Old Kobe interview about Shaq.

[kingfish]

GRAY: Do you consider Shaq to be a leader?

 

BRYANT: Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million [dollars] plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free. A leader would not demand the ball every time down the floor when you have the three of us [Malone, Payton, Bryant] playing beside you, not to mention the teammates you have gone to war with for years -- and, by the way, then threaten not to play defense and rebound if you don't get the ball every time down the floor.

 

Link

 

Pretty good interview.

[Real Deal]

GRAY: Does that mean you will miss the opener [Tuesday] night and other games?

 

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

 

GRAY: Do you feel Shaq has been supportive in regards to your legal situation?

 

BRYANT: He is not my quote unquote "big brother." A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. I spoke to Devean [George], Rick [Fox], Mitch [Kupchak], Phil, and our owner Jerry Buss. And Shaq's own Uncle Jerome called and left three messages. Other teammates like Derek [Fisher], Mark [Madsen], and [stanislav Medvedenko] left messages as well. Opponents called like [Chris] Webber, [Mike] Bibby, and many others. So did a lot of coaches. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing.

LOL.

[Real Deal]

By the way, Kobe didn't just come out and say all of this. Shaq was pushing him all summer long, going hard at him through the media and in practices, and Kobe did ask Phil to do something about it.

 

GRAY: Why not resolve this behind closed doors? Why is this so public?

 

BRYANT: I asked Phil on Sunday [yesterday] to say something to calm this situation down before it boiled over. But he backed away, so now here we are. I have been a bigger person every time something happened with Shaq, and I don't expect this to be any different. But somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year.

[magicbalala245]

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4822/screenshot20100905at121.png

[YugoRocketsFan]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/YugoRocketsFan/lolz.jpg

 

Just saying

[YugoRocketsFan]

BTW lol @ Tiger Woods giving Kobe support.

[Multi-Billionaire]

^lmao

 

I remember this whole incident... just before the season opened and the two went at each other's throat in public... and I remember Payton saying "I didn't sign for this"

[Real Deal]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/YugoRocketsFan/lolz.jpg

 

Just saying

Yeah, and Tony Parker took advantage of the pathetic backcourt defense against Cleveland, also...but we know who led the team all season long, all playoffs long, and who was the engine despite not winning Finals MVP.