The current edition of ESPN Magazine features an article, "Judgment Days: His Life Under Fire in Two Different Courts, Kobe has Never Felt so Alone," by Tom Friend. The general thrust of the piece is how difficult this all is for Bryant & how no one knows the "real" Kobe (ever since he was charged, it seems every article has to offer that piece of information as if it's a startling revelation,) but what I found most interesting is this quote from Bryant:

"It's a difficult period. What bothers me is people who say my situation is hard for my teammates and hard for the organization, and I should be mindful of that. Be mindful of that? Why? Because you have to answer a couple of questions here and there? I'm living this. I am living this. Everyone else is watching me live this. What's hard about that. I shouldn't be mindful. You should be mindful of what's going on here. This is serious stuff. I don't see it being difficult to go out and play a game of basketball and have to answer some questions about somebody else's situation."

Is he completely out of touch with what the Laker organization has done for him already? From players facing unending questions at training camp--when he failed to appear--to his petulant feud with Shaq to the Lakers hiring bodyguards for Bryant & his wife and footing the bill for the airplane that carries him to Colorado for hearings and back to LA for practices, the Lakers seem to have bent over backwards for him. I think he should be grateful that no one in the organization has publicly suggested he sit out this season & focus on his off-court issues. Instead, Bryant fails to see what the team has already done. Pity.

~Adam

[ November 15, 2003, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

I can't believe somebody with his money doesn't have better PR people. He's just made mistake after mistake in the wake of the allegations. The tearful press conference with the wife by his side that made Michael Jackson-Lisa Marie Presley and Liza Minelli-David Gest kisses look believable. Announcing the purchase of a $4 million ring for the wife. His lawyer announcing the accuser's name in open court. Various other comments about the case and now this. Guilty or innocent, most people I know are turned off by pretty much everything Kobe has doen since these allegations came to light. Maybe it's time for him to just shut up already.

Cry me a river, Kobe. Cry me a river.


I think we're learning more about the "real" Kobe with each passing day since this incident became public knowledge.