The Kobe Era

May 7, 2011, that was the day the Kobe era died. It happened in Dallas during a game that saw two Lakers get ejected, one take his shirt off, and the rest of the team get beat by 36 points as the door was slammed emphatically shut on the Lakers 2010-2011 season. That Saturday night also marked the end of what is considered by many to be the greatest coaching career in professional sports, and the career of one of the greatest Lakers of all time.

This season Bryant went from being Kobe! to just being Kobe. Coming off a season that featured six game winning shots, an NBA championship and about 536 eff you glares (numbers not exact); Kobe was able to make exactly zero game winning shots and the Lakers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Kobe may not have been the reason the Lakers lost, but in past years he would not have let it happen. Their is no way 2000-2010 Kobe lets that Lakers team gets swept by that Mavericks team.

For years Kobe has been the ultimate put his team on his back guy; taking every shot his team needed him to take and making seemingly all of them. From the moment this series started though it was obvious something was off. Like Vinny Chase after he got dumped by Mandy Moore, Kobe just seemed different. He started missing all the shots he never misses and when his team was down, the guy who used to take the game over was nowhere to be found. In game one with his team down by two, Kobe came off a screen to take a wide open three-pointer. The moment the ball left his hand I would have bet my life savings, my first born and every drink I will have for the rest of my life (if you know me you understand the implications of that) on that ball going for three. Instead, back iron, just long. That one shot laid out the difference between new Kobe and old Kobe. Old Kobe that shot goes in, Lakers win game one and have a good shot at the series. New Kobe that shot hits back iron, the Lakers get swept and Andrew Bynum brings the flying elbow back to the NBA.

So the era of Kobe being Kobe! comes to a close. He may still win an NBA championship but it won't be as the ruthless, unshakable assassin he used to be. As far as his legacy, say what you want about his off the court issues and general dickishness, the man has won a ton of basketball games and five NBA Titles. As fans all we can really ask of a player is that they try hard and care about what they're doing. Nobody tried harder than Kobe these last ten years. For better or for worse all he cares about is winning basketball games which is more than you can say for a lot of NBA players. The only player who cared more than Bryant was Jordan and for Chicago fans their is another young guard who may be wired the same way. And as an unashamed NBA fair weather fan who only roots for players, I would like to take this opportunity to climb off the Kobe train and ask for a spot on the D-Rose bandwagon. I'll even sit bitch, I don't care.