I thought the recent CNN bio-production was a great introduction to the basketball life of Kobe Bryant. Still fascinating how many lives he touch and of course, very human.. Maybe that is the reason. Good coverage on your part.
Like you, Marc, I'll never forget that moment. My closest Laker friend texted me. I'd just preached a sermon and was getting ready for a new members class I was leading at church. Dick Fain, a radio host in Seattle, was a member of the church I served at the time. I went to Dick and asked him if it was true. That was how Dick learned. I remember saying to Dick about the New Members class, "I don't want to go and talk to these people right now." (Not very pastoral, admittedly.) Kobe made many mistakes, some that may be unforgivable to many. He hurt people. But the person he was in his 40s didn't seem like the same person in his 20s. And regardless, my adolescence and early adulthood was dominated by him. I was at game 7, Lakers - Blazers. I was at the final game of the winning streak in the 2001 playoffs. I was at the game against the Sonics when he hit 12 3s, starting the game 9/9 from 3. And I was at the 81 point game. Sorry, this is getting long. But it's an emotional day and everyone can just ignore it. But whether you hated him or loved him, he was ever-present around LA for over two decades. And then, he was just gone. I'm still not used to it.
I thought the recent CNN bio-production was a great introduction to the basketball life of Kobe Bryant. Still fascinating how many lives he touch and of course, very human.. Maybe that is the reason. Good coverage on your part.
Like you, Marc, I'll never forget that moment. My closest Laker friend texted me. I'd just preached a sermon and was getting ready for a new members class I was leading at church. Dick Fain, a radio host in Seattle, was a member of the church I served at the time. I went to Dick and asked him if it was true. That was how Dick learned. I remember saying to Dick about the New Members class, "I don't want to go and talk to these people right now." (Not very pastoral, admittedly.) Kobe made many mistakes, some that may be unforgivable to many. He hurt people. But the person he was in his 40s didn't seem like the same person in his 20s. And regardless, my adolescence and early adulthood was dominated by him. I was at game 7, Lakers - Blazers. I was at the final game of the winning streak in the 2001 playoffs. I was at the game against the Sonics when he hit 12 3s, starting the game 9/9 from 3. And I was at the 81 point game. Sorry, this is getting long. But it's an emotional day and everyone can just ignore it. But whether you hated him or loved him, he was ever-present around LA for over two decades. And then, he was just gone. I'm still not used to it.
I don't miss rapists.