# Bill Simmons: Why I Don't Hate Kobe Bryant



## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

> I am a Kobe Bryant hater. At least that's what Lakers fans tell me. When Mamba exploded for a house-record 61 points in Madison Square Garden recently, they probably thought I rooted against him. (Which I did, but only because I love Bernard King, the old record-holder.) I even received a few "Can't wait to see how you put this one down!" e-mails afterward. (Which I will.) But it got me thinking: For sports purposes, what does the word "hater" even mean?
> 
> In the case of Simmons v. Bryant, it can be interpreted in one of five ways:
> 
> ...


http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3896242


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## Kneejoh (Dec 21, 2004)

Idiot.. Bill is an idiot.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Agreed; in trying to show that he's not a hater, Bill Simmons actually proves that he is a hater. 

That's what it seems like to me, anyway.


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## Venom110 (Apr 3, 2003)

> When LeBron arrived in New York two days later and notched his amazing 52/9/11, he didn't break Kobe's new record but definitely cheapened it. LeBron's 52 came in the flow of the offense. When the Knicks doubled him, he found the open man. When they singled him, he scored. He dominated every facet of the game. It was a complete performance, basketball at its finest, everything we ever wanted from King James. And it happened 48 hours after Kobe's big game … in the same building. Crazy.
> 
> I've been comparing those two games ever since. Never has basketball seemed more simple to me: I would rather watch a 52/9/11 than a 61/0/3. I would. It's really that simple. It's a matter of preference. So don't call me a Kobe hater, call me a basketball lover.



I don't even think he was trying to mask his hatred towards Kobe. His inclusion of Lebron's game into this article clearly shows where he stands. He thrives on Kobeisms because he knows that Kobe's polarizing image will bring lots of readers to his page.


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## Tyrellaphonte (Feb 21, 2004)

Lebron's in a system where he can run around, get all the attention and dish it off. Kobe's in a triangle offense. Nobody gets a lot of assists in an offense like that. And... Bill Simmons proved just how much of a hater he was. Everyone knows Lebron went for an insane game to try and one up Kobe, Bill Simmons is an idiot for not realizing that


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## DANNY (Aug 9, 2005)

to me, he's an attention whore. he should move to OKC and suck on K durant's ball.


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

DANNY said:


> to me, he's an attention whore. he should move to OKC and suck on K durant's ball.


Durant has one testicle?


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