The Kobe Bryant strategy

By Dan Davis  |   Thursday, June 05, 2008  |  Comments( 2 )

Miami Dolphins
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Yes, you read the title right. The Kobe Bryant strategy. As in the basketball demigod who has a chance to win his fourth NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. But you Miami Dolphins may be wondering what Kobe, a star in a different sport on the other side of country, has anything to do with your team.

Well, who remembers this Bryant statement from a year ago?

"I would like to be traded, yeah. Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative, you know?"

Again, what does this have to do with the Dolphins?

Well, just days later, Kobe backed off a bit. But he stayed adamant.

"I can only hope that they do something because I don't want to go no place else," he said. ''I don't want to. I want to stay here. I hope they can do something."

Everyone remembers the Bryant trade demands. Now, over a year later, Bryant displays a shiny new MVP trophy on his shelf, guides his team to a Western Conference championship, and rolls into the NBA Finals. My, what a turn of events.

This is why Dolphins fans should take heart. Last weekend, star defensive end Jason Taylor took to the podium and finally spoke out about his intentions with the team.

"I want to win in '08," Taylor said. "That's what I want to do."

Sure, Taylor didn’t have quite the dramatics of Kobe, but they are essentially saying the same thing: Somebody else needs to do something.

Is that an arrogant thing to say? Probably. But if any Dolphin can say that sort of thing, it’s a future Hall of Famer like Taylor. Why? Because he's their best player. And because his team has always benefited from his performance

Let’s hypothesize for just a second.

Perhaps Taylor took notice of Bryant's actions. He said to himself, “You know, Kobe voiced his displeasure and look at where it got him.”

So Taylor, being the stand-up guy he’s always been, does it his own way. He stays quiet. He no shows voluntary workouts. He lets his displeasure be known without whining to the media. But his message is clear: Somebody else needs to do something.

Sure, the team's decision to hire Bill Parcells made a splash. Parcells' choice to to clean house in the offseason made an even bigger splash. But how exactly does that help Taylor now? He’s on the backside of his career. After 10 years of little team success, Taylor wants to taste victory. It’s the competitor in him. It’s the bloodthirsty drive which makes him one of the NFL’s best defenders.

So he does it the Kobe Bryant way. He makes it known that he doesn’t want to leave, but he wants it to be different. He wants somebody else to do something.

Accordingly, the Dolphins should follow suit. Make a blockbuster trade for a big-time difference-maker and then roll into the playoffs and Super Bowl led by none other than Taylor.

Perhaps that's how it all played out in Taylor’s mind.

Unfortunately for Taylor and the Dolphins, this is the NFL, not the NBA. And if last season is any indicator, the Dolphins are miles away from being a playoff contender.

Even still, he has a point. Taylor wanted to stir things up. He wanted to get his teammates a little angry, a little hungrier. He wants them to know that their previous performance just isn’t acceptable. He wants the team's brass, from owner Wayne Huizenga to GM Jeff Ireland to Parcells to head coach Tony Sparano, to know that.

Somebody else needs to do something; Taylor can't do it himself.
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About Dan Davis

I'm a 23 year professional camel trainer, well exercised in the disciplines of pass rushing and mass texting. I'm an avid fan NAIA Men's Lacrosse, and I regularly paratroop on the weekend. Any questions feel free to ask.
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