Kobe Pelosi

[Joe Vancil]

TIE ME TO THE LAKERS JUST ONE MORE TIME - EVEN JUST INSINUATE IT IN ANY WAY, AS OBLIQUELY AS YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH - AND I'M ADDING YOU TO THE IGNORE LIST.

By all means lets compare that with Kwamster Browns Memphis Lakers career.

Warned, and ignored.  Now returning the favor. 

And for a trade that I got on both here and Fanhome and said was crap the moment it happened.  Just cost yourself an ally on one of your most important (and potentially valid) points.  Hope you're happy.

[Reality]

^^ naw that was directed at the Laker posters, not you.

But perhaps you just painted yourself into a corner and are using this as an out.
That would be sad but if so........

[jn]

Hey RB, sorry for the delayed response.   

I can think of several reasons Kobe is hated in some quarters.

First, he plays for Lakers.  It's that simple.   The Lakers fall in to the same category as the Yankees and Cowboys for some people. 

Second, (and this is something I have a problem with)  he worked his way to the Lakers before he had played a minute in the NBA.  Yes, Jerry West wanted him and it's testiment to his skills as a GM that he got him.  It's also the case that Kobe and his people made it known that they felt Charlotte and perhaps some other places were not worthy as media markets for him.  That's a disagreeable attitude for a vet so for a teenager to display it is doubly annoying. 

Third, because he followed in the wake of KG he didn't have the curiosity factor.   People might have felt more inclined to like him if he had been a trailblazer who helped turn around a downtrodden franchise like Garnett.  He didn't so he came off as a follower who had it easier because he went to a powerhouse.

The fourth point relates to number 3.   Kobe is the son of an NBA player and from get go has had that advantage as well as the advantage of playing for a winning organization.   Jordan had his "cut from the varsity" back story to market although of course that was really overplayed.  Neverthless it worked as a marketing gimmick.   The privilege of being the son of an NBA player has worked against Bryant.  Kobe could never claim underdog  status.

Another layer of hatred was added with the allegations of rape.  There were some people who liked  Kobe because he didn't present a thug image. I think this was especially true of older white people. That went out the window with the infidelity.

There's more but I gotta run. 

[Skandery]

Holy crap I missed a helluva thread here . . .

jn's last message and Joe's first message pretty much sum up all my thoughts. 

I'll just add that Kobe has a certain attitude/persona that plays as an ultimate divider in peoples' perceptions.  The same motivation that fosters the greatness he has accomplished, denies him the respect of those who have no reason to root for him.  It was the same problem with Jordan, except Jordan did an excellent job of hiding his true persona in the media.  The Jordan that your average rookie saw in training camp was a much different Jordan than the Gatorade commercial.  Kobe hasn't shielded his persona from the masses as well.  A persona that can be said to be responsible for his excellence (same as Jordan---unyielding competitiveness), yet nonetheless also responsible for dubious transgressions witnessed across a career under the spotlight.