Kobe calls Dwight 'soft'

[MaxRider]

teddy bear is soft

[WOX_69]

LA, NY are the chosen franchises. Ask their fans. Dwight upset the natural order. I actually like him now.

You're looking far too into things.

Notice how Kobe is walking behind his teammates acting like they are holding him back lol
And how he doesnt start to talk **** before his teammates were in front of him lol

What? The gif clearly shows him moving from behind Boozer to have a clearer path, what are you talking about? Also he was talking to Howard right in his face before the refs got involved, how did you not see this?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B8ijsjoIqQ[/youtube]

Chris Childs putting it on Kobe
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQf40mPOzVE[/youtube]

Reggie Miller putting Kobe in headlock

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y8CzEjNVJw[/youtube]

Come save me from Artest

Kobe needs to check himself before he wrecks himself. On the basketball court he thinks sometimes he Mike Tyson. If someone test him on it the fact that Kobe has probably rarely been in a fight will show.

Jesus Christ at least admit to your bias, come on now.

Chris Childs: For all the flack Melo gets for punching Jared Jeffries, after he punches Kobe he back trots away quickly making sure he has teammates between them. Kobe at least went after him after the fact. If the roles were switched that's what everyone would harp on.

Miller: Not as much is clear in this video but you can see Kobe and Reggie grabbing each other on the side and what looks to be a Kobe punch which may or may not have connected.

Artest: Now you're just playing ignorant to the situation. The game was already chippy and the Lakers had already had three technicals fouls against them, one of them being against Kobe. Fisher had already been ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul against Scola. The Lakers were down 0-1 in the series. So you want the team's most important player to get into a scrap and get himself ejected in ten point game with seven minutes left? Are you serious?

Kobe with the famous

HOLD ME BACK

In all seriousness, Dwight would wreck Kobe in a fight.

And if you see the replay from another angle, his elbows barely grazed Kobe if not at all.

What? Again, you must be watching a different video. But choose what you want to see I suppose.

[lakerz12]

This is just a case of a fundamental difference in "personality"/philosophy between Kobe and Dwight.

Kobe is old school. He believes in winning at all costs. Cut throat mentality. Warrior mentality. Trash talk, harsh words. Tough love. Unquenchable thirst for victory and improvement. Serious about everything, rarely jokes.

Dwight is of this newer school: have a good time, joke around, dance in warmups, wear hipster clothes, etc. And has a basic, natural personality of goofing around, wanting to have fun, etc.

At the end of the day, Kobe has 5 rings. Dwight as 0.

Dwight may be the "nicer" guy, but his mentality does not compare to Kobe's when it comes to getting the most out of yourself and striving for the highest level.

If Dwight had the tenacity and heart of a Kobe, Barkley, or Shaq, he could average 30 and 18. But he doesn't. He'd rather have a good time then be dominant.

It reflects in his confidence too. He has a weak heart that you can break when you put it into adversity.

When they see a tough challenge, Kobe welcomes it. Dwight would rather take the path of least resistance.

That's what Kobe means when he says soft. Shaq says the same thing about Dwight. It's no secret.

Dwight just doesn't want it as badly as Kobe does.

You won't find him in the gym at 3 am shooting free throws. He's at home eating fruit loops while Kobe is in the gym playing 1 on 1 trying to beat his opponent 100-0. Just a fundamental difference.

I dislike Dwight and his antics esp. his last few years with the Magic but this mythical character that Kobe is pushing and his fans are eating up is getting comical, like Chuck Norris Walker Texas Ranger funny...calm down with all the "Warrior Mentality", "Unquenchable thirst for victory" stuff, it's embarrassing.

So how else do you describe/account for Kobe's work ethic? His desire to beat a high school teammate 100-0 in practice?

You may not like the poetic language. But, there is no denying Kobe has a greater desire to get the most out of himself and win than most if not all modern players.

The fact that you call something "comical" and "embarrassing" without actually explaining why what you're arguing against isn't true, shows a lack of critical thinking ability on your part, or at least a willingness to share it or most likely, an ability to actually be able to defend your position.

If you were to say, for example: "The use of phrases like 'Warrior Mentality'' and 'Unquenchable thirst for victory' is embarrassing and comical and here's why: [insert explanation]"

Then you would actually be approaching making a point.

I agree the language I used is kind of cheesy but it is backed up with examples.

I take exception to people making critical statements and not explaining why. It's just a demonstration of laziness, arrogance, and ignorance.

[LetItRain]

I think Kobe knows this season is pointless for him. Lakers going nowhere.

[Dupp]

Kobe was clearly in the wrong here, he initiated the altercation and contact. He was slapping Howard on the arms before Howard was called for a foul. Bigs should have to right to protect the ball like that. It was a nothing event made into something because either Kobe didn't like dwights comments the other day or he's still bitter dwight left.

[Exodus]

Kobe was clearly in the wrong here, he initiated the altercation and contact. He was slapping Howard on the arms before Howard was called for a foul. Bigs should have to right to protect the ball like that. It was a nothing event made into something because either Kobe didn't like dwights comments the other day or he's still bitter dwight left.

Even Kareem questions Dwight heart, but Kobe is wrong?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV4sUVCgddA[/youtube]

[inquisitive]

a nationally televised game with other players around the league watching and seeing kobe call out ex-teammate...other players take notice...with the abbott article...this is not good for kobe. ...25pts down and own teammates getting back on defense with d12 already having possession of ball(not like a loose ball), but unecessarily swiping at the ball for a steal....this means he was trying to get his lick in somehow.

[Dupp]

Kobe was clearly in the wrong here, he initiated the altercation and contact. He was slapping Howard on the arms before Howard was called for a foul. Bigs should have to right to protect the ball like that. It was a nothing event made into something because either Kobe didn't like dwights comments the other day or he's still bitter dwight left.

Even Kareem questions Dwight heart, but Kobe is wrong?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV4sUVCgddA[/youtube]

What does that have to do with anything?

[Slava]

a nationally televised game with other players around the league watching and seeing kobe call out ex-teammate...other players take notice...with the abbott article...this is not good for kobe. ...25pts down and own teammates getting back on defense with d12 already having possession of ball(not like a loose ball), but unecessarily swiping at the ball for a steal....this means he was trying to get his lick in somehow.

I missed you inquisitive.

[richboy]

Here the reality. In the media and with many Laker fans Kobe is about winning. Around the league Kobe is about winning as long as he is the man.

In the media mind and with fans Kobe is a 5 time champ and you want to play with him because of it. Around the league Kobe is a 5 time champ because of Phil Jackson and Shaq. That Kobe can't play winning team basketball without Phil Jackson to reign him in.

Kobe is about winning. Kobe is about winning. Kobe is about give me my 25 million dollars. Yet I want to win at all cost. Dwight took less to go to a team with a better roster. If he just wanted to have fun he was the man in Orlando. It isn't like they were sucking during his time there. They were winning 55 games a year. Dwight has won a lot more than Chris Paul and Melo with less talent.

If Dwight had stayed in LA everyone would have said its only because he wants the lime light of LA because no way with that roster they would win anything. Kobe coming off Achilles tear and he was suppose to resign with them. Yet somehow people live in a world where if you don't sign with Kobe and the Lakers you aren't about winning. I said a year ago the Lakers are not about winning right now. They are about making Kobe happy. I don't want to hear about how grumpy Kobe is going to be this year when he decided to eat up a big chunk of the cap space.

[Biased_Fan6425]

The Kobe "hate" is back... I like it...

[TrillyandTruly]

Kobe needs to check himself before he wrecks himself. On the basketball court he thinks sometimes he Mike Tyson. If someone test him on it the fact that Kobe has probably rarely been in a fight will show.

altercations happens all the times in sports, and for the most part, it isn't about "oh i'm going to kick this guys ass." it isn't in kobe's interest to physically hurt people, and i'm sure most nba players feel the same. all the trash talk and getting physical where it's legal in the play of basketball rules, that is what being tough is about. dwight isn't like that.

[Westbreezy]

Dwight's LA stint and the hate from that market (fans, media) has really tainted his image. He has become very underappreciated and overly criticized, just like Melo.

Theres a huge difference. Dwight is nowhere near the player he used to be and Melo has actually improved his game since he moved to NY.

They're both under appreciated and overly criticized but its justifiably warranted for one of them

[loserX]

They're both under appreciated and overly criticized but its justifiably warranted for one of them

?

If a guy is "overly criticized", that means "he is getting criticized more than is warranted". How can it then be warranted? That would be "fairly criticized".

[Westbreezy]

They're both under appreciated and overly criticized but its justifiably warranted for one of them

?

If a guy is "overly criticized", that means "he is getting criticized more than is warranted". How can it then be warranted? That would be "fairly criticized".

Why can't it just mean people criticize him too much?

I guess thinking about it actually when you criticize someone its because its warranted.

Im just trying to say Dwight deserves the criticism, Melo doesn't. thats all

[miltk]

how is this something every nba fan and every grandma in los angeles doesn't know.

[CJ_18]

This is the difference between winners/competitors/dogs (whatever you wanna call it) like Kobe... and Dwight Howard and James Harden and all those other prima donnas

IN JULY 2013, after one tumultuous season in LA, Dwight Howard had reached free agency with a flood of carefully arranged meetings with the Rockets, Hawks, Mavericks, Warriors and Lakers. For the Lakers, it was a dry run for the 2014 recruiting game. Could they persuade a major star to stay with Bryant?
The Lakers meeting took place in Beverly Hills on July 2 in the modernist, windowless conference room at Relativity Media -- the offices of Howard's agent. Kupchak, Howard's closest ally on the team, prepped the Lakers' pitch. One big point: Listen carefully. Another: Dress appropriately. "Our approach," a Lakers source explained at the time, "is that we are interviewing for the job. We want to show that this is a place his dreams can come true."
As the Lakers' contingent settled into the conference room's ergonomic chairs, it was clear that two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash, in a nice crisp shirt, listening attentively, was running Kupchak's game plan. But Bryant showed up, according to a person in the room, in "hoops shorts, a T-shirt and a gold chain." He had also packed an attitude.
When Howard asked why his teammates let the injured center take all the flak when the Lakers' season went south, Nash said he didn't know that Howard had felt that way and that had he known, he would have acted differently. Bryant, on the other hand, offered a crash course in developing thick skin and a mini lecture on learning how to win. He didn’t understand the mentality of the Lakers having to try to convince Dwight to stay with the Lakers. Bryant’s stance on the situation was basically “Why are we the ones you (Dwight) to stay? We’re the ones with 5 Championship rings, we’re the ones who have got it done. You haven’t learned how to win yet, you haven’t won anything yet. You should be the one convincing US to keep you.”
Sources told ESPN Insider Chris Broussard that Bryant's lecture was "a complete turnoff" for Howard.
"It wasn't an easy meeting to be involved in," Kupchak later said on Cowherd's radio show. "And I decline to go into great detail." Howard shortly thereafter chose to leave for the Rockets, even though it cost him roughly $30 million in guaranteed salary.

[richboy]

Kobe needs to check himself before he wrecks himself. On the basketball court he thinks sometimes he Mike Tyson. If someone test him on it the fact that Kobe has probably rarely been in a fight will show.

altercations happens all the times in sports, and for the most part, it isn't about "oh i'm going to kick this guys ass." it isn't in kobe's interest to physically hurt people, and i'm sure most nba players feel the same. all the trash talk and getting physical where it's legal in the play of basketball rules, that is what being tough is about. dwight isn't like that.

Dwight is probably the most physical player in the league. Matter of fact he is and its probably not even close. Like I said Dwight might be a lot of things but soft isn't one of them. He played injured. He rarely got hurt outside of his back injury. He came back 2 months early to play with the Lakers. He takes more hard fouls than anyone in the league and keeps going. He has had great playoff performances.

The reality is if your a star right now don't touch the Lakers. Dwight was pretty much punished for not being Shaq or Jabbar. He had been to the finals and was winning 55 games a year in Orlando and the Lakers acted like he had never made the playoffs. You think if they had Melo right now they be title contenders. They would be a little better and he take all the blame for not being better.

[Pure_Basketball]

Good job Kobe, talk **** when your team loses by 20, and follow that up with another 30 point loss.

[Fobbie]

Guess Howard laughing and enjoying himself on the court makes him soft. Kobe was frustated and decided to take thing out of proportion. He barely play a lick of defense, yet down 20 in the 4th he wanna play some defense 94ft away?