Ahh more thing......West left because of stress and health reasons. Shaq left because Buss wanted him to go. Payton was dealt because of his disapearing act in the playoffs and the funny business he was trying to pull with his contract in the off-season. Malone isnt playing because of a rift between him and Kobe......but to say it was only Kobe's fault is not true. Not even Phil Jackson left because of just Kobe. He left because Shaq left. Im sure Kobe was a factor but not like you think. PJ too was tired of basketball and was looking to only coach again if it was to get his 10th ring.
Honestly, this is getting out of hand with some of you. I too agree Kobe has major issues off the court and is a pre-madonna. The degree you are taking it to is over the top to say the least. Most of what you mentioned is what you made up and hold to be true.
"West left because of stress and health reasons." :cripple:
You don't leave the team you love to GM another, lesser, team because it is less stressful and will improve your health. You don't go to a team where the next errant Jason Williams' pass may lead to a lawsuit by the pregnant fan in the first row who just got hit in the lap by the basketball if the quiet country life is what you need. He did not like how things were turning out in Los Angeles with his team and his opinions were being ignored by his star player and his boss, who completely supported the star player.
Well, now Buss has got him, come hell or high water, and that water is rising fast.
Buss and Jackson differed over which superstar they should keep. By his own admittance, as you well know, Phil would have continued coaching the Lakers if Shaq had stayed instead of Kobe. Does that tell you anything about what Jackson viewed as the potential leadership void he expected if he had stayed to coach a Bryant-led Laker team into this season? Did he really want to kowtow to a 26 year old who did not have enough life experiences to muster the arrogance possessed by Bryant, just because his contract said he should? He knew better then to step on
THAT land mine.
Frankly, I just do not believe what Kobe's teammates may or may not be saying about being the kid's teammate. What are they going to say, that it is hell to come to work, that their personnal expectations have to be shelved to accommodate the resident prima donna? Sure, guys like Butler and Mihm look better and may, in fact, be playing better with Kobe on the floor with them. But stories of dissatisfaction keep popping up about the behind-the-scene conflicts to the point where few in the NBA anticipate an abundance of interest from free agents in the next few years beating down the doors to sign with the Lakers.
Who in their right mind would want to follow Payton and Malone, who gave up so much to sign there, and have everything they say or do magnified by a media already primed to pick it all apart because of your wonder kid's constant verbage and headline catching actions? These guys already were superstars elsewhere, so they could expect the scrutiny. But Butler and Mihm? Come on!!!! Are they likely to say anything at all to rock the fragile boat that they are sitting in these days?
Nah.. Only if you could catch them :drunk: or in a :moon: position, or emotionally :fire: up. They know quite well they are very expendable if Payton and Malone could not stay around even though they sacrificed so much to try to.
