West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: Smooth on December 07, 2004, 06:31:03 PM
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Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- Karl Malone has ruled out a return to the Los Angeles Lakers because of comments made by Kobe Bryant in a radio interview, Malone's agent said Tuesday.
"Karl is furious," agent Dwight Manley said. "He felt very disrespected and betrayed after personally being the first to stand up for Kobe over the last year throughout his rape charge and all he went through."
Manley said remarks made by Bryant on Monday, coupled with what the agent called "recent personal attacks made in private," led Malone to his decision.
Asked if Malone might play elsewhere, Manley replied: "This certainly opens up that possibility."
Bryant told XTRA on Monday he didn't believe Malone, who is recovering from knee surgery, would come back to the Lakers, calling it "just intuition."
"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear.
"They are here giving me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement he hoped Manley's comments did not accurately reflect Malone's feelings about returning to the Lakers.
"If so, it is unfortunate that he would make such a decision based on the reason given," the statement added. "Kobe Bryant's interview ... merely reflected his personal opinion that Karl would probably not return to play this season. Kobe did not at any time state that Karl was not returning, nor was Kobe speaking on behalf of the Lakers management or organization."
Malone, 41, told the Lakers on Oct. 1 he was still recovering from arthroscopic surgery he underwent three months earlier on his right knee and wasn't ready to play. But he didn't rule out returning at some point this season or beyond.
Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, opted out of his $1.65 million contract following last season, making him a free agent.
After playing 18 seasons for the Utah Jazz, Malone joined the Lakers before last season in search of his first championship. He took a pay cut of about $18 million to sign for $1.5 million.
"Karl sacrificed financially to come to L.A., he sacrificed personally," Manley said. "He put his name and reputation on the line, put his arm around Kobe and said he was a good kid, tried to be his friend, told people to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"And now, basically, to get stabbed in the back, that's how he feels. This has ended any possibility of Karl returning to the Lakers in any capacity."
Malone and Bryant live about six blocks apart in Newport Beach.
Manley said his client is fully recovered from knee surgery and 100 percent physically.
"Karl will have something to say, probably in the next month or so, about his future," Manley said. "It will likely be after the first of the year. I'm personally crossing my fingers that he decides to play."
Several teams, including San Antonio, Minnesota and Miami, expressed interest in Malone during the offseason.
While with the Lakers, Malone was one of the few players who was close with both Bryant and O'Neal. Bryant signed a $136.4 million contract last summer to remain with the Lakers while O'Neal was traded to Miami.
Malone played in 1,434 of a possible 1,444 regular-season games with the Jazz, but missed 40 games with the Lakers -- 39 after tearing a knee ligament Dec. 21 against Phoenix.
He returned in March and played a key role as the Lakers reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.
LOL yo NIK I thought you said Malone was coming back?
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Malone in a T-Wolves uniform :o...i mean, the irony of it all.
Malone was the SOLE reason why Lakers beat T-Wolves. T-wolves had no one who could cover Malone. Man I was pissed watching all those drive into the key and then pass it out to a wide open Malone who would drain his jump shots >:(
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Associated Press
"They are here giving me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."
giving him 110 percent? hes just another star player not the fucking Coach, GM or Owner
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Kobe definitely has an ego problem
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LOL, wtf? He was just saying that he doesn't personally believe Karl would return to the Lakers and that people shouldn't keep holding it over Kobe's supporting cast, and yes, that's what they are, Kobe's supporting cast...There's no ego problems, it's just reality...People hate way too damn much, and this seems like another case of the press blowing shit out of proportion...As for me saying Malone would return, I didn't pull that out my ass; all my news is legit and that was from the LA Times...Kobe was obviously not tryna' stir shit up, but rather give his prospective and opinion on the situation...Anyone who doesn't see that is a moron...PeACe
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PS...This article doesn't indicate that Malone's furious at Kobe, it indicates that Malone's AGENT is furious at Kobe...
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Kobe definitely has an ego problem
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Why Kobe is an asshole #23
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Kobe needs to shut his stupid mouth and play ball. He don't have clue 1 what being a leader is all about.
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PS...This article doesn't indicate that Malone's furious at Kobe, it indicates that Malone's AGENT is furious at Kobe...
"Karl is furious," agent Dwight Manley said.
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PS...This article doesn't indicate that Malone's furious at Kobe, it indicates that Malone's AGENT is furious at Kobe...
"Karl is furious," agent Dwight Manley said.
Yep. it's Karl's agent saying Karl is furious..
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LOL, wtf? He was just saying that he doesn't personally believe Karl would return to the Lakers and that people shouldn't keep holding it over Kobe's supporting cast, and yes, that's what they are, Kobe's supporting cast...There's no ego problems, it's just reality...People hate way too damn much, and this seems like another case of the press blowing shit out of proportion...As for me saying Malone would return, I didn't pull that out my ass; all my news is legit and that was from the LA Times...Kobe was obviously not tryna' stir shit up, but rather give his prospective and opinion on the situation...Anyone who doesn't see that is a moron...PeACe
L.A Times blows. Malone himself has stated that it is obvious that Kobe doesnt want him on the team. Buss should tell Kobe to shut the fuck up, its fucking up the organization. Once the class gets back with the Lakers ill be a fan again
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LOL, wtf? He was just saying that he doesn't personally believe Karl would return to the Lakers and that people shouldn't keep holding it over Kobe's supporting cast, and yes, that's what they are, Kobe's supporting cast...There's no ego problems, it's just reality...People hate way too damn much, and this seems like another case of the press blowing shit out of proportion...As for me saying Malone would return, I didn't pull that out my ass; all my news is legit and that was from the LA Times...Kobe was obviously not tryna' stir shit up, but rather give his prospective and opinion on the situation...Anyone who doesn't see that is a moron...PeACe
L.A Times blows. Malone himself has stated that it is obvious that Kobe doesnt want him on the team. Buss should tell Kobe to shut the fuck up, its fucking up the organization. Once the class gets back with the Lakers ill be a fan again
You say LA Times blows, but they're accurate...Malone WAS planning on rejoining the Lakers, until he started bitching about Kobe's comments 2 days ago...Kobe shouldn't shut the fuck up, he just gave his opinion, damn...You fucking idiots are bitching more then Malone & his agent combined...
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Why you all are so quick to judge? The real reason of the problem is in this quote
Manley said remarks made by Bryant on Monday, coupled with what the agent called "recent personal attacks made in private," led Malone to his decision.
Obviously Byant didnt say something so negative to make a superstar like Malone feel hurted. If you read it word by word, Byant said nothing wrong. But Manley added that underlined thing which is the key! RECENT PERSONAL ATTACKS MADE IN PRIVATE. That's it. Malone is furious at Bryant because of other things, not because of that interview. And we dont know them things. So we cant judge on them.
Anyway it's a sad thing for me, i still want Malone to be a Laker again.
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That doesn't seem like the main reason Malone was angry...Malone's agent kept mentioning how the interview was disrespectful and that the interview is what made Karl change his mind...In reality, he just wants a ring and he doesn't think he can get one with the Lakers... :-\
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You can now add Karl Malone's name to the list of big babies.
What a ridiculous story. I'm so tired of the whining and the crying of millionaires who feel disrespected.
Now we have Malone, throwing a tantrum because he heard Kobe Bryant had said something unsettling about him, the great Karl Malone, and so now Malone is going to take his old, run-down body somewhere else, anywhere else besides the Lakers, and so take that.
In fact, now we're hearing from Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, that Malone is 100% healthy, digging the knife deeper so everyone can feel the pain of losing Malone now that Bryant has disrespected him.
Malone is going to take his sneakers elsewhere, as we're being told, because Karl "is furious," his agent also telling Fred Roggin on KMPC (1540) radio that for Kobe "to say Karl is a distraction is not appropriate."
I read Bryant's comments from his radio interview on XTRA in the newspaper, and Bryant never used the word "distraction," which would have been accurate, though, in describing Malone's appearances this season at Staples Center.
The Lakers are a work in progress, and Malone has attended several Laker games, sitting at courtside directly across from the Laker bench … the great savior waving to his former teammates. How distracting.
Listen to any coach or player talk about a teammate who has been injured or lost for a time, and as the old sports cliche goes, "We can only play with the guys we have and do the best we can."
In so many words, Bryant said the same thing, although he did give us another ego overdose when he said, "[The players] are here giving me 110%."
latimes.com
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^^Damn man, I already made a whole thread with all of that in there...Pay attention.
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Actually this is another article, where they say Malone is as cry baby as Kobe..
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Actually this is another article, where they say Malone is as cry baby as Kobe..
its the same one but just shortened
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Actually this is another article, where they say Malone is as cry baby as Kobe..
Jesus fucking Christ, it's the same shit...
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Butler is saying Malone is too sensitive ;D
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What should happen is these young punks in the NBA should start showing some respect to a fuckin legend like Karl Malone...The NBA's second leading scorer of ALL TIME...If these little bitches would pay attention for a minute, they might learn something from him.
Fuck Kobe, and Butler too!
Id rather see Malone go somewhere and win a title cuz we all know the Lakers aint doing shit this year.
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Actually this is another article, where they say Malone is as cry baby as Kobe..
Jesus fucking Christ, it's the same shit...
Ok, if you say so.. then ok.
Anyway I posted the COMMENT done by T.J. Simers from LATimes who criticize Malone calling him just another big baby.
Smooth posted the Associeted Press article who has NO COMMENTS in it but just the fact itself.
But it's ok, it's the same.. just short. LMAO.
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What should happen is these young punks in the NBA should start showing some respect to a fuckin legend like Karl Malone...The NBA's second leading scorer of ALL TIME...If these little bitches would pay attention for a minute, they might learn something from him.
Fuck Kobe, and Butler too!
Id rather see Malone go somewhere and win a title cuz we all know the Lakers aint doing shit this year.
How exactly Bryant and Butler disrespected Malone? ::)
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Actually this is another article, where they say Malone is as cry baby as Kobe..
Jesus fucking Christ, it's the same shit...
Ok, if you say so.. then ok.
Anyway I posted the COMMENT done by T.J. Simers from LATimes who criticize Malone calling him just another big baby.
Smooth posted the Associeted Press article who has NO COMMENTS in it but just the fact itself.
But it's ok, it's the same.. just short. LMAO.
i guess u didnt see the other thread NIK and I were referring to, keep on laughing
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No, sorry. I thought 1 topic about this argument was enought..
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You fuckin moron, read my latest thread in this section, it has the same article...
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Priceless.
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You fuckin moron, read my latest thread in this section, it has the same article...
You didnt read my last post, did you?
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from the L.A. Times
T.J. Simers:
The Soap Opera Behind Bryant-Malone Drama
I'm going to write two words here, and while they might disgust you, I'm going to ask you not to immediately crumple your newspaper and throw it across the room.
OK, here goes: Kobe Bryant.
There's almost nothing you can say these days as it relates to the Lakers without drawing a line in the stands between the Kobe lovers and the Kobe haters, and now here's more fodder to ponder.
Both Bryant and Karl Malone — speaking through his agent, Dwight Manley — confirmed Saturday night that they had a major falling out involving Bryant's wife, Vanessa, two weeks before the Bryant radio interview that had supposedly ticked off Malone so much.
Before Saturday night's game with the Clippers, Bryant listened as I relayed the story that's going around town, and when I finished, he said, that's true.
On Nov. 23, the night the Lakers played the Bucks at Staples Center, Vanessa was talking on the phone to Malone's wife, Kaye. Kaye gave Vanessa her husband's cellphone number, and Vanessa called Malone, who was sitting at courtside, and invited Malone's child to join her.
Malone, wearing cowboy boots and a hat, eventually took the child to Vanessa.
Malone hugged Vanessa, and then Vanessa asked — as Manley recounts this part of the story — "Hey, cowboy, what are you hunting?"
"She said it twice," Manley said, "and Karl answered the second time, 'I'm hunting for little Mexican girls.' "
After the game Vanessa told Bryant that Malone had come on to her, and said several inappropriate things. She also told Bryant that she had called Malone's wife and asked Kaye to get her husband away from her.
Bryant called Malone on his cellphone after the game, and Bryant laid into Malone. Bryant said Malone didn't have much to say in return and didn't deny anything.
What's a husband supposed to do when your wife tells you something like that? Bryant wanted to know as we talked.
Bryant said he was uncomfortable discussing the incident and he would have preferred to keep it quiet, but the New York Post reported this week that Malone was seen giving Vanessa a big hug, and then "somehow Malone managed to cross Vanessa" and got on her "frosty side."
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AFTER I talked to Bryant, I relayed the same story to Manley and asked for the opportunity to talk to Malone and hear his version.
"Karl wants me to give you two messages," Manley said after calling Malone. "He never hit on Vanessa, nor would he…. In fact, when he first heard about [the accusation], he said, 'You have to be kidding me.'
"As for the comments he made to her that offended her personally, he told both her and Kobe that night that he apologized."
Manley said that after Malone apologized, "Kobe followed that with a string of threats."
Bryant said he was upset but he said that he made no threats and was only coming to the defense of his wife, and that he told Malone to stay away from his wife.
Bryant said when he did the radio interview with XTRA (690/1150) he never mentioned anything about the simmering feud between the two because he didn't want to take personal shots at Malone.
Manley said Bryant called the Malone home the next day with more threats, and that Malone's wife listened in on a speaker phone.
Bryant said that both he and his wife called the Malones the next day in an attempt to work things out but failed.
The Bryants' second-day phone call and continuing accusations infuriated Malone and that led him to effectively end his relationship with the Lakers. The subsequent radio interview with XTRA allowed the rift between the two to go public without any mention of the soap opera — until now
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Oh, Kobe's such a little bitch...Karl Malone hits on Kobe's wife and Kobe defends her...What a horrible person... ::)
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So Bryant's wife told him to fuck Malone up cause he said "Im hunting for lil mexican girls"? Hilarious.
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lol TJ Simers, lol. Anyway, im not even paying attention to this soap opera anymore
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So Bryant's wife told him to fuck Malone up cause he said "Im hunting for lil mexican girls"? Hilarious.
She said he was hitting on her...What's so hilarious about that? So Kobe should just let Malone hit on his wife?
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Kobe should keep his mouth shut. period. he';s a nuisance. Nobody is gonna want to play with him after all this stuff. malone is an all-tike great and he's dumping on him. how's a scrub gonna feel.
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The most important thing is that current Lakers players wanna play with him.
Malone wants a ring with San Antonio: good luck, he deserves it.
But let's not make a big deal out of it.
Thanx Karl, and bye bye.
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The most important thing is that current Lakers players wanna play with him.
Malone wants a ring with San Antonio: good luck, he deserves it.
But let's not make a big deal out of it.
Thanx Karl, and bye bye.
Is it confirmed that he goes to San Antonio? Damn they don't need him lol, they got Duncan and Horry.
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No, it's not confirmed yet. But he should.
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damn..he goes to the spurs..i hope timberwolves dont play em in the playoffs
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LMFAO@ "I'm hunting for little Mexican girls"
Man Kobe is a big time bitch just for bringing this out in public and making a big deal out of it. More proof the dude just wants to be the spotlight of the teeam.
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LMFAO@ "I'm hunting for little Mexican girls"
Man Kobe is a big time bitch just for bringing this out in public and making a big deal out of it. More proof the dude just wants to be the spotlight of the teeam.
Actually he didnt start this stupid thing.
It was Malone who acted like a kid.
I mean Kobe said nothing wrong against him in public.
Karl made it looks like Kobe disrespected him, while he didnt.
Then Kobe had to explain it.
Malone acted like a bitch, big disappointment.
If he wanted to go to the Spurs, then fuck it, say so, and game over.
He blamed Kobe for something he didnt say.
Karl.. you're 40!!!! ::)
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I thought Kobe's people let that story out
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How is Kobe a big time bitch when Malone is the one who tried to make it seem like Kobe was just driving him out of LA for nothing?...Malone is a bitch for using that interview as an excuse for why he's leaving...Damn, people LOVE to hate on Kobe...He even apologized, said Malone was like a big brother to him, and asked Malone to rethink it (if he wants to return to the Lakers) through ...
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LoL, Horry is screwed.
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/603boyz313/malOWNED.jpg)
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LMFAO^^^^ IM SAVING THAT
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I just realized Kobe was in the pic too.
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^^ WONDERFUL!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/603boyz313/malOWNED.jpg)
LMAO that shit is classic ;D
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/603boyz313/malOWNED.jpg)
LMAO that shit is classic ;D
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FUCK KOBE... GO LAKERS!
That makes about as much sense as Elton John fucking a female.