A Thin Line Between Love and Hate: The True Kobe Bryant Story

G.O.A.T. It is not just any other phrase or saying. In translation the four letters make up, “The Greatest of All Time.” Everything that inhabits this earth has a purpose. In human terms everyone that exists in this society as it is has something that they possess individually that sets them apart from the rest. The ability of that individual to perfect whatever it is that is their specialty is truly a decision that is up to them. To be as politically correct as possible, one can choose to do the right thing with talent and embrace it, keeping their dreams alive or they can do wrong by it and let it wither and in wastefully doing so kill their dreams.

            In the basketball world all the aforementioned and the purpose of lines as such originates with one man and his personal plight to be the best that ever played the game, Michael Jordan. His vision for himself defined a culture, a league and would become the prototype to which all would aspire to follow. In all essence, “I want to be like Mike, right? Michael Jordan’s departure from the league left a huge void to be filled. Who would be the NEXT Michael Jordan? The answer to this question was far from the simplest. It is not like the question being asked here was, what is 2+2? Anyways, many names were brought into the equation to “possibly” be the “one.” Grant Hill and Vince Carter were names thrown out their just to name a few, but there was only one man that emerged to undoubtedly fit the crown of being NEXT. If Michael Jordan is gone, who can come close? There is a pause, the audience gets silent, the curtains open and ladies and gentleman Kobe Bean Bryant appears.

            No matter what way you slice it, flip it, rub it down, when concerning oneself with the next to the G.O.A.T looking at someone other than Kobe Bryant is purely disrespectful. It is absurd. Furthermore, it is like going to Pizza Hut and asking for a cheese pizza and they say they do not have any cheese. Disrespectful! The interesting thing about this comparison is that Michael Jordan rose up in the ranks at a time where the NBA and its culture were looking for someone to be its face. The true definition of the late 80’s to late 90’s was him. It is clear to say that everyone loves Michael Jordan and he is respected and even if one has a small inclination of hate, which it would be very small, it is best to be kept a secret. On the other hand his predecessor has not had the same reputation. When it comes to Kobe Bryant drawing the line between love and hate is truly astronomical.

            His body of work on the court cannot be denied. His resume includes an Olympic gold medal, five NBA Championships, three All-Star MVPs, two NBA Finals MVPs and one regular season MVP. The list also continues to display a man that has gone on to score 81 points in a game, 34 game winning shots and his latest height, the greatest of all,  having 32,310 points, which surpasses his idol Michael Jordan for the 3^rd All-Time Leader in scoring. How impressive! Yes, M.J may have a much more impressive resume of course, however, it does not matter how long it took him to do it or how he did it, Kobe passed him. That is a lot of basketball and a lot of time spent dedicated. Ironically, the jury is still out on Kobe Bryant. Where does the discernment for the man originate? In all actuality, coming to the love/hate factor with the man requires that one take the time to evaluate the man himself. The divide is depicted by everyone’s inability to understand who in fact “Is Kobe Bryant? The realization for most is that they respect what he does on the court, but cannot stand the guy that he is. Needless to say none of the accolades mentioned previously are the reason for this. What is it? Maybe it was his feud with Shaq? Maybe he is too arrogant for some? Maybe he is too egotistical? Maybe his leadership tactics need to be rearranged? In a nut shell no one likes him.

            It is amazing to listen to the conversation that people have about him. When a person comes out and proclaims a dislike for another person it normally stems from the fact that they know the person on a personal level and has found them not to be their cup of tea. They may also receive information that may find the other person discrediting, which may leave them a bad taste about them in their mouth. People proclaim they don’t like Kobe Bryant as if they know him. That is wild.

How do you not like a person you’ve never met in person? All the information gathered in regards to this man and brought to the world is from what is heard and seen through the media and even that can be distorted at times. Let’s keep it real here the line between love and hate serves no purpose. It is not like the man has lied to anyone or pretended to be something that he is not. Moreover, Bryant has made no mistake about who he is and what he is about since he was seventeen years old and a fresh face to the eyes of everyone. In totality he has been the same guy whose attitude not just to his sport of choice, but to his life has never been changed. Without thinking he has ironically made the blueprint in understanding him crystal clear. To a man that has become such an enigma, his very nature has been portrayed publicly and consistently for all to see. Maybe it is time the world pays attention to the notion that Kobe is not the one with the problem, it is them.

Kobe Bryant is: Egotistical, cocky, cannot always be the best teammate and arrogant. However, what his critics will not tell you is the story of a man whose ideologies are not praised as much as they should. Being Kobe Bryant takes a lot of guts. To be able to stand up to Shaquille O’neal at a time in his career where he was the most dominant player in the game and stake your claim on a team that was indeed his takes a lot of confidence. Hey, what if Scottie Pippen had told M.J in his years of glory that he was no longer willing to stand behind his shadows? To say I am not playing the Robin to your Batman anymore. Kobe did just that. It takes a person with a lot of zeal to hold the record for the most missed field goals in the NBA at 13,421. In order to be the best you also have to be willing to be the worst and that takes a lot. It is not easy being the man that everyone counts on and do it so effortlessly at times. To understand the multitude of scrutiny/pressure that comes to being a guy of his caliber is crazy. Most would crumble with the stakes stacked against them so high.

Kobe’s tactics may not always have been the best and yes having the mentality that he has, has him portrayed as America’s favorite “NBA villain.” “I hate Kobe,” Remember?? But, if one is busting their behind so much it is impossible for those around not to get motivated to do the same. Some people cannot handle matching such tenacity. Bryant’s rise to greatness should be used as a catalyst to inspire others. His story is the true essence of what it means to have total direction in life. Even his former coach, the great Phil Jackson, is quoted in his book “Eleven Rings” as saying, “I’ve always been impressed by Kobe’s resilience and ironclad self-confidence.” He goes on to further note, “Kobe never let the thoughts of self-doubt cross his mind.” Lastly, he states, “If someone set the bar at ten feet, he’d jump eleven, even if no one had done it before .” That is pure heart and determination. Doing things the nay sayers do not expect you to do. Shout out to that whole 6,000 assist thing and not passing.

Sadly, Kobe Bryant will not be respected to the highest until he leaves the game. The question of who is next to the G.O.A.T is solved, however, the new question that now eludes us of an answer is, who will be the next Kobe Bryant? Interestingly enough that “Next” may never be found.

Kudos to the Black Mamba, not for being an enigma everyone cannot understand, but one people just need to learn to get with.

#Respect

           

Washington Redskins: It's not Good. It's not Bad, It's just Ugly

There is no surprise that football and controversy go hand in hand in the Nation’s Capital. In a city that houses the most influential man in our country and a society that thrives on consistently being the center of everything when it comes to making decisions that are correct for the nation, why wouldn’t it be? Another season has come where the Washington Redskins instead of proving critics wrong and making moves in the NFC East have found themselves in a losing spiral that shows the team’s inability to get over the hump. Moreover, they are caught in the midst of an internal firestorm that has become the National Football League’s weekly rendition of the Days of Our Lives. Something the fans of the organization know too well.

It is crazy to believe that at one point two years ago, 2012 to be exact; this was a team on the move. It has become a regularity to be frustrated with the management of the organization over the years. Daniel Snyder has not always proven himself a mastermind when it has come to the constructing of his squad. Moreover, for a man that has proven himself to be the man with the big bucks, it has not always resignated to him being the big man on campus in a sense. The question that continues to lerk around that everyone wants to know is whether or not he is really in this because he wants to build a successful franchise? Or is the money that he can make off of them the only benefit he sees? Well, needless to say that year he put his money where his mouth was, finally, and did something that was needed for the team. Robert Griffin III was delivered by the football Gods to the Skins’ front door and the culture was changed. His emergence indeed ignited the flame that would have that squad clicking.  Aw man, they were clicking! They would go on a 7-0 run to finish the season, actually win the division and made it to the playoffs. The true greatness of all of this would be the backdrop of a beautiful scene showcasing the rejuvenation of the city and its faithful and proving that football was back in DC.

Fast forward to the past two previous seasons and all of that translates to a myth. The personnel that runs on the field every Sunday does not embody the same zeal as the squad they were two years ago and although the seats may be continuously filled in FedEx Field, it is not with happy campers. We can dissolve ourselves in this saga that has played out recently between Coach Jay Gruden and RGIII or we can get to the bottom of things, which will flat out show anyone that the Washington Redskins just are not a team PERIOD. When you look at the organization and its body of work this season, it truly demonstrates there is a lack of cohesiveness and comradary from the coaching staff down. The true ideology of what the word team really represents is a group of people associated in some joint action. Whether one is a part of the NFL, NHL, NBA or MLB the purpose of what is done is to portray a joint effort in reaching the goal of being the best team in that sport and win. Fans go out and support their favorite teams, key word being TEAM. Sitting at the bottom of the NFC East at 3-10, they do not embody this concept. There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Who is the real leader of the team?  Who is going to stand up and take responsibility for the debacle that has become their season?

The very nature to which people tune into football is to see competition, not to watch two grown men going back and forth with each other via numerous media outlets like women bickering like Jay Gruden and RGIII have. The dynamic between the man who calls the plays and man that executes them has definitely served as the catalyst that has broken the team. Instead of trying to prove supremacy and trying to maintain while one individually is above being the problem, let the discussion be about how both have contributed to the problem. That confession, however, may be too above neither to come to the conclusion to. On the other hand, if either had the best interest of the team at heart it is something that would not be, right?? Let’s proclaim the first public service announcement to Jay Gruden. Honestly, you were brought to DC to change the culture of an organization to something that is to be looked upon as a winner. Instead, the hype that has surrounded your system has been one that has not lived up to the hype. Ironically, taking the time to optimize the talent that was presented to you as a coach already was not done and you denounce that you ever had anything to work with. This particularly pertains to the quarterback. Granted it is only his first year as a coach, but if his verdict is not yet sold on Griffin, what does that say about his own verdict as far as coaching abilities go? To what degree do the Redskin faithful have in believing in him?

In switching gears to public service announcement number two that leads us to RGIII. The reason you are not the man of choice is because of your own doing. Jay and his coaching staff have a point when they say that RGIII has not performed to a level this season that deems him adequate enough to lead the team week in and week out. Instead of showing he deserves the top spot, it is almost as if he truly believes he deserves it and the title should be handed to him with a silver spoon as such. Reality check RGIII, 2012 is over and its time you come down from that high that you have developed that has led to a bad spiral of lack of maturity and big-headedness on your behalf. Most recently, in reports to combat his coach’s disdain he has come out and proclaimed “It is my team and I will lead it,” well if that is the case young man do that, but be responsible enough to admit your faults in doing so. Gain control of the people that look to you and gain their trust. Until you do that statement has no validity.

The Skins’ can continue to utilize Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins all it wants to. When it comes to the whole notion of the “Real QB” in the city standing up straying away from RGIII is not the answer. Jay Gruden please pay attention to the fact that the QB to lead your team is standing right in front of you. It is in you to inspire and hone his craft and be the positive authority figure he has yet to see in his professional tenure. The title is RGIII’s. Not to discredit the work of Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy. In Kirk’s tenure at the helm 1,710 yards and 10TDs speak volumes in their own right and no one can forget about the “Cinderella story” that is Colt McCoy. On that Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys he stood tall and led his team at the time and beat one of the best teams in the NFL and a NFC East rival. In DC that game means a lot to people and he allowed them to feel good about the rest of their week. That night he helped the Redskins not only stun every sports conosciour, but the nation and for that he should keep his head held high. On the flip side of that as much as respect is given to both these men, at the same time both did what they were supposed to do as a backup quarterback and that is to win and sustain order when the starter is down. Quite frankly, it is not like both came out publicly demanding the job of starter in their own rights. In fact, when that is done then that is where the true controversy begins. It is extremely hard to believe regardless of the relationship that has been known to define the RGIII/Gruden era in the Nation’s Capital that these two men cannot co-exist as a unit that provides structure for the rest of the team and an all-around winning environment. Moreover, if both would take the time to harness the dynamic that is in front of them things can move right along. For Jay, Robert being a read option quarterback poses a problem for his system. But, it is hard to fathom the idea that Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks can be the only ones to create a winning system that involves a QB as such. Ding Ding!!! That system is what got happy seats in the stadium in the first place two years ago.

In the grander scale of things 82 men are built on a football roster. One man or one coach does not make the whole team and for that point alone EVERYONE that has on a Redskin jersey and helmet should feel some type of way about losing. The defensive line and offensive line, special teams and so forth should have a burning desire to shake this monkey off their backs. Being a true professional of the sport means that one takes the time to soak in the good and the bad and realizes both are meant to be taken on as a unit. “In any war, you put your back to mine; I put my back to yours, and let’s do what we gotta do.” Words of a wise man known as Ray Lewis and words said to define a team that would go on to greatness. In this statement you see a man totally take himself out of the equation and in rewinding back to the Washington Redskins just remember until all holds on this degree and bands together, the unfortunate thing is that it will not be good or bad in DC, it will just continue to be just plain ugly.