-If you know me, you know that I have a very healthy dislike for Kobe Bryant. It doesn't help that he wears Purple and Gold, but I'm pretty sure I would dislike him in any jersey (or any article of clothing for that matter). People always ask me "Jordan, as a basketball fan how can you blatantly dislike one of the game's best players?" Don't get it twisted, I know that Kobe is one of the top 2 players on the planet; I'm biased, not blind. I know that he is one of the all-time greats, and probably the best SG we've seen since Michael. Maybe I just look at things differently than everyone else; but every time I hear stories about Kobe's legendary "drive" he comes off as more of a jerk than a competitor to me. Here is an example:
In 1996, Kobe Bryant was a senior at Lower Merion High School in Suburban Philadelphia. He was the best player in the country, he took established r&b singer Brandy to his prom, and was everybody's all-everything. Some of the most popular stories that people tell about Kobe from his high school days are his legendary games of 1 on 1 with his high school teammates. Now Kobe was the definition of big fish in a small pond in high school. Despite him, they lost 3 games his senior year because he was not surrounded by a ton of talent. That didn't stop Kobe from taking each of his teammates in weekly games of 1 on 1; not to 11, not to 21, but to 100. The closest anyone ever got to him was losing 100-12. In one game Kobe scored 84 points before his opponent got their first hoop. And Kobe wouldn't let them stop playing until he got to 100. When I first heard these stories on Sportscenter, the analysts all talked about how much focus and determination it takes to beat somebody 100-12, or 84-0. Focus and Determination? Did Kobe really need that kind of re-affirmation in his skill that he had to beat his backup by 88 to feel as though he was a good enough player? Kobe was bigger and better than all of his competition, and when they played, he would take no mercy and he tried to beat them as badly and for as long as he could possibly could. How self conscience do you have to be to need that kind of boost every single week?
That kind of need to know just how much better you are than everyone else has been the driving force in his entire career. Now Shaq isn't entirely faultless for that schism in Los Angeles that ultimately culminated with his trade in 2004; but Shaq seemed to get along just fine with a different sidekick who didn't mind sharing the team, and some of the spotlight with him in Dwayne Wade. Everyone who was on the outside looking in couldn't understand why they would split up when they were such a dominant force together; that's because everyone who was on the outside looking in has normal human emotion and compassion. Kobe ain't got those things. So Kobe will make his big shots, and make his faces, but they aren't for his team, or for his fans. They are for himself, because he constantly needs to know, and be told that he is better than everyone else. Other than that though, I'm sure he's a cool guy.
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Hey i didn't think people would ever like Kobe, but then again i didn't think you could get the same great coke taste for zero calories and it be BANNED IN VENEZUELA
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