Kobe's A Phony...And Other Irrelevant Observations

Waldini:

"Why do you dislike Kobe so much?" It's a question, I've been asking friends lately. Even with LA winning, the boobirds have been out, saying wait til next year, etc. I started probing with one person and here is our exchange below. Only the names have been changed

FRIEND: I have no problem with the lakers
FRIEND: Just him
ME: that's usually what I get, it's him, which I still don't understand from people but say to each their own
FRIEND: Yeah, just like I don't understand how people support him
FRIEND: We are like Bush/Obama on this one
FRIEND: Of course, I'm on the Obama side :-)
ME: Kobe's one of the hardest working players in the league, if not the hardest working. On the court, it's like our jobs, aims for perfection, won't settle for less. Too many cats in the league take that privelege of being in the NBA for granted, never fulfill expectations, because they dont want to work hard. Dude puts in work, have to respect that....off the court, another subject but that same can be said for many NBA players about off court activity
ME: Bush was lazy and didn't work at his game :-)
FRIEND: Bush did work. He got a lot of credit for doing nothing. I don't know that Kobe works hard. I know that he has a lot of fanatics and that he really stands for nothing. Like Bush, his external activities get ignored. To me, it boils down to character and I can't believe how much he is glorified versus what he represents. I am sure others are dirty too, but at least they are not on this holy pedestal. There is too much I for Kobe. He pretends to be a team player, but in the end, it is all about him
ME: Kobe did nothing?
ME: What do you think of Magic? Jordan?
FRIEND: 'I really have no feelings towards either
ME kobe does work hard, ask Team USA, most of those cats marveled at it
ME: talked about it
FRIEND: I am just saying he is worshipped and it sickens me
ME: worshipped by who?
FRIEND: He is a selfish person
FRIEND: YOU!
FRIEND: and the fans
ME: only by Laker fans
ME: he's the most polarizing athlete in the league
FRIEND: I just don't think he deserves it
ME: either u hate or love him
ME: based on what?
ME: how is he selfish?
FRIEND: on his attitude
FRIEND: Yes
FRIEND: But let me think more of justifying my dislike
FRIEND: He might be a changed man after Colorado
FRIEND: I am still going back to my Sixers days
FRIEND: So let me take a breath and get back to you
FRIEND: I just know how I feel
FRIEND: Can't quite describe it
ME: that's the one I hear too, I can't describe it but I just do, all good, I mean I can't change anyone's opinion on Kobe, nor will I. I just try to understand the rationale

Funny stuff....

Da Realist:

Cause he's a phony.

Real simple.

Waldini:

What's phony about him? Just curious....

Da Realist:

If after all this time you don't see it, then we will never agree on it. You've seen it and heard about it but you perceive it as something else. So, we'll just have to disagree. For example, some of it was in the last Bill Simmons article. A small fraction of it. He's not phony to you. I understand that. That's why you're a fan. (Or is it the other way around?)

But he is to me.

Waldini:

I didn't say he was phony or not, I just asked the question why. I don't even bother getting riled, upset, annoyed, etc about it anymore, I just ask questions. Similar to what I did with my friend before. I was actually curious to what makes him phony. He's not genuine like past stars such as Magic or Bird or even his current contemporaries like Garnett.

I'm a fan of the Purple and Gold and anyone who wears it. And if you recall, Kobe wasnt in my favorite top 5 Lakers of all time either. Kobe is Kobe. Either you like him or you don't. Haven't seen anyone that generated that much on either side since I've watched basketball (wasn't born during the Wilt era)

Da Realist:

I'm just telling you that's why most people don't like him. It's one of those things you can't put your finger on but when it's there, it's there. People don't like phonies. Even if they are very good basketball players that can light up a scoreboard. There's no other way to explain why after all this time, there are still so many that don't like him.

It's one of those things that you can't prove either. That's why the pro-Kobe and the anti-Kobe people can't understand each other. Anti-Kobe people say, "He's such a phony. Can't you see it?". And the pro-Kobe people say, "What? Kareem did the same thing in 87. Prove he's a phony." Then there's the stalemate. Neither side can convince the other. Can't prove it, but it's still there. At least the perception is. And there is the line in the sand. I think it's more than perception. You don't.

He doesn't bother me as much as he used to. Not because he's changed, but because I just don't care anymore.

Waldini:

I will say the Kobe doing work doesn't help ;-)

Da Realist:

I never actually saw that. Didn't want to. There was no way we were going to see anything except what Kobe wanted us to see. Don't think I could have sat through Kobe showing us what type of leader he is, how he "instilled his dna" into the team, how he toughened up his teammates. Blah...

Waldini:

Nope the real Kobe would have been like during the Finals and the mic caught him telling Andrew Bynum to "get your mutha**** head in the game"

Da Realist:

Nah... he's too busy mean-mugging through the Finals to prove how serious he is. lol

Waldini:

lol