Bill Plaschke calls Lakers fans stupid.

Watch out, Kobe. Plaschke's comin'.

Well, not exactly. But he did question our intelligence a little bit. In today's L.A. Times, Mr. Plaschke, an excellent writer, laments why Lakers fans (and all Lakers fans are Kobe fans) continue to support Kobe even though he clearly no longer wants to play play in Los Angeles anymore. As Bill spins it, the Kobester doesn't just want to leave the organization, he wants to leave us, the people who watch him on T.V., spend their money on his jersey and buy tickets to watch him play. Basically, Plaschke writes, he's a disloyal, petulant troublemaker who's turned his back on the franchise and the fan base, and William doesn't understand why his followers remain so faithful. An excerpt:

"It's startling, indeed, how Lakers fans are willing to forgive Bryant for a petulance that was never this bad in O'Neal. It's amazing how they are willing to forget every odd twist to his unsettling career here for a chance to watch him take one more shot.

The second half of the late-season game in Sacramento. The fourth quarter of the playoff game in Phoenix. The practice fights, the Karl Malone phone calls, the Phil Jackson expose.

And, of course, Colorado."

That Plaschke, always trying to start something. If only he would use his talent for good more often. You see, Bill, part of the reason we continue to back Bean is because he's right. The Lakers hae failed in building a championship-caliber roster around him. Even you agree with him. More than that, we just don't buy into the whole "Kobe is the devil" nonsense. He's not. He's an unbelievable basketball player who's misunderstood and often unjustly criticised. Surely, he's made his share of mistakes during his career: the incident in Colorado, including throwing Shaq under the bus during that police interrogation; playing so selfishly and stupidly during the Finals against Detroit in 2004, trying to win by himself when the Pistons were single-covering Shaq and using a non-violent version of the "Jordan Rules" on him, playing right into their hands when he should have deferred to Big Daddy and gotten his fourth ring; and his habit of talking to the media so friggin' much, which only creates more problems for himself or complicates/intensifies already existing ones. And a couple of the ones you pointed out in that little passage.

But you know something? So what. He's human. He's not perfect. Neither am I. Neither is anyone who's reading this (which, according to our profile views, is probably no one. But still.). Neither are you, Plaschke. Apparently, you Mamba-haters out there have never made a regrettable decision and are void of past transgressions. Us Mamba-supporters reaize that we are not holier-than-thou and Kobe isn't either. We can relate to him like that.

Excuse us for not being so damn self-righteous.