I've noticed a lot of Kobe hate stemming from the fact that 9-5 Americans can't relate with him. They expect their professional athletes to be "perceived" as someone they can hang out with, otherwise they are written off as insecure and lacking identity. Quite frankly, it's ridiculous considering no one knows what Kobe is really like and very few know what it is like to carry that much talent. In Europe you have athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry for soccer who conduct themselves with a similar manner to Kobe on the court. Fans get annoyed when they do things like flop but they can thoroughly appreciate what they bring to the game without being able to relate to them. Different people do different things to motivate themselves. I would go so far as to say this Kobe hate reflects on America's inability to take interest in anything that doesn't relate to them. I've met all kinds of Europeans, Asians, Canadians, South Americans etc. when I go backpacking but it's very rare to find an American that takes a general interest in things outside of their comfort zone. This stems from America lacking culture and being a business oriented society, not that this has prevented an excellent quality of life in most parts of America. But this "entitlement" to be able to understand and pidgeonhole athletes (who are exposed to very different circumstances than the fans) is something I don't understand... and it's pretty much exclusive to America. Discuss.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ytCEuuW2_A&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ytCEuuW2_A&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Atleast put in the effort to say why you disagree? Provide examples, historical trends, etc. Any 5 year old can post a youtube video.
hey, madmax is not just any five year old. sports fans don't typically like cocky assholes with a sense of entitlement. if he doesn't want to be perceived that way, he should be a little more humble on the basketball court. he's long been a terrible teammate who would throw his teammates under the bus. he's also most likely a rapist, which is an act most sports fans (and the population in general) don't really agree with.
Maybe if you had a meaningful observation in your OP, instead of a bunch of played-out stereotypes, he would have something to disagree with.
He's a good looking, extremely successful man who has women throw themselves at him everywhere he goes. He's had an affair, that's the extent that was proven. Having a sense of entitlement on the court can motivate you to do amazing things, it's certainly worked for Kobe in the past. A lot of people who have played sports themselves or have a passion for basketball itself, instead of the concept of a "team oriented game" that I can relate to my corporate job (where everyone pitches in), don't seem to be as bothered by what the Kobe's and Ronaldo's do on the pitch.
I think you are making way too much about this Kobe Bryant thing. I agree with you that as Americans we have a problem idolizing or demonizing celebrities. That said celebrities are celibrities largely by their own doing and Kobe Bryant is a celebrity. As I stated in the other thread we don't know what Kobe Bryant is truly like in private but as a celebrity he can and will be judged by what he does in public. This isn't something he has shied away from something he fully seeks. Based on that then it is perfectly fair that he is judged by how he behaves in the public arena, in this case the basketball court. I think everyone agrees that Bryant is a great basketball player. That doesn't make him a great person or even a person to be liked on the court. You seem to be mixing those up by saying that he is a great basketball player so we shoudl like him. That isn't the case as there are plenty of sports figures who are considered great yet aren't loved. I don't enough about Europe to say if that is the case but given Europes own tabloid obsessions I'm willing to guess that there are also plenty of love hate relationships between the wider public and great sports figures. In the end though whether we like or don't like Kobe Bryant isn't that important except that as basketball fans there are a variety of reasons why we root or boo someone.
so, the only people who are bothered by kobe haven't played sports or don't have a passion for basketball?
i want to thank ronny for starting a thread that can unite all us partisans here in the d&d. i'll be happy to buy t_j, basso and bigtexxx some beers while we pontificate on the suckiness that is kobe bryant.
In English grammar, based on the structure of your post, "he" would be MadMax. MadMax, defend yourself!
Not that you really had me before that point, but you really lost me when you said America lacks culture. Your assumptions are false; therefore, you should rethink your conclusions.
effort? it was hard work going to youtube for that! i know a few 5 year olds, and very few of them could actually find those links to youtube that quickly and post them here so as to be the very first response to this very even-handed, unbiased and non-stereotyping thread.
Sorry about the super ghey butterfly tattoo on your shoulder. What are we discussing here besides MadMax?
yeah, i wanted it just above my ass, but i already have one there that says "SugarDaddy" in an elaborate, flowery cursive script.
The difference here all lies in a comfort zone. Europeans and Australians will bash players for all kinds of reasons but still respect what they do on the field. To me it's because they can appreciate things that are different, they know not everybody functions and acts the same. They willingly acknowledge they don't have the talent to be professional footballers and judge athletes based on on-field production and brilliance, not their public perception. Whereas the American wants to relate to their athletes, possibly in an effort to feel more important. All these sideline reporters and ABC storylines tied into the game are exclusive to America. That's my point, but I guess this is coming off as Matt Damon vs Apples guy in "Good Will Hunting"; most people in D&D can only regurgitate material they've already read and things their party's have stances on. This material requires using the thinking process.
