Fighting Words: Kobe Bryant

Joshua Siegel: What Kobe can do, Jordan could do better

With his fifth title, Kobe Bryant moves ahead of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West and now has to be considered the third best guard to ever play and one of the top ten greatest of all-time.

Robertson only won one title — and he had Kareem as a sidekick for that one – and West’s teams reached the Finals nine times, but were only victorious once. Forget Kobe’s first three titles with Shaq and how brilliant he was at the time; the guy still led his team to back-to-back championships on his own.

He has been labeled as selfish and a gunner during his career and has occasionally faded in big moments (2004 and 2008 Finals), but Kobe has become one of the best defenders in the league, the greatest shot-maker of this generation and has finally discovered how to win.

Kobe still has several dominant years ahead of him now that he has an all-world post game and does not have to throw his body into the lane for all of his buckets. He is still well behind Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, but they are not out of reach.

Christopher Losee: Stung by the Black Mamba’s venom

Josh is the new kid on the block, and your feeble attempt at putting the all-time greatest player somewhere in your top ten list is just what I expected coming from a rookie. I do not want to see your list if Kobe isn’t sitting at number one. Yeah, that’s right, in front of Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Pistol Pete Maravich, Larry Bird and Shaq.

After paralyzing the Boston Celtics to get his fifth NBA title, the Black Mamba shows critics exactly what it means to show up and get the job done. His fourth quarter mentality surpasses performances executed by former greats like Jordan and Bird. Bryant’s age of 31 gives him great potential to equal the number of titles. Titles mean everything, and when you compare the teams back then to the stacked all-star teams of today you see what Kobe is up against. When Kobe leaves the game he will have left the biggest impact in Los Angeles basketball history. It’s Kobe, then Jordan.

Andrew Taylor: Goin’ hard in the paint

Josh and Chris both talk like a bunch of guys who respect these ballers but really their words are just air balls. Kobe Bryant, the Slam Dunk Giant is the best right now and will most likely surpass Michael Jordan. To set these towel boys straight, Michael Jordan was good but he’s about as annoying as his personal shoe line. This also perfectly describes his place in NBA history- under everyone’s feet, in the bottom of dark closets or on Salvation Army racks after two years.

Kobe Bryant may be a perfect example of the worst personality ever but he can hit shots like an 18-year-old girl with a fake ID at a lame Midtown club. Kobe Bryant does what he does, and he rarely fails under pressure.

Also, Kobe has plenty of prime left in him and his supporting cast isn’t going to lose any of their power.

So here’s a message for Josh, Chris and MJ — you can keep hoping that the Jordan legacy lives on forever, but really it’ll just end drunk at a party getting punched by Chamillionare or stuck in a lame 30 second commercial with Charlie Sheen.

Judge Brannen: Jordan gets no respect, I tell ya

I like that Josh showed his grasp on hoops history, mentioning Oscar Robertson and the logo man Jerry West, but bringing up those dinosaurs in this argument is irrelevant. Robertson, West and even His Airness did not have to face off against the athletic defenses Kobe Bryant has faced.

Josh also said Bryant is not on Magic Johnson’s level but it has to be disputed. Bryant does not have the versatility and is not the distributor Magic was, but again Kobe plays in a different game than his predecessors. Magic would crumble with the presence of Ron Artest, as a teammate or defender.

Bryant is by far the best active basketball player on the planet. His 81-point performance in 2006 will likely never be topped again, and his ability to close out and win games is unparalleled.

To Chris and Andrew – I applaud your arguments but since when did you confuse Michael Jordan with Rodney Dangerfield? While his Hanes commercial with fellow womanizer Charlie Sheen is not a good look, Jordan’s impact is across the board. You know the baggy shorts basketball players wear? You can thank Jordan for that, if he didn’t come along we would probably still be watching guys running around in revealing, skin-hugging shorts so give thanks and praise to His Airness for the change in fashion.

Jordan still has the upper hand over Kobe but not by much. Bryant shares the same desire of refusing to lose. Like Jordan, teams know Kobe cannot be contained. This is a two-man race and Kobe is closing in; putting them in the same sentence is definitely a valid argument after Kobe’s fifth championship.