John D. Rockefeller spit this one on freestyle Monday, “Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.” John c. Maxwell the famous author, speaker and pastor said it this way, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” The abolitionist, Henry Ward Beecher, shut the building down with this one, “Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.”
Well playas…the dun they call Kobe Bean Bryant AKA “The Black Mamba” showed up in Indianapolis for the last time as an active NBA player!!! The vibe in the buildin’ was NUTS, the atmosphere was crazy, the groupies were in full effect and half naked! You would have sworn it was the Finals bruh in LA!! More than anything Kobe knew the way, went the way and showed the way of a leader. After 20 NBA seasons on a grind that is ridiculous ole boy suited up and played as best he could droppin’ 19 points in a near miss of beatin’ the Pacers. Indiana barely got out of the joint alive 89-87 escapin’ what was almost a TERRIBLE loss. They squandered a 17 point lead only to barely hold on.
But Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! There was so many Lakers fans in the buildin’ that it was essentially a freakin’ home game for these boyz. EVERY time Kobe touched the rock the crowd went NUTS!!! That dun was a terrible 6-25 shootin’ but you wouldn’t have known that by sittin’ there watchin’ the joint without lookin’ at the box score. Boyz really came out to give one of the GREATEST hoopers to EVER live his respect and I appreciate him understandin’ just how big that was.
Think about it bruh, he’s gotta do this dog and pony show in EVERY arena he goes to for the remainder of the season and he was graceful with the media too. He did a full out pre-game press conference before the game not in the locker room but in the media room like it was the freakin’ playoffs. He played 33 minutes when he didn’t have to (well…yeah he did, they’re payin’ him $24 million) and he met with boyz in another full post-game press conference. Why? Because he understands that it’s bigger than him. Cam Newton could learn a thing or two about professionalism and how to handle yourself regardless of the outcome.
Yeah, I get that the Super Bowl is bigger than some chump change game in Indianapolis on a Monday night when you’re on one of the worse teams in the NBA right now. However, Kobe doesn’t have to do any of this. He understands that he’s one of the greatest players to play this game and he’s givin’ people an opportunity to experience his last rodeo. And let’s keep it real bruh, he’s keepin’ duns like me from blastin’ him for gunnin’, jackin’ up bad shots and shootin’ air balls all night. By bein’ graceful and announcin’ or admittin’, I should say, in the “Dear Basketball” letter that he could no longer do this he essentially backed boyz up off of him for rest of the season.
Now one cat that needs to learn something about leadership from him is the dun that used to play here in Indy, “Skittles and Lemonheads!” This cat showed back up in Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the first time since he was traded after bein’ the ONLY Laker on the roster to play in EVERY game of this season and recorded a DNP on the box score.
Now they said that he was hurt but I covered that dun for 5 years! The only thing hurt on him is his ego, pride and gonads! He’s as soft as drug store cotton candy mentally bruh. When they announced that he wasn’t goin’ to play I could see him sittin’ at his locker lookin’ up in the ceiling or starin’ into the floor tryin’ not to look a boy in his face. Roy didn’t want to get booed nor did he want to deal with the media and especially duns like me. That’s why I’ve been callin’ him “Skittles and Lemonheads” for years. He’d rather sit in the back seat of the ride eatin’ Skittles and Lemonheads listenin’ to Luther Vandross with his foot hangin’ out of the window than to boot up with the fellas and scrap in the middle of the street.
Big props to Kobe for bein’ a leader and at least givin’ the fans their money’s worth! Stop me when I start lyin’!
Playas Thesaurus:
1) Spit: verb – to say
2) Dun: the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It’s whoever I’m talkin’ about and its non-gender specific.
3) Scrap: verb – to fight
