Kobe Behaving Badly

Kobe Bryant received his 15th Technical Foul the other night and then called the issuing ref a "Faggot." In Liberal L.A., that has caused Kobe to be the recipient of a good deal of Gay-Righters wrath.

For those not schooled in basketball, Technical Fouls in the NBA are defined in this section of the NBA website (I believe Kobe was in violation of Section 5--Conduct 7e):

7) Taunting
e. Cursing or blaspheming an official shall not be considered the only cause for imposing technical fouls. Running tirades, continuous criticism or griping may be sufficient cause to assess a technical. Excessive misconduct shall result in ejection from the game.

Basically, acting like an ass or transgressing a rule of the game that exist to protect the sanctity of the basketball court's operation and administration. I did not know that it was possible to blaspheme another human being, ref or otherwise. Count me advised. Maybe the whistle and the stripes connote godly powers. Apparently, Dwight Howard has 18 Technical Fouls this year. In my seven years or so of organized basketball, I don't believe I ever got called for a Technical.

Back when Kobe was in high school, during the PIAA District 1 Championship game--which basically was Kobe versus Chester--Kobe was called for two quick fouls and he proceeded to mock the refs. I remember thinking, the dude is a jerk. Soon after, Kobe threw down an alley-oop dunk over two hapless Chester man-children. Players that would normally crush opponents now being turned into goof balls. I remember thinking a second time, Kobe Bryant is a once-in-a-generation basketball prodigy...and a jerk. Seemingly, still a jerk after all of these years. There are winners that we love, like Michael Jordan. And, there are winners that we hate. Kobe is the latter.

Underneath Kobe's attitude and arrogance, is a burning desire to win. In a culture where every kid gets a trophy--and a chintzy one at that--Kobe wants to annihilate his opponents. Rather than he being a player who gives a so-so effort night in and night out, he comes to play and win every night. That is admirable. I have to think that part of this animus comes from his dad, Joe Bryant, being a bench player for the 76ers who finished his basketball career in Italy, probably thinking that he never got his due. Kobe would not be the first son, to rise up and try to redress generational wrongs of the Father, real or imagined. To fill the sneakers of his father, so to speak.

There is something deep within Kobe Bryant that chafes at authority...it both animates and angers him.

Romans 13:1

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shake the Dust: Anis Mojgani

Pslam 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." I am not real certain where Anis Mojgani comes from belief-wise. Cats like him tend to be synchrestic spiritually rather than Christ-centered. Yet, this poem captures the spirit of Jesus. What this poem also needs is grace....we shake off sin and mortality and take on Christ and immortality. This is for the fat girls This is for the little brothers For the former prom queen And for the milk crate ball players This is for the school yard wimps And the childhood bullies that tormented them Shake the dust. This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them. This is for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns And for the men who have to hold down 3 jobs, Simply to hold up their children. For the nighttime schoolers And for the midnight bike riders trying to fly Shake the dust. For the two year olds who cann
Read more

White Shoes, White Stones

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. (ASV) With the white stone mentioned above in the Scripture verse, "And will give him a white stone" it is "Supposed that by the white stone is meant pardon or acquittance, and the evidence of it; and that there is an allusion here to the custom observed by judges in ancient times, who were accustomed to give their suffrages by white and black pebbles; those who gave the former were for absolving the culprit, those who gave the latter were for his condemnation." (Clarke) What has brought about this essay was my purchasing the other day of some very white and new Nike jogging shoes. My old pair of Nike's have been worn down. I was developing serious pain in my feet which is a solid sign that it is t
Read more

Going Rogue: Dare, Risk, Dream

Image
I picked up a bumper sticker at a Pub recently from the Rogue Brewery . On it there are the words: DARE, RISK, DREAM. Typically, the word Rogue is a negative term. I will let you decide if Sarah Palin and her book has made the word less or more so. Initially, I taped the bumper sticker to my computer lap top with the backing still on it in case I wanted to remove it. Just a second ago, I committed fully, and pulled the backing off and affixed it to my Dell. No turning back. Is that not an illustration of how to accomplish great things? We have to stick and commit. If we go taping ourselves to the backs of things, it leads to easier removal but also to tepid efforts. Now, if I take this bumper sticker off the back of my lap top it is going to be a mess...I am all in. Consequences be damned. My summer vacation officially began today at noon (why else would I be blogging at 3:26 am?) and my creed for the summer is DARE, RISK, DREAM. A Kerouac quote to light the fireworks... "Great th
Read more