Kobe is a Cancer

I knew it years ago and probably could find an old blog entry on it. The guy is now demanding a trade from the Lakers. Basically, this is the course of events:

1. Kobe and Shaq can win several titles together, not because they have a great team, but because at the time they were two of the top five players in the NBA on a single team and didn't have any great competition.

2. Kobe's young and enormous ego can't stand the idea that maybe he could only win with Shaq and secretly wants him traded away to prove he can win games all by his lonesome.

3. While Kobe now denies that he wanted Shaq gone, it was clear at the time in both the media coverage and the Laker front office that they needed to make a choice: Shaq or Kobe and they chose Kobe. Maybe Kobe never came out and said it, but he never denied it once it became public knowledge. It is what he wanted. No doubt.

4. Shaq goes to Heat and wins Championship with Wade and Riley. And this is a lesser Shaq than with the Lakers.

5. Kobe and Phil Jackson fail to get any other superstars because no one wants to play with Kobe and frankly, Kobe doesn't want to play with anyone who would take the spotlight away from him.

6. Kobe becomes known as the single greatest talent in the NBA, scores 81 points in a single game, seems to be "the best," but never an MVP...come to think of it, he doesn't even win a playoff series.

7. Lakers become a borderline playoff team that can't get out of the first round.

8. Kobe wants to be traded.

Why is Kobe a cancer? Because he got exactly what he wanted - to have a shot at being a superstar and carry his team all by his lonesome. He fantasized about taking a team of shlubs to the championship so he could be crowned a greater player than Jordan by winning with no help at all. But he couldn't - of course he couldn't - if he had half a brain or was taugh the basics, that basketball is a team sport and not about his own glory...but no, he's missing that chromosome. He always has. And that's not something that can be taught.

So now what does he do to the organization that bent over backwards to do everything he wanted? To an organization that placed all their chips in his corner, bet on him by sacrificing everything to please him? He wants to be traded, citing their choice not to go after players that can win.

That is what cancerous people do. They bite the hand that feeds them. They are their own worst enemy, setting themselves and whoever is around them up for failure. I've been saying that for years. It's been obvious for years. And now all the Laker fans who loved Kobe - he'll feel their wrath.

And watch - the Lakers will be better in the near future. Shoot, I might even start rooting for them again. If they really want to win and get nasty, they'll trade Kobe to their rivals - the Suns - because I guarantee wherever he goes, unhappiness will follow.