Leandro Barbosa Is Your Sixth Man Of The Year, Phil and Kobe Respond

It's official, the man they call the "Brazilian Blur" has received the NBA's Sixth Man award. Leandro Barbosa ran away with the award, taking 101 of a possible 127 first place votes. Manu Ginobili and Jerry Stackhouse finished second and third respectively, but they weren't even close to challenging Barbosa, who finished with an average of 18 points per game and shot 43% from three-point land.

As you might imagine, Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant had some back-handed compliments to add to the story, considering that they're in the middle of a playoff series against the Suns. Phil was less than impressed with the "Brazilian Blur" moniker:

That's a really weak nickname," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Couldn't you call him something better than that? Blur doesn't even designate how fast this guy is. He's even faster than that."

And after the way Barbosa played in Game 1 against the Lakers, Kobe had a suggestion for rewarding him for this achievement:

"Give him a soccer ball," the Lakers ' Kobe Bryant said when asked what could be done to stop Barbosa. "Tell him Brazilians should be playing soccer, not basketball."

I'm sure Kobe and the rest of the Lakers would like that, especially since all they have is the likes of Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic trying to guard him. Anyway, congrats to Barbosa, he played so well off the bench that he was really the only choice for the award this season.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-24-2007 @ 12:08AM

Kobe Briant said...

I'd like to do some raping down in Sao Paulo this summer... get me some of that half-black Mexican P***.

4-24-2007 @ 12:21AM

DM said...

"That's a really weak nickname," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Couldn't you call him something better than that? Blur doesn't even designate how fast this guy is. He's even faster than that."

Ok, call him the "Brazilian Laker killer" then.

4-24-2007 @ 1:17AM

Rob Insa said...

Yet another ex-Spur player they let go to another team.

I always liked him when he was a rookie for the Spurs and thought he would be a great compliment to T. Parker.

But just like Stephen Jackson (who would have been the perfect replacement for Bruce Bowen at the starting SF)...the Spurs "because of salary cap reasons"(yeah Right)... had to let Barbosa go.

4-24-2007 @ 1:36AM

vince said...

"Barbosa more than lived up to his nickname of the "Brazilian Blur." Bryant smiled when asked the best way to defend him."

Guys if you quote something, don't edit it to make it seem like someone had other intentions. Please, you're a good blog, stuff like this ... it doesn't belong on a good blog.

4-24-2007 @ 1:51AM

Ron Petralia said...

If Kobe played soccer would he ever pass the ball?
The Lakers will be out of this series in a blur.
Enjoy and savor the Kobe Era Faker fans.

4-24-2007 @ 2:31AM

mike said...

If Kobe played soccer would he ever pass the ball? Ron, I think we all know the answer to that one. HA!

"Leandrinho" deserves this award and the contract the Suns gave him. I'm glad for him and it was nice to see the vote so heavily favored the player who most deserved it.

In spite of all the hype about Kobe and how "dangerous" the Lakers would be, the comparisons to last year, thats going to prove to be just blogger and Laker fan delusion. Barbosa joins Nash (MV3), Stoudemire, Bell, Marion and the rest of the team are going to be too much for the fragile Lakers.

Hint to Kwame: don't whine and argue with your teammates in the middle of a playoff game- doesn't help your cause a lot.

4-24-2007 @ 4:27AM

abel said...

I don't like Kobe or the Lakers at all and I hope they get swept by the Suns. That said, if you put what Jackson and Kobe said in context, their comments don't seem quite as "backhanded" as you portray them. Jackson says he's faster than a blur and Kobe wishes he's play soccer so he wouldn't have his team's ass kicked so bad by, among other, Leandrinho. What good does it do to elicit the kind of responses like "kobe briant" made? You think his sick comments are funny? No need to encourage the sickos as there are already plenty of them blogging as it is. C'mon man, you can write better stuff than this!

4-24-2007 @ 9:25AM

jim said...

3. Yet another ex-Spur player they let go to another team.

Somehow I don't think the spurs are losing sleep

4-25-2007 @ 1:04AM

Nissy Allen said...

Abel, you took the words right from under my fingers...Thanks for making sense out of nonsense...

4-24-2007 @ 3:35PM

Don Babbitt said...

Brett you continue to amaze the world...

You don't know the definition of a backhanded compliment. What Phil and Kobe said were both very straightforward compliments.

5-04-2007 @ 3:30PM

Benny said...

Regarding the Spurs...The reason they're not losing sleep is...BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SLEEPING!
C'mon Timmy, WHEN YOU WAKIN UP???
Phil & Kobe, Los Angeles deserves better!