In a salacious document dump of Ken Starr-like proportions, the Vail Daily News received the transcript of Kobe’s police interview yesterday. I must say, I’m sure he was very flustered at the time, but what with the lying, the backpedaling, and the constant fretting about “my career and my image,” Kobe comes across as both thoroughly unlikable and exceedingly guilty here. He’s fortunate this never went before a jury.
Tag: Lakers
Swift Boat Vets for Diesel.
As November 2 nears, the rhetoric and name-calling continues to heat up between these two increasingly irate contenders, particularly on the controversial questions surrounding their past records of service. I am, of course referring to Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. “Even with wings you never as fly as me … you remind me of Kobe Bryant trying to be as high as me … but you can’t … even if you get me traded … wherever I’m at, I’m Puffy; you Mase and you’re still hated” contests the recently-slimmed down Shaq on his new (and, um, probably not-so-good) hip-hop CD. In a related story, Vice-President Cheney declared today that, if you root for the Miami Heat, the terrorists will kill you.
Case Dismissed.
Kobe gets off. Good news for the Lakers, better news for Bryant (even though, as Dahlia Lithwick points out, he didn’t even have the courage to read his own apology.)
Lakered.
The Glove balks at Boston. Said Payton of his former team, the Lakers: “It’s about respect. They didn’t respect me. Why should I respect them? They used me so they could get other players.” Well, you know, Glove, that’s the problem with Faustian bargains…
Turmoil for the Laker Nation.
After months of little public movement, the assault case against Lakers star Kobe Bryant hits a crossroads of sorts. On one hand, because Judge Ruckriegle’s court apparently leaks worse than the Titanic, the accuser is contemplating dropping criminal charges against Bryant (but will still make a civil case.) On the other, another woman has emerged to corroborate a pattern of “aggressive” behavior on Kobe’s part. Hmmm.
Diesel Fuel.
The Lakers implosion becomes the Heat’s opportunity, as Shaq gets set to move to Miami, in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, and Brian Grant. That’s a great pickup (and a gimme) for Pat Riley’s club. The Lakers should have had the sense to hold out for Dwyane Wade.
Things Fall Apart.
“It looks like Buss, the Lakers’ owner, has made his choice: Kobe stays; the others can go. In other words, he is not averse to trading Shaq and is willing to build his franchise around a narcissist who’s on trial for rape, doesn’t make his teammates better and is in denial over all of it.” Well, it looks like my concerns about Kobe joining the Knicks were unfounded. At the behest of Bryant, Lakers owner Jerry Buss sends Phil Jackson off, with Shaq soon to follow. I never really bought into the Zen Master hype, but Phil Jackson is assuredly a better coach than Rudy T. And letting Shaq walk to appease Kobe? That’s just ludicrous…The big guy may be on the downslope of his career, but he’s still in a league of his own.
Beasts of the East.
In a surprisingly commanding performance, the Pistons blow out LA in Game 5 to take their first championship in 14 years (and the first Eastern Conference win since MJ’s last Chicago run in 1998.) As for the star-studded, star-crossed Lakers, the future looks grim. I just hope Gary Payton gets rejuvenated on some other team, and that Kobe doesn’t end up with the Knicks as rumored…They’re my team and all, but I’d have a hard time rooting for New York with the selfish, vainglorious Bryant as their cornerstone.
Almost there.
Detroit D’s up again, and are now only one game away from knocking off the vaunted Lakers in 5. This should’ve been a sweep, if not for Game 2’s ugly last minute. Still, I’ll play it safe and continue believing Pistons-in-7. LA is too good and Shaq too dominant not to have at least one breakout game. Or at least I used to think so. With Kobe sabotaging his own team, who knows?
Get your motor running.
They were up 6 with 40 seconds to go. They were up 6 with 40 seconds to go. I’ll admit, the last-minute Piston collapse in Game 2 has me distraught. Hopefully, Detroit rights the ship in tonight’s Game 3, because the thought of Kobe and the Lakers dancing around the Staples Center with another championship this year makes me ill. So I’ll stick with my pick – this series goes back to LA with Detroit up 3-2, and the Pistons win in 7. Please? Update: Ric Bucher, who to his credit picked Detroit from the start, makes a compelling case that the Lake Show are still the ones in trouble. Let’s hope so.