With a bright red shirt that could only have stood out more if the letter “A” were embroidered upon its chest, Kobe Bryant sat in a sea of yellow Tuesday night amongst his Laker teammates surrounded by the turmoil that is his life.

As if “adulterer” and “accused rapist” didn’t place this young man on the periphery of society, he is now being ostracized by his own teammates. Earlier this week Shaquille O’Neal provided insight into the leadership on this Lakers team that no one else could have.

“Everybody knows that you [media] guys may give it to [Kobe] like you’ve given him everything else his whole lifetime, but this is the Diesel’s ship.”

It may in fact be the Diesel’s ship, but I question whether or not if when that ship goes down will Shaq Daddy be left standing on it? I’ve heard all of the predictions for this Laker team, the voice of Bill Walton ringing in my ear about how the season wouldn’t be a success if it even lost one game. But you have to stop yourself. Among all those great players are great big egos, and L.A. may have finally reached a point where people are going to have to spend some time in jail, retire or test the free-agency market in order to free up some space.

The Lakers have added a bona fide presence in Karl Malone and the play when he wants the attitude of Gary Payton, but what this team needs is a parental unit to chase its “childlike” behavior around with a wooden spoon.

Responding to Shaq’s remarks, Kobe issued his own sentiments in an interview with Jim Gray.

“It doesn’t matter whose team it is. Nobody cares. I don’t care, Karl doesn’t, Gary doesn’t and our teammates and the fans don’t either. There’s more to life than whose team this is.”

It’s taken some time, but one of the NBA’s brightest superstars has finally realized that there are more important things in life than putting a ball through a hoop. It may be too late for him to undo some of the things he has done, but maybe he will be a better man for the future, right?

But it appears that Kobe still feels as though the rules don’t apply to him. In an exhibition game against the Clippers, Bryant rode his motorcycle to and from the game rather than taking his seat on the team bus. And now we are faced with his trial, which is a whole other discussion about what is right and wrong. Kobe’s lawyers have managed to free their client up from his original Nov. 10 court date due to a scheduling conflict of their own and not the Lakers’ scheduled game in Memphis. But asking for a two-week postponement, the lawyers then decided that three days would suffice, conveniently placing the new court date between two Laker home games.

The relationship between Shaq and Kobe may best be described as a turbulent yet mutual agreement between two professionals. Although when is the last time you heard remarks like these near your office water cooler?

Questioning Shaq’s leadership abilities, Bryant said, “Leaders don’t beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30-million-plus per year in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free.”

Shaq’s response was one filled with dignity and respect toward the young Mr. Bryant.

“Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here. One person, not two. One. Period. I’m not telling [Kobe] how to play his position. I’m telling him how to play team ball.”

The rest of the Lakers apparently got the memo on Shaq’s team-ball concept as they dominated the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night, but let it be known that playing like a team doesn’t equal being a team. As can be seen in recent events such as the Lakers of a year ago, team chemistry can result in an early exit from the postseason, and I promise you this Laker team is going to have some future issues.

So bad was the situation between Shaq and Kobe that the “Zen Master” himself, Phil Jackson, was forced to step in and settle the situation. Kobe was fined, Shaq donated 20 minutes of his life and Phil I’m sure sat in his chair and looked educated, but I doubt Kobe provided a sincere apology for calling Shaq fat, and it’s unlikely that Shaq decided to share his piece of apple strudel with Bryant. One apparent decision that did come out of the meeting was an apparent decision to just play basketball.

Shaq and Kobe mix about as well as oil and water, and the addition of Gary Payton will only be a grease fire in the kitchen when he decides to speak up. Although the feud was escalated by Bryant’s immaturity and Shaq’s inability to cope with sharing, the final resolve may have been made. The answer will be an early end to the Lakers’ 2004 playoff run.