They brought up the rape accusation...
Accusation . . . 
I guess I missed the trail and verdict... ....oh wait, the ho took the money...it's beutiful when a plan comes together....
Whose plan, hers, or Kobe's?
There is absolutely no question that the rape accusations put a stain on the "squeaky-clean Kobe" image that eveyone tried to cultivate and Laker fans used to praise.
Kobe's ascension timed so closely with the Jordan retirement put Bryant in the spotlight at a time when NBA fans weren't too happy with the NBA players in general. And so many of us were still aghast that a second-year player who wasn't even starting on his own team was voted into the All-Star Game, as if the keys for the kingdom were being passed to him as the greatest player, when he couldn't even get off the bench on his own team yet. Kobe Bryant was hyped beyond belief, long before he deserved it, and acted as if it was all well and good.
Arrogance beyond belief. That's what I saw back then, and said so, over and over, all the while listening to how I shouldn't be on Kobe's case, because "He's a good kid."
Then, Kobe developed as a player. Started deserving *SOME* of the accoloades. But then, he couldn't play "second fiddle," even if it was to the league's most dominant big man. Arrogance beyond belief. Granted, Shaq was a lazy buffoon - as most of us non-Laker types were willing to point out and most Laker fans were willing to admit - but he was the hub around which everything else turned. And fans of the team that gave us the GREATEST EXAMPLE IN HISTORY of how to play second fiddle when you're every bit as good as the centerpiece, instead of ripping the arrogant kid for what he was doing, EXCUSED HIM for it. They had their Michael Jordan knock-off. "Oh, he's a good kid. You just hate him because he's not on your team."
Side note: on this board, JUST THE OTHER DAY, I saw someone actually repeat - *AGAIN* - that those of us who don't like Kobe Bryant would secretly love to get him on our team. Dwyane Wade - sure. Brandon Roy - you bet. Kevin Martin, Ray Allen, Michael Redd a host of others. Kobe Bryant is better than every one of those guys, and I could care less - I'd rather have a player that I can actually cheer for and not be sickened by it.
Back to the main theme....
The Lakers lose in 2003, and all the criticism was directed at Shaq's laziness - which is pretty much on the money, although some of us would argue that some degree of blame should be on Bryant for the petulant whining he was doing - and Shaq and Kobe are doing the finger-pointing routine. So you bring in Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and you're ready to start winning again. And then the rape accusation comes to light.
Defenders of Kobe want to say, "Oh, it's just a money-grabbing ho." And it may well be. Given the culture of the NBA, with tons of money around, you'd figure there are a lot of money-grabbing ho's around....looking to get rich quick by bedding a superstar. I mean, we've seen the Jordan rape accusations, the Magic rape accusations, the Larry Bird rape accusations, the Abdul-Jabbar rape accusations all these years, right? We all know these guys were probably sleeping around - but how many were charged with *RAPE*? All of a sudden, Kobe Bryant really *HAD* set himself apart...he had been CHARGED.
There were many in the Anti-Bryant camp who looked at the rape charge as vindication - that this squeaky-clean, good-boy image of Bryant was the complete fake that they had been screaming for years and years. Even to this day, tout Bryant too much, and the rape charge comes up - just like it did in this thread. And after *YEARS* of listening to people tout the squeaky-clean, good-guy image, it was *GONE*. Even if you subscribe to the "money-grabbing ho" theory, there's still the reply of "What kind of squeaky-clean, good-guy sleeps around with a money-grabbing ho?"
And Bryant then one-man-showed the favored Lakers out of the Finals against the Pistons.
The next season, a smirking Bryant inked a new contract, after giving everyone signals that he was leaving - only after O'Neal was traded. Payton was then sent packing, and Malone was alienated and decided to retire. Even Phil Jackson was gone. It was Kobe's team. And what a team - it was the trip to the cellar for the new Jordan. And he didn't have anyone to blame but himself.
The Lakers started rebuilding, and they did much of it through gambling. Caron Butler for Kwame Brown? Andrew *who*? You're picking up CHRIS MIHM to play center? But as some of the moves started to pan out the Lakers climbed back into the playoff hunt....
...until Kobe Bryant apparently insisted that he wanted to be traded. He was going to Chicago, because he didn't have enough talent around him there in Los Angeles. Even a few of the Laker faithful started preparing for life without Bryant. Only the front office didn't give in to his demand...and into that season, they acquired a gem for a big bag of garbage (in fairness, with the gem's brother carrying the bag). Kobe won the MVP, and went to the Finals again. Now Bryant's a happy Laker again, because the All-Star has only recently complained about the number of touches he's getting....
ARROGANCE BEYOND BELIEF. Same as it was when he was an undeserving All-Star back in 1998.
So why cheer for LeBron over Kobe? Isn't he just as arrogant? And come on - buying a Hummer before he'd played a single game? He's not NEARLY as squeaky-clean as Kobe *WAS*....
Except that LeBron came in and was dominant from game 1. I thought it was preposterous to assume that he'd come in and live up to all the hype. But he did.
LeBron deferred to other teammates at times. He didn't complain about the teammates he had, even though he was playing in one of the darker corner's of basketball's outer darkness, in CLEVELAND. He didn't have to be the player who took the buzzer-beating shot. If he saw someone open, HE PASSED. And in his fourth year, he took the Cavaliers to the Finals. (The cast of characters: Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Drew Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic, Donyell Marshall, Anderson Varejao, Damon Jones, Eric Snow, Daniel Gibson...what the heck are these guys doing in the Finals? (Spurs asked the same thing.)) Played on the Olympic Team at first opportunity. (He wasn't busy dealing with the aftermath of a rape charge.) He's not criticized for arm-flailing take-downs and wild elbows because he hasn't played that kind of dirty basketball to this point. His sportsmanship is starting to come into question, but he's not fighting with his teammates.
So I'm not too big on the "poor Kobe" stuff. He's the most talented two-guard in basketball today, but I wouldn't want him on my team....too much baggage. He got praise he didn't deserve long ago, so as far as I'm concerned, if he's not getting all he's due now, then I'm okay with that.
HOWEVER: there is validity to the failure of the media to criticize some of LeBron's boorish behavior, or to take him to task for some of his failures and weaknesses. The lack of sportsmanship is perhaps the only thing he's been criticized for, and it's been light criticism despite the fact that this has now happened *TWICE*. And it's a legitimate question, especially when asked by someone who isn't trying to hype someone else...
What I find interesting is that the people who are griping the most about this are the Kobe Bryant fans. I just want to know where they all were in 1998. Oh...nevermind. They were busy stuffing ballot boxes to get Kobe Bryant into the All-Star Game.
So, if the question is "Why is LeBron treated so well by the media and Bryant with so much venom?", then my answer to the question is, "Because I'd rather do a positive spin piece of Barack Obama than on Hillary Clinton. I may not entirely know what one is yet, but he's impressed so far, while the other isn't one I'm all that impressed with based on track record." If the question is, "Why is LeBron never challenged by the media?" then I find that a good question...depending on who it comes from.
