Cari doesn't even try to fake impartiality... I don't know if I should credit her for that or criticize her for it. She is a Laker stan and has never made any attempt to hide it. She's been getting testy at SAS lately b/c of his nominal D12 defense. I personally enjoyed seeing her on the verge of a meltdown. LOL.
Ken Jeong had much better points than Nelly did and presented them much better. I wish they had asked him more basketball questions and less hangover questions.
nelly had no valid points...he pretty much tried to discredit everything kobe has ever done...especially when he said kobe needed a 7 foot center...lebron needed Dwade and bosh...jordan had pippen and a good supporting cast...the showtime lakers were loaded..celtics had rondo,pierce,KG,ray allen..every championship team needs multiple stars..and every time SAS asked him why does it have to be kobe's fault...nelly didnt have an answer
Lol..... Were some you waiting for an official debate? It's ESPN first take. He didn't get into a crazy amount of detail, but he made points. Take it for what it is. I was just Glad to see somebody publicly stand up for Dwight( and doing it in LA on that bias show, made it even better)
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While we're here for the most part discussing the actual content of what Nelly had to say...the LakersGround's version of this thread is too busy superficially trashing Nelly as an artist....
"Laker Stuff" is gonna trot out a line up of : PG - Steve Nash SG - Wesley Johnson C - Chris Kaman PF - Pau Gasol SF - Devin Ebanks What the Lakers are mad about was exactly what Nelly said. For Kobe, it was all about getting his stats and try winning #6. The most obvious question wouldve been this, if Kobe was healthy, would Dwight Howard stayed in LA? To be honest, after all Dwight's talk about happiness and enjoying your line of work...I really think Dwight wouldve left the Lakers regardless. Think about it this way. You are in the prime of your career, and you have a guy that wants to still be #1 option(even while he was injured.) For Dwight, he would never get that with Kobe Bryant in the picture. It wouldve never been Dwight's team. It was always going to be Kobe's. And to think that Dwight would have to deal with that mentality for the next 3-5 years in LA??? I dont know about you, but that wont make me happy. This is Tinseltown, but the obvious truth is that you as a star player will always be a supporting cast member with Kobe Bryant playing the lead role on the team(regardless of whether he is currently the best player or not). And if the Laker management tries to say otherwise, it is just not true. In Houston this obvious drama doesnt exist. He has a humble cast of hard working young dudes, that are willing to give the mantle to Dwight. Let him carry this team. And he said it himself: "We all have to put aside our egos..."
Yes I am here because of Lin. I dealt with LOFs when they were on Knicks boards. I don't bother with Lin threads here because everybody gets butthurt. I responded to you because you claimed that all Knicks fans didn't want Lin back and I am disputing that statement. Don't care if you or SAS likes Lin or not.
lol...i was actually impressed with ken jeong talking basketball. I strangely could see him coming on ESPN with short stints of insight. Wierd...
I love how Cari thinks there is going to be an abundance of free agents running to the Lakers in the summer of 2014. "You think we're just going to sit around and do nothing?" Well you can do all you want but in the end the players have to want to come play for you. "2013 is a regrouping year but don't count us out in 2014" Why? Is your already old team going to get younger and better? Oh wait, that's right you guys are getting Carmelo and LeBron to come play with Kobe.
Change the name of that show. Its now to be known as "Laker Take". Or better yet "Kobe Take." Any real journalist would be able to find some valid criticism of Kobe in Nelly's take. The problem is, with regards to the Lakers or Kobe specifically they can't do that. They will defend him to the death thereby PROVING what Nelly was stating. Laker fans and mangagement has created the spoiled, entitled brat that is Kobe Bryant. Phil Jackson is the one person who can control him. He's gone and Dwight wasn't about to be Kobe's whipping boy anymore. I can't believe they can't see that.
And I already said a loooong time ago before you responded to me that I can't say ALLL, but MAjority yes. I don't know all Knicks fans, but from going to the games in MSG and Brooklyn and Houston and form twitter and facebook, the Majority of Knicks fans do not like Lin and think Felton is better. You yourself started an account for an oposing team just because you liked Lin. How many actual Knick fans do that?? not many at all.
Did Stephen A seriously say Dwight left LA because he didn't want the pressure of being the next great big man for the Lakers, as if Rockets fans don't have similar expectations!? Did he not see the banner we just put up with Dwight next to the all time great Rocket big men (which is arguably a better class)?? Im done with ESPN
There are differences for sure. In smaller markets, the media mostly are homers, but in big cities the media will rip you a new one if the player not performing. And the language can be rough. I remember a reporter ask a Yankee starting pitcher after a bag game,"You were stink out there tonight, whatsup with that?" Smaller market don't get that kind of questions.
To Nelly's other point in regards to the state of the Lakers: 1. The Fans(just like Ice Cube) are just butt hurt. They are emotionally bitter. Wahhh wahh wahh...Dwight(arguably the best center in today's NBA) couldnt handle the pressure, doesnt have Laker Stuff. When trying to dissect Laker stuff: Its all about helping Kobe achieve what he wants, not about what is best for the team and the city. 2. You know what would have told Dwight that the mgmt was real about making Dwight the face of the franchise...cutting(amnesty) Kobe Bryant and his 30 million in salary. The Lakers then would have been in position to land Dwight, Perhaps be able to sign Chris Paul and have a trio of CP3, Dwight and Pau(couldve lured Phil out of retirement). That wouldve made sense. That would have been the right thing for the Lakers to do. Dwight saw that wasnt going to happen(and rightfully so...I dont think it is easy to do that to arguably one of the greatest in Laker/NBA history...) but it would have been the right thing to do for the franchise. The Lakers arent going to be a FA destination of choice, until Kobe Bryant leaves. LA is a great city and place to be, but sadly just not the place to be right now.
What pisses me off the most is that they keep saying that D12 didnt want to be held to the standard of being the next great lakeshow big. Sorry but what team produced the best center to ever play the game? HOUSTON, if anything houstons big man history is just as great as the lakers as far as the player goes not championships.
