Anyways, my reaction to any player in the NBA doing something that gains media, blogger, or fan base reaction is subsequently followed by my interpretation of how these same people would react if Kobe Bryant were to do the same thing. This is why Kobe Bryant is hands down the most popular player in the league, for good and bad reasons. You mention his name ANYWHERE, and you will get pretty much double the amount of readers or ratings that you would normally get if you mentioned say...Tracy Mcgrady. It also explains why he remains perhaps the one player who gets criticized or blamed for things that aren't really his fault (i.e- People criticizing him for resembling MJ in voice), and just fathoming the reaction that would have followed if Kobe were to have been involved also serves as a funny reminder of just how important ratings and attention really are in the grand scheme of things. It shows the power of the media, and most of all, it shows us the influence (whether positive or negative) that Kobe Bryant has had on this league. I stand by my proclaimation that there has never been an athelete who has been hated on this much, no matter WHAT he does, whether good or bad.
Without further ado, I give to you the situations where you truly have to wonder how the reaction would have been if Kobe Bryant were to have done the same thing.
1. "A Kobe Bryant team is never desperate!"
Original Quote: “A LeBron James team is never desperate" - Lebron James
Original Reaction: Got some attention in blogs, but nothing on ESPN, so obviously, it wasn't that big of a deal to most. After all, this is "King James"....he gets a free pass, no matter what he says. However, what would the reaction have been if Kobe Bryant so boldly referred to himself in the third person and claimed that a team led by him is never desperate?
Expected Reaction To Kobe Bryant:
This is why I hate Kobe Bryant. He is arrogant, and so full of himself. Listen to him, referring to himself in the third person! Who does he think he is, Lebron James?? Plus, the Lakers haven't won anything! He's not MJ, he'll never be MJ!!!
2. "Yo Shaq, How's A First Round Exit taste?"
Original Action: Shaquille O'Neal unleashes a freestyle asking the Mamba how his ass tastes, following the 2008 NBA Finals. "Last week, Kobe couldn't do it without me!" he says.
Original Reaction: "That's just Shaq being Shaq! He's so funny!" It's hilarious when The Big Irrelevant does it, but what would the reaction have been if Kobe Bean was the one freestyling and the words "Shaq" had been uttered even once during that freestyle?
Edit: The perfect place to find ACTUAL reactions to these situations are on ESPN, where some pretty stupid, biased and exceedingly young people continue to post, regardless of whether or not they posess proper grammar skills, or basketball knowledge beyond the year 2004. Anyways, here is an actual post from one of the ESPN commenters:
jacorey32 (1 hour ago)
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piratelife are you serious, Kobe the most hated arrogant player/rappist in the NBA. why are you all hating shaq i don't understand. this man has 4 rings that 1 more than kobe and 3 finals mvps thats 3 more than kobe. oh wait Kobe does have the biggest choke series ever by and NBA Most vaulable player. did you watch the Boston series. How they kept saying greatest on the planet. sorry MJ never lost a 24 point lead, MJ never got beat by 40 to close a finals series wait Shaq never lost a 24 point lead wait Shaq neverl lost by 40 points to close out a series. And for all those they say that Shaq has been washed up. If I remember correctly Shaq has been in the playoffs every year since leaving the Lakers yr 1 Eastern Confrence against Pistons, yr 2 Title yr 3 playoffs with Phoenix. what did kobe do oh yeah due to lakers and favorable calls against Spurs they made it to the finals because from a buisness prospective it was a more profitable matchup. Just to discover they were clearly outmatched and didn't belong there. and to introduce the world to there new MVP Sir Choky Bryant. the rapist
Kobe Bryant is so full of himself. He thinks he's a rapper. Stick to playing ball Kobe! Wow, he sucks at freestyling! He's just so...fake. Just look at him holding that microphone. He thinks he's Tupac. More importantly, he just lost in the Finals! Kobe hasn't won anything since Shaq left! Shaq made him what he is! He's not MJ, he'll never be MJ!!!!
3. Paul Pierce: "B's Upppp!"
Original Action: Paul Pierce throws up a bloods gang-sign subsequently after Al Horford drops him and talks trash. Pierce, reverting back to his Cali days, walks over to mid-court and throws up a "blood, sweat and tears" sign....according to Danny Ainge.
Original Reaction: Varied. From Danny Ainge claiming Pierce was signaling "blood, sweat and tears" (which makes me laugh everytime I read it) to people reassuring themselves once again that the NBA is full of thugs, to people debating whether or not it really was a bloods sign in the first place. The action did generate some contreversy, but nothing compared to what it would have been had Kobe Bryant done that in the first round against the Denver Nuggets after Kenyon Martin talked some smack to him.
Expected Reaction To Kobe Bryant:
Kobe is not a gangster. He grew up in Italy. He's so fake. How can he be throwing up gang signs, he has no street credibility! Everyone knows the main thing that basketball players want is street credibility, because you know, carrying yourself intelligently is out of the question! Kobe thinks he's a gangster. He's no Paul Pierce. That was not a blood, sweat and tears sign! Kobe Bryant thinks he's so hood. He's a fake; a phony! This is the difference between him and Michael Jordan, he always tries to be something he's not. He's not MJ, he'll never be MJ!!!!
More to come.....
2 comments:
I agree with everything you've said. The media has a double standard. And it's also interesting that in Shaq's rap, he dissed not only Kobe, but Kareem and Patrick Ewing, two very established and respected players - yet none of the media publications want to talk about it. All they want to talk about is how Shaq dissed Kobe and that they feud is "back on" apparently. And none of them are willing to admit that it's just Shaq trying to be relevant, and his rap against Kobe is pathetic. I mean, Michael Wilbon was trying to actually justify Shaq's "freestyling" as funny and legit on Pardon the Interruption. It was just sad how much of a double standard is placed against Kobe.
Two good blog posts to read about this is from 20 Second Timeout and Empty the Bench. They have a pretty good take on this as well with all the same conclusions:
Shaq is insecure and jealous of Kobe.
Shaq couldn't have won 3 championships without Kobe and vice versa. To win a championship, you have to win as a team.
Many hated Kobe because he is totally good and can't accept that he could be in that level where great superstar are made of. I'm a Kobe fan since he shoot air balls in Utah. In my part, I don't really care if they lost to the Celts as long as Kobe stays in LA. He is not Michael Jordan but he tried his best to emulate him. Now, I don't miss MJ's move because Kobe fills it up. During the play-offs, what excites me most when he hoisted the MVP trophy which is very hard to earn. I thank Kobe for giving his best for the team without hesitation, unlike the Big Guy stopped playing when the Heat is struggling and pretending to be injured then diving for the ball when he was traded to the Suns.......nice blog canadian baller.
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