Kobe is amazing

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by surfah33

Wow that was unexpected.

I call irrational trolling defenses of rapists more unexpected, but I probably shouldn't.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

I call irrational trolling defenses of rapists more unexpected, but I probably shouldn't.

Adulterers Rocky. Geez, how many times do I have to remind you? Unless you'd like to clarify and say accused rapists.

Anyway, Kobe scored a human 43 tonight so I am done trolling until his next outburst.

[Detroitdad]

What does Kobe's off the court exploits have to do with his on the court game? I have never understood why someone's real personality should be a reason to like or dislike them as a player. Kobe is a scoring machine. Scorers take shots, scorers turn the ball over and sometimes they take terrible shots. But as a scorer Kobe is absolutely breathtaking and amazing to watch.

I wonder if Kevin Durrant will be hated for his style of play in the NBA. I suppose he will. I am just waiting for the hatred of Lebron to ramp up.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

What does Kobe's off the court exploits have to do with his on the court game? I have never understood why someone's real personality should be a reason to like or dislike them as a player. Kobe is a scoring machine. Scorers take shots, scorers turn the ball over and sometimes they take terrible shots. But as a scorer Kobe is absolutely breathtaking and amazing to watch.

I wonder if Kevin Durrant will be hated for his style of play in the NBA. I suppose he will. I am just waiting for the hatred of Lebron to ramp up.

Durant's size and length I think will make him immune to some of that criticism and instead people like Doug Collins will be saying, "It's amazing that he is so athletic at his size. When I was coaching Michael Jordan..."

Lebron shares the ball with his crappy teammates making him the consumate team player and a better team player. Though he only averages half an assist more per game than Kobe. Perception is everything. The other thing is Lebron isn't as dominating as Kobe. Lebron also plays in a small market in the midwest in the shitty eastern conference. And he hasn't won anything. His game is also different from Jordan's, so he's no threat to the Airness in that regard. Kind of tough to loathe someone for any of those things. I am sure if he ever leaves the Cavs, which is in his destiny to do, and joins someone like the Knicks or Lakers and then leads them to a title he will start being hated. When he starts winning scoring titles and MVP's and challenging records the contempt will grow. Besides he's one of the Bron's.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by surfah33

Durant's size and length I think will make him immune to some of that criticism and instead people like Doug Collins will be saying, "It's amazing that he is so athletic at his size. When I was coaching Michael Jordan..."

Lebron shares the ball with his crappy teammates making him the consumate team player and a better team player. Though he only averages half an assist more per game than Kobe. Perception is everything. The other thing is Lebron isn't as dominating as Kobe. Lebron also plays in a small market in the midwest in the shitty eastern conference. And he hasn't won anything. His game is also different from Jordan's, so he's no threat to the Airness in that regard. Kind of tough to loathe someone for any of those things. I am sure if he ever leaves the Cavs, which is in his destiny to do, and joins someone like the Knicks or Lakers and then leads them to a title he will start being hated. When he starts winning scoring titles and MVP's and challenging records the contempt will grow. Besides he's one of the Bron's.

Melo is already hated though. Maybe because of the fight, etc. I think it is very interesting to chart who the general public decides to hate and declare as selfish. I remember not too many years ago that it was Iverson, but that seems to have cooled down considerably. Maybe Kobe just has to hang around long enough for the haters to find someone else to hate more.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Melo is already hated though. Maybe because of the fight, etc. I think it is very interesting to chart who the general public decides to hate and declare as selfish. I remember not too many years ago that it was Iverson, but that seems to have cooled down considerably. Maybe Kobe just has to hang around long enough for the haters to find someone else to hate more.

I think Melo's off court antics have created some of his contempt. I think he's viewed as a thug considering he's from Baltimore, is engaged to La La and has relationships with known felons and drug dealers. Plus he's won. He led a team to the national title as a freshman and then jumped ship for the pay day.

It is interesting that Iverson's haters have cooled somewhat. Maybe because he's in the second half of his career and the way Philadelphia fell off the map from being contenders has softened people's attitudes towards him.

[TheSizzle36]

K50BE BRYANT is an amazing talent and one helluva basketball player. His 50 point game string has been an awesome feat.

I still hate the bastard though...

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

What does Kobe's off the court exploits have to do with his on the court game? I have never understood why someone's real personality should be a reason to like or dislike them as a player. Kobe is a scoring machine. Scorers take shots, scorers turn the ball over and sometimes they take terrible shots. But as a scorer Kobe is absolutely breathtaking and amazing to watch.

I wonder if Kevin Durrant will be hated for his style of play in the NBA. I suppose he will. I am just waiting for the hatred of Lebron to ramp up.

Perception is everything. Kobe has the perception of being a smug, pompous asshole. Are there any assholes that are liked by anyone other than another asshole?

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Perception is everything. Kobe has the perception of being a smug, pompous asshole. Are there any assholes that are liked by anyone other than another asshole?

Ask SU that question. He ought to know.

Yes. Almost every high level athlete I have ever known was a smug, pompous ass. I think even their friends would agree with this. Shaun Alexander is probably the biggest exception to this rule that I have ever known, and I did not know him that well.

What I am getting at is how the public gets a perception. Since we do not really know athletes in general how are perceptions developed, and how do they change over time? A couple of examples. In the late eighties and early nineties Hakeem Olajuwon was a selfish, talented player who was a bad teamate. Suddenly in the mid 90's he had universal acclaim as a great player and teamate. Did he change? Maybe. But I think that it is more likely that the perception of him changed. Michael Jordan was a huge ball hog who used to fight his teamates and had a gambling problem. Etc, etc.

The amateur social scientist in me would like to track and understand these changes in reputation and perception. But I am a lazy, smug, pompous ass.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Ask SU that question. He ought to know.

Yes. Almost every high level athlete I have ever known was a smug, pompous ass. I think even their friends would agree with this. Shaun Alexander is probably the biggest exception to this rule that I have ever known, and I did not know him that well.

What I am getting at is how the public gets a perception. Since we do not really know athletes in general how are perceptions developed, and how do they change over time? A couple of examples. In the late eighties and early nineties Hakeem Olajuwon was a selfish, talented player who was a bad teamate. Suddenly in the mid 90's he had universal acclaim as a great player and teamate. Did he change? Maybe. But I think that it is more likely that the perception of him changed. Michael Jordan was a huge ball hog who used to fight his teamates and had a gambling problem. Etc, etc.

The amateur social scientist in me would like to track and understand these changes in reputation and perception. But I am a lazy, smug, pompous ass.

You make a good point as to how the public perception of athletes come to be. I know my perception of Kobe was tainted to begin with because he plays for the Lakers, but I can pinpoint the time my thoughts about him were verified - the All-Star game in which he waved of Karl Malone who had set a pick for him against MJ. While the All-Star game is really only an exhibition, what Kobe did was the ultimate act of selfishness. Malone wanted to help his teammate score an easy basket and Kobe was too much of an ingrate to accept the help.

Yes, most all athletes are that way. It's because most all athletes have been coddled since junior high and given everything they wanted -and like I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread - when they don't get what they want, they either take it or gripe about how they're entitled to it.

Alexander is the antithesis of a pro athlete. It's nice to see a guy like that every so often.