USATODAY.com - Like it or not, Kobe Bryant shines
So I guess last season's first meeting wasn't counted as far as Bryant making attempts to mend relationships. It's weird how the media can conveniently leave things out. The statement above once again lends credence to the 'arrogance' and self-centered statements that plague Kobe's image.
Oddly enough, watching the Hawks game the other night, my waitress started off with the 'I hate Kobe' conversation that inevitably occurs any time someone discovers you're a Lakers fan. So inquisitive as beer makes me I asked her why did she hate a guy in a sport that she watched rarely at best? Her response was 'Because he's arrogant, and selfish, and he thinks he's all that'.
My beer inquisition continued, 'What has he done outside of his adultery that makes you think he's any of the things you say he is?'
Her answer, 'He acts all whatever and then look at the stuff he started with Shaq!'
This is where my beer inquisition halted, and my innebriation lessons began. 'One, he didn't run Shaquille out of town. In fact, name one piece of proof, solid tangible proof that Kobe ran Shaquille out of town. The media created a frenzy on something unproven and should receive a large bit of the blame for it's part in destroying Kobe's reputation. THere is not a single conversation, memo, email, or voice mail that has been recovered to indicate Shaq's departure was anything more than a Jerry Buss decision. Two, outside of his adultery, his off the court actions are spotless. No DUI's, no fan altercations, no offensive statements or behaviour. IN fact, almost every time he did say something about Shaquille it was in response to something Shaq had already made public. So again I ask you, why do you hate him again?' Suddenly she had some tables to attend to.....Oddly enough silence is often what my innebriation lessons result in.
It's funny because everybody gets on players for living like babies and acting entitled. Kobe is for the most part the exact opposite of that......and still criticized. You don't see him going clubbing. Before he was married, you didn't hear stories of him running the streets. In fact, he was probably one of the quietest superstars you can think of off the court. People just need something or someone to hate....and with the media providing fuel (although it's often opinionated fuel instead of factual fuel), Kobe has become the main target.
Bryant's relationships with Jackson and O'Neal have caused most detractors to side against him and blame him for the breakup of the Lakers, which resulted in the team not making the playoffs last season. But both relationships have been mended. Bryant and O'Neal made up at the Lakers-Heat game on the Martin Luther King holiday. O'Neal made the first gesture; Bryant reciprocated.
So I guess last season's first meeting wasn't counted as far as Bryant making attempts to mend relationships. It's weird how the media can conveniently leave things out. The statement above once again lends credence to the 'arrogance' and self-centered statements that plague Kobe's image.
Oddly enough, watching the Hawks game the other night, my waitress started off with the 'I hate Kobe' conversation that inevitably occurs any time someone discovers you're a Lakers fan. So inquisitive as beer makes me I asked her why did she hate a guy in a sport that she watched rarely at best? Her response was 'Because he's arrogant, and selfish, and he thinks he's all that'.
My beer inquisition continued, 'What has he done outside of his adultery that makes you think he's any of the things you say he is?'
Her answer, 'He acts all whatever and then look at the stuff he started with Shaq!'
This is where my beer inquisition halted, and my innebriation lessons began. 'One, he didn't run Shaquille out of town. In fact, name one piece of proof, solid tangible proof that Kobe ran Shaquille out of town. The media created a frenzy on something unproven and should receive a large bit of the blame for it's part in destroying Kobe's reputation. THere is not a single conversation, memo, email, or voice mail that has been recovered to indicate Shaq's departure was anything more than a Jerry Buss decision. Two, outside of his adultery, his off the court actions are spotless. No DUI's, no fan altercations, no offensive statements or behaviour. IN fact, almost every time he did say something about Shaquille it was in response to something Shaq had already made public. So again I ask you, why do you hate him again?' Suddenly she had some tables to attend to.....Oddly enough silence is often what my innebriation lessons result in.
It's funny because everybody gets on players for living like babies and acting entitled. Kobe is for the most part the exact opposite of that......and still criticized. You don't see him going clubbing. Before he was married, you didn't hear stories of him running the streets. In fact, he was probably one of the quietest superstars you can think of off the court. People just need something or someone to hate....and with the media providing fuel (although it's often opinionated fuel instead of factual fuel), Kobe has become the main target.
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