Kobe is a thug.

[Lithium]

Edit: I feel like Kobe, among many other players, plays dirty.

Sure he has tons of talent. I wont deny that. But why cant he use that talent to win games for the lakers without trying to hurt other players?

Edit: It seems like very few refs will make any call against a superstar like LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Garnett, etc down the stretch (see lakers vs spurs.)

Edit: I am a little frustrated at him because I feel like he commited a foul on Brandon Roy that wasn't called, that sent b-roy into the first row, so Kobe could get open for a 3 pointer which he made to take the lead in OT. No offensive foul was called.

Edit: And on top of that, him and his teammates Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown, attempted to start a fight with the Blazers, as the three went and entered Portlands huddle at a timeout

I really like Roni Turiaf and Andrew Bynum, but apart from them, I dont have much respect for the lakers anymore.

Tonight, I thought the lakers stole this game.

I guess If the NBA agrees with me, they will do what they need to do.



EDIT: I realize that this post was a little bit harsh, and I think it can be attributed to jealousy, Kobe is an amazing basketball player, and I guess he does whatever it takes to win. If I should be mad at anyone here, it is the refs who didnt make the call, and the Blazers themselves for not being able to overcome it. Sorry to anyone I may have offended.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I have a feeling this thread won't be constructive, but hopefully it can somehow be ..

[Lithium]

why cant it be constructive? apart from my opinions, these are all things that have happened, and I can provide sources to prove.

[WilyWestbrook0]

There are many Laker fans who could get irritated by your remarks that players are 'thugs' and 'gangsters'. I hope it doesn't become that way, but I have posted on forums for years now, and these kinds of threads generally don't go over too well. Just so you understand, though, it won't be edited unless it gets out of hand.

[tradebark]

Eh it's one game, I didn't actually watch this one so I'll address the rest..

On the rape allegations, hey, the case was dropped so for all intents and purposes he's innocent until proven guilty.. And honestly odds are the girl was just out to make a quick buck, which she did. As for cheating on his wife.. Well, as sad as it sounds, a big ol' chunk of NBA players are guilty of that, including your all time greats Michael Jordan (see his wife filing for divorce years ago and again now) and Magic Johnson..

So unless you're of the belief that it's not cheating unless you're caught, you've gotta give him some leeway there.

As for the elbow flailing--while the NBA is making a huge deal out of this, I don't really see why. This has not only been allowed by refs in past years, but completely encouraged. I posted on Beckett about this that players like Paul Pierce and Kobe made a veritable living off of "acting" like this.. Hell, one of Kobe's "victims," Manu Ginobili, does quite a bit more than that on a regular basis.

I mean there are quite a few other things like that that have gone unpunished.. Reggie Miller's kicking post-jumpshot, which could easily trip the defender.. Bruce Bowen sticking his leg where a jump shooter is going to land (has caused ankle injuries among other things).. Grabbing wrists, etc..

I mean looking at the Korver play, he didn't even whine about it, the guy just kept playing. Manu acted like he was hit by a truck, which is how he acts ALL THE TIME anyway.. Jaric I don't know enough about to know if he's an 'actor', but he did comment that he didn't feel it was intentional or unnatural in the postgame interview.

There's a pretty big difference between his "thug" actions.. A big chunk of which actually come through due course of an NBA game (seriously, watch games as recently as 4 years ago and you'll see that any number of swingmen have done the flailing arm post-shot).. and someone like Artest, who runs into the stands and throws punches, or any number of Jailblazers of past years whose 15 minutes of fame consisted of drug or weapon possession charges.. or assault and battery..

[MDIZZ]

i remember when chris childs kicked da boyz --- man that was the ----, i think there is a gif of that flying around somewhere.


lol @ kwame bein a gangster hahaha thats funny the dude couldnt catch.... well he couldnt catch something very catchable dude has stone hands overpaid aswell, i cant believe the lakers traded an allstar(caron butler) for this dude.... oh well as a spurs fan im glad, and i completely agree w/ u

[tutall]

I dont care, I'm biased, so what?

Kobe is a thug. He has been suspended multiple times this season for intentionally retaliating against other players. He has been fined for criticizing almost everyone. He has been accused of crimes against a woman in colorado.

Sure he has tons of talent. I wont deny that. But what the hell is his problem?

No NBA ref will ever make a flippin call against him down the stretch (see lakers vs spurs.)

I am po'ed at him for pushing Brandon Roy into the first row to get open for a 3 pointer which he made to take the lead in OT. No offensive foul was called.

And on top of that, him and his wanna-be gangster buddies Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown, attempted to start a fight with the Blazers, as the three went and entered Portlands huddle at a timeout!

I feel bad for some of the lakers, like Ronny Turiaf and Bynum, who have to put up with the immature antics of Kobe and crew.

Tonight, the lakers were nothing but a big bunch of dirty players who had to cheat to get a win.

Go ahead and hate people. before tonight, I actually had some level of respect for Kobe's skills, but now I see he is just another stephen jackson, ron artest, qyntel woods, and bill lambier.

If there is a such thing as karma, Kobe, Odom, and Brown will be fined/suspended, and the lakers wont make the playoffs, or will get an early exit.

I'm surprised his wife didn't leave him after the thing in denver. wait, no I'm not, a million dollar house changes a lot. whether it was consensual or not, he is still guilty of cheating on his wife.

and I long for the day when he hits someone, and they kick his ___.

This coming from a blazer fan? The Blazers have about the worst rep in the NBA.... Everytime i read something in the paper about the blazers it is either about the latest player to get arrested on drugs charges or someone fighting with coaches etc... We already had that discussion though. I dont think Kobe is really a thug although if he is considered one about 80 percent of the league is as well.

[brandonb110]

i agree with tutall.. i think your forgetting about the former Portland Jail Blazers

[Lithium]

This coming from a blazer fan? The Blazers have about the worst rep in the NBA.... Everytime i read something in the paper about the blazers it is either about the latest player to get arrested on drugs charges or someone fighting with coaches etc... We already had that discussion though. I dont think Kobe is really a thug although if he is considered one about 80 percent of the league is as well.

Yeah I remember the days of the Jail Blazers, and I'm not at all proud of it. The blazers havent had a player in drug trouble in 3 years however. More recently Lindsay Hunter has been suspended ten games for violating the leagues drug policy.

Birdman Chris Anderson got a 3 year suspension for drug violations.

but none of those teams really have bad images.

[Hoopladawg87]

Yeah I remember the days of the Jail Blazers, and I'm not at all proud of it. The blazers havent had a player in drug trouble in 3 years however. More recently Lindsay Hunter has been suspended ten games for violating the leagues drug policy.

Birdman Chris Anderson got a 3 year suspension for drug violations.

but none of those teams really have bad images.

it was two years. and the birdman will be back january 27th, 2008... :)