I gotta say that I agree with most everything this guy writes about Kobe. There has always been something “off” about Bryant. I remember when he was a rookie on the Lakers and they were playing a tight game in the playoffs (one that would prove to be their elimination game) and Bryant took so many bad shots, many of which were airballs. I wondered what he thought he was doing, but gave him the benefit of the doubt because he was like 18 at the time. But he’s never really changed. He makes some big shots but he takes a lot too. He’s never grown up. He’s never become a player like Jordan by making those around him better. It’s pretty disappointing.
The article is a little personal, but the writer calls Kobe out on inappropriate mannerisms.
Jordan didn’t really make those around him better, either. He made his team better because he was on it.
The problem with Kobe is all this shit is premeditated. When he pumps his fist or mouths something to the audience or whatever, he’s doing it because he decided to do it in advance. It’s very similar to Alex Rodriguez, I think. Whereas with a guy like Jordan, the mental aspects of his game were natural and spontaneous, so that when he talked shit or celebrated and things like that, it was consistent with him as a player, because he was just acting what he felt. With Kobe and Rodriguez, it seems to me painfully obvious that each spends a LOT of time thinking about how his actions are going to be perceived. The result is this weird pastiche of Jordan’s prior on-court demeanor with a few other affectations, such that Kobe just seems completely awkward and artificial - because he is. Same with Rodriguez; he spends so much time thinking about how he appears that he ends up appearing… like he spends all his time thinking about how he appears.
It’s a weird cerebral thing. Kobe just doesn’t have the spontaneous self-assurance that makes a truly transcendent athlete on the court (and a phenomenal asshole off the court generally), and he’s smart enough to be aware of it, so he tries to fake it.
Edit to add: now that I think about it, it’s very consistent with the way a clinically depressed person behaves in a social situation in general. You know, that whole thing where “I’m no good, so I have to act like the cool people act… how do they act HOW DO THEY ACT?”
Well, I think Jordan was ultimately very good for overall team play. He didn’t introduce any conflict into the locker room, except that some teammates were simultaneously amazed, jealous, and admiring of his talent. I am not so sure about Kobe Bryant on that end. I’ve heard rumors that he puts a lot of tension onto his team. Of course, I am not there, so…
Michael Jordan, among other things, punched Steve Kerr right in the fucking face during a practice scrimmage. Which is fine, really, it’s not like I think it’s some kind of failing of his that he didn’t “make everyone better,” I just don’t think it’s true. It was his team, he played by his rules, and on the court for 40-some minutes a game he cut throats out. And that’s why he won. It wasn’t overall team play that won the Chicago Bulls those titles.
I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you that Kobe doesn’t have self-assurance in social situations, but why does that keep him from being a transcendent athelete?
I mean, as a fan I’m cheering against him (let’s just say the Boston Garden is much nearer my current location than the Forum or whatever it’s called), probably wouldn’t much like hanging out with him, and generally can’t stand the Kobe worship of the NBA marketing department and LA scene, but I do have to give him props as an athelete.
I think it’s true that he’s happier playing ball than socializing, and probably true that he’d be happier if basketball was a one-on-one sport rather than a team sport, but it’s likely you could have said that about Jordan or Chamberlain, too (as opposed to Magic or Russell), so I can’t say Kobe’s not a transcendent athelete.
I’m talking about on the court self-assurance, not social. Kobe’s greatness is scripted greatness, not improv. Jordan was a natural predator – he didn’t have to think about how to “seem” like a force of nature, he just did it.
Note that certainly I’m not saying Kobe isn’t on the short list of the greatest players of all time. But there’s a difference between himself and the (very sparsely populated) level above him, and I think the difference can’t be explained by physical skills, but by a kind of self-awareness that works against him.
The difference here is that, were Kobe to try that same move on Kerr, there’s an even chance Kerr catches Kobe’s slap and socks him in the jaw.
I don’t think Jordan’s effect on his teammates can be questioned. The connection is here, in this thread. Kobe is endlessly calculating and manipulating (as mentioned), and everyone can see it. Especially his teammates. So when Kobe is driving on someone to be better, perform better, expect better, they won’t react positively because deep down, that teammate knows Kobe is saying it because leaders are supposed to say those things. The meaning is all gone.
Jordan can say the exact same things, with the exact same tone, and because (as has been mentioned in this thread) there is no manipulation and calculation behind the words, people respect them for the inherent truth. Jordan is that leader that expects more of you than you can give, and yet you find a way to do it because of the natural respect he earns on the court. Kobe can never do that because he can never earn that respect.
The difference is that Bryant is playing in a celebrity athlete culture that came into existence after Jordan became a global superstar. There was, as far as I know, nothing like this prior to “be like Mike.” If Michael Jordan were trying to be The Next Michael Jordan, it might look something like this, too. I’m not sure he was the warmest human being either, but he didn’t have to be something other than himself. Bryant and Rodriguez are both fundamentally self-conscious people and they’re aware people are watching them all the time. Which is actually true. And yes, they try to play to that audience.
It’s not that they’re inappopriate, necessarily, it’s that they’re contrived and stupid. The writer’s basically saying ‘it’s not enough that you’re the best or second-best player in the league, Kobe, we also want you to look like you enjoy it.’ So what if he doesn’t? He’s the one making the stupid faces; it doesn’t cost anybody anything.
Some athletes just don’t make that off-the-field connection with people. Shaq did, LeBron did, but others don’t do that and get by only with remarkable performances on the court. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s only when athletes like Bryant and Rodriguez try to make everybody love them without knowing how that things get horrendously awkward.
It’s funny how our view of athletes is shaped by a few moments or seasons. Cause Jordan in Chicago definitely seemed like a natural leader and motivator, and that’s what we remember.
If every hoops fan alive hadn’t agreed to forget the whole ugly scene with Jordan in Washington, we might have to re-think how good he was at motivating teammates.
Kobe throughout the years has been correctly typecasted as the bad guy. But he refuses to fill it. He wants people to like him. If he played his role it’d be much better.
Although I enjoy hating on Kobe I also feel somewhat sorry for him, as much as I can feel sorry for a millionaire athlete. He’s been compared to Jordan his entire career. That’s an impossible (and dumb) standard. Every time he comes up short, every time he doesn’t save the day he’s held to this insane criteria of “what Jordan would’ve done.”
But at the same time he was aping Jordan’s moves while they were both in the league! He’s copied both his on court and off court mannerisms like some creepy stalker. Back in '00 and '01 nutty LA fans (AKA a lot of them) were talking about how “Kobe was better than Jordan at the same age” against all sane evidence. Combined with exaggerated media hype up to this year it makes seeing him crash and burn over and over feel so good.
:smack:
Kobe even during his physical prime (mini fro) wasn’t some world shattering athlete like LeBron, Shaq, or Jordan. He relies a lot more on skill and savvy. You could have a lively debate on where Kobe ranks all time but in general you can come up with at least 15 players who are better and maybe more depending on your criteria.
Here’s a big problem in Kobe’s game. His shot selection leaves a lot to be desired, even when he’s on a really good team. When faced with an elite defense he doesn’t know what to do besides hoist up long contested jumpers. He’s very good at this and can sometimes do absurd things like hit double teamed three pointers falling into the stands, but that’s horrible basketball. Those are Kobe shots. He just doesn’t play intelligently a lot of the time. A fairly noobish Wade used a rapidly declining Shaq a lot better than he did. If Kobe’s jump shot isn’t falling then a lot of the time it’s like he’s not even out there. He can take you off the dribble here and there but he’s not going to destroy you with it. If LeBron is playing like complete crap he’ll still pull down retarded amounts of rebounds and get a lot of assists or get to the line or make defensive plays or something. Kobe seems to prefer to catch the ball at the top of the circle, hold, hold, and go to work, damn the torpedos, or the fact he’s shooting 30% or whatever. Seriously, last year against Boston was like a clinic on what NOT to do against a good defensive team. Not as bad as '04 though, but that was something else entirely piled on already bad habits…
