The LA Times has just reported that Kobe will change his number next season to his old high school number 24.  What does this mean?  What about 8?  How can you go away from such a cool number as 8? What will Jim Jackson do?

Most of America says big deal.  It's just a number.  Let the young man do what he wants.  He's trying to overhaul his image and this is one of those quirky things people do when they want to change their image.  Get a new number. 

Yeah, 24 is such a nicer number than 8.  8 is violent.  8 is crazy.  8 is how many hours in a work day and that sucks.  No one wants to think about that.

24 is pleasant.  It's fresh out of grad school.  24, it's the gateway to the beginning of a professional adulthood and all the opportunities that offers.  2-4.  It's a natural, even progression.  It's how many hours are in a day.  24 is regular clock work.  And I'm a regular guy.  I'm like you.  I'm not the oddball, the 8-ball anymore.  I'm 24.  And 24 is...

Not just any number.  It's the name of a certain Fox television program. 

And this is where the coolness of the number 24 lies.  Kobe can link up with a hit television show that everyone in America likes and in turn everyone in America will like him.   Fox will certainly see this corporate tie-in and link Kobe up in some way with it's show.  Perhaps he'll have a guest spot on the show.  Maybe the cast will go to the game like they did in Entourage.  It will be an inside wink to the show when Kobe holds out his jersey number and points to the fellas.  Kobe and Keifer.  They already sound like friends.

Fox Television.  It's the real reason Kobe will change to 24.  I know this sounds like a crazy theory but it's not.  No crazier than, say, the number 8.