I think a huge part of Kobe’s appeal is that he was flawed, accepted responsibility, and bettered himself. This article is touching. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/29/opinions/redemption-kobe-bryant-catholic-faith-beck/index.html

Anonymous wrote:And she bragged about her time with him too, for 4 days afterwards. Facts go both ways. There was no conviction. A thread the week of his death should not include this debate.

This is a good point. I am going to start adding more good/positive Kobe memories to this thread. He was an icon to many and this is a great loss.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.… I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

She did not consent to this encounter

She did not consent

No consent = rape

She was raped.

She feels she did not consent does not mean she did not consent. When she said no he stopped.

What they had was a communication issue.

Oh cool. So that explains her blood on his shirt and the bruise on her neck.

Not to get graphic, but I have made people bleed before and it definitely was not rape. As someone else said, communication issue and people judging past actions by today's standards. In 2003, it was "no means no" and when she said no, he stopped (according to accounts). Now, it is something entirely different. Another poster in this thread made a good point that waayyyyy more 40+ men would be considered rapists if they were judged by today's standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in LA for 20 years and have never once cheered for Lobe Bryant, due to his past. I’m very very sad for kids kids, but I’m not going to pretend now that I care about him. He is a rapist and I’m not sad.

Yeah okay, he was the most popular athlete in the universe at the time of the accusation and oh yeah, they also found someone else’s semen in her underwear. Real credible rape accusation. No money motives there.

I believe her and did you not listen to his apology? Give me a break. I live in LA and work with celebrities. I believe her.

So guy wasn’t convicted of anything, she lied and bragged about sleeping with him, but he’s a total rapist, eh? Believe the woman who literally banged 3 other dudes the same night and bragged about how hung Kobe was?

Believe all women, no matter how shady their story is.

Hello he admitted it. Please don reinvent history.

Hello no he didn’t. Please don’t reinvent history. He was never convicted. Technically his isn’t a rapist. Get over it.

I encourage you to read his court statement.

I encourage you to let it go. I believe her. I live in LA and many of us also believe her, but people like basketball so they cheered for Kobe. He was a good Dad, awful husband and did good things for the community. It doesn’t change that in my opinion he was a rapist.

Your opinion is irrelevant and wrong. In the eyes of the law he isn’t a rapist.

And she bragged about her time with him too, for 4 days afterwards. Facts go both ways. There was no conviction. A thread the week of his death should not include this debate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.… I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

She did not consent to this encounter

She did not consent

No consent = rape

She was raped.

She feels she did not consent does not mean she did not consent. When she said no he stopped.

What they had was a communication issue.

Oh cool. So that explains her blood on his shirt and the bruise on her neck.

Can you explain why she went onto party and brag about his penis and having sex with him?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in LA for 20 years and have never once cheered for Lobe Bryant, due to his past. I’m very very sad for kids kids, but I’m not going to pretend now that I care about him. He is a rapist and I’m not sad.

Yeah okay, he was the most popular athlete in the universe at the time of the accusation and oh yeah, they also found someone else’s semen in her underwear. Real credible rape accusation. No money motives there.

I believe her and did you not listen to his apology? Give me a break. I live in LA and work with celebrities. I believe her.

So guy wasn’t convicted of anything, she lied and bragged about sleeping with him, but he’s a total rapist, eh? Believe the woman who literally banged 3 other dudes the same night and bragged about how hung Kobe was?

Believe all women, no matter how shady their story is.

Hello he admitted it. Please don reinvent history.

Hello no he didn’t. Please don’t reinvent history. He was never convicted. Technically his isn’t a rapist. Get over it.

I encourage you to read his court statement.

I encourage you to read it as well. And then to point out where he says, I raped her, it was rape and I’m sorry that I raped her. He never admitted he raped that woman.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.… I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

She did not consent to this encounter

She did not consent

No consent = rape

She was raped.

She feels she did not consent does not mean she did not consent. When she said no he stopped.

What they had was a communication issue.

Oh cool. So that explains her blood on his shirt and the bruise on her neck.

Anonymous wrote:“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.… I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

She did not consent to this encounter

She did not consent

No consent = rape

She was raped.

She feels she did not consent does not mean she did not consent. When she said no he stopped.

What they had was a communication issue.

“Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did.… I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

She did not consent to this encounter

She did not consent

No consent = rape

She was raped.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone from So Cal explain why he lived in Newport Beach when the Staples Center is in LA and the Mamba Academy is in Newbury Park? I looked all of these places up on a map and that’s just crazy. Even with money and a helicopter, what a PITA. Can someone explain why he did that - he could obviously live anywhere.

Angeleno here- Newport is probably the best area around here, I’d live there too! It’s a great place to raise a family vs LA. He had the money so he felt entitled to travel via helicopter.

So why not put Mamba down in Newport?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in LA for 20 years and have never once cheered for Lobe Bryant, due to his past. I’m very very sad for kids kids, but I’m not going to pretend now that I care about him. He is a rapist and I’m not sad.

Yeah okay, he was the most popular athlete in the universe at the time of the accusation and oh yeah, they also found someone else’s semen in her underwear. Real credible rape accusation. No money motives there.

I believe her and did you not listen to his apology? Give me a break. I live in LA and work with celebrities. I believe her.

So guy wasn’t convicted of anything, she lied and bragged about sleeping with him, but he’s a total rapist, eh? Believe the woman who literally banged 3 other dudes the same night and bragged about how hung Kobe was?

Believe all women, no matter how shady their story is.

Hello he admitted it. Please don reinvent history.

Hello no he didn’t. Please don’t reinvent history. He was never convicted. Technically his isn’t a rapist. Get over it.

I encourage you to read his court statement.

I encourage you to let it go. I believe her. I live in LA and many of us also believe her, but people like basketball so they cheered for Kobe. He was a good Dad, awful husband and did good things for the community. It doesn’t change that in my opinion he was a rapist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone from So Cal explain why he lived in Newport Beach when the Staples Center is in LA and the Mamba Academy is in Newbury Park? I looked all of these places up on a map and that’s just crazy. Even with money and a helicopter, what a PITA. Can someone explain why he did that - he could obviously live anywhere.

Angeleno here- Newport is probably the best area around here, I’d live there too! It’s a great place to raise a family vs LA. He had the money so he felt entitled to travel via helicopter.

They did it to be closer to Vanessa's family(she is from the OC coast, went to high school in the next city from Newport, Huntington Beach). Kobe and Vanessa used to live in Pacific Palisades but they said they moved to Newport Beach to be closer to Vanessa's mom. Kobe was estranged from his own parents after his marriage. On mother's day and at his retirement, he was with Vanessa's mom and called her mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in LA for 20 years and have never once cheered for Lobe Bryant, due to his past. I’m very very sad for kids kids, but I’m not going to pretend now that I care about him. He is a rapist and I’m not sad.

Yeah okay, he was the most popular athlete in the universe at the time of the accusation and oh yeah, they also found someone else’s semen in her underwear. Real credible rape accusation. No money motives there.

I believe her and did you not listen to his apology? Give me a break. I live in LA and work with celebrities. I believe her.

So guy wasn’t convicted of anything, she lied and bragged about sleeping with him, but he’s a total rapist, eh? Believe the woman who literally banged 3 other dudes the same night and bragged about how hung Kobe was?

Believe all women, no matter how shady their story is.

Hello he admitted it. Please don reinvent history.

Hello no he didn’t. Please don’t reinvent history. He was never convicted. Technically his isn’t a rapist. Get over it.

I encourage you to read his court statement.

So we can all agree to disagree. The only thing I think we all agree on is that this is a tragedy for his innocent children. I’m not sad and won’t miss having one less rapist in the world. But for his children, I’m very sad and hope they have a good support system.