Goodbye to a Legend

How do you say goodbye to a legend? I've done it before. First with Kareem in 89. Then with Magic in 92. Worthy. Shaq. And now Kobe Bean Bryant

This is definitely the hardest since Magic announced that he had HIV. Kobe has meant so much to The Laker Nation. He literally gave us his all. He dedicated his life to being the best basketball player that he could be while honoring the iconic Purple & Gold jersey with all of its rich history. Was he perfect? No. Was he the best? Debatable but probably no. But he was ours. He brought great pride to our great franchise. 5 Championships (bringing us 1 behind the hated Celtics)

But now what? With Kobe retiring he's leaving a great big fat question mark over our franchise's future. Now what? He's gave and meant everything to The Lakers these past 10+ years. And there's no clear cut player to pass the torch to. And that makes his goodbye that much more painful

He's the last great Laker. And he will be missed.

Thank you Kobe for the championships! Thank you for the MVP'S.

Thank you for 81!

Thank you for your 20 seasons all in L.A.

Thank you for those 50 point games.

Thank you for beating Boston

Thank you for shredding your achilles tendon for us to make it to the playoffs

Thank you for getting back up after snapping your achilles and still hitting those 2 free throws

Thank you for not being the most freakish atlhletic basketball player ever yet STILL through your relentless competitive spirit becoming one of the greatest of all time. We lived that hard working under-dog spirit with all your drive through you. Thank you for giving Laker Nation everything you had; your sweat, blood, tears, achilles...

Now it's time to sat goodbye. You've made it through your 20th season. I hope that you enjoy the memories. Because we surely will. How can we forget those impossible three pointers. Those amazing dunks. We're going to miss you. And it's o.k. if you shed a tear or two.

Goodbye to the greatest. Goodbye to the legend. Goodbye Kobe

MAMBA OUT!!!

2nd greatest player of all time.

I got up early to go to the gym, so that after work it's all Lakers game tonight!

Wouldn't miss tonights game for anything. I remember how awful I felt when Cap retired and then Magic...Worthy....

Its different this time, Kobe has been around for most of my adult life and he has given me some of my biggest memories as a Laker fan. My kids love him and are Laker fans today because of not only my love of the team but because of KB.

He will be missed, its almost unreal today.....that this is really it. I wish he was coming back next year....but I get it....He isn't going to go out like everyone else....or too late...Its just not his style.

Thank you for everything KB.

No one passed the torch to Kobe, he came in and owned it. Just the same as Jordan did, the same LBJ has. It's a players mindset to come in and take control and lead. I think passing the torch is a media buzzword that has no substance.

Unbelievablely the future of the franchise is quite bright despite these past few mediocre seasons. The Lakers have a chance of a top draft pick, a solid young core even if none of them become all stars. They have more cap space than they can probably spend and the cap will grow again next season allowing the franchise to chase another star.

The franchise is ready to take off, cutting Kobes anchor will allow it to soar.

I don't think Kobe is the last great Laker, the franchise are just waiting to sign the next one, like they always have.

Thanks for the memories Kobe, you will never be forgotten. But the time is right, not only for you, but the franchise too.

SALUTE to the real KING!!!!!!!

The day is finally here and it's actually a sad one for me. The guy has been around forever and he has been great for so long. I'm glad that he's been able to go out the way he has with crowds chanting his name and thanking him. I would have loved to have seen him go out battling in the playoffs since he was born into the playoffs. In my opinion he is the second greatest Laker and one of the best players in the NBA of all time. To be spoken with some of the greatest players of all time like Wilt, Kareem, MJ, Magic and Bird is no small feat

Good post...Very well articulated. Repped.

Great tribute to a legend who will definitely go down as one of the best to ever lace it up. He will hang with the very best who donned the purple and gold. However the legend of purple and gold will always carry on and I think the next wave of young lakers will carry forward this proud legacy.

End of the road

Even people, who are not basketball fans should watch Kobe Bryant's last game because it was something we will never see again in our lifetime. Epic Hollywood ending to a legendary career

I can't believe it's over, but what a way to go out and end an such an illustrious career. It's so sad to think that my favorite player, the man that made me a fan of basketball, will never lace them up ever again. I'm overwhelmed with all the mixed emotions.

It is very sad, but what a way to go out!!! That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen! Mind blown!

I agree man. Everyone on the planet should watch it. It was so much more then basketball. If you watched it live it's something you'll remember forever.

Kobe's performance last night was surreal, but not surprising for me. That's an amazing thing to be able to say about a player scoring 60 points in his last game ever. Gonna miss him.

That really was one for the memory banks. I don't think there could have been a more perfect ending or tribute to such a phenomenal career. But at the same time it was a deeply "Lakers Nation" thing too.

Great post Craig! Repped here too.

What an awesome game to watch...Meaningless in W L record overall.....

I started getting pissed when Kobe missed that layin and I thought the Lakers were gonna lose his last game...Made me sick to think of an all time legend and Lakers great going out that way...but this years team is so terrible I kind of expected them to blow the game.

Then Kobe just took the damn game over and turned back the clock..finally a fun Lakers game to watch....after 3 years this game was why I love the Lakers and man staples was rocking like a finals game.

What a great way for this legend of the league to finish his career. A memory I won't forget and a DVR recording that I will never delete.

After my "Baandwagon Tour," in which I even tried the never-to-win-anything Clippers with that nepotistic coach/horrible GM, at least Kobe gave me a glimpse of what I was so addicted to for the past twenty years or so.

The 61 points against Dirk, the 81 game, the two-peat with Pau (still playing great, BTW) and the Shaq years. Wow!

"You don't miss your water 'til the well runs dry," Otis Redding.

And they won't win any.

BUT...it is up Lakers management (with some ping pong ball help) to rebuild the franchise.

I admit to having little patience with losing (three years in a row!) BUT I have ALWAYS been a Kobe fan-atic.

And last night was as memorable -- maybe more so as he started out being Airball Jordan -- as any game I have witnessed.

SIXTY POINTS in his final game. No do-overs. End. It's play great or nothing.

And Kobe was AMAZING. Truly AMAZING!

Lol during all those times when people would bicker about how it shouldn't be Kobe's team anymore and that it was time to move, I think a lot of us fans looked over the fact that he was such an icon. For as long as he in a Laker uniform, it wasn't going to be anyone's team but his and I don't think we really realized that until his last game when that entire celebration ensued. It was truly amazing to see him go out that way and I'm glad he got all the recognition he did throughout this year. It's crazy to think we're about to embark on a completely new chapter as laker fans.

Lol during all those times when people would bicker about how it shouldn't be Kobe's team anymore and that it was time to move, I think a lot of us fans looked over the fact that he was such an icon. For as long as he in a Laker uniform, it wasn't going to be anyone's team but his and I don't think we really realized that until his last game when that entire celebration ensued. It was truly amazing to see him go out that way and I'm glad he got all the recognition he did throughout this year. It's crazy to think we're about to embark on a completely new chapter as laker fans.

True dat...True dat.

The truth:

I watched a couple playoff games (Steph and LeBron, being the baandwagoner that I am!) -- yet I enjoyed Kobe's last game more than a hundred times more than either of them! I didn't miss one second of his 60 point masterpiece. Granted, even in his prime, Kobe wasn't always this amazing. But he was always transcendent.

So, without Kobe, what to do? I guess hang around, hope the Lakers get the number one pick and grab the next Kobe. (Simmons?)

Short of that, I am going to the beach!

It was amazing to watch. I would say his second half was more than anything. What was really a sight to see was you could see his exhaustion but he willed the team to a win for a last time, something he has done multiple times over his career. I was truly happy for him and I was happy for the youngsters to see that, especially Randle. Randle went out of his way to get Kobe, his hero and idol that ball and set screens to free him up the whole game. Just the joy out of everyone on that bench when they saw Kobe hitting shots like he was in his prime was great to see. I have rarely seen a bench that happy under Kobe. The whole experience literally left me with some tears. I'm a pretty emotional fan who also is logical. I've been wanting Kobe to retire so the franchise can move on, however, this was a great last game to see Kobe give the game of basketball what he had left in the tank. This offseason needs to be about the future and not the past.

Because you have an emotional attachment to Kobe. Sure Kobe had a great game and he scored 60 points but i have yet to see any Kobe super fan acknowledge he took 50 shots to do it. The rest of the team took 35 lol. So take it for what it is, one last hoorah and move on. Yes no one will ever go out like that ever again but no one will ever come close to taking that many shots either.

Because you have an emotional attachment to Kobe. Sure Kobe had a great game and he scored 60 points but i have yet to see any Kobe super fan acknowledge he took 50 shots to do it. The rest of the team took 35 lol. So take it for what it is, one last hoorah and move on. Yes no one will ever go out like that ever again but no one will ever come close to taking that many shots either.

Being his last game, I wouldn't have been mad if he took a 100 shots. That was one hell of a way to go out. But moving on from Kobe era, to hopefully a bright future. Really want to pass those Celtics for total championships. Lol

^^^

Man to see those fans in the streets chanting Kobe..Kobe...long after the game was over. My GOODNESS. What a way to send a guy off. That was pure pandemonium.

Because you have an emotional attachment to Kobe. Sure Kobe had a great game and he scored 60 points but i have yet to see any Kobe super fan acknowledge he took 50 shots to do it. The rest of the team took 35 lol. So take it for what it is, one last hoorah and move on. Yes no one will ever go out like that ever again but no one will ever come close to taking that many shots either.

Ok, we all acknowledge it. He took 50 shots. The team gave him the ball to do just that nearly every single time down the floor. He also shot 44% which is pretty good. So... yeah, we all acknowledge that he took 50 shots and had not just an amazing game, but the greatest final game to a career that you'll ever see. 50 shots! Yeah!

Ok, we all acknowledge it. He took 50 shots. The team gave him the ball to do just that nearly every single time down the floor. He also shot 44% which is pretty good. So... yeah, we all acknowledge that he took 50 shots and had not just an amazing game, but the greatest final game to a career that you'll ever see. 50 shots! Yeah!

Ha ha!!! Well said JJ.

Ok, we all acknowledge it. He took 50 shots. The team gave him the ball to do just that nearly every single time down the floor. He also shot 44% which is pretty good. So... yeah, we all acknowledge that he took 50 shots and had not just an amazing game, but the greatest final game to a career that you'll ever see. 50 shots! Yeah!

I'm not denying that the team passed him the ball etc it still doesn't mean Kobe HAS to shoot. Yes he shot 44% in 1 game, wow, that must be one of the greatest fg % of all time right? Lol

My initial comment was in relation to how impressive Kobes feats were compared to the other players he mentioned. Curry put up 24 points with 13 shots in the playoffs. Kobe put up 60 points on 50 shots in a meaningless end of season game.

Take away the emotional attachment and it's not that great.

Was it the greatest career ending game? No, Elway and Russell (winning the championship on the Lakers homecourt) are 2 that immediately spring to mind.

Was it spectacular to watch, and great entertainment? Sure, as I said it proved the critics and the followers right, both at the same time. It was a great occasion but put it in context.

Being his last game, I wouldn't have been mad if he took a 100 shots. That was one hell of a way to go out. But moving on from Kobe era, to hopefully a bright future. Really want to pass those Celtics for total championships. Lol

I didn't care if he took that many either, it was great to see he had that one last game in him, that game could pretty much sum up his career.

I just think a little context is needed. Curry put up over 50 twice on 27 shots twice this season. People are acting like he broke wilts record or something.

BTW...The great MJ took 49 shots to get his (I think it was) 60 points or so.

Besides, you have to be beyond great to get these ego-driven NBA stars pass you the ball 60+ times!

If you are talking about his 69 point game he shot 37 times.

If you are talking about his 51 points when he was 38 he put up 38 shots and didn't even hit a 3. 0-2 from 3.

If your talking about the game he shot 49 times, that game went to OT. He had 64 points and was 1-5 from 3. He shot 55.1% from the field. The rest of the team still took more shots than Jordan did. I believe shots that were taken and missed even though they were fouled also counted on the box score at that time, I could be wrong on that part.

It was just a fun meaningless game, fans are just happy to see one of the all time greats to go out on an high note. Kobe was a lot of people's favorite player and if you will, Hero. So I don't think they're over reacting, they're just happy to see their hero go out like one. Don't get why your comparing him to what other players are doing. And no Kobe wasn't my favorite player.

Tough pill to swallow. I idolized Kobe as a Laker fan. Dude was living proof of what hard work and determination can do and was an inspiration to watch go to work and prepare for work. Yeah there is the always talked about 81 point game, the 62 in 3 quarters. But how often do we forget the journey. I have NEVER seen a player play through so many injuries like Kobe did and yet still being an effective player. 5 wins shy of leading a 50 win season with a bunch of nobodies in '06... the trade rumors in 07.... to taking us back to the promise land 2 years later and repeating the next year.

There will always be a lot of talented players in the NBA, but nobody with the drive and work ethic that Kobe had. Thank you Kobe for the 20 great years of Laker memories.

Well said.

It was just a fun meaningless game, fans are just happy to see one of the all time greats to go out on an high note. Kobe was a lot of people's favorite player and if you will, Hero. So I don't think they're over reacting, they're just happy to see their hero go out like one. Don't get why your comparing him to what other players are doing. And no Kobe wasn't my favorite player.

I wasn't comparing him, baad said he didn't enjoy watching Curry or LBJ in the playoffs and enjoyed Kobes performance 100 times more. Lol

I wasn't comparing him, baad said he didn't enjoy watching Curry or LBJ in the playoffs and enjoyed Kobes performance 100 times more. Lol

I actually agree with BaadMaster, nothing against curry and LBJ, but I've always enjoyed players that play like the Dr. J, MJ and Kobe more than I like pure shooters like Curry or players like LBJ that are more Magic than MJ. But that's just me!!

Don't know if anyone has posted this but its a great read.

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/15232286/former-lakers-star-kobe-bryant-left-nba-just-getting-started?ex_cid=espntw

Nothing but mad luv for that guy.

Ha ha!!! Well said JJ.

Thanks! 50 shots!

I was talking about basketball, not all sports, but now that you bring it up, yes it was. That game was amazing as hell, regardless of emotional attachment. Elway would have had to have passed for 500 years and 5 touchdowns to equal what Kobe did. Yeah, he went out winning a championship which is far more important, but we're just talking about individual performances, 336 yds 1 TD & 1 INT is not the equivalent of dropping 60!

I wasn't comparing him, baad said he didn't enjoy watching Curry or LBJ in the playoffs and enjoyed Kobes performance 100 times more. Lol

He's the most exciting player! That game was far more exciting... AND like you said he has an emotional attachment to Kobe.

I actually agree with BaadMaster, nothing against curry and LBJ, but I've always enjoyed players that play like the Dr. J, MJ and Kobe more than I like pure shooters like Curry or players like LBJ that are more Magic than MJ. But that's just me!!

Not just you.

Could this be the real reason behind Kobe's declination in FG%?

Chris Bosh's Kobe Story

I think the shoulder surgery was the key reason, just so many years of wear and tear

The guy pushed his body to the limit and never cheated the game. That being said, the achilles really did him in and then the shoulder was just the nail in the coffin but the guy's will to play can't be denied.

I think the shoulder surgery was the key reason, just so many years of wear and tear

I was thinking not just as a wear and tear perspective but also as a "reprogramming" of his muscle memory thus altering his shot (stroke). Even before his Achilles and before his shoulder injuries his shot was looking suspect. Especially after the 2009 title, dude couldn't make his go to shots. All of it is realitive and it is a physiological phenomena in the theory of athletics. Athletes wouldn't partake in other sport/activities in fear they would alter their stroke. Food for thought.

I was thinking not just as a wear and tear perspective but also as a "reprogramming" of his muscle memory thus altering his shot (stroke). Even before his Achilles and before his shoulder injuries his shot was looking suspect. Especially after the 2009 title, dude couldn't make his go to shots. All of it is realitive and it is a physiological phenomena in the theory of athletics. Athletes wouldn't partake in other sport/activities in fear they would alter their stroke. Food for thought.

That's a really good point. Something significant was wrong with his shoulder, even after the surgery. Hence the heavy icing after every game. Form/technique is everything especially at that level.

After pulling what seemed like a trivial muscle while weight lifting, I could barely do certain lifts because of my body trying to compensate for that 1 strained muscle, I have no doubt Kobe was suffering something along those lines.