The word on Kobe Bryant from his Olympic teammates: respect
Alson Wong
From the Los Angeles Times
BILL PLASCHKE
The word on Kobe Bryant from his Olympic teammates: respect
Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt have garnered the fame. For Kobe Bryant, the
reward is much more valuable.
Bill Plaschke
2:03 PM PDT, August 22, 2008
BEIJING - He never wore a swimsuit, but nobody made a bigger splash.
He never ran a lap, yet nobody traveled farther.
The Beijing Olympics may initially be known for Michael Phelps' strength and
Usain Bolt's speed, but, among American sports fans, no memory will prove as
indelible as Kobe Bryant's redemption.
It's here. It's done. It will be officially completed on Sunday when the
U.S. reclaims a gold medal against overmatched Spain, but, in terms of the
one thing Bryant had lost, it's already happened.
The Olympics will only give Phelps and Bolt fame.
The Olympics have given Bryant the more enduring gift of respect.
Seven games down, one remaining, and longtime Bryant watchers are hearing
the most unusual things.
Players speaking glowingly of him. Players speaking kindly of him.
Players who once universally distrusted him, well, they like him. They
really like him.
The sort of All-Star team that once froze him out now follows him, gaining
energy from his defense, making it their mantra.
Every game, Bryant has been the first player in a defensive stance, the
first guy guarding the opponent in the backcourt, squatting and straining
alone in front of four guys who have no choice but to imitate.
If this team could have only one passport, Bryant playing defense would be
the photo.
"He gives it his all on every second of every play. You see that and you're
like, you've got to do the same thing," said center Chris Bosh. "You see a
guy playing that hard, you'll do anything not to let him down."
The sort of smart players that once shunned him now actually learn from him,
drawing inspiration from his preparation.
Every game, he's the player pointing to other players, directing them on
both sides of the court, counseling them, cheering them.
"You hear a lot of things about Kobe, but I had no idea he was such a
basketball junkie," said guard Chris Paul. "He studies all the film, talks
basketball all the time, knows everything."
Finally, the sort of nice-guy players who once ignored him now treat him as
an equal.
"We're good friends, so none of what he does surprises me," said center
Carlos Boozer.
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
In my memory, it's the first time that anyone has ever been quoted saying
that he and Bryant were "good friends."
The loner has become an embraced leader, and you could see it again Friday
in a 101-81 rout of defending Olympic champion Argentina at Wukesong Arena.
Before the game, the handful of players who had competed on the embarrassing
2004 Olympics team in Athens pleaded with them for revenge.
Bryant listened, and came out crazy.
He scored the first points on a reverse follow-up layup. He made the first
defensive stop while swarming Manu Ginobili into a three-point miss.
He threw the first big elbow of the game, shoving Ginobili right in front of
a whistle-chewing official, setting the tone for an hourlong scrum.
And, then, he ran the first player off the court, chasing Ginobili to the
bench with an apparent sprained ankle less than seven minutes into the game.
Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
"Kobe was the guy; he was like, 'I want to guard Manu,' " Paul said. "He
always wants to guard the other team's best player."
It's one thing for him to say that in a Laker locker room, on a team where
he has to guard the opposing star.
It's another thing to say it in a room filled with stars, where he knows
that concentrating on defense will hurt his scoring, and that volunteering
for anything can only bring embarrassment.
"The things he does out there, they're not about putting the ball in the
basket," said Carmelo Anthony. "They're about his presence."
Notice something interesting about that sentence?
How many times does a teammate compliment Bryant on something that doesn't
involve numbers? Even when his Laker teammates talk about how Bryant won't
let them lose, they are talking about his scoring.
As perhaps the ultimate compliment, Bryant's teammates here are raving about
him in spite of his numbers.
He is only the third leading scorer on the team, at 14.3 points a game. He
ranks fourth in steals. He ranks sixth in assists. He is eighth in
rebounding.
It's not about the numbers. It's about the perception.
His teammates can't believe this is the Kobe Bryant who has, at various
times in this career, cast himself as heartless and selfish.
His teammates see him only as the leader of a defense that has scored 84
more points off turnovers than their opponents, and 91 more points off fast
breaks.
Notice something interesting about this column?
As recently as a year ago, you couldn't write a story about Kobe Bryant's
impact on a team without talking to Kobe Bryant. His teammates never had
much to say, and when they did, they seemed to say it with fear.
This time, though, there are no Bryant quotes. There is not enough room. His
teammates said plenty.
Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.p...@latimes.com. To read previous
columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Chin
news:IVLrk.13030$Is1....@newsfe04.iad..
WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT BY CHEERLEADER PLATHSKCHHSHEYEEEE
Kobe has sucked and now his PR MACHINE needs to spin his crappy play.
Dynasty Reborn
Have you ever read Plaschke before? If you had, you would know he is
far from a Kobe fan.
Robert Chin
news:85a89243-c066-4f2e...@a8g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>...they barely made it into the finals.
Where upon the embarassed the LA WHATS? Not the Clippers. the Kobe's!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
The HAWKS gave the C's MORE trouble the the Lakers.
The CAVS gave the C's more trouble than the Lakers.
The PISTONS gave the C's MORE trouble than the Lakers.
The LAKERS basically rolled over for the C's, "led" by the "worlds greatet
basketball player in the 213 area code" Kobe. Did you miss that?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
In case you haven't been paying attention, Kobe has sucked since June.
greg brown
"Alson Wong" <ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote in message
> http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-olyplaschke23-2008aug23,0,6223645.column?page=2
>
> From the Los Angeles Times
> BILL PLASCHKE
> The word on Kobe Bryant from his Olympic teammates: respect
> Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt have garnered the fame. For Kobe Bryant, the
> reward is much more valuable.
> Bill Plaschke
>
> 2:03 PM PDT, August 22, 2008
>
> BEIJING - He never wore a swimsuit, but nobody made a bigger splash.
>
> He never ran a lap, yet nobody traveled farther.
>
> The Beijing Olympics may initially be known for Michael Phelps' strength
> and Usain Bolt's speed, but, among American sports fans, no memory will
> prove as indelible as Kobe Bryant's redemption.
>
> It's here. It's done. It will be officially completed on Sunday when the
> U.S. reclaims a gold medal against overmatched Spain, but, in terms of the
> one thing Bryant had lost, it's already happened.
>
When I read this article on the Times' website this morning, my first
thought was that the Kobe haters are going to just LOVE this.
I was right. :-)
Greg
RzR
"Alson Wong" <ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote in message
news:IVLrk.13030$Is1....@newsfe04.iad...
> http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-olyplaschke23-2008aug23,0,6223645.column?page=2
> bench with an apparent sprained ankle less than seven minutes into the
> game.
>
> Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
>
im surprised this piece of shit didnt accuse ginobili of faking the injury
fucking asshole
VicXnews
>
> "Alson Wong" <ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote in message
> news:IVLrk.13030$Is1....@newsfe04.iad...
>> http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-olyplaschke23-2008aug23,0,6223645.co
>> lumn?page=2 And, then, he ran the first player off the court, chasing
>> Ginobili to the bench with an apparent sprained ankle less than seven
>> minutes into the game.
>>
>> Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
>>
>
> im surprised this piece of shit didnt accuse ginobili of faking the
> injury
>
> fucking asshole
>
>
why...did they roll him off the floor in a wheelchair crying all the way...
Dynasty Reborn
> "Alson Wong" <ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote in message
>
> news:IVLrk.13030$Is1....@newsfe04.iad...
>
> > And, then, he ran the first player off the court, chasing Ginobili to the
> > bench with an apparent sprained ankle less than seven minutes into the
> > game.
>
> > Neither Ginobili, nor the Argentine chances, returned.
>
> im surprised this piece of shit didnt accuse ginobili of faking the injury
>
> fucking asshole
Was Ginobili traded to the Celtics?
VicXnews
665257...@z6g2000pre.googlegroups.com:
no...he walked off the court like a man...no tears...