Kobe: The Douche 2.0 - The Rebuttal

Wow, a bit late on the “Kobe: The Douche of the NBA Douche Era” rebuttal. It’s more of a clarification than a rebuttal, as the main points of Kobe Douche 1.0 still ring true. Kobe, his legacy, most things to do with Kobe is a polarizing topic, and I’ll keep this short, as, of course, LeBron heading to “South Beach” is the lead polarizing topic at the moment.

Firstly, big huge blog ups has to go towards Terence Leung on some great points regarding the opposite end of the spectrum, i.e. the pro-Kobe side of things. Great smack, and as Kev “K-Smack” McCarrell said, get him in on the conference calls!!!

To Terence’s points: I agree with everything you said….

1. 99.9% of the NBA players are complete Douches!!!! Save for a select few such as Steve Nash, Jesus Shuttlesworth, Derek Fisher, and Deron Williams, the majority of NBA players are infected with the me-first, narcissistic attitudes that has plagued the NBA for the past 15 years. I also agree that MJ is to blame for the outcome of the Douche generation we have now, but it’s not completely on MJ’s shoulders though, but rather it can also be attested to the iso-offense playbooks of NBA coaches and it goes all the way to the top to Commissioner David Stern himself, but that’s another blog topic for another blog day.

2. Kobe is THE most talented player in the NBA. He is THE best player in the NBA, offensively and at times defensively. Clutch shots, buzzer beaters? Go to youtube and you’ll see many a video of Kobe buzzer beaters that ALMOST rival an MJ and Larry Bird buzzer beater highlight reel. As K-Smack says, Kobe is the only remaining “killer” left in the NBA. The definition of a killer is defined as (unfortunately with horrible rhetoric): Who are you going to give the ball to in the 4th quarter? Who do you trust to MAKE that last shot? Ever since Robert Horry has left the Association, the answer to that is Kobe. Well you could make an argument for Erica McGuiness also, but Kobe is clutch!!! Kobe’s a killer!!

3. Why is Kobe the Best Player in the NBA? His work ethic. He’s one of probably 10 guys in the whole league that are still gym rats. No one works harder than Kobe. No works AS hard as Kobe.

4. Kobe and Shaq would never last. That’s completely evident. They are 2 alpha-dog magnetic positives. They were meant to repel each other, and it was lucky that they lasted for 3 NBA championships.

Terence, all great points. Totally agree.

But again, Kobe never paid his dues, even within the realm of the NBA alpha-dog kennel.

Many things can be said about the key alpha-dogs of the past. Let’s stick with Larry, Magic and Mike however.

Check out the Boston Celtics roster in Larry’s rookie year. Actually it’s quite an interesting group. Larry had a roster full of future NBA Coaches in Don Chaney, ML Carr, Dave Cowans, and Chris Ford and 3 other Hall of Famers in Dave Cowans (again), Tiny Archibald, and (a very cool fact) Pistol Pete Marovich to learn the NBA ropes. Also, he had the leadership of Red Auerbach’s cigar-smoking silhouette up in the press box, like that of the mysterious banker on “Deal or No Deal”. And…and let’s not forget the cooooool KC Jones walking the sidelines!!! Larry had it good.

Magic had Kareem and Pat Riley. Mike had no one on the roster for his first couple of years to learn the ropes, except maybe for Dave Corzine? Well, there was Phil of course.

No matter who Kobe had to learn the ropes under he was completely resistant to playing any role other than being the “man”. As much as Shaq, Phil or even the friggin’ NBA logo himself, Jerry West tried to reel Kobe in to some sort of semblance of team, Kobe just wanted to jack shots at all times.

But Larry, Magic and Mike are not completely innocent from these crimes either.

Mike gave many FU’s to the Chicago Bulls brass in his early years. Magic gave his fair share of FU’s too. Damn, Larry was cocky enough to call his shot on Xavier McDaniel….the ultimate FU……

Check out this awesome Larry clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHFrgmy8SSU

I’ll concede, that there would be bitterness towards Kobe if he pulled anything like Larry’s Called Shot on the X-Man. And yes, I concede bitterness towards Kobe for his creepy man-crush on MJ. Well, not much bitterness as much as I’m creeped out about it I guess.

I’ll admit, and many people share the same feelings towards Kobe, I hate him. He’s a selfish prick, and he is the Douche of the NBA Douche Era.

But what is unforgiveable with Kobe, is how he opened the Pandora’s Box of selfishness in icing himself out of the whole 1st half in a game vs. the Sacramento Queens on April 11, 2004 in which they lost.

Here’s the recap:

http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=240411023

Kobe completely iced himself out of the first half to prove a selfish point. I remember watching the highlights that night. Kobe had many looks from 3 point land, from the elbow, and had many open lanes to drive to the hole, and all he did was pass on every chance. He was icing himself out of the first half in response to criticism by Phil Jackson for being a ball-hog.

One part of the recap that stands out is:

“Bryant's reticence might have been a response to coach Phil Jackson's recent criticism of the superstar's game. Jackson said the Lakers frequently suffer when Bryant concentrates solely on driving and scoring. Jackson wasn't making any guesses, refusing to take reporters' questions after the game.”

In watching the highlights, it was clearly evident that Kobe was throwing the game by deliberately passing up on looks.

Larry never threw a game. Magic never threw a game. Mike never threw a game. Before April 11, 2004, I can’t recall anyone besides Shoeless Joe Jackson, Pete Rose or Tim Donaghy throwing a game like Kobe did. Well there was the famed Point-Shaving Controversy at Western University in Shaq’s epic 1994 saga, “Blue Chips”.

I’ve stated many times that it doesn’t matter what happens off the court. I could care less about Kobe’s rape trial, Magic’s hoochy-list rivaling that of Wilt Chamberlain or even Mike’s compulsive gambling. An amazing topic for another blog could be on the influence and exposure of the present media and explosion of mediums towards our “Sports Heroes” compared to that of the early print days of the 1930’s-50’s and t.v. news explosion of the 1960’s-70’s. Or how ‘bout the Industrial Revolution, and how it was neither industrial nor a revolution? Discuss!!!!

But back to the point at hand, Kobe took his selfishness and transcended it onto the court. Not with ball hogging, but rather throwing a game. He didn’t throw the game ala Shoeless Joe, but he transcended his own selfishness and ego to prove his own self-interests at the expense of the team. At the expense of a game’s outcome. A complete lack of professionalism and integrity.

At the very least, Kobe’s ball hogging (and every other Alpha-Dogs ball hogging) can be criticized and also praised. It’s a polarizing topic. But in the least, Kobe’s, MJ’s, and even George Costanza’s ball hogging and chuckerage can be construed under the realm of ultimate competitiveness and want/will to win.

BUT!!!!! Kobe did the friggin’ opposite and exposed his will to “lose”? Maybe not, but that complete lack of professionalism and integrity for the “game of basketball” (Copyright, Michael Jordan) shows how Kobe never paid his dues. It shows how he took no influence from his counterparts in LA or from his other influences in Mike and Magic. He never learned the ropes, and it’s shown in his throwing of the April 11, 2004 game vs. the Queens.

Kobe opened the Pandora’s Box of selfishness, and it may or may not have been spread to LeBron in his Game 5 Eastern Conference Finals no-show vs. the Celtics this year.

Kobe’s antic’s vs. Sacramento transcends any bitterness towards Kobe from myself or other Kobe-haters. It transcends his amazing work ethic and status as the only remaining Killer/Alpha-Dog in the NBA.

Heck, one could argue that Kobe is guilty on other counts of the crime of throwing games by icing himself to prove his selfish points. Check out Game 7 of their play-off series vs. Phoenix in 2006. He iced himself out of the 4th quarter, once it was evident that they were done. Here’s an excerpt from that game’s recap:

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260506021

“Kobe Bryant scored 24 points of 8-of-16 shooting, but the rest of the Lakers starters were 17-for-50. Bryant scored only one point and took just three shots in the second half.”

Many argue that this count of “icing” was an attempt to prove his point that the Lakers needed better players. How selfish and how blind of you Kobe!!! How could you question the talents of Smush Parker !?!?!

Regardless of the 2006 game, Kobe stamped his ultimate selfishness and ego on April 11, 2004. It’s a crime that he has yet to pay his debt to basketball society. To me, Kobe’s ultimate crime towards basketball and competitive integrity in that game vs. Sacramento will stamp his legacy, not his 5 rings. Not his status as the only remaining Alpha-dog/Killer. Not his work ethic.