All Things Considered, He’d Rather Be MVP

I don’t know about Kobe Bryant, but I certainly enjoyed the Philadelphia fans’ crescendo of boos. Would it be possible to send the entire city of Philadelphia one giant tissue to wipe those crocodile tears from their vanquished faces? Or maybe we can just borrow one of the towels Kobe uses to dust his two NBA championship trophies and All-Star MVP?

Hannah Susan

Cerritos

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If there was any doubt about Kobe Bryant being the best basketball player on the planet, those doubts were quickly erased in a torrent of boos, trophies and assists in a week of mastery the likes of which this league has never seen.

Congratulations, Kobe; you wear the title well: Best Player in the Game.

Peter Shaw

Santa Ana

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Mark Heisler writes about Kobe Bryant being booed by Philadelphia at the All-Star game. He writes about how the booing hurt Kobe’s feelings. He goes above and beyond to make it seem like this is only a phenomenon that happens here. What he fails to mention is the way L.A. treated Rob Blake just one week earlier at the NHL All-Star game.

Jason Fliszar

Drexel Hill, Pa.

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In regard to the bicoastal booing of All-Stars, there is a difference. Philadelphia 76er fans booed native son Kobe Bryant at the NBA All-Star game because they know that with him on their team, they would be far superior.

On the other hand, at the NHL All-Star game at Staples Center, King fans booed former King Rob Blake every time he touched the puck because they know that without him on their team, the Kings are a much better team.

76er fans are full of sour grapes and cannot define reason; King fans are intelligent enough to recognize “addition by subtraction.”

Howard Cohen

North Hills

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I think the media is broad-brushing this whole Kobe thing and attributing the booing at the All-Star game to Philly fans. Why is it never mentioned that only 4,000 tickets were available for 76er fans and the other 15,000 were distributed by the NBA?

The game and booing were in Philly, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it was all Philly fans booing Kobe. I think Kobe’s act plays well in L.A., but in other parts of the nation he is seen in a less than positive light. I’m sure past behavior makes it easy to ignore some facts and just point the finger at Philly fans.

Kobe made a genuine effort to embrace Philly this time around and I believe Philly is ready to hug back. That’s why I think the booing was as much, if not more, a national response than a Philly thing.

Craig Evans

Hermosa Beach

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I’d like to thank Don Nelson for taking Kobe Bryant out of the All-Star game. I love Kobe Bryant. But I got so upset with Kobe’s play Sunday that I was screaming for him to be taken out of the game. He reverted back to his selfish, ball-hogging ways that had characterized his play early in his career.

Reggie Evans

Compton

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I had lived in Philadelphia for 53 years before I came to Fountain Valley in 1985. As a loyal Philly fan I was frustrated by the “booing” mentality of the fans in regard to Kobe Bryant. They used to boo Mike Schmidt incessantly and he is arguably the greatest all-around third baseman of all time.

So, I am angry at their fans for booing Bryant. I root for the Eagles, Phillies and Flyers. I do not like the 76ers since they picked up Allen Iverson, because he always seemed like a “hot dog.” I have now changed my mind on him as he showed class in approaching Kobe to congratulate him on his All-Star MVP award.

Herb Herman

Fountain Valley

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I thought the audience’s booing of Kobe Bryant throughout the game and at the MVP presentation showed poor sportsmanship. But I forgot, these are probably the same fans who cheered when Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys went down to a career-ending injury at an Eagle home game. Next time, NBA, pick a classier venue. Don’t waste your money on that town.

Jackie McCoy

South Pasadena