OPTING OUT IS MORE ABOUT EGO.Byline: JOE STEVENS A shoe advertising campaign has besieged be·siege tr.v. be·sieged, be·sieg·ing, be·sieg·es 1. To surround with hostile forces. 2. To crowd around; hem in. 3. the All-Star Jam Session at the Los Angeles Convention Center The Los Angeles Convention Center (abbreviated LACC) is a convention center in downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, and was best known to video games fans as host to E3 until its cessation in 2006. with signs that read: ``Impossible is nothing.'' ``Impossible is a dare.'' ``Impossible is an option.'' Considering this week's news that sources say Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. plans to leave the Lakers, maybe the ad campaign should post: ``Impossible is Kobe.'' It appears impossible that Bryant will stay a Laker. But remember, the only definite thing about his plan is that he will exercise his option this offseason to become a free agent. Then, the next question is: Why bother with the option? Bryant did not participate in the All-Star media session Saturday, but one of his peers - New Jersey's Jason Kidd Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23 1973, in San Francisco, California) is an American All-Star professional basketball player in the NBA. After earlier tours with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, he is currently the New Jersey Nets starting point guard and captain. - said it makes perfect sense for him to exercise his option. Kidd says that as a business move, Bryant should exercise his option even if he intends to stay a Laker. ``It's self-worth, in a sense,'' Kidd said. ``You want to see what you're worth and what's out there. You are loyal to the team you're playing for, but at the same time, you want to see what's on What's On (Traditional Chinese: 熒幕八爪娛) is a weekly half-hour TV series that airs on Fairchild Television. Format Originally started in 1996, the show is currently the longest-running program in Fairchild Television history. the other side of that door.'' Similar to Bryant, Kidd went through a year of speculation and media inquiries about his pending free agency. The San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and are the current NBA Champions after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals. , who also will have salary-cap space and an interest in Bryant, courted Kidd until he finally re-upped with the Nets in July for a six-year, $103 million deal. Because Kidd's situation ended with him re-signing in New Jersey, was is it really worth it to put fans up in arms armed for war; in a state of hostility. See also: Arms about the next season's doubt? Was it worth it to be hounded by questions about his plans? For Kidd, there was a perverse pleasure at being the center of rumors. He was in the country's biggest media arena - New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of - and looking back on it, he doesn't consider all of the questions and speculation a distraction. ``It wasn't a big deal,'' he said. ``It's just part of the story, part of the business. It goes with the territory.'' When asked about any advice he could give Bryant about the rest of the year until free agency, he wondered if the Laker could be like him, having fun with the attention and media circus media circus n → excesivo despliegue informativo media circus n (= event) → battage m médiatique (= group of journalists); cortège m . ``Just enjoy it,'' Kidd offered as advice to Bryant. ``He just wants to see what's on the other side of the door. There's nothing wrong with that.'' Other All-Stars didn't talk at length about Bryant's free agency. A typical attitude toward his status was: Why should I care? San Antonio's Tim Duncan Timothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan (born April 25 1976 in Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands)[1] is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 6'11" (2. could have a stake in what happens. The Spurs are the most talented team to have enough salary-cap room to sign Bryant. The Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks also will have enough room to sign him. But Duncan didn't exactly go into depth when asked if it made sense for Bryant to exercise his option. ``Sure,'' Duncan said. ``It's his life. I guess so.'' Like Kidd's situation, recent headlines about Bryant could just be fuel for sports-talk radio. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak (born May 24 1954 in Hicksville, New York) is a retired American basketball player and current general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000-01 NBA season after predecessor Jerry West moved to the Memphis Grizzlies organization. recently said, ``Kobe's not going anywhere.'' Bryant even said: ``I want to be a Laker. I've been a Laker fan my entire life, and I want to be a Laker for the rest of my life.'' Although Kidd says it makes sense for a player to explore his options, the exploration is more about ego than anything else. Financially, Bryant could sign a seven-year, $141 million contract with the Lakers, but if he goes elsewhere, the most another team can give him is a six-year, $98 million deal. In Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , a good-riddance attitude is developing toward the most popular Laker. When Laker No. 2 trades insults with Laker No. 1, it isn't exactly endearing. Nor is it endearing for Laker No. 2 to say he doesn't care whether the coach stays with the team. As a businessman, Kidd could defend Bryant's decision to exercise his option. But as a media-savvy team player, the Nets star doesn't really have a defense. ``Everybody has their reasons for being selfish,'' Kidd said. CAPTION(S): 3 boxes Box: (1) WHATS' ON (2) Daily News/CBS 2/KCAL 9 SPORTS CENTRAL POWER RANKINGS - Ross Siler (3) OFF THE GLASS - Ramona Shelburne |
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