Juiced Sports Blog*: Writing Enhanced by Flaxseed Oil » Los Angeles Lakers

What’s next for Kobe to cement his legacy?

mhblatt — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:00:13 +0000

Kobe won without Shaq; now he beat the Celtics… What will Kobe’s haters attack him with next?

MITCHELL BLATT

For all the years of Kobe Bryant’s early career, he lead the league in scoring and won three championships, but he wasn’t exactly the most popular player. His critics pointed out that he won all those championships with Shaq on his team. After Shaq left, the Lakers started suffering, and Kobe “wasn’t being a team player.”

The Lakers returned to the championship against the Celtics during the 2007-08 season and lost. Hence the first knock on Kobe’s legacy: He can’t win without Shaq (as Shaq so eloquently put it).

The next year, Kobe beat the Magic, but his critics put another challenge to his legacy: He can’t beat the Celtics. After all, no Laker is a legend if he consistently loses to the Celtics in the Finals. Kobe must beat the Celtics to cement his legacy, Dime said.

Okay, so now Kobe has won a title without Shaq, beat the Celtics in the Finals, and had a sex scandal. What must we add to his Herculean labors before he can put his legacy to bed?

For starters, Kobe has still not played minor league baseball, and Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 20,000 women is still far out of Kobe’s reach…

Kobe’s critics always need something to lord over him that he ~~can never achieve~~ hasn’t achieved yet so that they have a firm reason to hate him. I’ll admit it: I’ve been a hater for some time. But my anti-Kobe feelings are starting to fade.

So he wasn’t found guilty of rape… That was a mentally unstable women who came to his room looking for consensual sex. The only thing we’ve got on him there is adultery. Six years ago.

Sure he doesn’t like hanging out with his teammates, he had leadership problems early on, and he was kind of withdrawn from the team and didn’t get along well early on… But now he’s learned how to pass the ball and has grown in his leadership role.

LeBron James was supposed to take Kobe’s crown away as the NBA’s best… But now that James has fizzled out of the playoffs the past few years–dramatically so this year–no one can credibly put him on level with Kobe.

The truth is us Kobe haters are starting to run out of valid reasons to bash Kobe. I must admit, I’m starting to lose my feelings towards Kobe. Besides, Rajon Rondo is a lot more fun to hate.

(Kobe, you must win another title to tie Jordan’s 6 or else you won’t cement your legacy!)

Photo: Reuters

ShareThis

The 5 Greatest Teams Since 1995

clinneweber — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:23:38 +0000

COLIN LINNEWEBER
Big City Bias Without The Boston Bullshit

I decided to nominate the five best teams that I have seen perform since the 1995 season.

There are a few caveats in regard to the list that I comprised.

For one, I focused my list strictly on professional sports teams who participate in the NFL, NBA or MLB.

Secondly, teams that participated from the 1995 season to present day are the only squads eligible to make this list. I selected the 1995 season because it was the first year that Major League Baseball instituted the wild card and because it was the year Michael Jordan returned from his first retirement.

Finally, if a great team won consecutive crowns, they can not make the list twice. For example, the 1995/1996 and 1996/1997 Chicago Bulls teams were both two of the greatest units ever assembled in the annals of professional sports. Nevertheless, only one of those two spectacular squads will be officially chosen for this selection.

Without further adieu, here are my choices for the greatest professional teams since the 1995 season.

1) 1998 New York Yankees- This Yankee juggernaut won an astounding 114 games in comparison to 48 losses in the regular season and they pranced through the postseason with a record of 11-2 en route to wining New York’s 24th championship in team history. In total, the Bombers went a mesmerizing 125-50.

2) 1995/1996 Chicago Bulls- This Michael Jordan-led team dismantled all foes. The Bulls went an NBA record 72-10 in the regular season and 11-3 in the playoffs to win the first leg of their second dominating three-peat in the 90’s.

3) 1999/2000 Los Angeles Lakers- The Lakers won 82 of the 105 games they played in the regular and postseason for the 11th best winning percentage in league history. Shaquille O’Neal in his prime and a young and exuberant Kobe Bryant proved to be too much for the league’s competition.

4) 1998/1999 Denver Broncos- After steamrolling the competition for the first three-quarters of the season, the Broncos stumbled a tad. Nevertheless, John Elway and Terrell Davis helped lead the team to a 14-2 regular season record before the Broncos trounced the overmatched Atlanta Flacons 34-19 in Super Bowl XXXIII to win consecutive Lombardi Trophies.

5) 2003/2004 New England Patriots- After starting a pathetic 0-2, Tom Brady and the Patriots never lost again as they capped a 14-2 regular season with a narrow 32-29 victory over the mediocre Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

* Honorable Mentions:

1) 1996/1997 Chicago Bulls- Virtually as dominant as the 1995/1996 Bulls, one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

2) 1999 New York Yankees- Virtually as dominant as the 1998 Yankees, one of the greatest teams in Major League Baseball history.

3) 1999/2000 St. Louis Rams-“The Greatest Show on Turf” fielded one of the most potent offenses in the annals of the NFL.

4) 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks- In a 7 game series, with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling throwing in the primes of their careers, the Diamondbacks could have beaten any championship team in history.

Naturally, this list is subjective and open for debate. I would enjoy hearing the opinions of others on this topic. Please feel free to chime-in with your two-cents.

ShareThis

The Week in Sports

clinneweber — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 02:13:42 +0000

COLIN LINNEWEBER

• I thank you for taking the time to give me some of your time. I hope I am able to entertain with my rapid take on the past few days in the world of sports.

• The Los Angeles Lakers (42-18) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (39-21) 108-104 in overtime Sunday at the Staples Center to continue their streak of dominance since acquiring power forward Paul Gasol in a trade completed early last month. When Lakers center Andrew Bynum returns from his knee injury in late-March, he will team with Gasol and forward Lamar Odom to formulate one of the most powerful frontlines in recent NBA history. The Lakers formidable trio, coupled with the brilliance of Kobe Bryant, should allow Los Angeles to waltz their way through the brutal Western Conference and into the NBA Finals come June. For the first time since the 2004 season, the Hollywood Fakers are authentic and I expect the franchise to earn their 15th championship banner when this campaign is in the books.

• ESPN executives announced last week that they have hired Bob Knight to work as a guest studio analyst leading up to and during the NCAA Tournament. There is a provision in Knight’s curious contract that prohibits any of his new colleagues from ever referring to him as a “member of the media.” The polarizing bully, who hasn’t led a team to a championship in 21-years, never ceases to amaze with his unjustifiable sense of entitlement and elitism. Bob Knight, who won more NCAA Division I games than any other coach, knows the game of basketball as well as anyone. But, he is a miserable excuse for a man and I predict that he won’t be an insightful or quality “member of the media.” Good luck, Bristol. Your suits made your own bed and now you have to sleep at Knight.

• New York Yankees part-owner Hank Steinbrenner grated the New England region this week when he attacked the notion of “Red Sox Nation.”

“Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of (expletive) that is,” said the brazen chain-smoker. “This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

Hank Steinbrenner is truly a remarkable man and one needs to hope that Time Magazine has seriously considered nominating him as their “Person of the Year.” The sports world has been convoluted since the Sox inexplicably won the World Series in 2004 and it’s a testament to “Big Hank’s” character that he is going to take it upon himself to reestablish normalcy in the world of athletics. After all, the “Bronx Bombers” on their lonesome have as many championships (26) as the Celtics (16), Sox (7) and New England Patriots (3) combined.

• The New York Jets molested the pooch last week when they traded the 2004 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Jonathan Vilma, 25, to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional pick in the 2009 draft. This mindless trade illustrates why the Jets are the league’s red-headed-step-children and it furthers my speculation that I will expire before I ever witness a Jets Super Bowl victory. The incompetent brass running Gang Green jettisoned the talented linebacker because they contend that he is ill-suited to play in their 3-4 defensive schemes. If Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini was really a genius, he would adapt to his personnel instead of stubbornly employing a system that clearly is not in the best interest of his team. Instead of adapting, “Mangenius” and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum swapped the 12th overall pick in the 2004 draft for what essentially amounts to a one-month supply of beef jerky. J-E-T-S Why?! Why?! Why?!

• Kudos to Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, 24, for enrolling in the 2008 spring semester at the University of Texas to complete his degree. Young, who signed a $58 million contract in 2006 with the Titans, is expected to graduate this May. I am not convinced that Young will be a superstar in the NFL. Nevertheless, the league needs more men like Young and the “Lone Star State” should be proud that they produced such an upstanding gentleman.

• Thanks again for providing me with your time. Without your readership, I’d have absolutely zero reason to write.

ShareThis

NBA Locker Rooms Miked Up

mhblatt — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:13:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

A Look Inside What the Lakers Locker Room Will be Like

So, the NBA is going to start putting microphones on coaches and in locker rooms. Big deal, right? The audio is monitored before it’s broadcast. But, some coaches are against it, notably George Karl. Phil Jackson hasn’t expressed a public opinion, but I’d be willing to bet that he is against it, too. With Kobe’s whining, Phil Jackson’s dirty mouth, his “Brokeback Team,” and lord knows what else goes on in there, it’s going to be a public relations nightmare for the Lakers.

First time here? Like what you see? Subscribe to JSB

Luckilly, one more person besides the Lord knows what it will be like, and that person is me. (Well, I’m just speculating…)

Kobe: Hey guys, you didn’t pass me the ball enough. We need to pass me the ball if we want to win.

Odom: (whimpering) We’re up 63-50, you scored 20, I think we passed you the ball enough. I went 3-of-3 shooting, maybe I should get it just a bit little more?

Kobe: That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Lamar. You went 3-of-3 shooting, that’s three more shots that could have gone to me.

Luke Walton: There seems to be a little bit of disconfort between Bryant and Odom. I’m not sure what it’s about, but maybe the locker room cameras will capture it for your viewing pleasure.

Kobe: Shut up, Luke, why do you always have to commentate our halftimes?

Walton: I want to be like my dad. Only without the successful basketball career. For me, broadcasting is like my only chance.

Phil: Alright guys, I just want to tell you you played well out there. You really put it to them. Good penetration. Good work on the hardwood. One adjustment you’re going to need to make though, put these on in the second half. We did maximum protection.

And, Kobe, want to give a speech?

Kobe: Sure, coach. You did okay out there. You got me the ball 15 times. I was kind of disappointed with a few of you, though. Lamar, you need to stop hogging the ball. Three shots is just unacceptable. Derek Fisher, you need to stop living off your legacy of about five years ago when you hit the game winning shot against the Spurs in the playoffs. As for you, Bynum, you just need to get on out of here. Go up to New Jersey and tell Kidd to come down and take your place.

Keys to remember when we go out there in the second half: Pass the ball. You need to pass to open up good shots. Keep until it ends up in my hands. I’m fourth in the league in shots taken, and I need to get my numbers up. Right now, I’m behind Carmelo Anthony, a guy playing with a star like Iverson. If someone who has to share the ball with Iverson has more shots than me, and I’m on this crappy team, there’s something wrong.

Don’t get complacent just because we’re winning. Like, coach says, the score doesn’t matter, only how many shots I take. Alright, lets go out there, and get me some opportunities!

ShareThis

Sexual Double Entendres Play into Spurs Win

mhblatt — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:56:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

Phil Jackson Calls it a “Brokeback Mountain Game”

After the Lakers allowed 13 three-pointers in a loss to the Spurs, Phil Jackson was asked if too much penetration led to open outside shooters. (Get ready for the punchline.) Jackson replied, “We call this a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ game, because there’s so much penetration and kickouts.”

Hey, it’s my job to make stupid sexual jokes about sports! That’s why we have bloggers! (What follows are a lot of stupid sexual jokes about sports.)

First time here? Like what you see? Subscribe to JSB

Well, I have nothing against homosexuals, but a lot of pro athletes don’t want to play with them, so Phil Jackson is making a bold statement by calling his team gay.

I know with Kobe on the team, a lot of people who would agree with Jackson’s sentiments. I know he raped a women a few years ago, but look at that picture. That’s 82 scores in one game, if you count that. The Lakers should think about luring John Amaechi out of retirement as he might have good chemistry with Kobe.

They should also think about drafting OJ Mayo. They’re going to need some Trojans if they want to continue to allow that much penetration.

While the Lakers may have had their defense broken, they did excel in taking it to the hole. They took it really hard to the hole. The Spurs penetrated well, but they always pulled out quickly and shot. The Lakers pounded it up front and got inside. They also went in the backdoor with a lot of layups. They need to do a better job finishing, though.

The loss puts the Lakers to 3-3. About where they were supposed to be this year. It’s a shame they’ve been so bad ever since trading Shaq. Maybe they should have a hardwood classics night to bring back some of the magic of the past? With the kind of team Phil Jackson is trying to build, hardwood classics would work well.

So, I guess this post has been kind of immature, but certainly not as immature coming from a blogger as it would be coming from an NBA coach.

UPDATE: Jackson’s hilarious apology: (Paraphrased, I just saw it on TV 5 minutes ago) “That was my attempt at humor. I was just trying to lighten the mood after a loss. I would like to thank ESPN for putting the quote out of context. If I offended any cowboys, Texans, horses, or anyone else, I’m sorry.”

ShareThis