# Prediction: Kobe Bryant will be a Trailblazer this time next year



## Devil in the Details (Jun 20, 2008)

I think Bryant is Pritchard's target for next summer. Kobe can opt-out next summer and will be an unrestricted free agent. If L.A. can't get it done next year, I think he'll head to Portland. The Blazers will have much more talent than the Lakers, Kobe can play the 3 and won't have to be the offensive crutch that he is in L.A., and he'll get to play for McMillan, whom he likes as a Team USA coach. Kobe knows Phil Jackson won't be around for that long and that the Blazers give him a chance to win titles into his 30's.

Discuss.


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

If by "this time next year" you mean "not in a million years", I agree.


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

It would be sweet... but the odds of it happening are almost nonexistent...

Ed O.


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

Well, that would free up all the time I spend watching basketball, I guess.

barfo


----------



## Stepping Razor (Apr 24, 2004)

nnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


----------



## Devil in the Details (Jun 20, 2008)

Other than the fact that some Blazers fans don't like Kobe Bryant, why is everyone so sure this won't happen? The Blazers will have the money to pay him. They will be poised to win for a long time. They have a good, young coach that Kobe has played for. They have lots of offensive talent and a defensive center. Everyone on the team plays hard and is focused on winning championships. Owner/GM that will surround him with whatever he needs to win, no matter the cost.


----------



## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

He'd make a great 3rd SG to backup Roy and Rudy. A smart pickup for the practice squad!


----------



## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

Will never happen, for a ton of reasons, not the least of which being that Kobe's ego would never let him play for a mid-market team. If he goes anywhere, it'll be Chicago/New York/Miami/Phoenix/Dallas/Philly. No way he would even consider Portland.

-Pop


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Devil in the Details said:


> Other than the fact that some Blazers fans don't like Kobe Bryant, why is everyone so sure this won't happen? The Blazers will have the money to pay him. They will be poised to win for a long time. They have a good, young coach that Kobe has played for. They have lots of offensive talent and a defensive center. Everyone on the team plays hard and is focused on winning championships. Owner/GM that will surround him with whatever he needs to win, no matter the cost.


because the Lakers can still top our offer. Longer, more $$ and in a bigger market (that doesn't hate him). Seems like a no brainer.


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

And because he's a creep.

barfo


----------



## Anonymous Gambler (May 29, 2006)

Kudos for this. I thought I was the only sane Blazer fan in mentioning this possibility.

We have a chance to get the best player in the NBA and Portland is the only really good option for him to change teams. Kobe would be surrounded by talent- more talent than on the Lakers.

It's a longshot, but say the Lakers get smoked again by the Celtics (or don't make the finals)- it would be something for Kobe to consider.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

barfo said:


> Well, that would free up all the time I spend watching basketball, I guess.


If Kobe coming to the Blazers can kill your Blazer fandom then the terrorists have won.

And by "terrorists," I, of course, mean Kobe Bryant.


----------



## Devil in the Details (Jun 20, 2008)

Dan said:


> because the Lakers can still top our offer. Longer, more $$ and in a bigger market (that doesn't hate him). Seems like a no brainer.


See, I think this shows a fundamental misconception with Kobe Bryant's mindset at this stage in his career. He's not worried about his contract, because he's made so much and still will, no matter if he signs for 5 or 6 years. He isn't that worried about playing in a big market, either. He has as much fame and advertising cash as he can deal with already. He wants to win and create a legacy of a champion. The window is closing in L.A. with Jackson & Gasol. If things don't work out this year, he's going to be looking for a better situation. There is no other situation that can offer everything that Portland will be able to. 

And why wouldn't Allen/Pritchard want Kobe? No one else on the market will improve their chances of a championship nearly as much as he will. He can play next to Roy. He is a committed defensive stopper. He wants to win. He has Finals experience. 

No way Pritchard turns down a Bayless-Roy-Kobe-Aldridge-Oden lineup. No way.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Anonymous Gambler said:


> We have a chance to get the best player in the NBA


No, we have no chance at LeBron James. Unfortunately.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Devil in the Details said:


> See, I think this shows a fundamental misconception with Kobe Bryant's mindset at this stage in his career. He's not worried about his contract, because he's made so much and still will, no matter if he signs for 5 or 6 years. He isn't that worried about playing in a big market, either.


And Kobe has told you these things? I mean, you wouldn't be phrasing random speculation as insights into the inner soul of a human being you don't know anything about except what you see on the court and what he says to the media, right?


----------



## Devil in the Details (Jun 20, 2008)

Minstrel said:


> And Kobe has told you these things? I mean, you wouldn't be phrasing random speculation as insights into the inner soul of a human being you don't know anything about except what you see on the court and what he says to the media, right?



I am basing this on what he says, not primarily to the media but what has leaked out from his meetings with teammates - that he wants to win championships, period. I am also basing this on logic. 

Even if you disagree on whether Portland would be Bryant's first choice, can anyone dispute that he would be Pritchard's first choice? We only have the '09 summer to sign a max-level free agent, and no one else will be available at that time that can help us nearly as much as Kobe could. 

As fans, we should be pushing as hard as possible to make this happen. I want championships more than I want to hate the Lakers.


----------



## dpc (Dec 26, 2007)

My two worst nightmares are world war and Kobe playing for the Blazers... and not in that order.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Devil in the Details said:


> I am basing this on what he says, not primarily to the media but what has leaked out from his meetings with teammates - that he wants to win championships, period. I am also basing this on logic.


Well, from his history, playing a part (not being solely responsible, by any means) in Shaq leaving LA, he wants to win championships as the main player. In Portland, he'd vie with Greg Oden (assuming Oden pans out) for that designation and he'd be alongside two other possible All-Stars. He'd be seen as a great player on an overwhelmingly talented team, not as the driving force.

In addition, from all accounts, he loves LA. He loves the spotlight, the culture and loves living there. I strongly doubt that he'd want to stay in Portland for most of the basketball season.



> Even if you disagree on whether Portland would be Bryant's first choice, can anyone dispute that he would be Pritchard's first choice? We only have the '09 summer to sign a max-level free agent, and no one else will be available at that time that can help us nearly as much as Kobe could.


Kobe is, of course, the best player available. The two reasons why Pritchard might not target him is fit (whether he thinks Kobe Bryant would play well and willingly with three to four other offensive options) and age. Bryant is only 30, but a fairly old 30. I'd bet on Bryant having five "high level" years remaining. Bryant doesn't fit the window ideally.

The other option is Josh Smith, if he signs the qualifying offer this off-season. He'd fit the window perfectly and doesn't seem to me (though I may be mistaken) to have the "take over" mentality on offense.



> As fans, we should be pushing as hard as possible to make this happen. I want championships more than I want to hate the Lakers.


I actually like Kobe Bryant. He's one of my five favourite players. If the Blazers signed him, I'd be excited. I just don't think there's any chance Kobe would choose to leave LA (especially with a perfectly strong team in place).


----------



## OdenRoyLMA2 (May 23, 2008)

I'm sure DaRizzle is happy about this thread. 

Anyway, I think Kobe is a Laker for life. I really don't see why he would bolt from LA.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Articles like this make me start to rethink having Kobe in a Blazers uniform. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=USALithuania-080801


----------



## chris_in_pdx (Jul 11, 2004)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've been a Blazer fan for 38 years. The moment Kobe Bryant becomes a Portland TrailBlazers ends my relationship with the franchise. End of story.


----------



## #10 (Jul 23, 2004)

Devil in the Details said:


> I think Bryant is Pritchard's target for next summer. Kobe can opt-out next summer and will be an unrestricted free agent. If L.A. can't get it done next year, I think he'll head to Portland. The Blazers will have much more talent than the Lakers, Kobe can play the 3 and won't have to be the offensive crutch that he is in L.A., and he'll get to play for McMillan, whom he likes as a Team USA coach. Kobe knows Phil Jackson won't be around for that long and that the Blazers give him a chance to win titles into his 30's.
> 
> Discuss.


I demand your resignation as a Blazer fan.


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

Why would Kobe sign for less money with the Blazers than he could get from the Lakers? Two words: Michael Jordan.

Kobe wants desparately to end his career with a legitimate claim that he was better than Michael. Michael has 6 rings. Kobe has 3. If it becomes obvious he won't get 3 or 4 more in LA, he may very well bolt for Portland to help accelerate our championship chase.

Form Portland's standpoint, Bryant would get us to the finals sooner. His addition would immediately make the Blazers title contenders - even the odds on favorite.

For those who say he doesn't fit our window, I disagree. He actually makes the window wider. It opens sooner, and when Kobe is on his last legs and a shadow of his current self, the rest of our young core will be proven champions and ready to carry the torch for another five years. Adding Kobe Bryant to our young core could propel the Blazers to the kind of decade long dominance only one other team has enjoyed in the 50+ history of the NBA.

BNM


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> If by "this time next year" you mean "not in a million years", I agree.


co-signed!



> We have a chance to get the best player in the NBA


Naw, we won't have cap space in 2010 for LeBron.

This is Roys team. It wouldn't be Kobe's. You think Kobe would come here and not be the man? Not be the one taking the final shot? **** that, you are out of your mind if you think he wants to go to a small market team and not be the man.

We need ROLE PLAYERS, not a star at every position.

The blazers front office has worked way to hard to earn the respect of the fans again. They wouldn't pull a controversial move like this.

Silly thread though, because its never going to happen.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

Boob-No-More said:


> Why would Kobe sign for less money with the Blazers than he could get from the Lakers? Two words: Michael Jordan.
> 
> Kobe wants desparately to end his career with a legitimate claim that he was better than Michael. Michael has 6 rings. Kobe has 3. If it becomes obvious he won't get 3 or 4 more in LA, he may very well bolt for Portland to help accelerate our championship chase.
> 
> ...


I agree BNM. I saw a different Kobe Bryant last year. He did whatever it took to win. I just don't think the Lakers' roster is that strong. You put him next to Roy, Oden, and LMA... wow. It really depends on whether he has the right attitude. He could be a real great asset ff he's coming in to win, doesn't care about scoring 30 a game, and looks to play solid defense and facilitate for his teammates (much like Jordan did later in his career). 

I don't know, I used to stand with most of you. I never wanted to see Kobe in a Blazers uniform, but now that I've seen his play with the Lakers last season and now team USA, I'm not so sure.


----------



## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

Boob-No-More said:


> Why would Kobe sign for less money with the Blazers than he could get from the Lakers? Two words: Michael Jordan.
> 
> Kobe wants desparately to end his career with a legitimate claim that he was better than Michael. Michael has 6 rings. Kobe has 3. If it becomes obvious he won't get 3 or 4 more in LA, he may very well bolt for Portland to help accelerate our championship chase.
> 
> BNM


The question to me has always been this: does Kobe just want to win, or does he just want to win on HIS TERMS?

IMHO, Kobe's notion of "ideal" team-mates would be a group of solid, faceless vets. Guys who would never screw up, but who would also never steal the limelight. In other words, the antithesis of a young, highly talented team.


For the record - I care more about the uniform than the guy inside it. It would take more than signing Kobe to turn me against the team. I just don't see it ever happening.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

OdenRoyLMA2 said:


> I'm sure DaRizzle is happy about this thread.


Wow..I just fount this thread....Wow

I did not know hell had frozen over

I can feel the hatred for Kobe from Portland all the way down here in LA. I think ChrisinPDX reaction would sum up the majority of Blazer fans feelings.

It would be the worst PR move EVER


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> It would be the worst PR move EVER


yep. And coming from where we were a few years ago, that isn't something that would happen. The fans love this team of young, talented, character guys.

Nothing against Kobe, but how would he fit in with us? Roy is the guy who calls the team up in August and gets them to report early. Roy is the guy who is vocal in the locker room and stood up and told Zach that nobody points fingers in this locker room. Roy is the guy with the ball in his hands at the end of the game. Where would Kobe fit? He definitely wouldn't take a backseat.

LA has AS good a chance as portland, with Kobe, to win a title in the next 3-4 years. They have a really good team. I think it would look worse on Kobe's resume` if he bailed on a team constructed around him as a legit contender. A big market that he's been his whole NBA career, that can offer more money that us... i mean seriously?


----------



## silverpaw1786 (Mar 11, 2004)

OdenRoyLMA2 said:


> I'm sure DaRizzle is happy about this thread.
> 
> Anyway, I think Kobe is a Laker for life. I really don't see why he would bolt from LA.


Except for those few minutes on draft night when he was a Hornet.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

silverpaw1786 said:


> Except for those few minutes on draft night when he was a Hornet.


:cabbagepatch: :cabbagepatch:

Thanks Vlade!


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

MrJayremmie said:


> LA has AS good a chance as portland, with Kobe, to win a title in the next 3-4 years.


Wow...I dont know if we deserve THAT MUCH praise....too kind, too kind


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

^LOL, i mean with Kobe though. If Portland got Kobe, i think we'd be as good as LA with Kobe in the next 2 or 3 years, you don't think so?


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

I think my brain just exploded


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

lol, ok nvm then.


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

DaRizzle said:


> Wow...I dont know if we deserve THAT MUCH praise....too kind, too kind


DaRizzle (and other Laker fans trolling, err... frequenting our board),

Assuming Bynum continues to develop and Oden is the player most scouts think he will be, starting with the 2009-10 season, which team would have a better shot at winning multiple titles, the Lakers with their current roster or the Blazers current roster + Kobe?

Lots of assumptions, but how can you predict the future without making assumptions?

Think about it, adding Kobe would give the Blazers the best player in the league and a proven champion to add to their current talented, but young roster. Roy and Aldridge would be entering their 4th seasons and just starting to enter the primes of their careers. Oden, Rudy and Bayless would all be entering their 2nd seasons and still improving. 

You'd have a fantastic starting line-up of:

5 - Oden
4 - Aldridge
3 - Kobe
2 - Roy
1 - Bayless 

And a bench loaded with a great combination of young talent and veteran role players:

Rudy, Blake, Przybilla, Outlaw, Frye, Webster, etc.

I can't imagine a more stacked roster. Even without Kobe, the Blazers are well positioned to be the team of the future. With him they get that much better much sooner.

Outside of Bynum, I don't see any great young talent on the Laker roster. Guys like Odom, Fisher, and even Gasol have peaked and will be on the decline. So, if Kobe does start to look elsewhere with the goal of catching Michael in number of rings, I can't think of a better destination (from his perspective) than Portland.

BNM


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

So we are just gonna ignore the financial side? You cant have Kobe and keep your team intact (assuming your players pan out and they deserve good contracts).


----------



## dpc (Dec 26, 2007)

Hmm I'm in your signature DaRizzle, I feel honored to be near such a beautiful, perfect... ocean.


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

DaRizzle said:


> So we are just gonna ignore the financial side? You cant have Kobe and keep your team intact (assuming your players pan out and they deserve good contracts).


we have bird rights to almost all of our players...if i understand it right we can resign roy, and aldridge and still afford kobe..and i think you can go over the cap to resign players you have bird rights too...plus we have paul allen...think of kobe and oden on the same team. the marketing would be crazy..espn crew would have to buy a house in portland for all the games they would televise


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

DaRizzle said:


> So we are just gonna ignore the financial side? You cant have Kobe and keep your team intact (assuming your players pan out and they deserve good contracts).


Why not????? We will hold the Bird rights for all of our young players, which means we can re-sign them for more money and for longer contracts that any other team. We also have the richest owner in sports. I haven't checked lately, but depending on the value of Microsoft stock (and his other investments), Paul Allen may be richer than all the other NBA owners combined. If Paul Allen thinks it will win him multiple NBA titles there is absolutely nothing in the CBA preventing him from having having a roster full of 15 max. contract players. While I don't think he'll overpay his end-of-the-bench role players by that much, there is nothing preventing him from doing so if he chooses.

So, next year after Steve Francis and Raef LaFrentz contracts expire, and assuming Darius Miles stays medically retired, the Blazers will have a ton of cap space to offer Kobe the max. allowable under the current CBA. The Lakers, who hold his Bird rights, can offer him more and an extra year on his contract, but he'll be an unrestricted free agent and free to go anywhere he chooses - and the Lakers will not have the option to match. If he feels he has a better chance to catch Michael playing in Portland than in LA, he will be free to choose that option.

So, if the Blazers did offer him a max. contract, Kobe's decision would come down to which he values more: his legacy or a few million more dollars to a guy who is already obscenely rich. Given his obsession with "beating" Michael, it would be interesting to see which he would chose given the opportunity.

BNM


----------



## meru (Jul 2, 2003)

Minstrel said:


> I actually like Kobe Bryant. He's one of my five favourite players. If the Blazers signed him, I'd be excited.


Minstrel: you are dead to me.


----------



## NateBishop3 (Jul 22, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> So we are just gonna ignore the financial side? You cant have Kobe and keep your team intact (assuming your players pan out and they deserve good contracts).


You'd think after all the time you've spent on this board you'd know the deal with 09. We would have to renounce Frye, Webster, and Diogu, but we'd have a ton of cap space in the summer of 09. Read up on it.


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

i think i could accept kobe, because with him we would win many championships IMO...as much as i hate him, i could actually accept him here..if he didnt win a championship when he was here i'd hate him so much more than i do now..which is almost impossible


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

We all know what happened the last time your owner tried to buy a championship
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gmxgLx3k0do&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gmxgLx3k0do&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

meru said:


> Minstrel: you are dead to me.


Not the first time, won't be the last time.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

NateBishop3 said:


> You'd think after all the time you've spent on this board you'd know the deal with 09. We would have to renounce Frye, Webster, and Diogu, but we'd have a ton of cap space in the summer of 09. Read up on it.


Sorry, dont really pay attention to the salary setup of POR 

Thats something you do when you want to see how to get the team better...so I know the Lakers salary situations.


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

I used to hate Danny Ainge before he played for the Blazers. And then I hated him again after he left. When he played for the Celtics he was a whiney crybaby. When he played for the Blazers he provided great enegry and hustle. When he played for the Suns, he was a backstabbing traitor.

The name on the front of the jersey is MUCH more important than the name on the back. Always has been, Always will be.

BNM


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

^good call BNM..I hated Shaq with Orlando. Told myself I could do that when he bacame a Laker, now Im back to hating him again


----------



## LameR (Jan 4, 2004)

It's possible, but unlikely.


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

Boob-No-More said:


> I used to hate Danny Ainge before he played for the Blazers. And then I hated him again after he left. When he played for the Celtics he was a whiney crybaby. When he played for the Blazers he provided great enegry and hustle. When he played for the Suns, he was a backstabbing traitor.
> 
> The name on the front of the jersey is MUCH more important than the name on the back. Always has been, Always will be.
> 
> BNM


100% agree'd except i don't think i was alive when ainge played for us

edit: i was 2 his last year here


----------



## nikolokolus (Jan 29, 2008)

There's no denying that Kobe is great player -- one of the all-time greats in fact. But ... yuck! I know some people around here would learn to live with this signing, or even embrace it, but I would lose all faith in KP and Paul Allen that they actually know what the **** they are doing.

Sweet Jesus, the regular season can't start soon enough; I HATE the off-season and all of the retarded *** comments/speculation that comes with it.


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

ehizzy3 said:


> 100% agree'd except i don't think i was alive when ainge played for us
> 
> edit: i was 2 his last year here


Thanks for making me feel even older than I actually am.

I was pushing middle-age when Ainge was a Blazer. Seems like it was just yesterday...

Why is it as you get older the days seem to drag on forever but the years just seem to fly by?

I still have vivid memories of Walton (*BILL* Walton, that is, not his goofy, far less talented offspring) playing in college, yet this infernal offseason seems to be lasting an eternity.

BNM


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

Boob-No-More said:


> Thanks for making me feel even older than I actually am.
> 
> I was pushing middle-age when Ainge was a Blazer. Seems like it was just yesterday...
> 
> ...


lol my bad. the good news is you got to witness the best basketball ever played in the 80's and early 90's


----------



## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

ehizzy3 said:


> lol my bad. the good news is you got to witness the best basketball ever played in the 80's and early 90's


And the late 1960s and all of the 1970s, too.

BNM


----------



## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

I REALLY dislike Kobe and I think he is kind of a douche, but it's moreso the bandwagon Kobe fans who clamor to the Garden twice a year to unleash their obnoxiousness upon us that pisses me off the most. If we had Kobe on our team, at least I could get away from "Laker Fan"


----------



## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

chris_in_pdx said:


> I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've been a Blazer fan for 38 years. The moment Kobe Bryant becomes a Portland TrailBlazers ends my relationship with the franchise. End of story.


I have posted several times that this is KP's intention, and he has pretty much said so.

If he does bring the anal rapist here I will not only turn my back on the Blazers, I will actively work to bring about their demise.


----------



## BlakeJesus (Feb 1, 2006)

Dan said:


> If by "this time next year" you mean "not in a million years", I agree.


quoted for truuuuuuuuuuuuuth


----------



## BealzeeBob (Jan 6, 2003)

I've always said that signing Bryant would be the one move that would end my Blazers addition. But if I was being honest, with this team, I would HAVE to suck it up. The current team + Bryant would absolutely crush the rest of the league, assuming Kobe could take the demotion from superstar to star with lots of rings. How could you not watch that, after hanging with the Blazers through the dark years?

Go Blazers


----------



## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

If the choice were between four championships with Kobe Bryant, and only one without him, I would take the one championship without him. If the choice were ten championships with Kobe and none without him, it'd be a little harder... but I'd take no championships without him.


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

BealzeeBob said:


> I've always said that signing Bryant would be the one move that would end my Blazers addition. But if I was being honest, with this team, I would HAVE to suck it up. The current team + Bryant would absolutely crush the rest of the league, assuming Kobe could take the demotion from superstar to star with lots of rings. How could you not watch that, after hanging with the Blazers through the dark years?
> 
> Go Blazers


kobe would still be a superstar, he will have that superstar status his whole career no matter his numbers...and there is no question kobe can be a team player, he showed it this year.


----------



## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

*Prediction: Kobe Bryant will be a Trailblazer this time next year* 








STOMP


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

STOMP said:


> *Prediction: Kobe Bryant will be a Trailblazer this time next year*
> View attachment 11571
> 
> 
> STOMP


----------



## Anonymous Gambler (May 29, 2006)

MARIS61 said:


> I have posted several times that this is KP's intention, and he has pretty much said so.
> 
> If he does bring the anal rapist here I will not only turn my back on the Blazers, I will actively work to bring about their demise.


woooooo!!!! John Canzano speaketh?


----------



## Nate4Prez (Jun 3, 2007)

MAS RipCity said:


> I REALLY dislike Kobe and I think he is kind of a douche, but it's moreso the bandwagon Kobe fans who clamor to the Garden twice a year to unleash their obnoxiousness upon us that pisses me off the most. If we had Kobe on our team, at least I could get away from "Laker Fan"


As a former Portlander I will always hate the 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Lakers. I was there when we had the best assembled team The Blazers have had in my lifetime. I'm 23, and I know there are alot of 19-24 year olds on here and that Blazers team was the best we have seen. And too watch them get beat by the Lakers every year killed, and built up my hatred for them. But, its been nearly ten years, and I live in Phoenix, and I now hate the Suns more than any team in the NBA because I have to deal with their fans, most of which are band wagoners.

If Kobe came to this team we would be unstoppable, for the next 8 years. I would love it. And every time we played the Lakers I would enjoy crushing them. 

That being said, I dont ever see it happening. I do think Kobe is a changed player from 4 years ago. He wants his teammates to be better, and he is a lot happier contributing. But he wants the LA market, and I dont see KP kicking Darius and Zach out of here to bring Kobe in.


----------



## OntheRocks (Jun 15, 2005)

No.


----------



## Darkwebs (May 23, 2006)

Someone needs to bump this thread up in a year and we'll see if this bold prediction comes true. It's definitely a possbility because of our upcoming cap space, but unlikely because of Kobe's ego- he wouldn't play for a small-market team with other stars who may steal some of his limelight.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Im drunk with the truth serum...


Kobe is a ***** that gets by on amazing talent and barley any brains...

I truly believe he is not a rapist but he is an ***-hole...
An ***-hole that makes my team win.


----------



## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Nate4Prez said:


> As a former Portlander I will always hate the 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Lakers. I was there when we had the best assembled team The Blazers have had in my lifetime. I'm 23, and I know there are alot of 19-24 year olds on here and that Blazers team was the best we have seen. And too watch them get beat by the Lakers every year killed, and built up my hatred for them. But, its been nearly ten years, and I live in Phoenix, and I now hate the Suns more than any team in the NBA because I have to deal with their fans, most of which are band wagoners.


that wagon seems to have about run it's course. They're well over the cap with huge contracts through the next two seasons when just about everyone is off the books but Amare. I guess it's possible that Shaq could hit an Indian summer of health and they could be perceived among the league's elite, but the chances of mid 30 somethings Hill Nash and ONeal hitting the playoffs collectively healthy seems a very long shot. With no youth (hope) on the horizon and basically the same old guys who were one and done last year, watch for the fans to get really restless... try not to gloat too much as the Blazers rise


DaRizzle said:


> Kobe is a ***** that gets by on amazing talent and barley any brains...
> 
> I truly believe he is not a rapist but he is an ***-hole...
> An ***-hole that makes my team win.


I don't know about the rapist part but I agree with the rest. I think most great athletes are bleeps and find it odd that people keep holding them up as examples. They've been pampered and fawned over by their peers and community since their early teens, of course they're idiots... the term dumb jock springs to mind. Kobe has some of this but he also seems so over the top transparent in his entitlement and desire to be a public star. He comes off as very contrived in the various fluff pieces they do on him. Coming to Portland he'd not only be leaving the golden goose that is the LA market but he'd be much less the focus of his team's attention. Maybe I've got it all wrong, but I don't see him coming to PDX for a lot of reasons. 

STOMP


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> yep. And coming from where we were a few years ago, that isn't something that would happen. The fans love this team of young, talented, character guys.
> 
> Nothing against Kobe, but how would he fit in with us? Roy is the guy who calls the team up in August and gets them to report early. Roy is the guy who is vocal in the locker room and stood up and told Zach that nobody points fingers in this locker room. Roy is the guy with the ball in his hands at the end of the game. Where would Kobe fit? He definitely wouldn't take a backseat.


why would kobe take a back seat, or not be the guy with the ball in his hands? he'd be the best player on the team, and having the ball in HIS hands would put the team in the best position to win. they'd all have to adjust. kobe certainly would have to adjust how he handles situations down the stretch of games and share the rock more and have confidence in others to get the job done. and the celts certainly didn't need an overwhelming amount of time together to find the right balance. 

kp's job is to put his franchise in the best position to win and make money. kobe isn't a throwback to the jailblazers. 

it's unlikely kobe bolts la. he's got a strong team, strong market, and it's the team he's built his career with. but making a run at him is also a pretty sound basketball move for the blazers.


----------



## The Professional Fan (Nov 5, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> We all know what happened the last time your owner tried to buy a championship
> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gmxgLx3k0do&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gmxgLx3k0do&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


Hate


----------



## Da_O (Jul 30, 2008)

I've seen some put Kobe as the 3 if we got him. I would think this roster would look better.

PG - Roy
SG - Kobe
SF - Webster
PF - Aldridge
C - Oden

PG - Blake, Koponen?, Sergio?
SG - Bayless
SF - Outlaw
PF - Frye, Diogu
C - Pryzbilla

Or a combination like that.

I don't know if Roy could guard the quickest guards in the league but I believe Kobe could shut down the other team's PG while Roy guards the other teams SG. This is all just speculation after all.


----------



## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Da_O said:


> I've seen some put Kobe as the 3 if we got him. I would think this roster would look better.
> 
> PG - Roy
> SG - Kobe
> ...


Rudy?

STOMP


----------



## Da_O (Jul 30, 2008)

STOMP said:


> Rudy?
> 
> STOMP


Wow how could I forget Rudy. OMG I have sinned lord please forgive me. 

PG - Roy
SG - Kobe
SF - Webster
PF - Aldridge
C - Oden

PG - Bayless, Blake, 
SG - Fernandez
SF - Outlaw
PF - Frye, Diogu
C - Pryzbilla


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> why would kobe take a back seat, or not be the guy with the ball in his hands? he'd be the best player on the team, and having the ball in HIS hands would put the team in the best position to win. they'd all have to adjust. kobe certainly would have to adjust how he handles situations down the stretch of games and share the rock more and have confidence in others to get the job done. and the celts certainly didn't need an overwhelming amount of time together to find the right balance.
> 
> kp's job is to put his franchise in the best position to win and make money. kobe isn't a throwback to the jailblazers.
> 
> it's unlikely kobe bolts la. he's got a strong team, strong market, and it's the team he's built his career with. but making a run at him is also a pretty sound basketball move for the blazers.


This is ROYS team. It would NEVER be Kobe's team. Roy is the respected one, the franchise player, Kobe would not come here and be "the man"... which is why him coming here will NOT happen. We don't need another player like Kobe, but a role player.

And have you seen the respone to Kobe in this thread? its controversial. You think KP would do that after all this team has been through lately? Again, you are kidding yourself if that is what you think. We are building a culture, and are doing damn good. We have a good team we can be proud of.


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> This is ROYS team. It would NEVER be Kobe's team. Roy is the respected one, the franchise player, Kobe would not come here and be "the man"... which is why him coming here will NOT happen. We don't need another player like Kobe, but a role player.


it's simply delusional to think kobe would have to take a back seat to roy if he were signed as a FA. it's nonsensical. if kobe came to the blazers, he'd be the man, and they'd welcome him as the man and say i'll do whatever i can to help. it's the fans who are more pigheaded. 



MrJayremmie said:


> And have you seen the respone to Kobe in this thread? its controversial. You think KP would do that after all this team has been through lately? Again, you are kidding yourself if that is what you think. We are building a culture, and are doing damn good. We have a good team we can be proud of.


yes, you have a good team you can be proud of. kobe makes your team better, favorites to win for years, with a supporting cast to carry the torch when he starts to decline. KP would be doing his job extraordinarily well if he could pull it off.


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> it's simply delusional to think kobe would have to take a back seat to roy if he were signed as a FA. it's nonsensical. if kobe came to the blazers, he'd be the man, and they'd welcome him as the man and say i'll do whatever i can to help. it's the fans who are more pigheaded.


lmao. No. That is why Kobe wouldn't come here. He would not be the man. Roy and Oden are. They are our franchise. We aren't going to bring in a guy for a couple years and tell Roy to take a back seat. Roy has been and will be with us much longer than Kobe would. Kobe hasn't earned the trust or respect of the guys like Roy. 

IDK if you are a blazer fan, but i assume you aren't, so you probably don't understand.

You would have a lot of complaints by the team if that happened anyway. Kobe would definitely come here under the condition that this is Greg and Roys team. If he doesn't like it then too bad for him.




> yes, you have a good team you can be proud of. kobe makes your team better, favorites to win for years, with a supporting cast to carry the torch when he starts to decline. KP would be doing his job extraordinarily well if he could pull it off.


yes, and fans would rather have us win championships without Kobe than with him. What does that tell you? Is that someone KP should go look to bring in then? To make the FANS unhappy? That would be a huge blwo to the team. It wouldn't happen. This city would be hesitant to embrace Kobe. Why would Kobe go somewhere like that? lmao. 

KP knows this. Just look at the reaction from this thread. IDK why i'm talkin' about this. This is rediculous. If you think KP would bring in Kobe, who is hated by so many people in Portland, you honestly have no idea what is going on in Portland. KP's goal isn't to just win, but win with the culture he has created. The team first guys. He acknowledged that teams need 2-3 stars then role players. Well we have our stars.


----------



## ebott (Jan 7, 2003)

If Kobe decided to come here I'd welcome him with open arms. The details of how don't matter beyond the retention of the big 3. There's plenty of other things we all like about rooting for our team. But winning is by far our favorite. Adding Kobe to our big 3 would make us the favorite to win the championship for the next 5-10 years. 

Plenty of people might whine about it for a little bit. But it wouldn't take long for those people to come around.

I really enjoy these hypothetical talks of ours


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> lmao. No. That is why Kobe wouldn't come here. He would not be the man. Roy and Oden are. They are our franchise. We aren't going to bring in a guy for a couple years and tell Roy to take a back seat. Roy has been and will be with us much longer than Kobe would. Kobe hasn't earned the trust or respect of the guys like Roy.


you don't tell roy to take a back seat. you tell roy to play basketball. and play whatever role gives your team the best chance to win. you don't think roy respects kobe bryant??? lol. 




MrJayremmie said:


> IDK if you are a blazer fan, but i assume you aren't, so you probably don't understand.
> 
> You would have a lot of complaints by the team if that happened anyway. Kobe would definitely come here under the condition that this is Greg and Roys team. If he doesn't like it then too bad for him.


and on the court, kobe would unquestionably be the teams best player, by alot. and because of that, the team would utilize him in a way that maximized the teams effectiveness. which would make him more prominent on the offensive side of the ball than oden and roy. and that should be ok with all involved, if they're interested in winning. and that of course doesn't mean oden and roy can't be stars in their own right. does roy need to score 25 ppg? does oden? tehy can all continue to do what they do best. 



MrJayremmie said:


> yes, and fans would rather have us win championships without Kobe than with him. What does that tell you? Is that someone KP should go look to bring in then? To make the FANS unhappy? That would be a huge blwo to the team. It wouldn't happen. This city would be hesitant to embrace Kobe. Why would Kobe go somewhere like that? lmao.
> 
> KP knows this. Just look at the reaction from this thread. IDK why i'm talkin' about this. This is rediculous. If you think KP would bring in Kobe, who is hated by so many people in Portland, you honestly have no idea what is going on in Portland. KP's goal isn't to just win, but win with the culture he has created. The team first guys. He acknowledged that teams need 2-3 stars then role players. Well we have our stars.


i'm sure you'd rather win championships without kobe than with him. but most would also rather win championships with kobe than lose without him. and he'd give your team a better chance of winning. look, it's unlikely to happen, but if it did happen, you should feel good that your teams chances at a dynasty just got alot better. alot.


----------



## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

ebott said:


> Plenty of people might whine about it for a little bit. But it wouldn't take long for those people to come around.


You sir, are delusional.

Blazers fans took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin over player offenses that pale by comparison to the anal rape Kobe committed. And some of those players were quite likeable people and definitive team players.

Kobe will never be likeable, never be a team player, and he anally raped a girl and then bought his way out of prison by threatening her and smearing her name.

He is a POS and so is anyone who supports him.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

this thread really needs to die

...if this isnt a middle of summer thread then i dont know what is!


----------



## nikolokolus (Jan 29, 2008)

Why has no one yet in this thread stated the patently obvious? Assuming KP would be daft enough to extend an offer to Bryant, what reason does Kobe have for signing with the Blazers when he's already surrounded by a core of players who are in "win it all now" mode in LA, not "win it all in 2 years mode" like the group that is in Portland (and yes I'll concede adding him might make Portland a "win it all now" team)?

Kobe moving to Portland has got to be seen as a lateral move at best from Bryant's perspectve: much smaller market, possible issues over who is "the man" if he came here, and for no more salary than the Lakers would almost certainly offer him. This doesn't even begin to address the fact that Kobe has developed a certain comfort level and familiarity with his teammates, and they already have enough "chemistry" to win the Western Confernce, add Bynum to the mix and they will probably be prohibitive favorites for the next couple of years at least.

There's no denying that Kobe is a force of nature, and arguably one of the best players in the league, but I think there is a serious risk of upsetting the balance if you were to bring him here; this is the problem of too many chiefs not enough indians that we saw when Whitsitt overloaded the early 2000s teams with "stars"


----------



## nikolokolus (Jan 29, 2008)

DaRizzle said:


> this thread really needs to die
> 
> ...if this isnt a middle of summer thread then i dont know what is!


A-****ing-men


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

MARIS61 said:


> You sir, are delusional.
> 
> Blazers fans took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin over player offenses that pale by comparison to the anal rape Kobe committed. And some of those players were quite likeable people and definitive team players.
> 
> ...


who's the bigger pos, the person who respects kobe bryant's skills and ability as a basketball player and teammate, or the person who thinks he knows kobe bryant and is willing to brand anyone who doesn't hate him as a pos?


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

nikolokolus said:


> Why has no one yet in this thread stated the patently obvious? Assuming KP would be daft enough to extend an offer to Bryant, what reason does Kobe have for signing with the Blazers when he's already surrounded by a core of players who are in "win it all now" mode in LA, not "win it all in 2 years mode" like the group that is in Portland (and yes I'll concede adding him might make Portland a "win it all now" team)?
> 
> Kobe moving to Portland has got to be seen as a lateral move at best from Bryant's perspectve: much smaller market, possible issues over who is "the man" if he came here, and for no more salary than the Lakers would almost certainly offer him. This doesn't even begin to address the fact that Kobe has developed a certain comfort level and familiarity with his teammates, and they already have enough "chemistry" to win the Western Confernce, add Bynum to the mix and they will probably be prohibitive favorites for the next couple of years at least.
> 
> There's no denying that Kobe is a force of nature, and arguably one of the best players in the league, but I think there is a serious risk of upsetting the balance if you were to bring him here; this is the problem of too many chiefs not enough indians that we saw when Whitsitt overloaded the early 2000s teams with "stars"


part of the problem with the early 2000 blazers was that they were lacking any chiefs. none of their "stars" were go-to players.


----------



## nikolokolus (Jan 29, 2008)

kflo said:


> part of the problem with the early 2000 blazers was that they were lacking any chiefs. none of their "stars" were go-to players.


So who's going to be chief, Brandon or Kobe? See the problem?

it's not just about "chiefs" it's about multiple players who want to be (or naturally are) "the man." Sign Kobe, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Brandon ask for a trade, or walk at the end of his rookie contract.


----------



## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

kflo said:


> who's the bigger pos, the person who respects kobe bryant's skills and ability as a basketball player and teammate, or the person who thinks he knows kobe bryant and is willing to brand anyone who doesn't hate him as a pos?


aren't you the trolling Laker fan who while gracing the Blazer forum labeled our fans as pigheaded? 

My vote is for you.

STOMP


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

wow KFLO, that is NOT how it works. THere is MUCH more to it. Its about trust, and all the things Roy gave to the franchise.

I'd rather have Roy sign a max year with us than have Kobe ANYDAY of the week. Not even a question. Roy is the player other players willingly defer to. Roy is the guy that is the leader and earned their trust. You don't just come in, on the decline, with Roy is entering his prime, and assume to be the man. That is NOT how it works. That would NOT be right for chemistry, and KP knows this.

Your position on this is understandable, Kobe would be the best player. But there is more to it than that, and i actually think that if Kobe came, we would be better with Roy still being the man, and avoiding a lot of drama.

But to honestly think that Kobe would go to a smaller market, and NOT be the man? lol...



> Sign Kobe, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Brandon ask for a trade, or walk at the end of his rookie contract.


Another reason why it wouldn't happen. You are absolutely correct.

Think what you want, i've made my point. If you aren't a blazer fan, i don't think you fully understand the situation it would cause.


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

STOMP said:


> aren't you the trolling Laker fan who while gracing the Blazer forum labeled our fans as pigheaded?
> 
> My vote is for you.
> 
> STOMP


i said fans were more pigheaded than the actual players would be. i didn't say all blazer fans were pigheaded. 

and i view all new posts and respond to ones i find interesting. if that's trolling, then too bad. i didn't realize what an exclusive club this was. is it private?

labeling anyone who "supports" kobe as a POS is probably against forum rules, wouldn't you think? but thanks for your vote.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> Think what you want, i've made my point. If you aren't a blazer fan, i don't think you fully understand the situation it would cause.


I'm a Blazers fan and I think you're greatly overstating it. Roy is a tremendous player, but hardly strikes me as an "I'm the man or trade me" player. Roy, Oden and Aldridge would play with Bryant. This whole "who the man is" is probably a very silly debate anyway. I definitely get the feeling that that's more a fan debate than a thing that plays out in most NBA locker rooms.

Bryant would be the best player and best scorer (until and unless Oden becomes an all-time great big man). That would determine his role. As a scorer, Roy is ideally suited to be a number two scorer. He's not a Kobe/James/Wade type. He'd fit in well alongside Kobe.

As to who the "leader" was, I doubt there would be much need for one or fighting over that role. They'd just go out and play.


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

Minstrel said:


> I'm a Blazers fan and I think you're greatly overstating it. Roy is a tremendous player, but hardly strikes me as an "I'm the man or trade me" player. Roy, Oden and Aldridge would play with Bryant. This whole "who the man is" is probably a very silly debate anyway. I definitely get the feeling that that's more a fan debate than a thing that plays out in most NBA locker rooms.
> 
> Bryant would be the best player and best scorer (until and unless Oden becomes an all-time great big man). That would determine his role. As a scorer, Roy is ideally suited to be a number two scorer. He's not a Kobe/James/Wade type. He'd fit in well alongside Kobe.
> 
> As to who the "leader" was, I doubt there would be much need for one or fighting over that role. They'd just go out and play.


agree'd


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> this thread really needs to die


OR...

You can stop posting and/or reading this thread and let the rest of us continue to talk about it.

How does that sound?

Ed O.


----------



## Nate4Prez (Jun 3, 2007)

MARIS61 said:


> You sir, are delusional.
> 
> Blazers fans took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin over player offenses that pale by comparison to the anal rape Kobe committed. And some of those players were quite likeable people and definitive team players.
> 
> ...


Congrats MARIS, you are the first person on my ignore list. Not only is your claim of "anal rape" totally unsubstantiated, its irrelevant to this entire discussion, and shameful that you keep bringing it up. And your claim that "BLAZERS FANS" took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin because of player offenses is ludicrous, the Blazers franchise was in financial ruin AFTER the players with "OFFENSES" were removed from this team. During the time of the "offenses" the team was still playing well, and still selling out the Rose Garden. The reason the Blazers went into financial ruin is because after getting rid of said players the team was BAD and had nobody worth paying to see. I dont support Kobe as a Laker, but if he came to Portland I would support him cause I love this city, and this team, and I guess that makes me a piece of ****. And when every game is sold out for the next 5-10 years if we signed Kobe, you would see the most prosperous Blazer's organization ever.


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

There are two primary issues here.

1. Likelihood of Kobe coming to Portland.
2. A poster's reaction to Kobe as a player/person.

#2 is coloring #1 in some cases, it appears. And it shouldn't IMO.

Of course a negative backlash is something that the Blazers would have to consider in extending Bryant an offer (therefore, PR is a component of issue #1), but just because an individual thinks he's a jerk or whatever... that doesn't have anything to do with #1.

Will Bryant choose to make more money? Does he prefer to be in a major market? I dunno the answer to either of these questions, but IF he signed with Portland, then the answers to those questions would clearly be no.

Would the team be "Kobe's Team" after he signed? Sure. He'd be the veteran, he'd be the best player, he'd be the leader. For those of you who think that this team will ALWAYS and FOREVER be Roy's team: you're fooling yourself. He's a good player and he's showing a lot of maturity and leadership, but he's not an MVP level player, and he has never led the team out of the lottery, let alone to a championship. I don't think that he would mind sharing the burden of leadership with Bryant or another player of his caliber (of course, there are only 2 or 3 others at that level).

If fact, there is precedent for Roy taking a back seat: at UW he was effective in a more supporting role with Robinson, Conroy, and Simmons. His emotional makeup appears to be flexible enough to do whatever the team needs from him.

While I believe that some fans--including some on this board--would be upset if Portland signed Kobe, I think the response in the city would be tremendously supportive. Pritchard and Allen have demonstrated a willingness to build a team that is capable of challenging for a title, and if they managed to sign Bryant the city would suddenly turn on them? For bad actions that Bryant did years ago? I don't buy it for a second. 

Ed O.


----------



## ProZach (Oct 13, 2005)

MARIS61 said:


> You sir, are delusional.
> 
> Blazers fans took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin over player offenses that pale by comparison to the anal rape Kobe committed. And some of those players were quite likeable people and definitive team players.
> 
> ...




I think you overvalue your own opinion, not every thinks like you. Kobe is polarizing, but that means that a lot of people like him. There's a reason he's gotten MVP chants in opposing teams buildings. There's a reason that right now over in China he's getting the biggest cheers on the USA team, even some chants from the Chinese. And as much as I hate to destroy your core beliefs and everything you hold dear, he is proving to be a team player by focusing more on defense than offense. He may not be as universally loved as MJ, but he is much more likable than say... you.

And it's disgusting that you seem to take enjoyment in the term "anal rape" because you use it so much. He was not convicted, you were not there, you are talking out of your ***. Now that I'm aware of this "ignore list" I guess I'll try it out on you.


----------



## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Ed O said:


> OR...
> 
> You can stop posting and/or reading this thread and let the rest of us continue to talk about it.
> 
> ...


Not good at all since this this thread is a total load of BS and quite actually an insult to Blazer fans that have half a brain on how the NBA functions. Carry on if you wish, I know my word isnt the law, just trying to point out the complete and utter stupidity of this idea/thread.

By all means, keep discussing this topic


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> Would the team be "Kobe's Team" after he signed? Sure


wow, if you think Kobe would come in and it would automatically be his team, you are way off. Its definitely Roy and Odens team. YOu don't walk into a team and become the leader. You have to earn it.



> Not good at all since this this thread is a total load of BS and quite actually an insult to Blazer fans that have half a brain on how the NBA functions. Carry on if you wish, I know my word isnt the law, just trying to point out the complete and utter stupidity of this idea/thread.


I agree that this thread is rediculous.


----------



## ebott (Jan 7, 2003)

MARIS61 said:


> You sir, are delusional.
> 
> Blazers fans took this franchise to the edge of financial ruin over player offenses that pale by comparison to the anal rape Kobe committed.


No, they didn't. Blazer fans stopped coming because the team stopped winning. The off the court issues were a solid scape goat. 

But people kept coming to games at the height of the JailBlazer era. It wasn't until the 03-04 season (ironically the season we got rid of most of the remaining jailblazers) when we didn't make the playoffs that attendance took a big drop.



> And some of those players were quite likeable people and definitive team players.
> 
> Kobe will never be likeable, never be a team player, and he anally raped a girl and then bought his way out of prison by threatening her and smearing her name.
> 
> He is a POS and so is anyone who supports him.


So if we signed Kobe and in 10-11 we went on to set the all time record for wins you would shun the team? You wouldn't go the games? You wouldn't watch games on TV?

I find that very very hard to believe.


----------



## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

I'm wondering, how could a Blazer fan possibly be against this?


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Not good at all since this this thread is a total load of BS and quite actually an insult to Blazer fans that have half a brain on how the NBA functions.


"How the NBA functions", huh?

Yes, you're right. I do not have a half a brain (nor a whole brain, which is presumably good enough to not be insulted according to you) and I pay no attention to how the NBA functions. Fortunately you're here to add absolutely nothing to the thread other than that you're tired of it and only ignorant morons would continue to post.

Ed O.


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> wow, if you think Kobe would come in and it would automatically be his team, you are way off. Its definitely Roy and Odens team. YOu don't walk into a team and become the leader. You have to earn it.


Mmm hmm.

I see.

And Oden has "earned" it... how?

Ed O.


----------



## Miksaid (Mar 21, 2005)

Jacoby_Ellsbury said:


> I'm wondering, how could a Blazer fan possibly be against this?


There is nothing that even closely rivals my Blazer fandom as much as my "hate" towards the Laker organization. I don't think I would be as into the Blazers, or basketball in general, if it wasn't for my distaste towards the Lakers (and thus, Kobe Bryant). I think Nate4Prez brought up the point perfectly when he mentioned the generation of fans who have had the 2000 WCF etched into their minds. He is correct, I am one of them. To me, getting Kobe would be a cop-out (which by the way, would never happen). Sort of like cheating as a means of winning a championship. It's irrational since the bottom line for any team should always be to win, no matter what. And I am a proponent of that, so long as winning involves beating Kobe. Getting Kobe, would neuter my excitement for anything Blazers but it will not be enough to snuff it out completely.

I always thought that liking Kobe and being a Blazer fan were mutually exclusive. I'm actually surprised that many people would not mind him on the team. It's not a bad thing (actually that's a lie, it is, all of you are traitors ha ha ha). Just a view that I didn't think so many of us shared.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Miksaid said:


> I always thought that liking Kobe and being a Blazer fan were mutually exclusive. I'm actually surprised that many people would not mind him on the team.


I don't know any of these players and I'm not looking to be friends with any of them. When it comes to watching basketball, I like good basketball players. Kobe is a very good one. Thus, I love watching him play.

If he can be acquired to help my favourite team win, and I can unify enjoying watching him play and rooting for my team, so much the better.

Also, for meru: If Portland acquires Kobe, they don't have to worry about guarding him.


----------



## Miksaid (Mar 21, 2005)

Minstrel said:


> I don't know any of these players and I'm not looking to be friends with any of them. When it comes to watching basketball, I like good basketball players. Kobe is a very good one. Thus, I love watching him play.
> 
> If he can be acquired to help my *favourite team* win, and I can unify enjoying watching him play and rooting for my team, so much the better.
> 
> Also, for meru: If Portland acquires Kobe, they don't have to worry about guarding him.



Good points. But what constitutes a person having a favorite team? Is it the players on the team? How well the team plays? The affiliation one has with whichever region that that team represents? To me, being a fan of a team means touching bases with at least a little bit of each of these aspects (among many others). Therefore I am invested, somewhat, in the image/ attitude/ history that players project in addition to their actual basketball skills. I actually really enjoy watching Kobe play and it would be difficult, but not impossible, for me to enjoy him playing on the Blazers.


----------



## kflo (Jun 28, 2002)

MrJayremmie said:


> wow, if you think Kobe would come in and it would automatically be his team, you are way off. Its definitely Roy and Odens team. YOu don't walk into a team and become the leader. You have to earn it.


yes, oden has earned it much more than kobe bryant. kg worked years to be a leader of the celts. shaq was rejected by the lakers. jordan ostracized by the wizards. kareem had to beg the lakers to let him in the club, just like wilt before him. barkley took years to mesh with the suns. it's really quite a hazing these superstars usually undergo before they're accepted as a leader. moses a nothing upon joining the sixers. i mean, what has kobe actually done to deserve the respect of a brandon roy or lma or rudy or oden or whoever's playing pg? i mean, there's a long history of star players needing a long time to earn any leadership title. 

you're acting as if roy and oden have a long history of success as leaders of the champion blazers. it's no disrespect, at all, to bring in kobe and play around his strengths. it actually shows a firm commitment to winning that they should actually appreciate.

do you really think the blazers players themselves have anywhere near the animosity towards kobe as some fans do? they see a guy like kobe, or any other superstar player, and respect them and their game and what they've proven. and it's not like roy is a 30 ppg player who will no longer be getting his shots. there's a chance he could end up getting more, and better looks, with kobe next to him. and with how well bynum played last year, it would seem like a decent situation for oden to be in as well.

the blazers are ultimately not much different than other franchises, the job of kp little different than the job of other gm's. put together the best possible team you can. and the fans will accept them overall if they win. and it's not like kobe's someone who's constantly involved in legal troubles. he's had one dismissed case in his life. not exactly a huge risk to bring back the jailblazer days. 

hated players join opposing clubs. it happens. people adapt. players adapt.


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Miksaid said:


> Good points. But what constitutes a person having a favorite team? Is it the players on the team? How well the team plays? The affiliation one has with whichever region that that team represents? To me, being a fan of a team means touching bases with at least a little bit of each of these aspects (among many others).


It's pretty random. By and large, probably geography (though, not for me as a Blazer fan, as I've never lived in Oregon). It can't be "the players"...99% of fans liked the team before these players were here and will like them after these players are gone. And if it is "how well the team plays," isn't that the dreaded "bandwagon effect?"



> Therefore I am invested, somewhat, in the image/ attitude/ history that players project in addition to their actual basketball skills.


That's cool. A lot of people took that attitude when hoping for Bonzi Wells and Rasheed Wallace to be gotten rid of. It's not my attitude. I leave their personal lives to law enforcement and their friends and family. I only take an interest in their basketball.


----------



## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

BlazerCaravan said:


> He'd make a great 3rd SG to backup Roy and Rudy.


Yes, absolutely.

How do you rank the west after acquiring Kobe?


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Ballscientist said:


> Yes, absolutely.
> 
> How do you rank the west after acquiring Kobe?


Best team in NBA history. But #2 seed in the West.


----------



## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Minstrel said:


> Best team in NBA history. But #2 seed in the West.


Truth, but primarily because MARIS61 would be putting efforts into undermining them.

Ed O.


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> Truth, but primarily because MARIS61 would be putting efforts into undermining them.
> 
> Ed O.


I wonder though, would Kobe backup our true SG, Steve Blake?


----------



## ehizzy3 (Jun 12, 2006)

Dan said:


> I wonder though, would Kobe backup our true SG, Steve Blake?


:clap::clap::clap:


----------



## MrJayremmie (Dec 29, 2007)

> the blazers are ultimately not much different than other franchises, the job of kp little different than the job of other gm's. put together the best possible team you can. and the fans will accept them overall if they win. and it's not like kobe's someone who's constantly involved in legal troubles. he's had one dismissed case in his life. not exactly a huge risk to bring back the jailblazer days.
> 
> hated players join opposing clubs. it happens. people adapt. players adapt.


I understand this point of view, but i don't agree. I really do think there is more than just winning. KP even said so, he wants to win with the good character guys (not saying that Kobe isn't) and in the culture he is trying to create. He wouldn't want to win with the old jailblazers team.

I'll bite my tongue on the rest of your post, since your examples are way off of the situation this Blazer team is in, and the reason Kobe would come to this team. I think this thread needs to die so i won't continue to feed it. Just go look at the Spain vs USA dilemma thread and see the opinions on Kobe.


----------



## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

Now let me get this straight...

The Lakers went to the NBA finals last year...

The Lakers are the likely favorites (or one of 2-3) to win the NBA title this year...

Yet Kobe having all this...will go to POR...for less money than the Lakers could give him?

I am all for speculating...but Kobe coming to POR seems to be quite a reach...even for speculation...


----------



## meru (Jul 2, 2003)

Minstrel said:


> Also, for meru: If Portland acquires Kobe, they don't have to worry about guarding him.


Who's worried? You're still dead to me, by the way.

This whole thread has me thinking: make that comeback Darius! I'm rooting for you!


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

meru said:


> Who's worried?


You. Between America-hating threads, you started one wondering and worrying about how this team will guard the Kobe Bryants of the world.



> You're still dead to me, by the way.




How about we trade for Rondo, too? Rondo, Roy and Kobe. The average over all three of them is meru-acceptable?


----------

