Though Jordan trying to cop a ring by coming back at the end of a season was beneath contempt.
Orlando blocked him, thank goodness.
I can't wait until we hear about some young, dumb ass irrational college girl claiming Tom Brady, Chase Utley, or Cristiano Ronaldo raped her
CROFL
Though Jordan trying to cop a ring by coming back at the end of a season was beneath contempt.
Orlando blocked him, thank goodness.
Wait, you're saying that just because he is kobe that he doesn't need to rape anybody? That is a weak argument because no body in this world needs to rape, yet they do anyway. Kobe was known for being an angry child, so who knows if he was ever told "no". Point is he wouldn't have needed to settle out of court if there wasn't some truth to raping her. But its good to know that you think high profile athletes are incapable of raping someone just because they hve celebrity status
Topics like this should get locked or deleted on the spot.
No, not the sole reason, it's just a personal opinion. I'm just fed up with dumb es who try to do the same...bait athletes on for a specific reason like this, and it happens.
Kobe: Come to my room and get pounded
Chick: No
Kobe: Fine , I'll just ask any other of the hundreds in line at this club alone
Seriously though, didn't the whole thing happen in his room? I forget how the story was, but if the girl consented to coming to the dude's room, don't tell me she didn't have intentions of gettin it on with Kobe. I highly doubt he dragged that ho to his room against her will...security, cops, somebody would have reported and/or stopped the whole thing. Don't really feel like rereading the story.
I won't list all the details, but as I recall, Kobe registered under an Hispanic alias, but Kate knew who he was when he checked in. She gave him the tour; spa, pool, room. She was flirting with him. Once in his room, they started kissing. Kate offered to show Kobe her tattoo. Now, where was it located? If it's on the small of her back, that's not suggestive, but if it's anywhere near her labia, that is. See, the problem is, only two people witnessed what really went on. Once her pomiscuity was proved (semen from the bellhop in her panties), and reasonable doubt as to whether if Kobe penetrated her and caused the vaginal injuries, Kate refused to testify and the DA dropped the case. Once the criminal charges were dropped, Kate persued civil action to get her paycheck, probably her plan all along, win or lose the criminal case. Actually had the case gone to trial and had Kobe won, I doubt Kate sees a penny in civil litigation. Anyway, it wasn't rape, as no conviction, and it wasn't a payoff by Kobe to drop charges. That's illegal and would have landed Bryant in the cooler. As far as Kobe throwing Shaq under the bus by saying he pays his women off, that's a black mark on Kobe, period.
I don't think Kobe raped that girl but the snitching part was pretty low tbh. I hate rats.
Again, this is past his prime Jordan, not prime Jordan, so I don't know why some are bringing up prime Jordan's accomplishments..obviously there's no argument in that case..
Until Jordan was 36 or 37 he was better as far as leadership and all around game than even a "prime" Kobe - Kobe proved he was a great scorer but could not get it done as a leader sans Shaq/Gasol/Odom and now Bynum.
Though Gasol could win nary a single playoff game till Kobe led him to it.
Jordan's time is finite.
Kobe is still at the con, with Jordan a fixed target before him. Without being told Bryant will work tirelessly & quietly to eclipse Jordan, like Knight did to surpass Smith. The books won't lie, Knight knew this, so he shut his mouth, went to Texas and finished it before they could get him to stop.
Bryant is calculating, devious, driven.
He'll dance on their graves when he's done.
But, he can define the argument/debate if he gets the numbers in his favor (7-6). He knows that as well.
Bryant can rest then. He can enter his house justified.
With that logic so can Horry.
Horry > Jordan
/thread
Horry for 3!
Original. Good job.
Sure. Russell too. But, Bryant is wise enough to know the debate doesn't concern them. The debate is between himself & Jordan. These last two rings sealed it. Media will drive it in Jordan's favor. Bryant knows this. He can't control the spirit of the debate. He just controlled the activation of it, via '09 & '10.
He's also wise enough to not care about what is not within his control, whether that is judgment of rape, or, his place around Jordan. That is why what is within his control is so magnificent to Bryant. His talent enables him to smight & deny those who would "destroy" him, or, at least keep from him what he wants. It's a sociopathic pathogy, but, it's common amongst men of considerable physical & mental raw talent. The coupling of the physical & mental is a soup of volatility. Bryant has succeeded in harnessing his concoction, and he has every intention of making every person sorry who's ever crossed him.
by doing what? sticking his jaw out at them?
No. By getting to 7. That's all that is within his reasonable control. In his mind then he can stand down. They'll always throw stones and cast doubts as to the particulars, but, within his self trained psyche he'll have the 7 to Jordan's 6. That's enough for him.
Why not get 8 and pass the all mighty Horry while he's at it?![]()
Because it doesn't concern Horry, nor Russell. This is between Jordan & Bryant. And Media made this bed for only those two to occupy. There's too much print, too much money, too much Americana to reap for them to reframe the debate by including Horry, Russell, et al. "We" can do it because there is no risk, nothing for us to lose as our debate ranges over a large, diverse landscape. Media can't capture that. They want nothing to do with that boundless debate. With just an alive, and still vibrant Jordan and Kobe it's Media's dream. They don't want Kobe to get there (6 or 7), but, they don't want him to get there for a long time.
& you're just as subjective as I am, Ty.
I think people are still confused in this thread. HarlemHeat has specifically stated at least twice now that he's talking about Jordan during the second Bulls threepeat and Kobe in his prime after Shaq and before Pau.
Statistical comparison:
Jordan 1995-98
38.1 MPG
29.6 PPG
6.1 RPG
4.0 APG
1.87 SPG
2.23 TO
48.2% FG
36.9% 3PT
49.8% 2PT
81.5 FT
27.5 PER
Kobe 2003-2007
40.3 MPG
30.1 PPG
5.6 RPG
5.2 APG
1.58 SPG
3.30 TO
44.8% FG
34.1% 3PT
48.1% 2PT
84.7% FT
25.4 PER
Jordan still wins, but it's a far closer comparison than comparing careers or only "in their prime" seasons. One might be able to argue it's a toss-up but I do think it still favors Jordan. I included 2 point shooting percentage to show that Kobe wasn't or isn't as inefficient as some think. He just chucks up more three pointers than Jordan used to (even older Jordan didn't shoot as many as Kobe has for most of his career). The 2 point shooting % is much closer.
Now statistical comparison helps but it certainly doesn't end the argument since they played in different eras. But it's hard to give concrete and/or indisputable evidence to say how the stats compare when you factor in era and compe ion. You look at the late 90s, and the best 2-guards in the game after Jordan were guys like Mitch Richmond, Reggie Miller, Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell, and the younger up and coming guards like Eddie Jones, Michael Finley. Kobe and Ray were mere pups. And even back then, not nearly as many teams employed 2-guard defensive specialists like many teams (at least the better teams in the league) now do to counter the Kobes and Dwyane Wades of the league. But there's also the argument that defense was tougher in the 90s, they were allowed to flagrant foul without getting called for a flagrant foul much more often. The mid to late 90s Knicks and Pacers teams were extremely physical.
There are a ton of factors you can add into the equation. Jordan is, always has been, always will be better than Kobe. No matter what Kobe does the rest of his career, he'll never get to Jordan's level. Kobe can only hope to get to 7 rings so that he has one thing he can hang his hat on in the comparison. But even an older Jordan who had already started to slip statistically and in terms of his efficiency was probably slightly better than Kobe in his prime. Plus older Jordan still led his team to championships while Kobe in his prime failed to make the playoffs once and got ousted in the first round twice.
Leadership is subjective. Jordan's style was very much like Kobe's style. But Jordan could get away with it because he led his team to championships. We saw how that same type leadership played out when he went to Washington. His young teammates who adored him growing up ended up hating him because he was a bas and jerk. It's the same style of leadership he had in Chicago. But when you win, all else is forgotten.
Kobe isn't necessarily a good leader. But I don't think Jordan was either. Winning forgives and forgets all the negative.
You're welcome.
Jordan as an old declining man still > than 95.0% of all players in the history of the NBA.
It's not shocking. But at least I responded to the original post accordingly.
Even as a Kobe fan, I just can't put him with MJ. Maybe if he ends his career with 7 or 8 rings, but not now.
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