Kobe Bryant Talks Spurs

[cariocaz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxXOyb-lT8I

[Hemotivo]

interesting

[jhfenton]

Nice Kobe makes me very uncomfortable. It dilutes the hate.

[sasaint]

I never thought Kobe played with the same motor as Manu. Intensity - yes; motor - no. Makes you wonder if even the super-egos like Kobe and LeBron in their heart-of-hearts wish they could have played for Pop.

[capek]

Nice Kobe makes me very uncomfortable. It dilutes the hate.

haha ya, well as much as I've wanted to only hate Kobe, I haven't been able to for a long while, since back when Bowen was playing and getting all that hate, but Kobe would only ever say that he was a great defender and loved playing against him. Whatever you want to say about Kobe, he does give respect where it's due.

[rexrobinson]

I always knew Kirby was a closet Spurs fan.

[Spurtacular]

I never thought Kobe played with the same motor as Manu. Intensity - yes; motor - no. Makes you wonder if even the super-egos like Kobe and LeBron in their heart-of-hearts wish they could have played for Pop.

Kobe said his motor is Manu/Westbrook like, haha.

[Spurtacular]

Okay, Kobe completely misused the word cadence in an effort to sound intelligent; vintage Kobe.

[barakz21]

haha ya, well as much as I've wanted to only hate Kobe, I haven't been able to for a long while, since back when Bowen was playing and getting all that hate, but Kobe would only ever say that he was a great defender and loved playing against him. Whatever you want to say about Kobe, he does give respect where it's due.

My thoughts exactly. The span where everyone was hating on Bowen (05,06 seasons iirc, Jesus Shuttlesworth, VC and Stat iirc were the most vocal) Kobe was the only one who dismissed the notion that Bowen was dirty, and DWade too.

[Sean Cagney]

I never thought Kobe played with the same motor as Manu. Intensity - yes; motor - no. Makes you wonder if even the super-egos like Kobe and LeBron in their heart-of-hearts wish they could have played for Pop.

Kobe already said he was jealous of their longevity and having the core together with the same coach so long, he echoed that when talking about the Spurs last year. He has had changing parts around him and coaches his whole career without it being steady, sure some of that was his fault but you know he would have loved the situation in SA or one like it where he is at.
My thoughts exactly. The span where everyone was hating on Bowen (05,06 seasons iirc, Jesus Shuttlesworth, VC and Stat iirc were the most vocal) Kobe was the only one who dismissed the notion that Bowen was dirty, and DWade too.
That is because those two were competitors and accepted the challenge going up against him. Every great D player is a little dirty in ways. In the 80's and early 90's being dirty was not really frowned upon and was called just plain Tough D, they would lay you out.

[Proxy]

I never thought Kobe played with the same motor as Manu. Intensity - yes; motor - no. Makes you wonder if even the super-egos like Kobe and LeBron in their heart-of-hearts wish they could have played for Pop.

Agree about the 'motor' thing. Manu seems to perceive things at a higher frequency than most. Good anticipation and intelligence probably create that illusion.

I think any great player in the league, in the latter stages of their career envies what has transpired in SA. Can't hold it against them. They come into the NBA heralded as stars, but they're still kids. Remember how much of a tool Parker used to be when he was younger and dating Eva? Kobe, Lebron.... getting older and more mature, yeah... makes sense that they look back on it all with some kind of regret, that they weren't part of something like that.

[Obstructed_View]

Kobe said his motor is Manu/Westbrook like, haha.

Kobe's so used to coat-tailing great players that he can't even compliment someone without doing it.

[ajh18]

Kobe already said he was jealous of their longevity and having the core together with the same coach so long, he echoed that when talking about the Spurs last year. He has had changing parts around him and coaches his whole career without it being steady, sure some of that was his fault but you know he would have loved the situation in SA or one like it where he is at.

I never have bought this. It's not like he had a really bad owner and/or coach. Unless one of those are in place, it's the star players that really have the power to define the culture of a team.

If Kobe never fought with teammates, never needed so badly to be "the man," never played the mind games and called people out in the media, didn't have the egotistical "you can be my Pau Gasol" attitude... he could easily have HAD that type of environment. Except with a ton more money, cause it's LA. Switch Tim and Kobe's places, and I have ZERO doubt that the Lakers are a more stable, successful franchise and the Spurs are a less stable, less successful one.

[capek]

I never thought Kobe played with the same motor as Manu. Intensity - yes; motor - no. Makes you wonder if even the super-egos like Kobe and LeBron in their heart-of-hearts wish they could have played for Pop.

I thought about it, and to me the difference is not their motor but their natural born physical attributes. Manu's ungodly competitiveness pushed him to get every ounce of juice out of his body, while Kobe was simply born with better physical attributes (basketball-wise). They're just not going to look the same "motor"-wise. Kobe doing his thing looked more effortless than Manu, which I think accounts for what you're talking about. I haven't made a point of watching Kobe outside of Spurs games, and besides the Bowen/Spurs respect I mostly don't like him at all, but he makes for an interesting juxtaposition to Manu's career, in the sense that they're two players who were legitimately so great, both intense competitors, but just slightly different in terms of the physical attributes they were born with.

[sasaint]

I thought about it, and to me the difference is not their motor but their natural born physical attributes. Manu's ungodly competitiveness pushed him to get every ounce of juice out of his body, while Kobe was simply born with better physical attributes (basketball-wise). They're just not going to look the same "motor"-wise. Kobe doing his thing looked more effortless than Manu, which I think accounts for what you're talking about. I haven't made a point of watching Kobe outside of Spurs games, and besides the Bowen/Spurs respect I mostly don't like him at all, but he makes for an interesting juxtaposition to Manu's career, in the sense that they're two players who were legitimately so great, both intense competitors, but just slightly different in terms of the physical attributes they were born with.

That's a really good evaluation. I must agree. :toast

[Mark in Austin]

Nice Kobe makes me very uncomfortable. It dilutes the hate.


I never hated Kobe. Kobe FANS, on the other hand...

[BD24]

I never have bought this. It's not like he had a really bad owner and/or coach. Unless one of those are in place, it's the star players that really have the power to define the culture of a team.

If Kobe never fought with teammates, never needed so badly to be "the man," never played the mind games and called people out in the media, didn't have the egotistical "you can be my Pau Gasol" attitude... he could easily have HAD that type of environment. Except with a ton more money, cause it's LA. Switch Tim and Kobe's places, and I have ZERO doubt that the Lakers are a more stable, successful franchise and the Spurs are a less stable, less successful one.
This, just spot on :toast

[HarlemHeat37]

Kobe is the greatest media manipulator in NBA history and it's not even close, tbh..anybody that has followed his career knows this:lol..

His actions are rarely in sync with his words..

[Obstructed_View]

I never have bought this. It's not like he had a really bad owner and/or coach. Unless one of those are in place, it's the star players that really have the power to define the culture of a team.

If Kobe never fought with teammates, never needed so badly to be "the man," never played the mind games and called people out in the media, didn't have the egotistical "you can be my Pau Gasol" attitude... he could easily have HAD that type of environment. Except with a ton more money, cause it's LA. Switch Tim and Kobe's places, and I have ZERO doubt that the Lakers are a more stable, successful franchise and the Spurs are a less stable, less successful one.

Kobe in San Antonio would have lasted three years tops.

[DMC]

Kobe already said he was jealous of their longevity and having the core together with the same coach so long, he echoed that when talking about the Spurs last year. He has had changing parts around him and coaches his whole career without it being steady, sure some of that was his fault but you know he would have loved the situation in SA or one like it where he is at.

No he woudn't have stuck around in that system. Kobe needs to be in the limelight, alone. He doesn't want to be in a "system" where anyone other than Kobe gets credit for the positive outcomes. He had a juggernaut team that could have won 4 more rings had they stuck together. He didn't want that. Saying he would have liked it is revising history. He illustrated time and again that he was about Kobe, not about the team. The "system" is about the team. So sure, if the "system" was "Kobe 1st" then he would have liked it, but he wouldn't want a coach who asked him to sacrifice his minutes during blowouts so the young talent can develop. He's a piece of shit, always was.


That is because those two were competitors and accepted the challenge going up against him. Every great D player is a little dirty in ways. In the 80's and early 90's being dirty was not really frowned upon and was called just plain Tough D, they would lay you out.
Bowen was dirty but so was Kobe. Kobe is like Wade in that he's smart enough to protect his image (most times) and calling a great defender dirty is admitting he got you. Kobe won't ever do that.

You listen to him and you don't believe that anything he says is genuine. You listen to Manu and you think everything he says is genuine.

[Sean Cagney]

I never have bought this. It's not like he had a really bad owner and/or coach. Unless one of those are in place, it's the star players that really have the power to define the culture of a team.

If Kobe never fought with teammates, never needed so badly to be "the man," never played the mind games and called people out in the media, didn't have the egotistical "you can be my Pau Gasol" attitude... he could easily have HAD that type of environment. Except with a ton more money, cause it's LA. Switch Tim and Kobe's places, and I have ZERO doubt that the Lakers are a more stable, successful franchise and the Spurs are a less stable, less successful one.True...

[spursparker9]

Still not used to this "soft" kobe

[Pound the rock]

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