I do not have anything amazingly thoughtful to say today. No coherent message to help anyone heal. No insightful story to inspire peace of mind. No anecdote that brings levity to a day so many are hurting. It’s been a year since Kobe and Gianna, John and Keri and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, […]
Kobe
Laker Film Room Podcast: “The Last Dance” and Jordan’s Influence on Kobe
In this episode of the Laker Film Room Podcast, Pete and I talk about ESPN’s new documentary series on the 90’s Bulls “The Last Dance”. We talk about what it was like being basketball fans during those formative years of our development as NBA fans, what Jordan (and Pippen) were like as players, and then […]
Lakers vs. Blazers: Wide Shoulders and Welled Up Eyes
For the first time since Sunday’s tragedy, the Lakers return to the court tonight to play a basketball game vs. the Blazers. I do not know if I’m ready or not, but I’ll be watching intently regardless of my readiness. If there were injury reports for fans, I think we’d all be listed as “questionable: […]
The End to this Hero’s Journey
In loving memory of my eternal hero, Kobe Bean Bryant, a complicated man who meant many different things to many people. I’d like to share how he impacted my life. I was 21 when I received a call from the Lakers — the Los Angeles Lakers — letting me know I had been chosen as […]
On Kobe Bryant and Grieving
This article was originally published at Silver Screen & Roll. It’s around 2:00 a.m. on August 26, 2016 and I’m restless, unable to really sleep. Again. It’s been like this for weeks. My nightstand starts to hum, my phone is vibrating and lighting up to wake me from my half-slumber, half-haze state. Under normal circumstances, […]
Laker Film Room Podcast: Kobe
In this episode of the Laker Film Room Podcast, Pete and I mourn Kobe Bryant. Please listen, if you’re up to it. Thank you. If you enjoy the Laker Film Room podcast, please subscribe, rate, and review in iTunes. Additionally, if you want to support the work we do here at Forum Blue & Gold, please […]
Kobe Bryant is Gone
You could write an entire book on the tall tales that surrounded Kobe Bryant throughout his career. He’s like Paul Bunyan. Jay Williams once said that he showed up to a game 4 hours early thinking he was going to be alone in the gym and “getting in more work than anyone”, only to find […]
Around the World (Wide Web): Kobe Bryant Jersey Retirement Day
With the Lakers set to retire Kobe’s numbers today, there’s been a ton of great content around the web to celebrate the career of one Kobe Bean Bryant. So, I figured, what better way to help out you, the reader, than to gather up a bunch of good stuff I saw and put it in […]
Kobe Bryant Isolation: The Crazy Data Behind the NBA Legend
In an age of teams relentlessly focusing on efficiency and team basketball, the Kobe Bryant isolation brand of ball is frowned upon more and more. Shots with an insane degree of difficulty, many from mid range, and especially in isolation will just drive coaches and analytic heads like me insane. But Kobe was different. No, […]
Report: Kobe Bryant to have Lakers Jersey Retired this Season
The Lakers used to wait until a player was actually elected into the hall of fame* before raising their jersey to the rafters and retiring their number. It worked like that…well, forever. Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Wilt — all of them had to wait until after their election to Springfield took place before they saw their […]