Part 1: Kobe Super Natural Tour – Press Conference by the Media Boy!

Kobe and TJ jumpstarting the event.

Kobe Bryant in town. So am I. Here goes my first attempt of doing some “media” stuff . I say ditching work to do this presscon was worth it. This stuff happens only once or twice in a decade.

Call time is 11:00 am over at Quezon Hall Shangri La Makati.

Over hundred media and fotogs packed the pressroom doing their own version boxing out. Powerful camera and lenses they were carrying. My Canon Digital Camera wouldn’t go out of the case in utter insecurity. There were some registrations required and Media-ID distribution. Guess what, I am packed digitally but I got no effing pen. But the maniac in me, I stole hotel’s pen and notepad set over at the public phone booth.

As usual, Filipino time, already 11.30, there’s no Kobe Bean Bryant still. Quite understandable, Kobe is a big star, he has his own protocol and to add, the press wants to do things their way, ie, storm the stage and even delay. The press photographers-videographers were doubling by the minute, dunno if I’ll be able to squeeze in to get a clear shot of Kobe. (Looking at my captured pictures, I think, I captured few good pictures, the rest were fade-away shots, so to speak.)

In the house were Chino Trinidad (who was very accommodating when I asked for a shot), Noel Zarate who seemed to know everybody in the crowd, Anthony Suntay, Beth Celis and Dyan Castillejo. My man, the Dean – Quinito Henson was there. The Dean consented on my request for a shot. By this time, your “media” guy is turning out to be a “syano” guy, dragging every celebrity for a shot. BTW, Kume Chino Trinidad volunteered to shoot away while I was gleaming at the idea of me and Quinito together for a shot. They may have some articles that I don’t agree with, but the two, Chino and Quinito were cool dudes.

Check-out the two cool dudes (Chino and Qunito), men in the mirror, uh-hooo.

BTW, the girl who hosts GMA’s Sapulso was there. She’s the petite chinita chic. I wanted to take the photo op, I just dunno how to approach her without getting lower than the state I was in. Who knows, if Debraliz or Lou Beloso was there, I’ll ask for pics too.

Past 12 noon, press-con is now turning into a depress-con to me.

The first good news of the day, free lunch. Or, shall we say, SUPERB FREE LUNCH. Buffet lunch meal served outside the presscon room. The foodssssss were by Shangri La, and so, beleive me, food was delizioso. Oh BTW, to make my fellow Bloggers here at Hoops green, there were pretty girls in the event too.

I gobbled up (or down) caesars’ salad, potato salad, fish and beef meals and had blueberry cheese cake as my dessert. Bottomless drinks everywhere.

(BTW, there’s this tabloid newspaper guy, he took a trayload of meal. I think he went on a full-time tasting spree. He took all that Shangri La could offer. After that, he had 5 to 7 cakes of different variety. Name it, choco-creme, choco-mocha, choco-puta, strawberry, blueberry, whiteberry, yeah all the berries you could think of. Amazingly, he consumed all without throwing up.)

Around 1:00 pm, no Kobe still.

Then, minutes later, TJ Manotoc started it all. Nike Country Manager Melissa Crucillo gave a short message too. She’s cool, she knows, she cant drag her monologue. She mentioned Nike’s drive in developing local basketball and bringing Kobe in here to inspire young kids to play some hoops.

Quick memo from Nike Country Manager, Melissa Crucillo.

And finally, the Super Natural entered the scene. He came in wearing, ahhm, Nike Gears!

Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!

Prescon starts now.

Is it me, or Kobe really mimics Michael Jordan from ground up. That’s not a knack on Kobe but really, the way he speaks and moves, it’s soooooo MJ.

Kobe getting it from the media.

Anyway, some of the details I got from Kobe’s remarks and the Q n A.

KOBE MESSAGE

He’s out for an Asian swing to spread the game. He’s to encourage more kids to play the game of basketball. Also, to teach some select kids some Kobe drills. Drills that he calls “Black Out”. Yeah, the “Black Out” drills from the Black Mamba. He also out to explore and develop his partnership with Nike. Simply put, he’s also out to sway people to buy swooshed gears!)

Yeah, it’s the Nike Zoom Kobe II – USA Colorway

FROM THE QnA SESSION

- He likes playing for both U.S.A. and the Lakers. Sched don’t conflict anyways, USA games happen during summer. He also noted that Greece and Spain as world basketball heavyweights.

- Gino Rufino of ANC Hard Ball (later, the co-hosts the ULTRA event) asked Kobe to choose between an NBA Ring or an Olympic Gold. Kobe, a thirsty sanamagan baller, he says he is out to get both.

- Comparing the original Dream Team and Team USA 2007, he says the challenge is now greater. The world basketball order is now different and many countries improved.

- Regarding Lakers, he answered blank, he will just play as hard as he can, whoever is in LA town (including Kobe himself if he’s still in town come 2007-2008).

- The Role model stuff, Kobe went a little serious. He went like, nobody’s perfect. And says, role model is a person that learns from mistake. Ahhhh I see, like Kobe eh?

- What makes him tick with young kids? he says, it’s his love of game, love of life and living it to the fullest.

- What motivates Kobe, critics or the praises? Kobe says, both. But more importantly, winning motivates him.

- One Dude greeted Kobe a belated happy birthday, ahhhhh, isn’t he nice (or gay)? Anyways, the question, if he has money, he’s the Laker owner and has salary cap flexibility, who’d he take? Kobe says, the 2007 USA team members. Borrriiiiing!

- Kobe’s diet is mainly skipping the junks, the ice cream, apple pies, cheesecakes, you know, the stuff that Shangri La served us.

- On a related note, Kobe says he dropped 20 pounds primarily for defense. The plan is to have a stronger and faster Kobe come opening night.

- Regarding the future NBA bearers (Wade, Melo and Lebron), he says all are good and do things differently. Ah yeah, the Basketball Ambassador Kobe.

- With a tougher challenge in 2008 Beijing, they are out to improve the team and he says Colangelo and Coack K know what they are doing.

- Regarding any chance of him doing Hollywood, he says NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! Oh c’mon now Kobe, you are telling us you don’t envy Shaq’s epic films Kazaaam and Steel?

- What monicker Kobe wants? He says he’s cool with Kobe. And but of course, the self-initiated monicker, Black Mamba, he mentioned it. So there, the Black Mamba doing nice little chit-chattin.

Part 2 tomorrow, I’ll post the ULTRA Event. I skipped the Bonifacio Highstreet event coz I had another thing planned out way before the Kobe sched came out. Also, Nike handed me a Media Kit, I’ll see what I can dig and post some stuff. BTW, thanks to Nike – Ogilvy for sending Hoops.Blink.Ph a media invite and Ultra tickets.

Back to work now.