Does Kobe is belong in Jordan's rarefied air?

The instant gratification--twitter ADD world we live in demands constant re-evaluation... and naturally when the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up the NBA title with a 99-86 victory over Orlando the talking heads were trying to find immediate perspective on how GREAT Kobe and Phil are...

Slow down! Do they not realize there are more than a few days before the next NBA season?
(by the way I'm doing a poll on the first paragraph--did it say too much or too little? email me now!)

First let's discuss Phil...with ten NBA championships he's now the winningest coach in pro basketball-- or any other north American pro sport (although John Wooden does have 10 NCAA titles to his credit). Is he the greatest coach ever?

The case against Jackson has always been the fact that he's been blessed with talent. Michael Jordan is one of the all-time five best players easily...and Shaquille O'Neal is one of the top four centers in league history--Phil had both at their prime...and Kobe Bryant during his peak years as well. Meanwhile, Auerbach had a ridiculous amount of hall of famers at his disposal--including eight on his roster in one season-- specifically Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn and Havilicek. What might give Red an advantage is he acquired all of his players--whereas Phil benefited by Jerry Krause, Jerry West (best GM in the modern era) and Mitch Kupchak's efforts. I have no problem placing Phil on the same level as Red-- but the two coached in completely different eras...and while Auerbach's Celtics played fewer playoff series to win titles, Jackson's Bulls and Lakers competed in a watered down league (less legitimate competition in the first and second round giving him easier early victories to pad his total). Not to take the easy way out-- but here it is: Phil is the greatest pure coach in the history of the game. Red is the greatest coach/general manager in league history.

Now for the Kobe lovefest...I was shocked to hear the question about Kobe Bryant's legacy and where he fit in-- if this title puts him in Jordan's class...hello? While Kobe is the best player in the game today (although Lebron James is doing more with less around him) he doesn't belong in the same class as Jordan...or Magic Johnson...or even Oscar Robertson. Kobe's place in my all-time world is right next to Jerry West... both extremely talented off guards who could take over games. And what's wrong being the equal of the league logo?

For all the accolades Kobe will get for winning a title without Shaq... this was far from a one-man show: Pau Gasol was probably the most consistent Laker in the finals (wrapping up with 14 points and 15 boards in game five) while Lamar Odom was the gamechanger when he decided to play. Derek Fisher's threes in game four turned what could have been a nip and tuck series into a walkover. What a difference 18 months make--Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak went from being the guy who traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown to being a championship architect...