NBA Corner a letter to Kobe

Dear Kobe,
I realize you won’t read this because you probably don’t frequent the flying eagle blog too often. If by chance you do stop by check it out, we’ve had some pretty fun times for a bunch of guys from Iowa. I’m actually writing you a little thank you note.
I always yell about how the NBA is better than college for a number of reasons. One being the play is just better all around and any one who says different hasn’t been to see an NBA game live yet. Second because we get to see so much more play out, guys go from hate able to love able over the coarse of time, i.e. Allen Iverson. Guys go from love able to hate able over the coarse of a season or career as well, Isaiah Thomas. Over a coarse of a season and career we get to see personalities, who has it in the crunch time, who is scared to be great, who’s okay with just cashing in their pay big pay check every week. Guys like Karl Malone who wanted to be great but couldn’t climb that hill, for a number of reasons, Guys like Bruce Bowen who are good a what they do, but people hate the way the play.
Then there is you, I mean this is the greatest example about finding out about a guy’s will, heart, character, and desire. Most of my friends are trying to figure out why I’m picking you to write about because to be honest I will never root for you to win a game as long as you play. (Except when you are wearing Team USA) You are the greatest example of why I love the NBA; you went from kid who air balled threes in crunch time against the Jazz, to love able sidekick with huge potential, to the second banana on a dynasty, to a guy who committed adultery, to a guy being praised for flying back and forth for court dates for your case, to a guy rightly fully being called out as not being a hero because you were setting a bad example, to the guy who had a hand in breaking up the Lakers Squad because deep down you wanted to be “THE MAN”, to the guy you denied that publicly, to the guy that almost dumped the Suns in an amazing first round series, to the guy who mailed in the second half of game seven of that series, to the guy who put in 82 points in one game, to the guy who demanded a trade because the team you wanted to be “THE MAN” of wasn’t winning, to the guy who openly praises your teammates for having you in position to make a run at the title, to the guy more than likely winning the MVP, and where ever your career will take to.
We have gotten to know you, we have seen the good side of your desire and heart and we have seen the bad side of your personality. I think you are a master manipulator. You want every one to love you but you also have to be the guy in the center of attention. You can blame our society, which tells everyone to be the best, and you want to be the best you couldn’t have done that in Shaq’s shadow. America’s fickle, most people have already forgotten that once upon a time Shaq dominated Tim Duncan, you haven’t because that’s why you got three rings. America love second chances and America is giving you a big one right now. Most people don’t mention that you did cheat on your wife; you did have a part in breaking up the Lakers Dynasty because you weren’t getting enough credit, or you did demand a trade out the situation you help create. You were like a wife who threatened to leave her husband because they were broke but she ran up the credit card debt. You have showed your selfish, diva personality. Least we forget the video of you clowning on Andrew Bynum. Funny thing about that is it actually worked, the guy started playing. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been done with more class.
This is also this side to your personality; you go to a boys and girls club in the Los angles Area and don’t tell the media you are showing up because you believe that kids shouldn’t be used for publicity, and you always spend time with your daughter and to my knowledge don’t have 4 kids with different women. You made one night of passion mistake that we know of. See there is a side of you that is caring and giving.
That’s why I will be watching you for the next couple of years with great interest. I won’t be rooting because I like pulling for the Lebron’s, Shaq, or Nash the guys who smile while they play a game or Duncan who does it with such class even though his team doesn’t Heck even guys like KG and Ray Allen appeal to me more. You do have Jordan’s killer instinct; you do have the courage to be great unlike McGrady and Vince Carter. You now have a team that can help you compete for a title and I get to see another chapter of Kobe Bryant play out. For the Record I do think you are the selfish diva, and your career right now is summed as won titles with Shaq but hasn’t done it with out him yet, so congrats on being the better version of Scottie Pippen. I got a feeling you will be changing that because you are one of the best that has ever laced them up but I won’t be rooting for it but I will be watching this year’s playoffs to see in you can reach the greatness you desire.
Thanks again for being so compelling, the NBA wouldn’t be the same with out a personality-crossed villain.

John Derryberry