Quote:
Originally Posted by Rizon
Man. Brutal. Feel for everyone involved. I thought the Mamba would outlive me.
This was so wide reaching that even kids on the 2nd grade playground were talking about it this morning. I walked past 3 separate conversations about it.
Trying to think of the last shocking-too-early big name athlete death. Arthur Ashe we all saw coming. Has to be Clemente?
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I've been a Lakers fan since the Showtime days. Followed closely during the transitional years with Del Harris, Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones. The range of emotions and memories are substantial, because you remember Kobe being so impetuous and precocious those first few years. Then you have Phil Jackson, Robert Horry and Rick Fox joining and providing the added edge Kobe and Shaq needed to realize their potential. Then the Colorado incident and the crucible Kobe went through to slowly but surely redeem himself, keep his marriage intact and gradually change the minds of people who had labeled him as a monster and a predator. Seeing Kobe and Phil patch things up and win it all again after that rough stretch meant a great deal lot to me. Then his career ended with the injuries piling on and team failures, but Kobe got the last word and capped it off with a transcendent final game. And now Kobe had his own interests, enjoying his daughters' basketball and also being an intelligent ambassador of the game.
The baseball parallel I might draw as a fan would be Kirby Puckett, who became so beloved by that fan base and you have those championship memories. Kirby's passing away was gradual and very different, but by fans he was beloved in a similar way.
I feel bad for Kobe's family first and foremost, but another person I have in my mind is Rob Pelinka, the Lakers current GM who was also Kobe's best friend and agent for most of his career. Has to be very difficult for him right now.