(2011)-2012 NBA Season
- Thread starter Alidar Jarok
- Start date
ESPN reporting that the Lakers have pulled out of the Paul deal and have traded Lamar to Dallas for future draft considerations. It is a weird wacky world.
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7340640/los-angeles-lake
Wha-at? They backed out of the Paul trade? 
That's a hell of a player to sacrifice from your roster. Could somebody....gasp....actually be thinking in the long term?
Oh, I see now that I read the article. They think they can get Dwight Howard.
That's a hell of a player to sacrifice from your roster. Could somebody....gasp....actually be thinking in the long term?Oh, I see now that I read the article. They think they can get Dwight Howard.
Are you referring to the Lakers or the Hornets?Wha-at? They backed out of the Paul trade?
The Lakers aren't really concerned that much about "the long term". They're more concerned with keeping a solid group around Kobe for his final few productive years.
As for the Hornets, their GM and staff are concerned about the long term but David Stern sure isn't.
Harder for me to see this happening without Lamar to include in the deal. Bynum AND Gasol is not happening.
I certainly hope not.
We'd have no power forward!
I'm kinda bummed Odom went to Dallas. I wonder how that Wookie he's married to is going to like Texas?
So are the Lakers under the impression that Kobe is going to be playing when he's 50? They're defining short sightedness Not that I mind. It clears the way for my Thunder. I'm positively giddy about the short, packed schedule. Two things it favors--a team than can go 9 or 10 deep and a team whose roster is comprised mostly of very young players with the stamina to handle it. Guess who has both?
Plus, Perkins aka the "old man's" knee is much, much better.
Plus, Perkins aka the "old man's" knee is much, much better.
Yes, for the Lakers it is all about "shortsightedness". Making plans for 5-6 years down the line makes no sense for them - not when you might be able to squeeze 1 or 2 more championships into the final years of Kobe's physical capabilities.
So the Lakers right now are making moves that have very little long term positive impact but are geared to have an effect on right now. They'll go into rebuilding mode when Kobe either retires or becomes physically unable to lead the team to championships. It's a difficult concept for fans of other teams around the league to grasp sometimes but this is the way it's always been with the Lakers when on a championship run.
As always in the NBA it is about the playoffs and in the playoffs, depth doesn't matter and depending on who you're playing, youth can be a detriment.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-kobe-bryant-divorce,0,3732438.story
Kobe Bryant and his wife are getting a divorce. They had no pre-nup.
Kobe Bryant and his wife are getting a divorce. They had no pre-nup.
How can someone say it was consensual and then 'understand' how the girl felt it wasn't?
Afterward, Bryant agreed to apologize to Faber for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize ....I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.".....
He can say that because he's a rapist rationalizing his actions. You have to admit that the above quote is pretty creepy. She probably went to his room willingly, then changed her mind or something similar. A disturbing number of men believe that once you come to their room, consent is given--period. I realize she was only 20 years old at the time, but Vanessa should have left his sorry ass back in 2003. A philanderer is a philanderer and he was on the road constantly. He's not going to change. The folks at yahoo are lamenting that "poor Kobe" is going to get taken to the cleaners.
Cry me a river and keep it zipped. You have to wonder why they get married. Seriously. If you want to sleep with a number of women, that's fine. It's your choice, but why get married? It's the same situation with Tiger Woods. You have to wonder why he got married as he obviously had no intention of being monogamous.
You notice in the article that Kobe is already saying he's gonna pony up the alimony. Dude's in damage control mode. I suspect he's been a very bad boy in the interim when he was away from home. He's not the only one I'm sure, but he's the one here in the news.
He can say that because he's a rapist rationalizing his actions. You have to admit that the above quote is pretty creepy. She probably went to his room willingly, then changed her mind or something similar. A disturbing number of men believe that once you come to their room, consent is given--period. I realize she was only 20 years old at the time, but Vanessa should have left his sorry ass back in 2003. A philanderer is a philanderer and he was on the road constantly. He's not going to change. The folks at yahoo are lamenting that "poor Kobe" is going to get taken to the cleaners.
Cry me a river and keep it zipped. You have to wonder why they get married. Seriously. If you want to sleep with a number of women, that's fine. It's your choice, but why get married? It's the same situation with Tiger Woods. You have to wonder why he got married as he obviously had no intention of being monogamous.You notice in the article that Kobe is already saying he's gonna pony up the alimony.
Dude's in damage control mode. I suspect he's been a very bad boy in the interim when he was away from home. He's not the only one I'm sure, but he's the one here in the news.
The fact is, Katlyn did go to his room willingly and did have sex with Kobe willingly. It was only after he treated her like, well -- what she was, that she determined she had been sexually assaulted and that she could get paid. There was not a shred of evidence she had been assaulted. The reason she didn't go through with testifying at a trial is because defense counsel was going to rip her to shreds and point out a number of lies and un-rape-victim-like behavior she displayed following the incident. She filed her civil suit shortly after the charges were dropped, naturally.
Unfortunately, in most states, Colorado being foremost, a man can be charged, tried, and convicted of sex assault with no more evidence than a "victim's" accusation. This is what Kobe got caught up in. He was no more a rapist than Katlyn Faber was a victim.
It has been common knowledge for years that Kobe didn't have a pre-nup (still not confirmed, however), at least in L.A. It is but one of the reasons his family and long time agent did not attend the wedding. They were both too young. Kobe was only 22 or 23 at the time. As for the terms of the divorce, the only thing that has been reported is that the financial split, between alimony and child support has already been settled and there won't be a big ugly fight.You notice in the article that Kobe is already saying he's gonna pony up the alimony.
My personal opinion is that Kobe wanted out of the marriage. I do feel for his girls though who stand to see even less of him with the divorce. I hope Kobe (and Vanessa) takes steps to minimize the impact of this on the kids' lives.
You can't "sort of rape" someone. There's no gray area where it can be viewed "differently." It's like being a little pregnant. He understands that she feels she didn't give consent? Come on.....if he's not guilty, why isn't he screaming it from the rooftop? If some bitch was lying that I'd committed sexual assualt, I'd never give her the public benefit of a doubt by saying that I understood that she felt she didn't give consent. I'd be saying, "I didn't do it. She's lying."
I can see a victim not wanting to go to trial when the accuser has high powered attorneys capable of tearing her to shreds. Kobe's screwing around. Always has. Lots of professional athletes behave the same way when they're on the road. Some men are just cheaters whether their wives are pretty, meet their needs, whatever. Some men just cheat. It's a playboy model named Jessica Braciaga this time around or so sayeth the gossip mongers. Vanessa finally got tired of it if that's true. Who can blame her? I hope they can keep it civil for their kids. That is the most important. You're right.
Hell, I think Kevin Durant of my Thunder is a sweetie, but if he ever uttered the words "I can see how she feels it wasn't consensual" I'd be done with him in a heartbeat. The whole business was so unbelievably icky. Kobe's quote is disturbing on so many levels.
I can see a victim not wanting to go to trial when the accuser has high powered attorneys capable of tearing her to shreds. Kobe's screwing around. Always has. Lots of professional athletes behave the same way when they're on the road. Some men are just cheaters whether their wives are pretty, meet their needs, whatever. Some men just cheat. It's a playboy model named Jessica Braciaga this time around or so sayeth the gossip mongers. Vanessa finally got tired of it if that's true. Who can blame her? I hope they can keep it civil for their kids. That is the most important. You're right.
Hell, I think Kevin Durant of my Thunder is a sweetie, but if he ever uttered the words "I can see how she feels it wasn't consensual" I'd be done with him in a heartbeat. The whole business was so unbelievably icky. Kobe's quote is disturbing on so many levels.
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Kobe's statement wasn't an admission of guilt. What he was saying was that he thought the encounter was consensual but now knows differently. Your assumption is probably that Katlyn was screaming for him to stop and he relentlessly continued. That was not the case. Her reported statements to the police were that she never said no, never said stop or resisted in any way. That is the reason Kobe thought she was consenting. It wasn't until after the encounter (and because he needed to say this as part ending the problem) that he realized she thought it was sexual assault.
It is a problem with the law. A man can think he is having consensual sex -- the woman doesn't try to stop him, she never says no or resists. I'm talking here about situations where the couple is acquainted rather than a situation involving strangers. But a woman doesn't have to attempt to stop the guy or even say no for her to later decide it was assault. After which some over zealous DA, attempting to make a name for him or herself, might attempt to prosecute the case. This is what happened to Kobe. Had he been a bit more enlightened environment this case probably would never have seen the light of day. A similar situation occurred this past summer involving a young Lakers' player. He had consensual sex with some woman who later claimed she was raped. The L.A. DA refused to prosecute because all the evidence he had was the woman's word which the DA knew just wasn't enough. See that situation with the Lacrosse players a few years ago.
Rape and sex assault laws in most states at their core are based on the belief that a woman wouldn't lie about being raped. Unfortunately, that isn't true. Some women do lie about it.
A "victim" in yours, Katlyn's, and the Mark Hurleberger's (Colorado DA) eyes only. Most states, including Colorado, have laws against allowing testimony from witnesses whose testimony relates only to the accuser's sexual past or general character. Katlyn feared going on the stand because her story was going to be ripped to shreds, not her personally. She told several lies to the DA about the incident and also proceeded to act like anything but a rape victim after the incident. Kobe's attorneys reportedly had solid proof [DNA proof] that she had sex with another man within 24 hours of the incident -- before she reported the incident to the police. That incident alone called into question part of the so called evidence which was vaginal abrasions.
That is only because you don't really know that much about sex assault laws.
Kobe was looking at a possible 20 years or so in prison, the end of his career, having to register as a sex offender, if he had been convicted (and I don't think he would have been). It is real easy for you or anyone to say that a guy should "shout from the mountaintop" that he is innocent, but in reality, anyone would say or pay just about anything or amount to end the circus.
(edited to add): Another reason Katlyn refused to testify was because if the DA put on his case and Kobe was acquitted, it would damage her civil case. She had retained civil attorneys before she refused to testify, probably on her civil attorney's advice. So she had a vested interest in not testifying and risking the money she was after. Speculation on my part, admittedly.
Finally, taking a page from your book, if she was really the victim of this horrible attack, why not risk going on the witness stand. All she risked was her reputation and she certainly wasn't thinking about that when she agreed to go up to Kobe's room that night.
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Does anyone know what Dwight Howard's problem is? The Magic have been competitive each year. Why does he want out so badly?
My guess is that he wants win a championship rather than just be competitive. He, apparently, has lost confidence in the Magic organization's ability to produce a team capable of winning a championship. Though why he thinks the Nets' organization is any more capable than the Magic's is beyond me.
BTW, from the looks of his line against the Thunder, he may already be traded -- in his head, I mean.
Well, that's part of my thoughts. He's becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy. If he plays like that, the team will almost certainly not win a championship. But that doesn't mean they didn't have potential otherwise. If the Heat collapse, they're in the running (if the Heat play up to their talent, no one else can compete). I would have thought they deserved to be in the same sentence as the Bulls and Knicks before the season.
How about that Oklahoma City Thunder? Nice shot, Kevin. 
That youth and that depth off the bench is going to serve my Thunder very well indeed. So much for all the drama the media was trying to stir up because Durant and Westbrook were barking at each other during the Memphis game a night earlier. They always do that. They're both extremely competitive.
That youth and that depth off the bench is going to serve my Thunder very well indeed. So much for all the drama the media was trying to stir up because Durant and Westbrook were barking at each other during the Memphis game a night earlier. They always do that. They're both extremely competitive.
Westbrook is still very selfish for a point guard. I don't care about generally manufactured bullshit about who was arguing with who. On the other hand, I saw him get upset because the player he passed to dribbled to much and cost him an assist. That's just inexcusable in a team game.
No, Westbrook is just immature and wears his emotions on his sleeves waaaaaay too much. He'll get over the assist business quickly. He does need to grow up some. He tends to be the fly in the ointment, yes.
