Results tagged “bryant,” from Robert Littal Presents The Infamous BlackSportsOnline

With Kobe winning his fourth championship, where does he rank among the all-time greats? There have many many great shooting guards such as Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Clyde Drexler, etc. When comparing Kobe to the best shooting guards in NBA history, Kobe Bryant is arguably the best shooting guard of all-time.

Before you read my final thoughts about Kobe Bryant to truly understand what I think we have to go back in time. To see the true evolution of Kobe through my eyes via snippets of my most famous Kobe Bryant articles.

I cannot deny I was one of many who thought Derek Fisher was hurting the Lakers more than helping them in the early rounds of the playoffs. I demanded that he be benched in favor of Shannon Brown or Jordan Farmer. When he clang his first five three pointers last night I echo those same sentiments that his permanent residence should be the bench.

Now we know why Phil Jackson has nine more rings (it is about to be ten) than I do. I think clutch is an overused and clichéd word. I think a better phrase would be "pressure handler". How does a player react when the pressure is turned up?

Game 3 of the NBA Finals gives me an opportunity to go in detail about a phrase I use a lot, but never explained the true meaning of. It is called:

Kobe Bryant is one of the two most polarizing figures in sports (the other is Terrell Owens). There is absolutely no middle ground with people (media and fans) when it comes to Bean. Either there is extreme hate or extreme love.

Here is an example of what I mean. Last night while I was Twittering (http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline)I made this comment:

"I am only hard on Kobe because he is so great. But in the 2nd half he did not play well."

Pretty mundane statement consistent with what I was saying throughout the 2nd half (more on that later). I received ten replies to that statement five saying I was hater and five saying I was a Kobe lover. You are starting to understand what I am saying.

Opportunity is like a female that both you and your friend have been wanted to get with for a very long time. Luckily for you this time she knocks on your door first, but you are sleeping or cutting the grass in the backyard and don't hear the door. Unfortunately opportunity is impatient and quickly moves on to your friend who is more than happy to take care of her.

Right now the Orlando Magic are watching opportunity play some "Bed Gammon" with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kobe Bryant is, at worst, the second-best player in the NBA. In thirteen seasons, he's won three NBA Championships (yes, they're HIS, too), an MVP award, two scoring titles, been an eleven-time All-Star, and owns all kinds of NBA records. He is universally recognized as the best closer in the game, and is three wins away from another NBA Championship (and first Finals MVP, if they win).

Yet, Kobe Bryant is probably the most hated player in the NBA, and has been for some time.

Since he's come into the league, he's been accused of being aloof, arrogant, vain, self-centered, out for dolo, and every other way that a player can be described as "selfish." People say he shoots too much or that he's not a good teammate; people throw in his face that he's not Michael Jordan. And they're right. Michael took way more shots than Kobe did.

If you are the Orlando Magic the one thing you can not do is panic. Yes you were embarrassed last night, but losing game one doesn't mean you have lost the series (actually if you are playing against a Phil Jackson team it does, but work with me here).

Your fans are losing their minds, you coach looks like he rather be shooting his next porno than coaching and you looked like a deer in the headlights under the bright lights of LA, but all is not lost.

Check me out breaking down the NBA Finals and why I believe the Lakers will win. You will also get guest appearances from Ron Jeremy and The Rock.

I will be twittering live each game of the NBA Finals: http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline

For the written version of the pick just keep reading & if you don't mind hype up the story by clicking the BallHype Arrow:

Obviously didn't Lebron didn't read my "Open Letter" to him a couple of weeks ago about him being a "drama queen".

Last night after being destroyed by the Orlando Magic in Game 6th of the Eastern Conference finals "The King" acted more like a spoiled prince. Lebron refused to shake hands with any of the Magic players and then decided he was to "angry" to attend the post game press conference which is required by the NBA. Instead Mo Williams was forced to the podium to congratulate the Magic and explain why the best team in the league would not be going to the NBA Finals (by the way I have gotten on Mo Williams a lot in this series but he has my respect for doing a stand up job in that press conference).

Yesterday we compared Lebron James plight to a very young Michael Jordan. Today we are going to compare the plight of Kobe Bryant to an older Michael Jordan.

Legendary athletes in any sport when their physical skills start to erode their mental skills peak. When they no longer have the ability to physically dominate they get by simply on their athletic IQ.

Fans in general, especially if they are in love with the player don't like to acknowledge physical slippage. To the train eye though it should be obvious.

If you have been engaged in the Kobe vs. Lebron debate one thing should be clear, Lebron is a physical monster right now. This brings us to Darth Kobe.

That has been the question seemingly talked about 24 hours a day on ESPN since Michael Vick left prison (well they did interrupt briefly to talk about Lebron vs. Kobe in the NBA finals). The main question that keeps being asked is does he deserve the right to play? Does a man who has repaid his debt to society really need to beg for a chance to get a job doing what he does best?

A number of commentators and fans have said playing in the NFL is a privilege not a right. And I ask them is their job at ESPN a privilege. Did someone just hand them their job at ESPN or did the everyday person working at an office just get handed their job. No, most people had to work and hone their skills to get to the job they have now. Of course there are some industries where nepotism and who you know may play a role in you getting a job, I'm thinking specifically of coaching. But no top athlete is just given their position in the pros. I know people don't like to think of playing sports as a job, but it is. They spend a couple hours a day working out, a couple hours a day practicing, a couple of hours watching film. Yes, it is something we all did when we were young and we constantly say we would do for free. But the reality is people don't play professional sports for free. They play for millions of dollars, and we all support that by going to games, watching on TV, by buying tickets, by buying jerseys and hats. So no playing sports isn't a privilege in itself. Anybody who has a great job or life or family can say they're privileged. But in reality in order to get to that point work had to be put in to get to that point.

And another one. This one shows Kobe and Lebron playing one on one. Good music in the background, Cool Kids is the soundtrack for this one.

Wonder if Nike is worried about the Nuggets and Magic as much as the Lakers and Cavs are.

If I had $500 in my pocket right now (which I don't) and I needed to get advice on who to bet that money on for an NBA Playoff game who would I go to?

Not the great RJ Bell at Pregame.com.
Not anyone on ESPN (some please shut down their NBA Shoot Around show ASAP).
Not Lee Cordova (it is best you don't know who he is or what he does).

I would go straight to:

I really don't care about the story but any time I can feature Mrs. Bryant I am doing it. Here at the details via ESPN:

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Kobe Bryant and his wife are suing their former housekeeper, accusing her of violating her contract by talking to the media about the family's private affairs.

The countersuit was filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court. It says Maria Jimenez broke a confidentiality agreement. The court filing was posted Saturday on the Web site TMZ.com.

Dear Lebron,

First let me say that I am a Witness. Your play last night was not human. You were 20-30 from the field and that simply doesn't happen in the NBA. You were even able to add eight assists, six boards, three blocks and two steals while only committing two turnovers. Those numbers are even more impressive considering your teammates were of little to no help to you last night and your coach decided to use the NBA2K9 playbook offense:

GIVE THE BALL TO LEBRON AND EVERYONE GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY.

I understand it is hard playing 1 on 5 and I understand it is hard playing for a coach who if you mention the triangle or motion offense looks at you like you are talking quantum physics. So when I tell you this has nothing to do with your game on the court I mean it.

Physically LB you are the best player in the league and if you get your ring you will end all debate who is the best player in the league period. With that being said it is time for someone to tell you what everyone has been whispering behind your back:

I am going to be honest I am a little tired of the Lebron/Kobe debate. It has been overkill as of late especially considering they are two totally different players at two totally different times in their career.

But I was Twittering it up this morning (http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline) with my friend mrsFAB (http://www.twitter.com/mrsFAB) about Lebron/Kobe which she made an interesting point that got me to thinking. She was pointing out how she would like Lebron to get his ring, but she thinks Kobe will. I think that is the sentiment of a lot of people and since a lot of people ask me all the time what do I mean when I say they are totally different players and different times in their careers it inspired me to write the comparisons in terms that everyone could understand.

2nd round Record: 3-1

Overall Record: 9-3

Eastern Conference:

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #3 Orlando Magic

One thing I can guarantee is that the Cavaliers won't sweep the Magic. The Magic present a lot of matchup problems for the Cavs. They are very similar to Lakers they have a lot of size up front, there forwards are long and athletic and their point guard play is a little shaky.

The Magic have the personnel to beat the Cavaliers, but do they have the playoff intensity to beat them? I give them credit for beating the Celtics, but to be honest that series should not have went more than five games as the Magic were clearly the superior team personnel wise.

The Cavs come in with extreme confidence and have been playing the best ball of anyone in the playoffs. With that being said there sweeps have been against far inferior teams.

They have the best player in the league and they have the home court. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder as if they are a team of destiny.

I think it is going to be a good series, but Cleveland mentally is focus on a championship whereas I think Orlando is just happy to make it to the conference finals.

Cavs 4-2

Western Conference:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #2 Denver Nuggets

The Lakers blew it again last night to the point there entire fan base are ready to "Table Leg" murder them. On a lighter note as you know I went to The Ohio State University and while there I took a class on "face recognition". In essence you can tell what someone is thinking not by their words, but by their face. So class is in session for one Darth Kobe "Bean" Bryant at the post game press conference last night. Do you see what I see?

Many times after The Bulls lost Michael Jordan would use this face and since Kobe is a "MJ Clone" in many respects it isn't unusual to see this face from him.

Basically it is the face that says:

"It isn't my fault these dudes are scrubs"

I am starting to think that the NBA wants Ron Artest to "Table Leg" stab someone considering the unfair treatment he has been getting lately. Artest has been thrown out of two games in a row for:

1- Talking closely to Kobe Bryant.
2- Going for a block shot on Pau Gasol.

I am not going to lie I thought the Ron Artest "Table Leg Murder Story" was just a figment of his wild and crazy imagination to scare Kobe Bryant, but I was dead wrong (no pun intended). Via Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline) someone found an old New York Times Article confirming Artest's story. This is unbelievable:

Here are the details from the New York Times circa 1991:

Ron Artest is crazy. No hyperbole he is crazy always has been and always will be.

If you need any more evidence of why Ron Artest is crazy just listen to the post game interview above provided by Talkhoops.net.

What was my first reaction?

Sometime very hard to be a Kobe fan when he is doing his:

"Look at me I am doing my Michael Jordan impression in every shape, form or fashion."

With that being said when he does stuff like this it reminds you even while he can be very annoying he is still the most talented basketball player in the world.

This play was simply amazing (please don't play the Kanye West song I beg of you)

Lets do so math and you tell me if this adds up:

1- Player gets elbowed in the throat
2- Player that gets elbowed gets called for a foul
3- Player that gets called for the foul ask ref why seeing that he was elbowed in the throat
4- After refs ignore player, player confronts player who elbowed him basically saying don't do it again.
5- Player who got elbowed, wronged on a foul called gets ejected.

The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night for a few different reasons. Their inability to stop Yao Ming and his never ending onslaught of offense, physical interior defense that clogged the lane and forced the Lakers to shoot low percentage jumpers and last but not least, Aaron Brooks.

Los Angeles has a very good basketball team, but they're not impenetrable. Their front line, although vastly improved over last year, remains remarkably brittle, and their backcourt is even with Orlando's for worst still playing in the postseason. Derek Fisher is 34 years old and even though he's still a very reliable spot up shooter, defensively he simply can't stay in front of Houston's dynamic point guards. Head coach Phil Jackson really doesn't have too many other options to solve this little match up problem, with Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown not exactly eliciting memories of Jerry West and Gail Goodrich, the Zen master better cook something up or the Lakers could find themselves in trouble. A possible solution might be locking Brooks down with number 24, one of the best on ball defenders in the game, but that would eventually create other match-up problems.

A few weeks ago, Robert Littal posted a video clip of a couple different parts of Spike Lee's upcoming documentary on Kobe Bryant.

The official trailer, courtesy of Tribeca Films is now being circulated. Check it out.

The NBA Playoffs are upon us and although the majority of us, including your sexy model-writer, are salivating at a clobbering in Cleveland and a looting in LA showdown between the Cavaliers and Lakers, the NBA has other plans in store. Mr. West and the NBA have paired up to give you something so amazing with a NBA playoffs commercial featuring the song "Amazing" from Yeezy's hit album 808's and Heartbreaks.

From Dwyane Wade's reverse layup to a Dwight Howard monster jam to LeBron catching an alley-oop and a buzzer beater by Kobe, prepare to witness amazing happening this year. Let the playoffs begin!

NBA Playoffs begin Saturday, April 19th

Written by Qiana M

"If rap was a game I'll be MVP, the most valuable poet on the M.I.C." Big L "MVP"

Doesn't matter if it is the rap game or the sports game debate over who is the true MVP will always cause controversy.

If you have been following me on Twitter you should know how hotly the NBA MVP topic has been debated (http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline).

The reason being everyone's definition of Most Valuable Player is a little different. Of course the only person's opinion that should matter is mine. Why you ask? Because I am a BonaFide Sports Expert and I only speak the truth.

So without further ado here is my 2008-09 NBA MVP:

1- Lebron James 28.4 7.6 7.4 48.9%

The King is the only person in the league who I believe is capable of averaging a triple double, but 28 7 7 while shooting almost 50% from the field is pretty impressive.
Add on he has led his team to the best record in the league, has improved his defense tremendously & has developed not quite a "serial killer" a mentality, but at least an "assault with a deadly weapon" mentally it all adds up in my mind to what should be an unanimous selection for MVP.

Also I want to point out to the D Wade supporters who say that Lebron has the far superior team to the Heat. While I agree that the Cavs are better than the Heat, we aren't talking about the 86 Celtics here. You are talking about a team that gives quality minutes to Wally Szczerbiak for goodness sake. Lebron has taken a team filled with B- and C level players and led them to 65+ wins. Considering they will have more wins this year than the Celtics had last year with three hall of fame caliber players on their roster tells me all I need to know about The King. That is why he is my MVP.

2- Dwyane Wade 30.2 7.5 4.6 49.1

Here is all you need to know about D Wade:

A lot of people wish they could get inside the mind of Kobe Bryant. A lot of people want to know what makes him tick. Darth is not a normal dude. Once that facade of him being an "All American" guy was destroy in a Colorado hotel room he became in my mind an iconic figure. All iconic figures have to deal with adversity it is what makes them memorable. It is what makes people care. Just say the name Kobe Bryant in a crowded room and you will get in a heated conversation.

I don't think anyone will ever know the "true" Kobe Bryant, but Spike Lee is going to give it a shot.

Spike Lee is doing a documentary on Kobe Bryant that is going to be shown on ESPN on May 16th. In the documentary Spike tries to give you some insight on what makes Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant.

In a career that has had more ups and downs than a day in the life of Jack Bauer (one of the few reasons Kobe has given for wearing the number 24) Kobe definitely has a lot he can reflect on.

In these three exclusive clips rolled into one Kobe talks about (in order):

I am speaking on my 10 Cheating Commandments on Twitter right now (http://www.twitter.com/BlkSportsOnline).

Can we just fast forward through the NBA playoffs and straight to the Finals? Because David Stern already knows who is going to be in it.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Three things have happened to guarantee this is the Final we will be seeing this year:

1- KG won't be 100%
2- Manu is out for the playoffs
3- Bynum is back and is looking good.

Ask anyone about a deadbeat dad and you will get a mixture of responses. Some, tinged with the hurt, bitterness and resentment of a mother, daughter or son left forlorn and abandoned from a immature and heartless "man" concerned more about his own self-interests than raising his child while others share a story of an upstanding man attempting a life of shared custody only to be bombarded with accusations of being a deadbeat simply because he has no desire to be in a romantic relationship with his child's mother. Both scenarios are all too common and although the single parent household epidemic knows no color boundaries, it has hit no racial group harder than the Black family.

These days, the two parent household is a rarity. With a 50% divorce rate, there's a 1 in 2 chance that a romantic relationship ending in marriage will not eventually wind up in divorce court. Studies have concluded that children that are a by-product of a fatherless home often fare worse in life than those in a two parent home and are subject to greater bouts of depression, violent behavior, emotional stress and earlier experimentation with drugs, alcohol and sex due to poverty (Ketteringham: Associated Content 2007)

READ MORE ON THE AFFECTS OF SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS ON CHILDREN

So when Litall text me about Chris Bosh, affectionately nicknamed CB4 Chris Bosh, face of the Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh, being sued by his former live-in girlfriend, 28 year old Allison Mathis, for child support, I was initially confused.

It's already a given that Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa is very...yes, well put together. But did we know she was borderline crazy? Bryant's former housekeeper is suing the Bryants, citing she was "harassed and humiliated," denied health insurance and forced to quit because of "intolerable" working conditions.

We've all heard the names before. "Ball hog", "Arrogant", "Selfish." The only thing is the "haters" were right. The Lakers most recognized player, jersey number 24 (formerly known as 8) was all those things however that was pre-MVP Black Mamba. While you can count on Kobe to be the go to man and put up 50+pts on a given night to carry his team to victory (see the 61pt record setting performance he dropped on the Boston Celtics at the Garden back in February) you can also rest assure that he will dish the ball out to you to let you get your shine on (ahem, see Lamar Odom, Trevor Azria and Paul Gasol game performances of late).

There's valid hate then there's hate from disgruntled ex-Lakers' players jobless or otherwise. Ask former Lakers' guard, Smush Parker. "Tell em, why your mad son! tell 'em why you're mad!"

For those of you who hadn't heard about Kobe and Ron Artest's heated exchange at the end of their game last week, check out the audio feed brought to you by The Basketball Jones over at Yahoo! Sports.

There's a little language in this video, so viewer's discretion is advised.

I was in LA a couple of months back shooting a commercial (come on who is more Hollywood than "Ya Boy" Bona Fide Expert Robert Littal) on the Sony studios lot. While I was there I met a very attractive production assistant who knew little to nothing about sports. In my effort to impress her first off I told her I was an extra in "American Gangster", but I also told her of an idea of a movie script I was working on. Here is the transcript of that conversation:

Production Assistant: American Gangster really? That is really cool.

Production Assistant: You are writing a movie script? Please tell me more.

The leading man would be an athlete that was a high school phenom who took an R&B singer to prom in the process humiliating his high school sweetheart. He was drafted and then traded to the most glamorous franchise in the NBA and brashly as a 17 year old rookie air ball two potential game winning threes in his first playoff series. Undeterred the Phenom would go on to become one half of the greatest duos in NBA history. Along the way he would marry a Video Vixen who claim to fame was being in a Snoop Dogg video and who may or maybe not been underage when they got together. Because of this decision his parents ostracized him. Through it all the phenom became the one of the best players in the game, but didn't like playing "The Game" to his bigger than life teammate playing "50 Cent". Whereas the Phenom considered himself more talented and driven than his more celebrated teammate his larger than life teammate thought his little brother was an arrogant jerk and that he was mostly responsible for his success. The tandem would win multiple championships the Phenom did not like be a supporting character in this Oscar winning team.

RL: What you think so far?

RL: *crickets*

Honesty is the best policy unless you are cheating on your spouse or significant other then I suggest you got the Eddie Murphy "It Wasn't Me" route.

Kobe Bryant was asked who would win in a game of 1 on 1 between him and Lebron and showing why we call him "Darth" Kobe around this parts he didn't hesitate in saying he is the best 1 on 1 player in the game. Seemed a bit offended the question was even asked. Personally the only two NBA Finals matchups I want to see are either Boston vs. LA or Cleveland vs. LA anything else would be a let down.

These pics are from Jay Z's and Lebron's "Two Kings" Party. You know "Ya Boy" always gets the inside scoop so here are some pics that normally you would see next week, but because you check out the The Infamous BlackSportsOnline you are seeing today.

By the way if you even needed to know why Vanessa Bryant topped our "Top 100 Athletes' Wives" just look at the picture below. Anytime you can make me turn my attention from Beyonce that means you are doing something right.

Lebron is not doing to bad for himself either:

Make no mistake about it Lebron James' 52 point triple double trumps Kobe Bryant's 61 point outburst. If you need a factual reason when you are at the water cooler or the barbershop tomorrow consider this:

The last player to score 50 points as part of a points-rebounds-assists triple double was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Jan. 19, 1975.

When you do something that hasn't in 24 years that is special. Scoring 61 points is very difficult, but it happens and you will see it before again before 2010, but you won't see a 50 point triple double for a very long time.

Lebron is a young dude just wait until he hits his prime. Scary thought.

It appears that Lebron "Pimp Focus" was on letting you know that while Bean is still #1, The King is a strong 1b.

Yes I am biased as a Laker fan. And even further biased that I think Number 24 is the most complete offensive player to ever play the game of basketball. But anybody who watches the game of basketball can't deny that Kobe's offensive prowess was on a whole other level tonight.

Saying part of tonight's performance was motivated by the news of Andrew Bynum's injury, Bryant did a lot bit of everything tonight from threes to dunks to hitting difficult shots on his way down. A perfect 20 for 20 from the free throw line, Bryant was unstoppable on a night where he gave the Madison Square Garden the best performance ever by a visiting player or a Knicks player.

It's unfortunate that the Lakers will miss Bynum for 8-12 weeks, but while every other Laker must make up for Bynum's presence, one thing is for sure. Statistically, Kobe Bryant has always played better in the second half of the season. From the tail-end of January to the end of the season, Bryant has lifted his game up a notch in the past 2 seasons. He was only 20 points off his career high (a little ridiculous to say that).

The Mamba has returned.

Here is the thing about serial killers. They might be able to resist their urge to kill for a little while. They might find a good job, might find them a nice girlfriend and on the surface appear to be "normal". But a serial killer never loses the edge to kill. Never ever forget Kobe Bryant is a:

Everything was cool with the Lakers and Bean was playing his part, but when Bynum went down with his torn MCL, Darth sent a message to the rest of the league don't forget who is the Alpha Dog of the NBA.

Dropping 61 in Madison Square Garden is a big deal especially when the man you are passing on that totem pole is Michael Jordan. So if you forgot ladies and gentlemen I present to you the best player in the game Darth Kobe Bryant.

PS- Just look at that last shot that is all I got to say.

Fox has this new show called "Lie to Me" it is about scientists who are able to detect lies by facial expressions and what not.

Can you imagine what a good time they would have had with this Shaq and Stephen A. Smith interview? Shaq apparently wants up to believe that his feud with Kobe Bryant was all a grand marketing scheme. Here are some quotes from Shaq via the ESPN.com interview:

"We helped you hype it up," the Suns center said late Thursday night in an interview with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. "I know what I'm doing, brother. I'm the smartest player in the world."

"I always did love Kobe," O'Neal said. "It was all marketing."

I wonder how much he loved Kobe when he was asking him how his ass tasted. Shaq is a funny guy I will say that, but don't believe the hype.

Just thought I'd spread the word...you know.

You know I have to re-post this.... Enjoy.

Forget the debate. It'll be a round-about argument between the world.

GQ recently called Lebron "the best player in the world."
DIME magazine gave that title to Kobe last year.
Mark Jackson calls Kobe "the best player in the universe."
Jeff Van Gundy calls Lebron "the most complete player to ever play in the NBA."...but would take Kobe in the last 3 minutes of any game.

So I'll let the debate go on and on and on and just say this.

These two specimens are the best players in the league.

Dear Friend,
Broken ankles can happen at anytime. Don't let your friends, loved ones or opponents suffer from slow game any longer. If your superior quickness has ever broken someone's ankles, don't just laugh at them. Get them the piece of mind they so desperately need. After a lifetime of breaking my opponent's ankles, I'm giving back to those in need. -Kobe

Kobe is now selling ankle insurance through a the AIC. Kobe, President, CEO, CFO, CMO, Owner, and Jefe of AIC introduces you to his important policy that is needed.

Most likely done by Nike's Ad Agency, Weiden+Kennedy, check out Nike's new promo for Kobe's new kicks.

Also, check out the promo site, http://www.notmybrokenankles.com

Check out the video on Yahoo! where Kobe is talking about where he's getting his new moves from this season. CP3 knows what's up.

Watch the video here.

On March 16, 2008 last year, the surging Lakers came into Houston with anticipation to break the Rockets amazing winning streak which had reached 21. Not wanting to be a part of their historic run, Kobe and the Lake Show were hoping to cool down the Rockets.

This article isn't about the game. It's not about the win streak. It's about Shane Battier vs. Kobe Bryant.

In that game last year, Shane Battier put on such an incredible display of defense on Kobe Bryant, that even an avid fan of Kobe myself had to give it up to the dude. Ok, ok some people might get on my case for saying this, but Shane practically shut him down that night.

An NBA season is a long season. With eighty-two games, and when you're a team of championship caliber, sometimes you typically expect to play at least sixteen more...if you're lucky.

Last year, the Celtics and Lakers got to that level, and it wasn't because one player carried them there. It wasn't because a two-man tandem scored majority of the points - it was because each basketball club had a good, respectable team.

Thirty-six games into the season, the Lakers have the best record, second best home-record, the highest scoring team in the league, are nearly invincible in their division (8-1) and 9-1 in their last ten games. Things are good, right? As it turns out, not particularly, as today the Lakers embark on their biggest test of the year. With a back-to-back in Texas starting tonight against the Rockets and Spurs, and finishing the week off with Orlando on Friday, the Lakers have a lot of work to do. Let's also mention that the following Monday, Lebron comes to town.

The Lakers came into the season as one of the deepest teams in the league. They had a second string that played staggering defense, and numerous 15-0 runs to kill games. They were running on an unbelievable level of energy to show everyone that they aren't that team that folded in June motivation. Now...the Lakers are running on electric stimulation, and are being hindered by

I have gotten a lot of emails asking if I am ignoring the NBA. It isn't that I am ignoring the NBA, but seriously the NBA doesn't get started until the All-Star break. Even the good NBA groupies and strippers don't start working the poles and the hotels until them, so just relax. As soon as the NFL season is over the NBA will get some love.

But because I listen to you guys I will try to throw in some videos from time to time to wet your appetite. You know I had to start with Darth didn't you? Watch Bean simply abuse David West on the reverse jam. Kobe holler at "Ya Boy" I haven't gotten my shoes yet.

Are you kidding me? This is just sick.

Yeah I have no words for this one

The last thing we need before the USA Basketball team captures gold is for Bean to sabotage the entire thing because of his lust for the white booty. Now, we all know Misty May-Treanor has a donk (queue the Soldier Boy Youtube for those who don't know what a "Donk" is).

Off topic, but has there ever been a more perfect porn name than Misty May? Even when she got married, it still sounded pornish. But I digress.

We need Darth to focus of the court, not for the next episode of "AssWatchers". You know when Vanessa sees this picture, he is going to have to come off "A Milli" on a diamond necklace or something. Kobe, fight the temptation; homie, fight the temptation.

As far Lebron, go for it!!!! Check out how Lebron is completely oblivious to what Chris Paul and Jason Kidd are talking about. That is the type of ass focus that pimps are legendary for.

*Edit* Emails have been flying in saying that isn't Misty May, but hey, it is much cooler to say Misty May, isn't it? If anyone can ID the athlete hit me up.

Hit me up with your thoughts up @ 404-496-5773 or on myspace @ myspace.com/kami2hot.

Two quick things about the Olympics before getting to the story of Bean and his Chinatown love:

1- The United States better not ever go to war with China.

Did you see those opening ceremonies? You should be concerned about meeting on the battlefield any country that can put on that type of display for a show. Just imagine what they could do if they decided to go bomb some countries. In essence, the USA is like Brett Favre. We have a lot of records and we are very talented, but when push comes to shove, we have a little bit of a gunslinger mentality that normally gets us in trouble. China on the other hand is like Montana to Rice. Deadly efficient, no wasted motion, in essence a serial killer. We don't want to deal with that, but while we are on serial killers.

2- Is Michael Phelps human?

There is a running debate with some friends of mine that he is actually Aquaman (not the somewhat weird Aquaman from the Super Friends days, but the cooler one from the Justice League days). The theory is that at night he jumps in the ocean and communicates with dolphins. In what was supposed to be his weakest event, the 4*400 Medley, he simply destroyed his competition and the world record. After it was over he wasn't even breathing hard. Unless one of his teammates screws up in the relay races, those eight gold medals are a lock.

Now to the story at hand. Who knew that Darth was the next ruler of the Chinese Empire? The reaction that Kobe has gotten since he arrived in Beijing has been eye opening to the point that even American journalist are puzzled by it. In the first game of the Olympic Basketball competition you would have thought Kobe was playing for the Chinese National team. What could be the explanation? My theory is that this generation of Chinese people had a lot more access to the NBA than say the Michael Jordan generation and who gets more coverage than any player in the NBA Kobe Bean Bryant. Unlike in the USA, where ESPN & a million of internet blogs (mine included) and sports-talk radio stations can corrupt a fan's perception of a player in China, all they are seeing is the raw beauty of Kobe's play.

So the next time Kobe's contract comes up, maybe instead of those overseas teams, he should check out the China Garden.

In light of the latest gossip scandal involving Alex Rodriguez and Madonna of all people, I have decided to come up with a manual for cheating athletes. I like to refer to it as:

THE 10 BONA FIDE COMMANDMENTS FOR THE CHEATING ATHLETE:

I- IF THOU SHALL WIFE HER, THOU BETTER MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T CARE IF YOU CHEAT.

As an athlete I can definitely understand why you would want to get married. You want to have some kids (not out of wedlock). You want someone you can confide in. You want someone you can be yourself around. You want someone who loves you for who you are and not what you are. Plus on top of that, it doesn't hurt to have a nice wholesome image for potential advertisers. As they say, getting married helps the "Q" rating.

But whomever you decide to marry, you better be sure she can handle the fact you are going to have many "side" women. Also, she better be able to handle the fact that women all over the country will be coming at you 24/7 365 days a year. Some women have the fantasy that if they marry an athlete he will be faithful. That is a recipe for disaster. So you may have to sit your lady down and explain to her that she is the main girl. Is that enough to make her happy? If not, you're going to have a lot of issues.

II- THOU SHALL ALWAYS HAVE A PRENUP.

In the immortal of Kanye West: "WE WANT PRENUP".

This should be the simplest rule of all. You make millions of dollars while she works part time of at Payless. That doesn't add up to 50/50. Even if you're following these commandments, there is still a good shot that your wife will leave you (see: Michael Jordan). So you need to protect yourself legally. If she doesn't want to sign the prenup, that should be your first clue that she might not be the one you want to marry. Be fair in the prenup. Offer enough money for her to be comfortable and more importantly to keep her mouth shut after the divorce.

III- THOU SHALL NOT CARE IF WIFEY CHEATS ON YOU.

I like to call this the Shaq rule. Shaq follows the cheating code to a tee. However, the one part that has cost him is, when he found out his wife was cheating on him, he flipped out and filed for divorce not realizing that all the dirt he has done would come to light.

If you are going to have different women in all 50 states and be gone half the time don't be naïve enough to think your wife won't sleep with the pool boy, after sitting at home alone in a huge house taking care of a couple of kids and not getting any sex. Don't be naïve and think your wife won't go to a club and sleep with a random guy who looks like Usher and maybe do it in the club. Don't be naïve if a "George" is whispering sweet nothings in your wife's ear, talking about how she deserves better and ends up playing "Bed Gammon" with her. She doesn't want a divorce, but she does want attention so don't overreact when it happens if you want to keep the majority of your savings account.

IV- THOU SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IS CHEAPER TO KEEP HER.

Simply put, who would you rather have deciding where your funds go: you or a judge? Much better to pay now than later. So if your wife sees you on TMZ.com with four strippers in a hot tube popping bottles it is better to just give her the American Express card than to have her visit the lawyer's office the next day. Take the hit and move on.

V- THOU SHALL NEVER SLEEP WITH ANYONE IN COLORADO NOR ANYONE NAMED KATIE WITH A JOURNALISM DEGREE, EVEN FROM A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

I like to call these the "Kobe Bryant and Superhead Rules." Something about Colorado and girls named Katie just seems like a recipe for disaster. Actually, you should stay away from Colorado, Utah, Montana, North & South Dakota, West Virginia and any other place that has more mountains than Wal-Mart's. You should also stay clear of females named Katie, Nancy, Brit, Molly or any other name that sounds like they could have been an extra in Beverly Hills 90210.

Any woman that tells you that "writing" is her hobby should immediately be dismissed from your potential cheating list. The list thing you need is a scorned lover deciding the way she is going to pay off her student loans is by writing a tell-all book about how you like to dress up in a in a Batman costume before having sex.

You may not be aware of this infamous rap video that Shaq has put out,

Now in this video he pretty much is dogging Kobe which is his right, I guess. Although it pretty much negates the fact that he and Kobe have "patched" things up during the Lakers/Heat game back in 2006 on Martin Luther King Day. Would MLK really would care if two professional athletes who did not like each other patched it up? I mean, if Shaq and Kobe can get along, there would be hope for peace in the Middle East.

Putting that aside, Shaq is blaming Kobe for his marriage ending. Apparently this stems from what Kobe said to the cops back in 2003 about how he should've paid off his accuser like Shaq does with his women. Now Kobe broke the "code" and he was wrong for that. But, its just as trifling for Shaq to blame Kobe for why his marriage ended. Gee Shaq, did it ever occur to you that, if you are cheating on your wife, maybe you might be to blame for it?

Even Jessica Simpson, with her lack of brain cells, would've figured that one out. But, I guess it is everyone's fault but your own. The story of his life. I notice how Shaq can bounce from team-to-team, and, yet, its everyone else's fault but his. Does anyone stop to think that, maybe, he might have some blame in all of this?

I must admit that I have gone back and forth when comparing Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan. With the completion of the finals almost a week old, it is more apparent to me than ever that Kobe Bryant is not Michael Jordan. But you won't find my saying that with any great amount of joy or venom. It is hardly an insult, as some national media seem to believe, to say that Kobe Bryant is not Michael Jordan.

Similar to watching Tiger Woods dominate the US Open on 1 leg, Jordan gave us moments of greatness that are etched into our hearts and minds. So when someone is compared to Jordan, the comparison does not stop at a comparison between the 2 players from a skill issue. It extends to moments in time that a given player gave you.

So what? Kobe Bryant is no Michael Jordan. He is still a darn good, check that, great basketball player. He is the best player in the game today and has been so for quite some time now. In fact, name me another shooting guard in the history of the game that you would rather have. To me, saying Kobe Bryant is no Jordan says a heck of a lot more about Michael Jordan as a player than Kobe Bryant. Think about how good Kobe is on most nights. This is the same guy who against the San Antonio Spurs went almost scoreless in the first half and then went bananas in the second half; bringing the Lakers back from a 20 point deficit to win a game.

I am a big believer in Karma. When I was a very young Bona Fide Sports Expert, my mom caught me trying to watch a little Cinemax After Dark. As I cursed at her under my breath, I turned and ran into my door. When I was Bona Fide Balling at Ohio State, I once used another girl's car, who liked me, to take out what would be my first true love on our first date. Of course, my first true love was also my first heartbreak (I've never have gotten over it). Some may say these types of things are coincidental, but I don't think so. I believe things are predestined based on your actions in the past. So, in reality, we shouldn't be surprised that Kobe Bryant, with a chance to solidify his legacy, is going home a loser. In retrospect, it is clear that this had to happen, that it needed to happen.

From the day Kobe demanded a trade, this was destined to happen. Karma works in mysterious ways. Most would think the best way to punish someone is to just take everything from a person, but if a person doesn't have much to begin with, how much of a punishment is it? Kobe whined, cried, criticized, moaned and bitched the entire summer. He threw his teammates, coach, GM, and an organization that has coddled him for his entire career under the bus.

Kobe is the best basketball player on the planet, but he is no saint. He has been a horrible teammate at times. No matter what he says, he had a lot to do with Shaq's leaving. And, we will never truly know what happened in that hotel room in Colorado. What we do know is that, unlike other superstar athletes who keep their dirty laundry behind closed doors, Bean has shown in a very public way the dirt under his fingernails.

Despite all the negativity Bryant has brought, the basketball gods have been good to him. He should have been a Charlotte Hornet. Instead, he was blessed to be placed on a team that had the most dominant center of our generation, a coach with a history of transforming talented players into legendary ones, an offense that matched up perfectly with his skill set, and on top of that, he got to play in LA. You could not have asked for a better situation.

He won three rings. Regardless if you are a sidekick or the 12th man, there aren't a lot of players in any sport that have three championships on their resume. Kobe though never seems content with that. He's similar to a spoiled rich kid who is upset that his older sibling got an Escalade and he only got a Yukon. The immaturity was evident. Sometimes you don't realize what you have until it is gone.

This isn't the first time Karma has struck down Kobe. The Colorado rape case was a smack in the face to a person who thought he could do no wrong. The stigmatism of being accused of rape is a hard one to shake. If it were anyone else in the NBA, you wonder if they would have gotten as much rope. As I stated before, no one knows what really happened. But the majority of people, especially the way the case ended, gave Kobe the benefit of the doubt and hoped the experience would change him. In many ways it did, but it one major way it didn't.

Some people are just built in a way that they don't like to play second fiddle to anyone. I know this from experience because I am one of them. It is the reason I am not writing for some local paper that won't let me speak the truth. Kobe wanted that spotlight. He wanted to be "the man." But, the way he went about it was wrong. And the basketball gods have punished him for it. Those first three Shaq-less years were tough and he took his hits, sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly. But he got a taste of what it is like to be "the man" without the soldiers to win the war.

The one thing we can take from Game 5 is that the Lakers have heart. They could have quit and to be honest I thought they would. The task they have in front of them is a daunting one. I will go as far to say that if the Lakers won the NBA Championship that it would be the greatest comeback in league history. The Lakers once again blew huge leads and Kobe did not play well after the 1st quarter, but they ground it out. They did what they had to do to extend the series. Until a team has four wins anything is possible. I don't think you will see a lot of people jumping back on the Lakers bandwagon, but they are at least waiting at the bus stop.

The Celtics are playing a dangerous game. Anyone who is watching this series can see when the Celtics lock in defensively, they can strangle the life out of the Lakers. That is why they can come back from any deficit; but the Celtics have been notoriously slow in starting games and this time they couldn't come all the way back. Paul Pierce has been outstanding the last two games. Now I am not a coach, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night so the Lakers may want to either: (a) force him to make 1000 jump shots; or (b) double him. Up to this point the Celtics defense on Kobe Bryant has been nothing short of brilliant throughout the series, but, with that being said, the longer you play Russian roulette with a serial killer, the more likely you will get shot.

The pressure is clearly on the Celtics. If the Lakers win Game 6, the amount of pressure on the Celtics will be bigger than THE HULK for Game 7 with the best player in the league trying to cement a legendary comeback. Celtics fans, you don't want that.

I feel like Chicken Little! I've been yelling about the sky falling for so long that when the proverbial falling of the sky happened last night it seemed that the impact was somehow worst than I foretold. I'm speaking of the fall of the Kobe vs MJ conversations that have dug their way into every sports show, column, blog from here to Croatia.

You see, with the 6 for 19, 17 point shooting performance of Kobe Bryant, I see a lot of people running from their greatest player to ever play the game tag, they'd bestowed upon Kobe Bryant all season. Don't get me wrong, he's the best scorer the NBA has to offer at this time, but my opinion was that he was not better than Jordan (sorry Mark Jackson) and he was not the greatest to ever play the game, by far.

Sure, he's up against one of the best, if not the best, defensive team this year. And yes, Boston's had his number even during the regular season, but seriously, 6 for 19 in what was a route until Doc Rivers reminded his team they could play defense. They then shut the Lakers and Kobe down for the 2nd half of last night's game. By the final horn, Kobe and the Lakers surrendered what supposed to be the biggest route in NBA Finals History. And again looked exposed as being the all offense and no defense machine that they were.

It is what you all have been waiting for. Check out the video to see why The Lakers and Neo Bryant will bring home the NBA Title:

Here are the predictions from the rest of the BSO staff:

Robert Bonnette: Celtics in 6
Terence Turner: Lakers in 5
Amber Fox: Lakers in 5
Carl Davis: Lakers in 6
Omar Curran: Lakers in 6
Joslin Lofton: Celtics in 7
JP Sutherland: Lakers in 6
Adam Thomas: Lakers in 6

Would also like to point out that Miss Amber Fox won the Super Model vs. BonaFide Sports Expert NBA Playoff Challenge. By getting 13 out 14 series correct up to this point, it is mathematically impossible for me to catch her seeing that I only got 10 of 14 series correct. So I bow down to Miss Fox as this is the 2nd time she has defeated me in a basketball-related challenge, but we will see what will happen when football season starts.

ForeverAFox.com

One series. One series from becoming an immortal. You see it in Kobe Bryant eyes, you see the hunger, you see the fire and you see the willingness to do absolutely anything and everything to win that title. The title that many thought he would never have an opportunity to play for again. The title that many hoped, prayed and wished he would never have an opportunity to achieve.

You either hate Kobe Bryant or love him there is no middle ground, but you will be watching because hate or love you recognize greatness. No one will ever be Michael Jordan but when you watch Kobe put the dagger in the San Antonio Spurs and you like me grew up with the 90's Bulls you know you are watching the reincarnation.

There is no need for me to go any further because there is still work to be done if you are Kobe and the Lakers because a lost in the Finals will be all the ammunition that critics will need to pounce. It won't be easy because both the Pistons and Celtics are capable of beating the Lakers. So this isn't a coronation, but more of a prelude. One series. One series from becoming an immortal.

I called him Darth, you may call him The Black Mamba or Jack Bauer, but whatever you call him, this is damn funny.

Let's keep this brief.

The haters cannot keep labeling Kobe as selfish. Last night, during the first 30 minutes, he had about 4 points off of 5 shots. He trusted his teammates. He was being very unselfish to say the least because he knew in his mind that everything would be handled.

People are forgetting this is the Western Conference finals and that Kobe lives for moments like this. The difference between him and MVP runner up Chris Paul is that Paul is gifted, but doesnt have that "Killer Instinct" like Bryant. CP doesnt want the pressure like Bryant does. The quote of the night by Bryant: " I can go off at anytime".

Kobe Bryant made love to the Spurs last night. He didn't beat it up (writers note: no pun intended Kobe about your situation), but he foreplayed San Antonio for those 30 minutes, and when it was time to get his, he got it. End of Story.

There are people who believe that Utah is the 2nd best team not only in the West but also in the entire NBA. The Lakers just eliminated them in six games. Two more rounds to go before the article is written that I predicted could be written when I first penned "Darth Kobe".

It isn't a surprised that Darth will be named MVP. So instead of rehashing what he has done this year, let's go back in time to see how I have chronicled some of the peaks and valleys of his career since Shaq left the building.

That gasp you just heard is from Darth Kobe fans all around the world whom I just shocked with my proclamation that Chris Paul not Bean is my 2007-08 NBA MVP. This is a decision that I have been struggling with for the past couple of months, so let me explain how I have come to this conclusion.

At the All-Star break it seem like a no brainer that the MVP would be going to Kobe Bryant who is still in my opinion the best pure player in the game. The knock that he isn't a "team player" and "doesn't make his teammates better" has always been the cliché that the media and people who dislike Kobe the personally would say when trying to minimize his tremendous talent.

They said the same thing about Michael Jordan until he got some talented players then he was the "ultimate competitor." Hence, I always found that critisms about Kobe comical. Magically, once he got some better teammates his team became one of the best teams in the West and a West that is stacked from top to bottom. Kobe of 2008 isn't that much different from Kobe of 2007 or 2006. What is different is that the players around him are allowing him to show that it is a lot easier to play a "team" game when you have teammates that you can trust.

The fact that he has kept his team together through a lot of injuries, not just to the team but also to himself. Does anyone remember that he is dealing with a broken pinky that the team wanted him to get surgery on. The reason you don't remember is because he has still been deadly efficient while keeping the Lakers right at the top of the Western Conference even after losing Andrew Bynum for the majority of the year and Pau Gasol for a couple of weeks.

Kobe Bryant should already have an MVP trophy, but circumstances and bias have prevented that from happening. If he is named NBA MVP you won't get any complaints from me. However, in the end I think CP3 was just a little bit better and I will tell you why.

It's talked about with feverish passion at one-point or another at any local barbershop. It's debated over and over for countless hours without ever ending with a winner. It has nothing to do with politics or overpaid prostitutes. Like Optimus Prime or Megatron, Randy Moss or TO, Nas or Jay-Z, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are just the latest duo to captivate us.

While both are great players, there are several reasons i'd have to give Lebron the slight edge on the timeless "who's best wing player in the NBA" debate.

Besides the obvious that Lebron James is younger, if you look closer into their games James just doesn't have the level of selfishness that Bryant and a host of other comparable players in the NBA have.

Now if you have been following closely, and I stress closely, following the career of Kobe, you'd know that his ego sometimes gets in the way of his game. If Kobe is having a off-night, and the defense is really keying on him. Kobe will often take it personally and as a challenge. He then starts to shoot his team out of the game instead of playing the decoy and just getting his guys involved. Lebron James thinks the game of basketball at all times, not just most of the time. He's always making plays for his teammates. You never see Lebron getting caught up in a personal battle with the opposing star to the detriment of his team as Kobe sometimes does. Lebron wants to set the table for the basketball play regardless of who scores. Kobe wants the play to start and end with him. You say my opinion is biased somehow? Well lets look a little further.

Lets look into leadership which is a vital part of a superstar's role in any sport. In Kobe Bryant, we have a player who has, without a doubt, outsmarted himself. He had one of the most dominant centers in NBA history in his prime on his side and what did he do? After winnining 3 NBA titles with Shaq, Kobe decided that it wasn't good enough. He wanted to win a championship while he got the most touches while being the first option. So in a nutshell, he wanted to average 30ppg instead of 24ppg. He wanted to be Superman instead of Batman.

What Kobe failed to realize is that the fans didn't think of him as a sidekick. He, himself, was seen as a super-hero, not Shaq's Scottie Pippen. Bryant helped drive the car that got Shaq traded out of LA because he wanted the spotlight to himself. What went on afterwards is mindboggling. Bryant now had the Lakers to himself, but he quickly realized that winning alone was no easy task. Bryant's scoring indeed went up while Lakers wins went down. Kobe has since repeatedly butted heads with his coach, bailed out on team-mates in a crucial playoff game 7 against the Suns which was well publicized. Most recently, he demanded a trade, citing that he needs more help to win. Make sense to you? I know it didn't. Talk about irony!

Bean drops 52 and seriously how could you not watch some of those moves and not think of this man?

I am just saying.

Wait I thought Darth Kobe was injured? Just imagine how many more points he would have dropped on the Phoenix if he had a healthy pinkie. The Lakers even without Andrew Bynum appears poised to make a run at the NBA Finals. You aren't hearing too many critics now questioning Bean's leadership or calling him selfish. It is amazing what surrounding a superstar with very good players will do to someone's image. I know the series I want to see in the NBA playoffs would be the Suns vs. Lakers how fun would that be?

Speaking of The Suns The Big Heat Ray made his debut and played some inspired ball. But here is what I have ascertained from watching Shaq. He has no lift in his legs any more and that explains why his rebound and block shot numbers have steadily been going down. It appears he is willing to except his role on the Suns and put in 15 and 7 every night that would be a positive. His acquisition doesn't really make the Suns a better team from an X and O perspective but from a chemistry perspective it makes them better. In the end though he is not enough of a difference maker at this point in his career to lead the Suns to anything except an early playoff exit.