" Miller | May 06, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Let me get the non-MVP comment out of the way: you can tell who the newer members of the blog community are by how worked up they get by the parody comments of Stranger In The Night. Here's a helpful hint: google "michale teniente" and lakers, and after reading the comments on the old blog entries, you'll understand. I actually do miss the pre-Kwame is My Hero era of Mike T, when he was determined to bring down Phil Jackson one game diary at a time.
But I digress: I've received a ton of grief from several of my friends over the past half-decade for drinking the Kobe Kool-Aid. I tried to reason with them during the whole Eagle, CO ordeal, believing that while KB was guilty of some very bad behavior, I had read the police reports and his interviews and refused to believe he was guilty of rape. I wasn't happy with some of his on court antics in the final year of the Shaq era, but I also appreciated that he was frustrated with being Shaq's 'baby brother' and being expected to take a backseat to a player he believed didn't work hard enough or appreciate the talent he had. I tried to explain that Jerry Buss wanted Shaq gone even more than Kobe, and he said so himself in an interview. I always felt the Lakers chose the right man for their future, and I accepted a painful rebuilding period might be upon us after the Shaq deal. I stuck with the Lakers during the Rudy T/Frank H/lottery year, knowing that it was a momentary lapse of greatness. So, while a lot of my friends began to jump onto bandwagons labeled Clippers/Suns/Heat/Spurs, I stayed with my team througout it all.
Clearly, I don't know Kobe in a non-basketball context. I have no idea if he's a sweet guy, a jerk, rude, friendly, whatever, and to be honest, the odds of sitting down with him for dinner or playing poker with him on a Friday night are slimmer than me winning the World Series of Poker main event this year. I only care about Kobe the player, because that's the guy I know. I came of age during the late 70s, living through the entire Showtime era during my teenage years, and I never thought I'd see a Laker who could inspire me the way Kareem and Magic did. I lived in Chicago during their 72 win season, and I never thought I'd see a better player than Michael Jordan. Until Kobe Bryant developed from an excellent player into the transcendent player that he is today. I've watched almost every Laker game over the past 4 years, maybe missing a handful when my DVR went psycho. In every game, without fail, there will be a moment when Kobe does something that makes my jaw drop and forces me to say, "Oh my God!!!". You can't appreciate him unless you watch him on a game by game basis; that's why so many national writers, who only watch a few of his games a year can't appreciate the master of the game that Kobe is. Kobe's game reminds me of Big Brown's victory in the Kentucky Derby last week. For 3/4 of the race, he hung around in the field, looked good but not special, and then all of a sudden, time slowed down for all of the other horses and Big Brown looked like he was on super fast-forward. That's Kobe; he'll play well but look entirely human, struggling with a tough defensive assignment, bricking threes, and having balls stolen away from him from time to time. And then, when his opponents least expect it, the special Kobe appears, and nobody - and i mean nobody - can ever hope to stop him. A defender in his face five feet from behind the three point line and Kobe shoots over him, draining it. He dashes into the low post, through 3, 4, even 5 defenders, spinning in ways that make a circus acrobat jealous, hitting an impossible reverse layup or dunk. Like the night he posted up 62 on Dallas in 3 periods, or The Game against the Raptors, there are times when not only can an opponent not stop him but they can't even hope to contain him. That's why that version of Kobe is the best basketball player I've ever seen. Overall, MJ probably had the better game, Magic more court sense, and Kareem a skyhook that nobody, even Kobe, could hope to emulate. But when Kobe is in that special place in his game, even those guys would have been awestruck.
As a Lakers fan first, I'd trade every MVP trophy that every Laker has ever received for another championship banner hanging in Staples. Ultimately, I realize the award is nothing but a popularity contest, especially with today's brand of biased writers. However, it feels really special to see the player you've championed, defended and admired all these years finally force even his biggest detractors to shut the hell up and be forced to admit that while he may not be their favorite player, "yeah, fine, okay, he's pretty good after all".
Congrats to KB24, to all of us who've supported him and his team through thick and thin and finally, to the organization who chose to ignore the voices of everyone saying to trade him or even people like me who began to believe it might be better to cut him loose and start fresh (like Kobe said, thank God I'm not the Lakers GM). Now we need another MVP trophy in the case, one that's only 11 victories away.
Posted by: Tully Moxness | May 06, 2008 at 04:09 PM
toad posted "Pig's doing his usual great job of wounding them, I've got the Troll-B-Gone ready, and have the mesquite coals going on the Weber.
STARVE THE TROLLS!!!!!
_______________
Thanks for letting me know, Toad. I was kind of getting worried there for awhile. Don't want to be overrun before game day! About that BBQ - what goes good with flame-broiled jazzers? I'm thinking TACOS! However, we need to think of a better derogatory name for those guys, like we did the Enver Thuggets....suggestions anyone?
_________________________
jonk posted: It's the knowledge that their city won't be turned into the "Swamp Formerly Known as New Orleans" by an enraged Jon K., justanothermambafan, and Charles, pressed into action by the injustice of Kobe Bryant being overlooked for the MVP. Let me assure you, those levees would snap easily under the fury of our wrath.
____________________
jonk - I was ready, man! I was fired up I tell ya! It's a VERY good thing our man won cuz it would have gotten UGLY!! (LOL!) Congrats to Kobe Bean Bryant - it's a much deserved award and WAAAYYYYY overdue! However, I'm looking forward to bigger and better things now....
GO LAKERS!
KOBE FOR FINALS MVP OR NO PEACE!
NO CHAMPIONSHIP - NO PEACE!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | May 06, 2008 at 04:17 PM
AK/BK - are you guys going to post a link to the press conference for us schmucks (and I use that term loosely) who had to work today and weren't able to watch it?
Thanks in advance!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | May 06, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Stranger in the Night,
Your post seriously made my day. Thank you. You are comically brilliant.
For those that thought he was serious, you need to read more closely. How many hahas and lols does he need to put in his post for you guys to get it? He wasn't even deadpan at all there.
lakerrydeordie,
Thanks for mentioning Larry Legend's comments. That's a pretty neat thing for him to say and shows and incredible amount of respect for the Kobester.
FatSam,
Thought your statistics are cherry-picked a little bit, I do agree that Kobe's formal list of achievements really does put him in unique company. I appreciate you putting together the list. Four titles, three finals MVPs, more more MVP, five more years of first team All-NBA offense and defense, and a Defensive Player of the Year award and Kobe can be considered arguably the game's greatest.
Last year, Mark Jackson (I think it was during the playoffs) said he believes that Kobe will turn out to be the best player in the NBA by the time his career is over, eclipsing Jordan. Kobe still has a ways to go achievement-wise (his skills are there), but if anyone can make a serious legacy run, I think it's him.
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:26 PM
It wasn't as close as predicted, but I'd love to find out what 2 jackasses voted him 4th?
4th?????????????????
Do these guys watch the NBA?
Show yourselves and we'll know whose opinions we can forever ignore.
I also think it's never to early to start the Bean for back-2-back MVPs Bandwagon! Count me in.
Posted by: htj | May 06, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Amazing Happens,
Great list and wonderful cockroach metaphor.
Head Roach,
Way to extend the metaphor to one of the greatest catch phrases in commercial history. I actually did a (really lame) science fair project on the Roach Motel.
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:28 PM
that press conference made me proud to be a Lakers fan....
Posted by: man | May 06, 2008 at 04:29 PM
I just watched the press conference on ESPN.com.
I really liked what Kobe had to say. He was very appreciative. He acknowledged those that had to sacrifice along with him so that he could play well enough to get the award. He mentioned his team a great deal.
Kobe just seems like a really good guy when he's happy. He's obviously matured the last few years.
It was also neat to see him play so well that he could no longer be denied the award.
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Mike T had his good points, but his sense of humor was not one of them. His sense of humor is about as good as I'd imagine Dick Cheney's sense of humor is.
Some of you are thinking, "Dick Cheney has a sense of humor?"
Exactly.
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:40 PM
But he is still wounded by everything that has happened and instead of routing his once beloved Lakers on for a championship, he goes the other route and continues prodding at his AB doll.
Sad, sad, sad Mike T. Humble yourself and throw away your pride and come back and enjoy this NEW dynasty.
Posted by: Earth Wind & Fire | May 06, 2008 at 02:23 PM
And stop stabbing your AB doll in the knee. We can use him!
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:42 PM
http://hoopshype.com/agents/rob_pelinka.htm
http://tinyurl.com/5cn323
Same Agent for Iggy and the MVP.
Posted by: Charles | May 06, 2008 at 04:43 PM
Earth, Wind & Fire - That was Luke asking if Kobe would be giving his teammates gifts.
Fatty - At least you thought Kobe deserved it!
The best part of this team is how the roles are so well-defined. Everyone knows what is expected of them.
I love that Kobe has found a way to be a better social teammate, in terms of going out to dinner with the team, etc.
I think it really held him back that he was younger on those veteran teams.
It's like when they let a child prodigy go to college, he'll have a harder time fitting in socially with his academic peers.
But today, we can say that Kobe is the BIG MAN ON CAMPUS.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | May 06, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Andre Iguodala and KOBE are very good friends and it is said to have workouts during the summers in Philly..Kobe once said he would like to play with Andre..
Posted by: lakersrydeordie | May 06, 2008 at 04:53 PM
“I don’t know anybody who’s ever deserved this trophy more. I don’t know anybody who’s ever worked as hard to accomplish what he’s accomplished” - Phil Jackson, commenting on Kobe's MVP Award.
And that is why we admire Kobe Bryant so much.
Because even with all of the talents and gifts he was born with, he worked the hardest to fulfill his potential.
He's played injured, sick, unhappy, and he has played to the best of his abilities. And he expects nothing less from his teammates.
That is leadership. That is setting an example.
They say that Actions speak louder than words, and in Kobe's case that could not be more true.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | May 06, 2008 at 05:07 PM
I'm deeply offended by this MVP nonsense.
Not once did I hear Kobe give credit to the true source of his and the Laker's success this season.
KWAME M'Fing BROWN!
You know it, I know it, Kobe knows it. Kwame is the white elephant in the room that nobody is acknowledging.
All those bobbled lobs, missed layups, and dropped passes were just a conspiracy by Kobe to get out from under the shadow of Kwame's greatness. He was threatened and intimidated by having THE TRUE MVP on his team. So Kobe engineered the Gasol trade because he can't handle anyone else on his team carrying it to success.
The calves of steel and the brick hands of stone propelled the Lakers to the success they enjoy today.
BYNUM, PAU, AND KOBE ARE ALL FOOLS GOLD!
KWAME FOR MVP!
Posted by: whatever | May 06, 2008 at 05:47 PM
I just read an article on Kobe on ESPN.
Brian Shaw said: "He's a much better teammate now than he was in the championship days. That's a credit to his maturation. There were definitely times when he was not a good teammate. No one worked harder than he did. The same is true today,".
That speaks volumes of the new Kobe.
Well done Kobe for proving the naysayers wrong.
Posted by: Mbenga Fan | May 06, 2008 at 05:48 PM
I was wrong about Kobe...
Posted by: KL0044 | May 06, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Tully...well said...
Benjamin that was hilarious
Congratulations Kobe... its great you now have a genuine chance to make an assault on the greatest ever tag.Whatever happens you deserve the opportunity.Your time is now Best of luck!
Posted by: Kiwi | May 06, 2008 at 06:02 PM
81 votes would have been more poetic ; )
TWoody
Posted by: TWoody | May 06, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Do you guys have clips of Kobe accepting the MVP?
I don't know why but I don't remember an MVP having a press conference before lol.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Faith | May 06, 2008 at 06:07 PM
Xodus,
I see your point about Michael T. Clearly, he was delusional a lot of the time, but then as Benjamin pointed out, there were quite a lot of times he made good points and offered unique insight into the Lakers and Laker Nation.
Since I find humor and interest in things non-sequitor and eccentric, I appreciated Michael T.'s eccentricity much of the time. (Other times we'd literally have flame wars via email, one time during which Michael T. literally threatened to kill me if met some place.)
Anyhow, I agree that the flow of the blog has radically improved since his departure. I'd rather banter with the positive energy of a Charles, a justanothermambafan, or a Mamba24 or debate with the intellect of LakerTom or Rick Friedman than degrade into a shout-fest with Michael T.
Still... there's only one Michael T. and I wouldn't mind if he stuck his scraggly head in here once in a while to shout something brilliantly nonsensical.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | May 06, 2008 at 06:09 PM
KOBE WINS THE MVP!
THE NATURAL ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE HAS BEEN RIGHTED!
ACROSS THE GALAXY TROLLS ARE CLUTCHING AT THEIR THROATS IN AGONY AS THEY DISSOLVE INTO A POOL ACRID OOZE!
Finally.
Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.
I can't wait to see the press conference. Hopefully the K Brothers will have a link soon.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | May 06, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Tully Moxness,
Great post. I've been a Kobe supporter through thick and thin myself. Often shouldering ridicule for doing so. Even ridicule in this very blog. But, I don't think I could have said quite as well as you did.
Thank you,
--Fearless
Posted by: Fearless | May 06, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Jon K,
Haha, thanks for reminding me about Mike T threatening to kill you. That guy was really something. Do you think his time in the slammer may have negatively affected his psyche?
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 06:36 PM
kobe deserves it. it's long overdue. shaq was perhaps physically too big to cover kobe's masterful exploits. with shaq out, kobe's prominence was more exposed.
Posted by: maskom | May 06, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Charles said:
Fortune Cookie Say:
"Laker Blog Member must continue brilliance at work. Go to Alhambra later."
LOL, Charles, dude, you know what's up. I prefer Monterey Park myself.
Posted by: hava98 | May 06, 2008 at 06:58 PM
htj,
I believe Mark Hollinger is one of the idiots who gave Kobe a 4th place vote.
Don't know who the other moron is, who should be widely criticized as a moron, except that would be an insult to morons.
Posted by: hava98 | May 06, 2008 at 07:01 PM
Tully - I will add my thanks for an excellent post. I am another Kobe fan from the get-go & feel like a proud parent today. You expressed what I would have liked to say if I was a lot more eloquent - thanks!
JonK - thanks for the mention - I appreciate your posts a lot too! (Hey President of the Brown Nose Club - did you read that?? Ya got something to say you troll???!!!)
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | May 06, 2008 at 07:06 PM
the press conference link in on nba.com
Posted by: tellitlikeitis | May 06, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Who's Mark Hollinger?
Posted by: "Pig" Miller | May 06, 2008 at 08:41 PM
kobe deserved the mvp, kind of got me emotional watching it
Posted by: jon | May 06, 2008 at 09:07 PM
Tully Moxness,
You are a fricken awesome blogger.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | May 06, 2008 at 09:18 PM
kobe looked a bit emotional , im not sure maybe it was me that got emotional, either way very happy for kobe
Posted by: jon | May 06, 2008 at 09:25 PM
Stranger in the Night,
Your post seriously made my day. Thank you. You are comically brilliant.
For those that thought he was serious, you need to read more closely. How many hahas and lols does he need to put in his post for you guys to get it? He wasn't even deadpan at all there.
[...]
Posted by: Benjamin | May 06, 2008 at 04:26 PM
----------------------
After his first "ranting" post, I suspected it was a joke... but after repeating himself so much I admit I thought he was a caffeine-crazed troll.
I consider my English to be pretty good, but even so, humor (subtle or otherwise) in a language other than your own is the hardest thing to catch.
Also, I'm too much of a newbie here to have caught the Mike Teniente references... I missed out on those days.
Anyway, cheers to one and all...
Saludos desde España,
Posted by: David in Spain | May 06, 2008 at 09:56 PM
Who's Mark Hollinger?
Posted by: "Pig" Miller | May 06, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Hehe, sorry, I meant John Hollinger of ESPN. I must have had Mark Stein on the brain.
Posted by: hava98 | May 07, 2008 at 12:22 AM
Jon K,
"KOBE WINS THE MVP! THE NATURAL ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE
HAS BEEN RIGHTED! ACROSS THE GALAXY TROLLS ARE CLUTCHING
AT THEIR THROATS IN AGONY AS THEY DISSOLVE INTO A POOL ACRID OOZE!
That's What I'm Talking About!!!!! Post of the day!
Posted by: Mamba24 | May 07, 2008 at 05:28 AM
I know it's been discussed here before, but I just read that article on Demetrius Bell and Karl Malone.
I believe the only appropriate response must come in the style of those Red Stripe beer commercials:
"Karl Malone is a child rapist/sperm donor who rejects his own children out of wedlock until they are on the cusp of stardom.. Karl Malone is an jackass. BOO, jackass!
"Demetrius Young is a young man who, despite Malone, has accomplished a lot, all the while avoiding bitterness, finding inspiration and earning the enduring respect of those around him. Demetrius Young is a standup guy. HOORAY standup guy!"
Posted by: The D | May 07, 2008 at 01:02 PM