Mike,
It's called "The Sympathy Vote" bro...that's all. It's also called "your all washed up kid". And if we take a page from Elia Kazan'sOn The WaterFront this is the exchange between Mike Miller and Kobe Bryant:
MM: "Look, kid, I - how much you weigh, son? When you weighed one hundred and sixty-eight pounds you were beautiful. You coulda been another Billy Conn, and that skunk we got you for a manager, he brought you along too fast."
KB: "It wasn't him, Mike Miller, it was you. Remember that night in the Garden you came down to my dressing room and you said, "Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson." You remember that? "This ain't your night"! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville! You was my brother, Mike Miller, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money."
MM: "Oh I had some bets down for you. You saw some money."
KB: " You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Mike Miller."
Mike, that is what happens when a Franchise tries to build a team around one man. Unlike the Spurs, who build a Team around and through a coach and the Franchise stays out of it. They (The Lakers) have been trying to bring back the glory days back to LA for quite some time with no success because all they do is focus on KoBe, kOBE, and Kobe. The man gets no rest, no breaks and carries all the load ALL the time. The expectation from the Franchise, the team and the Fans is probably overwhelming and I would imagine he just getting tired. He should have called it quits a few years back, but the attention and over inflated sense of self importance may be too hard to let go. It is all too often when we see athletes who should have stepped down at the pinnacle of achievement, when they are at the height of accomplishment, admiration and arete.
John your neighbor
