The Great Debate
Vote or Die!
There’s a war going on outside no man is safe from and the cry for true leadership in such potentially explosive times is deafening.
Some long for the comfort of familiarity. The prospect of change is frightening for them, “since it is not always an indication of progress”, they explain. They look for someone they’ve become accustomed to, flaws and all. Someone experienced. They realize leadership is twofold. That sometimes one must be selfish-and perhaps duplicitous-in order to accomplish the greater good. For how can one lead unless others follow? So they excuse the dual manner by which their leader politics, seeing both faces as necessary. For them, it is an inherent aspect of recruiting followers to flash a smile, but in this game, people must also be reminded that they can be crushed, if need be. Allies and opponents alike. However, the danger in ruling by fear is being pounced once one is no longer considered fearsome. And as the masses remain fickle, sure footing is tough to come by. Also, speaking to people in their own language may win limited support, but by nature of that, does not one’s own identity become a mystery? Does it even exist? The trouble in trying to be all things to all people is that eventually, the questions pile up-including the manner by which one came to power-until they have nearly eclipsed the candidate. But for some those questions do not matter. In such uncertain times, excellence is excellence by any means.
Others say “f*ck that”. They long for true change. “Something I can feel”, they pine. They look for someone with potential. Not only for an immediate replacement, but ultimately for how the game is played altogether. And they believe they’ve already seen the changing of the guard. Dismissing any concerns of their leader’s youth, they proclaim that being green in the ways of a deeply flawed game is no concern at all. It is a blessing. They are captivated by a charm and talent so intrinsically genuine and powerful that it must mark the dawn of a new era. Right? An era stating that leadership by committee is a sign of strength, not of weakness. That in this game, no man is an island. Right? However, the danger in sharing leadership is that it isn’t long before one realizes that no one wants to share responsibility. Is that not the essence of the aforementioned singular approach? Was that essence not born from a subjection to years of criticism? Is The trouble with potential is that it never truly belongs to the possessor, but to the observer and until it is realized to everyone’s satisfaction, there will only be questions. But for some those questions do not matter. In such rocky times, progress is inevitable.
That being said, pick a side.
48 Responses to “The Great Debate”
Dec.20 at 6:45 pm
H to the izzo says:
Are the big gaps at the beggining and ending for effect or is there something wrong with my computer
Dec.20 at 6:51 pm
Myles Brown says:
Theyre supposed to be pictures. If you dont see them, then this will make absolutely no sense.
Dec.20 at 6:54 pm
H to the izzo says:
No pictures can be seen from my end anyway.
Dec.20 at 6:58 pm
Myles Brown says:
Damn. Well then just pick Kobe or LeBron and tell the people why.
Dec.20 at 7:08 pm
Mike says:
I pick Joe Biden
Dec.20 at 7:10 pm
H to the izzo says:
Can I delay answering until after Kobe does or does not drop 300 on the Knicks?
Dec.20 at 7:12 pm
Mike says:
And on the basketball realm, I choose Lebron since hasn’t shown us that he can’t win without Shaq like Kobe has.
Dec.20 at 7:13 pm
Captain America says:
‘Bron, he’s a house builder; Kobe is a house wrecker. And, Obami over Madam.
Dec.20 at 7:15 pm
Mike says:
*in* the basketball realm, rather
Dec.20 at 7:15 pm
Myles Brown says:
I like Joe Biden too. But hes not an option. And neither is waiting until after tonite’s game Izzo.
Dec.20 at 7:19 pm
jbn74sb says:
Is this modeled after the ESPN article on the same topic? What are we picking for?
All that said, Kobe hasn’t looked good this year, for whatever reason.
And I don’t think anyone doubts that LeBron’s size, speed, and skill set have never been seen before. Even if he doesn’t improve one bit, and merely puts up the same numbers for the next 10 years, he’ll be at or near the top of the list.
Dec.20 at 7:22 pm
H to the izzo says:
Fine then for the future of the NBA’s sake,I’m going to go with LeBron,he’s the more likely of the two to win a chip within the next few years(though not with this coach).He WILL be an MVP more than once.LeBron’s stock and talent is on the rise while Kobe will probably show the signs of decline in a year or two.I believe that the best Kobe can hope for now is to be an important veteran role player in years to come.Plus if I pick LeBron,Ryan Jones will be my friend.And Ron Paul is so hot right now.
Dec.20 at 7:23 pm
H to the izzo says:
*I believe that the best Kobe can hope for now is to be an important veteran role player in a chip winning team in years to come.
Dec.20 at 7:27 pm
Myles Brown says:
I honestly hadnt looked at ESPN all day. I guess I just chose to highlight the biggest difference between the two, which is their approach to winning. I wanted people to choose Kobe or Bron without giving them any criteria whatsoever, just to see what kind of answers we’d get.
Dec.20 at 7:31 pm
Myles Brown says:
And I don’t think it’s that Kobe hasn’t looked good as much as it is that he doesn’t have to exert the same kind of effort he has in the past. At least on the offensive end. He’s taking less shots and getting to the line less, but he’s also grabbing more boards and stealing more often this year, perhaps a carry over from the defensive intensity he showed this summer. I think hes just conserving himself and seeing what his teammates can contribute.
Dec.20 at 7:33 pm
Mike says:
Fair enough Myles. Obama and Lebron then
Dec.20 at 7:37 pm
H to the izzo says:
Myles:are you expecting him to have a few break performances soon so?He needs to start taking over again,his team aren’t any better than they were last year.Kobe needs to take responsibility for his team.
Dec.20 at 7:38 pm
Mike says:
In fact, when you think about it, Kobe and Hilary are pretty similar. They both had to deal with an adultery situation, they are both in competition with a younger, and I think, more capable competitor, and they both prove that they can’t go it alone (Kobe without Shaq, Hilary without Bill)
Dec.20 at 7:39 pm
Mike says:
Oh yeah, and Hilary also has a crown tattooed on her shoulder
Dec.20 at 7:41 pm
H to the izzo says:
Mike,Sam already did that
Dec.20 at 7:43 pm
Myles Brown says:
At this point I only expect those “Kobe!” kind of performances when necessary. And I really wouldn’t care if they didnt come until April as long as the teams winning. Thats the thing, he’s done so much to amaze us over the past few years that the All_NBA first team & All Defensive first team numbers hes putting up now seem pedestrian by comparison. I think he takes responsibility for the team, but he also realizes that now is the time for his teammates to grow so they can produce in the postseason. Theyre showing noticeable improvement individually and as a unit.
Dec.20 at 7:43 pm
Mike says:
what? where? damnit.
Dec.20 at 7:47 pm
Mike says:
Ugh. That’s the best I have. I’ll now shamefully bow out
Dec.20 at 7:49 pm
TADOne says:
LeBron
Dec.20 at 7:49 pm
Kareem says:
lebron, no doubt hes more complete
Dec.20 at 7:51 pm
H to the izzo says:
Is this a team that he should really be interested in developing?Does this mean that Kobe sees some real championship potential with this team or is he just trying to prove his detractors wrong.Trying to be the unselfish Kobe?
Dec.20 at 7:53 pm
FLUXLAND says:
hahahhhaha… izzo are you retarded? ” *I believe that the best Kobe can hope for now is to be an important veteran role player in a chip winning team in years to come.” What happened this morning, dude? You got hit over the head with a giant rock? I’ve read that statement 10 times and I still can’t believe what you are saying.
Dec.20 at 7:54 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
LeBrobama.
Dec.20 at 7:55 pm
H to the izzo says:
Do you honestly think these Lakers can win a championship?
Dec.20 at 8:01 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I should have said “LeBrama.” My lyrical skills are lacking.
Dec.20 at 8:01 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Tell me who in the West is a sure thing right now?
Dec.20 at 8:12 pm
h-town nick says:
kobe and obama. Pretty sure they’d also take hill-dawg and bron 2 v 2
Dec.20 at 8:54 pm
jay says:
i’d go with the good looking one’s, so tht`d be Kobe & Obama.
Dec.20 at 9:34 pm
The Cool says:
At this point in my life, I believe this is one of the hardest decisions I will ever have to make. Do I chose light or dark? LeBron is the light, the future of the NBA, the man will unlimited upside, the man that will carry the NBA as a marketing company. Or do I chose the dark side, the Silk-ass Mamba. I call Kobe the dark side because he is an enigma. Who knows the real Kobe Bryant. If you do please stand up. Kobe is a killer, an assasian, and his assasian’s creed is dominate those inferior to him every night. He seeks blood like a vampire, like a shark he takes one bite at a time. And if you let him, his venom will enter your body and you can do nothing but watch in awe at what I believe is the greatest player God has created on his green earth. LeBron is the light, he may be the greatest when it is all said and done, but I am feenin the dark and evil side right now. Im going with KOBE MUTHERF%CKIN BEAN BRYANT. PLAY WIT IT.
Dec.20 at 10:25 pm
what says:
Lebron, and Kucinich
Dec.20 at 11:08 pm
bootlace says:
I’m going to leave history to decide who out of the two is more skilled in the basketball sense, but in terms of character, I will no doubt pick…Kobe Bryant. That’s right, the “ratted to the police, hated by his teammates, ballhog, asked to be traded out of LA, dissed his teammates” Kobe Bryant. There is no f*uckin no doubt. On one side you have LeBron, who is busy planning his path to be worth a billion dollars, is content with being swept in the Finals (he had a business conference the very day after Game 4), and getting all the praise in the world no matter what he does. And then you have Kobe, accepting to play with a coach that stabbed him in the back hard enough to break any normal person’s spine, used and lied to by his own team executives to be made a national villain, and yet still hungry enough despite his three championships to put his reputation on the line just to have another shot at a championship. The most clear example of the significance of this came earlier this month when both superstars picked up injuries. Kobe despite having the flu, groin injury, bad wrist - played through it and ensured his team stayed competitive in the crazy Western Conference. LeBron? Let his team out to rot in the puny Eastern Conference despite admiting he ‘would have played if it was the playoffs’. There’s a good reason why every coach in the NBA praise Kobe at any chance they get…too bad the average public doesn’t understand. PS: Have no idea what happened in the Cavs-Lakers game (going to watch it after work), hopefully I wont look like a fool.
Dec.21 at 12:02 am
The Cool says:
You didn’t look like a fool, bootlace. The Lakers just lost though. Kobe just didn’t look one hundred percent tonight and he was shootin more than driving. LeBron had another monster night but the story of the game was the bench. The Lakers bench was booty and the Cavs lead by Devin Brown? actually put up some points. It was a good game and Kobe had a good look at the end but LeBron got the W in the end. Still, it doesn’t change my decision, Kobe is still the best. play wit it.
Dec.21 at 12:41 am
me says:
PING PING!!!!!!!!
Dec.21 at 1:48 am
Ben Osborne says:
Mike, Sam did the whole Kobe-Hillary thing in an issue of SLAM a few months ago. You do read SLAM, don’t you. As for this specific post, give me LeBron and Obama and call it a decade.
Dec.21 at 4:10 am
hursty says:
Who would u build a team around? tough. LeBron is not even 23 while Kobe is what? 28, 29? go with LeBron, hes shown that hes got the perimeter game locked down now( more multi-demensional) hes also a better player than Kobe at age 23. His ability to guard 2 or 3 positions is more than Kobe right now. (the extra 25-30 pounds and 2 inches). Regardless, they are both brillaint in their own right.
Dec.21 at 4:12 am
hursty says:
Oh yeh, in NBA live, LeBron is rated as a higher player (point wise) than Kobe.
Dec.21 at 5:10 am
Mike says:
Ben,I DID read Slam, but when I came to England to study I fell behind, relying on mere boxscores and headlines. Tragedy really. Everyone thinks that they are original, then they find out that someone has done a whole article on what they just said. It’s hard to handle
Dec.21 at 10:02 am
Jared says:
Bron Bron & Double U
Dec.21 at 10:02 am
Jared says:
kidding…kobe and double U
Dec.21 at 10:03 am
Jared says:
na, on the reals…bron for president
Dec.21 at 2:13 pm
Michaelbchnn says:
Wow you most as well call it a choice between good(Lebron) and Evil(Kobe).
Dec.21 at 4:13 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
KObe’s performance this season has added a new layer to the comparison with Hillary. You know deep down Kob wants to be the star, to score 40 ppg, but he’s figured out it’s better for the team if he plays his role, whatever they determine it to be.
Hillary has always been outspoken, and maybe the most recognizable face of the feminist movement the last 15-20 yrs, but when she was publicly humiliated by her husband cheating on her, she had to take one for the team and stay quiet and supportive.
Dec.21 at 5:59 pm
Mike says:
Ha, well it worked for her…