Official KOBE BRYANT appreciation thread (pg.14 links and quotes re: retirement announcement)
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FromTheWestSideWithLove
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:48 pm    Post subject:

JR rider story was sick.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:00 pm    Post subject:

drzucchini wrote:
"How We’ll Remember Kobe"

Quote:
If you scored on Kobe in practice, or even if you just made a nice play with him guarding you, he would not let you leave the gym unless you played him one-on-one. Who wants to play Kobe one-on-one? Nobody. But he would bug you until you finally gave in.

If you crossed him over or scored on him, the rest of the team would gas it up because everybody knew how competitive he was. So they made a big deal out of it. Those early 2000s Lakers teams were full of instigators.


Quote:
The older players were always woofin’. If somebody scored on somebody in our practices, it was like we were at Rucker Park. “Ooooohhhhhhh! He got you! He got you, boy!”

You got Shaq out there instigating stuff, “Oh! Don’t let him get you like that! Don’t let him cross you!”

I loved this whole part:
Quote:
Brian Shaw
J.R. had been a star in Minnesota and Portland. He was the go-to scorer. He also had played some really good games against the Lakers. So he came in with a lot of confidence.

So one day in practice, J.R. says to Kobe, “Don’t get it twisted. I’m a star too, and I used to give you buckets.”

So Kobe says, “Man, you really think you could take me? Alright, after practice, me and you. One-on-one.”

J.R. says, “O.K., I ain’t no punk. Let’s go.”

Ron Harper
Phil Jackson loved this stuff. He didn’t even wait for practice to end. He says, “Alright, you want to go? Everybody off the court.”

I’m a vet at this point. You don’t have to tell me twice. Get me a Gatorade and an ice pack and some popcorn. I pulled up a chair and waited for the show to start.

Devean George
The older players were always woofin’. If somebody scored on somebody in our practices, it was like we were at Rucker Park. “Ooooohhhhhhh! He got you! He got you, boy!”

You got Shaq out there instigating stuff, “Oh! Don’t let him get you like that! Don’t let him cross you!”

It was a show every day. Now you got Kobe vs. J.R. in front of everybody? Oh, my gosh. Nobody went to the showers. Everybody pulled up chairs on the sideline. It was like a heavyweight fight.

Brian Shaw
They played to 10 by ones. Kobe just absolutely demolished him.

Ron Harper
Kobe destroyed him.

Brian Shaw
This is 22-year-old Kobe. Crazy athletic. Unlimited stamina. I mean, he kicked his ass. He pulled out everything in his bag — dunk, up-and-under, pull-up, crossover.

Devean George
Fadeaway. Left hand. Right hand. Blowing by him.

Brian Shaw
We were on the sidelines gassing it up. People are laughing, yelling, “Hey J.R., be careful what you wish for.”

Ron Harper
Guys were waving white towels, yelling, “Stop the beatdown, please! Please stop!”

Horace Grant
J.R. wanted to fight everybody in the gym.

Devean George
When Kobe finished him off, it was almost like, Man, why did you have to do him like that?

Pure greatness on display by Kobe. Also loved that Phil stopped practice immediately because he wanted to see it too.
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focus
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:16 pm    Post subject:

Nike Athletes Salute Kobe

Seen this?
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tox
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 5:25 pm    Post subject:

focus wrote:
Nike Athletes Salute Kobe

Seen this?


Mcilroy is probably a Celtic fan
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:13 am    Post subject:

NBA.com: Kobe Bryant's 10 Greatest Performances

http://www.nba.com/news/kobe-bryants-greatest-performances/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt13a
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:34 am    Post subject:

Lakers ticket prices spike for Kobe Bryant's last game

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The average resale ticket for Wednesday's game was listed at $2,110 as of Monday afternoon, more than 500 percent higher than the average for Lakers home games this year, according to secondary ticket vendor TiqIQ. The cheapest seat goes for $888.

The most expensive ticket is listed at about $25,700.


http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/12/lakers-tickets-prices-for-kobe-bryants-last-game-spike.html
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:37 am    Post subject:

A hero, a villain or a legend? What Kobe Bryant meant to readers

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Kobe Bryant isn't just a basketball player. He is a way of life for fans in Los Angeles and around the world. His work ethic, his tenacity, his complete drive to be the best and win at all cost inspires and motivates us as fans throughout our daily lives. At work, at school, through competition. The mentality he has instilled on us all helps us overcome struggle, face adversity and never be satisfied, while always remaining humble.

Kobe Bryant the basketball player is retiring, but to me, there is something beyond that which remains, and can't be defeated by Father Time. The "Mamba Mentality" will live forever in myself as well as millions of others, and the mark this man has left on the game will never ever be forgotten.

"There is beauty in the struggle"

Hero/Villain/Legend.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kobe-bryant-readers-respond-20160411-snap-htmlstory.html
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JeffreyRashad
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:12 pm    Post subject:

This first post is probably almost a decade in the making. Been a long time lurker on here since high school. Came from a place called 'LakersTalk' a while back and been on here pretty much every day since.

I felt the need to make it a point to post on here before my childhood to adulthood idol Kobe Bryant hung them up for good. It is really the end of an era. Only era I've known really. The NBA will never be the same to me. Like Kobe said recently in a TWC interview called 'One on One,' the city of L.A. and the Lakers mean so much to him, he could never put on another jersey because as he said 'we all grew up together.' He took the words right out of my mouth. I grew up on Kobe Bryant. As long as I've been able to really process information and know what things were, there was always one constant: Kobe Bryant was a Los Angeles Laker. A Laker. My favorite team that my father had raised me on since I was like 3 years old. After tomorrow, that all changes. Kobe Bryant is the NBA to me. The very meaning of it. I'll never look at another athlete the same way. Where he goes down in NBA History will be debated but without a doubt, he's my generation's GOAT. Thank you Kobe for every pump fake, dunk, steal, block, crossover, fadeaway and championship parade. You're forever appreciated.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:17 pm    Post subject:

Kobe Bryant: The softer side
How Kobe Bryant eased the pain of one family’s tragedy.


http://hoopshype.com/2016/03/25/kobe-bryant-the-softer-side/
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:33 pm    Post subject:

Kobe Bryant in video games through the years


http://hoopshype.com/2016/01/02/kobe-bryant-in-videogames-through-the-years/
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:44 pm    Post subject:

Lakers hosting crush of U.S., global media for Kobe Bryant finale


Quote:
Kobe Bryant's career finale Wednesday at Staples Center, where the Los Angeles Lakers face the Utah Jazz before a sold-out crowd, will be one of the most heavily covered regular-season games in recent NBA history.

In fact, by Tuesday afternoon, between 400 and 500 media members were issued credentials, said Lakers' longtime publicist John Black, who called those figures "completely unprecedented" for a regular-season game during his 26-year tenure with the team. That group includes about 60 international media members, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15192855/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-finale-draws-onslaught-us-global-media
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Ziggy
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:05 am    Post subject:

I can't sleep on the eve of Mamba Day.

I keep reminding myself of some of the real tragedies I've been through in my life, just to put this retirement into perspective. It's true, this isn't a death in the family, but it's without a doubt the end of an era.

Just think of where you all were 20 years ago. New family members via marriage, new family members born. Our own growth and maturation. I was a scrawny teenager getting bullied and called all kinds of racist names and now I'm the one people come to for protection. Each championship Kobe brought to us, I can link with a relationship I was in at the time. The beater I was driving, the rundown apartments I lived in, the friends I went to games with, the friends I lost. Kobe wasn't just the author of the history books but the bookmarks of our lives. No matter the uncertainty in our lives, we could always count on Kobe being that stubborn rock that refused to budge. He reminded us that failure should never be feared, because with a new day comes another opportunity to show what you're made of.

To my Laker fam, you understand this feeling better than anyone else. It's starting to really hit me hard. I'm about the same age as Kobe, so I've always used him as my measuring stick. Seeing him hang up his sneakers is also like accepting my own mortality. It's saying goodbye to a part of my youth. I don't think I realized how much Kobe inspired me. Mamba mentality is what compels me to drive passed the exit to my house, and keep driving passed 3 more exits to the gym after work night after night. It's waking up before sunrise to prepare for a meeting with the CEO. It's what makes us believe we can finish that Last. Burning. Rep.

This is it. It won't be the last time we discuss Kobe Bryant for sure, but it's the last time we'll do so when he's an active player. Funny thing is, I still believe he could hang with the game's elite if it weren't for the injuries. History made me believe that if anyone could overcome a torn achilles, it's Kobe. Any other player and you could write them off as finished. But not this guy. He always made you believe. That was his greatest gift to us fans. Even when he lost, he was never defeated. That's something we can all take with us. That will be his legacy, just like he always wanted.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:34 am    Post subject:

Ziggy wrote:
I can't sleep on the eve of Mamba Day.

I keep reminding myself of some of the real tragedies I've been through in my life, just to put this retirement into perspective. It's true, this isn't a death in the family, but it's without a doubt the end of an era.

Just think of where you all were 20 years ago. New family members via marriage, new family members born. Our own growth and maturation. I was a scrawny teenager getting bullied and called all kinds of racist names and now I'm the one people come to for protection. Each championship Kobe brought to us, I can link with a relationship I was in at the time. The beater I was driving, the rundown apartments I lived in, the friends I went to games with, the friends I lost. Kobe wasn't just the author of the history books but the bookmarks of our lives. No matter the uncertainty in our lives, we could always count on Kobe being that stubborn rock that refused to budge. He reminded us that failure should never be feared, because with a new day comes another opportunity to show what you're made of.

To my Laker fam, you understand this feeling better than anyone else. It's starting to really hit me hard. I'm about the same age as Kobe, so I've always used him as my measuring stick. Seeing him hang up his sneakers is also like accepting my own mortality. It's saying goodbye to a part of my youth. I don't think I realized how much Kobe inspired me. Mamba mentality is what compels me to drive passed the exit to my house, and keep driving passed 3 more exits to the gym after work night after night. It's waking up before sunrise to prepare for a meeting with the CEO. It's what makes us believe we can finish that Last. Burning. Rep.

This is it. It won't be the last time we discuss Kobe Bryant for sure, but it's the last time we'll do so when he's an active player. Funny thing is, I still believe he could hang with the game's elite if it weren't for the injuries. History made me believe that if anyone could overcome a torn achilles, it's Kobe. Any other player and you could write them off as finished. But not this guy. He always made you believe. That was his greatest gift to us fans. Even when he lost, he was never defeated. That's something we can all take with us. That will be his legacy, just like he always wanted.
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:51 am    Post subject:

Lakers Say Kobe Bryant's Last Game Will Be a 'Zircus,' Pull out All the Stops
Quote:
The team has denied hundreds of requests for media credentials to his final contest at Staples Center, which Bresnahan estimated typically accommodates 600 media members for NBA Finals games.

"It's absolutely unprecedented for the regular season," Black said. "Is it NBA Finals levels? Yes. It might be even bigger than that."

The Lakers will be pulling out all the stops for the Mamba's farewell, bringing in about 30 of his former teammates, including Shaquille O'Neal.

As for the pregame festivities, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea will perform the national anthem, followed by a special tribute video.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20160409-
story.html
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:01 am    Post subject:

JeffreyRashad wrote:
This first post is probably almost a decade in the making. Been a long time lurker on here since high school. Came from a place called 'LakersTalk' a while back and been on here pretty much every day since.

I felt the need to make it a point to post on here before my childhood to adulthood idol Kobe Bryant hung them up for good. It is really the end of an era. Only era I've known really. The NBA will never be the same to me. Like Kobe said recently in a TWC interview called 'One on One,' the city of L.A. and the Lakers mean so much to him, he could never put on another jersey because as he said 'we all grew up together.' He took the words right out of my mouth. I grew up on Kobe Bryant. As long as I've been able to really process information and know what things were, there was always one constant: Kobe Bryant was a Los Angeles Laker. A Laker. My favorite team that my father had raised me on since I was like 3 years old. After tomorrow, that all changes. Kobe Bryant is the NBA to me. The very meaning of it. I'll never look at another athlete the same way. Where he goes down in NBA History will be debated but without a doubt, he's my generation's GOAT. Thank you Kobe for every pump fake, dunk, steal, block, crossover, fadeaway and championship parade. You're forever appreciated.

Great first post and welcome! I used to be on LakersTalk as well (mainly lurking). Like many others I lurked here for several years before signing up and posting.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:04 am    Post subject:

Ziggy wrote:
I can't sleep on the eve of Mamba Day...

That reminds me, I need to take an afternoon nap to prime myself for this evening...
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:30 am    Post subject:

Kobe's final hour: How advice from the King of Pop shaped one of the NBA's most legendary careers


Quote:
It was easier that way. He approached the game with such ferocity that it alarmed his friends, his teammates, even his family. It prompted others to shrink away, as if his obsession were a disease that might be contagious. He contracted it as boy in Philadelphia, where he exhausted himself to keep up with older sisters, Sharia and Shaya; it spread in Italy, where his father played professionally and an 8-year-old Kobe immersed himself in the game. By the time Bryant was a senior at Lower Merion High School outside Philadelphia, it had consumed him. He wasn't content with just beating his opponent. He needed to break him.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15193525/kobe-bryant-personal-mount-rushmore-mentors-starting-michael-jackson
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:37 am    Post subject:

Kobe Bryant's many haters, including Phil Jackson, sing him a lovely goodbye

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And now on Wednesday, Nike may have outdone themselves with a final commercial where Kobe, in the middle of a game where everyone's booing him, gets into a dream sequence and becomes a musical conductor, prompting a handful of fans of different NBA teams to sing about how much they hate him.


http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/4/13/11420756/nba-video-kobe-bryant-commercial-phil-jackson-singing
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:39 am    Post subject:

Such a sad day. Sometimes as fans we don't know how lucky we are.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:01 am    Post subject:

24 wrote:
Such a sad day. Sometimes as fans we don't know how lucky we are.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:02 am    Post subject:

Kobe Pens Thanks to Gary Vitti


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Fittingly, two of the Lakers' most legendary figures, Kobe Bryant and Gary Vitti, are heading out at the same time.

In his 20-year career — which ends with Wednesday's game against Utah — Bryant's health has always been under the watch of Vitti, who is also retiring after a 32-year career that included eight championships.


http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/160413_kbvitti
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:04 am    Post subject:

LA TIMES
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-kobe-farewell-plaschke-20160413-column.html
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eureca
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:05 am    Post subject:

After all those years of feeling Kobe was always being disrespected. It's pretty surreal to see all the love he is getting now. I've been watching Kobe for more than half my life.....

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 1:23 pm    Post subject:

A Look Back at Kobe Bryant's NBA Career


http://www.nbclosangeles.com/multimedia/Kobe-Bryant-Lakers-Career-Timeline-NBA-375531571.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_LABrand
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 1:24 pm    Post subject:

Stars From the Court and Beyond Pay Tribute to Kobe
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If any athlete has truly transcended sports, it's Kobe Bryant. On the day of his final game, the 20-year veteran was showered with praise from those at the top of their fields from all walks of life.

From fellow ball players to actors to musicians and more, here is a collection of those who paid tribute to one of the game's greatest:


http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/160413_kobecelebrities?cid=tw
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