Is Kobe Bryant the New Terrell Owens?

Here's how Kobe Bryant spent his Tuesday and Wednesday this week: calling in to radio stations across the country and berating his front office. It's all because of this sentence that appeared in an outstanding article by top-notch LA Times NBA writer Mark Heisler: "Nevertheless, as a Lakers insider notes, it was Bryant's insistence on getting away from Shaquille O'Neal that got them in this mess."

Kobe's all jammed up that someone inside the Lakers front office would throw him under the bus, and he's angry. First, he demanded the Lakers get Jerry West, the man who builds champions. Then, he stomped his feet and whined like a baby and said he wanted to be traded. Hours later, he backpeddled from that request.

Ladies and gentleman, meet the new Terrell Owens. A selfish, petulant athlete who doesn't understand the team concept. This is where Kobe Bryant vaulted himself this week.

Plenty of athletes have sounded off in an article (Shawn Marion about being respected by the Suns in a recent ESPN the Magazine piece comes to mind), or in a TV interview, or perhaps even a radio interview. Here's the difference between an angry/upset athlete and a petulant one - the non-babies know when to put a cork in it.

Remember how Tom Brady was upset last year that the Patriots didn't get any wide receivers, and it ended up costing New England a shot at the Super Bowl? He made a statement about it, and then quit. The Patriots responded this summer by getting one of the 10 best receivers in the league, Randy Moss.

I'm no public relations spin-doctor, but my advice to Kobe is to quit while you're ahead. You've made your point. You want out, you want changes. Now zip it. The Lakers are on the clock. Mitch and Jerry and Phil will sit down - perhaps with the help of West - and see what players they can bring in to fortify the lineup. If the Lakers don't improve, then you know what you can do - walk two seasons from now. You'll be 31, and still have 3-4 good years left.

And if you insist on the crying, then please get us some cheese to go with your whine.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

5-30-2007 @ 11:02PM

DM said...

This should put an end to the "Kobe is the next Jordan" debate.

5-31-2007 @ 6:47AM

Invalid Cromulence said...

I wouldn't jump to the TO comparisons. While TO started his whining and media-whoring as soon as he was a quasi-star, Kobe has stayed with the Lakers and has always played hard for them. TO is a cancer, Kobe's just a star who feels mistreated.

5-31-2007 @ 6:46AM

uk said...

ANSWER ME THIS

CLARETHA BROOKS said...

O.O Kobe what do you really want a warm bottle of milk, pamper changed and someone to pat you on your back until you burb and finally sing you a lullaby until you go to sleep. Stop whining, play ball or quit. With all the money you are getting you can afford to retire. CRY BABY!!!!!!!

5-31-2007 @ 6:43AM

Unbiased said...

Give me a break! I haven't heard so much flip-flopping since the last Presidential Election! You would think someone of his talent and accomplishments (not to mention salary) would be smart enough to figure out the ramifications of his comments in public and on radio before he makes them!

This guy needs to be traded, or released, and needs some serious counseling!

5-31-2007 @ 6:41AM

NH said...

And what exactly would those ramifications be? What can ANYONE possibly do to Kobe? ... cut him? NO! cancel his contract? NO! trade him? THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS AND HE WOULD HAVE THE FINAL SAY OVER WHERE HE GOES IF THEY DID EXERCISE THAT OPTION ... face it Kobe is the best in the NBA right now and no matter if writers/laker fans/kobe-haters are upset EVERYONE is still going to be tuning in to watch him come next season regardless of which team he's on ... did you go to espn.com lately? Spurs over the Jazz the main story? Stanley Cup the main story? French Open the main story? the answer to all of those are no and we all know why and who IS the main story. KOBE

5-31-2007 @ 2:15AM

realist said...

Why is it that when a prominet black man or woman speaks up for themselves, there's an uprising in the white community and media circuit alike. It is so obvious. Just ridiculously immature. If these kids, Kobe and Owens were white, their demands etc. would not be such a big deal at all. They wouldn't be ripped apart and spat upon for sharing their thoughts and opinions or told to shut up. Instead, they'd be respected, whether or not agreed with, and this article would actually be fair.

5-31-2007 @ 6:38AM

Martin said...

Yea, realist, everyone loves to hear spoiled, only-child white babies throw tantrums. You sure hit that one right on, didn't you?
Even if you want to believe that (hey, thats your right as an american) there are still plenty of teams that would love to take a chance on a prima donna- even if they're drama queens.

5-31-2007 @ 6:31AM

Kalyan Chatrathi said...

Let me see -

Player A takes the hit for running a teammate out town when he is not involved. He might be a pain to handle, but is your biggest star. Someone in the front-office felt that there was a need to throw him under the bus and in retaliation, Player A reveals the truth that he had nothing to do with running the former teammate out and in disgust with the front-office action, wants to leave town.

I see nothing wrong in this. If anyone, the front-office needs to be blamed for bringing the situation to a flash point.

Please, save me the comparison to sweet-boy Brady (Disclosure: NE Pats fan; LA Lakers - not so much). Brady did not have the front-office spouting against him in the newspapers. The situation are not similar and these are apples-to-oranges comparison.

Believe me, i am not inviting Kobe to dinner anytime soon but atleast don't try and imply that he alone is to be blamed for the entire situation.

5-31-2007 @ 6:49AM

Paging Roger Cossack said...

Ummmm, what?

1. The Laker front office BLATANTLY LIED to Kobe when trying to resign him as a free agent, telling him that they were going to try to win immediately and telling Jackson that they had a long-term plan. He found out about this yesterday.

2. Dr. Buss made the decision COMPLETELY INDEPENDENTLY to trade Shaq, and a "Laker insider" is blaming it on Kobe forcing Shaq out of town.

Kobe isn't allowed to be publicly upset about any of this? When your starting center is Kwame Brown, the team drafted a 17-year-old when you've been in the NBA for a decade, and your starting PG is Smush Parker?

Jeez, what do you want from him? You say that "the difference is" that an angry athlete knows "when to put a cork in it." So Kobe speaks out a couple of times, culminating in his trade demand, and then backs down, having been reassured by his coach. That's not good enough for you?

You really think he's going to have 3-4 good years left after he leaves this contract? He's going to be 31, having ALREADY PLAYED 12 YEARS IN THE NBA. For heaven's sake, Tmac is thinking about retiring to baseball (and we all know how much energy that takes) in a year or two! He's in his absolute superstar, best-player-in-the-league prime right now, and the Lakers are wasting it because they lied to him. Otherwise, he'd be in Chicago or playing on the other LA team.

If your objective was to write an article that would generate debate and publicity and you would totally stretch the truth with your argument (Terrell Owens? Really?), then congratulations, you have succeeded.

No matter what you think, Big Lead (and your site makes it pretty obvious where you lean on this), Kobe has both Shaq and Phil Jackson on his side. They both believe everything he's saying. What are you going to go off of?

5-31-2007 @ 8:07AM

Jay said...

yeah he's the next T.O., a talented black athlete that white people love to hate. Kind of like Muhammed Ali in the 1960's, although you wouldn't know it now by the way they herald the black man, that took them all on and won.

Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA, if there are people that are offended by his comments, perhaps they should look into Nascar or Hockey.

By the way when the media started using the word cancer to describe black athletes, and it's the only people they use the word to describe, I'm sure a lot of cancer victims were a little chilled. Aside from the bigotry of their application, it's just plain old wrong to cancer victims.

You go watch somebody die of bone cancer and then write this nonesense.

5-31-2007 @ 9:14AM

The Big Lead said...

Who said I was white?

5-31-2007 @ 8:19AM

damn...damn...im shocked at all the conclusions people come to say...cobe wants to be traded and someone this ends in cancer and racisism...sheeesh!

5-31-2007 @ 8:20AM

KOBE* SOMEHOW*

5-31-2007 @ 10:28AM

NYC Brotha said...

Well, I kind of halfway agree with you. First of all, don't you EVER compare Kobe Bryant or Terrell Owens to Muhammad Ali as long as you shall stay black!!! Ali, Jim Brown, Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell, and men like them cared as much about what they did AWAY from the sport, as much as they did in the sport. T.O. and Kobe are great athletes, but they care about THEMSELVES and no one else. Truth is truth. There is absolutely NO comparison. Next, I also abhor the term "cancer" when it comes to describing pain-in-the-ass athletes. You're absolutely correct - it is not a term to use lightly. However, that phrase was not used specifically for black athletes. That phrase was also used for white pain-in-the-ass athletes such as John Rocker, Kyle Turley, and Jeff George.

5-31-2007 @ 10:53AM

DC Echo driver said...

Tells Stephen A he wants to be traded, then hours later tells the LA fans he wants to work it out.

See video here: http://thenewsroom.com/details/351502/Sports

5-31-2007 @ 11:15AM

Jen said...

Kobe sounds frustrated that this is the only way he can be mentioned during the finals.

5-31-2007 @ 1:55PM

brian said...

but can't you think of ways to diss kobe? crying like a baby? a spoiled brat? that's just lazy.

5-31-2007 @ 2:43PM

Mikel said...

Kobe the new Terrell Owens?...Almost but not there as of yet.
Remember that when Kobe came into the NBA he was just out of Lower Marion High School.A 17 year old, 6foot 6inch, 190 pounder.His average in his final year of HIGH SCHOOL was 30.8...His avg. for his three years in high school was 26.7 points per game,10 rebounds and 6 assists.So we can see all ready that Kobe was special,very special.Next comes Shaq and some NBA Championships.All this and Kobe has yet to see his 25th birthday.So here was a ball player who was always treated a little special finding out that he is very,very special.He now finds all he needs to do is ask and his wishes are granted.POOF instant EGO.Poof instant Fame,POOF instant Trouble.
Where the hell does Kobe DEMAND that the Lakers get Jerry West to help build the Lakers team?The last time I looked Mr.West was under contract to another team...Next a demand to be traded.Never going to happen,never.If I were Dr Buss I would fire Phil Jackson.(no more Kobe cuddling)Get Van Gundy to coach,Sit Kobes ass on the bench for a while and let him whine all he is good for.Kobe you could of been a great all around ballerplayer/person,But you screwed it up big time,from the Rape thing to your constant complaining.Please for your own sake Turn it around and get it together,you still have plenty of time to change your image and it surely needs some changing.

A Fan who still has faith in you Mr.Bryant.
Mikel-Chas.Skinner