Hard Work

Intensity

"And I'm the franchise..."

Jay-Z - La-La-La

Last week I came home to a package from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. I didn't think anything of it, because I couldn't remember ordering anything...

Appreciation

After about an hour of being home, I opened the mystery package. To my surprise it was an advance copy of Kobe Doin' Work, the Spike Lee documentary. It aired on ESPN last Spring, and what I remember most from that film was that I appeared within the first 2 minutes of the piece. Bryant and I have a good friendship, and I was so excited to see myself that I couldn't concentrate on the rest of the movie. I wasn't however in this edition, nevertheless I was proud and honored from the original broadcast.

As I sat back and watched it...the insight you gain from his commentary and Lee's vision is unprecedented. In one scene Bryant describes how he played against Tim Duncan in a game of one-on-one during the All-Star break, and how he learned Duncan's signature bank shot...which he now incorporates into his attack.

I heard that a lot of people and critics didn't like the documentary because they were expecting more of a behind the scenes, never seen before type of footage, however if you listen to what Kobe says...then all the hidden things you never see in an NBA game, are explained to you by the man himself. Its a different approach, and when you think about it...that's how Bryant is as a person and athlete. He even makes a mention of how playing in the league reminds him of being a kid at home in Philly...which showed me how much, and how highly he regards his hometown.

Kobe Doin' Work is available at retail on Tuesday, November 24, 2009. There is also a special MVP edition that comes with a Kobe Bryant trading card from Upper Deck, limited to the first 30,000 copies.

The Lakers make their first trek to the Northeast next month, and I'll be on hand to catch with Bryant, as I haven't seen him since the Finals...so we have a lot of catching up to do.