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2012 Man of the Year: Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant notched his 30,000th point this year, good for fifth all time. He is now only 2,200 points behind Michael Jordan, the failed baseball player who ended his hoops career with the Washington Wizards.

Kobe does not just score on the court, however. "Kobe Bryant Gets Gold in Olympic Sex," screamed the Weekly World News headline. An unnamed source suggested the legendary basketball player was steamed that Michael Phelps had beat him four years ago for the title of Olympic village lothario.

A leader in all things, Kobe Bryant refuses to let those who have disappointed him forget the sting of failure. Bryant recently unloaded on Smush Parker, a one-time teammate whose failure to live up to Bryant’s expectations still stings.

"I'd rather be perceived as a winner than a good teammate," Bryant told his fans on Facebook. "I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."

In laying out a clear vision for the future, Kobe let us all know just what he expects of himself, his teammates, and, frankly, us.