Somebody's slipping!

I can't believe there isn't a thread here to complain about how NBA All-Star game MVP Kobe Bryant was booed at the game yesterday in his so-called hometown of Philadelphia. I know it can't be because it's no big deal, because I've seen some mentions in AP articles and such on the web, not to mention the sad whining of one local columnist. So color me shocked to see nothing here about this being another black eye on Philly fans, blah blah blah. Perhaps it's a sign of the lack of interest in the game? I know I didn't watch it. I got tired of the constant barrage of hype, with all the events and parties and such. Since I'm not a big NBA fan anyway, I couldn't be bothered.

(Besides, who was really doing all that booing? The 3,000 or so (out of 16,000-plus) 76ers season ticketholders who were lucky enough to get tickets but were forced to the highest rows of the building by the NBA's corporate greed? Or the 17,000-plus corporate pigs and publicity-slut celebrities who took most of the tickets?)

Oh well, I'll say my piece anyway.

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, but lived much of his childhood in Italy (when his father played basketball there) and spent his high school years in an affluent suburb in Pennsylvania. Then, wearing stylish sunglasses on top of his shaved head, he announced that he "decided to take my talents to the NBA" and through some sort of machinations that I can't recall at the moment wound up with the Lakers instead of some downtrodden franchise. He announced last year during the NBA finals how he was "an L.A. guy" and said, regarding the 76ers fans, that he wanted to "rip their hearts out."

Now, he expects to be treated like a hometown boy made good, just a conquering hero returning home?

Earth to Kobe: you AREN'T a Philly guy. You NEVER WERE a Philly guy. You're the enemy. By your own choice, by your own words. Get over yourself, Mr. High-And-Mighty.

Personally I'm a fan of Kobe Bryant, and have mentioned more than once that I am NOT a "fan" of the Philly boo-birds - totally tasteless and clueless no matter where they sit in the bleachers.

I do know that Bryant went from high school directly to the pros and probably scored higher on the SAT - I wont go into the validity of that test - than all but a few current NBA players, which is to say he probably wouldn't have gained anything by foregoing a multi-million dollar contract to get a college degree. Intelligence alone would have qualified him for derision among certain "Philly fans."

He's also one of the few native-born NBA players who speaks a foreign language fluently (not counting hip-hop). Speaking of hip-hop, even Allen Iverson has said he thought Bryant's treatment was unfair. His defense of Bryant may be the most honorable thing he's done. Now if he would only show some respect for the gay community I might even start to watch the Sixers play again.

Boo him during a Lakers-Sixers game if you want. but not during the All Star game, especially when he is lighting it up on his way to the MVP. Just makes the fans who booed look petty and uninformed.

The booing of Kobe was totally classless, but not at all surprising. As the previous poster said, he got the last laugh by leading the West to victory and winning the MVP trophy. He's no Michael Jordan, but he's one of the best in the NBA. (And best looking....)

Look at this smile!

I am in total shock and disbelief over this! This is a travesty! It is so appauling how they booed poor Kobe, I think we should all blow him kisses to make him feel better. I hope this travesty doesnt disrupt Kobe's career, we all need to show Kobe our support!

[quote]I am in total shock and disbelief over this!

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I'm NOT surpised at all. I kind of expected it.

Nice smile, Kobe!

Philly fans are notoriously tough and are not afraid to boo their own team (let alone a player on the opposite team--Kobe did play for the West team and did them in last year in the playoffs). It didn't help that Kobe put on Iverson-like ball-hog performance--25 shot attempts in 30 minutes.

I tend to think Kobe was booed for jacking up 25 shots in 30 minutes. He was trying to be the MVP from the very beginning. He's a ball hog and the boo birds are just classless.

Z

If you pay to get in, you have the right to cheer or boo or both or neither. If you don't want to boo when you're unhappy then don't. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, booing isn't the determining factor when it comes to whether someone has class.

All the media jackasses whining about it truly need to have their heads examined.

If the fans were truly classless, wouldn't they have booed other players?

Spoken like a true Philadelphian, Joe. All hail our classy brethren in the City of Brotherly Love.

Whatever you say, dude. Whatever you say.

[ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

C'mon Joe, no one was complaining 'til you opened the Pandora's box. Sorry if you can't handle the truth.

If those young whipper snappers werent lolli gagging around we wouldnt have this travesty anyhow!

Did the eagles have the worst home record for a division leader in the nfl? Did it have anything to do with home "support"? Maybe not? Maybe so?...