Didn't see this anywhere.... http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1947289 ESPN.com news services In two interviews with ESPN, Kobe Bryant addressed the topics of his personal image and his rifts with former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal and former coach Phil Jackson. Bryant, in a taped interview on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" on Wednesday, did not elaborate much further about Malone, whom Bryant previously accused of making a pass at Bryant's wife, Vanessa, at a Lakers game on Nov. 23. Bryant said he wouldn't give Malone the benefit of the doubt in this situation, even as he conceded Malone was like "a big brother" to him last season. Malone's agent said last week that his client didn't plan to return to the Lakers because of comments Bryant made in a radio interview questioning Malone's intent in rejoining the team. "To me, it's water under the bridge," Bryant said Wednesday. "I just kind of want to move on from it. We just go our separate ways." However, Bryant, who was interviewed on ESPN's "NBA Shootaround" on Wednesday night, was somewhat more open in talking about O'Neal. Bryant said that if he got the chance to sit down with O'Neal, he would apologize for involving O'Neal in Bryant's personal problems, referring to statements given to police in which Bryant said that O'Neal had paid hush money to women. "Off the court, I have nothing against him," Bryant said. "I'd definitely love to sit down and talk with him. I don't know, maybe that'll happen. ... I never intended to involve him in my troubles. I'd apologize to him for that." Bryant said he has passed the word to O'Neal through a mutual friend that he would like to discuss the matter. "December 25 sounds like a good day to me to kind of talk to him and tell him I never meant in any kind of way to bring any of his personal business out," Bryant said. O'Neal, who was traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason, will play the Lakers on Christmas Day, the first meeting of the two teams since O'Neal was traded. Bryant also says he feels "like I'm under a microscope, but there's nothing I can do about it." As for people believing he forced out Shaq and coach Phil Jackson, whose contract was not renewed with the Lakers, Bryant said, "It's just not true." In Jackson's book, "The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul," he said he no longer wanted to coach Bryant. Jackson wrote that he became so frustrated with Bryant that he told general manager Mitch Kupchak in January: "I won't coach this team next year if he is still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid." At the time, Bryant shrugged off Jackson's criticism. "He's just trying to sell books. I'll just leave it at that," Bryant said in October. A month earlier, O'Neal denied Bryant's allegations that O'Neal had paid up to $1 million in hush money to various women. "I'm not the one buying love," O'Neal said at the time. O'Neal made the remark to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith after the Los Angeles Times quoted a police report as saying Bryant told detectives in Eagle, Colo., that he "should have done what Shaq does ... Shaq would pay his women not to say anything" and already had paid up to $1 million "for situations like this." Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Eagle, Colo., in June 2003. More than a year later, the charges against him were dismissed, but Bryant still has a civil suit pending against him.
I wouldn't call that humbled. I'd call it PR damage control. Very rarely does a player call up ESPN looking to do something like this. Normally, it's the agent that asks him to do it and arranges the whole thing. That the studio guys were openly making faces and questioning some of the things he said (I can't find Shaq) was telling. Evan
Its over for Kobe. No one will remember him for his championships, only that he's the one that screwed over his teammates. I wouldnt accept his apology, NO ONE WOULD. He ratted out Shaq or worse spread false rumors of Shaq fooling around. I think there's a hidden code amongst dudes. If you were on a football team, would you tell one of your teammate's girlfriend, that he's cheating on her? thats not right or any of his business. This has to the worst person Rudy has ever coached. Vernon would never rat out anyone. Even Horry!
Jackson wrote that he became so frustrated with Bryant that he told general manager Mitch Kupchak in January: "I won't coach this team next year if he is still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid." Not sure how he could've forced out Phyllis, when you have Phyllis saying things like this.
Personally, I don't believe that Kobe directly did anything to force Phil or Shaq out. I do think it was plain as day that he did not want to continue playing with all three, and Buss was just as aware of that as the nation was. He didn't need Kobe to say anything. And while this hasn't been brought to light by many, Kobe really and truly was going to become a Clipper until Shaq was evicted and Buss started calling him up like a desperate ex-girlfriend. Evan
Didnt Kobe make the statement for more than 1 year already? Didnt the police enquire shaq for more than 1 year already? Didnt 2 guys play more than 100 games during that period already? So why would kobe feel that it's the time now to apologise? When he's being asked at a TV interview? Passed the word through a mutual friend after 100 games played together? Too funny,,,,
His statement that he hadn't apologized to Shaq because he didn't have his phone number was hardly a way to restore credibility. He looked ridiculous saying that.
Who really cares? I hate all of 3 of 'em. Shaq is a fat moron, Kobe is an arrogant jerk, and Phil is a coat rider. Actually, I don't know why, but I hate Shaq the most out of all of them. Something about his idiotic jokes irks me.
I am so tired of people who want get off Kobe's back. Jim Rome yesterday while talking about him called the Lakers a .500 team and he didn't even mention today them blowing out Sacramento last night. He just talked about how Vanessa is controling him. While everyone is talking about Lebron, Kobe is quitely averaging 27-7-7. And his team is slowly getting better. This reminds me of Barry Bonds, the more he gets scrutinized, the more ridiculous his numbers grow. And I wasn't a Kobe fan, but the more the media hates, the more I'm going to root for him. And it helps that Rudy is coaching him. I was for a coaching change here, but Rudy is such a good guy I still root for him.
Well, someone's gotta root for pure evil. Without evil there cant be good. Thanks for taking one for the team pgabriel. You're rooting for a real winner.
WTF do you expect on that team? It's his show to run. Honestly I am suprised he isn't averaging over 30ppg. Anyway, Kobe is an attention w****.
Kobe's #2 in the league in FGA (20.6), and no one else on the Lakers attempts 11.0 or more. And before you jump in and say "But HA! Like, Iverson, there's no one else that SHOULD take shots on the Lakers!" - Marc Jackson still gets 15.3 and Kyle Korver gets 11.8. Meanwhile, in LA, Lamar Odom can only manage to get 10.8 shots a game, and Butler 10.9, in this supposed return to Showtime. Yes, Kobe gets his assists, but he absolutely dominates the ball and the shots. Interestingly enough, over half of the Lakers have a better FG% than Therapist #8. Odom is hitting over 50% of his shots. Kobe is hitting just over 40%. Yet Odom can only have 10.8 shots per game? Evan
Believe me, I'm no Kobe fan, but he is getting drug through the mud so much, I just can't help but root for him. Just my contrary nature.
Odom has been passive. Shots are there all day for him if he wants them. See the first half against Sac last night.
