Kobe
 

Since I've done my share of "spin" during my career, I usually know not to buy into celebrities' and athletes' PR. But in the case of Kobe Bryant, I really believed that he was one of the good guys - good husband, good son, good father. Wholesome. Probably the NBA's classiest act with the retirement of David Robinson.

I'm sure this episode will ruin his image with sponsors, but, more importantly, I feel so terrible for his wife. The criminal charges would be hard enough to handle but, as Bryant himself stated, "(he) made the mistake of adultery". What a nightmare she must be living; and she's so young, too.

Here's the story if you haven't seen it yet:

AP - EAGLE, Colo. (July 18) - Kobe Bryant was charged Friday with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in a case bound to tarnish the career of one of the NBA's biggest superstars.

The 24-year-old Bryant faces four years to life in prison if convicted on the single felony count, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told reporters during a news conference. He said Bryant used ''physical force'' and caused ''sexual penetration or intrusion.''

The Los Angeles Lakers star immediately proclaimed his innocence, but acknowledged that he ''made the mistake of adultery'' with the woman, who worked the front desk at the resort where Bryant was staying while in Colorado for knee surgery.

''Nothing that happened June 30th was against the will of the woman who now falsely accuses me,'' Bryant said in a statement.

His wife, Vanessa, also released a statement, saying she stood by her husband. ''He is not a criminal,'' she said.

Hurlbert refused to talk about the details of the case. He said he reviewed all evidence during the last two weeks and consulted prosecutors around the state before making his decision.

''I have an ethical burden not to prosecute a case unless I can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt,'' he said. ''I feel that after reviewing the evidence after looking at the evidence that I can prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.''

Bryant, free on $25,000 bail, must return to court in Eagle on Aug. 6 for a hearing.

The case has riveted the sports world for nearly two weeks because it involves one of the NBA's brightest and most magnetic young stars. The recently married father of a baby girl has also used his wholesome image to land multimillion-dollar endorsement deals.

Documents in the case, including the arrest warrant, have been sealed.

Authorities have said Bryant assaulted the woman June 30 at the gated Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in nearby Edwards. He was in Colorado for knee surgery at a Vail clinic, and was booked at the lodge from June 30 to July 2.

Eagle County sheriff's deputies took Bryant to Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs for tests early July 2, later letting him leave in a taxi with his bodyguards.

The woman also underwent tests, and Hurlbert has said he needed information from the state crime lab before making his decision.

Bryant surrendered to authorities July 4 and was released an hour later after posting $25,000 bond. The sheriff refused to release Bryant's booking photo for days.

The arrest was announced July 6, prompting a firestorm of media attention on this small mountain town 100 miles west of Denver. Reporters swamped the cul-de-sac where the woman lives with her parents, but she has said nothing publicly. Her family has consulted an attorney.

The woman is well-known in Eagle as a former high school cheerleader and talented musician who auditioned for ''American Idol'' last year.

The news stunned basketball fans: Bryant, a five-time All-Star who has already won three titles with the Lakers, is by most accounts a quiet man who prefers dinner with a few friends to joining teammates for a night on the town.

Sports marketing experts say the case will be a permanent blow to Bryant's image, and could cost him millions in lost endorsements.

Bryant entered the NBA in 1996 at age 18, straight out of high school. He has drawn comparisons to the league's all-time greatest players as he has helped Los Angeles win consecutive titles from 2000-02.

Along with his determination, Bryant has also shown class, something many fans feel are missing from other NBA stars. He wept when the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by San Antonio in May, and he wore his hospital ID bracelet in a game the day after his daughter was born.

He married Vanessa Laine in April 2001. The two met on the set of a music video where Laine was working and got engaged while she was still in high school. Vanessa gave birth to their first child, Natalia Diamante Bryant, in January.

I know Kobe's wife is devasted about what happened, but she is standing by him and they plan to get through this. I was shocked to hear about this since he seems to be a decent fellow. I am not what think about this anymore.

http://superbabies.homestead.com/files/aqaquestion.gif http://superbabies.homestead.com/files/fie.gif

Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for him (wife/family, team and others yes). No pun intended, but he made his bed.....

There are lots of celebrities/non-celebrities that don't give in. I heard an interesting story when Sean Hannity was discussing the Kobe issue on his show right after the announcement. (Okay, let's assume this isn't an urban legend, lol.)

He said that Billy Graham won't even get in an elevator if there is only a female in it. And he has someone check out a room first. He doesn't put himself in a situation that might be misconstrued.

I absolutely agree with you. Especially his poor wife.

I can guarantee you that if I were his wife, I wouldn't have sat next to him and smiled at the ESPY awards earlier this week. He wouldn't be able to see me with a telescope!

She is smiling because she knows that she gets HALF!!


I don't feel sorry for any damn body. Maybe the baby, but that's it.

LOL, I hadn't thought of that! Oh, yeah, I forgot she had a little calculator with her! :D

This is what he gets for hatin' on Philly. . . :p

I have to say that I do feel sorry for him if it turns out that the allegations are false. I'm interested to see what comes out at trial.

Nope, sorry, you cheat on your spouse, you lose all sympathy from me.

I second that.

He kept saying that he hadn't committed a crime, but in some states, adultry IS a crime! Even if it is a fingerprintable misd., it means you have a crimnal record (even if it is sealed).

Amen sister! He is only ashamed for one reason:
he got caught!

Re: Kobe
 

KR,

I love ya and i respect ya, but NEVER put kobe in the same HEMISPHERE as DRob. David not only served his country, he donated time and money for the Carver Acadamy, a private school only attended by students in needy school districts.

Kobe may care, blah blah blah, but David Robinson puts his money where his mouth is. Please dont' mention kobe, the 90's version of wilt chamberlin with the class that is David Robinson

Kitso
KS 361 times that yes DRob is the man. I don't care who you ask, yes, DAVID ROBINSON IS THE FREAKIN MAN

Amen to that one. . .

ROTFLMAO!!!!:D Yeah, I always thought she was a gold digger from the time I found out they were engaged. I'm sorry, but I thought he was guilty as sin from the time I heard the accusations.

On another note, I think Billy Graham has the right idea. In this day and age, there are a lot of sleazy women out there who want to ruin families and marriages (or gain national celebrity). The best solution is to keep yourself out of those types of situations.

I agree-no sympathy for a cheat. My bro-in-law sent this e-mail.
It's an interesting read IMO.

Kobe Bryant, a Black athlete, now finds himself in the same situation written about in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

(from the Neal Boortz web site. Neal is a Republican with ATTITUDE: a Libertarian!)

ON KOBE BRYANT

Los Angeles Laker basketball player Kobe Bryant has been charged felony sexual assault. This could be the end of his professional basketball career. It will almost certainly mean great monetary damage . . the loss of endorsements, etc.

I will draw on my experiences representing athletes as an attorney to share some thoughts with you. Kobe Bryant is an athlete. This means that he is a target. After virtually every NBA basketball game you will find women hovering around arena exits who are willing to throw themselves into bed with almost any athlete that walks out of that door. Some of these women just want another notch on their garter belt. Some of them are looking for something more; they're looking for money. Lots of money. Their intention is to lie about birth control and have unprotected sex with the hope of getting pregnant. They know that having the child of a wealthy athlete is a guarantee of easy street for at least 18 years. No work, nice house, nice cars .. the works. Sound harsh? Trust me, these women are out there. The large brain of every athlete is aware of this fact. Disaster happens when they let the small head do the thinking for the large head. They've been warned, but the testosterone level is almost as high as that hoop. Go have yourself a good time, then get out your checkbook.

The women who are merely looking for bragging rights of sex with a top athlete present another danger. That danger comes from the possibility of feelings of regret and humiliation, even fear. The danger is prison.

We have a case in Georgia right now where a high school athlete has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape of a classmate. I've studied the case, and I believe him to be innocent. The athlete is black, his victim was a white girl. I believe that somehow the girl's parents found out about an episode of consensual sex between the two, or at least the girl worried that this was about to happen. She was scared to death that her parents were going to find that she had been dating a young black man. Her solution? Claim she was raped. This black kid raped her. She then, in my opinion, stood back and watched this kid go off to 15 years in prison because she didn't want her parents and friends to find out the truth.

Kobe Bryant is accused of rape in Eagle County, Colorado. Eagle County is not exactly a black Mecca. I don't know if it has been stated one way or the other, but I suspect Kobe Bryant's alleged rape victim is white. My gut feeling is that the sex was consensual, regret and fear set in, and she made the allegation of rape. As events proceeded she became frightened . . . too frightened to step forward and put a halt to this disaster by telling the truth.

If Kobe Bryant forcibly raped this girl, send him to jail . . . for a long time. If he is being put on trial because some young girl regrets a romp in the sack with an athlete and is afraid for her reputation, then the wrong person is going to trial.

In the meantime .. we have a good lesson for other athletes out there, especially the younger ones who are loaded with athletic talent but not too burdened with judgment and common sense. Those women fawning over you can well be dangerous. You would be better off sticking your love commando into a cage full of scorpions.

He always seemed like a good guy to me - but honestly never met the guy, don't know anyone who's had any personal contact with him, so I was just assuming.

It'll be interesting to see how it turns out, although it's been odd how the police department in Colorado has handled the whole case. It seems like they're trying to soak up as much media attention as they can for the whole thing.

Collin

This is what I'm all about. The infidelity is between him, his wife, and their Higher Power; I've seen what infidelity can do to a family (not mine, BTW), and it's hell. Let the Bryants deal with that how they will. I'm really not surprised, given the NBA lifestyle (read further).

On the other hand, if he is wrongly accused of rape (just a generation ago, a black man would have been lynched for merely being accused of raping a white woman), it's terrible. If, in the end, it comes out that it was consensual--that's when it becomes a private matter.

Okay, for the people who are saying adultery is a crime in some states--well, those are usually the same states that still have laws on the books against premarital sex and treat it the same as they would adultery. What's that line about judging lest one be judged...?

Kitso, I don't think KR was putting Kobe in the same league as David Robinson. It's just that, with some of the questionable characters that have begun to dominate pro basketball as of late, it's been a long time since we've seen a player who actually cares about creating a pro-family image. I have a few family members who are connected with the dirt of pro-basketball scene--these are people who weren't surprised when Magic Johnson was diagnosed, and knew about Michael Jordan's indiscretions YEARS before his divorce--who said that Kobe was by far one of the best NBA players as far as the drugs and women were concerned.

While I am disappointed about kobe's action, I respect him for the fact that after his "Adultry", He went to the hospital to get tested. Even though the test did come out positive, He was man enough to admit his mistake and stated it in a interview(The one good thing about him. Always Available to answer any and all questions). I'm Hoping and Praying that Kobe will be acquitted from the charges, but if he is found guilty, Then He must pay the consequenses.

My Mom and I chat about it last night and I made a statement that she and I agree on:

The Fault lies with both Kobe and the women. they should have never consented to have sex in the first place.

Re: Re: Kobe
 

Kitso, you are absolutely right. Kobe seems like a good man (at least before this quagmire), but the Admiral has been around for a looooooong time and no one has ever caught him being anything less than a gentleman.

Sidenote: Robinson and Mr. KillarneyRose graduated from the Naval Academy in the same year and I met him briefly at the class' 5 year reunion. Very warm and friendly, very, very, very tall!

Re: Kobe
 

I can't believe some of you cannot see right through this. Obviously the guy had sex with her. More than likely it was consensual.

Here's my take on it:

They met, they had sex, he kicked her out right afterwards, she realized Kobe didn't really like her and that she just got used, she went for his image. She's not asking for an out of court settlement because she knows that eventually Kobe will give her millions inorder to keep from going to jail. She will end up being expensive piece of ass.

I've seen this attitude from girls all too often. I got a couple of friends who kick girls out of their apartment right after they finish their buisness with them. One of my friends did something like that a little while back. He had sex with a girl and then snapped right afterwards. He started pouring beer on her head and told her to get the fuck out of there. A few years back another friend did the same thing, only this time they came out of his room and the living room was filled with all of us. My friend grabbed a bag of doritos potatoe chips and started pouring it out over the girl's head in front of all of us. While he was pouring the chips on her head he started going around her in circles, yelling, "Get the fuck out, Get the fuck out bitch, Get the fuck out!!!" It was the worst thing I've ever seen done to a girl inorder to make her leave.
One time it finally caught up with him. One girl told him straight up, " I'm going to fuck your career and life up completely." She told him he was never going to play that sport ever again. No more than two working week days later, rape allegations started poping up all over the place about him. Fortunately, no charges were ever filed against him by the state attoney's office. However, his career did suffer for it.

Honestly, I try to tell people who do that crap that it's not smart to kick a girl out of bed right after sex. And you sure as hell don't degrade her in any way shape or form. Most women are unstable and insecure in the head as it is, they have serious self esteem isuues. You don't how a girl's going to react, as most females have been put through a lot of shit from previous guys. It's not smart to take away the last bit of self worthfulness they have inside by grading her. Unless a girls a slut, girls usually feel bad a few days later after having random sex. Kobe's little slut is just doing what 90% of the other girls out there would do after being used for sex, she's getting him back.

Of course there is always the possiblitly he did rape her. However, he's Kobe Bryant, he can have at least 75% of the women in the world who he wants. He doesn't need to rape girl, think about it. He's married, 24 or 25 yrs old, an NBA superstar- possibly the next Michael Jordan and he has millions upon millions of dollars. It's totally not rape here. I can understand if he was unstable in the head and a freak like Mike Tyson. Kobe Bryant, most would agree, has his head on straight and doesn't fit the profile of a rapist.

Anyhow, thats my input.

You are so UF_Pike. That is all.

Oh wait, no it's not. I am sad about this... I suppose it's a little much for me to expect that NBA stars would actually be monogamous with their wives... but Kobe seemed like a nice guy. I know a lot of people are disappointed.

I'm still trying to figure out why you and a few others think that.
Maybe you should ask the person to come back. I saw in another conversation that pike left this site.

Re: Re: Re: Kobe
 

lol, sorry KR, i get a little passionate after having a few drinks. Kobe may not be the 90's version of wilt, that's a little far, but i stand by my statement that DRob is all class and that kobe had a long way to go to be considered the same.

Kitso
KS 361 times that drinkin with lifesaver is trouble, TROUBLE

Agreed. As if this isn't already a media circus already.

I'm sure Kobe will get by with a slap on the wrist but the lady will get a lot of money.

Thank you for posting something that makes sense!

Quite frankly, I'm a bit shocked by some of the holier-than-thou attitudes I'm hearing here. Like Munchkin03 said, if adultery is a crime, chances are premarital sex is also. How many of you have committed that crime? Should I lose all sympathy for you?

Whatever one's opinion is on an issue, it's really hard to speak to a particular situation unless you were there and you knew all of the circumstances. For all we know, Kobe's wife knew about his cheating and for whatever reason doesn't care -- maybe that reason could be the tons and tons of money she has access to by being with him. Does anyone lose sympathy for her if she's with him for the money and fame? I'm not saying that's the case, but it may well be and we just don't know it. I mean seriously, what NBA wife really thinks that her husband isn't going to cheat? I think that 90% of the time, that's just how it is and the women know it and make a conscious decision to look the other way because of the benefits they get. Who are we to judge any of them?

Re: Re: Kobe
 

Was this statement really necessary to illustrate your point? Being educated, I would hope that you would try to stay away from broad generalizations about behaviors and actions. Why not stick to the point when you are discussing an issue? Is it necessary to degrade people in the process when it's quite possible you haven't met most of the female population on the planet?

As for Kobe, regardless of what he did he's got a wife and child to answer to...yes, it may have been a mistake but think about your kid when you do stuff like this. I wonder what Kobe's daughter will think of this when she goes internet surfing in the future and finds out her dad cheated on her mom when she(the daughter) was just a baby under a year old. She probably won't think much of him.

The reality of this situation is that Kobe was a guy who got married far too young expecially for his situation. I know getting married young works for some people, but not when you are an NBA superstar, millionaire, that didn't get out and get it all out of his system before he decided to settle down with a wife straight out of high school.

While Kobe may seem like a good guy, all most of us know is how the media portrays him. We don't live with him on a day to day basis, and we certainly don't know how he acts when he's not in front of a camera and on the court, and those are the true tests of what people like Kobe are really like.

Let's see, he made a vow before God to remain faithful to his wife for the rest of their married lives. He broke that vow. Nope, still no sympathy. And as AOII_LB93 said, he should have thought about how this would impact his child in the future.

I don't know if he raped her or not. I haven't heard or seen the evidence the police have. When the case goes to trial, I'll just have to see how it all plays out. But until then, shame on him for cheating on his wife. He's old enough to know better.

And shame on the women who hang out at the games and throw themselves at the players. Talk about a lack of self-worth. I can't even begin to comprehend that mindset.

What does everyone expect?

He saw a better offer from a different team, suited up, then jammed to the hole. Professional athletes actually believe throwing a ball puts them in a higher strata than the rest of society. Kobe can get anything he wants w/o repercussion, and this is no different. In the end, he'll still have the ridiculous money, career stats, and none of us will remember this.

Re: Re: Kobe
 

I don't know where you come up with this stuff but rape isn't about sex, it's about power.

If the penis does not fit, you must acquit.

LOL!!!!:D Arya, you provide my entertainment.....I couldn't help thinking...it could have been an issue of them having "freaky" sex since/if there is evidence of forced penetration.

Re: Re: Re: Kobe
 

My whole post was about how I think he didn't rape her. Plain and simple. I wasn't trying to define what rape is. I was explaining how I've seen this happen before and gave theories as to why she cried rape. Usually if someone intelligent rapes a person they either deny having sex with them, don't bust a nut in them or else they wear a condom so they can't be traced. Kobe is a smart man. If he was raping the girl and knew it was against her will, do you actually think he'd bust one up in her? C'mon. You gotta look at the picture from more than one aspect. The girl worked at the front desk of the place he was staying at. Kobe was away from his wife and had knee surgery, he couldn't go out and meet other women. This young girl meets Kobe and she ends up coming up to his room. What the hell do you think she was thinking by going up to his room? I for one don't believe that she thought he just wanted to spend some time with her and get to know her. He certainly didn't just slam her on the ground behind the front desk and stick her. I'm sure they were drinking or doing some pain pills he probably had from surgery. They got wasted and had sex. My previous post explains what more than likely happened after the sex.

I think this is very sad. Does anyone else see something terribly wrong with forgoing a monogamus, stable relationship just for some money? I am not judging the women who marry atheletes for the money, I just think it is a terrible commentary on our society and our mentality. Like if you already know that the athelete will probably cheat that makes it okay? I don't know what to think about that. Maybe I am more traditional than I thought because that just seems really f'ed up to me.

As for Kobe, I have to agree with the people that are saying rape or not, his adultry is bad enough. I am inclined to believe that the sex was probably consensual, however that doesn't really excuse the fact that he broke a sacred vow of marraige. I am kinda blown away by people's willingness to forgive that just because his wife "should have known" that he would probably cheat. That is NOT okay.

On the other hand, reality is that atheletes probably WILL cheat, lol. Sad but true. They get the cooter thrown at them every single day from beautiful young women. At the same time, these guys need to WAKE up and realize these girls intentions. Hello? Since when do women ever give the cooter away, no strings attached (unless they have some sort of detachment disorder in which case they are psycho and thus problematic anyway)? Ain't gonna happen!

I can see both sides, and my take is that celebs and their groupies are just all f'ed up. If the career I want pans out, I am truly hoping I can avoid the culture that accompanies it.

I have to speak up here a little bit. Everyone seems to be assuming the the sex was consensual but from reading all the news reports to come out of this case, I'm not so sure about that.

* Hotel security became involved because several guests in adjoining rooms called to report a disturbance.

* Both he and the girl were taken to area hospitals for examinations shortly after the reported incident. There was no time lapse in which she maybe thought about it and decided to press charges... It all went down immediately.

* Several townspeople have been quoted as saying that they thought Kobe was innocent... until word spread about who the girl was. Then they all changed their minds.

I can't help but think that his having released statements immediately after the charges were announced regarding adultery was just part of his legal defense. Proving it wasn't consensual about the hardest thing a court of law can be asked to do. I really, really hope he didn't do it and I definitely think he'll be acquited. However I think a lot of people are assuming innocense based on pure reputation without really looking at what took place.

Something About The Accuser
 

Report: Incident occurred months before alleged assault

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services


The Colorado woman who has accused Kobe Bryant of sexual assault overdosed on pills and was rushed to a hospital two months before the alleged incident with Bryant, one of her close friends told the Orange County Register.

Based on the 19-year-old woman's accusation, Bryant was officially charged with a single count of felony sexual assault Friday. If convicted, he faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine of up to $750,000. Bryant is scheduled to return to Eagle, Colo., for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 6.

Bryant, 24, said Friday that he was guilty only of committing adultery.

In cases of this nature, the credibility of the accuser -- whose identity is not being revealed -- often becomes an issue. The accuser's friends have been keeping her overdose a secret -- until now, the Register reported.

"I think it was just a cry for help," 18-year-old Lindsey McKinney told the newspaper. McKinney had been living at the accuser's house in May, when the woman allegedly took the pills.

When she learned from the woman's ex-boyfriend that the woman had "overdosed," McKinney rushed to her home and found the woman incoherent, lethargic and seemingly drunk, according to the Register.

"I was scared. She wasn't really talking at all," McKinney told the newspaper. "I was like, 'you need to open your eyes.' "

Some friends of the accuser said they believed the overdose was an accident. Not McKinney.

"I don't think it was accidental. I was there," she told the Register.

Tyson Ivie, a former classmate of the accuser's, told the newspaper that the overdose was "a big secret" that friends have been unwilling to talk about until now.

The police dispatch call from the night of the alleged assault is currently sealed from the public by investigators. The woman's father declined comment for the Register's story.

According to the newspaper's report, Bryant's accuser was going through an extremely difficult period in her life at the time of the overdose. She returned home from her freshman year of college to find out her ex-boyfriend had taken up with another woman. Also, around the time of the overdose, close friend Nicole Clements died in a road accident while returning from high school graduation ceremonies.

"It was kind of boom, boom, boom," McKinney told the Register. "I think the things that happened to her in the past had a lot to do with what [she said happened the night of the alleged assault]."

"I know she had been going through a lot, but I know that she wouldn't lie," 19-year-old Eagle resident Ashley Scriver told the newspaper. Scriver also knew about the the overdose.

The Register quoted legal experts as saying the news of the overdose will be a major advantage for Bryant's defense team.

"This is powerful evidence and the answer to the defense's prayers," Robert Pugsley, a criminal law professor at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, said. Pugsley added that this kind of evidence, if exploited by the defense, could be enough to shut down the case before it reaches trial.

"[Defense attorneys are] looking for a way to demonstrate that this woman is hysterical and over-reactive," Pugsley said. "This is literally dynamite evidence, a bonanza for the defense and a landmine for prosecution."

Bryant's attorneys could not be reached for comment Saturday by the Register.
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I also saw a pic that is allegedly her. Don't know if its true or not.

Not that this means anything at all with respect to the case, but on CNN they said that the accuser tried out for American Idol and was rejected.

Um, you do know that this is 2003, and not 1803, right? Just thought I'd check.

Getting back to the subject at hand, obviously, none of us know what went on in that hotel room. We weren't there. We can't even say that we "know" Kobe. Just because we see him on tv, buy his jerseys and cheer him on doesn't mean we have know what he's like in his personal life.

That said, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not a court of public opinion. This case is already becoming a media circus. How is it possible that he can get a fair trial with all of the lurid details played out everyday on SportsCenter, CNN, and the rest of the media?