RIP Kobe Bryant

[Nemo2]

Major sports figures, especially those few rare ones who achieve and sustain greatness for years/decades, have a much wider impact than "celebrities". There is a generation of younger men (and women) who grew up watching the NBA, inspired and influenced by KB, and his impact on young girls now with the junior WNBA hopefuls was just gaining traction. Millions who can tell you they remember watching a game and saying "i wanna be like him" when I grow up.

He was in living rooms, his shoes on feet, his jerseys on countless backs of a generation. Far broader impact than even the most accomplished actors or musicians or any other celebrity category.

For those that passionately follow football, it's equivalent to if this had happened to Tom Brady and one of his children.

Interesting perspective, thanks. Having never in my life followed professional, (or amateur for that matter), sports, this hadn't really occurred to me.

Perhaps I should copy this to the Have You Ever Completely Changed Your Mind On A Forum Thread?

 

[MrLoco]

Feel sorry for his daughter and the others on board the copter, but KB was no saint. On July 18, 2003, he was charged with felony sexual assault.
YEah, yeah I know "innocent until proven guilty." Of course I'm sure many also think that OJ never butchered his wife and the other fellow cuz he was found not guilty. KB "paid off" the 19 year old girl in a civil case. Hmmmmm…money talks!!!

If you have money and the best lawyers......you get off.

Karma has a way of catching up to certain people.

 

[Aerides]

Equating OJ's aquittal with KB's case-dismissal is complete false equivalency. Doing so, today, so quickly, is gross.

KB's case was dismissed before it went to court as the witness refused to testify. She pursued a civil case which was settled.

 

[aaronc879]

Feel sorry for his daughter and the others on board the copter, but KB was no saint. On July 18, 2003, he was charged with felony sexual assault.
YEah, yeah I know "innocent until proven guilty." Of course I'm sure many also think that OJ never butchered his wife and the other fellow cuz he was found not guilty. KB "paid off" the 19 year old girl in a civil case. Hmmmmm…money talks!!!

If you have money and the best lawyers......you get off.

Karma has a way of catching up to certain people.

The truth is only Kobe and the accuser know what happened that night. What you are implying is one of the possibilities. It is just as likely that the two of them had consensual sex then she tried to get some money. DNA evidence proved she had sex with someone else within 15 hours after she was with Kobe. Not something that a rape victim would be likely to do. On advice from legal counsel she asked the prosecution to drop the criminal case. She later filed a civil case which was settled out of court which happens all the time whether the accused is guilt or not. What is not debateable is the substantial good Kobe did for his community in the last 15 years of his life.

 

[Dash man]

Here’s what happened with Kobe Bryant regarding his past:
https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2...tholic-faith-helped-him-turn-his-life-around/

 

[NW-Bound]

Interesting perspective, thanks. Having never in my life followed professional, (or amateur for that matter), sports, this hadn't really occurred to me.

Perhaps I should copy this to the Have You Ever Completely Changed Your Mind On A Forum Thread?

Same as you, I do not follow spectator sports, but I do understand people's fascination with it.

I remember idolizing the Wright Brothers, Edison, and Henry Ford as an 8-year-old kid, from a book about their inventions and successes. It made me want to be an engineer when I grew up. They were way before my time, and that spared me the grief of their death.

 

[HFWR]

I’m fairly satisfied that Kobe did a lot of good, even as I don’t discount probable bad behavior. At least let the poor guy’s body get cold...

As for his “faith”, as portrayed in the above posted news article, if I had a sawbuck for everyone caught with their hand in the cookie jar, but have now “found the Lord”, I’d be more visible in the Blow That Dough thread...

 

[MRG]

RIP.

 

[aaronc879]

I don't really want to talk about this kind of thing so soon but this is a finacially related forum so I think it's appropriate. Are the families of the other casualties likely to file a civil case against Kobe's estate for negligence. The helicopter that Kobe owned did not have a black box or terrain warning devices. Kobe's wife could lose 10's of millions if this goes to court. Thoughts?

 

[RobbieB]

May the buzzards pick the carcass clean. It's the American way!

 

[Another Reader]

I don't really want to talk about this kind of thing so soon but this is a finacially related forum so I think it's appropriate. Are the families of the other casualties likely to file a civil case against Kobe's estate for negligence. The helicopter that Kobe owned did not have a black box or terrain warning devices. Kobe's wife could lose 10's of millions if this goes to court. Thoughts?

It was a rented helicopter, piloted by a licensed pilot employed by the aircraft owner. The pilot apparently asked to use visual flying rules although visibility was poor. That may have contributed to the crash, but the NTSB will have the final say on the cause.

 

[FREE866]

I don't really want to talk about this kind of thing so soon but this is a finacially related forum so I think it's appropriate. Are the families of the other casualties likely to file a civil case against Kobe's estate for negligence. The helicopter that Kobe owned did not have a black box or terrain warning devices. Kobe's wife could lose 10's of millions if this goes to court. Thoughts?

This will absolutely happen. Wrongful death suits are quite common with stuff like this and given the tremendous wealth of Kobe Bryant I'd be shocked if lawyers arent talking to the other families surviving members very shortly.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I heard a pilot say that the pilot should have used instruments only to fly in those conditions. He said flying visually is unwise because you can get easily confused. I also read that the helicopter was huge and usually had 2 pilots. I would think that the survivors would need to sue the company that supplied the pilot and helicopter.

 

[teejayevans]

I heard a pilot say that the pilot should have used instruments only to fly in those conditions. He said flying visually is unwise because you can get easily confused. I also read that the helicopter was huge and usually had 2 pilots. I would think that the survivors would need to sue the company that supplied the pilot and helicopter.

Helicopters rarely fly using instruments and those that do including this one requires 2 pilots when they do.
The company is not worth as much as Kobe.
And don’t be surprised if they sue the manufacturer.

There was a case where the family sued the engine manufacturer, when NTSB said engine was fine, it was pilot error (similarly the pilot flew into a mountain). Why, because the engine manufacturer has money.

 

[Potstickers]

Equating OJ's aquittal with KB's case-dismissal is complete false equivalency. Doing so, today, so quickly, is gross.

KB's case was dismissed before it went to court as the witness refused to testify. She pursued a civil case which was settled.

I live in Colorado and the reporting was extensive. The victim was hounded mercilessly.

His t-shirt had her blood on it. Her neck had bruises. The sexual assault nurse examiner found lacerations in her vagina. She was in his room all of five minutes.

Bryant's statement read in court after the victim agreed not to testify included, "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."

He was a tremendous athlete, a generous person, and a good father. I'd also call him a rapist.

 

[Letj]

The truth is only Kobe and the accuser know what happened that night. What you are implying is one of the possibilities. It is just as likely that the two of them had consensual sex then she tried to get some money. DNA evidence proved she had sex with someone else within 15 hours after she was with Kobe. Not something that a rape victim would be likely to do. On advice from legal counsel she asked the prosecution to drop the criminal case. She later filed a civil case which was settled out of court which happens all the time whether the accused is guilt or not. What is not debateable is the substantial good Kobe did for his community in the last 15 years of his life.

Well said. Celebrities are always targets and it’s not always clear that the accusers are telling the truth. There’s much money to be made in this country from mere accusations.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Pot, yes the physical evidence was overwhelming. But she got death threats which is why she didn’t pursue it.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the interesting discussion.