![]() Kobe, who prides himself on being a stand-up guy, acknowledged them. Simers, one of the few reporters Kobe trusts, asked Kobe about the rumors. Wise idea. So why did the story explode onto the nation's water-cooler stage?īecause Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Kobe said several reporters asked him about it, on and off the record, and that he refused to comment. Kobe said the Malone camp, led by agent Dwight Manley, began leaking details of Vanessa's claim to the media. We know this because we read all about it. ![]() Kobe flew into a jealous rage - just what Vanessa wanted? - and called Malone to tell him that if he ever so much as looks at Vanessa again. Vanessa claimed Malone made a pass at her in near-full view of courtside fans at a Lakers game. So how would Michael have handled the mess in which Kobe found himself with the teammate he called a "big brother and mentor," Karl Malone? The same way Kobe tried - and failed - to defuse it. Kobe's wife, Vanessa, has become almost as recognizable and controversial as her husband is. Many Michael fans wouldn't know her name or her face. His wife, Juanita, has always managed to avoid the cameras and the spotlight. Michael's marital problems briefly hit the papers, but Jordan defused them. Unfortunately, the game he chose requires four teammates. Kobe would have made a great coach-firing rock star of a tennis player. Kobe is still pretty much a spoiled-rotten brat from upper-crust Lower Merion, PA. Yet not once was Jordan accused of rape. Michael, from the tough side of Wilmington, North Carolina, has razor-sharp survival instincts. Many NBA sources believe Jordan took many more risks than Kobe has. But he had no comment and the story did no damage. A woman claiming to be a former mistress of Michael's sold her story to the National Enquirer as Michael wound up his career in Washington. Some of the raw, real Michael first surfaced in Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules." Yet Jordan refused to comment on the book, which CAME! and went. Kobe, with his new tattoos, can only act intimidating. Michael can be truly dagger-staring intimidating. Bring up anything personal with Michael, and a reporter might feel as if he were about to get punched out. That's because Jordan was far too shrewd to answer questions that were even slightly controversial. No matter how many stories circulated among reporters about Michael's carousing, none hit print. ![]() Michael played the media as street-smartly as he played basketball. It's as if Kobe, who so desperately wants to be loved, is hell-bent on committing image suicide. No matter how many risks Jordan took, he maintained a superstar-next-door image that hypnotized male and female consumers of all ages. Yet many of these potential bombs went unreported because Michael never lit the fuse by answering questions about them.Īmazingly, Michael did not step on one mine, while Kobe all but plays hop-scotch on them. Kobe can't keep his mouth shut - and he's getting killed as a result. Michael was often at war with an opposing player or the Chicago media. Michael ran off a coach, Doug Collins, in part because of their soap-opera feud. Michael punched out two nice-guy teammates during practice - Steve Kerr and Will Perdue. When I was writing columns for the Chicago Tribune, I studied Michael, and got to know him a little. Michael arrogantly strode through many of the same mines that are exploding around Kobe. Michael wasn't the best husband after hours. 's Jason Whitlock has penned a letter to Kobe Bryant, advising him to shut his mouth.īecause Kobe is lost in his own private universe. So why won't Kobe Bean Bryant ever realize his dream of being the next Michael Jeffrey Jordan?īecause the same Kobe who is invincibly confident in his strengths is astonishingly unaware of his weaknesses.īecause the same Kobe who can be so worldly and bright can also be so sheltered and dumb. ![]() Skip Bayless chatted with fans earlier Friday in The Show. Kobe can be almost as charming as Michael, when he feels like it. Kobe definitely is a more polished speaker. You can argue that Kobe is a little better looking. Kobe is a little taller, and just as quick and strong. Kobe plays with as much nightly energy and passion as Michael did, even on defense. Kobe has risen into Michael's rare air when it comes to making great late shots. Kobe Bryant is a little more gifted athletically than Michael Jordan was. ![]()
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