Phil_2.0 wrote:I should start a new thread. What does Kobe Bryant have to do win an MVP?
I am actually serious. It seems like we can all agree that his talent is one of if not the best in the game.
He has taken bad teams in to the playoffs with some pretty big efforts.
He now has a team at the top of the tough WCF with clearly better talent.
I am ok with Paul or Lebron or Kobe winning but I have to wonder what it would take for Kobe to be an MVP in this league by you guys??
Since I'm a stat nerd, I have LeBron first, because he's having a historically great season, followed by Paul (only seven players have ever put up 20/10), followed by Kobe. As such, I fall into the camp who believe that he deserved Nash's second MVP. What can he do to win everybody over? Not much.
The problem is there are three primary criteria, weighted differently: personal stats, team record, and 'effect on the team'. You're rarely going to find a player who dominates all three, which means that you'll always have disputes.
And because there is no set definition (nor ratio between these factors), it's possible for voters to vary the weight ascribed to each over time...especially when they
want to give the award to a certain player. When Kobe was putting up guady stats, it was win-loss record that mattered and most. When he's winning, it's the stats. There's also the 'novelty' factor, and Kobe hardly excites in that regard. As such, MVP voting is incredibly biased and prone to silly rationales, which is why Shaq only has one and Michael Jordan doesn't have 10 of the $#!%ing things.
The question, though, is this: if Kobe has had MVP seasons in the past but was not rewarded with that honour, should he be given the award this year based upon that past, even if he isn't having the best season (if he isn't, using one's criteria)?
It is idiotic that he does not have one, but this has not been his best year, and his '07/'08 campaign (IMO) has not been better than those of Paul and James. But weighing MVP votes based on performance prior to this year is why the award is already a mess...while Kobe admittedly has been screwed, I don't like that as a justification to screw another player.