Shaq vs. Kobe

[alfdogg 0]

If Kobe wants to be the star of a team, the Lakers could always leave him unprotected for the Bobcats to pick...

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I'll say Malone will be the first to bitch.

[1234-5678 0]

I'll say Malone will be the first to bitch.

Malone doesn't need to bitch;he could just drop Kobe or Shaq with his vicious Diamond Cutter!

[1234-5678 0]

The transcript of Kobe Bryant's interview with ESPN's Jim Gray:

 

GRAY: What was your reaction to Shaq saying the Lakers are his team, and everybody knows it?

 

BRYANT: It doesn't matter whose team it is. Nobody cares. I don't, Karl [Malone] doesn't, Gary [Payton] doesn't, and our teammates and the fans don't either. There's more to life than whose team this is. But this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court. It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Also, "my team" doesn't mean only when we win, it means carrying the burden of defeat just as gracefully as you carry a championship trophy.

 

GRAY: Do you consider Shaq to be a leader?

 

BRYANT: Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million [dollars] plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free. A leader would not demand the ball every time down the floor when you have the three of us [Malone, Payton, Bryant] playing beside you, not to mention the teammates you have gone to war with for years -- and, by the way, then threaten not to play defense and rebound if you don't get the ball every time down the floor.

 

GRAY: Shaq says that you have not been a team player. Is he right?

 

BRYANT: That's ridiculous. I have been successfully sacrificing my game for years for Shaq. That's what Phil [Jackson] wanted me to do, so I did it. Last year Phil told me Shaq was not in physical condition to carry the trust of our offense, so he asked me to do it. But then he saw Shaq was getting upset that the team wasn't running through him, so Phil asked me to pull back and I did. This year is no different; my role is whatever Phil want it to be. Period.

 

GRAY: Through out the preseason, your leg and conditioning has been lagging. Are you in the proper shape to start the season?

 

BRYANT: My knee is not strong enough to play yet. I know it. When it is I will play.

 

GRAY: Does that mean you will miss the opener [Tuesday] night and other games?

 

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

 

GRAY: Kobe, Shaq said if you didn't like what he had to say you can opt out and leave next season. Will you leave the Lakers?

 

BRYANT: I won't make that decision until the end of the season. I told Shaq last year that I was planning on opting out. He knew before anyone. I told him out of respect for what we have been through together. I thought he should be the first to know. The fact that he acts like this is such a big shock is a mystery to me. If leaving the Lakers at the end of the season is what I decide, a major reason for that will be Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy.

 

GRAY: Do you feel Shaq has been supportive in regards to your legal situation?

 

BRYANT: He is not my quote unquote "big brother." A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. I spoke to Devon [George], Rick [Fox], Mitch [Kupchak], Phil, and our owner Jerry Buss. And Shaq's own Uncle Jerome called and left three messages. Other teammates like Derek [Fisher], Mark [Madsen], and [stanislav Medvedenko] left messages as well. Opponents called like [Chris] Webber, [Mike] Bibby, and many others. So did a lot of coaches. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing.

 

GRAY: Why not resolve this behind closed doors? Why is this so public?

 

BRYANT: I asked Phil on Sunday [yesterday] to say something to calm this situation down before it boiled over. But he backed away, so now here we are. I have been a bigger person every time something happened with Shaq, and I don't expect this to be any different. But somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Wow.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

I'm feeling like Joe Schmoe and thinking these guys are making this stuff up behind the scenes. This is too hilarious to be real. If not, I'm expecting Shaq to bust out a rape conviction comment at some point.

[treble 0]

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

What the hell's a 'severed lip'?

[Steviekick 0]

I'll say Malone will be the first to bitch.

Malone doesn't need to bitch;he could just drop Kobe or Shaq with his vicious Diamond Cutter!

HAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHHA

 

Kobe and Shaq will feel the bang~!

[Steviekick 0]

I'm feeling like Joe Schmoe and thinking these guys are making this stuff up behind the scenes. This is too hilarious to be real. If not, I'm expecting Shaq to bust out a rape conviction comment at some point.

That would be insane. But it's still Shaq's team. Hell, the TNT NBA show even mentioned how Shaq has gone out of his way to be friendly with Malone and Payton. Just because of Kobe's legal situation doesn't mean he can't be a team player.

[Steviekick 0]

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

What the hell's a 'severed lip'?

Maybe he wound up biting a chunk of his lip off? That's the only thing I could figure.

[Guest Redhawk]

Yeah, I'm just waiting for Shaq to say something like, "Well, as you can see from what's been going on all summer, Kobe has a little self-control problem."

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

All of Kobe's comments seem like things he's held back on for years. For some reason, he's fed up. As a guy who HATED Malone, I feel worst for him and Payton taking pay cuts for this shit that was supposed to be buried.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I think its clear now that Kobe is an ass. I 100% agree with Shaq on this, and I don't even like him. It is one thing to complain about basketball related stuff, but Kobe had to go and make personal attacks.

[Guest Just J]

Kobe is frustrated right now and this was the straw that broke his back. The personal attacks do nothing to help his image, if anything it makes him look like more of an ass.

 

If this keeps up I hope Shaq breaks Kobe's back in three places.

 

Kobe should shut up and play.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

I think the substance of Kobe's comments is correct. The timing and setting he chose to air them are not. The team told them to shut up, Shaq did and Kobe didn't. Shaq is in the clear there, but he sure seems like an ass for not supporting Kobe during the offseason and for starting an unneeded controversy with the rape trial providing plenty of distraction. They both are putting themselves above the team, which sucks.

[Guest Just J]

I think the substance of Kobe's comments is correct. The timing and setting he chose to air them are not. The team told them to shut up, Shaq did and Kobe didn't. Shaq is in the clear there, but he sure seems like an ass for not supporting Kobe during the offseason and for starting an unneeded controversy with the rape trial providing plenty of distraction. They both are putting themselves above the team, which sucks.

The only thing Shaq did wrong was tell the media instead of Kobe. His comments were correct and needed to be said. Just not in an open forum. Kobe is acting like a brat and needs to keep quiet and win another championship.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Everything Kobe said is right. His timing is not.

[Guest Just Looking]

Best quote so far comes from Karl Malone:

 

"You don't pay me enough for this shit."

[alfdogg 0]

Kobe was fined by the Lakers.

[Guest Choken One]

Kobe was equally right as shaq was but the timing and openess was crucially wrong.

 

It's important each men air out thier problems but not on a public course like this...

 

for those who think it's just an act...I doubt it because all it does is makes Kobe look more of an asshole then he already did.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

This is all just a work to take attention of off Kobe's criminal case.

[Guest jpclemmons]

don't worry. the lakers will be a working unit for the playoffs.