Playoff Game...

I’m not a big basketball fan, but I do enjoy a live game, and the playoffs and finals. Last night I met up with my friends Jeff and Dwight at Buffalo Wild Wings (they finally have one in the Maryland area) to watch Game 4, in which Orlando lost in OT. I’m not a big fan, and I haven’t really followed the game since the Piston had Isaiah, Jordan played for Chicago and the mailman Carl Malone used to deliver. I really don’t have a favorite team anymore, but I HATE the Lakers. Now I have to admit it’s not really the Lakers team I hate, it’s more about its one player – Kobe Bryant. I don’t care what anyone says, he is a rapist. On that note, let me get a few things off my chest about the subject.

Everyone tries to say the woman asked for it, she was a groupie, she was just trying to get paid, and so on. Now I wasn’t there and don’t know the whole story, but no means no. Personally, I believe the girl went there to hook up with him, but I also believe things got out of hand and Kobe tried to go too far. I think she probably agreed to vaginal sex, but Kobe also wanted anal sex, and when she said no, he kept on. If a wife can say her husband raped her after years of consensual sex, why can’t a woman having causal sex also say no when things have gone to far.

Now many people (especially men) say she was just after the money and that’s why she settled, but people fail to remember she was the victim. I have watched many television shows (thank God no personal experiences I know of) in which women were raped, and when you see what they have to go through in court and how ALL of their dirty laundry is brought up and they are made to look as it they deserved it, I can only imagine why she settled. A women’s past or promiscuity should not be an issue, because as I’ll say again no means no. Kobe is a big name and you can be assured that trial would have been played out in the media. Chances are her case wasn’t strong enough, because it was her word against his, the prosecutor probably pointed out they didn’t have a strong case, and she probably didn’t want to have to relive the entire event on the stand and be further embarrassed and humiliated.

So my questions are:
1. What other recourse did she have, but to take the money?
2. Should she have just dropped the case and let Kobe walk away scot free without being penalized and held accountable?
3. What would you do?

Now on to Kobe… why do you think he was so quick to settle? Kobe knew he did something wrong and wanted to quickly make it go away. Kobe settled because he didn’t want to risk being found guilty and forever being labeled a SEX OFFENDER. He also didn’t want risk loosing his basketball career, the endorsements and all the money and fame that came along with being a basketball player. Kobe settled because he’s one of those few rich people, who was able to buy their way out of a jam and probably laughs about it still today.

Now I know no one is perfect, and let he who is without sin cast the first stone, but in my book three strikes and you are out...

Strike 1 - He cheated on his wife
Strike 2 - Had unprotected sex (they had DNA), and
Strike 3 - Tried to put Shaq on blast about his infidelities, to distract attention away from himself.

In my book Kobe is just dirty! What also amazes me is how quickly society is willing to forgive Kobe because he’s a basketball star, but they don’t have the same compassion and forgiveness for other criminals who actually went to jail and served their time for what I consider less serious crimes like selling drugs and gun passion.

Just my opinion…