I can field that one -- because the "pep talk" was Kobe putting on full display exactly the type of personality that is driving Dwight out of LA in the first place. He doesn't talk about how the Lakers need to utilize Howard better or how Howard is a good fit and that they are going to win together -- he says Dwight needs to learn from him how to win championships, that Dwight needs to change to fit into the Laker culture and to be the type of person that can win championships. Basically Kobe used the wooing meeting as a chance to bust Dwights balls some more and to tell him to get in line with Kobe's program, that this is Kobe's team and Dwight needs to change himself in order to fit in. Meanwhile the Rockets are telling Dwight that he is perfect the way he is and that he will instantly mesh with what the Rockets are doing and that they can win titles without Dwight changing to fit someone else's parameters of how he is supposed to be.
The more I read clutchfans, the more disappointed i'm going to be if dwight doesnt come to houston. Need to get offline for my own good.
Actually that's not what the rockets did, not exactly, his personality fits our team, but Mchale from reports said he's going to hold him responsible for becoming all he can be.
Everything in this thread is nonsense. People pumping up their internet karma, loading up their twitter followers, quoting each other in circles. Welcome to the new world of instant media....it's awesome, like cotton candy... totally enjoyable worthless crap.
This is why i dont think Kobe really helped. He's as much saying "Look, you're crap now, but listen to me, absorb what I say, and you might be worthy of this great/fabled/historic organisation. I'll teach you how to win" It's such a condescending and belittling way to take things, and frankly I think this is exactly at odds with Dwights personality. With the Lakers, there will always be the pressure of him needing to change, and subsequently lack of success with them will be completely and soley on his shoulders due to the fact "he doesnt know how to win/needs to be tought/needs to learn from kobe" If they don't win, its cause Dwight is a happy go lucky character who isn't serious about his craft blah blah blah. You don't get the physique/defensive prowess Dwight has had without knowing what hard work is. Just because he smiles and likes to enjoy playing a freaking game doesn't make him have less fire then someone who is an a-hole 24/7, 365.
