Extremely OT: Kobe Bryant to retire at end of season
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14254236/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lake…
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dear-basketball/
Dear Basketball,
From the moment
I started rolling my dad’s tube socks
And shooting imaginary
Game-winning shots
In the Great Western Forum
I knew one thing was real:
I fell in love with you.
A love so deep I gave you my all —
From my mind & body
To my spirit & soul.
As a six-year-old boy
Deeply in love with you
I never saw the end of the tunnel.
I only saw myself
Running out of one.
And so I ran.
I ran up and down every court
After every loose ball for you.
You asked for my hustle
I gave you my heart
Because it came with so much more.
I played through the sweat and hurt
Not because challenge called me
But because YOU called me.
I did everything for YOU
Because that’s what you do
When someone makes you feel as
Alive as you’ve made me feel.
You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream
And I’ll always love you for it.
But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer.
This season is all I have left to give.
My heart can take the pounding
My mind can handle the grind
But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.
And that’s OK.
I’m ready to let you go.
I want you to know now
So we both can savor every moment we have left together.
The good and the bad.
We have given each other
All that we have.
And we both know, no matter what I do next
I’ll always be that kid
With the rolled up socks
Garbage can in the corner
:05 seconds on the clock
Ball in my hands.
5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
Love you always,
Kobe
November 29th, 2015 at 7:47 PM ^
I hate him even more after reading whatever that was.
I can tell this much: He didn't study literature in college.
November 29th, 2015 at 7:53 PM ^
Kone didnt go to college, he was like LeBron straight from high school
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November 29th, 2015 at 7:55 PM ^
Yes. Thank you. I didn't think I needed the /s or whatever on that one, but I guess I did.
November 30th, 2015 at 6:38 AM ^
Clearly you didn't either. There are very few athletes as well spoke as Kobe.
November 29th, 2015 at 7:48 PM ^
I know he was good. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I think he was a great scorer that needed a large volume of attempts to get his points. He played good defense for the first half of his career, and he was a horrible teammate for all of it. It always seemed like he wasn't genuine, and he was just trying to mimic Jordan's competitiveness and greatness. He was just a placeholder between Jordan and LeBron in my eyes.
November 29th, 2015 at 7:52 PM ^
This thread and not commented who cares. The NBA is boring and I thought Kobe had retired several years ago.
December 1st, 2015 at 6:20 AM ^
No you didn't.
November 29th, 2015 at 8:07 PM ^
But my god the media storm of Kobe this, Kobe that will be irritating as hell. Can you imagine the day LeBron retires? They'll be talking about it for 10 years. The Lakers upper management must be thrilled. Kobe has been holding them back ever since they last won the title in 2010.
November 29th, 2015 at 8:01 PM ^
Big fan of Kobe's. The epitome of cooler than cool keeping the lakers on another level for 2 decades.
My interest in the NBA has waned considerably, and it doesn't help that the Lakers are just another team these days.
November 29th, 2015 at 8:09 PM ^
How have we avoided posts on Richt/Nauta, but this is a thread... Am I missing something?
November 29th, 2015 at 8:10 PM ^
Edit: didn't scroll far enough
November 29th, 2015 at 8:30 PM ^
Out Kobe. Thanks for the memories. All time great.
November 29th, 2015 at 9:04 PM ^
Thank you for providing endless hours of drunken Jordan vs. Kobe debates/arguments with my Laker fan friends. They went something like this (replace Lebron w/Kobe)...
November 29th, 2015 at 9:05 PM ^
Good, fuck Kobe Bryant. I'm glad he finally realizes he is too old and sucks and I hope it eats him alive until his arrogance burns him in hell.
November 29th, 2015 at 9:12 PM ^
It's interesting that you believe hell exists.
November 29th, 2015 at 10:01 PM ^
I can only imagine what people say about you
November 29th, 2015 at 9:52 PM ^
Second best shooting guard of all time, #3 in points scored, likely #1 in work ethic. I respect the hell out of him.
November 29th, 2015 at 10:00 PM ^
Favorite non-Detroit/U-M athlete of all time
November 29th, 2015 at 10:55 PM ^
Interesting to see the poetic delivery. Living in LA the past decade, it's been clear how much smarter Kobe is than the bulk of professional athletes.
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November 30th, 2015 at 4:44 AM ^
Kobe has to be the fake at damn player ever. No one in the NBA minus a handful of players every like him. Can't wait for him to leave and go away. I live here in LA and watching him just act as if he's the reason the Lakers are and were ever any good. Dude has handcuffed this team for years
November 30th, 2015 at 9:36 AM ^
All time great.
And one of the all time downslides of a career. Last few years, even the few moments he's been healthy, have been atrocious.
But that doesn't denigrate how good he really was. One of the best ever. Most athletes have terrible ends to their career. Dan Marino's last couple years were not great. Jordan wasn't all that great with the Wizards. Ichiro has been fading bit by bit on his quest to get 3000 hits.
November 30th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^
And the Players' Tribune is quickly becoming one of my favorite sites.
He just scored 60 in his final game!! That is the way to go out!!