Who needs Kobe?.... And other random questions from Chi-town Toe

I do realize the Kobe talk was so last month. However, due to the stellar start by my Chicago Bulls, I felt the need to re-open the wound. I was excited for the Bulls season to start. Can you blame me? They were picked by ESPN and Sports Illustrated to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, the images of Tyrus Thomas dunking on Shaq were fresh in my memory from last year's playoff rout of the Heat, and I was still stuck in a sports coma due to the recent failings of the Cubs, the Irish, and the once mighty Bears defense. (Somewhere Dick Butkus is physically ill watching the 2007 Bears.) Then the supposed opportunity was laid in Paxson's lap to get Kobe. The papers and talk shows were abuzz. Sane people calling in and writing who both had seemingly legitimate arguments. However my friends, as seen in the past 20 years, there is one argument on the Kobe saga that should have trumped them all. I am afraid Johnny Pax, who I will forever love for Game 6 in Phoenix in 1993, didn't look closely enough at NBA history, or his own history to make the right decision. Are you ready for the argument? Here it is: The SuperStar Factor!

Quick: name one SuperStar on the Bulls. Still searching? How about one NBA all-star? Ok, so you came up with Lou Deng and Ben Gordon as POTENTIAL all-stars. In the words of the late, great Chris Farely: La-de-frekin-da! Be sure you watch the Pistons next time they play the Bulls. Watch as Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups take turns smoking our size deficient Ben Gordon. What about Loul Deng? Could he be very good? Yes. Great? No! Watch any Bulls game this year and tell me if you really feel you are watching something special when you watch him play. (By they way, he is also the guy that as a Freshman in college fueled the UConn comeback against Duke when he was launching threes with less than 4 minutes to go and 20 seconds on the shot clock with Duke up by 8.)

Now for the history lesson: Name one team in the last 15 years to win a championship without a SuperStar. You can't find one can you. MJ, Hakeem the Dream, MJ again, Shaq and Kobe, Duncan, D-Wade. Ah...but you say the Pistons. Good choice and the only team I can think of. 1 in 15!! Now that is a model to follow.

Kobe is the best player in the game. Period! He would have brought the Bulls to the finals. I am afraid Johnny Pax has gotten a little too conservative on us. He came to two crossroads in his GM career that will cost him. He failed to get Garnett and now Kobe. For all the great things he has done for the Bulls, he should have remembered that #23 who got him so many open shots and laid his cards on the table for Kobe.

Some other thoughts on recent sports events:

1. The BCS rocks! I love it when a 2 loss teams get to play for the title. And when the winner of Mizzou-Kansas actually didn't mean anything. What an awesome system! Start a playoff you idiots.

2. How great is it that we can see how the coaches voted in the polls.
Great Example: Bob Stoops, coach of Oklahoma. #1 OU........... #6 LSU...........HAH!

3. The Twins might seriously trade Johan Santana. Maybe to Boston? I can just hear the gun fire from the New York streets. If Santana goes to Boston, I am laying down $100 bucks on Boston to win the World Series for the next 5 years.

4. Tebow should win the Heisman. He is unbelievable. Enough said.

5. The college basketball season has started...is it March yet?



Kobe picture: www.allposters.com