Pupil Becomes the Master

You can certainly see Kobe Bryant�s influence on the team now that Kwame Brown is being investigated for sexual assault. This truly is Kobe�s team. In fact, Brown took Kobe's advice and allegedly told police that Shaq does it all the time.

(Yes those jokes are obvious. But why should the Sports Frog get to make all of the obvious jokes?)

Brown is scheduled for a press conference this afternoon where he will apologize for his actions while holding the hand of Vanessa Bryant. (Seriously, last joke.)

The Lakers dropped game five to the Suns, to delay the much-anticipated match-up with the Clippers. A series that might not happen. The Lakers, one of the NBA's youngest teams, seem to lack that killer instinct. The Suns, on the other hand, absolutely handed it to the Lakers (yes, this game was over even before Kobe was tossed).

It all boils down to game six because there is no way the Lakers go back to Phoenix and win the final game. The Lakers could get some help if the league suspends Suns top perimeter defender Raja Bell. The Suns guard reacted to getting hit in the jaw with an elbow from Kobe by delivering a clothesline to the Lakers star. Bell was ejected from the game. And from watching the play unfold it didn�t look that severe. It was nothing worse than what Kobe has done to a concierge worker in Colorado (sue me).

The NBA should allow the players to settle this on the court instead of suspending either player. It can�t be worse than Chris Kaman getting hit in the junk during the Denver series. Besides, Kobe said that he enjoys a little physicality.

"I grew up on the mean streets of Italy and I love playing that style," Kobe said. "We call it Mussolini ball!"

Yeah, bring it on!

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