FRONT PAGE

CAMPUS NEWS:
   INVISIBLE CHILDREN
   HOCKEY COACH
   KEY
  SEX HEALTH
  ROOTS
 

FEATURES:
   BASEBALL
   FAMILY
  
 
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT:
   ZOO
  
SENIOR:
   LEITE

SPORTS:
   KOBE
   SOX METS YANKS

HEALTH AWARENESS:
   EAT RIGHT

BLOGS:
   SCOTT
   CHRIS
 
PROFS:
   DR.HAGERTY


PAST ISSUES

Is Kobe better than Michael?

by Joe Fagella
Exchange Staff

     The similarities and comparisons have always been there between Kobe Bryant and his childhood idol Michael Jordan. But in lieu of his recent performances, the topic has been brought to the forefront once again.

     Just take these numbers for instance: 65, 50, 60, and 50. No, those aren't the number of points scored in a half at an Arena Football game. They are the number of points Bryant scored over a stretch of four games last week, putting him in elite company. By scoring 60 last Thursday against the Grizzlies he became only the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in three straight games, joining fellow Laker greats Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, and that guy from Chicago with the initials M.J.

     So what did he do the next night? Oh, he just scored another 50 against the Hornets to extend the streak to four straight games with 50-plus points. No big deal. Actually it is because that put him in the record books one more time as he joined Chamberlain as the only two to ever score 50-plus in four consecutive games (Chamberlain holds the record with a seven-game 50-plus point streak).

     The streak finally came to an end on Sunday when the Golden State defense held him to only 43 points in a 115-113 Laker win. He revealed to reporters that the streak was the result of him being labeled a "dirty player" stemming from his recent suspensions for elbowing opposing players in the face. "For me, that was insulting. To have people talking about something else is a much better thing," he said.

     Comparing their career stats, it looks like Bryant's going to need a lot more of those "fuel to the fire-type" motivators if he wants to surpass his childhood idol. Jordan scored more than 32,000 points in 15 seasons, while Bryant is about half-way there after his 10^th season last year, with about 17,000 points. It's possible, but he has to bring his season average waaaaayyyyy up from 1,956 total points to the 3,000 mark, and do it consistently for the next five seasons (including this current one). However, he's only on pace to score around 2,400 this season, and his career best (last season) is only 2,832 which is still well below that 3,000 mark.

     Let's break the stats down a little more, to show just how much Jordan owns Bryant and why there's no question in my mind of who's better. First off, we'll start with rings: Jordan wins 6-3. Next up is scoring titles: Jordan wins in a landslide, 10-1, including seven consecutive from 1987-1998. All-Star Games: Jordan wins again, 14-9. Combined (regular season, All-Star Game, and Finals) MVPs: Jordan wins in a rout, 21-2. Imagine if Jordan didn't retire all those times, or retire for the final time still at an early age, after only 15 seasons in the league.

     Of course, every player is different and Jordan played during a different time, not too long ago when defenses were less complex and scouting was still in its infancy. But the bottom line is he made due with what he was given, and he absolutely dominated the competition. Anything you threw at him, he would rise above it, hang in the air for about a minute, throw a ridiculous jam down in your face, all the while flailing his trademark tongue out like a panting dog.

     Don't get me wrong, I think Kobe is the most dominant player in the NBA right now. But I'd still take Michael in a pickup game over Kobe any day. The box scores don't lie, and last time I checked, Kobe had a lot of catching up to do. He's a Hall-of-Famer in my book, but he's no Michael Jordan.