Bleacher Report - Articles by James Samson

Kobe Bryant MVP? Who Cares!

James Samson — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:38:01 -0500

I will be the first to argue that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league. The man is unbelievable. He has the whole arsenal. There is no weakness in his game.

However, does this mean he will finally win the Most Valuable Player award? Highly unlikely because of what the award actually stands for now.

The MVP award has turned into a sickening popularity contest. Just look at the past four winners Kevin Garnett 2003-2004, Steve Nash twice 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and Dirk Nowitzki 2006-2007. Now let us examine how many championships those players have won in those four years. Oh yeah ZERO! In fact none of them even made it to the finals the year they won the award.

So what does the "most valuable player" actually mean?

Nowadays it seems as though if you are on a good REGULAR SEASON team, and you are likable towards the media, you are a shoo-in to win.

How can Steve Nash, who is a good player, win it two times in a row? The man has never even led any team to an NBA Finals. In my opinion, he is the product of the perfect system for his game. He should not even be mentioned with the past winners. In fact if he never wins a championship he should not be in the hall of fame.

If you want to argue with me on that go check his stats for the first four years of his career and then argue him being in the hall of fame.

I want to see them give the award at the end of the season.

How about we combine the MVP with the finals MVP. Isn't it more logical to agree that the team that wins it all actually had the most valuable player? This would solve the problem of people like Nash becoming a multiple winner.

This year I believe Lebron James will win the MVP award. Why? Only because you see him every five minutes on ESPN.

Lebron is a fine player, and I have nothing bad to say about him or his game. I think that he has the potential to one-day dominate the NBA. However, the league and Nike are shoving Lebron down our throats much like they did MJ. It is hard for most people not to give into the hype surrounding Lebron.

Lebron actually might be the most like Jordan because both are given too much credit for what they actually did.

Now many of you will call it blasphemy for me not to agree that Jordan was the best player of all-time, but I will leave that for another day. However, in case you were wondering it was Magic Johnson.

Kobe Bryant has really grown this year.

He has finally given up the thought that he could do it all. Even before the Gasol trade he had the Lakers playing great basketball. Now the Lakers are looking like the team to beat not only this year, but perhaps for the next five years.

All this does not guarantee him being this years MVP.

If he does win it than we can finally say the award finally has validity again.

Maybe the most valuable player award isn't as valuable as it once was. It has lost all of its prestige. So who cares if Kobe doesn't win this year or any year after that.

A friend of mine said that he would rather see four more championships for the Kobe led Lakers than one Kobe MVP award.

I agree with him.

I am sure Kobe would too.

Los Angeles Lakers Are For Real: Be Afraid

James Samson — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:35:51 -0500

In a good old fashioned Wild Wild West shootout, the Los Angeles Lakers took the Phoenix Suns' best shot then presumed to outplay them down the stretch for a 130-124 victory, with Kobe Bryant scoring 41 points.

The Lakers came into Phoenix with all of the hype surrounding the arrival of Shaq and left with a share of the lead in the Pacific division. They sent a resounding message to the rest of the league: They have arrived and are looking virtually unstoppable.

The highly anticipated debut of Shaquille O'Neal turned into a Lakers coming out party. L.A. and their version of the big three—Kobe, Gasol, and Odom (soon to be big four when Bynum gets back)—combined for 92 points.

This brought a tear of joy to your humble writer my dear friends, for I, like true and loyal Laker fans, have been patiently waiting for someone besides "81 points" to step up in a big game.

Pau Gasol continues to amaze me with his skill and incredible touch. His hook-shot at the end of the third brought memories of "El Capitan". Since joining the Lakers Gasol is shooting an astonishing 65 percent on 13 field goals a game while averaging 22 points.

I knew he was good in Memphis, but never did I imagine him being this good with the Lakers.

Lamar Odom is coming into his own since the Gasol trade, averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists all while shooting 62 percent from the field. He is obviously more relaxed being the third option.

As if there was nothing more to be happy about, my boy Sasha "The Machine" Vujacic has finally shown he is more than just a pesky defender. He is averaging 10 points and is shooting 50 percent from the field since the trade. He and Farmar are the second team's fire-starters.

The Lakers showed last night that they could run and gun with the Suns. On two down-the-stretch possessions Gasol outran Shaq down the floor. Both led to dunks, one for a three point play.

All game long Kobe made minced meat of the Suns' defense. To quote Kobe from awhile back, he was Geppetto and the Suns were his puppets.

Raja Bell, who is known for his defense, should have locked Kobe in the locker room before the game because he got lit up by Bryant. To make matters worse he got K.O. by Shaq's elbow, which by the way is the size of a normal person's knee.

The Lakers have size, speed, strength, outside shooting, great bench play, and oh yeah, someone named Kobe.

The rest of the league was watching last night—whether live or on TiVo, but they were for sure watching. What they saw was a team with the kind of hunger and talent that leads to championship(s).

I know the championship runs through San Antonio, but perhaps with a wrong turn at Albuquerque the route got changed to Los Angeles.

Dear Mitch Kupchak: A Valentines Day Apology

James Samson — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:10:28 -0500

Dear Mitch,

Happy Valentines Day!

I know these past few years have been rough, but today I wanted to say sorry for all the mean things I have said about you through the years.

I am sorry I called you a clueless moron when you traded Shaq for Odom, Butler, and Brian Grant. I didn't mind losing Shaq; I just mind the people we got in return for him.

Now I realize that, aside from Brian Grant and his huge contract, we made out well with that trade.

Odom is playing the best basketball of his life. The man is a walking triple double.

We traded Butler for Kwame (oh I am also sorry for that, but we can't blame you for that one you weren't the only person duped by Kwame—cough, Jordan), but we traded Kwame for Gasol. That was pure genius on your part.

We also used Miami's pick to draft Farmar, and I love that Bruin!

I am sorry for all the times I called you a coward for not pulling the trigger on any Bynum trades.

Now I know that you saw potential greatness in Bynum, which is something many Laker fans could not.

I am sorry I never realized how good you are at drafting players.

Even though we have had only one lottery pick since you became general manager, you hit it big by drafting Bynum.

We drafted Jordan Farmar late in the first round and he has a bright future.

We drafted Sasha "The Machine" late in the first round as well. I don't know if there is any player in the league more annoying to the opposing team's star players.

Brian Cook became a piece in another great trade you made this year—the acquisition of Trevor Ariza.

Ronny Turiaf was a steal in the second round. His enthusiasm and high basketball IQ is priceless.

Luke Walton, another second round steal, has become a solid all-around player.

Crittenton was another great pick, especially now that you packaged him and others for Gasol. Did I mention that was genius???

I am sorry I gave up on you and the Laker management when you didn't put both Kobe and me out of our misery by trading him to the Bulls, who at the time seemed like a better team.

Thank god you didn't trade Kobe or else I would have either moved to Chicago or subscribed to NBA league pass. Neither of which a starving student like myself can afford.

Lastly I am sorry for all the times I wanted you fired.

I should have known that with an MBA from UCLA's Anderson you invested for the long-term.

Love,

Your new loyal supporter, James

Childhood Pastime, Lifetime Love: Remember When Michael Jordan Lost to the Pistons?

James Samson — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:38:22 -0500

Sports has been the love of my life for as long as I can remember. My father would take me to Raider games at the old L.A. coliseum back in the late eighties when they were still a respectable franchise—and I am still a fan, sad to say.

I remember crying when, back in the day, Michael Jordan lost to the Pistons. Yes, I was a Jordan fan before he had that many. Looking back, I wish I’d been old enough to appreciate Magic.

The nineties was joyful. Six Bulls championships and Jordan’s rise to master status, becoming arguably the greatest player to ever lace up.

The Raiders were still a sorry lot, but I cheered them on all the same.