Sports Notes - Karl Malone & Gary Payton Sign With Lakers

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Karl Malone & Gary Payton sign with Lakers - FIFA Women's Top 10 - Dennis Rodman to return to NBA? - Cambodian Football - Hok Sochetra

Monday July 28, 2003

KARL MALONE & GARY PAYTON SIGN WITH LAKERS

You can kick and scream about the Lakers being the worst three-peat team in NBA history but their signing of Karl Malone and Gary Payton could make them the greatest Lakers team ever… but… age is the problem.

It would be hard to top the Magic Johnson led Lakers squads of the 80's. They won five NBA championships over a 10-year span. They were young and around the same age with the exception of Kareem Abdul Jabbar. This team is reminiscent of the Lakers 60's to early 70's were loaded with a super star squad of Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, all of whom are in the NBA Hall of Fame. Next to the Boston Celtics superstar championship teams of the 60's this was to be the greatest NBA team ever, it didn't work out that way.

That Lakers squad won one NBA championship in 1972. Baylor was injured early in the season and retired. A young Jim McMillan from Ivy League Columbia University filled the void. That championship Lakers squad never won another title.

Malone and Payton signed with the Lakers hoping to be on their first championship squad. Teaming up with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal is a situation that doesn't come around often. In 12 years of NBA play (Seattle and Milwaukee) Payton has won zero championships. Payton and the Sonics played in the NBA Finals once and the Jazz reached the Finals twice during Malone's time there -- all during the 1990s. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were the opposition and won those NBA titles.

Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history who many consider the greatest power forward ever, signed a two-year contract worth just over $3 million and taking a $16 million pay cut. He, earned $19 million last season with the Utah Jazz in his 18th and final season with the club. It is the only NBA team he has ever played for. He just turned 40 years old.

The thirty-five year-old Payton is regarded as one of the leagues premier point guards. He was a member of the Seattle Supersonics for almost 12 years prior to being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks last season. He earned $12 million last season; will make $4.9 million in his first year with the Lakers.

The biggest question is will there be enough balls to go around for these four superstars to function together? Bryant and O'Neal scored 59% of the teams points last season and in some games took 80% of the shots. Malone is the second highest scorer in NBA history trailing Wilt Chamberlain. With Bryant, O'Neal and Payton will he have a chance to shoot?

Malone is a low-key country type guy that enjoys rural living and no bullshit. LA is just the opposite and loaded with bullshit and the movie star hey look at me environment. Can he adjust to all the phonies on a year round basis that he will have to deal with? Will he go Hollyweird and be in concert with the beautiful (in their minds) people?

Malone was born in Louisiana, played in Utah and lives in Arkansas during the off-season. He owns and drives a tractor-trailor. If you do the analysis…correct… Malone's profile is far from Hollywierd.

Payton has a jaded image and scares a lot of people off. In my first interview with him while he was a senior at Oregon State University I was reluctant to approach him. When I did, I found him to be a street kid with a tough exterior but willing to communicate to those who made the effort. In the NBA he softened as the years wore on. At this point of his career it appears he's ready to do anything to win an NBA title including smiling a lot and going Hollyweird.

He was a presenter in the ESPY Awards recently. The ESPY is the ESPN television network award for great athletes and athletic achievement. It appears that Payton has adapted to the Hollyweird scene.

With this line-up the Lakers have FOUR potential future Hall of Fame players. Payton is on the bubble of a selection. Should he be able to satisfy the egos this Lakers squad, feed the ball to players without offending anyone and win a championship that could put him over the top for Hall of Fame entry.

It was a only a few years ago the Lakers had a family feud between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal over who would shoot and control the ball. It will be interesting to see how this group of Lakers super stars will behave and function together. Ohhh... Don't forget... age makes a difference.

 

Dennis Rodman in the all together. Cambodia's Hok Sochetra Five high school players were members of the Cambodian National squad.

RODMAN RETURNS TO NBA?

Yo! Are you ready? Dennis Rodman stated at a press conference that he wants to make a comeback to the NBA after a two-year absence.

The seven-time NBA rebounding champion claims he has been partying since he left the league but has lost 18 pounds in the last four months.

The 42 year-old Rodman was a member of five NBA championship teams, winning two with the Detroit Pistons and three with the Chicago Bulls.

Rodman's NBA image began to unravel after being romantically involved with Madonna. He then married former MTV host Carmine Electra. His dying of his hair, wearing jewelry and tattoos has labeled him as eccentric.

Rodman prefers to play for the Sacramento Kings or the Los Angeles Lakers because he likes living in California. The New Jersey Nets also appeal to the former NBA champion.

CAMBODIAN FOOTBALL

NATIONAL TEAM

Cambodian National team coach Tola May said only six of the players that played for the squad in the Mekong Goodwill Games were on the 2002 Tiger Cup side.

They will play in Vietnam September 2nd - 14th against championship club teams. May is looking for good young players.

HOK SOCHETRA

Hok Sochetra is playing for his company team. They played in the ASEAN Club Championships recently. A Vietnam club was interested in Sochetra. Sochetra is said to have turned the offer down since it wasn't sweet enough in dollars.

CAMBODIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL SQUAD DEFEATED IN MEKONG GOODWILL GAMES - CHINA WINS GOLD

Cambodia U-23 National football squad suffered two losses at the Mekong Goodwill Games in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Club teams from Participating countries Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and China were the opposition. The Mekong River runs through or borders all of these countries.

Cambodia The Khmers lost a close 3-2 decision to a Thailand club team in their first match. The result indicates the Khmers are closing the gap of talent to their more successful neighbors. At one point this past year the Cambodian national squad had five players on the roster that were attending high school. Cambodia then lost to Laos 3-1. China won the gold medal defeating Thailand 2-1.

FIFA WOMENS TOP 10

1. USA (USA) 2169

2. Norway (NOR) 2159

3. Germany (GER) 2152

4. China PR (CHN) 2110

5. Sweden (SWE) 2073

6. Brazil (BRA) 2036

7. Korea DPR (PRK) 2004

8. Denmark (DEN) 1967

9. France (FRA) 1963

10. Italy (ITA) 1943