This is the end of the road for Kobe Bryant. This is his final season wearing the Gold and Purple. This is it. The Black Mamba will be no more in L.A.
Now before you can bring up all the bad things, the strange things, the things that could taint his career. Before you do all of that, all we need to do is say two words – make it three.
Thank You Kobe.
Thank you Kobe for keeping part of the old school alive by staying with one team for twenty seasons. Think about that. Through all the rumors, through all the trades that should have happened, where you should have gone, you remained in L.A. You made the Lakers champions – with and without Shaq. We hate to see an injury curtail your career, but you kept pushing on. You kept coming back. No matter others want to say about your career, you stayed true to you and the Lakers.
Thank you Kobe –
For all of your game winners, for all of your moments of talking, then backing it up with your play on the court. For being the Black Mamba and having the killer instinct, something that some stars in the NBA either lack, or DON’T HAVE! PERIOD!
Thank you Kobe –
For delivering five titles to Los Angeles. For being a champion in a place of champions. For having the chip on your shoulder when after Shaq left, the masses said they would not see you win another ring – Then 2009 and 2010 came along to prove us wrong.
Thank you Kobe –
For having the killer instinct (said this already but it bears repeating) and having the gall, the balls, the nuts and the bleeping NERVE to take the final shot when people expect – and don’t expect – you to take that shot. The killer instinct that says, “I WILL MAKE THE GAME WINNING SHOT, OR THE GAME WINNING PLAY (2010 NBA Finals Game 7 assist to Ron Artest) AND WILL LIVE WITH THE RESULTS” Kind of like the REAL #23 used to do.
Which brings me to my next Thank you – Thank you Kobe – for telling the people who tried to compare you to one of the greatest “LET ME BE KOBE – I DON’T WANNA BE COMPARED TO MICHAEL JORDAN – MICHAEL IS MICHAEL.” Sounds good to me.
That above statement got me to respect Kobe and any player that finds THEIR OWN IDENTITY. And boy on the court did he create it. Though all of the stats, cannot compete with the identity, he’s been the biggest part of the Laker Renaissance. Though the last few years have not been up to standard, but since 1998 Kobe has been there, done that, and did it again. And again. And again.
Though there will be many that will break down all of your stats, all of your numbers, all of your misdeeds that have been publicized, this humble fan will never take away what you have accomplished on the court. Not to mention the indelible mark you have left on this fan, and in Los Angeles.
For all of that, the ones who are true to hoops and its history – we say:
THANK YOU KOBE!