NBA fines Kobe Bryant $100,000 for derogatory comment

[AsahinaKimi]

Source: InsideHoops

NBA Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement today:

“Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.”

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/

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more here:
http://www.tmz.com/2011/04/13/kobe-bryant-david-stern-fined-homophobic-slur-punished-fined/

and here:
http://lakers.ocregister.com/2011/04/13/bryant-throws-towels-and-slurs-around-after-getting-technical/52539/

[Drale]

1. I would have rather seen him suspended for the playoff

nothing sends a message then making your star player not available for a playoff run.

[DJ13]

2. I hate these kinds of press releases, what did he say that got him in trouble?

[AsahinaKimi]

3. more here:

http://lakers.ocregister.com/2011/04/13/bryant-throws-towels-and-slurs-around-after-getting-technical/52539/
http://www.tmz.com/2011/04/13/kobe-bryant-david-stern-f... /

[DJ13]

6. Thanks, and thanks to those below as well

I agree with you all, he should have been suspended.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. He called an official a f*gg*t.

The NBA should suspend him. 100,000 for Bryant is chump change.

[golddigger]

5. He called a referee a F**king F@gg@t. He should have been suspended.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. That's like $1.00 to most of us...it's not even a slap on the wrist.

He's a rapist who got off easy because he wrote a big-assed check to his victim.

Now he can add homophobia to his resume.

This scumbag is the worst of the worst. I don't care about his hoop skills. He's a PIG.

[Permanut]

8. Okay, so with a net worth of $140 million,

how is a hundred grand a penalty or incentive for anything, Mr. Stern?

[kstewart33]

9. Geez, I'm sure that will hurt him in the ole pocketbook. Not. nt

[nomorenomore08]

10. Well, at least this drew *some* kind of negative attention.

Might not have even 10 years ago.

[RagAss]

11. Unusual...he usually curses in Italian.

[KamaAina]

13. Maybe he was saying "faccia galoob"?

:sarcasm:

[gratuitous]

12. Bryant's really a WATB, isn't he?

He's been the beneficiary of more questionable officiating of anyone this side of Hulk Hogan, and still spends half of every game whining to the referees about anything and everything. A hundred grand isn't a punishment, especially since he'll just write the fine off his taxes. Maybe if he were to be suspended for a few games so that it actually hurt him and his team, this sort of thing would end. Very quickly, I should think.

But then, considering who his coach is, no one should be surprised by a decided dearth of class from any of the players on that team.

[Cali_Democrat]

14. So how's that draft of Greg Oden going?

Sam Bowie says high. :rofl:

[gratuitous]

36. He hasn't called anyone a fucking faggot lately

Which is more than can be said for certain WATBs. I see the NBA generously "rescinded" one of Mr. Bryant's technicals, so he won't have to serve a one game suspension next year. Isn't that nice of the league to look out for victimized and misunderstood players like that? Maybe they'll hand him another championship to make up for the trauma, the poor dear.

[Terra Alta]

15. this is just pocket change for him.

Why not fine him a couple million, and suspend him for the rest of the season? I think that would send a message.

What a guy to look up to.:eyes:

[Liquorice]

16. Well this is the same guy who

got away with raping a woman by characterizing what he did as "adultery."

[Cali_Democrat]

17. Nonsense

Kobe Bryant was never convicted of rape.

[Liquorice]

18. I know he wasn't convicted. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

19. So what evidence do you have that he got away with rape?

[Liquorice]

20. That is my opinion based on what I've read of the case. I'm

not really interested in writing a cited research paper for you about it or anything, but I believe he got away with rape. My stated opinion, however, is not a challenge to fight with anyone. It's just what I think, and so I stated it.

[Cali_Democrat]

21. Throwing around accusations of rape when there's no evidence is not something that should be done

Not to mention the woman never persued it.

Remember the Duke Lacrosse players? A lot of people were sure they were guilty of rape. Also, many blacks in the last few centuries have been accused of sexually assaulting white women in the South with no basis. Many were lynched for no reason and it's a stain that haunts or history.

There's a possibility that the woman was making up the story and was looking for money. She never pressed charges and refused to cooperate with the DA. She then took the money and ran.

You have no idea if she was raped or not. Please don't throw that accusation around when you have no evidence.

[Liquorice]

23. I believe he did it, and I'm not

throwing around anything but my opinion, which I'm entitled to express. I'm not a prosecutor, so I'm not gathering evidence on the case. I believe he got away with it. Many rapes go unpunished, and this is one of them IMO.

[Cali_Democrat]

24. OK....fine then.

You're entitled to your opinion based on no evidence.

[Liquorice]

26. I didn't write that I have an opinion based on

no evidence. I wrote that I don't really feel like writing a cited research paper on why I believe he got away with it.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

25. I'm close to several prosecutors

One of whom consulted on the investigation. All I can say is that a jury trial would not have gone well for the prosecution.

[Liquorice]

29. Well rape can be very difficult to prove

because the rapist almost always claims the woman wanted to have sex. Since it usually happens in private, it's hard to prove otherwise. It's especially difficult when the victim is not Mary Poppins, or doesn't act exactly how society expects her to act after being raped. With those issues, along with Kobe Bryant's millions to buy high-priced defense lawyers, and it doesn't surprise me that prosecutors think they would have lost the case. They probably would have, but that doesn't mean he didn't do it.

[Renew Deal]

31. For some people, accusations of rape are the same as convictions.

It happens a lot on DU.

[nomorenomore08]

37. To be fair, though, there are those who seemingly assume that all rape accusations are false.

Works both ways, I suppose. :shrug:

[tblue37]

28. And OJ was acquitted of murdering his Nicole and Ron.

Justice isn't always served when the defendant is very, very wealthy and famous.

[Cali_Democrat]

30. Did Nicole's and Ron's families settle with the accused before the criminal trial even began?

Did they refuse to cooperate with the DA?

Nope. They wanted to see OJ rot in jail and rightly so. They were looking for justice for the crimes.

Two totally different situations.

[cynatnite]

34. She pulled out because of the gaffes on the part of the prosecution...

Her identity was released to the public and with that came such outrageous condemnation from the media and the public that she was the one being convicted before the trial. They were dragging out her sex life for the public to make judgment on...the very thing that keeps many rape victims from coming forward.

[cynatnite]

33. Not convicted, but she says it was rape....here is what HE said about it...

First, I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure. I also want to apologize to her parents and family members, and to my family and friends and supporters, and to the citizens of Eagle, Colo.

I also want to make it clear that I do not question the motives of this young woman. No money has been paid to this woman. She has agreed that this statement will not be used against me in the civil case. 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. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.

I issue this statement today fully aware that while one part of this case ends today, another remains. I understand that the civil case against me will go forward. That part of this case will be decided by and between the parties directly involved in the incident and will no longer be a financial or emotional drain on the citizens of the state of Colorado.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1872928

No money was given to this woman and she was treated horribly by the press and the public at large. This statement was the civil settlement agreed by all parties. I personally believe it was rape, but this is the final word on the matter and I accept that.

[FreeState]

22. Good - there is no place for such bigotry n/t

[EvolveOrConvolve]

27. Kobe Bryant is a big giant dickhead

If Stern was serious about punishing him, a playoff ban would be perfect. If I did the same thing at my job, I would no longer have a job and would probably be facing a sexual harassment lawsuit. My career would be over.

But Kobe's worth a Brazilian dollars and sells shoes and stuff so he gets away with a $100,000 fine. Hopefully the money will go to a good organization who can use the cash infusion. Would PFLAG be an option?

[Dawson Leery]

32. These sports players get so much money for such little meaningful work.

[rufus dog]

35. Kobe epitomizes what is wrong with America

A talented person who is a MAJOR MOTHER FUCKING ASSHOLE who never can comprehend when he does something wrong.

He is a fucking priveleged puke who can only be taken down by brute force. When Raja Bell through is punk ass to the floor it proved what needs to be done.

For those of you non sports junkies, Bell spent the first three games of a playoff series taking elbows to the throat from the dirty assed Kobe. In game four he grabbed Kobe by the neck and threw his lame ass to the floor. The Phx Suns then went on to win the series even though Bell was suspended for a game.

[Withywindle]

38. Good.

I hope that money is all going to a GLBT civil rights group.