harveycmd

Who had the ball in his hands at the end of every game that mattered? In the 1980s the Lakers gave the ball to Kareem at the end of every game. Why didn't they give the ball to Shaq in the early 2000s?

Stockton ain't Kobe. Jerry told Shaq before he signed him that Kobe was already better than him in July 1996. AI says Jerry West's evaluation of 17 year old Kobe is the best ever. What are you talking about?

Yes, drafting and acquiring Kobe Bryant in 1996 is widely considered Jerry West’s greatest draft pick and executive move. After a legendary workout, West traded Vlade Divac to Charlotte for the 13th pick to select 17-year-old Bryant, a move that fundamentally changed the Lakers franchise. [1, 2] Unmatched Evaluation: West called Kobe’s pre-draft workout the best he had ever seen, noting that the 17-year-old was superior to veteran players. The Trade: West manipulated the 1996 draft, trading starting center Vlade Divac to Charlotte for the 13th pick to secure Bryant, while simultaneously clearing cap space to sign Shaquille O'Neal. Historical Impact: This move led to five championships, setting up the 2000-2002 three-peat and solidifying West’s legacy as a GM. Context: While West made other great moves, and famously said LeBron James was potentially the best athlete he had seen, his, "I brought Kobe to Los Angeles" sentiment confirms Bryant as his most critical personal draft

If it was possible for a GM to have picked Kobe over Wemby, that GM should never be allowed to be involved in any sort of basketball decisions ever again. Given that Jerry West told Shaq that Kobe was better than him in 1996, I'm guessing that Jerry would have taken Kobe over Wemby. No one in their right mind would have ever fired Jerry West as a GM.

Some one asked me what does it mean that Kobe called the defense and offensive audibles from 1999 on. That means Kobe called all defensive plays from the time he was 21. It was always man. Kobe called the coverage: drop, press, front the post, back the post, jam the passer, deny, etc. Kobe called the switches. Whether they were going under, over, and which guys switched on who. Kobe called the traps. Who trapped whom and where on the floor. Kobe called ball pass denials. Kobe called all double teams. On offense the Lakers ran a system: the triangle. There was no initial play call from the bench. It was a movement and pass system from the ball side bock. Many intricacies went into the movement, but defensive movement determined who went where and when. Kobe was the only player on the floor who had the authority to break the system and call different movements. Pippen played that roll for the Bulls in the 90s.

I'll add that Kobe wasn't better than Jordan. He wasn't physically close to LeBron or Kareem. He didn't control games like Magic. What he did was outwork everyone and maximize his talent more than all others. If you do an internet search on who is the hardest working athlete ever, Kobe comes up as first. Kobe is the most skilled basketball player ever. Phil said Kobe worked harder, was smarter and had more responsibility than Jordan, but he still wasn't as good because Jordan had bigger hands. Phil said that Kobe called the defense and called audibles on offense from 1999 until he retired. Jackson never let Jordan do that.

We'll see how it pans out. I think Wemby is the best player now. Kobe had two titles at the age Wemby is now, and he'd already proven he was the best player in the clutch. Wemby is almost a foot taller and has physical advantages that no player in NBA has ever had. I hope the Spurs keep the meth state from winning another NBA title they don't deserve.

He's right. Unless Pope learns how to kick butt and hold players accountable real quick, he won't be there next year.

Sean Miller was on Field of 68 podcast today.

It's a mystery to me why it's so difficult to make the CFB playoff committee prioritize strength of schedule. They do it in basketball and baseball, but they refuse to do it in football. Make it black and white and don't give them any wiggle room.

This ump stinks.

I've never commented on balls and strikes before, but the difference was noticeable. The zone expanded in the bottom of the inning.

That outside pitch wasn't a strike for Harrison, but it is now.

This team is making it hard to believe.

This is going bad fast.

I don't understand the thought process that thinks Sorsby can just go to the NFL. If Sorsby gambled on his own team in the NFL, he'd go to prison. The NFL won't simply let that slide and say, "C'mon into the supplemental draft." He'll need to go through multiple evaluations and years before the NFL will even consider allowing him to play. There's nothing any lawyer can do about that. This isn't the NCAA preventing some college kid from exercising his constitutional right to make money.

Glad Schloss referred to Bohls as scrouge in the postgame presser yesterday.

Swain should definitely go pro. He's up to 12-16 in the draft. Time for him to develop with the big boys. Texas will be fine.

I've been thinking about national comparisons for our less than upright opponents: Criminal Sooners=Soviet Union: Cheat, spy and steal like crazy. Aggies=France: Constantly chide and whine but ultimately depend on you for their security. Tech=Saudi Arabia: desert oil and nothing else.

Criminal sooner Mateer should be out too. This is a matter much too serious to tolerate tomfoolery.

This is a no-brainer despite the moral relativism of Tech fans. You literally can't have legitimate sports if the players are permitted to gamble on their own team's games.

The legal case for the NCAA is quite strong because it aligns with every other sports league or association. Further, the NFL will not simply allow Sorsby to enter the supplemental draft unquestioned. Player gambling issues is the worst thing that could happen to the NFL.

This is unreal.

It got ugly fast after Crossland.

That a boy, Borba!