I sit in my usual booth in the back of the Montana Galley, nursing a tall glass of buttermilk, while I size up a horse in the fourth at Santa Anita, a nag by the name of, 'Skullduggery,' when:My iPhone vibrates.
"Speak to me," I say.
"Hey, like to talk with Brentwood... Is this Woody?"
"Well," I say. "As I live and breathe. Diego Garcia. How's the Fresh Air Cab Company doing? Still six cabs?"
"Thinking of adding a seventh, okay, but this isn't the reason I'm calling. Kobe, okay?"
"Kobe Bryant?" I say. "He takes a cab?"
"Had my Green TownCar down at LAX, he calls me, okay, so I shoot over to the private planes, and he just jumps in and says he needs to go to Staples. And that's not all, okay. Guess who jumps in right beside him?"
"Chris Paul."
"No, crazy, it's Mike Brown, the coach. Can you believe?"
"Very interesting," I say.
"Okay, so I ask them how they got my number? Kobe says he had my number, okay, 'cause I used to drive for Smush Parker, and sometimes Kwame Brown, and Sasha Brown.
"So okay, you ready. This'll be dyn-o-mite for your sports column in the Valley Post Picayune. Just give me a plug okay, Fresh Air Cab Company, okay?"
"Depends, Diego. Whatcha got?"
"Okay, okay, so, my good friend Modesto Merced, one of my drivers, we talk basketball, so I know, okay. So I says, Mr. Bryant, do you need more leg room, you know, 'cause of his bad shin.
"He says no, real fast, then looks at Mike, and Mike says, no also. Then he says quickly, Kobe's okay, but adds, He's really in pain, but I think we'll manage. I see them looking at each other." Diego breathes deeply.
"Kobe and the Coach in my cab. So? What do you think?"
"I think this is getting better. Please, continue."
"Okay, okay. Know what I think. Nothing's wrong with Kobe's leg. Brown's just giving him time off before the playoffs. I'm thinking this, okay, from their Body language, and the way they answered real fast."
"So Kobe's not hurt? That what you're saying?"
"He's being rested. Modesto told me all about it, okay. Here's what he said. Kobe makes out like he's got a bad leg. The other teams think he's not 100% when he comes back. So they play him differently. Double team Gasol, or Bynum instead."
"Diego, look," I say. "The Lakers have won 4 out of six with Kobe on the bench. They could easily have lost those games, then what?"
"But the Lakers got good players, if they work as a team. Brown, was watching Kobe dribble 10 seconds off the clock, then make 35% of his shots. Modesto says, He'll make his shots, but what about the other 4 Lakers? Sitting on the bench Kobe can see this. The Lakers win games as a team. Brown knows he can't tell Kobe not to shoot. This lets Kobe see for himself. Brown had it figured that way."
"So your friend thinks Kobe won't shoot as much when he comes back," I say.
"Okay, good question, so I ask Kobe, Mr. Bryant, The Lakers are winning with you on the bench. How do you feel about that? And you know what he says?"
"I'm listening," I say.
"Not much I can do about it. Then Brown says, He's got such a bad leg, he has to be on the bench. Then Kobe says loudly, Oh, yeah, with my bad leg. But it should be heeled by playoff time."
"But Diego," I say. " What if the Lakers had lost all those games, they'd be behind the Clippers, and third seed."
"According to Modesto, third seed, Memphis, is a better match up. Okay, Woody, so listen to this. I ask Kobe, Kobe, how do you like coaching. Lakers are winning when you're on the bench. Maybe we shouldn't fix it if it ain't broken?"
"You said that to Kobe Bryant? Brilliant, Diego. He'll never ride with you again," I say.
"Okay, know what happens next. Modesto was right. Kobe says, Say what? You don't think they need me? Then Brown says, Course we need Kobe. But I think we can all see how the team is doing as a team. We all work well together.
"Then Kobe says, Gotta admit, coaching, I've been doing good at that. Much more relaxing than playing, no ice downs after the games. I can see my kids more, you know. He looks out the window. I just need one more championship ring, one more than Michael. Then he grins at Brown and says, This coachin's real easy."
"Sure, says Brown, when you're winning.
"Okay, okay, now we get to Staples. They both say thanks for the ride, nice tip, okay. Kobe, big smile, jumps out, then Mike Brown says, Hey Kobe, careful with that leg, and Kobe says, Oops, Oh yeah, my leg, then they smile at each other and walk toward the employees door."
"Maybe what you're telling me is true. But, they're certainly taking a chance. This layoff could make Kobe rusty for the playoffs, there's only four games left in the season."
"But," says Diego. "Makes sense. Kobe get's his rest. They give the impression he's got a leg problem, and Kobe sees first hand how teamwork wins games."
I sip my buttermilk. This does make sense. Who would make a better coach than Kobe Bryant?
"Oh boy. Sorry, gotta go," says Diego. "Somebody needs a Fresh Air Cab ride. Later, Woody."
"Thanks Diego. Keep me informed."
I thumb my iPhone, and spin it on the table. It's crunch time. The Lakers have only four more regular season games. I lean back in the booth. You know, maybe there's a whole lot more to this Kobe Story than him just sitting on the bench.
..............................
Help comes from:
cbssports.com/nba
articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/16/sports/la-sp-simers-20120417
yardbarker.com/nba/articles/kobe_bryan
readabilityformulas.com, Google/Images, Wikipedia/Kobe
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