bionic77 said:
Just because Jordan did a particular move no one else can ever do it?
Never said that. But what he
should do is try to mix it up a bit-- you know, create some of your own shit and THEN toss in the prefab Jordan stuff.
As it stands, I've never seen Kobe do anything "new" (besides shot-making in the air, which is different on every attempt for every player) that Jordan hasn't. If he's as great as people claim, let him redefine the game even
slightly (slightly is all I ask, which shouldn't be asking much from "OMG TEH GREATEST EVAR" in Kobe). :lol
Also, it'd be nice if th moves just flowed from his abilities as opposed to explicitly studying tape and practicing specific moves, which he
undoubtedly has. It's tasteless, especially for a great player with all the talent in the world-- has he so little confidence in his
own ability to create? Considering that he hasn't "created" anything yet in 8 years in the league, perhaps so...
At most I will give you the point that maybe Kobe has taken some of Jordan's footwork (and of course improved on it)
"Maybe"? :lol Dude...DUDE.
Improved on it? He's just starting to use it now-- give him a few years and maybe he can use them at a Jordan level of competency. Besides, "improved on it" implies that he's ADDED something to these moves-- some new wrinkle of his own creation; he has done no such thing-- they're
exactly the same moves I was watching 10-12 years ago.
but I won't take it as a fact that you have memorized every SG of all time just because you have taped a few Bulls playoff games and watched them until the tape broke
I've watched roughly 150 NBA games between this season and last (including playoffs), and during ANY game I watch I pay close attention to the movements of players, especially stars-- to their footwork and other techniques. As a ball player, that's what I focus on; I'm just being honest. And I can swear on a stack of Bibles (and you know I wouldn't do that unless it were true) that
I have never seen another star player use Jordan-specific footwork or techniques even once. Now, perhaps they HAVE used them infrequently, but I didn't see those games-- but I find it highly suspicious when I somehow ALWAYS manage to see Kobe do them whereas I have NEVER seen any other player use them even once. A bit suspicious, no? And a bit suspicious that it's coming from the player who's been pegged as an artificial MJ wannabe ever since he came into the league (and for good reason; Kobe to Ron Harper in the 4th Q against the Pacers in the 2000 Finals: "What would Mike do?" :lol).
Kobe definitely has a style that is all his own when you watch him play. For example, Kobe rarely relies on his hangtime the way Jordan did, more often he tries to use angles to attack the basket and get his shot off instead. Just one of many examples of how different their games are. I am sure if someone tried hard enough they could find someone who did all of that before Kobe, but who the fuck cares?
Except for the fact that "using angles to get to the basket more easily" is nowhere NEAR as specific as the movements and mannerisms I'm referring to. In fact, it's very general; there are only two ways to get to the hoop: you either go AROUND people (i.e., exploiting angles) or you go THROUGH people (hangtime/posterization). And besides, I wouldn't say that Kobe's any better at exploiting angles and openings to the basket than Jordan was, but that's another story entirely; besides, I'm sure you'd disagree...
Their games are actually quite similar except for the fact that Kobe settles for the jumper more frequently than Jordan did at his age (Kobe's a bit of a better jump-shooter at age 26 than MJ was), partly because he's better at it and partly because he's not as aggressive as Jordan was and doesn't have the vision/quickness to get to the rim at will the way Jordan did. And make no mistake-- a
lot of getting to the basket is a "vision" (i.e., imagination/creativity") thing, and I'm not even referring to the hangtime antics once a player get there, but rather seeing the entire floor and finding gaps in the defense and using players' momentum and weaknesses against them. That's a creative thing imo.
Oh that is right, Jordaphiles who have had nothing to do with their time since 1998.
Sure we have-- we've been having fun watching some clown on the Lakers sloppily (yet brazenly) try to crib all our favorite player's moves.
