MAIL CALL!!!

I realize this’ll be about the third post I’ve made in like three hours, but oh well.  I thought about waiting until tomorrow to do a MAIL CALL!!!, but there’s been some interesting stuff that I thought should be discussed.
As expected, the responses to the piece about Kobe Bryant have been almost evenly divided between people thanking me and people intimating that I perform fellatio.  Well, not even intimating it.  More like telling me to stop performing fellatio.  Like Brian, for example.

Kobe Bryant is the biggest piece of shit on this planet, even more so than your article.  Take his dick out of your mouth and see him for what he is, a dirty rapist.  

Fellas, lemme let you in on a secret–one reason many women are apprehensive about fellatio is that stupid dudes like Brian refer to it in this way.  So spare such e-mails in the name of the greater good.  Dig?
Quincy in San Antone makes some good points in disagreement with me.

Despite his many achievements, I just don’t find Kobe Bryant an appealing athlete to root for.  It’s not just that he’s a ball hog, although he is.  He just seems like such a pretty boy, Hollywood, egomaniac.  My personal favorite Kobe moment is him crying like a baby after the Spurs ended the Lakers’ streak a few years back.  Sure, Kobe has put a dagger in my Spurs a time or two himself.  But you would never catch a guy like Duncan or Robinson, or Michael Jordan for Pete’s sake, crying on the court after a loss.
Really, that moment is about the closest we have ever gotten to seeing a genuine moment from Kobe Bryant.  You talk of him as if he’s changed a lot since his young, cocky days, but I frankly don’t see it.  Let’s compare him to Iverson.  We have definitely seen Allen Iverson undergo a wonderful transformation, from young punk to a great, responsible man, all along speaking his mind, willing to admit mistakes.  I guess what I dislike about Bryant is that, unlike Iverson, there is nothing real about what he gives us.  It’s all flash, no substance.  They are both very, very talented men, no doubt about it.  But I’ll take Iverson any day, warts and all.
I don’t think kobe is comfortable in his own skin, even to this day.  He really craves people’s adoration, and I’m sure he still gets plenty of it at the Staples Center.  But he will always be in the shadow of Jordan.  Kobe will not win six rings, and he will never have the universal admiration of Jordan.  Like all athletes, he’ll get old and retire.  I hope he does do some growing up before that happens, we’ll just have to see.
Well, anyway, I know I have my biases, but I just want to remind you that there are many, many basketball fans who don’t live in L.A.  And, honestly, I don’t hate the man.  He’s got his flaws like we all do.  But I don’t admire him much, either.  And he is one of those athletes that I always root against.  And until I start seeing some evidence of humility or just maturity from Kobe, I don’t really see that changing.  

I do think Kobe has made strides, and the performance of this team and his relationship with Phil are indicators of that.  Kobe will probably never get the universal adoration that Jordan received.  But that’s interesting, really.  Why should Mike get that instead of Kobe?  The interesting thing about Jordan is that people are very, very aware of his faults and flaws, but they’re taken in stride.  I’m not sure why Kobe’s aren’t, especially by those who don’t understand why it was so problematic that he ran his mouth to the police.
Phillip also disagrees.

When he starts act mature and stops being a world class jerk. You tell us to stop hating on this selfish jerk for taking shots he shouldn’t be taking. But, he turns around and slams Arenas for the 60 he scored on the Lakers. 60 points I might add Arenas scored while shooting better the 50% from the floor. That something Mr. Kobe rarely does seeing he’s shooting .454 for his career. A stat that would have been pathetic back when the NBA had real talent.
Kobe a world class jerk. He did wreck the Lakers. The Lakers are not going anywhere in playoffs until he realizes he can’t win these games alone and needs to share the load with his teammates. Here’s news bulletin for you. When they’re knocked out of playoffs this season. I’ll be back to tell you I told you so 

I’m not sure if Philip knows Kobe, so I’ll let him have his characterizations of him.  However, I was talking about this year, when his field goal percentage is .487, a great number considering how many jumpers he takes.
J-Will says the following.

This is a comment relating to your recent article about Call Him Laker Superior.  First I think that you only present one side of the story.  The mere fact that you state him dunking over the same 7-foot -5 center that got block by a 5-foot- 9 point guard is hilarious.  That’s not impressive, it more of a if Nate Robinson can do it than I can too type deal..  Then you raise the fact that Kobe needs to shoot more…  Why?  He’s already perfect at doing that, why not get the teammate involved.  Yeah, his shot selection is down, but he did just come off of a knee surgery, point blank.  The fact that Kobe’s supporting cast is somewhat weak is correct.  It’s very weak.  But getting them involved more would be the best thing out there.  I am not comparing the two by any means for obvious reasons but I remember this guy who wore the number 23 who had a weak squad so to speak and made them look like allstars.  WE all know good and well that the bulls didn’t have too much to work with after 23 & 33.  But because he got them involved they looked awesome.  I guess my point is that Kobe still needs to learn to trust his teammates.  There are inexperienced in some areas but give them a chance, it’s not like him shooting the ball all night will make them championship contenders…..  

I don’t think the Bulls supporting cast ever really looked awesome.  Scottie did at points, as did Rodman, but they were much better players than Luke Walton and Brian Cook.  If the Lakers aren’t contenders, it isn’t because Kobe’s shooting all the time.  It will be because the supporting cast is such that Kobe shooting all the time gives them the best chance to win.  Can’t blame Kobe for playing the hand he’s been dealt.
Vince sent me an e-mail entitled, “how does the jock sweat taste?”

Even if you could be objective about Kobe it would still sound like you just love him too much to give him the credit he deserves and leave it there.  I think more than any other athlete Kobe has fans who are mysteriously blinded by his greatness.  Certainly he is the best player on a pretty bad team.  Clearly he is the most complete player in the league.  By far he is the player who most wants to “one-up” Michael Jordan (and D Wade, LeBron, etc).  Has any other reason for “24” made sense?  I love Kobe’s game but people gush about him like I do my children.  Do you have a picture of Kobe in your wallet?  Sounds like you might when I read the article. 

Yeah, clearly this dude don’t know me.  Clearly.
Most of the complimentary e-mails said the same thing, so no need to really post them.  Just folks thanking me for saying something nice about Kobe in print, which the e-mailers feel doesn’t happen enough.  I wouldn’t go that far, but I did appreciate the e-mails.
The following e-mail is probably the nicest thing I’ve ever received, so I’m posting it.  It’s from Brendan.

just wanted to say, that you’re now one of the few sports writers whose column I actually wait and look forward to every week. By far the best and most consistent guy on ESPN on a column by column basis. Your columns are insightful and contentious, but generally the truth. To me they represent reality when everyone else in the media is going for the safe story. Its amazing stuff.

I wouldn’t say I’m the only person in the media doing work like that, but it did feel good to see a reader understand what I try to do when I write.  As a columnist whose work is rooted more in analysis than opinion, I’m frequently fearful that my reluctance to take hardline stances when there is legitimate gray on an issue makes it difficult for people to really get into my work.  I’m more concerned with generating thought than emotion.  I guess it’s the economist in me.  Anyway, to have someone appreciate that doesn’t validate my work or anything like that, but it does make me optimistic about the likelihood that my contract will be renewed when that time comes.
Hooray financial stability!