Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two

[Roy The Natural]

There have been very few deaths that I have seen that impacted the world like Kobe Bryant's and most of you arent old enough to remember some of them

John F Kennedy, shocked the nation like nothing else in 1963, i was 4 years old

Martin Luthern King in 1968, again a shocking thing.

I think some would say Elvis Presley's death, Michael Jackson's death and 9-11, but somehow they dont seem to be as un-nerving as Kobe Bryant, and i wont go into the whys, because this is about Kobe, his daughter and the others who also died.

My condolences and prayers for everyone, as the rest of all are hurting. Kobe had greatness written on his future like no other person in the last 50 years which is why this Hurts so much

9/11 was WAAAYYY more unnerving and shocking than Kobe's death. I'd put John Lennon's death up there as a seminal moment as well. Kobe's death is tragic and sad. 9/11 was a different set of emotions, which makes it different. 9/11 was akin to Pearl Harbor. Fear and anger dominated the reaction to 9/11.

This is a sad death. And celebrity wise, it's probably the most unnerving and sad I've experienced. But 9/11 easily eclipses this, and it's not even close.


There's been a couple of comparisons to 9/11 in these threads. But as much as this is a sad and tragic event. I consider it borderline disrespectful to equate the death of Kobe Bryant and 8 others to the death of 3000+ in a deliberate act of terror that for a day basically brought the biggest city in the western world to its knees.

Part of what skews Kobe's death to being so extreme for many is the era we live in regarding social media, and the utter randomness of the circumstances of the deaths. It's a stark reminder to many that there's not bargaining with death. It doesn't matter who you are, or how important you are to people. Death can come rip you away all the same.

[G R E Y]

Still in shock and disbelief. Like if we could only get this ONE do-over.

My heart literally hurts about Kobe Bean, their baby bean Gigi, the pilot, and the Altobelli family as well as the others not yet named. The harrowing and difficult road their families and friends will have to go through now...

Read on Twitter

I'm so very sad and so very sorry for this great loss and the huge void this leaves for families, friends, and fans here and beyond.

And I'm grateful to have witnessed the whole of Kobe's career, and the post-playing path he was on.

Rest in Peace to all.

[Frozzy]

Watch on YouTube

[clyde21]

this is the family that was also on the chopper (mom, dad, and daughter)



RIP to them

[Kilroy]

Read on Twitter

Damnit... Here we go again.

[GordanFreeman]

An Unbiased Fan on suicide watch, someone needs to check in to see if he's ok.

I don’t know bud, I just don’t think this is th best time to be sarcastic.

[AussieCeltic]

Man it’s been a tough day. It’s a public holiday over here in Australia and my wife had to force me to leave the house because I was miserable.

I’ve never been emotional with a celebrity death but today it’s been hard. Even being a Celtic fan, growing up hating the Lakers and everyone who played for them. I always had respect for Kobe.. his work ethic, he passion and his drive to be the best was always inspiring. Once he retired I admired the love he had for his daughters.

I’m going to have a few more drinks

[Fico92]

This is one of those moments that you'll remember what you were doing when you heard the news.

Heartbreaking news, especially given the fact that other lives were lost, including the 13(!) year old daughter who shared a special bond with him.

I was a big Kobe hater, primarily because he was constantly knocking the Spurs out of the playoffs, but also because I couldn't stand how obnoxious some of his fans were about him. I loved to try & get a rise out of Laker fans. Yet, I started to wonder...why is there an empty pit in my stomach? Why am I feeling this inexplicable sadness? This was a man I never knew, a man who I hated on the bball court, yet he was having this effect on me...These past 12 hours, after after watching countless videos and reading stories about Kobe OFF the court, seeing how much of a family man he became (we all make mistakes, but coming out of those mistakes a better man is a sign of maturity and deserves respect), I felt such an empty feeling..sadness. Seeing the videos of him with his daughter really brought home the point...this was a loving father who passed away with his little girl and 7 other people in a tragic accident.

This loving father had an effect on millions of people worldwide, who never knew him personally. Just yesterday I walked into Chipotle to grab lunch and a girl behind the counter (who looked no older than 18) turned to throw something into the garbage can and said "Kobe!". I doubt she had ever seen the man play, yet he was so embedded in American culture that this was 2nd nature to her. The man has been gone from the game for a few years, but he's still an icon to many. He inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps.

I can't imagine what his poor wife and daughters are going through...

This is a sobering reminder that tomorrow is never promised. As inspiring as Kobe on the court was towards many of you, I hope that in his passing you can find inspiration to do things that you've wanted to do, but were afraid to do. Adopt the mamba mentality, whether it's asking that man/woman out on a date, taking the leap to move into a new city, start a new job, or take that solo travel trip you've been thinking about but afraid to do...tomorrow is never promised.

[lakerz12]

I'm sorry but one phrase keeps going through my head all day and it's:

"this is such bull s****"

I'm someone that believes in God and believe everything happens for a reason but:

"this is such bull s****"

This is so shocking. There has to be some lesson in this that we're supposed to see.

I'll live better because of Kobe and the example he set. But:

"this is such bull s****"

He was too young. He had too much left to do. This is a great example of how we can't understand everything that happens:

"this is such bull s****"

[Air Apparent]

i think we all saw it here and there, but for me, it's still absolutely amazing to hear about all these feel-good stories, and just the humanity of this guy outside of basketball, i mean he genuinely cared for seemingly random people and held real old school values in terms of just picking up the phone and checking in on people, and making sure people are good


and then you go on his ig, and the thing that rings the most, is not his career, it's his family, that speaks volumes

his entire focus was on making the world a better place for his daughters, that's it, that was his next challenge after basketball and he would've continued that mission till old age

i'm still in shock, it's gonna be a longgggggg time before we all get over this, if we ever completely do

i also just can't stop thinking about vanessa, and his other daughters, just gut-wrenching

i hope we get to hear positive stories about the other victims as well too, we should celebrate all their lives and legacies collectively, they all deserve it, kobe might have had the opportunity to have the most impact, but that was his given capacity, and i'm sure they all made the most of their opportunities

[Roy The Natural]

I'm sorry but one phrase keeps going through my head all day and it's:

"this is such bull s****"

I'm someone that believes in God and believe everything happens for a reason but:

"this is such bull s****"

This is so shocking. There has to be some lesson in this that we're supposed to see.

I'll live better because of Kobe and the example he set. But:

"this is such bull s****"

He was too young. He had too much left to do. This is a great example of how we can't understand everything that happens:

"this is such bull s****"

Yup. I've had senseless death's close to me already though. My good friend was killed at 23 years old by a drunk driver who hit and rolled his truck. He was a twin. I remember going to his brother (and their parent's house) the afternoon of hearing the news. I'll never forget the way his brother fell to his knees and broke down crying at one point.

When I was in the Navy a good friend of mine who was 19, died when the ship's safety valve failed to open, a pipe burst and the engine room was flooded with steam which basically melted the team in the engine room killing two and permanently handicapping another 5 to a painful remainder of their lives.

The reaction is always the same.

This is such bull.


Welcome to the randomness of life and death. It's all just a diceroll. There is so much risk that is outside of our control. What can you do though? All you can do is live, and hope you're one of the lucky ones.

[G R E Y]

[Bolivar]

This is a sobering reminder that tomorrow is never promised. As inspiring as Kobe on the court was towards many of you, I hope that in his passing you can find inspiration to do things that you've wanted to do, but were afraid to do. Adopt the mamba mentality, whether it's asking that man/woman out on a date, taking the leap to move into a new city, start a new job, or take that solo travel trip you've been thinking about but afraid to do...tomorrow is never promised.

Well said. I should be at work by now, it just feels a bit pointless. It all makes me wonder if I should just man up and try to become a father, let it happen. Those are the things that make most of an impact to me here, the way he was a loving father.

[SOdisciple]

It's so crazy to think they are both gone now.

[Gremz]

Pretty surreal day. I've always been the first to give Kobe a bit of stick, just from the Lakers hatred side of things. There's no denying his game legacy and overall impact on the game. Just think of all these superstars in the game today, I'd be reasonably confident that a majority would have Kobe as one of, if not THE reason they got into the game. Pretty tough to get my head around this news, really tragic for his family and the entire NBA universe. R.I.P Mamba.

[Camping Fan]

There have been very few deaths that I have seen that impacted the world like Kobe Bryant's and most of you arent old enough to remember some of them

John F Kennedy, shocked the nation like nothing else in 1963, i was 4 years old

Martin Luthern King in 1968, again a shocking thing.

I think some would say Elvis Presley's death, Michael Jackson's death and 9-11, but somehow they dont seem to be as un-nerving as Kobe Bryant, and i wont go into the whys, because this is about Kobe, his daughter and the others who also died.

My condolences and prayers for everyone, as the rest of all are hurting. Kobe had greatness written on his future like no other person in the last 50 years which is why this Hurts so much

9/11 was WAAAYYY more unnerving and shocking than Kobe's death. I'd put John Lennon's death up there as a seminal moment as well. Kobe's death is tragic and sad. 9/11 was a different set of emotions, which makes it different. 9/11 was akin to Pearl Harbor. Fear and anger dominated the reaction to 9/11.

This is a sad death. And celebrity wise, it's probably the most unnerving and sad I've experienced. But 9/11 easily eclipses this, and it's not even close.


There's been a couple of comparisons to 9/11 in these threads. But as much as this is a sad and tragic event. I consider it borderline disrespectful to equate the death of Kobe Bryant and 8 others to the death of 3000+ in a deliberate act of terror that for a day basically brought the biggest city in the western world to its knees.

Part of what skews Kobe's death to being so extreme for many is the era we live in regarding social media, and the utter randomness of the circumstances of the deaths. It's a stark reminder to many that there's not bargaining with death. It doesn't matter who you are, or how important you are to people. Death can come rip you away all the same.

As I said, there are a few that some will feel like you do and I respect that. I personally feel more connected to Kobes death having watched him his entire career, that does not lesson their deaths though, and i would have to agree on 9 11

[HEKTOR]

Still doesn't feel real. I can't think of any other time I've been this emotional about someone who I've never met before, passing away. Like many others, I grew up hating Kobe. I was a big Kings fan back in their hay-day and obviously, I couldn't stand the Lakers - especially Shaq and Kobe. Later, being a Raps fan, I remember the 81pt game not to mention him knocking out Nash's Suns too. I couldn't stand him and cheered against him, didn't want him to overtake MJ as the GOAT either. However, even throughout all those times, I always respected Kobe's abilities and mentality. Just a stone-cold killer on the court.
Once he retired I got to see more of his personality through interviews, etc and he really seemed like such a humble, loving guy. You can't help but respect his body of work both on and off the court. A true legend.
When my sister blurted out that he died I just shrugged it off and said "nah" thinking it was one of those internet pranks. Then I checked the news and at the same time my phone began blowing up and it was actually true. His daughter too, plus all the others who were aboard that helicopter and one can't help but get emotional.
Gone too soon. RIP black mamba

[GrindCityHustle]

We only have one Mamba left now

[Joerezz7]

I’m 35 and Kobe is the best player I ever seen in this generation besides MJ. Always thought Kobe was the most exciting player to watch in basketball too. Always thought people were crazy to even compare Lebron to him. Kobe is top 3 ever. Very heartbroken and can’t believe this happened. R.I.P Kobe

[JB2]

This is one of those moments that you'll remember what you were doing when you heard the news.

Heartbreaking news, especially given the fact that other lives were lost, including the 13(!) year old daughter who shared a special bond with him.

I was a big Kobe hater, primarily because he was constantly knocking the Spurs out of the playoffs, but also because I couldn't stand how obnoxious some of his fans were about him. I loved to try & get a rise out of Laker fans. Yet, I started to wonder...why is there an empty pit in my stomach? Why am I feeling this inexplicable sadness? This was a man I never knew, a man who I hated on the bball court, yet he was having this effect on me...These past 12 hours, after after watching countless videos and reading stories about Kobe OFF the court, seeing how much of a family man he became (we all make mistakes, but coming out of those mistakes a better man is a sign of maturity and deserves respect), I felt such an empty feeling..sadness. Seeing the videos of him with his daughter really brought home the point...this was a loving father who passed away with his little girl and 7 other people in a tragic accident.

This loving father had an effect on millions of people worldwide, who never knew him personally. Just yesterday I walked into Chipotle to grab lunch and a girl behind the counter (who looked no older than 18) turned to throw something into the garbage can and said "Kobe!". I doubt she had ever seen the man play, yet he was so embedded in American culture that this was 2nd nature to her. The man has been gone from the game for a few years, but he's still an icon to many. He inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps.

I can't imagine what his poor wife and daughters are going through...

This is a sobering reminder that tomorrow is never promised. As inspiring as Kobe on the court was towards many of you, I hope that in his passing you can find inspiration to do things that you've wanted to do, but were afraid to do. Adopt the mamba mentality, whether it's asking that man/woman out on a date, taking the leap to move into a new city, start a new job, or take that solo travel trip you've been thinking about but afraid to do...tomorrow is never promised.

Hey man.. that was incredibly well stated. Major props for that perspective. That last paragraph is perfect.