Prayers For Blowouts will be featuring posts from PFB Members this summer. This submission is from Member #020, Christian Arvold.
So Kobe finally got his first Shaq-less ‘ship and now… he can start smiling once in a while! In all the comparisons between Kobe and MJ, the one that always sticks out to me is that both have the “killer” instinct. Both guys HATE losing, whether it’s a game, a drill in practice, ping-pong in the locker room or cards with the fellas. Most of us who play sports (or board games) play to win the game. But apparently, MJ and Kobe have a competitive streak in them that rivals anything mere mortals may have ever known. If you have or had the misfortune to end up an opponent of either guy, neither would think twice about killing you, then grinding your corpse into dust, then mashing the particles back together just to blow them up again. All through the Finals (as Bill Simmons pointed out a few times), we were told over and over again that Kobe was really, really¸serious about winning this Title- and how did we know? He never smiles. In fact when he’s zeroed in, he has a scowl that would frighten most wild animal predators.
Lately, I have decided that this is just strange. Why is it that when the world’s best basketball player (sorry LBJ, you need a couple rings) is playing his best, he looks livid? Why is that when we witness basketball played at its highest level humanly possible, the athlete performing other worldly stunts looks like he’s been told his mamma is ugly, his car has been towed-locked-up-and-the-attendant-won’t-be-back-for-three-hours, his tax guy made a mistake on his taxes and he now owes a couple mil to the government, his Nike shoe contract has been terminated, and his puppet commercials have been pulled all at the same time. Why must it be so painful to be the best in the world at something? I am not really musically inclined, which is why I really enjoy watching a musician who is great and really enjoys being great. It makes me want to learn to play an instrument.
A few weeks ago I was talking to a new friend who had grown up a pastor’s kid and as an adult does not embrace the Christian faith he was brought up in. One of the reasons for this was his experience with Christians in his father’s church who were always angry with him about how he did not live up to their expectations of what a pastor’s kid should be. Even now as a young adult, he is strongly turned off to Christianity by their anger towards him. If that is what a Christian is, he wants no part in it.
It is hard to hear his story, since I have met several Christians like those he encountered. It is frustrating because Christians should be exhibiting joy- it is a fruit of the Spirit. Though we are not “happy all the day” as the old hymn says, we have a living hope in Christ that should remind us that our worst days and issues (that may take some time and prayer and support to work through) pale in comparison to what God has done for us and what he promises to still do for us (Romans 8:18).
My 5 and 3 year old sons have decided that Kobe is their favorite player this spring (though Michael Redd is still their hometown hero). When the Finals’ games came on, I would tell them to come watch the best player in the world. After watching a little bit they would inevitably run from the couch to their hoops set up in our family room and try their best 5 and 3 year old impressions of Kobe with two major differences: they lacked the world-class abilities of Kobe and they laughed and smiled all the time while they played.
It is my hope as a father that as they grow up playing ball, they always remember that it is a game to be enjoyed. But more than that, I hope they grow up in the Faith knowing that their God and the life of faith he offers are also to be enjoyed.
Here at PFB we love to let our members spout off their opinions on anything and everything.
This week we were curious about what our members thought of a Kobe-LeBron matchup in the NBA Finals, so we asked them this question:
If we offered you a Cavaliers-Lakers NBA Finals right now, would you take it?
Here’s what they said…
No thank you. I’d prefer to see two teams not named the L.A. Lakers or Boston Celtics in the finals and LeBron’s crab dribble bowing out early in the playoffs.
Nay. The death of the NBA for me directly correlates with the “Person A vs Person B” marketing scheme. I know it was “Magic vs Bird”, but I still saw it as the Lakers and Celtics. It even got more complicated with “Jordan vs Insert Name Here” thing, because A) no one can beat MJ and B) often the other superstar wasn’t even a guard (Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kemp, Malone). Team basketball wins playoff games, which is why the Pistons and Spurs have been so successful, and why the three headed monster in Boston beat Kobe and the wannabes last year.As well as the Lakers are playing, it would actually be “The Lakers against LeBron”, until the Cavs figure out a way to play around their superstar.
I’m a Cavs fan, and the Lakers/Cavs games have always been exciting over the years. I’ll take it!!!
I really don’t like Kobe, so I’ll just say no based on that. The Cavs have to get by the Celts and the Magic, both of which stand a decent chance of beating the Lebrons in a short series. I think there are enough other good teams in the league that you’d be silly not to take the field on this one.
I’d take it, because “Lakers” and “Cavaliers” are two really goofy names for sports teams, when you think about it, and for that reason alone I’d like to see them in the Finals. I’d also be cool, for the same reason, with the Jazz vs. the Heat.
I don’t buy Lakers-Cavs. Cavs aren’t deep enough. The Celtics have the best bench, probably in the league, if not the east. That’s why it’ll be a repeat of last year. I’ll give it to the Celts in very tight 7 games. Last year the lakers were soft. We’ll see what Bynum brings to the play-offs.
I would love a Kobe v. LeBron finals. That would be a great matchup. The master v. the pupil
NBA. Meh. I won’t start caring about the NBA until after the NCAA tourney is over. I’m sure ESPN would go ga-ga over a Kobe V. LeBron finals…. so that’s probably enough for me to wish for some other matchup.
I would take a Kobe v. LeBron NBA Finals any day – ANY DAY! Are there other entertaining players? Sure, but there aren’t any two more captivating, more dominant players in the league than them. Do I want to watch the Celtics do anything? No (though I kinda like Garnett). Do I get great joy from watching Dwight Howard destroy his opponents under the basket? Absolutely (though the Magic have NO depth on their bench). Do I care about any of the 3 teams from my home state of Texas? Only the Rockets (and they can’t seem to keep Yao and T-Mac on the floor together for 50 games a year). So, would I watch a Lakers-Cavaliers final? Heck yeah!
I think a Kobe v. LeBron Finals would by way too hyped up. I’m not a huge NBA fan in the first place, but I do listen to sports talk radio quite a bit and I’ll get very sick of hearing about it after…um…. 2 days.
Yes.
I’m ok with a Kobe and LeBron final. I’m not sure if such a series could live up to the hype but it would definitely be intriguing!
I guess I would watch Kobe vs. LeBron. However, I can’t really seem to get into the NBA. The professionalism and class in the Bird/Magic, Jordan/Bird, Jordan/Magic, Jordan/The world. Even though the Bulls and Pistons hated each other, there was still a mutual respect for each other. The rivalries that exist today seem to more about ego and the size of their wallets, more than for the love of competition. Would I watch? I guess, I am not sure I would make sure I block that time out of my schedule to do so.
Are we talking about Kobe and LeBron just playing mano-a-mano best of 7 or would we have to put up with each guy bringing 4 more guys just to take up space and watch the magic (which is essentially what we would get in June)?
Hell yeah, I’d take a Kobe-LeBron Finals right now. Even with as much as I’d love to see the Celtics pick it up and finish 2nd in the East, I am still too scared of the Cavs right now, because I really think this is LeBron’s Jordan year, and after this…no one will be able to stop him from doing anything for the next 5-6 years.
Prayers For Blowouts will be featuring posts from PFB Members this summer. This submission is from Member #020, Christian Arvold.
