Friday, April 15, 2011

Kobe Defenders Selling Crazy.... In Bulk


I'll try to make this short and sweet, because there's truly not much room for alternate opinion on the Kobe Bryant "fucking faggot" comments caught on camera the other night.

And yeah, I spelled out the slur, so you can look at it, and absorb it in all of it's undiluted, vulgar, hatred.

What Kobe said, how he said it, and when and to whom he said it, were all completely unacceptable on a good day, and reprehensible on most.

Yet, to my amazement, I fielded way too many calls on my show the following day, that tried to excuse, rationalize, or somehow soft pedal the incident.

Here's some of the amazing stupid... no "crazy".... I was pitched by callers.

CALLER #1: "If cameras were on everybody in the NBA, you would hear language like that all the time."
MY RESPONSE: Maybe, maybe not. But that's irrelevant. Prevalence, does not mean it's acceptable.

CALLER #2: "You guys don't understand, because you didn't grow up in inner city. That's how guys from the 'hood talk to each other."
MY RESPONSE: Again, irrelevant and stupid. The NBA is not "the hood" and besides, Kobe didn't come from it. The guy went to private high school in Lower Merion, PA and grew up in a two-parent upper class family.

CALLER #3: "All of the old star players like Magic and Michael and Larry said stuff like that."
MY RESPONSE: Whatever. /eyes rolling now in total disbelief.

And on and on...

Honestly, I've never heard more fans "not get it" so loudly, and be so ready to call up the radio to show how much they "don't get it."

Granted, not EVERYONE who called, believed this was "no big deal." And I got some good emails supporting my position.

Now, let's be clear. I am not "outraged" by this. Because I don't expect much from NBA players in terms of civility or sense. Also, I am not sure that David Stern's gunslinger-quick $100,000 fine was appropriate either.

Trying to fine NBA players into "getting it" is going to be a fruitless endeavor. They don't. And won't. Ever.

I would have preferred a strongly worded rebuke from David Stern, and then a reminder from him to Kobe and the Lakers that they will be accountable to those in their community who find such comments outrageous - and just leave it at that.

Kobe's first 2 or 3 attempts at an "apology" were complete airballs. To think he's first draft actually said "I did not mean to offend anybody" was hilariously un-true on it's face.

Kobe: when you call a referee a "fucking faggot", it is with the EXPRESS INTENT to offend, if not publicly humiliate the person. He also said it was in the "heat of the moment." Again, untrue. He had already left the court, taken a seat on the bench, and tried to get the ref's attention before unloading his crude slur.

The larger point to take away from this episode, I believe, is the utter childishness of today's NBA "stars." They seem to be oblivious to the fact that a) referees are game officials who deserve at least some modicum of respect and b) they are just trying to do their job and call the game equitably.

Kobe, like LeBron, like Dwight Howard, like dozens and dozens more, somehow think they never commit a foul, and that every shot they miss deserves a whistle on somebody else. Certainly the "old guard" of NBA stars, circa 1986 (and older) lobbied for calls, and complained.

But not like today. Todays NBA stars are completely out of control, and it was for that reason specifically the league introduced a new, almost draconian, zero tolerance technical policy on bitching.

Well, we see how that worked out.

So for everyone who thinks what Kobe said was "no big deal" I urge you to go ahead and mix that innocent phrase into your every day lexicon, and just see how that plays out.

7 comments:

  1. I really couldn't care less. Tired of everyone getting their panties in a bunch over a few words and demanding apologies, crying that they are offended, ordering sensitivity training, etc.
    Surprised at you Czaban, going for this PC BS.
    First time you and I have ever disagreed on anything.

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  2. Right On Czabe! I was on espn.com, I know it's terrible, and checked out the comment section on this topic. I was astounded by the majority of comments. Kobe was already regarded as a whining bitch in my book and this episode moved him to the level of hyper-douchebag. Kobe knows the cameras follow him all over the court and the bench. Whatever happened to clever trash talk, instead of a simple minded fa-bomb?

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  3. I think the most ludicrous point of this whole issue is Kobe's defense that that's how people talk in the 'hood. Kobe'd shit his pants if he was ever in the 'hood, and guys who really do live there should be offended at this defense. Kobe is married to a white woman, grew up in a privileged environment and is whiter most white folks. He just plays the race card - like OJ - when it suits him.
    If you've ever seen Beverly Hills Cop, Kobe is the black detective who Eddie Murphy makes fun of for talking like a white guy.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HktV2yGtLv8

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  4. Land of PC has bitten into Kobe's World. No need to defend just laugh. He knew what he was doing and he got caught. With all due respect, he did offer an apology and I did say with all due respect.

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  5. Czabe,

    Your current pix with all the chicks holding the number cards - that is image # 666 in your collection, MARK OF THE BEAST.

    http://www.czabe.com/index.cfm/act/viewPic/pid/666 <<< 666!

    Glad you got that out of the way before Palm Sunday and Easter.

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  6. Czabe,

    I think you're the one that doesn't "get it" on this one. You went all crazy PC on B&B the other day on this issue, simply saying that that language is unacceptable because it shows his true feelings about the G&L community and he is somehow two faced. WRONG (at least maybe). Havent you ever been pissed at someone and called them a name you later regretted? It happens all the fucking time you asshole (see - I didnt actually mean that). Kobe was pissed and chose a word that is clearly an insult, but I suspect he chose it because it is an insult. Just like everyone who uses the N-word doesnt necessarily believe that we should re-introduce slavery. The N-word and faggot are forever in our vocabulary as biting insults and will be used as such for a long time to come. Drawing a greater conclusion from their use (particulary in a heated moment) regarding a persons feelings toward others is an equal injustice unless there is other evidence to support your assessment.

    Got it? Good!

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