Most people are complicated, life is complicated.
We live in a nation where too many "adults" believe in Hollywood fairy tales, hero worship ad nauseam, and human perfection. We are also a nation of people who worship winning at all cost. Cheating, lying, stealing, or worst are acceptable until someone, or group gets caught. What's telling, many Americans sense of right, wrong, and justice is far too often guided by other factors, contrary to facts or truth.
As far as the prosecutor dropping the case...
The victim demurred after the prosecutor's office "accidentally" posted their entire case against Kobe Bryant via the Internet, two days in a row.
At the time it was reported, Bryant prosecution would wipeout the entire fiscal budget of that county's State Attorney's office and possible leave them in debt. The people of that town (though wealthy) weren't willing to have their taxes raised to insure the State Attorney office remained solvent.
So, yea, it's complicated. I wonder why that is?
7
Kobe had more talent than luck except I think he’s very lucky his sexual assault case happened in ‘03 and not today during the metoo movement. In today’s climate of taking every complaint as factually true without due process or investigation of facts, his career, and perhaps his marriage, would have ended.
Evidently there was room in 2003 to see two sides to a story or let the two parties work it out on their terms without a social media peanut gallery glomming on.
Although no other women yelled me too when Kobe was accused in 2003 I wouldn’t be surprised if something comes out now that he’s gone and unable to defend himself. And, little evidence is needed - a picture with him in front of a hotel would suffice.
7
From one Black Mamba to another much love and respect
You will be greatly missed young man. But you will not be forgotten.
You represented the best of our race aka human on and off the court. That your off the court persona and actions aka humble humane empathy transcends what you did on the court is what really matters.
The only thing that is black on a Black Mamba snake is the inky darkness of the mouths of these gray and gray green fast, fearless, big deadly venomous snakes.
A double entendre and metaphor. Although they do not speak nor write we do.
Speak up and do more than dribble with your fame.
The life of every flawed mortal human being is complicated. It is not how long you live but how well.
I have a daughter older than you and two grandsons your late daughter's age. When I heard your daughter passed too I trembled.
My heart has fallen to the ground.
' To speak the name of the dead is to make them live again' Ancient Egyptian proverb
Kobe Bryant! Kobe Bryant!
3
Deaths via tragedy are never easy to take whether celebrities are involved or just ordinary people like most of us.
That said, I can't understand why Bryant's death commands the type of attention and reaction afforded by the media. He may have been a great player but he didn't walk on water. And contrary to one newscaster's comments I won't remember where I was when Kobe met his date....
It won't take long after this circus dies down that this too will fade in our memories as do all passings. Such is life and fate.
4
In Kobe Bryant's police interview in July of 2003, he admitted to "strangling" his accuser without her consent. He also admitted that "strangling" women during sex was his "thing" and that he regularly strangled his mistress at the time. The interview was recorded and the transcript is available online here.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/kobe-bryant-police-interview
He then went on TV and disingenuously tried to frame his behavior as a one time lapse of "adultery," when his own words to police contradicted that framing. He then oversaw a legal team that gaslighted and bullied his accuser into silence and claimed Bryant was a victim of racism, while legions of his "fans" hurled death threats and abuse at his victim until she was too scared to testify.
Later, Bryant would issue a public apology in which he admitted that he now understood that his accuser did not consent to his violent sex, which left her blood on his clothing.
The case was a travesty of justice. Many of us have been sickened by the subsequent adoration of Bryant after he framed himself as the victim of the "Colorado incident" as he put it.
I'm more concerned about all the living sexual assault survivors than a dead man who escaped justice by destroying a woman's life.
39
It's fair to remember that one terrible incident as part of Kobe's full story. But also remember that despite his flaws, he was a doting father who lost his life giving his time and love to the daughter who was lost with him. Whatever wrongs he did, that is no small thing. Human beings often do terrible things, but asking to be remembered for the good things in the hours we leave this world is not too much to ask.
18
Rest in Peace..........
Kobe Bryant
Gianna Bryant
John Altobelli
Keri Altobelli
Alyssa Altobelli
Christina Mauser
Sarah Chester
Payton Chester
Ara Zobayan
You are all Loved and Never Forgotten........
To all the families, friends, colleagues, fans who are grieving
we too share in your devastating sorrow........
16
Who insisted in getting special permission to fly in poor conditions?
That person is responsible for the deaths of 8 others.
8
I looked at Kobe Bryant wiki page-two hours after his death and the crash mentioned foggy day as reason. Really? Witnesses mentioned hearing mechanical failure also so why not just write "under investigation" which it updated to hours later. Just suspect that weather so pushed. Then LAPD gives out press they weren't flying--why was that necessary again to push weather. If it was it would come out in investigation-why get ahead of story--just odd
4
I have heard people saying over the past two days, "now no one will ever know what he would have accomplished had he lived".
Well that's not exactly true.
There was one person who knew: HIM.
I guarantee you he knew exactly what he was going to do next, what it would take for him to accomplish that goal and the willingness and the desire to get there.
If you followed him at all over the years, he made no secret about what he felt it took to succeed at anything one wanted to do.
It's too bad that many people are only discovering that message now that he's gone.
25
Could not post comments on the other article providing details about the other folks who were in that helicopter. So putting it here.
My condolences go out to their friends and families in this time of grief.
6
All you really need to know about the man who was Kobe Bryant is that he had four daughters that he cherished . Maybe if he had four boys there would have been no transformation, the Alpha male would have stayed the Alpha male and the culture of male good old boy culture long ingrained in him would have remained , the culture that tells you it’s all about winning and being the best is all that matters. But he had four daughters, four girls and he began seeing things from their point of view , their obstacles living in a male dominated society. How their accomplishments were considered second best to any make accomplishments Kobe Bryant became a much better person because of those girls , those girls filled that hole in his soul , the hole he tried to fill up with winning and winning some more , those girls filled that hole in him and made him a complete human being , one of the best . They always asked Kobe if he wanted a boy to carry on his legacy, the old Kobe would have said yes he needed a boy , this Kobe would say , his legacy was in good hands with his girls . And if they didn’t want to go into basketball that was fine too, they could be Doctors or politicians or people who wanted to change the world whatever they wanted to be he would be there for them cheering them on. In the end those girls gave him much more than he ever could have given them. They gave him a real life and true happiness.
13
With his death Kobe's knocked Stevie Ray Vaughan from the top of the list of famous people who died in a helicopter crash. Obviously I still remember and miss Stevie Ray. Kobe will be remembered and missed for decades too. I don't trust helicopters. Commiserations to his surviving family and to those of the other victims of the crash too.
2
Some people say it is complicated. Some people say it is not. That means it is complicated.
9
Certain women are using the tragic event to vaguely accuse Bryant of rape, which is a self-serving disgusting thing to do, particularly if they are not his victims.
14
Rape is not complicated. Please STOP making this person someone he isn’t. It is amazing to me how athletic talent, money, charm and good looks can twist criminal and immoral behavior into a “complicated legacy.” Please stop. There are great teachers, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, social workers (and so on), to write about and honor. Please stop making Kobe more than a great athlete who raped a 19 year old girl in a hotel room in Colorado. He is not a great man. He was a great basketball player.
67
Shocked and disappointed at the condemnation of Kobe immediately following his death. No one knows what took place between Kobe and his accuser, but we do know the accuser had an opportunity to cooperate with the criminal case and declined to do so. Where then does the absolute certainty of strangers on the internet that her allegations were, in fact, true come from? Where is the belief in innocence until PROVEN guilty. This is mob justice in its truest form. That it takes place immediately following the heartbreaking loss of 9 people, makes it all the more disgusting.
17
There was a civil case. After it settled, he said he understood, after the fact, that she did not consent. Guilty of rape? No. Innocent? Hardly.
20
what was complicated? He has 5 rings. He was a top-5 NBA player (sorry, but Jordan, Magic, Duncan, and LeBron all have to fit in there somewhere) and he was maybe the most skilled player ever.
A woman accused him of rape, then refused to testify. As far as anyone who wasn't in the room with them is concerned, those are the facts.
He whined, was arrogant, and didn't get along with some of his teammates. Hardly complicated.
5
@Mark Because a 19 year old working a hotel desk job didn't want to be in the center ring of an overwhelming media circus says nothing about his innocence. The circumstances were so egregious that she got from most people at the time the huge benefit of the doubt. Weinstein and Epstein gave a ton of money away too. I will never believe that his assault on that young women was a one off. It the hagiography descriptions that have triggered the criticism who don't want the world to be gaslighted about a man who would likely had be in prison if not for his wealth and fame.
15
Bryant had the resources to get out of his 2003 crime. Think of all the other African Americans or others who may have become great stars but for limited resources to get them out of trouble as young men.
Oh, and maybe I will "get over" Bryant's crime when Garrison Keillor, who committed a far less serious offense, comes back onto Minnesota Public Radio with Prairie Home Companion.
15
You know, it seems like the most complicated aspect of his legacy is the rape allegations brought against Bryant in 2003 (and perhaps the shameful treatment his defense lawyers gave the alleged victim). And yet, one small paragraph is all the coverage this event gets?
18
I believe that everyone has a skeleton in their closet. It doesn’t matter if you’re a politician, religious figure, athlete or businessperson. We as a society are setting a dangerous precedent where we allow these skeletons to follow us around, even after death, irregardless of all the good we have done for the world. Kobe Bryant made a mistake and fully participated in a case that was eventually dropped by his accuser, in favor of a settlement and very public apology to the affected and all of his fans. I suggest we as a society, reconsider these smear campaigns against our most valuable talent, as well as against one another. These stories serve as a reminder than greatness doesn’t exist, which couldn’t be any further from the truth. Kobe was and still is a beacon of determination and courage to many, as he was to me since I was a kid; a legacy that carries no caveats. Let’s get this all out in the open shall we? Why don’t you make a list of all the public figures that have made a mistake in their past and publish it; try and tarnish their name while they can still defend themselves—or so they can apologize to the affected and the public, again... before they’re gone.
7
@Sasan Zomorodian ..thank you well put, and he went through the legal proceedings... NOT like the millions of skeletal abusers assaulters, that stay in there closet and go mad with guilt. He was too intelligent for basketball, like Kareem, affected his personality around teammates Hard to be the smartest and best.. most of your life...
I found the headline and sub-headline of this article disturbing. In fact, they angered me. Were you eager to make a catchy title? A juicy story?
I am not a sports fan. I am neither black nor white. I knew Kobe Bryant was a famous athlete, not sure which sport. I could see in his face that he was a good man. It would've been kinder and more appropriate to mention that incident midway through the article. Or toward the end. One paragraph.
To reduce a good man's life to a few damning words shows stupidity and thoughtlessness. It's Trump-esque.
6
I do not think that entertainers should be given such status. But I do realize that our current version of "journalism" has different values, and I sympathize with the Bryant Family in their grief.
4
Reminds me of the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Not ever meeting Kobe, the loss of someone who is universally known has a profound effect. Condolences to his family and the families of those on the helicopter. Tragic in all ways.
1
How can fog cause a helicopter to crash?
Visibility is the only reason these stories cite. But there is no indication that the Sikorsky struck anything.
@Louis
What?! It flew into the side of a mountain at 185 mph!
2
@Louis
Kobe’s helicopter may have flown into the side of a hill because the pilot couldn’t see it. Poor visibility due to fog or darkness is a frequent cause of aircraft crashes.
1
@GMooG So the reports of an explosion with fire are about impact with the ground?
Makes sense. but you'd think they'd say so.
The sudden loss of cultural icons hits us in many ways. Some of those icons transcend their fields of endeavor; their passing takes on a bookmark for the generations most affected by the news. Folks of my vintage -- born in the late 1950's -- absorbed the news of 11/22/63 differently than our parents or grandparents. People born in the late 80's and 90's undoubtedly have a different view from mine of the world. That younger, different reaction to this latest instance of greatness passing too soon is informed by a world view as valid as any. 1/26/20 will become a cultural bookmark in a similar fashion.
When we learned the news yesterday, my mind flashed to where I was when I learned of the Challenger explosion. Then: Buddy Holley, Patsy Cline, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, Thurman Munson, Stevie Ray Vaughn. The list of names we've said farewell to via tragic, unexpected departures from the floodlights is a long one. Time gives these disruptions to us at random. They chip away at our well-being, unsettling our lives' equilibrium in ways others cannot truly fathom.
If you're a parent, your heart aches for the fathers and mothers left behind. If you're a sibling, you mourn for brothers and sisters robbed by cruel fate of the chance again to say you love them, to give them a hug, or to play games together. If you're a fan, you celebrate the good feelings, lasting impressions, and joyful moments brought by their performance.
May the victims rest in peace.
6
I hope all these unforgiving, perfect people on here who are talking about Kobe with their holier than thou selves didn't vote for the guy sitting in the WH who has been accused multiple times, by multiple women, of sexual misconduct. If you are, you are nothing but hypocrites.
18
It is true, he a good basket ball player, but one can not condon his action in 2003 ( sexual assault ) on a women, just because he is rich and can afford big lawyers. It WOULD BE A STAIN on his legacy. Others who have kind words should look into their past action and feel , if it was your daughter or wife or sister, how you would feel.
To suspend a reporter from WASHINGTON POST for her Tweet, is even more troubling.
One has to face consequences for their action
16
Though I'd already posted a Reply to this effect in another thread, just want to add a voice regarding many comments that flat out paint Bryant as a rapist. It is truly amazing that all these eyewitnesses to the crime are speaking up now, rather than sooner after they had apparently witnessed it firsthand years ago, deslite the young lady's having dropped the charge. No better time to kick a person than after he's dead and before his funeral is even over.
7
At least one woman in Colorado got her first good nights sleep in years last night.,
14
I'm all for appreciating athletic achievements.
My hope is that someday equal accolades (front page headlines for days on end) will be given to those individuals around the world who have fought and died against injustice, disease and our environment.
22
Kobe was a wizard, genius maestro and an artist on the court. When he retired, he gave back to the community just like he'd done his whole pro career.
The rape allegations against him always seemed spurious to me. Women of all ages were offering themselves to Kobe all the time.
I believed him when he said it was a consensual encounter, and that the women in question was looking for a big civil lawsuit payout, which she apparently got.
People also slag him because he was "too ambitious." How sick is that!
Kobe's personal life and professional legacy are far more admirable than that of Donald Trump and many other famous people these days. Slagging him when he just died tragically is rude and crude.
15
@Steve Davies
Someone who believes that a woman's accusation of rape against a wealthy and powerful man is false and motivated by her desire for a payday? How original! I've never heard that one before!
Give me a call when one of you realizes the truth - that many men in positions of power and wealth think they are above the law in all respects, including access to women's bodies, and that we prove them right every time we let one of them walk.
29
This attempted shakedown is documented in many ways.
Foremost among them is testimony confirming that the hotel was almost empty that night, and the desk person who made the accusations placed Bryant's entourage at one end of the building and Bryant himself at the other, then found a mysterious reason to come to his room.
Many others. The definitive story was in Westword, but it should not be hard to find in other places.
5
@hey there Uh, she put him in an isolated room and then visited him there. Lots more. Check it out.
1
I find it distasteful that we are putting tarnish on the man’s name and legacy, posted essentially the day he died. I am 32 years old. Without a doubt, he was one of the greatest athletes of my lifetime. I didn’t always love him, because I wasn’t even a huge basketball fan, but I absolutely respected him. He deserves his time to be honored in death and mourned before this paper takes advantage of his dirt.
8
@Jennifer
Bryant is receiving a tsunami of love, praise, and sorrow from around the world, and deservedly so. Nobody is tarnishing his "name & legacy".
Details of his life are news, and NYT is simply reporting it. I'd consider any story about his life (that is not an actual obituary) that excluded the 2003 incident to be a manipulative whitewash, not living up to the highest journalistic standards.
Whenever there's a mass shooting the anti-gun safety crowd always crows "this is not the time to talk about gun control, it's time for 'thoughts & prayers'!" I have the same answer to them as I do to the criticism of every news outlet (it's not just NYT by a long shot) that includes mention of the 2003 incident: When is the "right time?"
9
What is unbalanced about this article, is that it makes no mention of Kobe's philanthropic works. Very typical when it comes to a black man. I am cancelling my subscription to the NY Times. Although, I'm not black, I have seen a continued bias in its reporting when it comes to black people.
15
When a rape is dismissed lightly as ‘complicated’ as big money is involved
15
A large segment of the U.S. and even the world “spent” time with Kobe over his 20-year career in watching him play. If you were a Laker fan during the 1990s, 2000s and the 2010s, you possibly watched at least 82 regular season games a year featuring Kobe (more if the Lakers were in the play-offs). It’s no wonder that in LA, where many Angelenos are Laker fans, his death feels like the death of a relative to many Laker fans and is mourned as such.
People criticizing the mourning and outpouring of grief and tributes to Kobe as somehow undeserved in light of his past transgressions are being hypercritical. By that logic, every person who has ever been accused of a crime, been imprisoned, hurt anyone, etc. somehow does not deserve to be mourned when they die. The thing is, regardless of one’s opinion regarding the value or the success of someone else’s life, one does not have the right to demand that no one mourns their passing. At the end of the day,each person who dies is likely someone’s child/sibling/spouse/relative/friend/co-worker/mentor/idol etc. Because no matter what bad things a person did while they were alive, someone somewhere probably still loved/admired/valued them despite those failings. No one has the right to tell such people that they don’t have the right to mourn, even if you yourself deem the subject of their grief as unworthy.
6
This article was respectfully and carefully written. We all have flaws - even great athletes, as do rich, powerful people, and people with no athletic talent or wealth. It is a journalist’s and a newspaper’s responsibility to write about the truth. Bryant is no different than any other human as far as a legacy is concerned. We are all complicated, thus our legacies may be as well.
I am sorry for the grievous loss to his family, friends, and fans. To be human is to accept the flaws along with the fame.
7
It is very sad that these people, particularly three teenage kids, died in the crash. I do think, however, that there is too much celebrity worship in our culture.
Kobe was, without a doubt, a very talented basketball player. But I never liked his game. He was part, probably the most influential part, of an era in basketball that can be characterized as 'hero ball.' The emphasis was, for too many years, on the individual player rather than the team. Kobe was not a great defender or passer, but he could shoot the ball.
Fortunately--for fans like me--teams like San Antonio, Boston, and Golden State have come along since to reestablish the more entertaining, and infinitely more complex, team concept.
I don't know enough to say one way or another whether he's guilty of rape. The evidence I seen doesn't look good for him. I've seen too many athletes that follow the Trumpian philosophy: "when you're a celebrity, they let you do anything..."
But it is sad that these people had to die.
9
What’s complicated about his legacy?
It's not complicated.
Don't touch someone who isn't consenting.
26
Like everyone else who has walked the earth, Kobe has a complicated legacy filled with low and high points.
But everyone who criticizes him clearly live spot free lives.
4
Don't like basketball at all - never watched, never will.
But it sounds like a good man has died, pointlessly, along with his daughter and the other passengers.
I am sorry for his family.
5
Seriously, what’s “complicated” about his legacy? He took responsibility for his actions and apologized. If anything this makes his legacy as a human being greater, he was able to change and grow from a situation many do not make it out of.
What exactly were you going for @nytimes I’ll pray for y’all
7
I spent 20 years watching Kobe. He was in my living room nearly every night providing joy, heartache, suspense, and even anger. I haven't cried since my mother died in 2014. I'm not a crier. Yesterday I cried. RIP Kobe and Gianna, and the other victims of this tragedy.
3
Amazing athlete with a superb work ethic.
A true basketball legend in his own right (not without a blemish, of course, as he was only human).
May he and his daughter Rest In Peace!
2
I admired Kobe for his fabulous skills, fierce competitiveness, and personal generosity, but he and his entourage should have flown commercial, preferably with a pilot who did not know anything about basketball. Kobe and other passengers wanted to get to the game, and the copter pilot could have felt that his job was on the line if he didn't deliver despite the foggy weather, even if Kobe hadn't said a word. RIP all nine souls.
2
What saddens me more than anything is that Kobe and his daughter died taking a helicopter to a destination less than 30 miles from where they started. It's not likely they would have died if they drove instead. The amount of time they would have saved by flying seems hardly worth the price.
6
@Joe Kernan His destination was Thousand Oaks, 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles, not 30 miles northwest of Orange County, where he lived.
@CaliforniaXile Not enough distance to make much difference.
1
@Joe Kernan
90 miles, not 30
Bryant’s basketball life isn’t all that complicated. He is among the best to ever play. He is a champion that worked hard and accomplished his goals. That is pretty simple.
1
Thanks Marc. I'm in LA and the flat out deification feels very awkward to me. And I flat out lay down for the man's basketball genius and accomplishments. Glad he softened the image in his post-floor career and achieved some level of personal and character redemption.
@nytimes Please give more, not less, coverage to Bryant’s legacy of assault instead of relegating it to one short, buried, and woefully incomplete paragraph. People need info about the medical report, Bryant’s own comments under questioning, and the reasons (exposure, harassment, intimidation) that his accuser might have chosen not to testify.
21
@MW Does anyone ever get a second chance with people like you?
5
Too soon for an in depth article on his “complicated legacy.” The morning I woke up realizing my mom died was the worst pain I’ve felt in my life. Worse than the day she died. Be kind for his kids.
7
A man with a singular ability to toss a ball through a hoop and strategize in a game, who took it as far and as well as it can be taken. An arrogant young man who learned to play as part of a team and to become a wiser older man. An errant husband who learned to be a far better one. Not a bad legacy to leave at all.
6
I was sorry to hear about the loss of all the life . Mr Bryant had a dark side he was involved is a nasty sexual assault in 2003 and now it was learned he got special permission to fly in dangerous fog. What was so important to risk all those lives. HIs estate should pay out billions to the survivors families and the official should go to jail for allowing the flight to happen and pay the victims families also. Plus his estate must pay all the responders for having to go during the fog . When will the officials stop special requests like this.
5
Billions? Come on. Have some respect for the departed.
3
@D.j.j.k. Air Traffic Control gave his aircraft approval to fly. The passengers were not experts in flying. The helicopter is considered one of the world’s safest. His estate doesn’t have ‘billions.’
2
@Theo
I said in my first sentence i was sorry for all the loss of life. I have more respect if Mr Bryant had not sexually assaulted any one. It was still a evil life style he lived before and must be brought out. He was no saint.
2
A “complicated legacy” seems a bit much. I don’t mean to minimize, but really.
5
Please do not criticize this man for being immature at age nineteen. Have you ever met a mature nineteen year old male? It seems that he grew and evolved in a really nice man and father and he and his daughter and friends will be missed. I am so sad for the family.
10
I am not admiring Kobe Bryant as he committed a sexual crime. However, I wonder if Kobe had not been Black, would there be so many naysayers?
1
@Bellstar Mason 100% yes. See also: Kevin Spacey, Al Franken, Louis CK.
9
Tragic ending to a famous athlete. However, the hysteria (crying in the streets and pilgrimages to the crash site) over his death does remind me that Americans go to extremes with their hero worship and cult-like fandom. If only they paid this much attention and heed to things we have some control over.
10
I think any mention of Kobe Bryant's legacy must include his dedication as a parent. From all accounts, it appears he was a great dad.
11
@Lisa The same can be said for Bill Cosby.
11
I see a lot of people who don't want Kobe Bryant's legacy to be defined by one event/mistake/crime. To that, I say, it would be easier to forgive people in Bryant's position if they were first held accountable for their acts and subsequently showed remorse for them. Here, it seems Bryant took one step in that direction with the issuance of an apology, but he could have gone much further. He had the perfect platform to raise public awareness on the issue of sexual assault and how we address it in our society. Instead, he took a "one and done" approach to it that seems woefully inadequate given the nature of the allegations against him. If he truly felt the encounter was consensual on his part, this afforded him the opportunity to educate young men and women about the importance of communication and consent in sexual encounters. If he recognized that he raped this woman, he could've spoken on that as well. But he put his own interests above those of the victim. That's what's most disappointing to me. Even when these perpetrators say they've learned, it doesn't seem that they actually have.
I'm so sorry for the loss of life that resulted from this accident, particularly the children.
21
Life is complicated and often stressful. We no longer go to the Coliseum and watch people brutally die; instead, people have favorite sports teams and athletes.
It's fun to see amazing athletes and let off steam for a couple of hours. Should we canonize sports figures? I think not, as they are as imperfect as we are.
Let's not obscure what Kobe did. Was the rest of his life an attempt to do better? I don't know. It's so easy to be judgemental.
6
Some people just burn with a brighter light. And athletes, because we all have eyes to see them and bodies to compare t their astonishing feats, are particularly electric. Only a rare few possess talent, drive, and fearlessness in enormously equal measures. Kobe was one. He was far from perfect, but he was hella bright. I was unsuspectingly and deeply moved to see the tributes to him as grown men, millionaire athletes around the league, took 24-second violations in tears.
3
Big of Magic to declare Kobe the best Laker of all-time. Magic, too, won 5 NBA championships. But Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won 6 (five with the Lakers, too), and is the all-time scoring leader. College hoops changed the rules of the sport and made dunking illegal because he was unstoppable at dunking. So Kareem developed the sky hook, which nobody has done since. With all due respect to Kobe, and Magic, I'm putting my vote for Kareem as best all-time Laker.
3
I'm deeply saddened by the loss of this superstar talent and icon. And yet I'm also fascinated that, despite his talent and accomplishments, Kobe was indeed "complicated" -- and never embraced and elevated to mythical superhero status the way Michael Jordan was (and is). Is it because Kobe came after Michael and nobody was willing to allow Michael to be surpassed in the public imagination? Is it because Kobe seemed to rub a lot of people -- fans, teammates -- the wrong way? Is it because Michael was just a bit better? Is it because nobody accused Michael of sexual assault? Rest assured that Kobe Bryant will be remembered, discussed, celebrated, and argued about for a long time. Complicated, maybe. But forgotten... never. RIP.
2
It is my sincere hope that all the women who claim the destroyed life of the young lady forever bound with Kobe Bryant by charges of sexual assault can move forward with their lives as it appears that the young lady has and as Kobe Bryant did.
It is not factual that all of us who have been sexually assaulted in our lifetimes have been destroyed beyond repair. I would posit that most of us pull ourselves together, make our peace with what happened and move forward.
None of us ever forget. But that does not mean we are destroyed by that single point in our lives nor that we don't have beautiful, fulfilling lives beyond.
I did. I had 2 children. One who is in college today. But another, my daughter, died tragically at 15 years old. Much like Gianna, she loved basketball and she loved Kobe. And all was right with our world, specifically my world, until that day she was taken.
That I was sexually assaulted as a child pales in comparison.
Strength and love to the families of all the lives lost in that helicopter crash yesterday.
9
Jameis Winston also has great physical skills playing a GAME. He's also been credibly accused of sexual assault more than once. If you ever wonder why trump is president this is a shining example of how this country has lost it's way. Kobe and Jameis aren't developing vaccines, they're not curing cancer and they're not rescuing kids from burning buildings. They are/were good at a game. And for that they get to travel around in helicopters while the rest of us including the vaccine creators and children rescuers sit in traffic. We worship sports and money in America. Hail trump.
16
@Saints Fan
You've completely missed my point. People in cults often have a narrow perspective.
4
I was a little surprised by the timing of this article. Nothing wrong with telling the full story, but it seems like something more appropriate for a few days from now, after fans have processed the initial shock and sadness.
6
I feel most sad for his young daughter. A talented 13 year old, her future was lost in the crash. The world has been robbed of a young lady with much potential. We will never be able to see what she could have accomplished. -NW
6
I am a graduate of L.M. High School. I am very proud of having gone to the same school that Kobe Bryant did.
Can we please wait until after the funeral before criticizing him?
5
It is sad when any life is cut short. Any life. What amazes me is the amount of outpouring of emotion and mourning when a celebrity dies. There are literally good people dying all around us all the time. If those of you so touched by the death of this man want to honor him, a really good way would be to reach out to your own suffering neighbors and fellow citizens. There are folks in hospitals, senior residential care centers, and homeless and on the streets that would benefit from a small fraction of your attention and concern, many of whom have lived good and decent lives, done good works, and are now alone.
Unfortunately they are not famous or good with a basketball.
5
Didn't this guy buy his way out of a rape case where there was substantial evidence against him? Rich people get by with a major affronts in this country, and rich athletes get by with even more than that. Sad for his family and fans, but he should have been held accountable for the attack on the 19-year-old hotel worker.
19
No, he did not. And because someone is accused of sexual assault does not mean they are guilty. I followed that story closely. Perhaps you should research it before you make judgments.
5
Check it out. Many details are confirmed. This was a stick-up attempt.
I don't mind the paragraph about the sexual assault allegations and settlement. But to title this article "Kobe Bryant's Brilliant and Complicated Legacy" is a cheap shot the day after his death, especially in light of the fact that there is nothing in the article that explores any complications, let alone any that rise to affect his legacy.
The title is off-putting, and I don't blame the author. My understanding is that titles are written by a different person, and shame on that person for not having the grace to title the article appropriately. (Mind you: the internal graf about the accusation is fine.)
8
My thoughts are with his parents and sisters. It is my understanding that their relationship was shattered and they were not speaking. The primary source of their conflict was money. This is a reminder that no one is promised tomorrow, and to not allow petty grievances to stand between the ones we love. Had Kobe known he was going to sunset, would he have done repaired his relationship with his parents? Due to the conflict, his parents must be going through a traumatic form of grief. Live everyday like it’s your last.
1
I expect everyone who is deriding the late Kobe Bryant about the sexual assault, that was settled out of court, are leading the charge against those accused who are still around to be punished. Just a short list of famous people who are available for your condemnation: 1. Harvey Weinstein 2. Ben Rothlisberger 3, Kevin Spacey 4. Matt Lauer 5. etc...
4
@Peter Jenkins Thank you Peter. So sick of all the negative pile on.
Despite the headline, this story seriously underplays the impact of the criminal complaint on Kobe Bryant’s legacy. There are many Angelenos (myself included) who have always viewed him as an unconvicted rapist first and a brilliant basketball player second.
Just read about the sexual acts that are involved in the rape case, which I will not describe in detail here. This was a brutal sexual attack, not a fun interlude between two strangers in a chance encounter.
If the 2003 criminal case had come up in the current social climate, let’s be honest about what would happen today. Even if the case was dropped, Bryant would have been expelled from the Lakers and the NBA. He would have ended his career like his father, playing and coaching in some overseas backwater.
At the time of his retirement, a Los Angeles newspaper columnist who had regular contact with Bryant labeled him “a three-faced sociopath.” The facts supporting or disproving that diagnosis should have been discussed in this NYT story.
28
Many people are saying that Kobe got away with rape because he is famous.
Actually, chances are if he were just an average guy there would be no arrest, no settlement and no asterisk in his obituary. Cases like those are unfortunately very difficult to prosecute and usually aren’t.
It was precisely because of his celebrity that the victim was able to get some “justice,” however insufficient, in the form of the financial settlement and his slightly tarnished reputation.
Let's make this clear: I'm sorry he and especially his daughter died. Her future so bright, cut off so unexpectedly and so needlessly.
But where daddy is concerned--you know the basketball superstar: I'm sorry he died, but I don't care. My life and no one I know will be affected by his death except in a purely hands off way. Hearsay I know but again who cares.
3
@Oh brother Well, I guess what goes around comes around and no one will have a kind word or care about your life and death. I've never seen so many unhappy, miserable, holier than thou people than I have today who can't bring themselves to feel or care or even act with any human decency.
2
I am glad that Mr. Stein included, if briefly, Bryant's potential felony charge for rape. For many people this brutal action that he was ultimately able to pay off to avoid punishment, more than counters his considerable accomplishments. Many also thought that his Academy Award in the throws of the "Me Too" movement was ill timed and inappropriate. There is a lingering suspicion that his actions in Colorado were not a one off.
10
A great, but invented nothing for the game. He’s not greater because he died in a foggy helicopter crash.
2
Sadly, Kobe Bryant and the eight other people (including, most horribly, three 13-year old girls) killed yesterday were victims of a common plague around these parts: rich celebrity disease. The uber-wealthy do not believe they deserve to sit in traffic like the rest of us (even early on a Sunday morning, when there isn't any). They are also extremely confident in their ability to survive things that are deadly for us mere mortals. The entire LAPD and LA County Sheriffs Department helicopter fleets were grounded until late afternoon yesterday (an extremely rare event!) due to an exceptionally dense fog bank over the region. But just like the doctors who prescribe them whatever dangerous drug they want whenever they want it, pilots for the rich and famous will never, ever tell the boss no.
9
@Frank F I agree with you. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that he made the same trip the previous day in the same helicopter--essentially commuting in it--and as you wrote, not how we "mere mortals" in SoCal get around. Why did not stay in Thousand Oaks overnight? And when the weather so was clearly poor on Sunday, why did they fly? Would he have put people at risk driving to a basketball game in the middle of a raging blizzard? It's almost equivalent. Such a sad and unnecessary loss of life.
2
Not to mention, helicopters are far worse polluters than vehicles. In so many ways, Kobe demonstrated that when you’re rich, rules don’t apply to you. This hero worship hints at the insidious disease affecting America and the world.
2
I know its difficult for SOME people to accept all this adulation, respect, and praise for KB. I totally expected there would be THOSE who would want to harp on his flaws. Who among us doesn't have them. Shame on all of you for doing that and not concentrating on the multitude of positive things, the positive role model, the devoted father and husband, the community-minded individual, the supporter of women in basketball, etc. Look in the mirror and try to tell yourself you're PERFECT in every aspect of YOUR life. crickets!
RIP Kobe, my condolences to his family and fans. I don’t like many famous people, although Kobe was a great man. I believe nobody is ready for fame, is the people around that makes the life of the famous person miserable. Always some people attempting to take advantage of their fame. The rape accuser was like that, attempted to make money and fame at Kobe’s expense. Nobody is perfect, although I believe Kobe always try to be the good person, the person he believed it was.
I am very sorry for this tragedy for all families involved. However, I never followed Kobe Bryant after the rape case. I just was no longer interested in his story. Violently choking and raping a 19 year old girl in Vail, CO, while at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic to get an operation. Then buying his wife a $4 million ring to patch things up. That was 17 years ago and I lost interest after that. Never followed him after that. I would never want my sons to look up to that...there are other world class athletes out there. Sorry this might sound harsh, but that is the way I feel about his legacy....may he RIP.
19
There is nothing complicated about what happened. One incident of accused rape, balanced over a lifetime of otherwise impeccable accomplishments. Had he gone to jail and served time then all liberals would grant him a benevolent second chance at regaining his life. In the real world of millionaires, the woman accepted a financial settlement(after questions arose about DNA evidence that bolstered Bryant's case). Kobe was shamed, and went on to redeem himself with a lifetime of good work.
There are currently dozens of active NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL players whose lives could generously be called "complicated" that involve stories of assault, abuse and violence yet The Times follows slavishly, worshipfully.
It is a denigration to the memory of Kobe Bryant by The Times to use that term in qualifying his legacy.
2
@JohnBarleycorn Yeah, when is the NY Times going to call out the guy in the WH who has been accused of sexual misconduct?
2
@J. Faye Harding
Just as soon as someone -- one person - steps up to the plate and files a criminal complaint, rather than a civil lawsuit looking for a shakedown/payday. Hasn't happened yet.
1
@Tish S, I couldn't agree with you more. Thank you for your comment.
People are falsely accused of all manner of things - including rape - every day in this country
The case never went to trial and there was never a verdict so NONE of us knows what happened in that hotel room.
7
He should be remembered --like ALL high profile people who have obituaries or death announcements in a real newspaper - for the full range of his life's work. That includes the very nasty and disturbing rape allegation. If you read about that case you will see that 1) her case was very credible 2) his comments to the cops afterward were dismissive, unsympathetic, entitled and extremely unflattering. He did not seem like an innocent man who had been tricked by a woman seeking money or the spotlight (she asked for and received neither). How dare we just pretend this very disturbing episode of his life did not happen just so as not to offend fans. His funeral service and private obituary - written by family- should of course just focus on his genius and gift as a father and as a husband (it seems he did improve on that score). But for a NEWSPAPER, it is totally irresponsible to whitewash his legacy. The woman in this rape allegation deserves to have her experience at least acknowledged. https://www.thedailybeast.com/kobe-bryants-disturbing-rape-case-the-dna-evidence-the-accusers-story-and-the-half-confession
7
In a world where justice is real for rape victims and celebrities live by the same regulations and laws as the rest of us, yesterday would only show a local paper with this buried headline, “Poor Weather Conditions Keep Flights Grounded.”
5
I have no opinion on Kobe Bryant, except to feel heartbroken for his wife and children. To lose your spouse and child in one moment is a torture to try and bear. However, I am also heartbroken to read the many comments from people who think his history of sexual assault is irrelevant in assessing the man, or who refer to it as a mistake. That’s quite a mistake!
He violated his victim to the point that she had bruises, abrasions in her vagina indicative of rape, he had her blood on his t-shirt. She immediately told her friend and her mother and went to the hospital the next day for a rape kit, which was positive. All the things we ask a victim of sexual assault to do. Made no difference - she had a history of mental health issues and had recently had sex with someone else. Kobe Bryant’s legal team branded her a slut and unreliable - she ended up refusing to testify in order to stop the abuse she received from Kobe Bryant’s fans and defenders, therefore the trial did not proceed. Now, to serve the legend of Kobe, a Washington Post reporter lost her job because she linked to a fact based article about her. Insane.
He was a good basketball player, he was also a rapist.
9
@Barb Hickey, like you I remember the details of the alleged assault and also that investigators discovered a strikingly similar account alleging sexual assault by Kobe in a hotel I think in Portland, Oregon. After death threats and being savaged in the press by Kobe's legal team the victim refused to testify. Then Kobe paid her which I assume required an NDA and that is probably why the victim has never been heard from again.
4
To argue, as some here do, that this article memorializes Bryant for his worst actions is absurd. The rape charge was a part of his life. For a journalist to omit it would be dishonest. This has nothing to do with race. All of us—black and white, professional athletes, politicians, actors, clerics, all of us—are human and, therefore, flawed.
21
He was an amazing talent on the court, had an unbelievable work ethic, and a great father. Everyone’s journey is different, and we all stumble and have issues. He was a real person. Anyone portrayed as perfect (such as Obama by the media) is typically bad news. Beware of meeting your heroes, most likely you will be disappointed.
6
His legacy actually is very straightforward. He was a great basketball player. Period. Full stop.
7
Sadly our culture is utterly celebrity and fame obsessed.
It is a tragedy for all who perished, and perhaps no one more than the only daughter left from her family, her mother, father, and sister all gone.
I stopped watching the coverage as my frustration grew that 7 other people were hardly mentioned.
Horrible tragedies happen every day, and they are just as impactful to those left behind when someone famous is not a part of it.
Just seems our perspective is completely out of whack in this country.
This is a horrible tragedy for every life lost, for every family member, friend, student, student athlete, coach, former teammates young and old, and co-worker left behind.
43
The news of Kobe's death along with his daughter, a baseball coach and his family, another female basketball coach, the pilot and others was horrific. It was especially painful to think of all these people going about their day to bring joy to young people and to play. Life is so cruel. My heart aches for his wife, daughters and his parents. I cannot imagine the loss of all these families and thier friends. Life is so fragile and unpredictable. Live fully, be kind. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything. Kobe made mistakes. He apologized. He was admired and beloved. May they all rest in peace. Let's pray for their loved ones and be diligent in our lives.
12
He apologized for taping a 19 year old girl. What a hero!
7
There's been a pall over our city of Los Angeles since the announcement of his death yesterday. It's a hushed kind of reverence that only comes to those who've died too young and leave an extraordinary legacy of excellence.
If we dispose of the media hype regarding Kobe, we're left with a grinning, finely-tuned athlete who took our breath away with undeniable ease. We were able to watch his emotions play out on his face as he navigated a crowded court, and delivered coup de grace after coup de grace against his opponents.
We will never be able to forget the boy athlete becoming the man, husband, father, spokesman, and businessman. How proud we were of him. How our heart breaks at the loss of him and those who were with him yesterday.
We were better for having him in our lives for so brief a time.
8
Many of the comments here seem to approach how we should remember Kobe in a binary way. “He was a great basketball player, but he ruined a woman’s life.” Or, “He ruined a woman’s life, but he was a great basketball player.”
I really think we need to be wary of the black-and-white views of sports figure veneration and #cancelculture alike. The reality is that both sides are true: “Kobe was a great basketball player AND he ruined a woman’s life.”
It’s possible to acknowledge both those things, to celebrate someone’s legacy but condemn their actions. Because they don’t cancel each other out. To recognize both is to see Kobe holistically and honestly.
20
The NY Times and others who mention the sexual assault charges are correct to do so. The brevity of the mention in this story is appropriate. The bulk of the story is about the rest of his life which is defined by hard work, success and and emerging humility, that maturity brings. None of us should be remembered for the worst things we have done, but those things should also not be overlooked.
30
There's no pleasing everyone. Some people want the obit to say "accused rapist" in the first sentence. Others are outraged that it says "complicated" instead of just straight praise. I think complicated actually gets things pretty well.
13
A man has died, along with his daughter. Several other families also lost loved ones. Now is not the time to bring up his faults. None of us can claim to be perfect. Let his wife and children mourn in peace. This is not the time or place to bring up dirt.
13
Wait for the weather to clear before flying. Their is nothing that can't wait a few hours.
18
@Alexandra Dixon of San Francisco, and others -- There is not even a hint in this article of comparing Kobe to Harvey Weinstein, nor should there be. But, if the woman who made the allegation, it were your daughter, your friend - if it were you - would that “incident” be merely "one blip in his private life"? I don't think so.
I applaud the Times for publishing this piece. It could, and should, be even stronger. See the piece by attorney and writer, Jill Filipovic, for a opinion that both honors a man for his strength and goodness, and speaks honestly of a man with a horrible truth in his history that his shiny life had eclipsed.
https://jill.substack.com/p/kobe-bryant-and-complicated-legacies?fbclid=IwAR3U303f0BTnln916MNxG2OvR80p5TZBXTbR7EifXFhVxOOY8JZTaajGxVs
16
I’m 32. Too young to appreciate Jordan. Too old to enjoy watching Lebron the same way I did Kobe. I literally grew up watching Kobe, I bonded with my dad watching him and his Lakers. Reading todays news had me in tears. It feels like I lost a close friend. This hurts.
113
I'm sorry Mr. Bryant died, and especially sorry his young daughter was denied a full lifespan. But I'm troubled how the lives of sports celebrities are blown out of all proportion. Maybe some see these people as heroes. I do not. My heroes are the high school campus policeman serving youth and their families, the doctors and nurses who save lives and mitigate suffering, the teachers that provide a solid start in life, the check-out lady at the grocery store who makes me smile every time I see her. Regular people who do extraordinary things every day and never get days worth of articles in the paper s, or hundreds of millions for their excellence, or the opportunity to fly over traffic in helicopters because they can put a ball through a hoop better than most. The priorities of our society are so far out of whack it causes me some shame.
65
@Dennis Heroes also aren't rapists. Even once or twice. Heroes are the same behind closed doors as in broad daylight.
10
To err is human; to forgive divine.
6
So maybe it's time to forgive Harvey Weinstein.
7
Evan Rachel Wood, a rape survivor, was crucified on Twitter last night for bringing up the sexual assault charge. Many comments fell along racial lines, accusing her of white feminism and racism. In separate tweets, once my fellow Catholics found out he was one of us (and a practicing Catholic, at that), all was forgiven. It's not about right or wrong anymore. It's all about identity politics. Are you going to identify with the black man you idolize or the 19-year-old woman he traumatized? One of the commenters here said, "He might have done horrible things, but . . ." But what? Would we say Harvey Weinstein might have done horrible things, but he made great movies? Let's not even pretend we care about issues in this country. We care about identity.
76
A very disappointing obituary, given that he was more than just a basketball star. I had to read on CNN that Kobe grew up in Italy and spoke fluent Italian.
15
Had it not been written the day he died, this reflection on
Kobe Bryant might be a suitable sketch for Wikipedia, it is generally fair and complete. That being said, a man and his child and their friends were killed suddenly yesterday morning in a horrific accident on their way to do something positive.
That is enough truth for one day. Give it some thought, there will be the rest of time to fill in the blanks.
12
The only difference between Mr. Bryant and those of us who are not famous is that our transgressions are not public and written about.
The World English Bible translates the passage as: You hypocrite! First, remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye.
Some would do well to remember this..we are all human, flawed creatures.. everyone of us. That is no justification for anyone hurting anyone else, just the truth.
In death, all can seem a bit more than they were..
Mr. Bryant paid for his behavior and probably did some serious reevaluation as a father of four daughters.
May he, his daughter and the seven others who died rest in peace and love.
11
This is a terrible tragedy for Bryant and his family. He was a hero and a whip smart businessman, destined for further greatness.
I am disturbed that pilots are flying into dense fog under visual flight rules. When the investigation is complete, the conclusion will likely be that it was a poor idea to fly into mountainous terrain with no visibility. Under different circumstances, the crashes of Buddy Holly and JFK Jr. are related.
Pilots should be forced by the FAA to stop doing this!
7
@js
JFK, Jr was the pilot and was flying his own plane.
I think he became disoriented in the dense haze
and got the plane in a spin that he was unable to
manage. The circumstances were quite different,
but the admonition to not fly in bad conditions
does apply.
The pilot in this case flew up the valleys from Orange
County and got into trouble at the West end of the
San Fernando Valley where the coastal mountains rise up a bit and form a fairly low barrier. This is not mysterious terrain. The inquiry will be informative.
4
“The son of the former N.B.A. player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant,“
He wasn't just the son of Jellybean Bryant; he also had a mother. What was her name?
43
He was very very good at putting a ball through a hoop.
21
He was very very good at being a human being
4
Kobe Bryant? I had to Google.
"Oh, the basketball player." During his time with us, our nation reached lofty heights and devastating lows, as did Los Angeles, his career, his family, and his personal life, the latter two after he retired from his job. His exceptionalism while he labored on behalf of the NBA was unquestioned. The perceived exceptionalism outside of his job came from doing what all civic-, community-, and family-members are expected to do, but extraordinarily talented workers in the sports industry seldom do.
I ask: Is America, our communities, our lives better for him having shared his life with us? Is he among the handful of examples of leader examples that these decades will pass on to future generations with the message: "He helped make us, you, what we all are today?"
I judge not. He excelled in an industry gathering far too much celebration and adoration as it goes about filling the coffers. His deepest failure, decades ago, would today have likely have resulted in severe "other-than civil" settlement consequences. On balance, one of the rarest talents working at his job. Scores, if not legions, of leaders will fill future generations' history books.
Let's get a grip on ourselves. RIP for the nine who tragically had their lives ended the Twenty-Sixth of January on a hillside in California.
67
@Bob I’m from Los Angeles. LA is a huge, decentralized city that has very little that unifies it. Kobe and the Lakers unified it. He was a hero to every kid I knew growing up. LA is absolutely the better for his life. Don’t tut-tut at us from Florida for grieving; you don’t know what you’re talking about.
170
@Bob With that perspective, we might as well cancel George Washington because, you know, plenty of other leaders came after him and, due to his owning slaves (talk about assault!), he's not in any way deserving of his place in the history books. To borrow from the Times' clumsy headline: All biographies are "complicated."
38
Your comments are so incredibly ignorant. He may not have meant much to you, but for many many athletes, basketball or other, he is the reason they play. His relentless approach to whatever his endeavors should be modeled and cherished for generations. The world lost an incredible icon.
27
I am sad and shocked by the news of his death and that of his daughter's. I appreciate his life. All of it.
We are complicated, and we make mistakes. All of us.
365
The difference being lots of us make mistakes that don’t involve raping someone.
678
@Tish So far as anyone knows anything with any certainty of this case, we don't know exactly what warranted the charges of "rape," although, I see room for consideration of, "Sexual Misconduct."
24
@Glenn Thomas Its easy to assume the victim preyed on a famous athlete with money after consensual sex. If Kobe was an ordinary guy accused of rape most of us would be outraged. Nevertheless as the OP said we all make mistakes and he is still someone's son, spouse, father and sports legend to his fans. My heart goes out to all the other passengers and their loved ones.
31
The question many readers have regarding Mr. Bryant is—
After a very credible allegation of rape of a very young woman, was Mr. Bryant given a pass by the basketball world, and is he even now being given a pass.
342
@srwdm I hope no one wants to see charges of sexual misconduct brushed aside but, on the other hand, don't characterize the man's entire life by one very misguided decision. Try to remember, the case was complicated, the woman was 19 and there's room to believe that there may have been a misunderstanding in each of their perceptions of the moment at the time. At least let this issue rest in peace for now.
58
More notably, he was given a pass by Hollywood and given a Oscar. The #MeToo movement from then on was truly only recognized as a political weapon and not a true movement of change. If it is selectively used then who gets to use it selectively? Ends up be political entities... it then loses all credibility.
19
@srwdm he given a pass for an allegation that was never tested in court. Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't.
He was not convicted of anything and sometimes men are innocent of the allegation.
9
Allegations of rape against Kobe by the 19-year-old woman in Colorado expose both the limits and pitfalls of the "#metoo" movement. The case was dropped by prosecutors because the evidence overwhelmingly contradicted her claim. (It also didn't help that the young lady had a history of falsely accusing men of rape.) And yet despite this, the current movement, of which I'm a supporter, demands that we remember Kobe with an asterisk. It demands that we condemn Kobe and believe the young lady, even though the evidence implores us not to. It's a reminder that once accused, there's really never getting the mud off your face. It's also a reminder that we, the public, cannot continue to serve as arbiters of justice. We must do our best to ensure our institutions provide the support necessary for women who come forward. But we must also allow the facts to sober us, even if they run against the headwinds of a movement.
Kobe Bryant leaves behind a complicated legacy. I admired him as an athlete, but quickly learned that there was so much more to him. He was a force for good, positively impacting people's lives in ways many of us can only dream about. (Take a look at his organizations and the work he's done to help and support various groups.) We needn't sanitize his legacy. But we also needn't tarnish it -- especially when the facts don't buoy tarnishing it.
I mourn the lives of all those lost.
34
I fully agree. I onky thinknthat his legacy is mot complicated at all. He was a positive force. He was on his way to attend a high school level girls basketball match. He coached basketball in high school. He sopke several languages. He was a stranger to a nighlife. His workmethics was legendary tonthe point where NBA stars were
ligned up hoping to be invited to work out with him. None if this was mentioned in this obituary piece.
I think what would have made his legacy much simpler in the eyes of this analyst is if he had joined a TV commentator crew on ESPN or TNT, where the stars have combined losses of tens of millions of dollars in casinos and occasionally come intoxicated to the shows. Then he would’ve been more mainstream I guess.
RIP Kobe, you are a legend.
3
@Paul G Wow, I remember this very differently, and I live here where it was a very big story. The lawyers and the fans crucified the young woman. The evidence was disturbing and credible.
18
@Paul G Your facts are blatantly wrong. Prosecutors only dropped the case when the victim, who had been savagely attacked in the press by Kobe's legal and PR team and whose identity had been leaked to the press by the investigators, declined to testify. Then Kobe and his team bought her silence with a civil settlement that, of course, gave him (and you) the cover to insist he was innocent while preventing her from ever telling her side.
13
I know that Kobe Bryant has been involved with important charitable activities. But think how may other Americans died accidental deaths last weekend. Does this really rise to the level of a national tragedy? Do we really need Public Mourning to fill our empty lives? My 94-year old mother is going to die soon-but I don't expect other people to put flowers and candles on my doorstep.
General Aviation is extremely dangerous, and always has been.
11
He's a legend as a sportsperson and an inspiration to countless kids. Whatever his personal flaws, it seems insensitive and peculiarly off point to bring up the rape a time when his wife is mourning the loss of a husband and child. But then that's today's world. The worst offenders being on social media - where it seems people like nothing more than to appropriate an event they have no connection with to make their own dramatic contribution.
5
I'll get to the sexual assault charge.
But let's first consider a young ambitious 17 year old.
With extraordinary athletic talent.
And the will and hard work to be a great basketball player - "better than anyone on our team" - Jerry West (one of the all time best).
So, a much younger Kobe Bryant was showing dedication, perseverance and steady patience as he improved his abilities.
Show me how many pre-teens and teens can do that. Show me a 17 year old better than anyone on an NBA team.
This is worthy of note.
Hard work worthy of emulation.
And, for all his quirks or bravado or "showboat" he endeavored (hard work) to be successful and he was… very… at what he did.
One could apply those attributes to many in the entertainment business.
Say, like Elton John.
But, we recognize the genius.
At age 24 (not a 41 year old Kobe and a 19 year old - let's keep that straight) he was charged with a heinous act.
I was still basically a dumb kid at 24.
I'm 65 now.
So, I'm concerned a young, ambitious, over-egoed Kobe could have gone over the line. I think did. A stong-arm sexual encounter thinking it was OK in the moment. Another sexually dumb, entitled 24 year old male.
God, if only we could intercede with boys as teens. Teach them, help them understand, make them wiser, better.
Guide them.
I grieve for a 19 year old girl.
Yes, it's right to.
I grieve for a father, daughter, a family. a world- which has lost a beloved man who did much good.
It's right to.
26
On the basketball court, Kobe Bryant was absolutely fearless. In thinking about what happened yesterday, I choose to imagine him demonstrating that fearlessness and putting the team on his shoulders one last time if only to give peace of mind to the children aboard that helicopter.
Was Kobe perfect? No, but it would be foolish to suggest that the world couldn't use more fathers like him.
6
Of course, our public loss is nothing compared to the private loss of Kobe and Gianna's family and the other families. But it's worth appreciating just what a public loss this is.
It's worth imagining, for all he had accomplished on the court, how much Kobe Bryant had left to accomplish off the court. We live in such divided times, not just politically but culturally, where we can all too easily retreat to our favorites and to media that reinforce our preconceptions. Kobe was a cosmopolitan public figure who challenged us to get outside our buckets and boxes.
He was African American, but, by virtue of his having spent much of his childhood in Italy and being fluent in Italian, he was at the same time European. He supported the Euro players and the other international players coming into the league and served as a natural spokesperson for hoops as a global game. He was almost as passionate about soccer as he was about basketball, and was as effective an ambassador for the sport as we had in America. He was a champion of women's sports, and gave as much love to WNBA and NCAAW players as he did to NBA and NCAAM players.
Heck, the guy had already won an Academy Award in his all too brief next chapter.
Yeah, I know we've got bigger things to worry about than sports, but sports helps us with those bigger things. The world will move down a different path without Kobe than it would have with him, but we should remind ourselves to keep creating that world that might have been.
188
Disclaimer. My comment is not meant to diminish the events in Colorado in 2003. I was not trying to judge whether Kobe Bryant was a good or a bad person, or whether he had redeemed himself for the terrible act he had apparently committed back in that pre-#MeToo era. I just want to mourn the good he had left to do for the world.
19
@Mitch Gitman With that nauseating hagiography you could have fooled me Mitch. Do you really think his criminal behavior was a one time thing? I don't.
5
@Mitch Gitman
I live in Italy and I heard today on the national news here that the Italian Basketball Federation has ordered a minute of silence for Kobe at all games for the entire week.
8
With nine dead, this appears to be one of the worst civilian helicopter crashes in U.S. history. Tragic for all involved, and there are many.
10
What I find amazing is how may great stories there are of Kobe doing something kind to someone. If you have read about Kobe you will know that his great competitiveness created a temper and rage that could cause him issues (see New Yorker Profile). I hope that his mistakes he made helped him realize the need to greater balance with his personality in order to be a good father, husband and human being. Based on all the outpouring of stories of kindness he has done, I have faith he made those necessary changes.
4
Sure, he had his controversies, but it is undeniable that he began to turn his life around for good in a way that star athletes that came before him did not. He was a champion for women’s sports, he helped those affected by the Earthquake and subsequent disasters in Japan in 2011, and he started youth camps and became a beacon of light and hope for those all across Asia. He inspired an entire generation of not just basketball players and fans, but all sports fans and people in general who took his passion and drive and now apply it to their daily lives. He was able to unify a city as fractured as Los Angeles sometimes is. He was an excellent father for his four daughters, especially Gianna, whom tragically passed away with her father. Chastise him all you want for his flaws and his character over 15 years ago, as mistakes such as his likely should be. But his death is and forever will be a tragedy as the last decade of his life showed, he had so much left to give back not only to the sport that he loved so dearly, but also to the rest of the world.
9
Nothing complicated about Kobe Bryant's legacy. Five time champion, eighteen time all-star, eleven time All NBA First Team. Top five in scoring and owned a billions dollar company. Millions of kids yelling his name anytime they shoot a paper trash ball into a can or when taking any shot. Stop disrespecting this man like he is not a top five NBA legend.
13
For the 90s babies like myself we grew up watching Kobe and his drive and will to win helped to shape the way we approached not only sports, but life. His passing along with his daughter Gianna is extremely devastating and is a harsh reminder that life is short.
6
Today’s and future players should take away a simple message from this tragedy - it all can be gone in the blink of an eye.
They need to truly understand they live in a rarified atmosphere where they earn millions and are adored and cheered by many. They need to be more sportsmanlike to their competitors, more kind in public, more family oriented, and exhibit exemplary conduct that always helps mentor the next generation.
11
I was disappointed with this "complicated legacy" piece. At a moment when NBA players, a grieving family and the public are remembering a person that they saw as an icon, this piece has to introduce "his flaws."
This is especially true when one looks at the many photos of Kobe and his daughters who obviously adored their dad and their sister.
It's not that Stein's piece is factually inaccurate. But to emphasize the "complicated legacy" in the midst of grieving is not required for good reporting, and it is simply insensitive.
We know that every former teammate or opponent didn't love Kobe. And we know that he, like many wealthy men, probably bought his way out of a serious sexual assault charge. But why introduce that now?
Our athletic heroes are always bigger than life. Why we need them to be so is complicated. But we do. And we are quite capable of hero worship and a level headed look at the world at the same time.
But sometimes we need our hero space, and this is one of those times. So let's save the "complications" of anyones life at least until after the funeral.
Is that too much to ask?
17
Very sad. No words can express the shock and sadness
4
There's no complication in my feelings about Kobe Bryant. He was simply one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA. He was a super talent, dedicated to winning and helped restore the Lakers as one of the pre-eminent teams in the league. Yes, there is the episode of an accusation made against him but there were certainly many questions around that accusation. More importantly, sexual abusers usually have a continuous history of such behavior. You never heard anyone accusing Kobe of such behavior before or after that incident. He stayed married. He seemed like a devoted father and he always conducted himself in public with good manners and grace. He was one of the greatest. May he rest in peace and may our prayers be with his wife who must face the loss of both a husband and child. We need to surround her with love and care during this horrible time in her life.
18
Classy guy. RIP Kobe Bryant.
6
Kobe was a wizard on the basketball court right out of Lower Marion high school, and then an accomplished businessman and pitchman for his sport with a net worth of over 600 millions! This despite the 2003 rape charge by the hotel employee who had Kobe arrested until, that is, his law firm settled the matter privately. Kobe always said that it was consensual, and maybe it was. In any event his admirers soon forgave Kobe and he moved on in the game he loved. RIP Big Fella.
2
Like it or not, we are all judged by that worst thing we did or were accused of. I read so many comments here about people being upset that the rape allegations were mentioned. This is the era of Me Too. It would be unfair to those who had their lives negatively impacted by this man to call him a saint and pretend that everything he did was selfless and kind. Once you become famous and you become a superstar athlete, you give up most of the privacy that the rest of us normal people enjoy. Like it our not you are under a microscope. Sometimes the microscope reveals more than we want to see. Humans have flaws. The phrase "being human" means to have flaws, and compassion.
266
@Mark he was never found guilty. Allegations are just that.
18
@Mark Your response here is very thoughtful, I wish no one any harm, and I am very sorry for all these lives lost. Too many gone in a tragic accident.
But, I am happy that the truth comes out that he was far from perfect. The ring he bought his wife, to make it up to her, the out of court settlement was not for nothing..
Rest in Peace. He brought a lot of joy to many people including my elderly mother.
18
@Mark I too think that the incident should be referred to, albeit for a slightly different reason. While we may be judged by others by the worst thing that they know about us, we do not have to live our lives in a way that is defined by that. Kobe seemed determined to be better than that situation, never asking for forgiveness, but he seemed willing to expose his process as much as possible, which to some degree is what helped to redeem him (in my eyes at least). He appeared to be a better man to his family, his daughters in particular than he was to that young lady in Colorado. Isn't that the best possible outcome?
7
Kobe made a mistake in 2003, and apologized and made amends for it. Otherwise, it seems like he led a good and positive life. The author of this article here doesn't provide any additional examples to support the statement that Kobe has a "complicated legacy", and from a pure journalistic standpoint doesn't merit the (server) space that it is taking up. From a pure decency standpoint, the NY Times could have at least waited to publish this article at a later time, if it had to be run.
14
I think having daughters changed his life and his attitude towards women.
The ability to recognize mistakes and address them in a positive way was just another quality that made him special.
4
My son goes to Lower Merion High School. Kobe of course is a local hero here as well as an international one. I'm sure he will return home today with stories of how Kobe's death was grieved at his alma mater. I grieve for his remaining family. His wife must be in an alternate universe of pain right now. And his eldest daughter, the little ones absorbing what they can and being spared the worst of it. I hope they console each other and themselves knowing that Kobe must have held Gianna close as the helicopter fell. That some sort of peace and acceptance shielded them and the others on board just a little before the very end.
162
@elise My son is an LM grad, and has always been an ardent Kobe fan (no Sixers for us). Kobe came to LM to talk, and it was a highlight of his time there. Gone too soon.
11
@elise if it's any consolation, I don't think the helicopter "fell." They were flying into really dense fog at a high rate of speed. I think it hit the side of the mountain with great force, they didn't see it coming until perhaps seconds before impact, maybe not even then if they weren't looking out the front window, and they probably died instantly. At least I hope so.
2
Nine people died. They all are grieving the losses of loved ones. I think the Kobe worship has been discomforting. He ruined a young woman’s life back in 2003. He may have done many wonderful acts or astonishing feats afterwards but it’s what always comes to mind when I think of him.
221
He was 24. He made amends. She profited financially. Ruined her life?
4
I appreciate the message that he was not perfect - hence a complicated legacy - because of the rape allegation that he settled out of court.
I realize there really are many women who want to just watch TV and talk to famous athletes, whom they just met, in hotel rooms and want to cuddle a little but do not want to have intercourse and don't like when their attempts to stop the progression fail.
I think that men will only most of the time get this situation right.
Therefore, I do not think this imperfection of Kobe's or any other men rises to the level of complicating an otherwise amazing legacy like Kobe's.
16
He was charged with raping a woman and then paid her to drop the allegation and keep silent about the matter by settling her civil suit against him, but not until his legal defense team savaged her with the help of a cooperative media. He’s been a great guy since then, for sure, though, so water under the bridge, right?
45
@Jason B Why did she take the money. Innocent people dont quickly drop case and take millions.
No one knows but the 2 people if he raped occurred. He was not found guilty of anything
1
When I was in USA in 2003, the Kobe Brynt trial saga was going on and on in court and media. There would be no smoke without some fire and so it was. I am surprised at his much adulation, no matter what was achieved after it.
But, do we tell young citizens that one misdemeanour is ok, how ever grave it is, if one can wriggle out of it, in the open or behind closed doors.
13
He and 7 others are dead. He was human. We don’t need this kind of report.
3
I think it’s a little distasteful for the NYT to already have some column out about Kobe’s complicated legacy when he just passed away. I understand the relevance the story has given this untimely, sad news but I think this should be a time to positively reflect completely on the legacy he left on the game of basketball, not to report on Kobe’s ills as a man. This column seems fit for release maybe months later in my opinion.
The news of his death was a gut punch felt around the world , the news that his beloved daughter died with him compounded times a thousand . There are two Kobe Bryant’s , the young man who soared to superstardom on a basketball court , cocky, even arrogant at times and the other, the Kobe Bryant family man, beloved father. Many have said that they were retiring to spend more time with their families, Kobe meant it. Every time you turned around Kobe was at some sporting event with one or more of his daughters at his side. There was a storm in the middle of Bryant’s life , a huge mistake , he survived that storm and he became a better person for it. Of all the sports greats of his level , he seemed the most friendly , the most human. The one who went out of his way to connect with other humans . We need more of that now , much more. Kobe will be missed.
11
The headline of this article implies Kobe Bryant's legacy was "complicated" off the court but with the exception of the one blip in his private life - the accusation by the woman in 2003 - Kobe Bryant appears to have led an exemplary life both on and off the court. And the article only reaffirms that. So basically, you're saying his life legacy was "complicated" by one incident 17 years ago, an incident about which we'll never know the truth?
Kobe Bryant was no Harvey Weinstein.
14
1. Sad saga of lives ended and lives shattered by a sudden, awful incident.
2. Some distress is due solely to his age, which threatens our invulnerability.
3. No tribute to a life should omit the negatives, or it becomes hollow praise.
4. This piece of writing feels "truer" because it relates the whole story.
5. Anyone who thinks they have another hour or another day or week to make amends or pusue that dream or say "I love you" should take a lesson from this.
12
One of my favorite Kobe memories will be when Kobe won an Academy Award. He and former Disney illustrator (Glen Keane?) put forward a heartbreakingly beautiful film about Kobe’s life-long love affair with basketball,
Keane had been the lead illustrator for some of Disney’s classic films, such as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. These were made before the advent of the Pixar-type computer generated film became the standard for animated films.
Keane’s and Bryant’s film featured black and white animation and Kobe’s voiceover. If you haven’t seen it, check it out please.
3
He tried to be a better person, and he truly loved his family. In the end, that's what we all should aspire to do.
9
Thank you for this article. Abroad, there has been nothing but adulation about Bryant, this is the first I'm seeing about the attack.
I understand that sports means a lot to people. But let's not worship people just because they're good at at activity with a particularly high commercial value.
345
@S North Does this apply to Actors, musicians, heads of state, etc?? Because if it doesn't, it should.
15
@S North Lets not dwell on his mistakes either. Let he who lives in a glass house throw the firs stone. We all make mistakes. Clearly, his life was so much more than that one mistake...which, obviously, he learned from and was totally devoted to his wife and children. Show me a man...or woman, who has not strayed..or thought of straying but eventually corrected themselves. Should we only concentrate on that one mistake??? ..including you S North.
5
@Hacksaw_Jim_Thuggin
Actors and musicians should absolutely also not get a free pass just because they have highly visible careers. Heads of state are different, as a great one can greatly improve the lives of his/her people (think Mandala), while a bad one can make their people infinitely more miserable (think Mugabe).
Kobe was a great basketball player. He was not a great person or teammate. His inability to step back as his body began to slow down contributed greatly to the 17-65 record that the Lakers had in his last season. Kobe has only ever cared about one thing - Kobe.
7
As a life-long Lakers fan and former season ticket holder, I am terribly saddened by this tragedy. Kobe was so great because of his intensity and work ethic. That didn't always endear him to his teammates, including Shaq, because Kobe insisted they work as hard as he did.
Kobe was much more than a basketball player. A great life suddenly cut short. My heart goes out to the Bryant family, and those of all the others who perished.
7
A great tribute to one of the nba’s greatest stars. I am not a Lakers fan, but I admired Kobe’s accomplishments and was so shocked when I heard the news while on vacation. Basketball will not be the same without Kobe.
3
The only thing that is not straightforward but very complicated right now is the death of the legend Kobe Bryant. RIP Kobe and Gianna. Let his fans mourn in peace without complicating his legacy. His fans loved him unconditionally and loved him for whatever flaws he was perceived to have had.
4
This tragic death echoes that of JFK junior in his helicopter as well. A very sad story and great loss for all of us.
2
@Daniel P Quinn
Uh, JFK junior died in a plane ...
2
@JHa
He was actually flying the small plane in
poor visibility.
Hubris got the best of me but their tragic deaths were both shocking and tragic.
4
Kobe Bryant meant everything for an entire generation of kids growing up in Los Angeles and around the world. Complicated legacy and all, the man has clearly grown beyond just an athlete who just "bounced a ball," as some people have suggested. His reach was global and the mourning we will continue to see is proof of what a legend we have lost.
1.26.20. RIP Mama, GiGi, and all those who were lost.
2
Those who flinch at the word “complicated” clearly want their history sanitized and to view Bryant only through the lens of ESPN-style myth-making. He was a truly tremendous basketball player, did some outstanding things and had many admirers AND was deeply unpopular with his many of contemporaries and, yeah, wasn’t always the nicest guy and maybe even got away with a felony the details of which were pretty horrible. He was all of that when he was alive and is all of it now that he is dead. That is how it works.
32
@Shawn O’Neal
Excellent post. Sanitizing lives into myths is a disservice to the dead. We are all a mix of good and not-so-good. News reporting is not marketing. It should be balanced. And fans are still entitled to revere a man who accomplished much.
4
Kobe Bryant was one of nine people killed in the crash. I understand that some people believe sports stars are Gods, but it is offensive to me that none of the other people who died that had loved ones who will miss them dearly are being given such attributions. Kobe Bryant will be missed by his family/friends/fans, but let us not forget - he was an excellent basketball player, not the curer or cancer.
16
God has his reasons, God makes his plans,
the information's unavailable to the mortal
man: Paul Simon
I cannot see a path through life where this
makes sense. I cannot find a way through
the universe where this has reason. When
we have lost our bearings, when we cain't
find our way, sense will not lead us through
this, reason will not find the path, only faith
can carry us on.
God has his reasons, God makes his plans,
the information's unavailable to the mortal
man:
Rest in peace Kobe, daughter and friends.
2
I have to say, I don't care for the title, nothing really complex about his life, it's 41 years of a human being, with extraordinary talent, under the microscope of celebrity. What person, when examined through that lens doesn't have flaws? I feel its almost a disservice to even write articles mentioning the worse things he's done or been accused of, we would not want our life accomplishments and failures listed as some 50/50 split as the title suggests describing his as "brilliant" and "Complicated". We are all brilliant and complicated, often at different intervals. Sometimes, it's okay to not do the "right" thing, or the politically correct thing, but a NICE thing. The man is dead, his wife has to shoulder a burden no one can imagine. Leave his skeletons in the ground with him and his daughter.
Rest in Peace and I hope you're in God's memory...
5
As I read all the negative comments I am reminded of this
William Shakespeare Quote
“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”
Yes, Kobe made mistakes. Don’t we all, especially when we are young. I am not saying what he did was right, but to his credit he apologized publicly and made restitution I’m sure. It was a mistake that followed him the rest of his life. I’m sure it was a mistake that took a lot to repair the relationship with his wife.
This mistake should not define the man and obliterate all his accomplishments and the many more good things he did for others and for his family.
It’s a shame his life was cut short. We will never know what other good things he would have accomplished in the next part of his life
I hope it is the not so good things that are interred with his bones and we remember all the good that Kobe brought out into the world.
2
Bryant's legacy is only complicated if in your evaluation of his life, you appeal to some perfect standard of human behavior which no one in the history of spacetime has ever been able to withstand. So, the author of this article should just be honest: Kobe Bean Bryant was just like everyone else: all too human.
Yet, the most interesting thing about the narrative being composed in concert with Bryant's passing are the pleas on how to live your life and to make amends with your family/friends today before it is too late. In my forty plus years of participating within the human project, I do not remember another celebrity's death prompting or eliciting such existential concerns, and that's what made Kobe Bryant defyingly brilliant - he was a Black American male athlete who was able to transcend racial stereotypes as he was not just another physically gifted and unthinking brute but clearly made some members of this country question how to live well.
3
@Chuck
I think the reason there is an appeal to use his death as a prompt to live our lives more fully is simply due to a collective disbelief that a famous person of age 41 can die. Ours is a staged, airbrushed society where accomplished, attractive people live forever. Well, they don't always. And that means we don't always either.
This "narrative" is common these days when famous young people or even unknowns die at a young age.
5
@HotGumption No, I respectfully disagree with you: I do not think the American consciousness is shocked because a famous person (Bryant) died so young; you should give our society more credit as we are not that naive. Bryant's death does not jolt us into realizing we all will die; it means more than that.
Also, I have not participated in any conversations about how to live well after a celebrity has died before Bryant's death. But, yesterday, I thought about my mortality and watched the media question their own as well - I have never seen that kind of existential response following any celebrity's death. So, I do not agree that that particular existential narrative has taken place when any other famous celebrity, let alone a Black American male athlete, has died tragically.
The response that Bryant's death has generated is unprecedented in my lifetime for his species of celebrity.
@Chuck
Unprecedented in your lifetime, but not in mine.
On that we can agree.
3
why did he change from the no. 8 jersey to no. 24?
1
As heartfelt as many of the condolences are, I’m troubled that despite the possibility that Bryant may have sexually assaulted a woman, people refer to it as a flaw, a mistake, an imperfection, a bump in the road, or an oops in an incredibly successful sports career. Worshipping an idol often leads to blindness. RIP, Kobe.
59
@Daniel B he did give a heartfelt apology, say that he thought it was consensual but after hearing the victim's side and listening to testimony, realized how he was wrong.
1
We did? When?
1
I agree! I doubt that the young woman or her parents see it as “a flaw, a mistake, an imperfection, a bump in the road, or an oops in an incredibly successful sports career.” I don’t know if he was a rapist but it is very disturbing to see how many commenters here view it that way.
"Prosecutors eventually dropped the case when the woman told them she was unwilling to testify," says your reporting. Please add: "After Mr Bryant's handlers and defense team worked relentlessly to shred the credibility of this woman and completely ruined her life, she was unwilling to testify." Then you'll be closer to accurate reporting, and your headline of "complicated life" would add the appropriate nuance. The police report and the nurse who performed the rape reported that the injuries were consistent with "penetrating genital trauma" that is not "consistent with consensual sex."
121
I met Kobe once while on vacation in Spain with my family. My son at the time was 11 years old. As we ran into him in the hotel lobby, admirers were crowded around seeking pictures with the superstar. Kobe, noticing my adulating and star struck son shyly hanging on to my side, pointed to him and proclaimed with a big smile: "I want a picture with this young man!"... Very nice. Very cool. It was special. RIP.
524
@AMM Great. Thanks for sharing.
28
@AMM amazing to know that he went to LM, Radnor's great rival
5
@AMM I met him once outside my college gym almost 20 years ago when he was still pretty fresh to the NBA. He was pretty much alone and a girl I was walking with got excited when she saw him and asked him to call her younger brother on her cell phone. He did so happily, and left him a funny little voice mail. A moment I won't forget.
40
It’s scary to see the negative reactions towards Kobe Bryant, less than 24 hours since his and his daughter’s death. I see it as no different than Trump’s vitriolic comments on Twitter: it’s all just judgmental hate.
There is no doubt that Kobe had his flaws. His attitude, both on and off the court, could be viewed as arrogant and entitled. But now, as a woman in my mid-30s, Kobe Bryant was a constant growing up. His career spanned from when I was in elementary school to when I started residency after medical school. Even now, as a new physician spending a year after residency performing research in women’s health, I found Kobe’s work ethic inspirational. His Mamba mentality provided me the motivation to keep moving forward in my own work. In fact, I just looked him up last week. Yes, he may have done horrible things, but to diminish the positive impact he had on my generation and others is, in a sense, denying us our ability to dream.
My hope is, when any one of us dies, we are not remembered by our worst actions. As easy as it is to point the finger at someone else, could you handle your life and your most terrible deeds exposed and on public display? Could you imagine the terrible things people would say about you? No matter if it’s Fox News or the New York Times, we can all remember to be kind. I think it’s something that maybe Kobe would have done.
391
Everyone needs to read this and should take it to heart. THANK YOU for your reasonable and heartfelt point of view and RIP to a legend.
32
@Emily W. , we all make mistakes, but violent sexual assault isn't usually among them, nor should we minimize that as just another mistake. His public apology and growth in the later decades do him credit.
156
This is fair to say, but what's missing is that not only did Kobe do this one horrible thing, but he did little to apologize or atone for his misdeed.
Rape is personal, cruel, and traumatic. His defense during the criminal trial was even more cruel, and his apology afterward was insufficient. Kobe should be celebrated for his contributions to the sports and those who loved him, but the full story must be told.
I'd be far more forgiving in my reflection on Kobe if I'd seen a sincere effort to atone publicly for his violent crime.
109
His legacy may be "complicated" to some but not for many black households all around the world. We are proud of our legend and he will be greatly missed.
202
@James L.
And I love Tom Brady, but do not deny that the team -- and by extension Brady -- has been tarnished over the years. It's complicated. And I'm white.
15
@James L. amen to that.
3
@HotGumption
Brady "has been tarnished" by what?
His lack of mobility?
His goofy friendship with Trump?
His pool cover fiasco?
You think Tom Brady's obituary headline is going to refer to Spygate and Deflategate?
3
I grew up in Chicago. Didn’t like him for most of career because he played against our guy.
Shattered.
He was cool and interesting
and human and great. Ancient Greeks would have trouble with his legacy.
May they Rest In Peace.
93
Your headline is 'Kobe Bryant’s Brilliant and Complicated Legacy.' But you include only one small paragraph on the credible allegations of rape—allegations that Kobe himself half-admitted to and that were clearly exasperated by the young woman's fear for her safety in the face of public torment—that so complicate his legacy?
95
Barely 24 hours removed from the actual crash itself. A father and daughter were killed and already with a "Complicated Life" headline?
Kobe is adored and treated with respect for many reasons and has a much longer list of accomplishments (sport & humanitarian) than he does mistakes. He seemed to own up to his shortcomings but, it will never be enough to the Purity Test Populace.
I don't wish fame on anyone.
47
@JL Perhaps someday, when we know literally everything about everyone, we will have no more heroes. I wonder what that will be like.
2
I am so sorry for his family, his fans, and all the future children he'd have been a role model for. I hope he will continue to be an inspiration for them. His legacy only seems to have been "complicated" by a bad mistake when he was just 23 - a mistake he paid for and learned from. It shouldn't have been in your headline, he doesn't deserve that.
PS I am an old white lady!
47
@Pathfox Rape isn't a "mistake."
27
So many people judging those who mourn Kobe's passing - spending considerable time looking past his growth to go back 20+ years to when he may have made a grave mistake. Look, he may not have had an impact on you, but you likely had your mother and father as positive influences, extended family, judicial, educational, and economic systems to lift you up, sustain you, and give you the privilege of "speaking up". Let people mourn how they wish. If this article is not for you, scroll on. I've scrolled past many and I've not lost any sleep over it.
12
So sad. I send my condolences to his family.
5
Very saddened that any life is cut short and it is tremendously tragic that he and the others died.
Kobe was one of the best basketball players of all time.
He wasn’t a perfect man. It seems he was estranged from his parents. Certainly, my heart aches for his wife and kids AND his parents and sisters.
7
Yes, his legacy is complicated, his professional accomplishments shadowed by his personal failures. It's complicated like the legacies of JFK, Ted Kennedy, MLK, and the legacies of almost any person we can think of. To acknowledge this isn't to detract from his athletic greatness and his other good works.
13
I have a profound respect for any and all examples of human excellence. Childish adulation, which can't handle complexity, either rejects any taint on an idol's character or rejects the idol as no longer worthy of respect. Kobe Bryant is not my idol, and I don't have any illusions about his virtues and vices. That this great athlete died in this manner is straightforwardly sad, but it is also an event that sharpens our appreciation for excellence. And that respect and appreciation even inclines us towards heroism in human endeavors. Simply put, Bryant was inspiring in his life, and, however irrational this may sound, is even more inspiring in his death. That happy photo of him at 17 would be inspiring even if he were a complete unknown (which, basically, he was).
16
I’m shocked by the relative lack of coverage of the highly credible rape charges brought against Kobe Bryant, which were based on his own statements to police the day after the alleged rape, on DNA, on the alleged victim’s statements to police, on the physical injuries of the alleged victim as chronicled by hospital personnel, as well as other compelling evidence. The rape charges were dropped only when the victim became unwilling to testify. Shortly thereafter, Bryant paid an undisclosed amount of money to the victim.
On second thought, maybe I’m not so shocked at the relative silence on this aspect of Kobe Bryant’s legacy. Yesterday a Washington Post reporter, Felicia Sonmez, tweeted a 2017 article from another outlet summarizing the rape case against Bryant. Sonmez was immediately inundated with abusive emails and tweets, including death threats. She is now under suspension by the Post (apparently for posting screenshots of some of the threatening communications she received) and effectively silenced, her career in jeopardy.
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@Katonah - you go ahead and be shocked. The rest of us will just be sad that he was killed along with his daughter.
17
@Katonah i don’t really know the details on the case too too much aside from an out of court settlement... i’m certainly not condoning harassing an alleged victim of a crime.... i think the burden of proof is on you and the legal system to prove that is was nothing more than a money grab.
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@F. Jozef K. And this, my friends, is why women are so often hesitant to speak up when they are violated sexually, and often regret it when they do.
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Was it necessary to put "complicated" in the title? RIP Kobe, Gigi and to everyone who was in the helicopter.
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Literally anybody who truly understands the entire breadth of Bryant’s career would agree “complicated” is putting it kindly.
7
@Shawn O’Neal I think you have missed the point.
The picture says it all. He aspired to fly and he did. RIP.
7
Obviously a complicated legacy Kobe leaves, like pretty much all of us will. But what's especially sad today is the guy seemed to have embraced fatherhood, retirement and life w/o (his)basketball in an exemplary way. Plus he seemed to have a lot left to give all of us....and wanted to do so. Who'd a thunk it?? Just devastating.
13
Can everyone, just for a moment, please get off their high horse? Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest athletes ever to grace the basketball court and showed unparalleled dedication to the sport. He was poetry in motion and an athlete for the ages. He also had every appearance of being a terrific father who was deeply engaged in promoting women's basketball.
Based on the comments here regarding sexual assault, you would almost think everyone here was in the room with them, given the levels of certainty about what transpired. Quite frankly I have no idea, and while it certainly may have been a grave misstep on his part, we should not rush to judgment. I am a hearty supporter of the #metoo movement, but neither do I want to see it turned into the
Salem witch trials. While I feel for the pain and trauma this women may have experienced, are we equally certain that every civil court judgement (or even criminal conviction) is hard and fast proof of guilt? It is something to reflect upon.
RIP Kobe Bryant and your beautiful, talented daughter Gianna.
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It was a huge story and the details were disturbing. She was 19, the well-paid big lawyers were weaponized to attack, shame, and condemn her, and you know the rest.
20
It's a tragedy when anyone dies that young, along with a 13 year old daughter. The fact that very wealthy men like Bryant are able to pay undisclosed amounts to buy their way out of rape accusations is a social policy dilemma. I guarantee you Bryant paid a multimillion dollar sum. Bryant's victim/accuser got something she might not have received from our criminal or civil justice system, and that's no minor consideration. The public doesnt get a decision it deserves to have. The same holds true for gross medical malpractice and lots of problems money can make go away, but the public policy issue is a real one. Should money have that much power in our justice system?
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It's appalling that some who have posted here decided to take note of Bryant's sins.
Certainly, they are worth discussing. And we all have sinned.
But basic human decency should make such spiteful comments off limits a mere 24 hours after a father and his daughter's violent deaths.
Aren't we better than that?
22
Kobe Bryant leaves a family - three other daughters, one a baby born last June. Have a heart here.
This helicopter crash has killed nine people. Recently a Wisconsin woman and daughter were killed in a helicopter crash in Hawaii. Last year a crash in New York.
This is all very, very sad. Who would think these tragedies could occur?
6
For the people here saying not enough attention is being given to the others killed in the crash, here's a news flash -- if Kobe hadn't been on that helicopter the story would have been buried in the back of the paper, TV focus would have been a headline and clip of a burning helicopter, no one would have known the names of those involved and that would have been the end of it. Tell me all of the detailed stories you saw about the recent helicopter crash in Hawaii that took a number of lives. Oh, wait, you can't because there were none.
Fame drives headlines -- good, bad, whatever -- famous people drive the news, not the rest of us who die in planes, trains, automobiles, wars and helicopters.
Stop pretending that it is otherwise.
27
So sad about this horrible tragedy cutting short the life of Kobe, his daughter and 7 other unidentified individuals. Kobe was a great basketball talent. His greatest achievement was his family. My condolences to Vanessa and his three remaining children.
6
@RML
And my condolences to the loved ones of all the other people who died, including young girls. Their lives are of equal worth and merit.
5
I am sad for Kobe and all the victims and their families, but I can't get out of my mind Kobe's 13 year old daughter - cut down in the cusp of what looked like it would have been a wonderful life for a wonderful young lady. Wow, big loss.
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Magic is the greatest of all Lakers. Bryant was amazing in skill and determination ("Can't you just tape it up?" in response to a torn achilles!), but wasn't always what the team needed. He pushed Shaq out of town so he could win titles "on his own," which he did, but the team would have been stronger had Kobe been able to remain paired with Shaq. And his final two years, at about $28M each, was essentially a waiting period: Kobe would shoot all night, score points, and the team would lose. He was so beloved and powerful that they paid him way too much, thus making it difficult to secure other good players, and allowed him to hog the ball to the team's detriment. For two years I followed the team wondering how good they could be if he retired. Imagine Magic or Jerry West doing that. Charisma is not character.
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This was a man for all seasons. He was more than an iconic basketball player. He was someone who inspired millions of fans not here in the United States. All over the world.
Jerry West
Kobe made mistakes, he wasn't perfect. Los Angeles Loved Him. Some Respect Please -
24
A friend once told me "Birth and death transcend everything."
My heart grieves for those who died, but mostly for the grieving of those whom they left behind.
To the family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances: courage and strength.
28
I keep thinking about the young woman at the hotel. I wonder how she is dealing with listening to all this adulation. I hope that to his older daughters Kobe had explained to them what he was accused of. that in his apology he admitted to what he was accused of, and that perhaps that incident also changed his life. It definitely changed the young woman's life. And I hope his daughters heard from him that it was wrong. While I am sorry that his daughter, her teammate, the pilot and five others were killed, Kobe's legacy is indeed complicated and in the adulation that has to be discussed.
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@Marylouise Kobe made no such admissions in his apology. He explained that he thought that the two of them had different perceptions of what was happening at the time. Also, Kobe's admission was made in a Civil Court for Civil Charges which come with a much lower standard of proof.
I suggest that Kobe just wanted to move on and the woman got a lot of money for his, "sexual misconduct," without any tangible proof and was neither charged nor convicted of attempted rape. In any case, I haven't not heard her complaining since then.
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@Marylouise
You’re correct that discussion of Kobe Bryant’s legacy should include the hotel incident.
Not so accurate, however, to say that “... in his apology he admitted to what he was accused of....”
What he did was acknowledge her feelings about the incident, that she “sincerely believed” her version of events.
The fact that someone making an accusation “sincerely believes” it does not make it legal fact.
More importantly, it doesn’t tell us how they felt or what they believed at the time the events occurred—neither the public or the justice system can read minds, or time travel.
Unlikely we’ll ever know exactly what happened.
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I believe there was tangible proof in the medical report. And the reason you "don't hear the accuser complaining" is because she was savaged by Bryant's lawyers and others. Given the overwhelming willingness by many to give Bryant a pass for his behavior, can you imagine why she wouldn't forever seek a life of quiet anonymity?
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First and foremost condolences to the friends and family of the nine lives taken too soon.
This essay is an honest and fair assessment of Kobe Bryant's life, achievements, and shortcomings.
May the young Colorado women find peace and closure.
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This is not the time to bring up a scandalous part of Kobe's life immediately after his death. Yes. like all human beings he made mistakes. Let us rather celebrate his life as one of the all time greats of basketball. Condolences to his family.
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@Joe
The death of a public figure is exactly the time to review all aspects of that person’s legacy.
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@Joe Violently raping a woman (as the police and forensic reports showed he did) is not a “mistake” nor an act “like all human beings.” It is horrific, and this is exactly the time to bring it up. Far too many people have forgotten his heinous crime.
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No matter how good an athlete he was, Rape is part of his legacy. Rape has no blackout period or expiration date. It’s fair game.
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“But when something like this happens, when someone is so famous and generally popular and when it’s so terribly tragic, there’s a tendency to canonize the person. And it’s more truly human to say that he surmounted some missteps. There was a significant misstep as a young man, a charge of sexual assault. There were no criminal charges brought, there was a civil suit, it was settled out of court. He contended that it was consensual, but he did offer an apology. That is not definitive of his life, but it is a part of his life.
“We’re talking about a great basketball player, and in the big picture, a very good man. But not a saint, and that’s OK.”
Bob Costas
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@That's What She Said Excellent summation. One clarification: . On July 18, the Eagle County District Attorney's office filed a formal charge against Bryant for sexual assault. On September 1, 2004, Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle dismissed the charges against Bryant, after prosecutors spent more than $200,000 preparing for trial, because his accuser informed them that she was unwilling to testify.
12
Why do you think she was unwilling to testify? Could the hysterical canonization of Bryant and the death threats against her have had anything to do with it?
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@That's What She Said
Exactly right. How many of us would like to be remembered for our worst sin? What some do not understand is that losing a legend like Kobe breaks us because he is part of our identity as Americans, and we see ourselves, rightly or wrongly, in our heroes.
He wasn’t a saint or a leader of nations, but he was OURS, and now something is missing.
How can you watch the many proud men of the nba weep as they speak of him and not be moved to tears for the beloved connections he created and love he engendered within them.
Watch Jay Williams reaction on ESPN. It’s everything. Maybe in our brokenness we can reach ever closer towards each other
4
It is indeed tragic when anyone dies in an accident at such a young age along with a daughter, regardless of his skills and notoriety. My condolences to his family and to the families of the seven others who were affected by the helicopter crash.
However, it is indeed ironic that the mountain of accolades that immediately accrued to Mr. Bryant in the media vies with current headlines about the sexual assault/rape criminal charges against Harvey Weinstein.
Not only was one woman's life destroyed by this star athlete, yet another young woman reported a similar assault by him at the time, but based on the first victim's experience, she declined to prefer charges. The original victim won a civil suit in which the settlement was reported to be more than $2.5 million.
The proliferation of paeans to Mr. Bryant should be tempered by his admitted sexual assault and not reduced to one phrase in an obituary, most especially now in the time of the #MeToo movement.
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@wysiwyg
I know it is impolitic to say so but women can and do lie about being raped.
It's incredible that the funeral hasn't even taken place and people are lining up to talk about an unproven rape allegation.
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@wysiwyg Without denying the validity of the assault allegations, unless you know the first victim personally, can you truly attest that her life was "destroyed"? It's more responsible to say "likely forever altered" without any substantiating evidence that it was "destroyed."
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@Lilo She had sustained injuries and her blood was found in his hotel room. He had to apologize publicly as part of the "deal".
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What though the radiance
which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour on the Court
of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.
5
@That's What She Said Well, you certainly brought William Wordsworth down to earth. I can see him now, with Dorothy, in front row seats in Los Angeles finding thoughts too deep for tears as 10 men run up and down clamoring over a bouncing ball.
5
I’m not a Kobe fan because of the assault. In addition, unless you were a Laker fan, he was not particularly likable but all of these commenters regarding the victim need to put this in perspective: Kobe and his daughter perished in that helicopter crash, not the victim. She is mentioned in every article. It was a terrible situation, but he was not convicted and she settled the civil lawsuit, which was a decision she made. Was she bullied into settling? I don’t know and neither do you. Let’s treat her with respect and respect her decision. The news isn’t always about people you like, but let’s respect the rest of the country and other people’s opinions. He was beloved by many, not you (nor I) but maybe your opinions don’t rule the day.
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@Billy Bobby The victim received multiple death threats. Perhaps that doesn't reach the level of bullying in some people's minds.
6
@Foodlover
Kobe was never associated with such threats. So bullying by whom?
1
Kobe Bryant was a true role model for how he conducted himself both on and off the court. His unrivaled competitive spirit and his desire to be not only a good husband, but a great father are examples that professional greatness doesn’t have to be sacrificed at the expense of family.
The world will never know another Kobe Bryant, but his legacy lives on in the on/off court lives of many NBA athletes who are not only using their platform to grow the game of basketball globally, but to bring awareness to issues that affect humanity. This truly is his greatest legacy.
7
@Gary
You had me until “role model for how he conducted himself both on and off the court.“
Can’t we just say that he was a terrific basketball player as well as a man credibly accused, with strong evidence, of violently raping a teenager?
Both things are true. They can coexist in your brain at the same time without making it explode.
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It is very sad that his daughter and 7 other people and he perished.
It is also very sad that all over television, including at the Grammys, a double standard about his non-basketball life was on display yesterday.
52
And that somewhere, a women (women?) is being retraumatized by all this idealizing coverage. No wonder she refused to testify.
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@Nola I agree. Please do not blame Mr. Bryant for this. The press has little regard for creating victims in the lust for salacious "news."
2
It is always an immense tragedy when any life is lost too soon at a young age, and even more so when it is a child/teenager with so much promise.
Having said. Kobe's legacy is indeed ''complicated'',
What one first has to do is separate the person from the player. When one does that it is then much easier to appreciate the prodigious athletic talent, the records and the moments of glory.
As a person, that man let the fame and riches go to his head/ego and was selfish in many, many ways.
As a player, that same ego (along with drive) made him a singular scoring machine. (to the detriment of his teammates in many instances)
I loved watching him, even with all of the drama, and in many instances because of that drama. It was entertaining and he did his job. He was handsomely recompensed for that job as many players are.
I will remember him as that sports figure and leave the rest.
Condolences to his family.
18
@FunkyIrishman - Exactly what I just wrote by referring readers to a 2014 article in the New Yorker that describes him as a fascinating human being and that tries to show the demands placed on someone who has uniquely human qualities when in the public eye that person is just seen as a star.
I learned about this as a New Yorker subscriber who gets a daily Newsletter. I assume a search for Kobe Bryant - New Yorker 2014 will produce the reference, perhaps behind a paywell.
Very helpful to read your comment, since I lost all interest in sports when I got older and found so many other things that became so much more interesting.
Larry
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
5
Two of Kobe Bryant's most recent tweets encouraged us to learn about the life of the late Dr. Martin Luther King and the ongoing works of Bryan Stevenson. He went out reminding us to be guided by our better angels. Thank you Kobe Bryant. In a hurting world, you encouraged us to do better.
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@Norah Astorgah
Are we talking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. here, or about a man credibly accused of violently raping a teenager, with strong evidence backing up the charge?
18
@Katonah How sad that at the hour a man dies, we have to define him by the very worst things he did.
1
Thank you for keeping his victim in mind and mentioning her pain while acknowledging his tragic death. It is important to show survivors that they are not forgotten.
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@Elvira Josifi
" keeping his victim in mind "
How do you know she was a victim? The case never went to trial. There was never a conviction. How can you rule out that she falsely accused him of rape?
Accusation does not equal guilt.
3
@John
Are you that unfamiliar with the record? Are you unaware of Kobe's own statements?
9
I am worried that the overwhelming response of adulation to his death will send a signal to sexual assault survivors that the crimes sexual predators commit don’t matter if the predator is a professional athlete, rich, or famous. Kobe was charged with felony sexual assault and he was not acquitted. He was accused of sexual assault by at least two women. And yet, when I said this to people yesterday, they were scandalized that I brought it up. Not that he did it, but that I would dare to talk about it. I see him as a sexual predator who mounted a very successful PR campaign to rehabilitate his image. I wonder how his victims were feeling yesterday at the outpouring of love shown to him.
561
@Sarah Look at die-hard fans of Chris Brown and you'll see a similar phenomenon. If someone makes music or plays sports in a way that the public likes, they're willing to overlook or explain away a wide range of crimes.
81
Just because you are accused doesn’t mean you are guilty.
48
@Jennifer True. But in this case, Kobe acknowledged the circumstances of the case.
73
KOBE'S tragic death, along with that of his daughter, Gianna, is a shock and a terrible loss. His life cut short, he will forever burn brightly in the firmament of basketball greats. Did Kobe fly to near the Sun? Is his death a punishment for hubris? Will his story end as a replay of the Greek myth? Or are these conjectures but figments of my imagination? After all, an old man may be granted his foolish fantasies in grieving this great loss.
10
I do not know much about Professional Basket Ball.
But living world away, I have heard much of Kobe Bryant.
His tragic end immediately brings to my mind uniqueness of the great sports man despite many odds.
Kobe like many extremely successful people had problems beyond what most of us face. To be sure, many successful people emerged from comfortable backgrounds and some problems keep many people from any chance at success, but we can still learn from the people like Kobe to overcome challenges.
I feel terrible by the passing of Kobe. RIP
13
The Kobe worship is disquieting. Nine people died. All have family and loved ones grieving. He may have accomplished many astonishing feats, but he ruined a young woman’s life back in 2003.
449
@Ladams8 , Being raped does not ruin the life of every victim. I was raped in 1968 in an NYC basement. Horrible. That was 52 years ago. I went on to marry some years later, have an international career of public service, and worked successfully to not live a life of self-blame, hatred, or fear.
22
@joan everyone is different that’s for sure. I’m glad you’re well. Your attacker perhaps wasn’t in the news constantly. That may have made it more difficult for her. Also, she was vilified by some of his fans.
29
"Complicated" is poor timing and an inflated focus.
37
This article is a bit too soon. Let people grieve (I am speaking of his family) a respectable period of time for heaven's sake.
56
@Yann I disagree.
If we hear only adulation from the beginning, when will be the time to acknowledge the darker side of this man? As others have said here, it is important to acknowledge the pain of victims and not suggest that greatness on one area should enable criminality elsewhere to be ignored.
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@MJ It's appropriate to reference the sexual assault allegations in the summary of Bryant's life and career, but the headline gives the very strong impression that his life was characterized equally by basketball achievements and sexual assaults -- which is hardly accurate and, therefore, misleading.
10
This was acknowledged in 2003, what is the need to bring it into the present? Why do you want to remember him disempowering another person? Remember— blowing out someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours shine brighter.
1
It is tragic to have lost a man in his prime - a great athlete beyond his athletic prime, but also a father and man squarely in his prime years. It is equally, if not more tragic to have lost his daughter - a person of our future well before her prime. And again equally tragic to have lost the other 7 who died. The NYT would do better service if their news of this tragedy were more balanced in describing the losses.
128