Kobe reportedly encouraged teammates to be unsportsmanlike:

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I would stop watching the Suns if Kobe was a Sun.

I don't understand this type of comment. Did you stop watching the Suns when that fat, lazy, degenerate gambling Charles Barkley played for the Suns? Or when the wife-beating Jason Kidd played for the Suns?

I know you're a big Suns fan Chris, and I'm pretty sure you'd always root for the Suns regardless of who played in the uniform.

 

[SirStefan32]

More funny...when the Suns won the game did the crowd chant Pro-Suns stuff? Did they chant Let's Go Suns? Did they chant MVP? Did they even chant Clippers Suck?

No on all counts. They chanted "Kobe Sucks." That's pretty lame, IMO. I happen to hate all the "So and So sucks" chants personally, however.

I wish they would have just cheered on their team that kicked the hell out of the Lakers...but DAMN does Kobe elicit a lot of hate.

Why don't you just let it go man?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I'm guess I'm in the minority in that I am a die-hard Suns fan but still love Kobe as a player. See i watch sports for guys and their athletic talent and watch them compete at the highest level. I'm not watching because i need more role models in my life. As long as the players have not commited any crimes that would take away their freedom, why should i care if they are selfish or pricks to reporters? I don't have to deal with them....I watch and listen all the visceral hate generated by Barry Bonds and laugh to myself because all i think is "Damn - Thats the best baseball player i have ever seen. I wouldn't let him baby sit my kids but he sure as hell can hit a baseball. And i respect the hell out of that aspect of him.

Same with Kobe. It seems like much of the griping about the guy is directed at what you percieve his personality to be. And thats just a testament to his ability as most people can't find a true flaw to his game.

I just see him as Micheal Jordan without the great marketing team behind him. Like Micheal he is arrogant, brash, and manically competitive. And thats part of their greatness and drive to get better. The biggest difference is that Kobe is not very mature in learning that his teammates can help enhance his legacy if he just puts in a little more effort. But i think that ill come in time. IMO he is the second most talented guard i have ever seen play. He works his ass off and deserves our respect as basketball fans.

And hell yeah if he was on my team, I'd pimp the hell out of him. I love this group of Suns and it makes them easy to cheer for, but i root for the P-H-O-E-N-I-X across the front of the uniform, not the players. I learned better along time ago....

 

[tobiazz]

OT: AZ's Finest, your reverse avatar mojo is killing us. Brand is shooting 75%

 

[D-Dogg]

See i watch sports for guys and their athletic talent and watch them compete at the highest level. I'm not watching because i need more role models in my life. As long as the players have not commited any crimes that would take away their freedom, why should i care if they are selfish or pricks to reporters? I don't have to deal with them....I watch and listen all the visceral hate generated by Barry Bonds and laugh to myself because all i think is "Damn - Thats the best baseball player i have ever seen. I wouldn't let him baby sit my kids but he sure as hell can hit a baseball. And i respect the hell out of that aspect of him.

I feel EXACTLY the same way...I've said the same exact thing about Bonds as well. He's a real dick and probably a cheater but so what, he amazes me on the field...and I don't even enjoy baseball.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

OT: AZ's Finest, your reverse avatar mojo is killing us. Brand is shooting 75%

As long as we get the W it's working.......

 

[MVP]

Same with Kobe. It seems like much of the griping about the guy is directed at what you percieve his personality to be. And thats just a testament to his ability as most people can't find a true flaw to his game.

I just see him as Micheal Jordan without the great marketing team behind him. Like Micheal he is arrogant, brash, and manically competitive. And thats part of their greatness and drive to get better. The biggest difference is that Kobe is not very mature in learning that his teammates can help enhance his legacy if he just puts in a little more effort. But i think that ill come in time. IMO he is the second most talented guard i have ever seen play. He works his ass off and deserves our respect as basketball fans.

I couldn't agree with you more. I really don't understand why people hate Kobe so much. The other day, after the Game 7 victory, Suns fans here posted a picture of Kobe cupping his hand to his ear while the US Airways center chanted "Kobe sucks" in unison, and people here saw it as evidence that Kobe is cocky? How about I go to any one of your workplaces and chant "You suck! You suck!" and see exactly how you feel.

I don't know if I've ever seen Kobe Bryant do or say something derrogatory about or towards another NBA player unless he was responding to something that somebody else started. Whenever Shaq took pot-shots at Kobe, you rarely heard anything from Kobe. One time it finally pissed Kobe off enough that he responded and called Shaq fat and lazy. Is that Kobe's fault? Just the other week, when Kobe made the "Who is this kid? Do I know this kid?" comments, he was responding to Bell's comments about how Kobe was a "pompous, arrogant individual." Should Kobe have responded by saying, "Well, I disagree, but he has the right to his opinion and I respect him for voicing it."? The previous day, even after Bell had thrown kobe by the neck to the floor, Kobe had said that he thought Bell was a pretty good defender and that he didn't want anything on the court to spillover outside of basketball. Bell initiated the war of words.

I have no idea what kind of person Kobe Bryant is outside of basketball. I don't like the fact that he cheated on his wife, but other than that he seems like a nice person who has grown up since then. I know that, despite all of the unsubstantiated claims made on these boards about how Bryant has the maturity level of a 13-year old, after season-ending exit interviews in LA today, everyone, from Phil Jackson to Jerry Bus to Brian Cook to Lamar Odom, was in agreement about how much improved Bryant has become as a leader and a teamate. I guess if 26 guys on a website dislike Kobe because he tried to beat the Phoenix Suns, though, it's not the worst thing in the world.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I don't understand this type of comment. Did you stop watching the Suns when that fat, lazy, degenerate gambling Charles Barkley played for the Suns? Or when the wife-beating Jason Kidd played for the Suns?

I know you're a big Suns fan Chris, and I'm pretty sure you'd always root for the Suns regardless of who played in the uniform.

No I seriously couldn't stomach watching Kobe in a Suns uni. I would just find something else to watch.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I feel EXACTLY the same way...I've said the same exact thing about Bonds as well. He's a real dick and probably a cheater but so what, he amazes me on the field...and I don't even enjoy baseball.

Paying to watch someone like that or boosting TV ratings to watch someone like that only encourages future Bonds, Kobe's, ect...

Just the way I feel. There are some people I never want on my favorite team because they are the heels, the villians, and I simply won't root for them.

 

[Chaplin]

Enough already!

Post after post of "I hate Kobe this" and "I hate Kobe that", and then the resident Laker fans come on and do their little elitist show and it explodes.

Let's put Kobe behind us. After all, the Suns already did.

 

[frdbtr]

All you guys who are wondering why so much hatred is directed towards Kobe Bryant need to take off your laker colored glasses and look at him from everyone elses perspective. Kobe came into the league and immediately demanded a trade to the lakers. He acted like that laker team was his before he had ever made a shot in the NBA. His first all star game became the Kobe vs Jordon show and he completely disrespected Karl malone by waving off a screen. Kobe then runs off the most dominant player in the NBA because he doesn't want to share the ball with him. He completely ball hoggs the lakers into losing it's last shot at a championship against the pistons, and then "leads" his team into the lottery. Kobe is the epitome of a spoiled primodonna in the NBA. He has 3 rings but in truth hasn't accomplished anything since he decided not to work with Shaq and run him off. Kobe not only disrespects Basketball with his selfishness he disrespects the rest of the players in the NBA. Do you think for even 1 second that Micheal Jordon would have disrespected Bell verbally by calling him a "kid" and saying "maybe he wasn't hugged enough by his mother"? Micheal would have just come out the next day, like he did against John Starks, and lit him up for 50. Kobe isn't fun to watch, his arrogance is nothing more then irritating. I couldn't care less if he broke Wilt Chamberlins 100 point game, he would still just be an arrogant Jerk that can fill up the points column.

 

[boisesuns]

Enough already!

Post after post of "I hate Kobe this" and "I hate Kobe that", and then the resident Laker fans come on and do their little elitist show and it explodes.

Let's put Kobe behind us. After all, the Suns already did.

 

[Gaddabout]

I don't hate Kobe but I'm sick of seeing his name on thread lists. Yesterday, Kobe's name was in the top 4 threads ... one Gameday of Round 2! Can the moderators put these to rest please? Or are us Suns fans really so bored with our basketball team?

 

[D-Dogg]

I don't hate Kobe but I'm sick of seeing his name on thread lists. Yesterday, Kobe's name was in the top 4 threads ... one Gameday of Round 2! Can the moderators put these to rest please? Or are us Suns fans really so bored with our basketball team?

No Laker fans are starting them. Perhaps Suns fans are bored that there aren't any Clipper trolls to talk mess to, so they are trying to draw out the Laker posters when we should be left alone to lick our wounds.

 

[nowagimp]

No Laker fans are starting them. Perhaps Suns fans are bored that there aren't any Clipper trolls to talk mess to, so they are trying to draw out the Laker posters when we should be left alone to lick our wounds.

Hate can be all consuming and it does appear that there are alot of Kobe haters. Let it go, suns fans. Its bad Chi, you just hurt yourself.

 

[CardShark]

I think you would find most talk was against Kobe coming here when he was a free agent. Most fans see him as the most self centered player in the league. He can score points but he is anti-team. He only finished 4th in MVP ballotting because that's all he can do. When he chases off one of the most successful coaches of all time because said coach believes in team play, it speaks volumes. I wish Jackson would have stuck to his word as citing Kobe as uncoachable. Kobe actually broke up a championship caliber team so he could dominate the headlines.

After Charles Barkley called him out for being selfish, what did Kobe do? Instead of picking up the phone and talking to Barkley mano a mano, he text messaged him a dozen times, ranting and raving like a little school girl. Waking out of the arena without congratulating your opponent was totally classless. Maybe he was in a hurry to get back to his room and order room service.

I HATE Kobe Bryant!

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

After Charles Barkley called him out for being selfish, what did Kobe do? Instead of picking up the phone and talking to Barkley mano a mano, he text messaged him a dozen times, ranting and raving like a little school girl. Waking out of the arena without congratulating your opponent was totally classless. Maybe he was in a hurry to get back to his room and order room service.

Not to sound like an apologist, but a good amount of people in Kobe's age group mainly communicate via text message.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

All you guys who are wondering why so much hatred is directed towards Kobe Bryant need to take off your laker colored glasses and look at him from everyone elses perspective. Kobe came into the league and immediately demanded a trade to the lakers. He acted like that laker team was his before he had ever made a shot in the NBA. His first all star game became the Kobe vs Jordon show and he completely disrespected Karl malone by waving off a screen. Kobe then runs off the most dominant player in the NBA because he doesn't want to share the ball with him. He completely ball hoggs the lakers into losing it's last shot at a championship against the pistons, and then "leads" his team into the lottery. Kobe is the epitome of a spoiled primodonna in the NBA. He has 3 rings but in truth hasn't accomplished anything since he decided not to work with Shaq and run him off. Kobe not only disrespects Basketball with his selfishness he disrespects the rest of the players in the NBA. Do you think for even 1 second that Micheal Jordon would have disrespected Bell verbally by calling him a "kid" and saying "maybe he wasn't hugged enough by his mother"? Micheal would have just come out the next day, like he did against John Starks, and lit him up for 50. Kobe isn't fun to watch, his arrogance is nothing more then irritating. I couldn't care less if he broke Wilt Chamberlins 100 point game, he would still just be an arrogant Jerk that can fill up the points column.

And blah blah blah.....Once again, Yes Kobe is immature at times. Yes he wanted to validate his greatness on his own. (think about if MJ was on a team with Shaq or if he and Pippens roles were reveresed? YOu dont think he would have done everything he could to get that guy out of there so he could prove he was the GOAT. As much as you would love to think this was not true, if Shaq was on MJ's team when he came on as a rookie, then no matter what he did it would be viewed as a byproduct of Shaq. Thats got to be annoying....But conversly how many titles does Shaq have w/o Kobe, its the yin and yang of both of them along with the ingenious coaching of Jackson. No one person was exclusivly responsible for the winning of three titles but i digress) Yes he is manically competitive. But heres the reality. If some groupie/alleged victim wouldn't have reported him in (and lets assume he is innocent. Then that could have happened to 99% of the players in the NBA that they slept with a groupie and she alleged rape. In fact the fact that he was Kobe Bryant might have been the impetus. But really we have no idea so this is conjecture) then while he would have caught flak for his wanting his own team, he wouldn't be the pariah he know is.

Can we just agree he is the best perimeter player in the NBA and leave it at that?!? He didn't quit in game 7, he (*being immature again) was probably chastised in the locker room for trying to go on his own and being down 15. So he proved a point in the second half. Stupid and self destructive yeah.....Would MJ have done that. Not after that first title when it came together for him. But i feel Kobe never had had a vet presence that wasn't self interested or an far inferior player that he respected. Dude needed some guidance and we are seeing the byproduct of him not getting that out of high school.

But whatever. Like i keep saying he is amazing. A real joy to watch when he is not sabotaging his own team. Who the hell really cares if he is an a$$hole. You don't know him and he don't know you. It's ridiculous. Is AC Green a Hall of Famer because he was the nicest guy in NBA history? No. So why is Kobe so hated and discredited becasue he comes across as selfish and immature. Just respect him for what he is, a basketball player.

And Chris I love ya but you think by your watching is causing ratings to go up and there by leading to more players being a$$holes? I would like to see that socialogical experiment. There are a$$holes in every walk of life. But if the best lawyer is going to get me off and is a jerk, I'm going to hire him. Or if the best surgeon is a really selfish prick, I'm still going to go to him for his ability at his trade, not his personality.

Shouldn't it be the same for Kobe?

 

[Ryanwb]

Not to sound like an apologist, but a good amount of people in Kobe's age group mainly communicate via text message.

I'm in Kobe's age group and I use the phone

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I'm in Kobe's age group and I use the phone

I'm with you on both accounts, but a lot of people I know and am friends with use text messaging as their main way of communicating socially. I don't use it because it takes me around 45 minutes to type out a sentence.

 

[elindholm]

But if the best lawyer is going to get me off and is a jerk, I'm going to hire him. Or if the best surgeon is a really selfish prick, I'm still going to go to him for his ability at his trade, not his personality.

Shouldn't it be the same for Kobe?

Have you forgotten that Bryant works in the entertainment industry? Priorities are a little different there.

 

[D-Dogg]

But if the best lawyer is going to get me off and is a jerk, I'm going to hire him. Or if the best surgeon is a really selfish prick, I'm still going to go to him for his ability at his trade, not his personality.

Shouldn't it be the same for Kobe?

Have you forgotten that Bryant works in the entertainment industry? Priorities are a little different there.

I'm sorry, but I'm terribly entertained by the guy. He is jaw dropping good, and an amazing player. And judging by the multiple threads on a Suns board about him, after the team has moved past his...he also is an enigma that others can't stop talking about..hating or not.

That's entertainment.

By trying to argue, you crystalized Arizona Finest's point...

 

[D-Dogg]

And blah blah blah.....Once again, Yes Kobe is immature at times. Yes he wanted to validate his greatness on his own. (think about if MJ was on a team with Shaq or if he and Pippens roles were reveresed? YOu dont think he would have done everything he could to get that guy out of there so he could prove he was the GOAT. As much as you would love to think this was not true, if Shaq was on MJ's team when he came on as a rookie, then no matter what he did it would be viewed as a byproduct of Shaq. Thats got to be annoying....But conversly how many titles does Shaq have w/o Kobe, its the yin and yang of both of them along with the ingenious coaching of Jackson. No one person was exclusivly responsible for the winning of three titles but i digress) Yes he is manically competitive. But heres the reality. If some groupie/alleged victim wouldn't have reported him in (and lets assume he is innocent. Then that could have happened to 99% of the players in the NBA that they slept with a groupie and she alleged rape. In fact the fact that he was Kobe Bryant might have been the impetus. But really we have no idea so this is conjecture) then while he would have caught flak for his wanting his own team, he wouldn't be the pariah he know is.

Can we just agree he is the best perimeter player in the NBA and leave it at that?!? He didn't quit in game 7, he (*being immature again) was probably chastised in the locker room for trying to go on his own and being down 15. So he proved a point in the second half. Stupid and self destructive yeah.....Would MJ have done that. Not after that first title when it came together for him. But i feel Kobe never had had a vet presence that wasn't self interested or an far inferior player that he respected. Dude needed some guidance and we are seeing the byproduct of him not getting that out of high school.

But whatever. Like i keep saying he is amazing. A real joy to watch when he is not sabotaging his own team. Who the hell really cares if he is an a$$hole. You don't know him and he don't know you. It's ridiculous. Is AC Green a Hall of Famer because he was the nicest guy in NBA history? No. So why is Kobe so hated and discredited becasue he comes across as selfish and immature. Just respect him for what he is, a basketball player.

And Chris I love ya but you think by your watching is causing ratings to go up and there by leading to more players being a$$holes? I would like to see that socialogical experiment. There are a$$holes in every walk of life. But if the best lawyer is going to get me off and is a jerk, I'm going to hire him. Or if the best surgeon is a really selfish prick, I'm still going to go to him for his ability at his trade, not his personality.

Shouldn't it be the same for Kobe?

One of the best posts I have read on any board...NBA, other teams, Lakers, whatever. Objective, correct and just well written with a strong message.

 

[elindholm]

Look, I respect Bryant a lot and have a much more favorable opinion of him than most people on this board. But if you're trying to say that his image doesn't affect his success as an entertainer, you're just dead wrong. Given his ability, he should be one of the dominant endorsement personalities in all of sports. He isn't. It costs him tens of millions of dollars a year.

 

[D-Dogg]

He's a basketball player, not anything but. His image doesn't mean squat...what he does on the court does. That's it. I don't care about his ad dollars, his commercials, whatever. He's a guy who I respect because of his game.

When it comes to egomaniacs, Kobe ain't got nothing on Tom Cruise, but how many people are going to go watch MI3? Image is nothing...results are everything.

The Kobe Show was the highest rated program in my house all season long...you tuned in to see what he would do on any given night. THAT is the epitome of entertainment. It was must-see TV.