Kobe stays!!!!!!

[primetime]

for all of those who thought maybe the next greatest superstar was going to leave the Lakers, think again! Kobe Bryant will re-sign with the Lakers for a sick, sick amount of money. 136 million dollars. i KNEW i should have played basketball.

what i am really amazed at is the response that people have about Kobe Bryant in comparison to Shaquille O'neal. i find it amazing that the media have made Kobe out to be a cunning, egotistical superstar who is pulling the strings. funny thing is, when have you ever seen or heard Kobe say anything of the sort? Shaq on the other hand has constantly reminded the world that he is the center of the basketball universe. no one gripes. yet Bryant is villified.

something that really bothers me is the fact that people say they would keep Shaq, not Kobe because they can always find another Kobe. that is insulting to Kobe because they're saying he is no one special. let me ask you this. if you had your choice, would you pick Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal? i mean, the Jordan in 1990 before he won the 6 championships, or Shaq in his prime? i'm curious in what people have to say about that question.

now the only thing left is Kobe's trial. he should be acquitted because the prosecutions case is pathetically weak, but you just never know. if Kobe is acquitted the Lakers will still be a tough team. championship team? not quite, but you never know. who picked Detroit to win the title at the beginning of the season?

 

[Mitchell]

I think that the Lakers absolutely needed to keep Kobe to stay in contention for the playoffs. Now, depending on how the other players they got in the Shaq trade play, they have fallen back into the Western Conference "mix". Losing Shaq will hurt, as they have no presence in the middle, but we also need to remember that the Bulls won 6 titles with two scorers in Pippen and Jordan, and little else. The Lakers have a chance, and a coach who has won titles. My pick for the Lakers is that they should win 50 games, and then perhaps make some noise in the playoffs, depending on how the other players step up.
For Laker fans, I know how this feels. Although this isnt baseball, Iam an Atlanta Braves fan, and my team has undergone massive changes in the last two offseasons, losing three top starting pitchers, and much of our bullpen. To this point, we have stayed in contention. Hopefully for the Lakers, they will weather the changes just as well as the Braves have, and continue to be one of the NBA's top teams.

Mitch

 

[peter]

great news, but i really hope that they could sign a real center cause grant isn;t that tall...and we don;t know if malone is gonna retire or not.
but i really hate it that shaq has left the lakers..now i don;t know which team i should pick in the nba live 2005 game next year 😀
cause there isn't any superstar team now

 

[TicklingIsLife]

cant wait for...
HEAT vs LAKERS 😱

 

[natural tickler]

The media says that Kobe did this because he is egomanical, etc etc. Well, because that's what he is , a selfish arrogant asshole who got just what he wanted-- Phil and Shaq out of town. HE wished for it, and got it. Hwat he got was not even the 6th best team in the West, and not another title heading his way ever. The Lakers made the biggest mistake you canever make letting Shaq go, and Shaq will make sure they know it. You now have a inspired, enthused giant wanting to play now. That is dangerous to the league, and terrifying for the Eastern Confernece

 

[peter]

you can say anything about kobe but this year he kept the lakers in the race for the championship....first the gametying 3-pointer against portland trail blazer and then the gamewinning 3-pointer in overtime....and they won the pacific title and there was the gametying 3-pointer against the pistons in the finals

 

[sceej56]

Seems to me Kobe had a hand (and probably a significant hand) in dismantling a team that could have contended for a championship for another 3-4 years. Well, he's THE MAN now; it's definitely KOBE's team! Anyone want to start a pool as to how long it takes before Kobe asks to be traded to "a title contender" - more or less than a year?

Anyone really htink Malone will coem back undr these circumstances after seeing Jackson and O'Neal run off? Kobe has near Jordan like skills on offense (does not go to the hole as well and a streakier shooter, will never match Jordan as a money player - no one will), is Jrodan's equal as a shut-down defender when her wants to be, but has nothing of Jordan's intangibles. If (and I know it's still an if) the Pistons's victory shows that the team concept of basketball is back in ascendancy, where does that leave a team with a lone superstar who wants everything run his way (see also NJ Nets and Jason Kidd).

This is probably unfair but my lastign impression of Kobe will always be of the the snotty rookie in the All-Star game, waiving off Malone's pick and demanding that a team of established All-Star's clear a side of the court for him to go one on one.

Final thought, I think it's better than even money that he beats the rape charge but the recent evidentiary ruling admitting hsi T-shirt with the accuser's blood on it definitely hurts a lot. You can have the best lawyers, a great image, a supporting wife and whatever else, but if a woman accuses you of rape and her blood is on your shirt, in my opinion, you have a significant problem and it will be damn difficult to keep him off the witness stand - SOMEONE has to get up thee and explain why her blood is on his shirt.

 

[tommytikl]

Kobe wanted Phil Jackson fired...Gone....Wanted Shaq out..Gone...Almost wanted himself out but West threw him a bank and he stayed ONLY because the Clippers simply can't get him under the cap.AND he may not even play if convicted!!!
Kobe will be the scoring leader next year, probably 30-35 pts a game but his team will probably have just as many wins...
He will not pass the ball and as a Philly guy can attest, much like Allen Iverson, HE will be great but the team around him will STINK...and not get far...
The Lakers may have as many wins and Kobe's scoring average!

I can tell you right now that the Spurs will be in the finals next year...hands down.

 

[steph]

No one probably cares what a girl thinks but...

Here's the difference as I understand it regarding the attitudes of Kobe & Shaq. (I've a friend who occasionally freelances for Sports Illustrated.) Shaq is an asshole up front, while Kobe had been much better at hiding it (he's rumored to be a total jerk, BTW...) but when you're that talented and that loaded, people look the other way I guess...

XOXO

 

[giantfan121262]

if you had your choice, would you pick Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal? i mean, the Jordan in 1990 before he won the 6 championships, or Shaq in his prime? [/B]

That is a tough choice but I think if I had to choose, I would take Shaq in his prime because he would control the game at both ends of the floor with his rebounding and shot blocking ability (not to mention all the shots he alters during the course of a game). At the other end of the floor, he scores like 27 points a game, hits the offensive glass, and sets picks the size of the China Wall.

Let's face it, the only reason Kobe is still there is he got what he wanted by getting Jackson and Shaq to leave town. In fairness to Kobe, ( I actually recant after giving it some thought) he was the RIGHT person to remain a Laker. He is younger and still has alot of good years ahead of him. Shaq on the other hand, had an off year by his standards. He is getting up there in age. He needs to drop some weight if he is going to continue playing at a high level in the NBA.
If he got to the weight he was at in college, he would be dangerous.

Now that Shaq is with the Heat, the Knicks will have a long wait be4 they win a title *heavy sigh*

 

[mgctouch]

cant wait for...
HEAT vs LAKERS 😱

A San Diego Sports Talk radio station reported that the LAKERS - HEAT matchup will be played on December 25th - A Christmas Day game. I was unclear about which team would host the event.

Oneother side note about Kobe/shaq... Shaq has missed a lot more games due to injury than he probably should have. His off-season conditioning has left a lot to be desired and he would have probably had fewer injury days these last two years if he would kep himself in better condition.
I see more the same for Shaq in Miami.

Don't get me wrong, Shaq did a lot of good in LA and I am sorry to see him go. If you had to question Committment and Heart, my nod goes to Kobe.

 

[primetime]

dont get me wrong, i am going to miss Shaq. the man was hilarious and still a good ball player. but i am a Laker fan, not a player's fan. if you choose to leave my team voluntarily, then the hell with you. even when Shaq was still a Laker, i got sick and tired of him missing free throws, coming in fat and lazy. it was obvious he had no fire left. since he won three titles and got three Finals MVPs, he was complacent. Kobe on the other hand has always work hard in the offseason and played hard every game. now, if i'm the owner of the Lakers, i am going to reward and favor someone who has demonstrated to me that he actually WANTS to play.

it's funny how people make Kobe out to be this selfish, cunning, arrogant person, when Kobe hasnt even said or done anything in the media to prove that. it is ALL SPECULATION because he is a quiet reserved person. just because he isnt a Shaq, Magic, Barkley type personality doesnt mean the guy is arrogant. then again, what superstar basketball player ISNT ARROGANT? Kobe never calls out in the media that he "needs the ball. feed me the ball." that was Shaq. they say Kobe Bryant is a selfish player who needs to pass the ball more. but yet, he leads the team in assists. who do his OWN teammates rely on when they cant get a good shot and the shot clock is running down? they pass it to Kobe Bryant. i think the criticism of Kobe is uncalled for. if you notice, when he is having an interview, he is polite, accomodating and smiles. he gives credit to his teammates, but yet, he is selfish and not a team player.

another thing i hate is the fact that everyone says Kobe Bryant wanted Shaq to go and if he truly didnt want that, he should have said something in the media about it. but does anyone remember what Kobe Bryant said AFTER Game 5, when Detroit was celebrating their title? he said "I could play with Phil and Shaq forever." whether he meant it or not, we will never know. but the point is he SAID IT. what did Shaq say after Game 5 when the media told him what Kobe said? "everyone is going to do what's best for them. i will ALWAYS do what's best for ME." plus, have you ever heard Shaq say he wanted Kobe to stay when Kobe decided he was going to opt out of his contract last year, during the season and after the playoffs? NO. yet, Kobe Bryant is singled out as the guy who doesnt want to play with anyone. why is Kobe Bryant made out to be such a villian?

now as for the Lakers chances next year. yeah, it will be tough, but it can be done. Jordan's Bulls won without a center. Detroit won without a center. once the Laker team is built around Bryant, they will compete for the title as well. will it be easy? hell no. but that's the challenge for Bryant. he already knows it takes team basketball to win a championship. he isnt Allen Iverson who takes 50 thousand shots a game. Kobe is a much smarter basketball player than that. Kobe understands that he will be even more criticized if he becomes ballhog and doesnt elevate his team. i think we are going to see a different Kobe Bryant and i cant wait to see what everyone says IF (keyword, IF) the Lakers win the title next year. now all Kobe has to do is get out of his legal problems to find out if he can lead the Lakers back to elite status.....

 

[venray]

Well. he certainly ought to be able to buy an acquittal with 136 mill.

Can you say settlement?....🙄

 

[Traveler]

I don't care what was in the media.There was bad blood there with Shaq and Kobe.I can't wait for the first Miami and Laker game and Kobe drives in on Shaq who will pile drive him like a nail,you watch.That's provided he is not dribbling on the cement of a prison yard.

 

[peter]

because of the stupid girl who accused him of raping he can;t play for the olympic team 😡
i really wanted to see him at the olympics cause in the netherlands they don;t air NBA only if you pay for it.....it's always soccer, soccer , soccer !1😡

 

[TicklingIsLife]

How many more years you think Shaq will play?
Until he retires for the 1st time that is 😛