NBA: SI does it's own all-time Rankings

[Killakobe81]

After that I kicked her in the shin on the way home from school one day. Her father told my father and my father beat me with his belt.

Years passed, I'd see her in JH, then HS. Nothing was said. We finally had a class together my senior year. Over that summer preceding my senior year I met Girl. It was a great Summer. Girl would come and wait outside that class room each day. I could feel Julie's blue eyes bearing into my back (she sat to my left, two desks down.) I always wanted to say something to her, but, never did. I'd catch her watching me at times.

You never get over your first love.

You pint a vivid picture. Young love is silly and foolish but at the time means so much.

[hater]

Kobe belongs in the top 10 tbh he dominated for at least a decade.

Only a hater would pit Kobe outside the top 10.

On on the other coin only a re would put Kobe ahead of Shaq or Duncan

[Killakobe81]

Kobe belongs in the top 10 tbh he dominated for at least a decade.

Only a hater would pit Kobe outside the top 10.

On on the other coin only a re would put Kobe ahead of Shaq, Duncan or Lebron

Appreciate your honesty, and contribution ...but you still just talking a few spots. I have him around 9th. 12th is only a light underrating.

A case can be made for swapping the 3 you said around depending on what you value most career, rings metric or dominance.

For example, no way I place Shaq over Tim carer-wise ...but O'neal was far more dominant than any of the guys you mentioned maybe only Lebron is close. Again it's just quibbles.

[140]

Only a hater would pit Kobe outside the top 10.

[140]

After that I kicked her in the shin on the way home from school one day. Her father told my father and my father beat me with his belt.

Years passed, I'd see her in JH, then HS. Nothing was said. We finally had a class together my senior year. Over that summer preceding my senior year I met Girl. It was a great Summer. Girl would come and wait outside that class room each day. I could feel Julie's blue eyes bearing into my back (she sat to my left, two desks down.) I always wanted to say something to her, but, never did. I'd catch her watching me at times.

You never get over your first love.

Is that something you regret, Cub?

[Killakobe81]

This exercise is akin to ranking the 25 greatest movies or top 10 Mc's all time dead or alive.
Arguing over a few spots makes little sense. But if someone doesn't have the first two Godfather's in their 25 or dont include andre 3000 in a top 10 I get mad but if you say Godfather part one is not #1 but in your top 25 no beef here. Same with this list.

[Thread]

Is that something you regret, Cub?

Yeah. I should have said something and came close a couple times, but, just could not pull the trigger. I think, or, perhaps want to believe she was waiting for me. Terrible regret.

She married out of high school to a guy named Kenny. I remembered him, but, we traveled in different circles. A few years later I heard they divorced. We moved back in the early '80's and I always fancied I'd see her in a mall, or, shopping center and we'd have our moment. But, I never saw her again. When we go back to this very circa I always take a cruise past her house. It's exactly like the house that Girl grew up in, two story. That Summer of '71 when I met Girl I also played pick up baseball at the school yard right behind Julie's house. It was weird playing there each day, watching that backyard, wondering if she were home and perhaps watching me out there in the ball field.

[Killakobe81]

Yeah. I should have said something and came close a couple times, but, just could not pull the trigger. I think, or, perhaps want to believe she was waiting for me. Terrible regret.

She married out of high school to a guy named Kenny. I remembered him, but, we traveled in different circles. A few years later I heard they divorced. We moved back in the early '80's and I always fancied I'd see her in a mall, or, shopping center and we'd have our moment. But, I never saw her again. When we go back to this very circa I always take a cruise past her house. It's exactly like the house that Girl grew up in, two story. That Summer of '71 when I met Girl I also played pick up baseball at the school yard right behind Julie's house. It was weird playing there each day, watching that backyard, wondering if she were home and perhaps watching me out there in the ball field.

great post thread, nuff said.

[Koolaid_Man]

to you, apparently.
I already conceded that, btw.
Just thought another perspective was good.

And yet you still refuse to offer legit rationale

[Thread]

great post thread, nuff said.

Yeah, I just journeyed to the book shelves, pulled out the Yearbook and paged to her picture.

Damn, I feel down and melancholy now, like to cry a little. I see it all in mind's eye.

[Killakobe81]

And yet you still refuse to offer legit rationale

Come on Kool how many times have I argued the point with Amb?
But short version is getting the 5th still being a key player are the reasons why. Still thinks its close but now give edge to Tim

[Koolaid_Man]

Come on Kool how many times have I argued the point with Amb?
But short version is getting the 5th still being a key player are the reasons why. Still thinks its close but now give edge to Tim

Thanks for your offering....but you do realize I'm about to go in.... I just wanted to see what was driving your thought....stay tuned bro

[Killakobe81]

Thanks for your offering....but you do realize I'm about to go in.... I just wanted to see what was driving your thought....stay tuned bro

I dont want it to be so ...was hoping McCallum would argue different but he did not. I think he also chose Duncan as player of the decade so i should have known ...would be happy for somone i respect besides Magic to sway back yo the Kobe side tbh

[DMC]

Of course it's fair game.But you are still biting.
Funny thing to me is when not being an ass and sometimes even when you are you can be funny and original you dont need to bite and parrot his ...I loved the SI line earlier but dont get this crusade you are on about 12th.
Both ESPN and SI recently rated kobe 12th it doesnt mess me up ..I did say seeing McCallum place him the same exact spot it gave some additional credence to me, for ESPN's ranking of Kobe. He is not Jim Murray but he and Lowe are two of the better national guys that cover hoops. Again I might place Kobe at 9th but it's just a quibble. dont agree with his list fully but I can see his argument. and like i said I respect his work.

"You're still biting" says the flustered prisoner to 12

[DMC]

Yeah. I should have said something and came close a couple times, but, just could not pull the trigger. I think, or, perhaps want to believe she was waiting for me. Terrible regret.

She married out of high school to a guy named Kenny. I remembered him, but, we traveled in different circles. A few years later I heard they divorced. We moved back in the early '80's and I always fancied I'd see her in a mall, or, shopping center and we'd have our moment. But, I never saw her again. When we go back to this very circa I always take a cruise past her house. It's exactly like the house that Girl grew up in, two story. That Summer of '71 when I met Girl I also played pick up baseball at the school yard right behind Julie's house. It was weird playing there each day, watching that backyard, wondering if she were home and perhaps watching me out there in the ball field.

You got cucked by Kenny.

Kenny the cucker.

[DMC]

This exercise is akin to ranking the 25 greatest movies or top 10 Mc's all time dead or alive.
Arguing over a few spots makes little sense. But if someone doesn't have the first two Godfather's in their 25 or dont include andre 3000 in a top 10 I get mad but if you say Godfather part one is not #1 but in your top 25 no beef here. Same with this list.

"Ranking is unimportant"

"I want Kobe over Shaq"

12

[DMC]

Laker fan on Spurs board used to call Spur fan every name under the sun when we said Kobe was at best 10 but likely 11-15. They called us homers and liars even when presented with tangible arguments instead of just the eyeball test.

We tried to explain how the use of advanced metrics and the new age media/fan is seeing players more for what they really are vs the legend of the eyeball test. Then factoring in other things (leadership, off court, etc..) it's not surprising to see Kobe consistently ranked outside of the top 10 and consistently behind Duncan.

Even casual fan votes have shifted in favor of Tim which astounds me more than anything seeing how many fans Kobe has.

It's just getting started. Wait until next year when no one needs to interview Kobe any more. He'll be lucky to crack 15.

[DPG21920]

Appreciate your value add but you are bit off base. ESPN did rely more on metrics and peak.I dont think the SI article did I think it was more career if you read the article. i think your point would have made more sense to post in the other thread but your thoughts are always welcome. Arguing Kobe at 10 when his career was not close to being done made no sense either Deeps. Now it does. When I did argue Kobe over Duncan Kobe was up and Tim is down and now the tables have turned ...and I feel very different.The interesting thing here is two different set of parameters two different sites both placed Duncan over Kobe ... harder to make that case now (Kobe over Tim).

Casual fans dont matter here. Because if we did go there ... I still think Kobe would win that argument ...ESPN poll notwithstanding.

I appreciate you as well, but your response highlights the mindset. Even though your stance has changed now, it should not have mattered even at the time of arguments years ago.

Laker fan at that time was still fixated on "rings" and raw stats. Many of us were trying to paint the picture that while on the surface it may have made sense to argue in favor of Kobe over Duncan due to rings/raw stats, that the mindset was outdated and shifting.

It's ok, it was not just Laker fan that was behind the times, but many media members and casual fans. Some of us just got on the wave sooner and understood that even at 5>4, it didn't matter. That one ring difference in context didn't and shouldn't shift the argument at all when presented with everything else.

If all else was equal, sure, default to that. But it was not really equal at all and the gap has actually widened as time has gone on.

[Jenks]

These rankings are ridiculous

Pippen 6 > Kobe 5

[Killakobe81]

I appreciate you as well, but your response highlights the mindset. Even though your stance has changed now, it should not have mattered even at the time of arguments years ago.

Laker fan at that time was still fixated on "rings" and raw stats. Many of us were trying to paint the picture that while on the surface it may have made sense to argue in favor of Kobe over Duncan due to rings/raw stats, that the mindset was outdated and shifting.

It's ok, it was not just Laker fan that was behind the times, but many media members and casual fans. Some of us just got on the wave sooner and understood that even at 5>4, it didn't matter. That one ring difference in context didn't and shouldn't shift the argument at all when presented with everything else.

If all else was equal, sure, default to that. But it was not really equal at all and the gap has actually widened as time has gone on.

Dont agree with all of this just most of it. You can say that 5th ring didnt matter but it did for me and since Im no hypocrite I adjusted accordingly. But truly unlike what DMC thinks this is not all about Kobe ... so I will let it die. Still a great post.
What were your thoughts on some of the other rankings? Amb and others were clamoring that Moses was criminally underrated by ESPN is this way to high? or at least in relation to Shaq and Hakeem?

[DPG21920]

Dont agree with all of this just most of it. You can say that 5th ring didnt matter but it did for me and since Im no hypocrite I adjusted accordingly. But truly unlike what DMC thinks this is not all about Kobe ... so I will let it die. Still a great post.
What were your thoughts on some of the other rankings? Amb and others were clamoring that Moses was criminally underrated by ESPN is this way to high? or at least in relation to Shaq and Hakeem?

For me personally, I don't like to comment too much on guys I never really saw play. I really watched from early 90-s on so it's too hard for me to compare against generations and of course I have biases towards what I've seen vs what I've heard.

[Chucho]

another bad list. I guess these writers don't value championships as much as they should. In the end it's who was left standing in the end. then you add domination and career in the equation

My list and the correct one:
1. MJ
2. Wilt
3. Kareem
4. Magic
5. Russell
6. Duncan
7. Bird
8. Shaq
9. Lebron
10. Kobe

It's so ing retarted to put Kobe in the top ten. He isn't. SI and ESPN said so. Tool.

[Killakobe81]

For me personally, I don't like to comment too much on guys I never really saw play. I really watched from early 90-s on so it's too hard for me to compare against generations and of course I have biases towards what I've seen vs what I've heard.

I agree. I dont include the guys I never saw either.

[ambchang]

I am all for old timers, but Pet over Moses, Shaq and Hakeem is re ed.

And Shaq over Hakeem is as well.

[Killakobe81]

I am all for old timers, but Pet over Moses, Shaq and Hakeem is re ed.

And Shaq over Hakeem is as well.

You ever see Pet play amb? I have not. I thought it seemed high but can I say that definitively?