Time for a confession: I heart Kobe
Brad Rock
But I like Kobe Bryant.
So shoot me.
There goes my invitation to Larry H. Miller's Christmas party.
Now that I've outed myself, I may as well move to West Covina and file my columns from there.
I'm not going to have many friends after this.
When the Jazz and Lakers resume their series tonight at ES Arena, it's not going to be pretty. My guess is it's going to be downright personal. That's what happens when someone threatens the Jazz. He automatically becomes the worst person since Caligula, even if he is the MVP. Or maybe because of it.
Admittedly, the man has a world class smirk. And the chest- pounding and and shirt-tugging can certainly be annoying. He demanded to be traded last year if the Lakers didn't surround him with better talent. He called Jazz fans classless when they booed Derek Fisher.
Still, if you've been around Bryant at all this post-season, you have to ask: Why do so many people hate this man? He has excellent hygiene. Doesn't swear in public — much. Reportedly he's quick to pick up the lunch tab for teammates. He's polite, articulate and, yes, even humble.
It wasn't condescending, or even tongue-in-cheek. It was genuine.
And that was after scoring 33 points.
Not all MVPs have been so generous with their praise.
Shaquille O'Neal was never good at lauding someone who blocked several of his shots. The last guy who did that was Greg Ostertag, and he got slapped to the floor for his trouble. Karl Malone wasn't good at praising opponents, either.
Yet after Wednesday's game, someone asked Bryant if he thought the Jazz would battle back, now that they're on the brink of elimination, and he replied, "That's a Jerry Sloan trait. They're going to keep coming. They don't know any other way."
It was unvarnished respect, one hyper-competitive person to another.
Some say this is all damage control, thanks to that sexual assault case in Colorado, in which Bryant was acquitted of criminal charges and settled the civil suit out of court. Could be. But it doesn't seem rehearsed. When he was 19, he air-balled two shots in Salt Lake when the Jazz eliminated the Lakers from the 1997 playoffs. Asked in a press conference last week if he remembered those shots, he said good-naturedly, "Yeah. Horrible experience. Thanks for bringing it up again."
Recent comments
I am amazed by how so many Jazz fans are so ignorant in regards to...
Wow! | May 18, 2008 at 10:23 p.m.
i've watched the lakers since magic and worthy and kobe is my...
damian | May 18, 2008 at 11:09 a.m.
I would stop watching the jazz if they had Kobe, he wouldnt last...
re:how many of you | May 18, 2008 at 3:33 a.m.
