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>Lakers PR Spin Machine 7000! John Black doin' cartwheels to >repair this dude image! Shame on the complicit media who has >ignored him shooting too much! > >Right. > >latimes.com: > >>T.J. SIMERS >It has come to pass for Kobe Bryant > >Bryant says he's at peace as he talks about his new role with >the Lakers, Dwight Howard, Mike D'Antoni's offense and how he >wants to be remembered when he retires. > >By T.J. Simers >February 1, 2013, 5:00 a.m. > >MINNEAPOLIS — I'm liking the laugh-out-loud guy sitting across >from me at Starbucks, maybe as big a shock as Kobe Bryant and >I getting together to sip vanilla lattes. > >You know who I'm talking about: the Kobester, the Big Baby, >the Ball Hog, the Tanker. > >And here I am, the Hater. > >"We're human beings, so we're complicated," Kobe says. > >We have already spent the last hour discussing his obsessive >intensity, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Shaquille O'Neal, his >stifling inner circle and his belief he can pass the Lakers >into the playoffs. > >"I just happened to grow in front of everybody and a lot >happened," Kobe says. "Maybe one day in like 15 years or so >some people will come to realize we didn't quite get him when >he was playing." > >There was a time when we would talk regularly and with great >respect. And there was a time when we would not, replaced >later by a lot of growling and confrontation. > >The shift continues, the Lakers at their worst but Kobe at his >best. And so what's wrong with him? I begin. > >"I find myself talking sometimes and I can't believe what I >just said," he says with a hearty laugh. "Realistically I have >only one year left, so I'm trying to enjoy myself." > >But what happened to the inner circle of trust, Kobe >admitting, "You were off the reservation," if you didn't >flatter him? > >"I didn't have time to deal with nonsense," he says. "I had >quite a bit of recovery going on, so I didn't have time to >deal with negative stuff. > >"I've taken the reins off now. I'm more open, hence Twitter. >I'm at peace." > >So ask him anything, and he obliges. > >"Are you worried Howard might leave, jeopardizing a chance to >win another ring, if he's not a fan of Mike D'Antoni's >coaching?" > >"Yeah, a little bit," Kobe says. > >"Have you asked Dwight if he's going to stay?" > >"I want him thinking about being our defensive stopper so we >can ride him into the playoffs," Kobe says. > >"Is D'Antoni the right coach?" > >There's a long pause. "I don't think a coach becomes the right >coach until he wins a championship. I don't think Erik >Spoelstra was the right coach in Miami until he won. Phil >Jackson was just some hippie coaching in Chicago with this >weird offense." > >"Can D'Antoni win a championship?" > >"The question for me, is he capable of figuring this puzzle >out? I think he has the brains to do so." > >What about Howard and Bryant? > >"I've been through much worse," Kobe says. "Shaq and I >honestly didn't like each other. At least Dwight and I do like >each other." > >I suggest to Kobe that he probably thinks Howard is a clown, >and Kobe says, "Yeah, but let me explain. > >"Dwight is jovial. But by me being who I am, it balances >out." > >Howard is now wearing a headset listening to music before >games rather than joking with the media. I suggest it's Kobe's >doing. I get no argument. > >"Oh yeah, he's trying to figure out that balance," Kobe says. >"I know there's a lot of joy to what Dwight does, but I'm just >trying to show him a little more intensity here and there. > >"Shaq was very sensitive like Dwight, but he was also a beast. >You look at Bill Russell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem and these >guys would rip your heart out. What if Wilt had Russell's >engine? How many championships would he have won?" > >When I suggest Gasol doesn't have that engine, Kobe says, "No, >he doesn't, and not many people do. > >"But Gasol is the ultimate team guy. You see him stepping out >there and performing. He's not happy with it, and I told him, >just be honest and say so, because no matter what he's going >to do the job." > >Kobe's motor remains revved to the max at age 34. His >intensity is plastered across his face while just walking onto >the court for pregame introductions. > >"That's my slow walk," he says. "That's me getting into my >zone. I'm just putting on my Secretariat blinders; it's race >time." > >But he comes across arrogant. Why not show more joy? > >"That's not going to happen," he says. "I know I drive a very >hard bargain. I was reading the Steve Jobs book, which was >enjoyable because it made me seem like a Magic Johnson-like >character." > >Jobs was at the top of his game as well, but written off as a >jerk by some. > >"I don't think I'm a (jerk) except on the court," he says. >"Come down to Newport and then people I know will tell you I'm >different off the court." > >He says he might have followed more in Magic's footsteps had >fans in Los Angeles not been divided by the Shaq-Kobe feud. He >says he will never get past that with some people. > >He will be remembered, of course, for being one of the game's >greats, willing to eat your young, or his own jersey to win. > >"It's disgusting, but my father taught me when your mouth gets >dry, just suck the sweat out of your own jersey," he says. >"There's no bravado to any of it; it's just a disgusting >little trick." > >When we move our chat to the end of his career, I ask him how >he will feel if he doesn't win another ring. > >"I can't see that happening," he says. > >We argue about what is sacrificed in the pursuit of always >having to win, and he says, "Winning takes precedence over >all. There's no gray area. No almosts. > >"It's a very unbalanced way to live and I know that. It's not >healthy. And I can't justify it, but someone has to win and >why not me and the Lakers organization." > >To win, he contends, he must set an example. > >"This team needed it," he says. "In the meeting we had in >Memphis we were talking about doing things that maybe we're >not what we do best. What I do best is shoot, maybe passing is >the best way for us to win now. > >"I tried it in the seventh game of the (2006) playoffs against >Phoenix," he says, while not pleased being known as the >Tanker. > >"I scored 50 in Game 6 and we lost. I scored like 17 in the >first half, and took a gamble. I decided to pass to try and >get everyone else going. It didn't work. > >"I took the same gamble here and if it hadn't worked out, what >would people be saying now? Kobe isn't shooting so he can >prove some point? > >"What I'm doing now is being selfish. I'm trying to help the >team because I want to win a championship." > >He says he hasn't decided when he will retire, but he knows >fans won't see him fade as they did when Michael Jordan played >with Washington. > >"You didn't have to see that version of Michael. He retired at >36 in Chicago at the top of his game. There's a not a chance >you'll see me (like that)." > >So when the end comes, how does he wish to be remembered? > >"As a winner and overachiever," he says. "A guy who worked and >played hard like he was the 12th man on the roster." > >And a complicated human being, pretty much like everyone else, >I guess. >
'm mad.
''i went from bashful to asshole to international''- CdoubleO
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