dockingsched wrote:MistyMountain20 wrote:Really, there's nothing worth reading on ESPN outside of Grantland and FiveThirtyEight. Useless stories that tell us nothing.
Baxter Holmes is a really good writer, so I'd give the article a chance just off that. Having read it, unless you get your feelings hurt from reading kind of negative opinions on Kobe, I think it's an interesting look at how other "insiders" either truly feel about Kobe or how they go out of their way to create turmoil for the lakers.
To be honest, listening to that Lowe Post makes me take a grain of salt about Holme's knowledge when it comes to Kobe. He admitted he doesn't have a relationship with him.
Just like the outsiders quoted above, when they talk about Jordan and how Kobe idolizes him, and how he's gonna go out the same way...Kobe is well aware of that, and will frankly never go to another team exactly because of what he learned from MJ's career. Whereas on Lowe's show, Baxter thought it was a possibility.
Either Kobe's going to call it quits after this season because he realizes he's not the caliber player he expects himself to be, or he accepts a new role and stays with the Lakers. IIRC it was Jimmy who made it clear that if Kobe's open to discussing a change then they could extend his stay past #20. That last contract was Kobe's payoff. I just don't see any scenario where he plays hardball thinking he's worth more than he is and bolting to another team. So if Kobe's not going to look for a huge payday AND he wants to play again, AND he cares about his legacy, then why would he changes teams? It's not like winning another championship on someone else's team will help him tie Jordan in the mind of anyone. Kobe knows this. Why? Because it's what happened when he was the #2 to Shaq.
Unfortunately when it comes to Kobe, he can't win. There's this narrative in the media that he's created a myth about himself...which I can see how his "brand" can be construed that way, but I think a lot of that is simply who Kobe is. Kobe
is maniacal. I've yet to see one shred of evidence to suggest he isn't. And he does put in that work, I've never heard an outsider contradict that. In short: I think Kobe, especially in his later years actually says what he thinks much more than he's given credit for.
I've heard him over and over say how he wants to go out. I think at least at the time, that that's emotionally reliable information. Now there's a chance he falls in love with a new role and keeps playing, I see that happening already. The way he's taking these younger dudes under his wing is remarkable given the way ESPN makes him out to be. It's just lazy, but hey humans are lazy, and when they don't know anything but the narratives driven by 2 decades of headlines, then they miss something.
I feel pretty fortunate to have gotten to witness Kob's evolution, even if the subtleties get lost by the casual fan, and the casual fan's digest: ESPN.
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