MODESTI: When it comes to Kobe and Manny, where is the love?

What a dumb column. How can you compare kobe's 12 years to Manny's 7 days in LA?
Also, last I checked Kobe is still dearly loved in LA, whille not everyone in LA is crazy
about Manny.

I agree, this guy is trying to make something out of nothing, The media exaggerates everything especially about kobe.

I know this,that nascar will make sure that a black don't win a race.

man this is worst then something on tmz...Is this the best you could come up with !!!!!!quit trying to stir up trouble like a lonely bored gossipng house wife....kobes the man !!!

Both strike me as incredibly insecure. Being a Boston fan it always struck me how much trouble Manny had with the enthusiasm of Red Sox Nation. We'll miss the bat but not the scared little boy.

What do I think? I think it must be a very slow news day. I think you like stirring controversy.

It will always be Kobe-----I dropped the Dodgers at last big strike----

Plus you are talking apples and oranges here------And as usual news people making trouble.

Manny could be injured today and not play the rest of the season and next year sign as a fre-agent somewhere else. The people of LA would still have the memories of him from last weekend forever.

The guy sitting in front of me screamed out this is "better than sex" at the game saturday night after Manny hit that homer. I looked at his wife and said to myself "well maybe at your house". But anyways, it will be an interesting run for the next two months, with Manny needing to produce to get a contract for next year and the Dodgers needing the rest of the team to produce to save McCourt and Colletti from the humiliation of Andruww Jones.

what a STUPID article!!!

Must be a slow news day

I thought it was dead on about Kobe's grip on L.A.!

The article is just a warning to Manny.

Laker fans you're telling me the Kobe/Shaq thing then the trade demand didn't split a city?

I run into many fans that say they love the Lakers but HATE Kobe.

Kobe is a phony person, but a good player, he doesn't even get love in his "quasi" hometown of Philly.

See young fans think Kobe is the best thing, but older fans who can compare him to true greats, see thru his facade.

I don't know much about Manny yet, but I dislike Kobe because he seems so arrogant.

My goodness Kevin. Manny has been in LA all of three days and you're already comparing his fan adulation to Kobe? I bet if you put the two of them in the same room and allowed fans to line up for a picture and autograph, Kobe would blow Manny out of the water. Simply because--and you can check the replica jersey sales--the fans "love" Kobe a lot more than you think. Your column is way to premature to even to be taken seriously.

"Because of years of this behavior, Kobe is held at an emotional arm's length by Lakers fans, many of whom regard him as a necessary evil, more than a few of whom actively despise him."

Speak for yourself, because this Laker fan certainly doesn't feel this way.

Kobe > Shaq anyday

Kobe's work ethic is to be respected. Laker fans don't chant "MVP" for nothing every night for Kobe.

You forgot about when David Beckham came to town.

half of the other cities the Lakers visit don't chant MVP for nothing!!!!!!!!!!

I read your article on Manny Ramirez and disagree on some key points.

1. Manny is not known for squabbling with teammates. The incident with Youklis is the first time Manny has been associated with having a disturbance with a teammate. Contrary to Kobe most of Manny’s teammates speak of how GREAT a teammate he is as well as a good person. The “Manny being Manny” title comes from some of his behavior on the field… but not with teammates.
2. As for running out ground balls. Correct me if I’m wrong but David Ortiz, Cecil Fielder, and a few other noted sluggers did not and do not fly out of the batters box on ground balls either. In reality, those sluggers are not paid to beat out infield singles. What happens if they pull a hamstring trying to beat out a groundball to the shortstop?
3. Finally, Manny has paid his dues in MLB and has only had problems with Red Sox management… and he’s not the only player who has had problems with that team’s front office. Kobe came into the NBA with a chip on his shoulder and was trying to be like Michael Jordan so much that he forgot who Kobe was supposed to be.

So, the love affair is legit because Manny and Kobe are as much alike as Howard Cosell and Dick Enberg.

I don't think we should worry about Manny's behavior, as long as it doesn't HURT the team.
I also can't see the Dodgers not signing him if he improves the teams chances of going deeper into the post season,

wow... that was probably one of the nastiest kobe-hating articles i've ever read.

Eugene McGirt wrote:
Kobe came into the NBA with a chip on his shoulder and was trying to be like Michael Jordan so much that he forgot who Kobe was supposed to be.

I love how you put that, we will never know who Kobe was supposed to be.

I think it was light on Kobe-hating and spot on!

If they were hating they would have mentioned him being a sodomite and adulterer, instead of his on court persona.