Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers argue whether or not Kobe should play overseas!

Should Kobe take his Talents overseas?

As everyone I'm sure has noticed, there is a lot of talk about different players, including Kobe, possibly playing overseas if there is a shortened season due to a lockout.  I understand the thinking for many of the players, but is it really something that one of the NBA's greatest players of all time should do? I'm not so sure.....

There are definitely many pros and cons about playing in a foreign land.  The first positive is obvious, practice! What better way to stay sharp than to keep playing "competitive" basketball. While this is very important for many of the young players in the league, I'm not convinced that Kobe really needs to do this to stay in a groove. With all of his injuries the last few years, I think the time would prove most valuable if he can get his body as close to 100% as possible for when the season does begin.  Another positive, would be from a purely marketing stand point.  Playing overseas in front of different markets, especially in China (where there are 1 billion people) could be great for the careers of many of the up and comers in the League.   Once again though, does Kobe really need that? I'm sure it would turn him into even more of an international superstar, but how much could it possibly do for a guy that already sells the most jerseys in China.  The risks could be huge! Kobe would be less likely to be at 100% when the NBA season begins, and the risk for further injuries really might not be worth the risk!  I've pretty much made up my mind on the idea and my opinion is that he should stay home in the USA, unless

1. Several of the NBAs top stars sign on in teams that are in the league so that the competition is high
2. Kobe would definitely need a clause in his contract, allowing him to join the lakers whenever the season returns.
3. He get's offered a mountain of $$$$, not 1 million, I'm talking $10 million plus
4. He promises that the lakers will win the 2012  NBA title
5. If I can review all of the information presented in his offer, and allow Mr. Bryant to proceed.

That's It, so Kobe, let's  make a decision here soon!

#KOBEINTHECLUTCH

King James? Let's not get ahead of ourselves!

Back in 2001 I was reading an issue of Slam Magazine and I was looking through the names on their annual Slam High School All-Americans list.  I noticed there was a sophomore on the second team, and  I was like DAMN that's kinda crazy.  The name was Lebron James from St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio.  There was a nice article on him an issue or two later and soon after that the hype surrounding him spread to the main stream.  His high school played games in a college arena and a few of his games were shown on ESPN. As soon as I saw him play I knew he was the real deal! He already had an NBA body at age 17 and his athleticism was out of this world.  He could fly! and his passing skills blew me away for someone of his size.  I was a big Lebron fan back then, even had a poster of him up there next to Kobe and MJ.  

I was all about Lebron until maybe his second year in the league.  It's really kinda funny to me the way that I started to dislike him, because at the beginning it really wasn't his fault.  In my opinion, Kobe was the best player in the NBA starting somewhere around 2001.  You have no idea how many times I had to hear that players like Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson were better. It was such a joke! Bryant had to be the best there was for literally 7 years before people would actually acknowledge that it was true!  Now Lebron on the other hand was seemingly anointed "King" almost the second that he stepped on to the floor!  For whatever reason Kobe had to do so much to get credit, and then Lebron marches in and overnight he's the best? Really?  I've never ever ever denied that Lebron could one day go down as the greatest player of all time, but I'm not gonna give him the crown based on his potential! I'm sorry! So it was really seeing him get all of the credit and glorification before he's actually put in the work that kinda started my Lebron hatred up to begin with.  It started more as a hatred of the people that put him up on the pedestal before he deserved it, more than anything!  Luckily for me, he has gone on to do more than enough to justify my disliking of him.

Imagine if they pulled some shit like this!

#FRESH

MJ KNOWS WHAT'S UP!