Yesterday, as a coworker and I went back and forth about the state of the NBA playoffs, we both did our share of debating and speculating…as fans normally do. But right before we went our separate ways, I asked him about game 5. He was stuck between a rock and hard place, not knowing who he should lean toward…so I broke the silence and said “Kobe’s going to get 40 tonight.” His facial expression seemed to suggest that although he wouldn’t agree, he certainly knew it was very very possible. He grinned and left without a comment, but I didn’t expect anything more….after all, he’s a Suns fan. But even a die hard Suns fan couldn’t deny what was inevitable…and that’s the maturity of Kobe Bryant.

 

 Last night, Kobe Bryant moved one step closer to the promised land, by scoring 39 points and propelling the Lakers passed the Spurs (4 -1) and into the NBA Finals….and that being said, my next comment is for the haters…Kobe is about to raise the standard in the NBA, and return it to the top of sports highlights everywhere. Oh yeah…it’s more real than you think.

 

 

 

 Can I talk to the TRUE hoop fans for a sec?

 Why is it that we constantly look back to the heroes of the past? I loved to watch Jordan play, even when he was destroying my Knicks (and yall know MJ used to really destroy the Knicks!)  But I just loved hoops so much, it didn’t matter. I’ll always give MJ credit for what he did for the NBA and the game of basketball. I also know he wasn’t alone. Before him there was Dr. J 

…Magic and Bird…Kareem Abdul Jabaar…Wilt the stilt…Bill Russell…Jerry West…Pistol Pete …Bob Cousy…George Gervin….David Thompson…Lakers vs Celtics… Willis Reed limping into the finals game….Dr. J going around the backboard….Jerry West pulling up from half court…Oscar Robertson averaging a triple double (that’s so tight)…and of course I gotta mention one of the best backcourts of all time….Walt Clyde Frazier and Earl the Pearl Monroe.

All this is rich basketball history, and somehow, it seems that we’ve lost it. I hear the media all the time refer back to the older guys, and I will always give respect to the front runners who laid it down before our generation…but how about we get some new found respect for TODAY’S game and TODAY’S players? It hasn’t happened for a while because these days, we give the credit to players before they actually earn it. These kids coming out of school are signing huge sneaker deals and turn out to be garbage (sorry to Sebastian Telfair…but you know it’s true). We have spent way too long searching for the apparent heir to MJ’s throne, and the truth is we shouldn’t be comparing. However, guys like Magic, Bird, and MJ did so much to change the game, they raised the bar for the guys coming after them to be able to perform at a much higher level….and that people….that brings us back to Kobe

 

 Kobe is on the cusp of returning the Lakers to the glory days…or better yet, creating brand new glory days…SHOWTIME 2008!!!  With a healthy Andrew Bynum, and Trevor Ariza, one can only imagine what level they may rise to next season. After winning top seed this year, why shouldn’t 70 games be a fair goal? Why not 75? 

 He NBA is a money league now. Players have to appeal to a much larger audience, so that games can be pumped into far more homes than ever before. Stern wants to take it to Europe. That’s all money talk.  BUT…to the TRUE hoop fans, there could be something better brewing on the horizon…crazy highlights…awesome rivalries …and so much more. Kobe Bryant is helping to restore all of that.

 Hate him or love him…you can not deny him…and even if you tried….he will not be denied.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's incredible how as sports fans, we generally come to hate teams and players so much, it's almost as if they personally done something us. Sometimes they have. Sometimes they've crushed our dreams, along with the hope of our home team being called the champs.

sometimes, tho, you just gotta give respect and credit where it's due, and in light of another blog i just added a comment to...today i'm giving props to Kobe Bryant for a great game 1 performance against the Spurs.

Now come on people (especially KB haters)...before you shut down emotionally, can you just be a fan of the game for a minute? Kobe's story is great for basketball at a time when the NBA needs a good story. In the midst of the referee betting scandal...trade disasters (sorry Phoenix)...drug use allegations (Josh Howard's probably blazed right now)...and accusations, by all of us, of games being "steered" toward specific outcomes....here comes Kobe Bryant...more mature...focused...MVP....an assassin. Make no mistakes...the Black Mamba is on the move.

No...there's no need to drop stats (32, 49, 22, 31, 38, 34, 34, 33, 26, 34, and 27)...those aren't the lotto numbers, but Kobe's points in each playoff game. He's shown he's not a ball hog (1, 10, 8, 6,7, 6, 7, 10, 7, 6, and 9 assists), and the Lakers are currently 9-2 in the playoffs. Come on you haters...can you at least give him credit for doing that much?

I'm just taking notice of the strides he's making, and the depths to which he's willing to go to, in order to show his team and the world that this team is ready to win it all. Buying the whole team $10, 000 watches is a great way to say thanks, now let's do this.

Do your thing Kobe...you just do your doggone thing!

Face it....Kobe Bryant deserves the MVP this year! The only real argument to the case is the young man known as CP3 down in New Orleans. There's always going to be a fuss over what defines an MVP...and for those reasons, you'll get names tossed in the arena that may be MVP's to their team, but not MVP of the NBA.

Lebron James....Kevin Garnett....Dwight Howard....Amare Stoudimire....Tony Parker...Tim Duncan....Deron Williams....all these guys (to name a few) can be considered as team MVP, but Kobe has outperformed them all this year. He has truly embraced the role of team leader, and in doing so, has the Lakers poised to win an NBA championship. Now this is not about whether or not they will win. It's about what he's done for his team.

CP3 is an excellent runner up...and at one point i even leaved toward him as the winner. But i couldn't front on Kobe. i couldn't...and if you think about it, neither can you. i know the emergence of Bynum, and the miracle trade for Gasol have both enabled the Lakers to become a different team. but they still need Kobe to keep it all together. He's the MVP... that's all....nothing else! Gasol is a good support player, but if he was the single reason for the Lakers' success, then he would've won something in Memphis. same with Bynum. Kobe took a team of dimwits to the limit versus the heavily favored Suns for two years in a row. that says zero for Phoenix, but a whole lot about Kobe.

All those people trashing him for being a ball hog...this is a year that NO ONE can say that and believe it....not if you've seen him play. now obviously, i'm not the authority, nor am i a voter...but all those who are know good and well that Kobe's has paid his dues and it's time to recognize the best player in the league. No more memories of infidelity in Colorado...nor of selfish play...nor of the ongoing fued with Shaq. Kobe has grown up, and taken his place at the front of the race. Now give the man what we all know is rightfully his.