The Best Thing About Kobe
May 24, 2008 by Ryan
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He’s the best player in the world. He is the current MVP. He can “manage the game [and] can get off at any time…” Doesn’t matter who guards him (even the defensive specialist dirtiest player in the league, Bruce Bowen). Doesn’t matter how many people guard him. In my opinion, he’s just as good as Jordan and maybe even better! (Debate for another post)
But that’s not the best thing about Kobe.
To explain, let me refer to a baseball movie, Fever Pitch. In the movie, the Sox just lost the game that put them down 0-3 in the playoffs and Jimmy Fallon and his buddies are at a bar. They are mourning their teams situation, thoroughly depressed. They look over and see several of the Sox players “eating”. How can they be eating like it’s just another game?! Jimmy Fallon has a revelation that these players have “perspective”. It’s just a game…blah blah blah.
My point. As a fan, I don’t want perspective! I want my teams to win! Every game! Every championship! Every year! Which brings me to the best thing about Kobe. He wants to win as much as I do! He wants to win every game. And no other player can also deliver like he does! But when he loses, you know he’s just as disappointed as you are as a fan with “no perspective”. And that’s just it. You can put your loyalty, love, fanaticism on Kobe and never be let down. You may lose every now and then, but you know that Kobe gave everything and is just as pissed as you are.
On the court he’s the real life superhero you fantasize being. I wish I could fly. He can. I wish I could hit every impossible shot with a sick move and a hand right in my face. He does every game! You want to vicariously be the best in the world? Become a fan of Kobe Bryant!
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8 Responses to “The Best Thing About Kobe”
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I’m a Kobe fan more than ever after last night’s performance.
Ryan - I love you bro but I gotta disagree.
Yes he does have mad skills. However, the way he plays is ruining the game. The way he initiates the contact to make the other player “foul” him is just cheap and dirty. It’s not necessarily Kobe’s fault that the NBA allows this. He just exploits it and does a very good job. The preferential treatment the NBA is giving him makes me sick. The NBA is turning into Kobe ball, not basketball. Your Laker goggles don’t let you see this.
I agree that he is probably the best individual player in the league but I would rather have 1 Jordan than 2 Kobe’s. Even if he came to the Jazz, I don’t think I would be a fan of him or how he plays.
I’ll agree that jumping into a defender to create contact shouldn’t work in the shooters favor, and Kobe does do it, but:
1. Kobe isn’t the worst at this (Parker & Ginobili are)
2. It’s a rule the league needs to change
Kobe does it because he can get the call, but he’s not the only one to get that call. I’ve seen Deron Williams get the same call. In my opinion it’s a problem with the rule, and it should be changed. Now if it were changed, Kobe would still dominate like he does!
As I said in the post the Jordan/Kobe comment is a debate that I’ll have to post about.
Parker and Ginobli flop like fishes but I think that Kobe is the master of getting cheap fouls called in his favor.
Regarding the flopping, I think that the league should call techinical fouls and impose fines when a replay show that it was an obvious flop. It’s one of the many reasons why I hate the NBA.
He’d still dominate, but if the game was called how it is supposed to be called, I guarantee he wouldn’t dominate as much as he does now. If teams could guard him without the fear of him drawing contact, it would limit his impact.
You make some really good points, and I don’t disagree with most of them. But better than Jordan? Or even as good as? Come on! Kobe is the best of his generation and probably the best guy playing ball right now. But what has he accomplished?
3 championships, including one three-peat
1 regular season MVP
2 time scoring champion
2 time all star MVP
10 time all star
And other things, such as All-NBA selections and such. Very impressive. But let’s compare that to Jordan:
6 championships, including two three-peats
6 time Finals MVP (the closest anyone else has is 3)
5 time regular season MVP
10 time scoring champion
3 time all star MVP
14 time all star
Highest career scoring average record—30.12
Highest career scoring average playoffs record—33.45
As well as plenty of other awards, gold medals, records, and All-NBA selections. Sorry, but to me there’s no comparison. I know you said you wanted to have a debate about this later, but in case you don’t, I had to throw in my two cents. And the facts
Kobe’s a great player and he dominates the game right now. If he can win this year, and maybe a few more, without a dominant big man like Shaq, he’ll get closer to the top (I know, Jordan had Pippen). But to me he’s still pretty far off from touching Jordan.
Stay tuned for the Jordan v. Kobe Debate
Interesting article to fuel the fire: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8203202/On-the-Mark:-Kobe-needs-to-embrace-Jordan-legacy
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