Kobe as armchair football analyst

That was posted on Kobe's Facebook page. Kobe is a fan of the sport and is buddies with some of the famous soccer players in the continent where he's at.

Think he's got that in him?

Surpassing the Logo

Kobe just passed by Jerry West as the all-time leading scorer of the Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers. Although the Lake Show lost by two, Kobe scored 44 and was a Ron Artest miss from winning the game.

He did say, that if his body would allow it, he might be able to have a crack at the hallowed mark of Kareem.

Kobe articles

I need to find articles / blog posts / etc... regarding Kobe's visit here. If you have, let me see it. I am planning something kasi. Thanks.

Snazzy Sport "Pasin-tabis" 2

1. Tom Watson leading the Open @ Turnberry. He's 59 turning 60. One thing that keeps me busy when I am at the office is reading Jason Sobel and his ESPN golf live-blog. It is really captivating what this 5-time Open winner is doing. Wow. Newsworthy. Also Tiger missing his 2nd major cut. Considering how good he has been over the course of his career, this is really a shock.

2. The 2010 Winter Classic will be held @ Fenway, with the Boston Bruins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers. Considering how good the past 2 games were, expectations are high.

3. Congrats to the San Miguel Beermen. Ginebra lost their first Game 7. Jonas Villanueva (FEU alum) wins the Finals MVP. Olsen, your successor is ready. Thanks for the service rendered.

4. Day after Beermen win, Team Pilipinas loses in their Jones Cup opener 90-59 to Jordan. Still need a lot of stuff to work on.

5. The NBA free Agent moves will have its own post before the season starts, so don't be surprised.

6. Since Kobe is coming here, no, I did not go to the Fort to try to fish for a ticket. I do have a day (graveyard, though) job and the schedule and location make it a little impractical. However, if you do, send a link to watch and observe. And, speaking of Nike, the Jordan Brand is going to secure current Converse icon D-Wade. (Which is a lateral move as Nike owns Converse)

7. DLSU lost again. No one scored in double digits, again. This will be a long season for the Archers. However, I just want to let you know, that this team is a 2nd round team, meaning they really play much better from August onwards. It is hard to imagine a Franz Pumaren-coached team like this. Kudos to FEU.

8. Adamson wins it first game against UP. Did I see a Mike Gamboa DNP?

Updated Kobe in Manila news

Information here taken from Rick Olivares' blog

Like what I posted earlier: NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant will be in the country on July 21, 2009 (which is a Tuesday) to kick off his Nike sponsored 2009 Asia Tour. The said tour will cover six cities in Asia, starting in Manila (for only one day), then Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and the final stop being Chengdu. The tour also seeks to inspire young ballers to continue aspiring for their big hoop dreams.

The visit will kick off with a 2PM visit at Nike Park, The Fort. Kobe would be meeting young ballers from select Gawad Kalinga communities as a way of supporting deserving institutions by setting aside quality time to be with children who are interested in basketball, encouraging them to keep dreaming big. W.N.I.K.E Radio on Magic 89.9 will broadcast this event live (This is during the Big Meal / Top 5 @ 5).

Afterwards, he would proceed to a basketball camp at the Philsports Arena (a.k.a. the Ultra). Kobe would then strut his stuff and share tips and tricks with a group of young and up-and-coming basketball players named the Nike Elite Campers (hmm.... I wonder who are the ones in this camp?) Gates will be open at 3pm and the show begins at 4pm.

If you want to watch this, you need to go to the Nike Park at the Fort on Saturday, July 18. Tickets are absolutely free, but only 3000 are available and only two (yes, just two) tickets per person on a first-come first serve basis. Distribution will begin at noon of said day. You can also tune in to W.N.I.K.E Radio (Mondays 10-1030am on Magic 89.9) as lucky listeners might be able to watch this as well.

The tour also serves as the launch of the new Nike Dream Season shoe, which is the first basketball shoe designed for outdoor games. Designed with Kobe's input and based from his style of play, the Nike Dream Season is both lightweight and durable, as well as sleek and aggressive. Winning the recently concluded NBA title obviously completing his own dream season, Kobe aims to inspire young ballers by sharing his passion for basketball (in this case, with players throughout Asia Pacific), giving them the opportunity to live out their dreams on the outdoor court.

Kobe coming to Manila

Thanks to Nike Philippines for the information.

Here it is as quoted from Nike:

Nike announced today that it would host 2009 NBA Champion and Finals MVP Kobe Bryant on a six-city tour of Asia. Developed as an opportunity for Kobe to meet with kids throughout Asia to inspire, energize and improve their basketball skills, Kobe’s tour will make stops in Manila, Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Chengdu, China, starting July 21, 2009.

Starting as a young basketball player, Kobe developed a set of skills that has made him into one of the best athletes in the world. Growing up, he sharpened his skills playing both indoor and outdoor basketball and today follows a core set of values that can be seen through his focused training and mental toughness on court.

The results of his training are visible through his many accomplishments including scoring 81 points in a single NBA game and in winning the 2008 NBA MVP Award, the 2008 Olympics Gold Medal as part of the USA Basketball team, and most recently winning the 2009 NBA Championship and being awarded the Finals MVP.

Bryant has met with players and fans alike throughout Asia over the past three summers; touring with Nike during the summer of 2006 and 2007, and as part of the USA Basketball team leading up to the games in Beijing where he lead the USAB team to gold in 2008. This summer’s tour offers Kobe a chance to check back in with the young players he met on previous tours and meet up and coming players who he hopes to inspire. “I'm looking forward to returning to Asia to see the progress the kids have made since my last visit,” said Kobe Bryant. “I liked what I saw then and I’m planning to work the kids even harder to give them a better sense of the dedication and hard work it takes to be a champion.”

Off the court, Kobe has long believed in giving back to the community. During his Asia tour with Nike, Kobe will continue his spirit of giving by participating in charity events with his fans at various stops along the tour.

From July 1st, Nike will launch the Nike Dream Season. Developed to meet the needs of outdoor basketball players in Asia, the Nike Dream Season was designed with insights from Kobe. The shoe will be a part of his signature collection and will be sold exclusively in Asia.

Kobe Bryant 2009 Asia Tour Schedule:
July 21: Manila

Watch out for updates on the Kobe Bryant 2009 Asia Tour: Philippines on www.nike.com.ph or tune it to W.N.I.K.E. Radio on 89.9 DWTM Mondays from 10:00am to 10:30am.