Skip Bayless tells the Truth

[D-Dogg]

Then again you think Smushy Parker is a legitimate NBA player so your standards can't be that high.

Yeah, because I've been talking about the Lakers needing a PG and a PF, so naturally you extrapolate that Smush is high on my list. Especially after shooting like crap in three straight games. Quit stalking me, especially with bad info.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not quite "getting" some of the points the Laker fans are making.

1. Do you really believe this is just irrational envy-hate of a great player who has caused us trouble?

Time Duncan doesn't create the same reaction. LeBron certainly doesn't and he had some huge games against the Suns. Dirk doesn't. Ray Allen doesn't. Shaq never did and he was much more overwhelming than Kobe against the Suns when he was a Laker.

2. Do you believe that just because something is reported by the media, that means it ISN'T true? What source of information would ask us to consider?

3. Do you believe that Kobe is more about winning than about Kobe? He's hardly the only one, but a lot of people voted for Nash as MVP because he has the ability to score a bunch of points, but is mostly concerned with getting everyone involved and winning. Everyone describes Nash as a great teammate. How often is that said of Kobe?

4. Do you deny that Kobe projects an overwhelming sense of entitlement when it comes to how the refs call the games?

5. Do you believe that Kobe is given the equal treatment by the refs as other top players?

7. Do you think that deliberately swinging elbows is acceptable?

All I get from the Laker posts is some ill defined accusation that the Suns fans are being unfair (considering this is a Suns board that is hardly unreasonable). IMHO, accusing people of just "hating" someone, without dealing with why, IS unreasonable.

 

[bko32]

D-Dogg-

What about the article wasn't accurate?

If you disagree with the points that were in there then bring something to the table to dispute those points.

Crying hater and rambling on the lack of love your boy gets does not change what was stated. rebuttle with some facts....

Good Artical, should have been done in 6

article was fine, the only thing inaccurate was the implication that smush fouled nash at the end of regulation that resulted in a steal and kobe's layup to tie the game. this is completely wrong and many people on the board have acknowledged this. it was a clean steal by parker and a good play.

the rest of his article is just one person's opinion on the series. he may not have felt nash did the wrong thing by dribbling into a double team, but other people do. he may think that this series is fixed, other people don't. he also thought bell's foul was suspendable while most other people do. bayless has openly criticized the lakers all year so his article doesn't surprise or bother me.

 

[elindholm]

the only thing inaccurate was the implication that smush fouled nash at the end of regulation that resulted in a steal and kobe's layup to tie the game.

Technically, he only implied that Nash should have gotten a call, not that he was fouled. I think his point is that, had the ball handler been someone like Bryant, the officials would have called a foul even had the steal been clean (which it was).

 

[bko32]

you ask some good questions. i appreciate you asking questions like this rather than simply saying "we hate kobe" or "kobe's a punk".

I'm not quite "getting" some of the points the Laker fans are making.

1. Do you really believe this is just irrational envy-hate of a great player who has caused us trouble?

i don't believe that everyone hates kobe simply because he's a great player that causes other teams trouble. there are legit reasons that many people dislike about kobe, but you have to admit that there are casual fans that hate him without much of a reason other than, he's a rapist or he's a ballhog even though they've never really watched an entire laker game. these are the people that bother me.

2. Do you believe that just because something is reported by the media, that means it ISN'T true? What source of information would ask us to consider?

no, but the media does take things out of context and try to make 'mountains out of molehills' if you will. also, the national media doesn't report on other good things about kobe that the local media does report about. to simply read what people like bayless write doesn't allow people to make an completely accurate judgement about kobe.

3. Do you believe that Kobe is more about winning than about Kobe? He's hardly the only one, but a lot of people voted for Nash as MVP because he has the ability to score a bunch of points, but is mostly concerned with getting everyone involved and winning. Everyone describes Nash as a great teammate. How often is that said of Kobe?

kobe is mostly concerned with winning as well, but not necessarily getting his teammates involved. that was not his role in the regular season, however it his role during this series and he has shown it, except for game 6. he isn't as good at getting his teammates involved as nash, but who is? i agree that nash is the better teammate. i would prefer to play basketball with a guy who will looks to pass first than shoot first. i would think anyone who plasys basketball would prefer this.

4. Do you deny that Kobe projects an overwhelming sense of entitlement when it comes to how the refs call the games?

actually, i don't. i think he complains and whines about a lot of calls. but i don't think it is because he feels entitled to those calls. i think he complains because he thinks some calls are b.s. and other times he simply raises his hand and continues to play.

5. Do you believe that Kobe is given the equal treatment by the refs as other top players?

compared to other top players, absolutely. i don't think kobe gets away with any more than other top players like lebron, shaq, wade, etc.

7. Do you think that deliberately swinging elbows is acceptable?

depends, if you're swinging your elbows to clear space, than that is fine. if you're simply swinging to try and hurt another player than that's clearly not acceptable. kobe has done both. he has swung his elbows to get space when a defender is pratically in his shorts. he's also swung his elbows when it didn't seem necessary.

All I get from the Laker posts is some ill defined accusation that the Suns fans are being unfair (considering this is a Suns board that is hardly unreasonable). IMHO, accusing people of just "hating" someone, without dealing with why, IS unreasonable.

 

[Mainstreet]

you ask some good questions. i appreciate you asking questions like this rather than simply saying "we hate kobe" or "kobe's a punk".

BKO 32, you have the makings of a good Sun's fan. I don't know how you got messed up with the Lakers but adopt the Suns as your team. How can you not like Nash, Barbosa and Diaw?

I worry about you hanging out with players like Kobe... that it might rub off on you.

Seriously, you seem to enjoy our discussion board and except for your allegiance to Kobe, you write good posts.

I know, you probably cannot make the change but I have to try. Win or lose, I wish you well after tonight's game.

Edit: Swinging elbows (arms) to clear space is not good, and I believe it may even be a technical foul (not sure). When I played some recreational basketball years ago I swung my elbows just once in a game (when no one was near me) to get some respect. Even that was not cool, but I had been getting mugged under the boards all game.
I regret it to this day. Certainly I do not condone using elbows to clear space as elbows can inflict much more damage than a fist.