How about this one -

If the lakers are the consensus #1 pick for the 2009 title, then what are the biggest obstacles to realizing that goal?

A) bynumb's health
B) kobey's energy/injury
C) team chemistry
D) lamar odum
E) front court bench depth
F) Terry Porter
G) Greg Oden
H) James Posey
I) Tom Thibodeaux
J) spurs are due for the even-#-year title

Posted by: BUTLER | September 18, 2008 at 07:47 PM

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Laker Nation
The troll speakest again. The lack of wisdom it has. The biggest and only obstacal is the lakers themselves. Only the lakers can beat the lakers.

I'll give you A), D), E) and I) as challenges. The rest don't meet the standard of historical precedence.

J) is a problem because the Spurs win in odd years, not even. They are always a challenging team so who knows. People have been bored to death of them and saying they're too old for years and it hasn't happened.

I posted this in the last thread, but considering there's a new one I didn't know if anyone would read it. So here it is again.

Jon K

Kobe playing in the NBA vs. playing in Europe really has nothing to do with his patriotism even if he is an icon here. He's an even bigger icon in China but he definitely doesn't live or work there. If someone like you or me accepts a business opportunity in another country, does that make us unpatriotic? If he did play in a European league, he'd still probably play in the Olympics on the US squad as long as he was invited. The NBA is a business and Kobe is an employee. His choice wouldn't be struggle of patriotism. It would be if he wanted to continue playing in a league with top tier players to try and cement his legacy, or follow the bigger paycheck to Europe. It's like a band choosing to sign on a major label. Do you stay with the independent label that lets you have full creative control of your work? Or do you sign with the major label to get a bigger paycheck, but have to compromise your music by making it appeal to a broader audience.

Laker Nation The troll speakest again. The lack of wisdom it has. The biggest and only obstacal is the lakers
themselves. Only the lakers can beat the lakers. Posted by: JustaLakerFan | September 18, 2008 at 10:12 PM

POINT OF ORDER! POINT OF ORDER! I'm sorry to disagree JustaLakerFan but with all due respect
the only team that can beat the lakers are The Freakin La Lakers. Thank you, I yield the rest of
my time to the Troll Exterminator.

PRESS RELEASE
from the Associated Press, September 19, 2008.

The National Basketball Association announced today that the Phoenix Suns have imploded, leaving a massive crater in the desert. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the implosion, but sources close to the scene report widespread doughnut debris.

Lindsay Buckner, a long-time resident of the area, states, "It smells like raspberry. Like a jelly-filled raspberry doughnut. I can't explain it. Suddenly, the US Airways Center just... disappeared... like it was sucked into the desert sand." Other passersby report that backup center, Shaquille O'Neal, was seen entering the sports complex with a large brown box. His whereabouts cannot be confirmed, and his agent was unavailable for comment.

David Stern, when told of the cataclysmic incident, was decidedly remorseful. "It's a shame when a team hovering on the brink, 'on the bubble,' as we say in the league, simply collapses in upon itself with such vacuous force. The Phoenix Suns have created an irrevocable black hole in the universe, forever altering the Phoenix landscape."

One fan was seen placing flowers near the giant crater. "I knew it was going to be a tough year," he said. "But I didn't realize it was going to be this tough."

###

The outlaw sez:

"The National Basketball Association announced today that the Phoenix Suns have imploded, leaving a massive crater in the desert."

YES! The PHOENIX shalt rise from the ashes to become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!

BLACK HAYSEUSSE has been resurrected!

Let the crater fill with the headless bodies of Shack's foes!

From Hoopsworld:

>>As of right now the Spurs are the team of the decade, but the Lakers are making a strong push to take that title back and the rest of the Western Conference has certainly closed the gap.<<

I said this a few months ago -- The Lakers can secure team of the decade by returning to the championship this year.

Lakers for Life Playing/Coaching abroad : Profile Robert Horry: Yeah he had the big shots, but the Golden Hip Check aka the Hip of God play on one of the Jonas Brothers will long live in Laker lore, although he was not wearing a Laker uniform. Thank you Rob -- you will always be one of us.

Butler

So 'Nash alley-oop to O'Neal!!!!'

...DOESN'T feature on your list of potential threats to Lake show dominance?

Is it time for Hawai'i yet? Let's get this party started!
GO LAKERS! Posted by: toad | September 19, 2008 at 09:42 AM

TOADS IN THE HOUSE!! Savor every moment till showtime folks.
This season we are about to make history!! Last season was the dress rehersal.
This season...Dynasty 4 begins!!

Kiwi sez:

"So 'Nash alley-oop to O'Neal!!!!'

...DOESN'T feature on your list of potential threats to Lake show dominance?"

See F. That weapon is covered there. Other possibilities include,"Shack backs bynum down and delivers a vicious two-handed slam right in the youngster's face!!!"

Tej and Toad Sighting! Wattup Mamba24!

BUTLER: "Other possibilities include,'Shack backs bynum down and delivers a vicious two-handed slam right in the youngster's face!!!'"

This could actually happen ... in a parallel universe where the ability and success of a player is measured by the circumference of their butt cheeks.

Seriously, no wonder Shaq asked Kobe, "How does my a-- taste?" The thing is bigger than a Las Vegas buffet!

good morning / good afternoon mamba24,

75-7 don't forget muaha

I'm ready for the train to start rolling... training camp right around the corner!

-GO LAKERS

More fuel for the "should the Lakers overpay Bynum" fire...

This is from hoopshype:

>>>So this summer Luol Deng signed after he rejected a
>>>deal last year close to $60 million for five years. It was
>>>announced this time at more than $70 million. But with,
>>> according to league sources, perhaps $20 million
>>>deferred in the first five seasons, the present value of
>>>the contract is believed to be slightly less than Deng
>>>was offered last season.

So there you have it. Deng was offered a huge contract
last summer (coming off a year that was more impressive
than Bynum's last season), and he turned it down. And
he had a slightly off year and got offered less the following
summer.

Did he get all snooty and sign the qualifying offer so he
could opt out the following year?

Nope.

He took the deal, since there was no better offer on the
table from any other team.

That brings the total up to 4 players who were offered big
extensions last season, turned them down, and then got
smaller per-year offers this summer and accepted them.

There have been only two exceptions to that rule. Andre
Igoudala got a slightly bigger offer than last summer. And
Ben Gordon had a bad season and got a much smaller offer
than he got last summer. He's still in limbo. And Euro teams
are offering him less than his qualifying offer, let alone the
contract offer that Chicago currently has on the table.

Thus, for most examples in the league, the message is that
if you turn down a huge offer (50 million or bigger), then
you better have one heck of a year, or you'll end up making
less money for your greed.

Speaking of contracts, I really don't see Bynum getting his extension until next summer. If he's healthy, he's the future of the franchise. If he's another Grant Hill, he cripples the franchise for half a decade. I'm not willing to bet all that despite a third of a season of emerging greatness. And neither will Mitch or the Busses. 60 mil for 5 years on Halloween if the knee holds up flawlessly through the limited exposure of training camp and the preseason. Max or near max money is a roll of the dice that the old gambler Jerry Buss will not take. Sorry Tom, I don't see it happening.

And for more stupid contract demands, Kobe. A most-likely Kobe on the decline will tear up the last two years of his contract. If he's doing it to sign a substantially smaller deal to give the team cap flexibility, I'd personally start carving the Bronze Statue of him. But is he really thinking there's more money in the kitty for him? Or that anyone else is gonna step up and pay a 31 year old primadonna with a busted pinky more than $23 and $25 mil for the 09-10 & 10-11 seasons? And has the cap space to do it plus offer a better chance to compete for a title than with his current team? Maybe he thinks some Euro team is gonna pony up $50 million? Not bloody likely.

Here's what Bush had to say about Paul Pierce today at the White House:

Bush saluted Celtics' captain Paul Pierce, who led the team to a title and was MVP of the finals despite suffering a knee injury early in the series.

"Playing hurt in a championship game is the ultimate sign of leadership," Bush said during an East Room ceremony. "I can't think of any braver or more talented man in all of basketball."

How many people Didnt post on the Live Chat, but saw their names next to some ridiculous comment, Meeeee.