Nov.29 at 4:35 pm

Cordeazy says:
First??? I hat when people do that, but alas, I am victim to the habits of the masses

Nov.29 at 4:39 pm

white hot eboy says:
Mutoni, it HAD to kill you to write that last paragraph.

Nov.29 at 4:39 pm

Myles Brown says:
I doubted he would say anything other than what he did. Is there any other response? “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about retirement…”

Nov.29 at 4:45 pm

white hot eboy says:
Very true, Myles.

Nov.29 at 4:50 pm

albie1kenobi says:
didn’t certain baldhead have a commercial that ends with something like “tell me that. i want you to”?

Nov.29 at 4:54 pm

Bryan says:
One thing about Kobe is that he has always thrived off of negative feedback..

Nov.29 at 4:56 pm

Holly MacKenzie says:
Mutoni, I was talking with a friend last night the amount of games KB has played in. It is pretty crazy when you think about the general wear and tear on his body over his career, when he is still so young. It will be interesting to see how Dwight and LeBron and the rest of the young’ns hold up when they are 10 years in.

Nov.29 at 4:57 pm

white hot eboy says:
If bad press gets 24 motivated, that motherfu*ker needs to come here and read this website daily. He might average 70 pts a game.

Nov.29 at 4:59 pm

Bryan says:
Dwight is different cause he’s so fcking strong.

Nov.29 at 5:01 pm

Mike says:
That’s funny, because from what I’ve seen thus far this season, the decline has begun already. He’s not blowing past his defenders like he used to. His game right now reminds me more of MJ 95-98, more than early-90s MJ.. When his J isn’t falling, he’s having a hard time dominating games..

Nov.29 at 5:02 pm

Holly MacKenzie says:
Bron is built like crazy for his position also, Bryan. I agree with you that it will help them both. It was interesting to consider Bodie’s comment earlier about Kobe’s weight loss and how it is affecting him. It’s tricky, because the weight can help you be strong and protect you from the beatings your body takes day in and day out, but too strong and you can risk weight bearing down on your knees. I think the tendenitis KObe’s been experiencing is probably some of the reason why he wanted to be lighter on his feet. Less weight to bear, easier on the knees?

Nov.29 at 5:07 pm

Harlem_World says:
Its not the athleticism or physical capabilities that will bring kobe down first - its the bodies ability to recuperate at as fast a level. As he ages, he’ll have a spectacular game then 2 average -poor games, because his body won’t be ready to go all out again the next night. Which makes the need to surround him with quality talent paramount. As he gets older, he needs to be able to take a night off without the whole team collapsing around him. Then he can switch it on for the playoffs when his ‘A’ game is most needed.

Nov.29 at 5:10 pm

Harlem_World says:
As Bron ages, he can move his game to the post and be a PF for another 5 years after his quickness and explosion begin to decline in about 10 years. Remember when Magic briefly came back?

Nov.29 at 5:15 pm

Tom says:
Totally agree with you Holly, look at Tmac. When he got to Orlando and added all that weight and got that crazy vein down his shoulder, thats when his back started acting up….then on the other side of the coin a guy like Iverson, never added weight on but I’m pretty sure is very strong for his weight, has been able to play at such a high level for going on 12 years now, with no major injuries. I think it really depends on the player, there is no general rule for something like this.

Nov.29 at 5:17 pm

Tom says:
And Harlem World, the only thing I remember about that Magic comeback was he put a dirty pass fake on sprewell, then on the warriors for an easy layup…..the rest i’d rather not remember.

Nov.29 at 5:21 pm

Tom says:
if you don’t remember, about 1:20 into this clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cvWn6fH7Cg

Nov.29 at 5:22 pm

Holly MacKenzie says:
Harlem: It is when people bring up the good old days of Magic that I wish I was older. While it was the Magicman who made me fall in love with basketball and all things Lakers, I loved watching him but wasn’t old enough to really analyze or take significant note of the type of basketball being played, etc. I am sure when he came back I was just happy to see him out there and I was just a young girl with a huge smile on her face because her favorite player was suiting up, enough said.

Nov.29 at 5:22 pm

Reggie Evans says:
Kobe sucks.

Nov.29 at 5:24 pm

its just alex says:
Talking about Kobe being old…makes me feel old.

Nov.29 at 5:27 pm

Bryan says:
me too Alex.

Nov.29 at 5:29 pm

white hot eboy says:
Fu*king old people.

Nov.29 at 5:32 pm

J-Smoove says:
Kobe probably won’t ever retire until he gets like a career-ending injury or something…think about it he lives and breathes basketball. It’s like the only thing he can do…I mean he tried rapping…but that didn’t really work out.

Nov.29 at 5:32 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
I hate when columnists say that someone like Kobe will start to fall off soon, then use guys like Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas and even Michael Jordan as examples. Do they realize how much better EVERYTHING has gotten since the ’80s (let alone the ’60s)? They fly private, have chefs cook them perfect meals as dictated by nutrionists, have masseuses at their beck and call. They wear sneakers that have been scientifically designed and mercilessly tested complete with custom insoles molded from impressions of their own feet (well, except for Steph and Ben Wallace). They have access to cadres of doctors armed with the latest equipment and techniques. Weight rooms and hot tubs, elliptical machines and fresh fruit. The athlete of today is a perfectly tuned machine, with ALL necessities provided. There’s no reason to think, barring injury, that Kobe won’t be able to perform at a high level for years to come.

Nov.29 at 5:33 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
I didn’t read this particular column, but I read it a few weeks ago when Chad Ford wrote it.

Nov.29 at 5:35 pm

Bryan says:
What really puzzles me is how when an athlete first comes out of high school columnists spout how they are gonna be playing at a high level til they’re 38 but then when dude plays a lot of games at 29 they flip the sh*t just to give themselves something to write about.

Nov.29 at 5:39 pm

Tom says:
Russ: They didn’t have fresh fruit back then…damn, thats hard times….also, is it just me who’s noticed that as hoops shoes have gotten more advanced, there have been more foot injuries…..is that a coincidence, or is there a correlation?

Nov.29 at 5:42 pm

its just alex says:
Thanks, Eboy. There are really three stories when it comes to Kobe: the “Kobe is getting old” story, the “Kobe hates his team” story, and the “Kobe is getting traded” story. (which are all essentially the same story, no?). Pick one, repeat ad nauseum.

Nov.29 at 6:06 pm

bfatty says:
responding to mike who said the decline has already begun…..what game are you watching? 46%fg,35%3pt,86%ft,28ppg,6rpg,5ast,2stl….playing better on ball defense than he has in years…..and he’s declining? he’s getting better. the last two years kobe has started slowly in the nov and december…..then in mid january is when the 40 pt games usually start coming…..granted he isn’t dunking much anymore but his skills are unsurpassed

Nov.29 at 6:11 pm

jay says:
well let me start by saying that im a really big kobe fan an i think that kobe has at least 6 more years 2 win another tittle but at the rate he s going he wont last long unless he gets some help n fast i would hate 2 c a great tallent go 2 waste after 3 rings so 2 the gm s help a brother out

Nov.29 at 6:30 pm

DannyW_UK says:
It’s funny how in the UK we spell things differently. Color = Colour Center = Centre J Smoove said : I mean he tried rapping…but that didn’t really work out. In the UK it’s spelt Raping.

Nov.29 at 6:31 pm

DannyW_UK says:
Sorry about my last post but it was too tempting.

Nov.29 at 6:35 pm

MoYooBuIuGuuPvEvNvIvS says:
danny, raping is illegal here, and rapping for some people, like kobe for instance. if kobe is ever caught rapping again, he will get 20 - life.

Nov.29 at 6:49 pm

Gerard Himself says:
Well, help or no help, Phil Jackson will stay for another 2 years.

Nov.29 at 7:10 pm

RM # 0 says:
When Kobe’s 40 he’ll still be able to score at least 20 a game because he takes care of himself.

Nov.29 at 7:17 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Phil Jackson, for example, was done playing at a relatively early age because they operated on him with sharp rocks and a pointy stick. It’s also worth noting that players were smoking cigarettes in the locker room at halftime as recently as the mid-’80s.

Nov.29 at 7:20 pm

snyper48 says:
If Kobe not better than Mike he’s the closest one.Holly stand up.

Nov.29 at 8:38 pm

The infamous DP says:
I love the swagger from Kobe. You don’t let no one tell you what you are and what you are going to be. The haters will hate, but it really doesn’t matter cuz when Kobe is on his real grind, he is freakin unstoppable. play wit it.

Nov.29 at 8:40 pm

J-Smoove says:
lol i wonder if kobe ever freestyles in the lakers locker room….

Nov.29 at 8:54 pm

Sesa says:
Touche Russ.

Nov.29 at 9:02 pm

TWELLS_TOP60 says:
who would doubt kobe

Nov.29 at 10:26 pm

James says:
i would twells

Nov.29 at 11:40 pm

jay says:
“tell me that, i want you to”, followed by “no, dont tell me that, i dont want you to”, followed by “i still want you to tell me that”. its all love for Kobe, nothing serious.

Nov.30 at 2:35 am

Logan says:
can anyone tell me why Kobe is wearing old kicks this season????

Nov.30 at 2:41 am

Young Chris #3 says:
He’s not Snyper… He’s not.

Nov.30 at 6:48 am

Timmyd says:
Even though KOBE is annoying, I get what he’s saying. I too get tired of the commentators and so-called journalists trying to age these players before their time. It gets annoying, because the only people that are saying “they are getting old” or “they are about to decline” are critics and so-called fans that don’t have to play against these players EVERYNIGHT. Their peers that play in the game aren’t saying such. Another good example is ALLEN IVERSON… every year for the past 5 yrs. critics have been saying “He’s going to slow down….he’s going to start declining soon….okay I know I said LAST YEAR, but this is defenitly the year A.I will slow down”. I’m reading this stuff thinking, “Man, SHUT THE HELL UP”! Every year they say he is going to decline and EVERY YEAR his STATS get better. IVERSON is a FREAK OF NATURE (the TEAM trainer said he has like 1% body fat) he is one of the most amazing athletes I have ever seen. And after 10 years of carring Philly on his back, 10 years of HEART ACHE and TEARS, he STILL remains arguably the fastest gaurd in the LEAGUE and STILL plays with the HEART of a GIANT, now leading and trying to help take his new team to the next level. He also relishes in the NEGATIVE comments, loves to prove people wrong. Thats why I beleive that it is going to take a MAJOR INJURY *knocks on wood* to even slow IVERSON down (or a CHAMPIONSHIP, he’ll probably retire that same year, LOL). He’s not going to slow down anytime soon, just because people want him to and just to prove people wrong. I was watching the LAKERS/NUGGETS game tonight and the commentater brought up IVERSONS age (which is what they LOVE to do), they say something like every game like ” Iverson is 32, I can’t beleive he hasn’t slowed down yet”… Did MICHEAL JORDAN slow down at only 32?! The man is only 32 YEARS OLD for crying out loud!! STEVE NASH is an entire year OLDER then A.I, I hardely hear them talking about his age. It’s almost like some of these people want for these players to slow down (because they have been DOMINATING for so long), so they’ll try to SPEAK it into excistance, MEANWHILE, these players don’t give a damn. After the game the TNT crew interviewed KOBE and CHARLES BARKELY said “Well Kobe you have a YOUNG team, YOU’RE not YOUNG, but your team is”, and KOBE said “If i’m not YOUNG, then what does that make YOU”? Then CHARLES said “ANCIENT”. LOL!! KOBE laughed, but seemed annoyed when he said that to CHUCK. I think they just get tired of people telling them “You need to start DECLINING now”. Everyones diffent, some decline sooner then others, some later then others, it depends on the person. I say SHUT UP and let those players play the game, because once players like SHAQ, KOBE and IVERSON start retiring theres going to be a HUGE void to be filled. They are irreplacible, we’ll never see anyone like them again because players like them come around once in a LIFETIME, so lets just sit back and enjoy.

Nov.30 at 8:58 am

Holly MacKenzie says:
Tom, thanks for the clip. Had me tearing up during his interview. Gosh I loved the magicman!!

Nov.30 at 10:34 am

RYAN says:
I say Kobe has a good ten 8 years left Kobe is the best in the NBA. He tries to please everyone but he can’t. If he shoots to much he gets criticized if he don’t shoot enough he gets criticized what are you to do in that situation…do what Kobe does and that is whatever it takes to win the ball game even if he has to score 40 points everynite he can if he needs to to win!!!

Nov.30 at 11:16 am

Allenp says:
Timmyd is angry. But I love his defense of Iverson. If critics say this is the year he slows down long enough, eventually they will be right. Iverson has slowed down a little, but since he added the whole change of pace move to his game, plus the mid-range jumper in the lane, it doesn’t make a difference.

Nov.30 at 2:09 pm

sporty socrates says:
Kobe is quoting an old Jordan-commercial. “Tell me I’m older, tell me I’m slower. Tell me I can no longer fly - I want you to”. He always wants to be like Mike. http://youtube.com/watch?v=XhrI75fEe74

Nov.30 at 4:36 pm

Timmyd says:
LOL @ AllenP, I am far from angry, i’m just contributing my 2 cents on the issue like yourself and everyone else. I used Iverson as an example, but i’ve read the same about Tim Duncan and just about everyother great player their age in the league, meanwhile they are making changes to improve their games. That was my the point. Ofcourse eventually they will decline, they are HUMAN like everyone else, but people trying to make them DECLINE and push them into retirement before their time is rediculous and after a while gets rather annoying to read and listen to for me, so I can only imagine how KOBE and all those other players feel. Again, let the players play… but I guess it doesn’t matter because people will have something NEGITIVE to say (especially when it comes to players like KOBE and IVERSON) regardless. So I guess they can just continue to prove them wrong. :shrugs:

Nov.30 at 4:57 pm

Kadavour says:
the super-human athletes we’ve grown to revere over the years (Kobe, Iverson, etc) are just that, Super-human. i think these journalists make a huge mistake by measuring their primacy and longevity by the same standards they judge the regular NBA cats. There really is no precedent for the decline of such athletes. All we’re getting now is blind speculation from those who know no better.

Nov.30 at 5:10 pm

Harlem_World says:
Tom - that clip took me back. Holly, you don’t have to be a hardcore hoops head to appreciate Magic. He’s a one of a kind. And my point was, because of his size and versatility, he could play the post and would have played the post if not for the HIV situation, as he got older. Bron should be able to do the same thing. Though we’ll never see another passer like Magic. J Kidd is the closest we’ve had, and he’s still a long way off.

Nov.30 at 5:15 pm

Harlem_World says:
In reference to the ‘aging’ athlete - its just jealousy talking/writing. What do these writers know about elite athletes? 32 is NOT old for a supreme athlete! His game may change a little, but Kobe could be top 5 in the league up to 38-40, and trust me, i’m not a kobe fan.

Nov.30 at 6:25 pm

rand33p says:
kobe is the bestest above the restest

Dec.2 at 6:00 am

illwilldub says:
Straight up Kobe is the best in the game today,tommorrow, ten years later. I mean we got Lebron,D-Wade,and Melo to pass the torch too. But lets be honest, even those guys know who King still is. King KOBE!!!!!!!!!!

Dec.3 at 1:25 am

bootlace says:
Kobe doesnt rely on his athleticsm as much as MJ. Kobe can still shoot the lights out from anywhere on the floor, drop 50 on you if you refuse to double team, and is probably the smartest shooting guard since MJ himself - this all still applies if his vertical isnt as good or he loses abit of speed. Just think of Sam Cassell but much better in every single way.

Dec.15 at 4:30 pm

ak47 says:
Kobe will play as long as he wants to.