[Aruarian Reflection]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angele...ory?id=6344596

After receiving a technical foul during Tuesday's game, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant appeared to direct a homophobic slur toward referee Bennie Adams, but he says his words "should not be taken literally." Bryant's reaction was caught on camera on TNT's national telecast of the key Western Conference battle with the San Antonio Spurs. After getting hit with the T, he stormed to the bench, hit his seat before sitting down, threw a towel and then yelled, "Bennie!" toward the court. Bryant then leaned back and muttered what appeared to be a gay slur. TNT announcer Steve Kerr picked up on Bryant's outburst and said: "You might wanna take the cameras off of him right now, for the children watching from home." Bryant issued a statement Wednesday afternoon. "What I said last night should not be taken literally," he said. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone." The video from Tuesday's game "is under review" by the NBA, league spokesman Tim Frank said to ESPNLosAngeles.com via email. "We haven't seen the video, so it would be inappropriate for us to comment on it," a Lakers spokesperson told ESPNLosAngeles.com earlier Wednesday. The Lakers are battling the Mavericks for the second seed in the West. They beat the Spurs 102-93 on Tuesday. On Monday, the league rescinded Bryant's 15th technical of the season. If it had stood, he would have received his 16th on Tuesday and would have been suspended for the Lakers' season finale. If he receives another T on Wednesday, he would be suspended for the first game next season. Technical counts start over in the playoffs. Advocacy groups condemned Bryant's comments on Wednesday. The Human Rights Campaign -- a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization -- said in a statement: "Hopefully Mr. Bryant will recognize that as a person with such fame and influence, the use of such language not only offends millions of LGBT people around the world, but also perpetuates a culture of discrimination and hate that all of us, most notably Mr. Bryant, should be working to eradicate." The president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, also put out a statement. "Discriminatory slurs have no place on or off the court," Jarrett Barrios said. "Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. The LA Lakers have a responsibility to educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable."

Video footage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t84p7mcK2Pk

Class act, that Kobe.

[Einbroch]

I'm really afraid to post what I think because I know it'll be flamed and I'll be branded as anti-gay.

[Byakuya769]

Man, you see how he wailed on that guy's arm? Showed how much of a prick he is in multiple ways in under a minute.

[zychi]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

[Spider from Mars]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

It looks like he said fucking fag

[RSTEIN]

Funny how he hits the chair just as his teammate attempts to give him a loving tap.

[CrushDance]

I still catch myself sometimes starting to say "That's so gay" when I'm extremely pissed off. It's just one of those phrases that were tossed around so often growing up, that it's on the same level as "Fuck" for me. I haven't used it though it many years since I've come to understand the problems homosexuals face and becoming friends with some. It's hurtful and garbage wording, but I highly doubt Kobe meant it in such a way.

[Byakuya769]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

"Fucking F____" is what it looked like to me.

[Zep]

Just read about this a few minutes ago...He needs to be suspended by the league, no questions asked.

[Devolution]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

Kind of rhymes with baguette.

Anyway stay classy Kobe.

[VALIS]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

Looked like "fucking fag" (or faggot, maybe).

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

So if Kobe pisses me off during a competition, I can just call him an n-word and say "it's cool, I was just frustrated"?

[Borgnine]

Why did he hit that guy?

[SUPREME1]

He apologised already.


/thread.





EDIT:

BYNUM IS OKAY, IT'S ONLY BONE BRUISE. HE'LL BE READY TO PLAY GAME 1.

BARNES ALSO HAS NO NEW DAMAGE TO HIS KNEE, HE WILL ALSO BE READY.

[JLG-]

Please, Jordan calls Kwame Brown a "Flaming F****T" and nothing..

K Mart calls Cuban a "F****T" again not a peep from the media..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x9-BpuKEa4

Kobe says it, bang front page news.

[yacobod]

i can't even muster enough fake outrage, but PC defense force will have a field day with this. lot of bad things are said on most ball & stick and ball fields.

[Skiptastic]

I'm really afraid to post what I think because I know it'll be flamed and I'll be branded as anti-gay.

youarealreadydead.jpg

[Messypandas]

What's the word he used? I can't read his lips when they show the video, and every single article and sprotscenter highlight doesn't even say what it is.

Maybe he was just referring to the west country delicacy?

[shoplifter]

He hates cigarettes, I guess.

[Gunloc]

He apologised already. /thread.

I wouldn't call his statement an apology.

[Talladega Knight]

he said something wrong in the heat of the moment and apologized for it. holy shit people. we all say shit we don't mean all the time, it's just not caught on camera.

[The Lamonster]

I have an idea you guys. Let's keep paying our professional athletes embarrassing amounts of money and keep letting them get away with being criminals and human scum. I like beer.

[Devolution]

So if Kobe pisses me off during a competition, I can just call him an n-word and say "it's cool, I was just frustrated"?

Just make a lot of money first.

he said something wrong in the heat of the moment and apologized for it. holy shit people. we all say shit we don't mean all the time, it's just not caught on camera.

The slurs people pull of out their hats in the "heat of the moment" say more about them then they or their apologizers are willing to admit.

[zychi]

For those of you who can't read lips,Kobe shouted 'Lebron James'. TiaSaysSo 7 minutes ago 9

awesome youtube comment.

[samus i am]

He hates has sex with cigarettes, I guess.

Fixed

[yacobod]

Just make a lot of money first.

and be able to physically defend yourself

[Dreams-Visions]

Please, Jordan calls Kwame Brown a "Flaming F****T" and nothing.. K Mart calls Cuban a "F****T" again not a peep from the media.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x9-BpuKEa4 Kobe says it, bang front page news.

that's because Kobe is bitch-made and is easy to pile-on.

awesome youtube comment.

man down.

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

he said something wrong in the heat of the moment and apologized for it. holy shit people. we all say shit we don't mean all the time, it's just not caught on camera.

I've never called anyone a f-- before.

National outrage and multiple statements and shit is ridiculous, but him saying this does come from a culture that supports intolerance toward gays. In my world, you get called an asshole or a motherfucker or something.

[neptunes]

So if Kobe pisses me off during a competition, I can just call him an n-word and say "it's cool, I was just frustrated"?

That happens in the workplace more often that you think, and I'm black

[commish]

So if Kobe pisses me off during a competition, I can just call him an n-word and say "it's cool, I was just frustrated"?

That's hardly the same thing.

[Evening Musuko]

I thought he said "Bob Saget".

[Clydefrog]

fucking gaf!

[Byakuya769]

Why did he hit that guy?

Looks like he was aiming at the chair, now that I look at it again.

[Escape Goat]

He hates cigarettes, I guess.

Kobe plays British basketball?

He made an ignorant statement and apologized. There isn't much else we can or should do.

[BakedPigeon]

Who cares. Its a basketball court, emotions are flying around everywhere. This shit happens in every single game.

[out0v0rder]

a big MEH over here

[shoplifter]

Fixed

you're a cigarette

[tass0]

Really?

The guy was frustrated at the game, and probably let loose "f****t".

Big fucking deal.

Stop blowing everything out of proportion.

[Einbroch]

So if Kobe pisses me off during a competition, I can just call him an n-word and say "it's cool, I was just frustrated"?

You know it's nothing like that, at least from a social standpoint.

Not saying it's right, but it's not fair to compare the two.

[MThanded]

Its bad but worse things are said on courts, fields and ice rinks everyday. He just got caught saying it.

Not defending it just saying. He should not have said it and now that he has it's most likely going to be an issue.

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

He made an ignorant statement and apologized.

No he didn't.

[chaostrophy]

he said something wrong in the heat of the moment and apologized for it. holy shit people. we all say shit we don't mean all the time, it's just not caught on camera.

Uh...his job is to perform for a large audience, including being on camera for tv. Why should he have the job if he can't do it without saying stupid offensive shit?

[fuzzyreactor]

big whoop, he is a basketball player not a politician. I doubt he is even saying it as a direct attack at homosexuality.

some people are far too over sensitive, how do you even make it through the day if you're upset by crap like this.

[Devolution]

Really? The guy was frustrated at the game, and probably let loose "f****t". Big fucking deal. Stop blowing everything out of proportion.

Not like it gets thrown around way too much as it is, especially in sports.

But my bad, people are frustrated, we should just get over it.

Sure is a lot of "but everybody does it" fucked up hominem shit in here.

[SUPREME1]

I wouldn't call his statement an apology.

What you would call it doesn't matter.

It's an overblown attempt by ESPN to villify Kobe, as usual, and it'll die out soon enough.

[justjohn]

That happens in the workplace more often that you think, and I'm black

Lol what kinda workplace do you work at ?

[polyh3dron]

awesome youtube comment.

Came in to post this. lol

[Sunflower]

You know it's nothing like that, at least from a social standpoint. Not saying it's right, but it's not fair to compare the two.

Why not? Both are lazily used verbal attacks on someone because of the way they were born.

[eternaLightness]

Poor guy got punched for no reason.

[X26]

reinforces the mindset of all the ghetto trash with their $100 kobe jerseys and food stamps