Good to see some love for my man Kobe here in this thread.... Suike, u r right on the point ! I thought, Kobe had the best chance of winning the MVP title last year...yet he was voted down...matter of fact he was I think 5th on the list.....There are many writers who simply do not like Kobe and thus the baised votings in the MVP race.....I still believe it was as much as Shaq's fault on what happened with Lakers as is Kobe or Phil for that matter....Let truth be told, Shaq left Lakers coz they won't give him 32 mil per year contract extension...and Shaq's ego won't let him stay and play behind a superstar in his prime i.e. Kobe ! Lakers and Kobe have good years ahead though....by 2009 most of the overrated contracts they took over will expire and they will have more room to get substantial free agents ! I agree with most of you on this year's MVP, Nash should have won....but I can live with Dirk being the one this year...he's choked in the playoffs this year, and in finals last year...so, he's a lot more to prove than Nash and/or Kobe to revalidate his MVP run next year !