Such a brave little soldier...

[VF21]

Meh, most of you are pretty much exaggerating (not that I wouldn’t expect you to, you’re Kings fans). I can easily remember many, many articles about Chris Webber's ailing knee, him talking about, being asked about it, etc. What's the difference? Yeah, that’s right, there really is no difference.

We're on a Kings board so of course we're going to want to have all the information possible about our star PF and an injury that could well have ended his career.

What's the difference? Gee, I don't know. If I go to a Laker board, am I going to see threads praising Webber and his recovery? Nope.

So, here, on a Kings board you're gonna see threads about Kobe and his injuries. It just comes with the territory...

The ONLY difference is that you don't find a bunch of Kings fans so obsessed with what Laker fans say on their own boards that they try and refute comments. We enjoy having Laker fans here, but sometimes the predictable posting of the standard Laker line gets a bit boring...

 

[AleksandarN]

The ONLY difference is that you don't find a bunch of Kings fans so obsessed with what Laker fans say on their own boards that they try and refute comments. We enjoy having Laker fans here, but sometimes the predictable posting of the standard Laker line gets a bit boring...

Same can be said of Kobe haters

 

[Kingsgurl]

Meh, most of you are pretty much exaggerating (not that I wouldn’t expect you to, you’re Kings fans). I can easily remember many, many articles about Chris Webber's ailing knee, him talking about, being asked about it, etc. What's the difference? Yeah, that’s right, there really is no difference.

I guess if you don't see a difference between a player who isn't playing due to a major surgery, the media speculating on when he might return and a player who is constantly having issues with his shoulder, his knee, his foot, his food poisoning, the flu, etc. etc. there really is no point in further discussion.

 

[AleksandarN]

Not true? Kobe is NOT a drama queen?

OMG - You have had entirely too much caffeine.

Don't you remember the ongoing saga of the shoulder that was hanging from the bone by a mere tendon? First, it was reported he might miss months. Then, miracle of miracles, the brave little soldier returned complete with a harness that looked as though it had been stolen from an old plow horse. The brave little soldier played on gamely... and guess what? Miracle of miracles again! He was able to take off the harness waaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of schedule for the originally announced injury. He was just THAT brave! And he was very eager to answer questions from the media about it, especially his "special friend" reporters in LA. (the ones who will toss him the "meatball" questions).

Kobe Bryant has to be in the spotlight. He has to overcome all odds, even if there's nothing to overcome. He is, in fact, his own worst enemy. I've said it before - he is one of the most talented individuals in the game today but for some reason, it just isn't enough. Right now I firmly believe he's trying desperately to get the spotlight back onto him and off Malone, O'Neal, Jackson, etc. How can he do this? By being the brave little soldier and fighting on, even though a mere mortal would have crumbled to the floor long ago in agony.

You see if that was any other person then people will say that he is tough as nails to play through injuries like that. Just because some players recover faster or tough it out better than others does not mean they are doing it for the attention.

 

[VF21]

If it was any other player, we probably wouldn't be hearing about all these fantastic recoveries, etc.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that Kobe OR his people OR someone tends to exaggerate the original injury so that, within a very short period of time, he can appear to have a miraculous recovery. It has happened repeatedly. Either that, or Kobe Bryant is a hypochondriac.

Don't you remember the original shoulder dislocation incident? The Laker broadcasters acted as though his arm was literally hanging from a mere tendon as he limped off the floor.

May I ask just why you feel this compelling need to defend to the death a Laker?

 

[Kingsgurl]

Players play through injuries all the time. Most of them are nicked and banged up throughout the season. They don't make it a point to bring up every little hang-nail every time. Take Doug Christie as an example. HIS plantar faciitis was bad enough to keep him out during the pre-season. It isn't healed, it didn't go away, yet Doug plays and NEVER says 'well, you know the pain is like a hot poker on the bottom of my foot every time I take a step' Plantar faccitis doesn't 'warm-up' as you play on it, BTW.

You guys seem to like to use Chris as an example. Did you know Chris had pain in his knee so bad PRIOR to the injury that he could barely walk after some games? Yes, neither did we, until the knee gave out and it all came to light. Why? Well, because Chris didn't take every opportunity to point out how much pain he plays through. Neither do MOST players.

 

[AleksandarN]

If it was any other player, we probably wouldn't be hearing about all these fantastic recoveries, etc.

I think the point I'm trying to make is that Kobe OR his people OR someone tends to exaggerate the original injury so that, within a very short period of time, he can appear to have a miraculous recovery. It has happened repeatedly. Either that, or Kobe Bryant is a hypochondriac.

Don't you remember the original shoulder dislocation incident? The Laker broadcasters acted as though his arm was literally hanging from a mere tendon as he limped off the floor.

May I ask just why you feel this compelling need to defend to the death a Laker?

I think it is homer reporters and broadcasters in L.A. They are worst I think in the league. BTW that in itself should dimish Kobe as a player and how he plays through all the injuries. Think about in the opposite situation. If he did sit out because of his injuries. People I think would label him as a wimp even though he had every reason sit out on some of his injuries. It is just that he is such competor that he would not sit out. I think that sometimes is his downfall because he plays when he well below 100% which of course does not help the team. I think the same can be said about Webber they are warriors who want play no matter what the condition of their bodies.

 

[VF21]

That is truly a FIVE STAR response, KG... Most players DON'T make a big deal of their injuries. The fact that the brave little soldier does leads me to wonder why... and the only answer I can come up with is so he can show how brave and strong he is.

 

[AleksandarN]

Players play through injuries all the time. Most of them are nicked and banged up throughout the season. They don't make it a point to bring up every little hang-nail every time. Take Doug Christie as an example. HIS plantar faciitis was bad enough to keep him out during the pre-season. It isn't healed, it didn't go away, yet Doug plays and NEVER says 'well, you know the pain is like a hot poker on the bottom of my foot every time I take a step' Plantar faccitis doesn't 'warm-up' as you play on it, BTW.

You guys seem to like to use Chris as an example. Did you know Chris had pain in his knee so bad PRIOR to the injury that he could barely walk after some games? Yes, neither did we, until the knee gave out and it all came to light. Why? Well, because Chris didn't take every opportunity to point out how much pain he plays through. Neither do MOST players.

Like I said it is brought up the media who always wants to take thier own spin on Kobe good or bad. He is in a no-win situation. If he does not reply to the reporters then they spin it anyways. It is just like we would always hear about Shaq's big toe hurting the last couple of years. I think the PR of the machine of Lakers always likes to inform the reporters of their players status.

 

[VF21]

Aleksander - Your loyalty and dedication to defending Kobe is admirable. It's just a shame it's all focused on defending an LA Laker on a Sacramento Kings board.

 

[Kingsgurl]

I am not following your logic. The reporters are to blame? They constantly ask him? What do they ask him? Gee Kobe, what hurts today? Do you have the flu? You look a little peaked. EVERY player has assorted bruises, bumps, contusions etc. like I said. NOT every player makes a big deal about pointing them out.

 

[AleksandarN]

Aleksander - Your loyalty and dedication to defending Kobe is admirable. It's just a shame it's all focused on defending an LA Laker on a Sacramento Kings board.

I know I just hate it when one person gets picked on more than others. I am the same in real life I hate people who like to pick on other people valid or not valid.

 

[Kingsgurl]

I know I just hate it when one person gets picked on more than others. I am the same in real life I hate people who like to pick on other people valid or not valid.

Odd, I never saw you stick up for Webber, he gets picked on an awful lot.

 

[AleksandarN]

I am not following your logic. The reporters are to blame? They constantly ask him? What do they ask him? Gee Kobe, what hurts today? Do you have the flu? You look a little peaked. EVERY player has assorted bruises, bumps, contusions etc. like I said. NOT every player makes a big deal about pointing them out.

Yes if you look at all of my posts on this typic clearly state my stance on how Kobe is most critized in the leagues and that includes reporters. Most of the questions are about his known injuries.

 

[Kingsgurl]

So, how are his injuries known? The reporters don't know by devination, someone has to tell them

 

[AleksandarN]

Odd, I never saw you stick up Webber, he gets picked on an awful lot.

I do just that I rarely post much. I always try to stick up for players who are alway critized. It is just overwhelming how much Kobe is critized though.

 

[VF21]

I do not like to simply pick on people for the fun of it. I detest the constant and continuing drama coming out of LA. It isn't good for basketball and it certainly doesn't do anything to improve the image of professional athletes. At the crux of the matter is the drama queen.

We will simply agree to disagree because I, quite frankly, have grown weary of discussing the brave little soldier this much. It has given me a headache and my spleen is working its way up my throat...

Kobe Bryant could have had it all. He's a tremendous player, but - like most tremendous players - he's flawed. His flaw is that he is a drama queen.

Good night.

 

[VF21]

Aleksander - Thank you for the ongoing debate. It was enjoyable, even if I wasn't able to get you to see the light!

 

[AleksandarN]

I do not like to simply pick on people for the fun of it. I detest the constant and continuing drama coming out of LA. It isn't good for basketball and it certainly doesn't do anything to improve the image of professional athletes. At the crux of the matter is the drama queen.

We will simply agree to disagree because I, quite frankly, have grown weary of discussing the brave little soldier this much. It has given me a headache and my spleen is working its way up my throat...

Kobe Bryant could have had it all. He's a tremendous player, but - like most tremendous players - he's flawed. His flaw is that he is a drama queen.

Good night.

It is nice talking to people who have different opinoins(even though they are wrong ) and not resort to name calling

 

[VF21]

We aren't done.. we will continue this at some later point in time.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Alexander, you have convinced me, Kobe is NOT a Drama Queen, he is merely injury prone. I hope his myraid of physical ailments don't cut him down in his prime and ruin your enjoyment of his game.

 

[AleksandarN]

So, how are his injuries known? The reporters don't know by devination, someone has to tell them

That is what I was saying in my post earlier. If you see all of his comments on injuries they come from questions related to those injuries. It is when he comments on his injuries is when people critize him for even answering those inquiries even though he does not bring them up. It is the attention of the media that alway comments on his status. They are always twisting them to either make him look good or bad. The media I think are to blame for much or even more so then Kobe is. If you think of it this way he not given much if any one on one interview untill recently. I think he realizes the more people know of him the better off he is.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Actually, I think he was MUCH better off when people knew LESS about him. His private life has not been, how do you put this delicately, conducive to the image he attempted to portray?

I ask you AGAIN, if he only uses his injuries in RESPONSE to reporters questions, where do the reporters get their info? You think they just ASSUME he has some sort of injury? Why on earth would they assume that? Maybe because he always gives them SOMETHING? Why would he do that?

 

[KA_2]

I guess if you don't see a difference between a player who isn't playing due to a major surgery, the media speculating on when he might return and a player who is constantly having issues with his shoulder, his knee, his foot, his food poisoning, the flu, etc. etc. there really is no point in further discussion.

Haha, what? You didn't refute any of my points. Does Webber not miss games due to knee problems? Has Webber ever missed a game due to flu, or played through a flu? Has Webber ever injured other parts of his body? And have all these things been talked about by the media and by Webber himself? So what's the difference when it happens to Kobe again? Didn't think so.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Hmm, perhaps the only difference is the injuries happen over the course of an athletes career. Kobes happen in about a 2 week span.

 

[KA_2]

Actually, I think he was MUCH better off when people knew LESS about him. His private life has not been, how do you put this delicately, conducive to the image he attempted to portray?

I ask you AGAIN, if he only uses his injuries in RESPONSE to reporters questions, where do the reporters get their info? You think they just ASSUME he has some sort of injury? Why on earth would they assume that? Maybe because he always gives them SOMETHING? Why would he do that?

So when Kobe visibly injures his shoulder during a couple games last season, can reporters ask him questions about it or is he a drama queen for responding to those questions? If Kobe is supposed to talk to reporters after a game and instead ices his foot for 45 minutes, is he supposed to not tell them what has been keeping him 45 minutes?

If you followed these situations closely, you'd realize that it pretty much ends up right where every other player has been before; they play through pain, they talk about injuries. That's just how it is.

 

[KA_2]

Hmm, perhaps the only difference is the injuries happen over the course of an athletes career. Kobes happen in about a 2 week span.

Uh, what?

 

[AleksandarN]

Actually, I think he was MUCH better off when people knew LESS about him. His private life has not been, how do you put this delicately, conducive to the image he attempted to portray?

I ask you AGAIN, if he only uses his injuries in RESPONSE to reporters questions, where do the reporters get their info? You think they just ASSUME he has some sort of injury? Why on earth would they assume that? Maybe because he always gives them SOMETHING? Why would he do that?

It is not hard to find out about his injuries just ask any people involved with Lakers they usually like to mention them from time to time. It is not only Kobe I know they used to alway comment on injuries Shaq played through. It is nature of the best when you are a superstar in hollywood. The reporters are different in LALA land.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Was I not clear enough for you? The litany of Kobe's injuries would cover a normal NBA season in about one 2 week span. Get it now?

 

[Kingsgurl]

It is not hard to find out about his injuries just ask any people involved with Lakers they usually like to mention them from time to time. It is not only Kobe I know they used to alway comment on injuries Shaq played through. It is nature of the best when you are a superstar in hollywood. The reporters are different in LALA land.

Oh, so Kobe is really a VICTIM (again) this time of the media realtions dept. of the lakers. Got it.