bball

[Insidious Rex]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
Nope, never seen his hummer. In many ways he still seems to just be the hometown boy, nothing special. I agree though, that celebrity is already at a great level. Do you know that he would play basketball with my son just at the court of St.V's elementry school, and would tell my son that he was good. My son thinks that's funny now.

thats just awsome. this guy is once in a half century if you ask me. Tell your son to treasure those words until HE has grandkids of his own to tell them too. Whats cool is that when he and Carmello Anthony (the one and two picks in the draft) were interviewed together and were asked who would win in a game of one on one between the two neither of them thumped their chest and said oh id school ya in fact they both paused and looked at each other and then James said Carmello would. And Anthony said ah we'll see when Cleveland and Denver plays. Gotta love teenage superstars being humble. gotta love that....

Originally posted by Lizra
That's what I mean! Big fat heads bumping into each other!

oh yeah there will be enough ego to fill a blimp no doubt. but still. will it matter? I mean the talent level you are talking about. Its almost unimaginable. So it may compensate for the petty ego thing. We all know Kobe wants to win (assuming he isnt in jail next season) so I really think he will take advantage of having such extrordinary talent on his team and actualy become a better player. Shaq is just the best center in basketball by far so ego or not hes not going anywhere. Malone took a pay cut to get to the Lakers because he wants a ring. And Payton is simply one of the best floor generals ever and also is totally focused on a championship before he retires. So watch out. Hey im no laker fan either but when the oppostion is a juggernaught you gotta respect em.

[gimli7410]

i think that is great he is on a team with some already big names. personally im glad he left stockton, i have never liked stockton but i think lakers are gonna be unstoppable this

[Lizra]

Oh oh! Looks like young Mr Bryant's getting nailed! I'm having Tyson in Indpls flashbacks! I'm glad this one happened in (?) Colorado!
So he admits to "getting it on"...so his clean image is tarnished! I want to believe that a young woman wouldn't put herself though such an ordeal unless she was wronged....but why was she nosing around in the first place! He's married! ICK!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lizra
Oh oh! Looks like young Mr Bryant's getting nailed! I'm having Tyson in Indpls flashbacks! I'm glad this one happened in (?) Colorado!
So he admits to "getting it on"...so his clean image is tarnished! I want to believe that a young woman wouldn't put herself though such an ordeal unless she was wronged....but why was she nosing around in the first place! He's married! ICK!

I can not believe your putting the onus on her. It takes two to tango and it's his responsibilty to have some self control - he's the one who is married. And if it wasn't assault - who can say whether she was the one who came onto him?

Also- who is to say she even knew he was married? I didn't. I don't pay attention to sports players personal lives. The only time I know if someone is married is if it makes it into the paper for some reason.

[Lizra]

I am not putting an "onus" on her.....Like you said JD, "It takes two to tango" and she's one of the two! They are both to blame if something happened (IMO) He shouldn't have done anything, she shouldn't have been there. That's my "personal" opinion.

It is pretty well known that he is married, I don't know....flirting with married men has always struck me as terribly offensive! Of course, she might not have known, but I myself find that hard to believe. I see no reason why I shouldn't wonder why she would go to the hotel where he was staying, and voluntarily enter his room. The "blame" lies with both...IMO. Ultimately, if something happened, he will bear the brunt....but IMO she should have a very guilty conscience also.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lizra
It is pretty well known that he is married, I don't know....flirting with married men has always struck me as terribly offensive! Of course, she might not have known, but I myself find that hard to believe.

In Indiana it might be well known - becuase they live and breath basketball. But I don't think it is common knowledge that he is/was married until this all came out.

I see no reason why I shouldn't wonder why she would go to the hotel where he was staying, and voluntarily enter his room. The "blame" lies with both...IMO. Ultimately, if something happened, he will bear the brunt....but IMO she should have a very guilty conscience also.

From what I heard on CNN - she worked at the hotel. So she had a right to be at the hotel. And why should she have a guilty conscience if - he did sexually assault her. You seem to think that is impossible. No one knows at this point what happened,

If he didn't sexually assualt her - then the only thing she should be guilty of - is bringing false charges against him - which is a HUGE thing. She should not be guilty for having slept with him - she's not the married person. If he cared about his wife - he wouldn't have done it. He could have kept it zipped - whether or not she knew he was married.

[Ruinel]

Originally posted by Lizra
...It is pretty well known that he is married, I don't know....flirting with married men has always struck me as terribly offensive! Of course, she might not have known, but I myself find that hard to believe. I see no reason why I shouldn't wonder why she would go to the hotel where he was staying, and voluntarily enter his room. The "blame" lies with both...IMO. Ultimately, if something happened, he will bear the brunt....but IMO she should have a very guilty conscience also.

She worked at the hotel, from what I hear. And actually, I didn't know he was married at all.

IMO... any man or woman that is married has a contract with someone that they will not 'hook up' with someone else. It is up to the contracted individual to say 'no' not the unattached person coming on to them, if we find that this is the case. I agree that flirting with a married man or woman is not right, but again, it is up to the married man or woman to say no.

[Lizra]

It's true, we live and breathe basketball in Indiana. I don't know what happened in the hotel room! But as you said...it takes two to tango! I suppose Kobe could have "lured" her into his room and then just attacked her, but that would really be out of character, and quite a surprise! Well, I guess we'll be hearing all about it soon enough.

Wonder what the sports headlines are like in LA! Geez, bet they're bumming!

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lizra
It's true, we live and breathe basketball in Indiana. I don't know what happened in the hotel room! But as you said...it takes two to tango! I suppose Kobe could have "lured" her into his room and then just attacked her, but that would really be out of character, and quite a surprise! Well, I guess we'll be hearing all about it soon enough.

Well neither of us know Kobe Bryant personally - so I don't know how any of us can say what would or would not be out of character for him. It is very easy to have a public face and be completely different privately. Unless you know him personally and have hiom over for dinner - I can't see how you can say "it's really out of character". He plays basketball - that is all. Every once in a while he gives a press conference - to me that is not "knowing someone" - especially their character.

Wonder what the sports headlines are like in LA! Geez, bet they're bumming!

It is surprising me that the only thing you seem to be concerned about is Kobe Bryant and how the Lakers are taking this. What about if the woman really WAS raped? How is her and her family taking this would be more to the question. Personally I couldn't care less about the Lakers.

If the woman is making false accusations - then I'm sorry for Kobe Bryant. If the woman was raped - then I feel sorry for her. Since I know neither one of them nor have I seen them in a court yet - I can NOT pass judgement on either one of them or on the guilt or innocence of Kobe Bryant. Both people are going to be dragged through the mud for this.

[Insidious Rex]

No sorry I agree with Lizra on this. Im no Kobe fan and Im certainly no Laker fan but it is totally out of character for him AND doesnt really make much sense that probably the best basketball player in the game with such a great positive image that hasnt been blemished in seven years of pro play would suddenly decide to lure some small town 19 year old into his room and attack her? I mean why? What could he possibly be thinking? He doesnt have to do that. It doesnt make a lot of sense. But yes we will have to wait until the facts are out or its settled out of court for millions of dollars before we have a better idea what exactly happened.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
No sorry I agree with Lizra on this. Im no Kobe fan and Im certainly no Laker fan but it is totally out of character for him AND doesnt really make much sense that probably the best basketball player in the game with such a great positive image that hasnt been blemished in seven years of pro play would suddenly decide to lure some small town 19 year old into his room and attack her? I mean why? What could he possibly be thinking?
He doesnt have to do that. It doesnt make a lot of sense. But yes we will have to wait until the facts are out or its settled out of court for millions of dollars before we have a better idea what exactly happened.

Maybe he wasn't thinking. We don't know what happened in the hotel room. The thing is - and I'm not saying that she isn't lying - but why only say - it must be terrible for Kobe or it must be terrible for the Lakers. What happened if she was REALLY raped? Under that scenario - isn't it terrible for her and her family? We don't know. It seems as if people are already assuming she is lying. What about assuming that neither is guilty at this point.

I will feel sorry for Kobe Bryant if it turns out he didn't do it. I will feel sorry for her if it turns out he did. As of right now - I just find it odd that the only person Lizra seems to have a concern about is Bryant. I also find it odd that she seemed to be putting the blame on the girl if they had concensual sex. He's married - she's not - the responsibilty is with him and his alone in that situation.

If she is lying and bringing false charges against him - then I feel she should go to jail. And not for a short time either. I think false accusations can be just as bad as actually doing the thing you are accusing the other person of doing.

As for why he would attack her - why would he even cheat on his wife? He has only been married for 2 years and he has a newborn son. Sorry - doesn't seem like much of a family man if after only 2 years he's already screwing around. Remember too - this is the only affair which has come out into the open. No one, other than Bryant himself, knows if this is just one of many girls he has slept with while on the road.

I found this rather disturbing in our newspaper too today...

....others, such as 16 year old Robert Watts of Lancaster, said they didn't think admitting an affair would hurt the star.

"I look at him completely the same way. I think all men do it sometime or later. I don't know why," said Watts, wearing Lakers gold and purple outside the arena. He added that he didn't think Bryant had committed rap: "I think he just got in a bad situation"

So now - how many other teenagers and children are just going to look at adultery as - "everyone does it"?

I'm not going to judge Kobe Bryant for having an affair - that's his business. But I DO hope that any parent who has a child that says that will explain that Bryant was wrong to have an affair. That cheating on your spouse is not RIGHT and that "all men" don NOT do it.

This was also quoted in our paper...

Bryant's image could help him in court, Loyola Univerisity law School professor Laurie Levenson said.

"It comes down to the facts", she said "It's tough enough in an average rape case to prove there was lack of consent and force. In this case it will be particularly difficult becuase people don't want to believe it"

A similar thing (in the fact of people not wanting to believe) happened in New Jersey about 10 years ago. It was turned into a TV movie. High school star atheletes - had scholarships to college, one's father was a politician or on the police force and everything else - raped a disabled girl in their basement. No one in town wanted to believe it because the teenagers were so good and kind and had so much going for them - but they thought they could get away with it. Her and her family were thought to be liars and were hated in the town. It was proved in the courts that it was true - one of the boys involved came forward and admitted what happened.

All we know of Kobe Bryant is his public persona. The only thing we know about this girl is what has recently come out in the media.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
So now - how many other teenagers and children are just going to look at adultery as - "everyone does it"?

i think a lot of them do already. but i think they look at sports stars and celebrities in a different way on this then "normal" people. lots of teens think hey if you can make it to that level and yer that good and you spend half the year in hotel rooms in different cities with millions of dollars to blow then life is a party and you can do what you want. its kinda sad but its true. a lot of these kids also assume the wives of these athleates accept that as part of the deal when they marry them. after all, they figure, they are basically marrying a lottery ticket so why should they complain. its really a different mentallity with big stars.and humans are naturally weak. especially guys.

[Lizra]

JD....you are jumping to conclusions about what I think! Take five....deep breath....Lizra cares about the woman! Heck...I hate the Lakers! They funked up the Larry Bird led Pacers chance for rings after they had spent years battling the blasted Jordan Bulls! No justice! (whew! I feel better now! )

I'm just chit chatting here, letting my curiosity flow about Kobe Bryant. Besides, I never "put the blame" on the girl, I just wondered how she got herself into this nasty situation. Good God Man! Chill out!

Let me edit this to say I'm not putting "all" the blame on the woman, I'm putting blame on the both of them. If it turns out I'm wrong, the woman was a total innocent, merely fufilling job duties and Kobe's actually a sex crazed maniac or something......then I'm wrong, what a big deal! Get off my case JD

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Lizra
JD....you are jumping to conclusions about what I think! Take five....deep breath....Lizra cares about the woman! Heck...I hate the Lakers! They funked up the Larry Bird led Pacers chance for rings after they had spent years battling the blasted Jordan Bulls! No justice! (whew! I feel better now! )

I'm just chit chatting here, letting my curiosity flow about Kobe Bryant. Besides, I never "put the blame" on the girl, I just wondered how she got herself into this nasty situation. Good God Man! Chill out!

Okay - just as long is it isn't the - "great sports star can do no wrong - and it's obviously the woman's fault with the whole thing"

You just seemed to be sticking up more Kobe Bryant than accepting the fact that NONE of us know him - and it is possible that it happened as the 19 year old said.

IR - I just hope parents will teach their children that when sport stars or celebrities do something that they don't approve of - that they say that it is wrong. That they don't just excuse that behavior because "hey - he's rich" or something.

I don't look at celebrities any differently than "normal" people. There are tons of people who have false accusations made against - which can be the case with Kobe Bryant. They just don't get the media circus.

It would be terrible if this woman is lying. Too many women get raped - on dates or in dark alleyways by strangers to make false accusations. It is a difficult crime to prove.

[Lizra]

WHOA! Isiah Thomas is OUT as Pacers coach! Larry Bird is making his prescence known! I wonder who they'll get! Surely they had someone in mind before canning coach Thomas!

Oh......Rick Carlisle! He was Bird's assistant when Bird was coach, everybody really liked him, and thought he was good. Since the Pacers had that major meltdown second half last year, this is probably a good thing. The stories are out how Bird and Thomas were contentious rivals from their Celtics, Pistons days. Larry Bird said he spoke to Thomas one day at a meeting, and once over the phone, and there was no communication happening. Oh well! Wonder what Carlisle (if he does become coach) will say to Ron Artest! "Get it together man!"

[Insidious Rex]

Originally posted by Lizra
WHOA! Isiah Thomas is OUT as Pacers coach! Larry Bird is making his prescence known! I wonder who they'll get! Surely they had someone in mind before canning coach Thomas!

Oh......Rick Carlisle! He was Bird's assistant when Bird was coach, everybody really liked him, and thought he was good. Since the Pacers had that major meltdown second half last year, this is probably a good thing. The stories are out how Bird and Thomas were contentious rivals from their Celtics, Pistons days. Larry Bird said he spoke to Thomas one day at a meeting, and once over the phone, and there was no communication happening. Oh well! Wonder what Carlisle (if he does become coach) will say to Ron Artest! "Get it together man!"

well i hear Jermaine O'Neal is NOT a happy camper about the Thomas firing. In fact he seems to have been under the impression that if he signed a long term deal with the Pacers (which he did in July) that it would mean Thomas would remain his coach. So looks like management pulled the rug out from under him on that deal. The question is will he demand a trade.

[Lizra]

Can he demand a trade? If he was smart, he would keep his mouth shut, instead of getting on Bird's bad side! That's too bad he's unhappy, but things can change fast in the world of professional sports. He should roll with the punches! Awww, I feel sorry for the young guy, coach loyalty and all, but he really should hang loose!

[Insidious Rex]

well apparently Thomas was like a father to him. and he re-signed with them basically because of his relationship with Thomas. So you can imagine how he felt to have this suddenly happen when he felt it wasnt going to happen (although anyone who knows the history between Bird and Thomas should know that any kind of business relationship between them cant last). he feels betrayed and sad. and he could demand a trade but i doubt thats likely. more likely is he suffers through a season where he feels alienated and then maybe they move him after next season. or hopefully they actually go out of their way to make him feel ok about the change. but we will have to see.

[Insidious Rex]

Ok people all I have to say is:

25 points
6 rebounds
9 assists
4 steals

in his FIRST NBA game ever.

I'd have to say he just proved himself to be legit. Im gonna enjoy the next 13 or 14 years of watching this guy.

[Valandil]

While we in Chicago still have the Dulls. Er, uh... BULLS!

Our up-and-coming, no excuses, headed-for-playoffs team got creamed by 25 from the Wizards!!! No MJ in sight for EITHER team!

This is gonna be a loooonnng 82 game season. About like the Bears last 9 ga... Oops - 'nuther thread!