Is KOBE da man........???

lakerzkb8 wrote:

Kit wrote:IMO Team US can win w/o Kobe anyway.

I actually agree. I can't believe some of these obnoxious posts by people who can't fathom the thought that USA is capable of winning without Kobe. Kobe definantly puts them over the top but to think that he's the sole reason they won the Gold and without him they would have done silver at best is pretty ridiculous. This team is stacked and way different from that 04 roster.

Take the Spain game for example. Kobe was a no show until the 4th quarter. Who gave the USA that lead to begin with? Dwade, Chris Paul, and Co. Kobe definantly made some clutch plays/shots, but hey other guys like Dwade ( that 3 point backbreaker, and 27 points throughout the contest to give USA a lead) WERE stepping up as well. It wasn't the Kobe show last night, it was TEAM USA playing well as a team.

Also, if you want to take a look at it on the flipside you can make the same argument for Lebron and Wade, and if they hadn't have been on the roster USA wouldn't have won Gold. They defiantly were more consistent and Wade's defense was just as good as Kobe's these last few games if not better.

Kobe defiantly is DA man, but so is everybody else on that roster. Don't discredit those other guys who stepped up just as much as he did during this Olympic run.

By the way, welcome to CL. I'll take a new poster who's willing to speak his mind and get into a debate over posters who abuse emotions, or band wagoners who log in to agree with what everyone else is saying.

They COULD win without him, but last night proved why many people don't think they could. Most people aren't discrediting what the entire team has done, but saying "this team could win without Kobe" is discrediting what he has brought to the team, and you're kinda contradicting yourself.

Yes the US could win without Kobe just like China Could of won the Gold. Anything is possible until it is over. Speaking in hypotheticals does absolutely nothing. There had been NO REASON to believe the LBJ, Wade, Melo based team could or would win in the Olympics since they had failed twice already. Does that mean they couldn't win? No!

Nothing wrong with people speaking there minds but using a hypothetical as the basis for your argument is fairly weak in my mind.

even Dough Collins said


KOBE u da Man~!

2004 was a poorly built team with a bunch of me me me attitudes and no cohesiveness whatsoever.

this team played like a team.



no doubt in my mind, the team would have won if kobe wasn't on the team.

the 3 year commitment to learn the system, staff and team mates is exponentially greater than solely having kobe on the team.

your kobe goggles are showing.

All I know is that if Kobe didn't step up the way he did in the final quarter, this team could have easily gone home with the silver. Don't sleep on Spain.

OCHO wrote:

nameant wrote:

OCHO wrote:

jamesda1 wrote:You know should the US be thanking Kobe for they gold they are about to get.

LBJ, Carmelo and Wayne couldnt do it before and now that the Mamba is here they most likely get it...


USA bow down to THE GREAT KOBE~!

it's hard to do anything sitting on the pine.. plus how old were they in 04?? 19, 20 and 21 respectively, and just completed their rookie year? they're VASTLY different players right now as evident of their play

And in 06? **Crickets**

yeh 06?! what about it? yeh they lost and so what.. u make it seem like kobe's never missed a shot in his life.. pity he couldn't bring a parade back to la this summer either..

is he the difference between bronze and gold - yeh probably.. has he been the difference maker during the tournament - VERY dabateable..

give credit where credit's due man

i could say the same for you

lakerzkb8 wrote:

Kit wrote:IMO Team US can win w/o Kobe anyway.

I actually agree. I can't believe some of these obnoxious posts by people who can't fathom the thought that USA is capable of winning without Kobe. Kobe definantly puts them over the top but to think that he's the sole reason they won the Gold and without him they would have done silver at best is pretty ridiculous. This team is stacked and way different from that 04 roster.

Take the Spain game for example. Kobe was a no show until the 4th quarter. Who gave the USA that lead to begin with? Dwade, Chris Paul, and Co. Kobe definantly made some clutch plays/shots, but hey other guys like Dwade ( that 3 point backbreaker, and 27 points throughout the contest to give USA a lead) WERE stepping up as well. It wasn't the Kobe show last night, it was TEAM USA playing well as a team.

Also, if you want to take a look at it on the flipside you can make the same argument for Lebron and Wade, and if they hadn't have been on the roster USA wouldn't have won Gold. They defiantly were more consistent and Wade's defense was just as good as Kobe's these last few games if not better.

Kobe defiantly is DA man, but so is everybody else on that roster. Don't discredit those other guys who stepped up just as much as he did during this Olympic run.

By the way, welcome to CL. I'll take a new poster who's willing to speak his mind and get into a debate over posters who abuse emotions, or band wagoners who log in to agree with what everyone else is saying.

not that i don't agree but whose to say kobe wouldn't have held back so much from handling the ball throughout the tournament

yeah you can say well kobe led the team in shots but if you watched every game most of those shots were from drive and kicks

look kobe stepped it up in the 2 most dangerous games and won them

see australia and spain

yeah wade and lebron did nice in our 30 point blowouts but when it came time to win a close dangerous game the one clutch performer stepped up

i think wade was great but what did 24 of his 27 points do for us get us a 2 point lead with 4 minutes left in the game

its plain and simple kobe was the difference between a silver and gold period end of discussion

kobe showed up when it mattered and thats all that matters if none of you can see that its your loss

its ok for you to say i'm a homer or this and that but what i saw is something nobody on that team did in the tournament which was win the team the gold medal when it mattered most

all i saw was something kobe has shown us for 12 years now

i'm assuming you guys hating are either used to it already or trying to be more "sophisticated" basketball fans as some of you sometimes think you are and saying it was a team effort so on and so on

because that team effort gave us a 2 point lead kobe taking over and accounting for every point in the late fourth but 3 points got us the gold

facts are facts

The Original 81 wrote:

lakerzkb8 wrote:

Kit wrote:IMO Team US can win w/o Kobe anyway.

I actually agree. I can't believe some of these obnoxious posts by people who can't fathom the thought that USA is capable of winning without Kobe. Kobe definantly puts them over the top but to think that he's the sole reason they won the Gold and without him they would have done silver at best is pretty ridiculous. This team is stacked and way different from that 04 roster.

Take the Spain game for example. Kobe was a no show until the 4th quarter. Who gave the USA that lead to begin with? Dwade, Chris Paul, and Co. Kobe definantly made some clutch plays/shots, but hey other guys like Dwade ( that 3 point backbreaker, and 27 points throughout the contest to give USA a lead) WERE stepping up as well. It wasn't the Kobe show last night, it was TEAM USA playing well as a team.

Also, if you want to take a look at it on the flipside you can make the same argument for Lebron and Wade, and if they hadn't have been on the roster USA wouldn't have won Gold. They defiantly were more consistent and Wade's defense was just as good as Kobe's these last few games if not better.

Kobe defiantly is DA man, but so is everybody else on that roster. Don't discredit those other guys who stepped up just as much as he did during this Olympic run.

By the way, welcome to CL. I'll take a new poster who's willing to speak his mind and get into a debate over posters who abuse emotions, or band wagoners who log in to agree with what everyone else is saying.

They COULD win without him, but last night proved why many people don't think they could. Most people aren't discrediting what the entire team has done, but saying "this team could win without Kobe" is discrediting what he has brought to the team, and you're kinda contradicting yourself.

Do you think USA would have lost last night if it wasn't for Kobe stepping up? How many times did Spain make a run only for a guy like Chris Paul or Dwade to weather teh storm the first 3 quarters? Kobe picked a hell of a time to turn it on, but I strongly believe somebody else would have stepped up. USA is just way more talented and stacked at every position in international play.

Yes most people are discrediting the other team by even implying Kobe is the sole difference maker. That's a smack in the face for guy's like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and co. who showed up for the 08 Olympics and contributed.

The last 2 sentences of your post are pretty ignorant to everything else I said. Did I not give credit to kobe?, call him "da man", and say he's a guy who put's USA over the top? Now how exactly did I discredit Kobe? I was just making an argument which requires me taking Kobe out of the equation to make a point.

puffyusaf#2 wrote:Yes the US could win without Kobe just like China Could of won the Gold. Anything is possible until it is over. Speaking in hypotheticals does absolutely nothing. There had been NO REASON to believe the LBJ, Wade, Melo based team could or would win in the Olympics since they had failed twice already. Does that mean they couldn't win? No!

Nothing wrong with people speaking there minds but using a hypothetical as the basis for your argument is fairly weak in my mind.

Sorry but that was a terrible analogy. My hypothetical is based on a HIGH probability, you make it sound as if the USA are underdogs with a LBJ, Wade, Melo, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, etc etc led roster. As slimjim pointed out, the system was different, new/fresh faces on this roster, 3 year commitment this time around, etc etc etc. Seriously your guys' Kobe goggles are showing.

Kobe's great and I'd rather have him on the team then not, but USA HAD this with or without his help. People forget that USA was probably the 3rd best ( if not the 2nd best)team in the 04 Olympics , they weren't THAT bad but it's Gold or nothing when it comes to this sport. Now the 08 roster has complety changed it's philosophy and really committed themselves to the Gold. I would have had a ton of confidence in this team without Kobe.

puffyusaf#2 wrote:Yes the US could win without Kobe just like China Could of won the Gold. Anything is possible until it is over. Speaking in hypotheticals does absolutely nothing. There had been NO REASON to believe the LBJ, Wade, Melo based team could or would win in the Olympics since they had failed twice already. Does that mean they couldn't win? No!

Nothing wrong with people speaking there minds but using a hypothetical as the basis for your argument is fairly weak in my mind.

I concur.

lakerzkb8 wrote:

puffyusaf#2 wrote:Yes the US could win without Kobe just like China Could of won the Gold. Anything is possible until it is over. Speaking in hypotheticals does absolutely nothing. There had been NO REASON to believe the LBJ, Wade, Melo based team could or would win in the Olympics since they had failed twice already. Does that mean they couldn't win? No!

Nothing wrong with people speaking there minds but using a hypothetical as the basis for your argument is fairly weak in my mind.

Sorry but that was a terrible analogy. My hypothetical is based on a HIGH probability, you make it sound as if the USA are underdogs with a LBJ, Wade, Melo, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, etc etc led roster. As slimjim pointed out, the system was different, new/fresh faces on this roster, 3 year commitment this time around, etc etc etc. Seriously your guys' Kobe goggles are showing.

Kobe's great and I'd rather have him on the team then not, but USA HAD this with or without his help. People forget that USA was probably the 3rd best ( if not the 2nd best)team in the 04 Olympics , they weren't THAT bad but it's Gold or nothing when it comes to this sport. Now the 08 roster has complety changed it's philosophy and really committed themselves to the Gold. I would have had a ton of confidence in this team without Kobe.

Your hypothetical is based on HIGH probability in your mind which is cool but doesn't make anymore sound. I never said or insinuated that the USA were underdogs with any of those guys. I said how can you ignore the historical facts of LBJ, Wade and Melo's Olympic/World Championships track record and all of a sudden say "yup they could of won it without so and so". The US Mens 4x100 could of won gold had they not droped the baton. So what? It is an opinion based of a "what if". The fact is the 04 team didn't have the pride of the 08 team. The 04 team didn't have the respect for the letters USA as the 08 team. Most importantly the 04 team didn't have the leadership in Kidd and Kobe.

It is funny that I now must have Kobe goggles on because I understand that his presence freed up a lot of other things for the US team. I have said many time before Wade, LBJ and Chris Bosh all stepped up huge during this tournament and they should be given as much credit as humanly possible.

What is really funny is people are now saying things like "I would have a ton of confidence in this team" yet when the final roster was shown it was slammed big time. Have the people on the message boards complained about the make-up of this team. A lot (especially in LA) complained about the addition of Wade after his injury filled season. Many had issue with Chris Bosh instead of Tyson Chandler while not many had concerns with D Howard being on the team. I can go on forever on all the changes people were wanting and yet now that they have won it is "we could of done it without......". I will agree numbers 1-12 won the Gold medal and many guys stepped up in many different games. The stone cold truth of it is that the mindset of the 08 Team changed the day J Kidd and K Bryant walked into the team meeting. Don't believe me? Read what the actual players had to say about it.

Kobe is da Man.

FYI, Kobe didn't take the most shots.

lakerzkb8 wrote:

The Original 81 wrote:

lakerzkb8 wrote:

Kit wrote:IMO Team US can win w/o Kobe anyway.

I actually agree. I can't believe some of these obnoxious posts by people who can't fathom the thought that USA is capable of winning without Kobe. Kobe definantly puts them over the top but to think that he's the sole reason they won the Gold and without him they would have done silver at best is pretty ridiculous. This team is stacked and way different from that 04 roster.

Take the Spain game for example. Kobe was a no show until the 4th quarter. Who gave the USA that lead to begin with? Dwade, Chris Paul, and Co. Kobe definantly made some clutch plays/shots, but hey other guys like Dwade ( that 3 point backbreaker, and 27 points throughout the contest to give USA a lead) WERE stepping up as well. It wasn't the Kobe show last night, it was TEAM USA playing well as a team.

Also, if you want to take a look at it on the flipside you can make the same argument for Lebron and Wade, and if they hadn't have been on the roster USA wouldn't have won Gold. They defiantly were more consistent and Wade's defense was just as good as Kobe's these last few games if not better.

Kobe defiantly is DA man, but so is everybody else on that roster. Don't discredit those other guys who stepped up just as much as he did during this Olympic run.

By the way, welcome to CL. I'll take a new poster who's willing to speak his mind and get into a debate over posters who abuse emotions, or band wagoners who log in to agree with what everyone else is saying.

They COULD win without him, but last night proved why many people don't think they could. Most people aren't discrediting what the entire team has done, but saying "this team could win without Kobe" is discrediting what he has brought to the team, and you're kinda contradicting yourself.

Do you think USA would have lost last night if it wasn't for Kobe stepping up? How many times did Spain make a run only for a guy like Chris Paul or Dwade to weather teh storm the first 3 quarters? Kobe picked a hell of a time to turn it on, but I strongly believe somebody else would have stepped up. USA is just way more talented and stacked at every position in international play.

Yes most people are discrediting the other team by even implying Kobe is the sole difference maker. That's a smack in the face for guy's like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and co. who showed up for the 08 Olympics and contributed.

The last 2 sentences of your post are pretty ignorant to everything else I said. Did I not give credit to kobe?, call him "da man", and say he's a guy who put's USA over the top? Now how exactly did I discredit Kobe? I was just making an argument which requires me taking Kobe out of the equation to make a point.

I was referring to Kou's post with the contradiction, and forgot to state that, my bad.

Look there's no doubt everyone on this team contributed to this gold. But when it got tough late in that fourth quarter, Kobe pretty much put his stamp on that game, like everyone expected him to do.

Other than the fact that they would have lost the gold medla game without Kobe, this team wouldn't have win without Kobe because he is the one that brough the winning attitude and changed the make-up of the team. He added swagger and a defenseive mentality.

Ok.