Commentary: For Kobe, Shaq, it's personal

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles, you have a problem, and this time, it's serious AND personal.

I couldn't sleep Monday night after taking in all the rhetoric surrounding Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. You might have noticed that I have had nothing to say about Bryant's legal problems. Regardless of how his trial turns out, I always tried to be an advocate of innocent-until-proven-guilty and I wanted to avoid any possibility of speculation or opinion.

That is not the case on this matter.

I was in denial about the alleged rift between the stars of the Los Angeles Lakers in the past, but I find I can no longer be. Whenever you take your case public, it's serious and may not be fixable.

And, if I'm right, the Lakers are in a world of hurt and although I liked both men as players, RIGHT NOW they both stink as human beings.

First, we have O'Neal, angered by Bryant's play in two preseason contests over the weekend, telling the media that Bryant needs to be more of a team player and that he might be better off elsewhere.

"As we start this new season we want (stuff) done right, (stuff) has to get done right," O'Neal said. "If you don't like it then you can opt out next year. You guys may give it to (Bryant) like you've given him everything else his whole lifetime, but this is The Diesel's ship. I'm not telling him how to play a position, I'm telling him to play team ball. If he doesn't like it, tell him to opt out. Yeah (it's my team). Everybody knows that. You (media) guys may give it to (Bryant) like you've given him everything else his whole lifetime, but this is The Diesel's ship."

Then we have Bryant, who went 7-for-24 in the two games, responding.

"I definitely don't need any advice on how to play my game," Bryant said. "He can worry about the low post, I'll worry about the high post."

Then we have Bryant, openly defying an order by Coach Phil Jackson NOT to talk to the media about this matter and making even more pointed comments.

"(If) this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court. It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million (dollars) plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers (Gary Payton and Karl Malone) playing here pretty much for free. If leaving the Lakers at the end of the season is what I decide, a major reason for that will be Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy. (But) somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year."

Bryant also told ESPN that O'Neal was NOT one of those who called him to lend support when the rape allegation surfaced.

"He is not my quote unquote 'big brother.' A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing."

I have just one question: Are you kidding me?

We have two millionaires spewing this acrimonious rhetoric in public on the day before the new season begins, with two of the game's greatest veterans, Payton and Malone, having signed with the team for considerably lower salaries than they're used to making, just for a chance to win a world championship, which neither has ever done.

Bryant is about to stand trial, with the possibility of life in prison at stake! Why now? How much do the guys think we have-nots can or will take? Are they really THAT selfish? Unfortunately, by the standards of today's athletes, sadly, the answer might be YES.

And I know one thing: Even as impartial as I am supposed to be as a member of the "media," honestly, my respect for both men as human beings has been stretched to the breaking point, and I'm not sure it can be restored or how long I will care.