Kobe or Lebron

[Toine43]

I'm wowing at most of your responses.

I actually really dig Lebron. He's wise beyond his years. Class act and respects players around him. He has great respect for Pierce and has even gone out and said that besides Kobe, Pierce has the best foot work in the league. Lebron in my eyes is better than Kobe. His explosivenes and brute strength driving to the cup is unmatched.

As for Kobe. I despise him. He's not even worth my time ranting about because I'm sure we all share the same feelings towards that rapist. One funny thing worth mentioning is that when I was watching the C's during the Finals at this Boston bar in LA (where I currently reside) we would chant "No Means No!" Every time he touched the ball 

I think you make an interesting point about how people view Lebron. People often express their hatrid for him, referencing the special treatment he receives from the refs and ESPN and so on. While I understand that people don't like these things, they aren't his fault. Lebron has been a model citizen and an excellent teammate since he's entered the league - at times he's even been questioned for being too unselfish. Lebron is also known as a guy who tries on both ends of the floor, which is not something that can be said for a number of superstars in the league. Kobe has had off the court issues, has had problems with teammates (and his leadership is quesitonable), and there have been doubts about his effort on defense (defensive talent is different than effort). Character wise, Lebron is the obvious choice. Unfortunately, basketball wise, up to this point in Lebron's career, Kobe is an equally obvious choice.

But either way, Lebron definitely receives unfair criticism about the type of person he is.

[crownsy]

LeBron James because of the undeserved star treatment he gets on the court. His physical abilities are unparalleled. But he gets ticky tacky fouls down the stretch going in his direction every game. And he's been way overhyped since entering the league. I can't stand him. At least Kobe has shown he can live up to the hype and perform without too much star treatment. He can also actually shoot a basketball from outside with some semblance of consistency.

im curious, when exactly since shaq left has kobe shown this?

He's failed in every big series since.

[greg683x]

crownsy pretty much covered my hatred for Kobe earlier in the thread.

The only thing I really hate about Lebron is his love for money, I seriously think the motivation for his desires to win a title is to just further his status as a financial icon in the world, it has nothing to do with the team, or unity, common goal, etc.  When I see him I just think thats everything wrong with sports today.

Now that said.  It could be worse, the guy doesnt beat his girlfriend, get locked up for carrying guns, or get DUI's.  So lets just say that since he's a law abiding citizen, I'll whipe the slate clean.

I still have hatred for the guy when I watch him.  Yes some of it has to do with the fact that he competes against the Celtics and pushes them to the limit.  But thats just a small portion of it.....The guy has all the talent in the world.  He has all the physical gifts, instincts, etc.  So why does he need help from the NBA referees??  The guy gets away with so much on the court its disgusting, its just so irritating that the entire NBA has his back.  Yes techinically thats not his fault.  But seriously, if some spoiled rich kid is being a complete jerk at school, are you not supposed to think hes an a**hole, just because its his parents fault for spoiling him??  (haha I swear Im not 14 years old, im 25, thats just the best analogy I could think of)

You know the guys, if anyone, that need to get away with traveling are the Brian Scalabrines of the league, not Lebron when he takes 4 steps driving to the hoop to polish off another triple double.  Isnt that how we did it when we were kids??  We'd cut the fat kid some slack in kickball, no the jacked up 8 year old that looks like he should be in junior high.

[Toine43]

crownsy pretty much covered my hatred for Kobe earlier in the thread.

The only thing I really hate about Lebron is his love for money, I seriously think the motivation for his desires to win a title is to just further his status as a financial icon in the world, it has nothing to do with the team, or unity, common goal, etc.  When I see him I just think thats everything wrong with sports today.

Now that said.  It could be worse, the guy doesnt beat his girlfriend, get locked up for carrying guns, or get DUI's.  So lets just say that since he's a law abiding citizen, I'll whipe the slate clean.

I still have hatred for the guy when I watch him.  Yes some of it has to do with the fact that he competes against the Celtics and pushes them to the limit.  But thats just a small portion of it.....The guy has all the talent in the world.  He has all the physical gifts, instincts, etc.  So why does he need help from the NBA referees??  The guy gets away with so much on the court its disgusting, its just so irritating that the entire NBA has his back.  Yes techinically thats not his fault.  But seriously, if some spoiled rich kid is being a complete jerk at school, are you not supposed to think hes an a**hole, just because its his parents fault for spoiling him??  (haha I swear Im not 14 years old, im 25, thats just the best analogy I could think of)

You know the guys, if anyone, that need to get away with traveling are the Brian Scalabrines of the league, not Lebron when he takes 4 steps driving to the hoop to polish off another triple double.  Isnt that how we did it when we were kids??  We'd cut the fat kid some slack in kickball, no the jacked up 8 year old that looks like he should be in junior high.

This was exactly what I was talking about in my last post. If you have a problem with the way the refs treat Lebron, blame the refs! Lebron has no control whatsoever over the refs, as you of course know, so it doesn't make any sense to hate Lebron for the calls the refs make. I don't really know what to make about the "Lebron's only in it for the money" theory. Do you have any proof to back that statement up?

[action781]

I understand trying to stir things up with the whole rape thing and all, which was like Kidd and the wife beater.  There's nothing too personal when a player is playing against you.  But in reality, I feel a little disgusted when people use that to point the person's character as reality.  The guy was never proved guilty and we all have to understand that athletes do have a target in their heads, including females that want a piece of that dough.  I had a friend of mine that was wrongly accused of raping a girl and thankfully was dismissed, but all the problems and headaches that came with it was immense and the character defamation is hard to clear up.  I feel that being accused of raping is a very strong accusation, very much like accusing somebody of being racist.  It should be used wisely and have actual evidence to back it up, and the fact is he wasn't considered guilty.

However, all is fair and game when the Lakers are playing against us.

he always claimed it was 100% consensual and she was lying threw her teeth about everything else, so what did he have to lose by letting her talk/ going to trail? Instead he buys her off with (rumored, no one knows the exact figure thanks to the NDC) 5 million dollars?

He's a scum bag, pure and simple. There's been rumors he cheated on his wife for years (willing and not so much), He threw a young player to the wolves on a widely publicized YouTube vid (how soon we forget) and he's been a huge team cancer for most of his career, up to and including last summer.

My response to this is that MJ cheated on his wife too, but people still idolize the man.  So why does Kobe get hated on, but not MJ?  Its complete hypocrisy.  IMO, MJ was idolized by the country, so no girl would have wanted to press those kind of charges on him.  Kobe's character was not considered flawless because of the dilemma with Shaq, so he was an easier target than MJ.  MJ was even rumored (that is a key word, but you used it also) to have had a woman in every city.  Kobe is just a victim of worse media scrutiny, in my opinion. 

I don't know why he paid her off, I've never been in a situation like that where I would understand those circumstances.  But it shocks me if there are really any guys out there who think that this girl went back with Kobe to his place not planning on sleeping with him.

And about your throwing Bynum to the wolves?  (It wasn't right, but seriously he had a point.  Bynum was a deal breaker for KG!?!?!  If KG went to LA and not Boston, put down the kool-aid and answer who would be 2008 champs?)  But, how does that compare to punching out Steve Kerr in practice? 

Everybody who hates Kobe, but adores MJ is a hypocrite IMO.

[crownsy]

I understand trying to stir things up with the whole rape thing and all, which was like Kidd and the wife beater.  There's nothing too personal when a player is playing against you.  But in reality, I feel a little disgusted when people use that to point the person's character as reality.  The guy was never proved guilty and we all have to understand that athletes do have a target in their heads, including females that want a piece of that dough.  I had a friend of mine that was wrongly accused of raping a girl and thankfully was dismissed, but all the problems and headaches that came with it was immense and the character defamation is hard to clear up.  I feel that being accused of raping is a very strong accusation, very much like accusing somebody of being racist.  It should be used wisely and have actual evidence to back it up, and the fact is he wasn't considered guilty.

However, all is fair and game when the Lakers are playing against us.

he always claimed it was 100% consensual and she was lying threw her teeth about everything else, so what did he have to lose by letting her talk/ going to trail? Instead he buys her off with (rumored, no one knows the exact figure thanks to the NDC) 5 million dollars?

He's a scum bag, pure and simple. There's been rumors he cheated on his wife for years (willing and not so much), He threw a young player to the wolves on a widely publicized YouTube vid (how soon we forget) and he's been a huge team cancer for most of his career, up to and including last summer.

My response to this is that MJ cheated on his wife too, but people still idolize the man.  So why does Kobe get hated on, but not MJ?  Its complete hypocrisy.  IMO, MJ was idolized by the country, so no girl would have wanted to press those kind of charges on him.  Kobe's character was not considered flawless because of the dilemma with Shaq, so he was an easier target than MJ.  MJ was even rumored (that is a key word, but you used it also) to have had a woman in every city.  Kobe is just a victim of worse media scrutiny, in my opinion. 

I don't know why he paid her off, I've never been in a situation like that where I would understand those circumstances.  But it shocks me if there are really any guys out there who think that this girl went back with Kobe to his place not planning on sleeping with him.

And about your throwing Bynum to the wolves?  (It wasn't right, but seriously he had a point.  Bynum was a deal breaker for KG!?!?!  If KG went to LA and not Boston, put down the kool-aid and answer who would be 2008 champs?)  But, how does that compare to punching out Steve Kerr in practice? 

Everybody who hates Kobe, but adores MJ is a hypocrite IMO.

link to the story about the girl MJ sexually assaulted and paid to keep silent please?

also, she worked at the hotel as a maid. Its not like she randomly showed up at his room. In fact if you read the pre trail, she says she felt pressured by the hotel to be overly nice to kobe.

[dark_lord]

i may be unpopular for saying this, but it how i feel....i like lebron james....alot!  his game is unbelievable, especially for his age.


with that said, kobe hands down.  the mere thought of him makes me have one of those burp/puke things happen in my mouth 

[guava_wrench]

The only reason I dislike Kobe is that he is a prima donna, unable to play with Shaq and putting down his teammates and GM in the press. Apart from that, I see no reason to dislike the guy.