Kobe says Gold Medal is more important than NBA Championship

[cordobes]

Well, I don't believe he truly believes in what he said, but I can't blame him for saying it.

Yeah, but leading the US back to the top of the mountain, after multiple teams of NBA stars losing out, would also be quite a feather for that egomaniac's hat.

Maybe if he was playing for Italy or Canada, or leading a roster full of college players. As it is, the competition is too subpar to arise that feeling.

[michael32951]

Anyone who believes Kobe is drinking the Kobe kool-aid, He has not won a championship without Shag and Shag won one without him after Miami traded most of their best players to LA to get Shaq.  Make no mistake about it Shaq would have won at least 3 rings in LA with or without Kobe, I actually think he cost them a few rings when all is said and done

[Big Ticket]

Add me to the list of those who don't buy this BS for one second.

Everything Kobe says sound contrived and fake.  I guarantee he will sleep much better at night and feel less embarrassed if USA comes home with silver or worse than he did the night of Game 6 and a few after.  To me, that means he wants the title more.  He may want a gold medal and that's all well and good, but he is constantly trying to prove himself and the best way to have done that would've been winning a title and Finals MVP sans Shaq.

[JHTruth]

In my personal opinion, Kobe has only a marginal sense of patriotism and attachment to the US. He didn't even grow up here. He always talks glowingly of growing up in Italy and his experiences there. I honestly the Olympics represent another opportunity for personal glory rather than a chance to serve for guys like Kobe. He wouldn't be the first but call me cynical but I know true patriots and Kobe doesn't strike me as one..

[jchamorro]

I can't bring myself to root for any team Kobe is on.

[BballTim]

  I'll go on record agreeing with Kobe.

  It's more important to me that the US wins a gold medal than the Lakers win the title.

[MattG12]

I absolutely cannot stand Kobe Bryant. He is a terrible team player, he is arrogant, he cheated on his wife, etc. However, I believe this is a non topic because winning a gold medal for your country is more important than an NBA championship. Think of it in soccer. What is more important... winning the MLS cup, or even in Europe the Premiere League, or winning the World Cup? Proving that you are the best in the world. Kobe is right to say that the olympics are more important, whether he means it or not.

[BballTim]

I absolutely cannot stand Kobe Bryant. He is a terrible team player, he is arrogant, he cheated on his wife, etc. However, I believe this is a non topic because winning a gold medal for your country is more important than an NBA championship. Think of it in soccer. What is more important... winning the MLS cup, or even in Europe the Premiere League, or winning the World Cup? Proving that you are the best in the world. Kobe is right to say that the olympics are more important, whether he means it or not.

  The World Cup is more important than a league title, but olympic gold is less important than winning a league title.

[crownsy]

Add me to the list of those who don't buy this BS for one second.

Everything Kobe says sound contrived and fake.  I guarantee he will sleep much better at night and feel less embarrassed if USA comes home with silver or worse than he did the night of Game 6 and a few after.  To me, that means he wants the title more.  He may want a gold medal and that's all well and good, but he is constantly trying to prove himself and the best way to have done that would've been winning a title and Finals MVP sans Shaq.

i know the popular thing to do is hate kobe, and i don't really like him either, but honestly, lay off the guy. You don't think every single memeber of that team has been told to awnser this way?

As fairweather said, They are representing team USA right now, they are all going to say its the most important thing in the universe. You think Manu really thinks winning the gold is more important than another NBA title? ( he said this recently to someone on realGM)

i mean, hate kobe for his arragotn side, but honestly, if paul or KG were going, and they said this, this whole thread would be about how great it is that so and so finally gets to represnt thier country, and how awesome it would be to win both championships in one year.

I'm all for kobe hate, but this is ridculos.

Whats next, "Kobe hates america, drinks corona over miller chill"

[MattG12]

I absolutely cannot stand Kobe Bryant. He is a terrible team player, he is arrogant, he cheated on his wife, etc. However, I believe this is a non topic because winning a gold medal for your country is more important than an NBA championship. Think of it in soccer. What is more important... winning the MLS cup, or even in Europe the Premiere League, or winning the World Cup? Proving that you are the best in the world. Kobe is right to say that the olympics are more important, whether he means it or not.

  The World Cup is more important than a league title, but olympic gold is less important than winning a league title.

Explain to me how winning the gold medal for the US is less important than winning a league title. The World Cup and the olympics are basically the same thing. They show how your country ranks in comparison to the rest of the world, they are equally important, and they are both more important than league titles.

[MattG12]

Whats next, "Kobe hates america, drinks corona over miller chill"

Tommy point, that might be the first time i've actually lol'd from something somebody said on here.

[boscel33]

I absolutely cannot stand Kobe Bryant. He is a terrible team player, he is arrogant, he cheated on his wife, etc. However, I believe this is a non topic because winning a gold medal for your country is more important than an NBA championship. Think of it in soccer. What is more important... winning the MLS cup, or even in Europe the Premiere League, or winning the World Cup? Proving that you are the best in the world. Kobe is right to say that the olympics are more important, whether he means it or not.

  The World Cup is more important than a league title, but olympic gold is less important than winning a league title.

Explain to me how winning the gold medal for the US is less important than winning a league title. The World Cup and the olympics are basically the same thing. They show how your country ranks in comparison to the rest of the world, they are equally important, and they are both more important than league titles.

Let me first tell you that I'm a huge soccer fan.  There is no way that winning the World Cup and Winning a Basketball (or even soccer) Gold medal are the same thing.  You will probably find that any given country would rather win the World Cup than Soccer Gold.  

But, let's look at the root of the issue; that is I don't see how Kobe can say which is more important.  He is a member of two teams that he should be giving 100% to ensure that they attain the highest goals, championships for both.  

Back to you soccer analogy, I guarantee that Ronaldo tried just as hard to get the Euro 2008 trophy as he did the Barclay's Premiere  league title.  

This is where Kobe fails as an athlete.

[BballTim]

I absolutely cannot stand Kobe Bryant. He is a terrible team player, he is arrogant, he cheated on his wife, etc. However, I believe this is a non topic because winning a gold medal for your country is more important than an NBA championship. Think of it in soccer. What is more important... winning the MLS cup, or even in Europe the Premiere League, or winning the World Cup? Proving that you are the best in the world. Kobe is right to say that the olympics are more important, whether he means it or not.

  The World Cup is more important than a league title, but olympic gold is less important than winning a league title.

Explain to me how winning the gold medal for the US is less important than winning a league title. The World Cup and the olympics are basically the same thing. They show how your country ranks in comparison to the rest of the world, they are equally important, and they are both more important than league titles.

  No, the World Cup and the olympics aren't the same thing at all. The World Cup team is made up of the best collection of soccer players in a country. Olympic teams are U23 teams with 3 overage players. Honestly, comparing the two is like comparing a regular season game to the nba finals.

[fairweatherfan]

Well, I don't believe he truly believes in what he said, but I can't blame him for saying it.

Yeah, but leading the US back to the top of the mountain, after multiple teams of NBA stars losing out, would also be quite a feather for that egomaniac's hat.

Maybe if he was playing for Italy or Canada, or leading a roster full of college players. As it is, the competition is too subpar to arise that feeling.

You really think Olympic competition, in this day and age, is subpar?  This isn't 1992 anymore, and the US hasn't won a major world title since 2000.  Winning another gold medal is officially a Big Deal at this point,   and it's by no means easy.

[BballTim]

Well, I don't believe he truly believes in what he said, but I can't blame him for saying it.

Yeah, but leading the US back to the top of the mountain, after multiple teams of NBA stars losing out, would also be quite a feather for that egomaniac's hat.

Maybe if he was playing for Italy or Canada, or leading a roster full of college players. As it is, the competition is too subpar to arise that feeling.

You really think Olympic competition, in this day and age, is subpar?  This isn't 1992 anymore, and the US hasn't won a major world title since 2000.  Winning another gold medal is officially a Big Deal at this point,   and it's by no means easy.

  I don't think the competition is that great. It's not so bad that we can win gold medals with marketing people choosing our roster and bad coaching, but the Celts could kick the snot out of just about any other country's team.