TARRYTOWN, N.Y. ? NBA Commissioner David Stern said Monday that Kobe Bryant should continue to play for the Lakers this season, even as Bryant faces a potential trial for a sexual assault charge in Colorado. "Absolutely," Stern said. "We don't have a Patriot Act in the NBA. That means that you're innocent until proven guilty. If every time someone was accused and there were allegations, they were required to stop their life, that wouldn't be a good thing. That could be their choice, but they shouldn't be forced to [stop]." Bryant is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman from Eagle, Colo. Bryant says the sex was consensual. Bryant has a preliminary hearing scheduled Oct. 9, at which a judge will determine whether there will be a trial. Stern said the Bryant case, one of the most-discussed news stories of the summer, "certainly hasn't escaped our notice, is what I would say." Stern said that for the NBA, "Our preparations are purely [administrative], having to do with security and public relations, communications access. Everything else is business as usual. "Will there be some media distraction? Yes. But I doubt very much whether there will be any basketball distraction." One thing that makes the Bryant case unusual, even by celebrity-trial standards, is that few public figures face as much regular exposure to reporters as NBA players. They are expected to be available to the media after practices and games, and for a 45-minute period before games. Although Bryant rarely conducted pregame interviews in recent years, he could be counted on to answer questions afterward, win or lose, and at practice. The Lakers still have not announced media guidelines for interviewing Bryant, who is expected to be with the rest of the Laker veterans when they begin training camp Oct. 2 in Hawaii. At least 30 reporters ? about six times the normal number ? are expected to be there. Stern said the league would not impose restrictions on access to Bryant, but would instead rely on expectations of common sense and respect for privacy on legal matters. "I think there's a difference between media access, which will remain complete, and what any particular player chooses to respond to," Stern said. "I can't imagine that it would be constructive or fair or even, in some ways, court-approved, if there were to be dialogue and questioning about the case. My guess is ? and it's only a guess from a distance ? is that it should be off-limits." Stern himself has had little to say on the matter since Eagle County Dist. Atty. Mark Hurlbert announced in July that he was filing the charge. Stern spoke to reporters Monday after addressing new NBA players at the league's annual Rookie Transition Program. At the six-day mandatory program, incoming players are instructed in everything from league rules to the perils of wealth and fame. There also are sessions about sex crimes and gender violence. "Those types of situations have [always] been a point of extraordinary focus," Stern said. "It may be that our summer's events will cause our youngsters to listen a little more intently. But we have a very long-running employee-assistance program. "The important thing is to provide our young players access to the best that we can do with respect to their basketball heritage, their personal responsibility, their opportunity to get help and to access enormous amounts of educational, social- and professional-skills help. "Each year, I've seen our players, as young as they may be, become more sophisticated in their understanding of our league, the business issues and the life-skills issues, the importance of community issues and the like "I think, in light of the summer's activities, we're seeing a modest increase in receptivity, because it's always been very high. But I think you can hear more pins dropping." Copyright 2003 Los Angeles Times "Absolutely," Stern said. "We don't have a Patriot Act in the NBA. That means that you're innocent until proven guilty. If every time someone was accused and there were allegations, they were required to stop their life, that wouldn't be a good thing. That could be their choice, but they shouldn't be forced to [stop]." That quote right there should sum it up the "Patriot act" is too strict.
"We don't have a Patriot Act in the NBA. That means that you're innocent until proven guilty." That is -- by far -- the best line I've ever heard in the NBA. Instant classic.
Ok, I'm pitifully ignorant on The Patriot Act. Is this an actual law or just a joke that whizzed by my head?
The Patriot Act was enacted in order to allow the goverment broader power in dealing with terrorism (remove some of the checks and balances). One of the powers is the ability to detain suspected terrorists without having to prove a case or press formal charges. I do agree that Kobe should play. If he's guilty I hope he pays if not I pity him and hope he can recover. I don't know what to believe though.
IMO Kobe Bryant should play. A person accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty by a jury of his peers. If convicted, he should go to jail like any other felon rather than being put on probation because he is a sports star. If he is found not guilty, there needs to be a remedy for his damaged reputation. I am not smart enough to know how that could be accomplished since he brought much of the problem on himself by cheating or attempting to cheat on his wife. Stern needs to stay out of politics. Basketball should not have any kind of ideology blanketing the league unless a majority of both players and owners endorse his stance.
Of course Stern is going to say that Bryant should play. He knows that this was probably the worst off-season image-wise in the history of the NBA. Everyone finally decided that Jordan is mroe than done, and for the first time they tried to put that fire out quietly. The Finals was awful. I'm a huge NBA fan and even I didn't tune in for more than parts of the games. The Kobe saga just made things that much worse.
