Kobe Bryant Acts Like a [Redacted], Gets Fined $100,000

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During Tuesday night's Los Angeles Lakers vs. No One Cares Game, Kobe Bryant dropped the f-bomb. People were shocked. After receiving a technical foul (his 15th of the season), Bryant stormed to the bench and proceeded to throw one hell of a fit. He then yelled at the ref and dropped the aforementioned f-bomb. The camera caught this entire situation on tape, despite the fact there were still some basketball-related activities happening on the court at the same time that perhaps would be relevant to the interests of anyone watching a basketball game.

Now -- I know what you're thinking. It's the NBA! People say the f-word all the time! But have you forgotten that there are KIDS watching this? It was on TNT, which definitely was my favorite channel as a child because they know drama. There were families in the stands and clearly the average NBA fan would be horrified to hear the f-word.

Not "fucking," by the way. It's "faggot" that people are mad about, which surprises me based on the general climate of America and most comments ever left on a YouTube video ever. Everyone who gave Kobe another chance after his sexual assault case was shaking their heads, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I'm calling GLAAD."

Just hours after GLAAD demanded action from the NBA, Bryant was fined $100,000. He went on to apologize and say, "What I said (Tuesday) night should not be taken literally." That's good to know. I was really worried he thought the ref was gay.

Kobe just thinks that giving a technical foul is a really gay thing to do. Which might be why he is appealing the fine.

Does the NBA deserve props for fining Bryant? Would they have taken action if the slur had not been caught on camera but reported?

29 responses to “Kobe Bryant Acts Like a [Redacted], Gets Fined $100,000”

e
April 14, 2011 at 5:30 pm Permalink Reply

what an ass.

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Juliepants
April 14, 2011 at 5:49 pm Permalink Reply

Absolutely awful.

But I am actually pleasantly surprised at how quickly the NBA responded to GLAAD’s request. I wonder if they would have done anything about it if GLAAD hadn’t stepped in though..

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Link Share: Your Guide To News On The Web | Blog | NBA considers Kobe's homophobic slur only one-fifth as bad as snowboarding - msnbc.com
April 14, 2011 at 6:12 pm Permalink

[...] for slurBoston HeraldThe conversation: Kobe Bryant's apology not good enoughLos Angeles TimesKobe Bryant Acts Like a [Redacted], Gets Fined $100000AutostraddleChristian Science Monitor -WEEI.com -ProBasketballTalkall 1,423 news [...]

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foist (member)
April 14, 2011 at 6:29 pm Permalink Reply Report user

1. No – considering Kobe makes over $300k per game, the punishment the NBA rendered isn’t too impressive, even if it is the largest fine levied this year. Personally, I would rather see him go to some seminars or do community service. If you have to fine him, donate the money to a foundation or charity.

2. No – nothing would have happened to Kobe if it wasn’t caught on camera. I’m certain there are a lot of other things said on the court that go unpunished.

The bigger issue with me about pro sports in general is the hypocrisy and baselessness as to how players are punished. There is some precedent to go by but for the most part, it’s all subjective without some sort of violation-punishment rubric, for lack of a better phrase. To be clear, I’m in favor of the fine against Kobe but there isn’t any consistency here. On the other hand, trying to police what players say on the court, including what would constitute a violation, would be an almost impossible undertaking.

Bottom line: the NBA and Kobe managed the situation well and got it dealt with quickly but they seem to be more sorry it was caught on camera than what he actually said.

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diver
April 14, 2011 at 6:29 pm Permalink Reply

Who gets the $, the NBA? I hope they change it and Kobe calls me a dyke 1,000 times, so he must then pay me $100,000,000.

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1. foist (member)
  April 14, 2011 at 6:40 pm Permalink Reply Report user
  
  The NBA and NBPA equally split fines paid by players and fines levied by the NBA against teams, owners, and game officials aren’t shared with the NBPA. They say a large share goes to charity but they don’t have to disclose to whom or for how much, per the league’s collective bargaining agreement. So who knows where the money eventually ends up.
  
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FoxySocksy
April 14, 2011 at 6:31 pm Permalink Reply

1) I cannot believe Kobe is going to appeal! What a spineless person
2) Kobe has never been a role model in my eyes (on the court and off the court)
3) I hope the NBA and GLAAD keeps tabs on this issue and do not let it go by the wayside.
4) I don’t have that much trust in the NBA taking action had GLAAD not demanded action – which makes me just darn sad.
5) Athletes influence our young people more than the president these days..LGBTQ discrimination/equality issues should be something taken seriously (no-tolerance) in the sport world.

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Brianna (member)
April 14, 2011 at 6:40 pm Permalink Reply Report user

John Amaechi talked to USA Today about this:

Q: If you were the NBA commissioner, how would you have punished Bryant?
A: There would certainly be a fine. I’d like to know what the response would be if a white and gay player had called Kobe a nigger. My concern is that the penalty axed on that player would be greater than this penalty.

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1. magiclovemuffin (member)
  April 14, 2011 at 10:24 pm Permalink Reply Report user
  
  That’s a good point. But sadly, nothing new. The standard is it’s kind of rude to gay people bad names, but absolutely reprehensible to call, say, black people names. It seems there’s a hierarchy of slurs for race, religion, sex and sexuality and we could easily rank where the American public ranks each one. The only thing in the “less offensive but really the same thing” category would probably be if Kobe had called the ref cracker or maybe a bitch. The standard of way certain things are more offensive than others even if they are the same line of attack is complicated, eh? /sigh
  
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diver
April 14, 2011 at 7:10 pm Permalink Reply

- work at a big people’s job, where they would just fire me over this crap and be done with it.

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diver
April 14, 2011 at 7:15 pm Permalink Reply

- = I

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Dani (member)
April 14, 2011 at 7:44 pm Permalink Reply Report user

When I was a kid, I freaking loved the Lakers – Kobe, Shaq, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher. They were my favorite. Then the sexual assault thing happened, and it ruined my image of him. He’s such an ass – running assaulting women, dropping the f-bomb, and ruining childhood illusions. Geez.

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Raksha
April 14, 2011 at 8:50 pm Permalink Reply

Kobe is an asshole. This is no surprise. What is a surprise to me is that the NBA is doing something about it. No, they probably wouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been on TV (although with the internet these days, it’s likely it would have become public knowledge pretty quickly anyway), but that they’re even bothering at all is a surprise and a tiny step forward.

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Mike
April 14, 2011 at 9:07 pm Permalink Reply

This is why Kobe will never be held in such high regard as Michael Jordan even if Kobe would be a better all-around BASKETBALL player than Jordan. America will not let it happen.

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1. Spurs210
  April 14, 2011 at 11:23 pm Permalink Reply
  
  Wrong, do u know MJ doesnt even like taking pictures with Niggas, crazy but I hate jordan best bball player ever but a bitch as wrll
  
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  1. Buffy Summers (member)
    April 16, 2011 at 12:31 pm Permalink Reply Report user
    
    wait what
    
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Paper0Flowers (member)
April 14, 2011 at 9:10 pm Permalink Reply Report user

I think what pisses me off the most was his defense in using the word. “I’m not homophobic, so don’t judge me for it!” The fact that he even used that word may not reflect his own views on gays, but it’s part of the toxic culture we’re apart of. If he hadn’t been penalized or called out on it, then that’d be showing everyone that it’s okay to use that word as long as it’s not towards an actual gay person.

I am so glad he got fined – even if it’s a small price for him, I was shocked that he even got slapped with that. The huge backlash for him using the word should be a good warning for future athletes to control their temper and check their language on and off court.

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1. Kristy77 (member)
  April 14, 2011 at 9:31 pm Permalink Reply Report user
  
  ^ THIS!
  
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2. Melk
  April 14, 2011 at 10:29 pm Permalink Reply
  
  “The huge backlash for him using the word should be a good warning for future athletes to control their temper and check their language on and off court.”
  
  You’re kidding, right?
  
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Jennifever (member)
April 14, 2011 at 10:03 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Perhaps he was calling the ref a bundle of sticks or a cigarette? Hmm. Or perhaps male ideals of masculinity are too often inseparable from insecurities and anxieties about gender and sexuality. Or he’s a tool. Mehhh. Go sports!

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magiclovemuffin (member)
April 14, 2011 at 10:18 pm Permalink Reply Report user

I think it’s a little unfortunate that professional athletes are big role models for children and often very, very bad at it. But what really gets me about this whole thing is that he has the audacity to appeal the fine. Dude, you makes MILLIONS of dollars every year. Take your lumps and deal with the fact that you did something wrong and got busted for it. Ass.

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Tohrment (member)
April 14, 2011 at 10:34 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Anyone else notice he punched the shit out of his team mate, he was out for 6 mins and he throws a fit like he is 5.

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Emily
April 15, 2011 at 9:11 am Permalink Reply

right? not a team player. i’d rather play with a bunch of people who are maybe not superstars, but work hard and have a good attitude, than be on a team with someone like that.

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Waxey (member)
April 15, 2011 at 9:38 am Permalink Reply Report user

If this had happened in the WNBA it would have ended up as a passionate love story.

There would even be a documentary 10 years from now:

Rough player and strict ref: a passionate lesbian love story.

Maybe high school students would read it 50 yrs from now instead of Romeo and Juliet.

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Robin (member)
April 15, 2011 at 3:33 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Why are all pro-sports players the worst?

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Ashley
April 15, 2011 at 4:59 pm Permalink Reply

This is why I’m a Celtics fans.

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pettiho
April 16, 2011 at 5:49 am Permalink Reply

I feel some kind of way but then I don’t. *shrugs.

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betsey
April 16, 2011 at 7:32 am Permalink Reply

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I’m calling GLAAD.”

I love this:)

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SuperNaye (member)
April 16, 2011 at 4:13 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Dont hate me guys, but i’m not completely mad at him.

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