Sometimes Kobe Bryant is as right as church on Sunday.

One of those times was came when the Los Angeles Times questioned him recently about NBA owners (chiefly Mark Cuban) complaining about the risk they incur when their assets -- the players -- take part in the Olympic Games. It came up again, of course, after Blake Griffin popped a knee while preparing for the Games in London.

Balderdash, Kobe said, in so many words.

"If I'm an owner, I would want my player to play (internationally), because I understand that they're going to be playing anyway, going to be playing pickup basketball in the summertime, and I'm not going to be able to know where they are," Bryant told the Times. "They could be playing against a bunch of bums -- no, really -- guys that feel like they have something to prove and all of a sudden, a (star player) goes to the rim and a guy takes them out and now he's hurt.

"Here you're playing against the best guys, you have treatment around the clock, your (NBA) coaching staff can always come sit in the stands and view practice. To me, playing on an Olympic basketball team is actually better if you're an owner."

Amen.