The 2007-08 Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Darth Llama]

What is it with some people?

If Kobe has a great game and puts up a heroic effort (which he does more then anyone in the NBA) no one says a word. As soon as he does something even remotely questionable, here come all the haters and doubters. People are SO desperate to convince themselves Kobe isn't really a good player that they jump on every scrap of information that might insinuate that Kobe isn't a great player. It's sad and pathetic.

No player is perfect in every game, no player never makes mistakes, no player never makes the wrong call. Everyone, even Kobe makes some mistakes, if you're going to jump his **** every time and point out every thing he did wrong, then at least be unbiased about it and point out every time he plays well. I get it, people think Kobe's a jerk, fine, he is a Jerk, just like his idol, the biggest dick head ever to play the game Michael "Retire 50 times" Jordan. The funny thing is, all these Kobe bashers would kill to have Kobe on their team and if they say they wouldn't they are flat out liars.

 

[Joe L]

Oh, guys like Bill Plaschke will make trouble as much as they can. Dbag writers.

But to answer his questions:



Yes, which is what Phil was talking about. They went to 24 early in the shot clock, and then didn't move around. They watched. That's on them.



Yes, and he's stupidly stubborn. Instead of directing the others to move around, he made the problem worse by playing right into it.


So, Bill...the answer is a little bit of both.

Plaschke is actually a great writer for the Times. He isn't about "sugar coating" anything and he tells it like it is....even with my Clippers...especially my Clippers.
I agree it was a little of both but he wasn't actually going after Kobe so much as he was going after Phil for throwing his players under the bus. Even the players were surprised by those comments.
I heard the comments live and I just about lost it myself. The guys played great especially Odom and for Phil to say they let Kobe down is wrong on so many levels. Going into a crucial game 5 like that isn't the way you want to go into. Plaschke was just pointed that out. He is a Laker fan that is just showing his emotion...

 

[D-Dogg]

Plaschke is actually a great writer for the Times. He isn't about "sugar coating" anything and he tells it like it is....even with my Clippers...especially my Clippers.
I agree it was a little of both but he wasn't actually going after Kobe so much as he was going after Phil for throwing his players under the bus. Even the players were surprised by those comments.
I heard the comments live and I just about lost it myself. The guys played great especially Odom and for Phil to say they let Kobe down is wrong on so many levels. Going into a crucial game 5 like that isn't the way you want to go into. Plaschke was just pointed that out. He is a Laker fan that is just showing his emotion...

Ok Joe, that is soooooooo the worst thing I've ever heard. He's one of the absolute WORST writers in LA. The Times in general is a rag.

Plaschke exists ONLY to sell papers and stir the pot. He is useless. If it weren't for TJ Simers, he'd be the biggest dbag at the times. I can basically tell you within three paragraphs if a story is by either of those two guys, and which one. Shockingly, J.A. Adande is actually a better writer at ESPN than he was back in LA.

Kevin Ding at the Register and *forgot his name right now* at the Press Enterprise are FAR better writers than Plashkhole. They both "tell it like it is" but are more fact-based than opinion-based and both "get" the NBA. Bill does not.

 

[D-Dogg]

Oh, and I agree that Phil probably should have ****, and I don't know why he made those comments. I think he is incensed at the bench though and he wants them all to come out with a chip on their shoulders.

Sasha is the only bench guy who is fearless...he hit some huge shots yesterday.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

The funny thing is, all these Kobe bashers would kill to have Kobe on their team and if they say they wouldn't they are flat out liars.

He's on my team and I can't stand the guy.

Go Lakers !!

 

[D-Dogg]

He's on my team and I can't stand the guy.

Go Lakers !!

He happens to be a Laker.

So your "Go Lakers" rings very hollow. Very hollow indeed. You almost root for his failure. You definitely revel in it. It's quite odd.

For me, I don't care who the guy is as long as he's in a Laker uni. Even Karl "13 year olds are sexy" Malone.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Whatever. You can be a Lakers fan and not a Kobe fan. I was a fan before he was even born and I'll be a fan of the team long after he hangs up his jersey. He's just a blip on the radar of Lakers history.

 

[D-Dogg]

Whatever. You can be a Lakers fan and not a Kobe fan. I was a fan before he was even born and I'll be a fan of the team long after he hangs up his jersey. He's just a blip on the radar of Lakers history.

That's fine and dandy...you just seem to take more joy out of his failures, even when they hurt the team, than you do his success, even when it helps the team.

It's like all the Odom haters or Luke haters on Lakersground. They ignore the guys when do well, but once they have a bad game, there they are yakking about it.

You don't have to be a "kobe fan" either to be a Laker fan. He may be a "blip" on the radar of the team's history, but he's a BIG part of that history as well.

It's fine and all, but just super weird. Like the Fitz/Boldin fan infighting...who cares...people are odd.

 

[Darth Llama]

I guess I'm more like Donald in that I like players when they are Lakers. There are guys I rooted for as Lakers that I hated before/after they were Lakers. Guys like Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Ron Harper, Horace Grant, Eddie Jones Devan George just to name a few.

I actually like Kobe, I know he can be an arrogant jerk, but I think that's part of the mentality needed to play the role he does. I don't think he's as bad as some people think though, his team mates seem to love him (his team now anyway.) I don't understand how you could root for someone on your team to fail, that just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Darth Llama]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3392509

Kobe will play Game 5 despite the sore back.

Ronnie Turiaf will not be suspended.


Both are good, I hope Kobe is 100%, we absolutely cannot lose this one at home. I'm not as worried as I was though, I don't see us losing 3 straight games. I'm glad the game isn't till Wednesday though, that is good news for Kobe.

 

[Joe L]

Ok Joe, that is soooooooo the worst thing I've ever heard. He's one of the absolute WORST writers in LA. The Times in general is a rag.

Plaschke exists ONLY to sell papers and stir the pot. He is useless. If it weren't for TJ Simers, he'd be the biggest dbag at the times. I can basically tell you within three paragraphs if a story is by either of those two guys, and which one. Shockingly, J.A. Adande is actually a better writer at ESPN than he was back in LA.

Kevin Ding at the Register and *forgot his name right now* at the Press Enterprise are FAR better writers than Plashkhole. They both "tell it like it is" but are more fact-based than opinion-based and both "get" the NBA. Bill does not.

Their styles are different but Plaschke is more animated and yes, more opinion but thats the guys style. Those other writers are bland but have substance but no more than Plaschke. A Howard Cosell with a pen if you will. Love that, it keeps the reader awake.
Adande was actually my favorite writer at the times but I have no problem with the other guy trying to sell papers. After all, it should be every writers
most important duty.

 

[Haren]

Kobe will play Game 5 despite the sore back.

I sure hope he knows what he's doing. The last thing we need is for it to get even worse.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It's fine and all, but just super weird. Like the Fitz/Boldin fan infighting...who cares...people are odd.

It's us Fitz people that have to stand up for ourselves.

But I'm "this" close to switching to Q. He may go to my son and daughter's school and talk to the kids there. Arrangements are being worked out.

That would definitely throw me over onto the Q side....although Q is trying to get Fitz to do the same....

 

[Darth Llama]

Anyone that likes Fitz more then Q needs years of therapy.

I am with Fitz like BIM is with Kobe with the exception that I don't root against him. I hate Larry Fitzgerald, but I will cheer for him as long as he's a Cardinal and hope for his success.

The second he leaves the Cardinals though, I will bash him into the ground.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Anyone that likes Fitz more then Q needs years of therapy.

I am with Fitz like BIM is with Kobe with the exception that I don't root against him. I hate Larry Fitzgerald, but I will cheer for him as long as he's a Cardinal and hope for his success.

The second he leaves the Cardinals though, I will bash him into the ground.

There is little to hate about Fitzgerald's game.

 

[Darth Llama]

There is little to hate about Fitzgerald's game.

There is nothing to hate about Fitz game. I have no problem with the way he plays the game, I don't like him personally. Doesn't matter though, he's a Cardinal, and therefore I back him completely till the day he leaves.

Kobe, I don't just back because he's a Laker. He's a great player and he's a Laker, works out great for me that one of my favorite players of all time happens to be on my favorite team.

 

[D-Dogg]

I have no problem with the other guy trying to sell papers. After all, it should be every writers
most important duty.

NO!!!!!

You are about to pounce on a hot-button for me. See, I started off pursuing journalism, broadcast specifically, in college. What we have today is not journalism...it is infotainment.

Every writers MOST IMPORTANT DUTY should never, ever, ever, ever be to sell papers/ads/ratings. It should be to relay FACTS to readers in the most easily digestable way without bias. Sports has more leeway with this, of course, but it is to the point where almost every "story" is better classified as "opinion." OP eds have their place, absolutely, but they used to be clearly defined and placed. Now, they are part of the reporting, accepted as articles. It is maddening.

I get very angry when a newscaster tells me "this tragic story of blah blah blah" or "a tale that will give you goosebumps." IF it is tragic or will give me goosebumps, then let your relaying of the facts tell me, not your commentary on how "tragic" it is. Yes, the german grandfatherrapist tale is horrifying...I didn't need you, Miss CakedupMakeup to inform me of that.

 

[D-Dogg]

There is nothing to hate about Fitz game. I have no problem with the way he plays the game, I don't like him personally.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this before.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this before.

Me neither. The idea is making me go :kablooey:

 

[Linderbee]

There is nothing to hate about Fitz game. I have no problem with the way he plays the game, I don't like him personally. Doesn't matter though, he's a Cardinal, and therefore I back him completely till the day he leaves.

Kobe, I don't just back because he's a Laker. He's a great player and he's a Laker, works out great for me that one of my favorite players of all time happens to be on my favorite team.

Then you should feel the same about Fitz. Great player, plays for your team.

Can't imagine you think Kobe is a "great guy" off the court???

 

[D-Dogg]

Then you should feel the same about Fitz. Great player, plays for your team.

Can't imagine you think Kobe is a "great guy" off the court???

A) He backs Fitz. He just doesn't like him (which I don't get, but ok).

B) Kobe isn't the monster off the court people make him out to be. From most reports, he's a pretty great guy off the court with fans and such, and is one of those guys that quietly does a lot of charity work. Unless you are on the block for an all-star, his off-court persona sounds/seems much nicer than his on-court one.

C) Darth doesn't know either of them off the court/field.

D) Just because he listed those two qualities doesn't mean they are the end-all, be-all

E) Did I mention I don't know why Darth doesn't like Fitz personally? Well I don't, but I sure as hell do want to know now!!

F) Fitz isn't a Laker. Tailpipe.

 

[Linderbee]

A) He backs Fitz. He just doesn't like him (which I don't get, but ok).

B) Kobe isn't the monster off the court people make him out to be. From most reports, he's a pretty great guy off the court with fans and such, and is one of those guys that quietly does a lot of charity work. Unless you are on the block for an all-star, his off-court persona sounds/seems much nicer than his on-court one.

C) Darth doesn't know either of them off the court/field.

D) Just because he listed those two qualities doesn't mean they are the end-all, be-all

E) Did I mention I don't know why Darth doesn't like Fitz personally? Well I don't, but I sure as hell do want to know now!!

F) Fitz isn't a Laker. Tailpipe.

My point was, that the reasons he gave for liking Kobe is because he's a great player playing for "his team". That makes everything about rooting for Kobe cool with him. By that logic, he should feel the same way about Fitz. Great player, playing for "his team". He never said he LIKES Kobe as a person. Maybe he meant to.

I never said he was a monster. I just have little tolerance for philandering, and those that think it's their right to be that way just because they're famous.

 

[D-Dogg]

My point was, that the reasons he gave for liking Kobe is because he's a great player playing for "his team". That makes everything about rooting for Kobe cool with him. By that logic, he should feel the same way about Fitz. Great player, playing for "his team". He never said he LIKES Kobe as a person. Maybe he meant to.

I never said he was a monster. I just have little tolerance for philandering, and those that think it's their right to be that way just because they're famous.

You mean 90% of the famous?

(I hear ya tho)

 

[Linderbee]

You mean 90% of the famous?

(I hear ya tho)

Yep. Them's the ones I'm talking about.

 

[Darth Llama]

Well, I wasn't going to go into it because it's a bit off topic, but what the hell.

I don't hate Fitz, I just don't like him. My reason is because I lost a lot of respect for Fitz in the way he handled the re-negotiation of his contract. I admit, I don't know Fitz personally, but his "show me the money" approach on a team that he knows is trying desperately to add talent to win more, put me off on him big time. Fitz was made an initial offer that was a great offer, a fair offer, and one that would make him one of the highest paid players in the entire league and still offer the Cardinals some flexibility, but he refused it. It wasn't good enough for him which is ridiculous, he demanded more money then any wide out, and he simply isn't the best wide out in the league. When guys like Berry step up and take that hit in the pocket to help their team, that says something to me. Granted, Fitz and Berry were in entirely different situations, Fitz had leverage that Bert didn't have, but Bert could have allowed himself to be cut and got more money with someone else, but he wanted to be here. Fitz holding out for every last dollar cost the Cardinals in free agency, and my bottom line is with the team, not with one player. I also believe that Fitz huge deal will, in the future, cost us to lose Anquan Boldin, but I hope that isn't the case. His No Trade Clause is going to kill the Cardinals

Again, it's a little off topic, but I'm the same way with all my sports. I am a fan of the Cardinals Franchise just like I'm a fan of the Lakers franchise. Yes, I like the guys on the team, but I never support them above the team. This is why I'm no longer a Shaq fan as well. I loved him when he was a Laker, but now he's the enemy, so I will root for him to fail and laugh when he does. I don't hate Fitz, I simply don't like him.

I don't know him or Kobe. I have things I don't like about Kobe, sure. I was disgusted with him for cheating on his wife, I'm big against that, but I also understand he made a mistake. Would I get along with Kobe? I have no idea, but I might, I'm a fairly forgiving person when I believe someone is truly sorry for something they did wrong. We have all made mistakes in life.

Sorry if I took this a little off topic.