[::2009 Champion LAKERS OFF-SEASON THREAD Vol. Boring Non-News Days Causing In-Thread Tension::]

[notorious 858]

[h2]Sporting News' NBA Athlete of the Decade: Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers[/h2]

[h4]Count on this: Ring No. 4 isn't going to make Bryant complacent.[/h4]
[h4]We say...[/h4]
Is he the next Michael Jordan? Can he win a title without Shaquille O'Neal? Is he still better than LeBron James? When it comes to Bryant, the talking points have always missed the mark. No player in the history of the sport has been as hell bent on muscling up and improving his game every offseason. Bryant continues to set the bar on hard work, and there's no sign of anyone reaching his level in that regard.
[h4]The numbers say...[/h4]
Bryant: 28.2 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, one MVP, four titles
Duncan: 21.2 points per game, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, two MVPs, three titles
[h4]You say...[/h4]
SportingNews.com voting
Bryant 55%
Duncan 45%
[h4]They say...[/h4]
Former Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal's case for Bryant: "The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct that you know when the game is on the line he is not going to shy away from the big shot, he is not going to make excuses. If we would go into the fourth quarter, playoffs or just some game in the season and we were within a little bit of the other team, Kobe was not going to shy away from the challenge of getting the win. He was going to take the shots."

[h4]Bryant says...[/h4]Our pick's memory of the decade: "This year meant a lot. We won a championship. It was satisfying, very satisfying, because we put in a lot of time and effort to fix things and get better. It's a great memory. I feel that we just had such a great team, such a fun team, from our chemistry to the way we executed. We went through some years and years of frustration

[h4]SN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR[/h4]
2001: Allen Iverson
2002: Tim Duncan
2003: Tim Duncan
2000: Shaquille O'Neal
2004: Kevin Garnett
2005: Shaquille O'Neal
2006: LeBron James, Steve Nash
2007: Dirk Nowitzki
2008: Kobe Bryant
2009: LeBron James

Link:

http://www.sportingnews.c...de-kobe-bryant-sg-lakers

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by Notorious 858

I hear you man. I mean back in the day when Jordan was in his prime with the Bulls I hated him and wasn't a fan of him at all, but I respected his game and knew he was the best player in the game during his era. But I mean from 2004-2008 NT and even in public the HATE for Mamba was just unreal. I'd come into work and co workers would just start dumb $h*t with the usual hate saying "Mamba isn't a leader", "Mamba isn't the best player in the L", "Mamba only got his 3 rings because of Shaq", "Mamba doesn't make his teammates around him better" .

After Mamba got his 4th ring a lot more non Laker fans at least respect his game now even though they still hate on him. The hate you really see on here is still mostly about his mannerism, the way he acts and talks, which always makes me

because those fools actually act and think they know Mamba on a personal level..

thank you...

btw blaming khloe if we dont repeat is

 

[th0mas cr0wn]

Originally Posted by Notorious 858

Just saw this poll and it has me on the floor still

 

[sohi 23]

pac references?

 

[lalakerfan213]

at the sportsnation poll

 

[notorious 858]

Ron Ron the media attention $!+#% at it again:

Audio of a ESPN 710 radio interview:

http://a.espnradio.com/st...es/mason/mason090923.mp3

 

[notorious 858]

Nice video done by someone:

 

[enrique23]

Originally Posted by Notorious 858

Just saw this poll and it has me on the floor still

 

[gaseousfashion]

Originally Posted by Notorious 858

Just saw this poll and it has me on the floor still

 

[darthska]

These dudes said Khloe Kardashian would be to blame if we don't repeat.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by Cedric Ceballos 1995 Lakers

my 3 sports teams defenitly create a huge conflict of interest.

im a laker fan but also a 49er fan, alot of the 49er fans that post are either anti laker or warrior or kings fans.

then im a mets fan while most of my fellow laker fans are dodger or angel fans.

that being said go lakers

you guys haven't let me down this year, 49ers your making me happy so far, and for the mets well if theres nothing nice to say then i won't say anything

tell me about it!!...also a lot of our Laker fans like the raiders...people thought it was an odd combo that i was a Laker/niner fan so i find itamusing that guys like cedric and bright etc are the same way i am

...ihave a lakers decal on my car and a 49ers license plate!! so here in the bay i get a lot of heat about being a niner and a Laker fan

 

[japanair21]

Anyone else like that SportsNation show?

They were killin Jay Leno on his new show..

 

[bsktball4lyf3]

Originally Posted by DontStepOnMyShoes

Originally Posted by Cedric Ceballos 1995 Lakers

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

TH0MAS CR0WN:

---

%+%+ the nuggets
%+%+ the spurs
%+%+ the c's
%+%+ the magic
%+%+ the cavs
%+%+ bad boy as a staff record label and as a #$*%#@@%!*!#@ crew

And if you down with the Spurs, %+%+ you, too.

dallas mavericks and houston rockets *%*% you too die slow my fo TWO fo makes sure all yo kids dont grow

LOL i soo saw this coming

 

[notorious 858]

Anyone check out this website. Pretty nice custom shirts:

http://www.purplengoldla.com/

 

[tupac003]

Can't wait for the season to start.

I won't be back in the states until March due to deployment but I will have a gang of cash saved up so I have plans on making it to a bunch of playoffgames.

I won't be able to catch many game but at least I can still keep up with NT.

Let's have another great season fam....

 

[westcoastsfinest]

whats up pac...long time no see!!...good luck with that...where youheaded to?


have you added any new gear to your infinite amount of Laker collection recently?

 

[lalakerfan213]

Where are you stationed?
Stay safe fam

I'll try to get a stream going for some of the games.

 

[notorious 858]

Originally Posted by tupac003

Can't wait for the season to start.

I won't be back in the states until March due to deployment but I will have a gang of cash saved up so I have plans on making it to a bunch of playoff games.

I won't be able to catch many game but at least I can still keep up with NT.

Let's have another great season fam....

Are you deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan ?

Because I know jobs out there pay in the six figures ranges for going out there.

Anyways stay safe man.

 

[notorious 858]

One of the biggest and realist celebrity Laker fans not like that rapper from the LBC

:

 

[laker4lifeman]

Ice Cube is a true Laker and Raider fan. Unlike Snoop who cheers for the steelers,pats,ravens,and warriors at times.

 

[dirtyxcanto]

Originally Posted by bsktball4lyf3

Originally Posted by DontStepOnMyShoes

Originally Posted by Cedric Ceballos 1995 Lakers

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

TH0MAS CR0WN:

---

%+%+ the nuggets
%+%+ the spurs
%+%+ the c's
%+%+ the magic
%+%+ the cavs
%+%+ bad boy as a staff record label and as a #$*%#@@%!*!#@ crew

And if you down with the Spurs, %+%+ you, too.

dallas mavericks and houston rockets *%*% you too die slow my fo TWO fo makes sure all yo kids dont grow

LOL i soo saw this coming

You +#!@#%!@%%**@ can't be us or see us. We mother %#@%%@+ Lake Show for life. Western ConferenceChamps till' we die.

 

[japanair21]

Elie Seckbach is DAMN annoying.

 

[notorious 858]

Originally Posted by dirtyxcanto

Originally Posted by bsktball4lyf3

Originally Posted by DontStepOnMyShoes

Originally Posted by Cedric Ceballos 1995 Lakers

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

TH0MAS CR0WN:

---

%+%+ the nuggets
%+%+ the spurs
%+%+ the c's
%+%+ the magic
%+%+ the cavs
%+%+ bad boy as a staff record label and as a #$*%#@@%!*!#@ crew

And if you down with the Spurs, %+%+ you, too.

dallas mavericks and houston rockets *%*% you too die slow my fo TWO fo makes sure all yo kids dont grow

LOL i soo saw this coming

You +#!@#%!@%%**@ can't be us or see us. We mother %#@%%@+ Lake Show for life. Western Conference Champs till' we die.



NBA Champs till' we die !

 

[notorious 858]

[h1]Lakers' Phil Jackson takes it one year at a time, and this one looks good[/h1]

He looked well-rested from a summer at his lakeside home in Montana, his face clean-shaven and tanned, his future still a bit murky but his health no longer an issue for now.

As Lakers Coach Phil Jackson sat before a news gathering Friday at the team's practice site, he spoke about a variety of subjects, none more important than his contract status.

Jackson, 64 and in the final year of a contract that pays him $12 million a season, looked at the talent and depth he has on this team as a reason to be open to coaching longer, because it's a team that has the opportunity to win multiple championships.

He said he has yet to have a conversation with Lakers owner Jerry Buss about coaching beyond this season, leaving Jackson in a "lame-duck situation" for now.

Most pressing for Jackson is preparing to open training camp Tuesday night.

He's looking forward to the Lakers' bid to repeat as NBA champions after they beat the Orlando Magic in five games to win the franchise's 15th title. He's looking forward to facilitating a "seamless" transition for new small forward Ron Artest, to attending the wedding of forward Lamar Odom this weekend and to see how his players perform under the spotlight and the distractions that come with being the titleholders.

Over the summer, Jackson got past some health issues that had forced him to miss a regular-season game, and he has declared himself fit.

Now he said that having a happy Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Odom and Artest all on board is reason enough to be looking at coaching longer.

"Without a doubt, there's all kind of reason to come back," Jackson said. "The only reason not to come back is you don't win. Health issues come up. Those are the only things. It gets too hard. It gets too long. Those are some issues. But other than that, we're just having a good ride."

Jackson recalled that when he signed an extension two years ago, Buss came up to him and asked about his possibly staying on longer.

Jackson said he wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened this time.

"We're just going to see how the year goes," Jackson said.

Jackson spoke with Lakers management about having assistant Kurt Rambis succeed him as head coach. But management was unwilling to make that promise. Rambis took the head coaching job with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"When I suggested that that set up a situation that would be a lame-duck situation, they said that they hoped that the duck wasn't lame," Jackson said.

When Jackson was unable to attend an April game against the Trail Blazers in Portland because of swelling in his legs caused by plantar fasciitis, Rambis coached the Lakers. Jackson said if he were unable to make a game this season because of health issues, the Lakers assistant who is in charge of scouting that game's opponent will coach the team.

"They're all capable of doing it, I think," Jackson said, referring to assistants Brian Shaw, Jim Cleamons and Frank Hamblen.

The addition of Artest, in the eyes of many, makes the Lakers a better team. He is considered a better defender and all-around player than the man he replaces at small forward, Trevor Ariza.

"On paper, we certainly are, we're a better team," Jackson said. "[Artest is] a terrific player. On paper you can say yes. But sometimes it's chemistry that counts between players and how they work together.

"Trevor didn't need a whole lot of shots. Ron's more of an offensive player than Trevor is, so Ron will be doing more things offensively and he'll be more of a focal point."

Of course, given his history, Artest could be more difficult to deal with than Ariza.

During the second-round playoff series between the Lakers and Houston Rockets last spring, Artest got in Bryant's face in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Artest is also remembered for his role in a brawl during an Indiana-Detroit game at Auburn Hills, Mich., in November 2004, when he played for the Pacers.

Jackson once coached the enigmatic Dennis Rodman in Chicago, and he sees some similarities between Artest and Rodman.

"I think both of them have the ability to focus very easily on something that they do and also to become distracted at certain times on the court," Jackson said. "But other than that, I don't think so."

When the subject of Odom's getting married Sunday to reality TV personality Khloe Kardashian came up, Jackson smiled.

He said he planned to attend the wedding. That it's happening two days before the start of training camp is interesting to Jackson.

"Well, we're going to give him a real good honeymoon. That's what I plan on doing," Jackson joked. "He's going to have a lot of fun right after his honeymoon. If his honeymoon lasts one night, he's going to have a lot of fun after that. . . . I'm very supportive of Lamar and want everything in his world to go right for him."

This could be a season full of distractions for the Lakers.

From Odom's marriage to a reality star, to his entertainment ventures, to Artest's Twitter missives, YouTube highlights and entertainment ventures, this season could turn sideways.

Jackson said he won't let that happen.

"It's going to be something that we have to talk about, without a doubt," Jackson said. "I don't expect them to leave it behind. I think that there's a tendency for those things to continue or follow us. But I think they are going to have to get acclimated to it and there's a certain amount of privacy that we have to demand from them about what our business is so that it doesn't become street business.

"I think that's where the distinction has to be made and I think that these guys are professionals. They'll understand that."

The Lakers have been to the NBA Finals in consecutive years, playing 103 games during the 2007-08 season and 105 last season.

If they reach the Finals this season, they'll probably play more than 100 games again.

"You have to have some amount of luck and you have to watch your tempo," Jackson said. "You have to watch how hard these guys push themselves."


Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sp...p26,0,4954501,full.story

I really think Phil will be around for at least 2 more season after this season.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Elie Seckbach is DAMN annoying.

a pot calling a kettle black

good news on phil