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Kobe Bryant Apologizes, Sort Of, After Mouthing Homosexual Slur

by Mike Prada • Apr 13, 2011 3:44 PM EDT

Kobe Bryant's apology for mouthing a homosexual slur after receiving a technical foul against the Spurs on Tuesday night won't go down as one of the most touching apologies an athlete has ever uttered. But it's still an apology of sorts, technically, even if it reads more as "it doesn't mean what you think it means" explanation.

"What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."

Yup, another "apology" without the words "I'm sorry" in it. I sort of understand the idea that what is said in the heat of the battle should not be used against someone for the rest of their life, but Bryant still did use the phrase "f*****" and should own up to it more than this. This was Kevin Garnett "cancer patient" bad.

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Comments

Since when is a word that is used at least 3 times a day by the average middle school kid worse than making jokes about terminally ill patients?

by Roa on Apr 13, 2011 4:18 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs

So we’re now using middle school kids as the baseline for what is acceptable for adults? I guess I can start going around giving people wedgies and wet-willies then.

Or maybe middle school students use gay slurs because they see adults use them and other adults condone their usage.

by DavidCEisen on Apr 13, 2011 4:58 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Shorter Bryant:

Dear gays:

Quit being so up tight. I didn’t insult you, I was just insulting a man by insinuating that he was gay.

Love (not literally dudes),
Black Mamba

by DavidCEisen on Apr 13, 2011 5:01 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 4 recs

Quit the P.C. crap

I’d understand being pissed if he said it in a news conference. But in the heat of battle, players say dumb s*** all the time. If they’re not allowed to vent (using whatever language, whether proper or improper), don’t we run the risk of them eventually snapping and physically taking out their frustrations?

Cancer patient, f*****, whatever. In the immortal words of John Madden, “Ninety percent of the game is half-mental.”

by dubPeacock on Apr 13, 2011 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

What if he had called the ref a f’n Jew? Or a dumb Mexican? I guess if it’s in the heat of the moment, it’s ok.

by DavidCEisen on Apr 13, 2011 5:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Neither of those are slurs btw

Just saying. There’s nothing wrong with the word Jew or Mexican.

F******g Jew derives its negativity from the modifying adjective. Same for Dumb Mexican.

Right or wrong, F****t has a long history of a dual meaning. It can be a homosexual slur or the second f-bomb, gay, etc. are frequently used as synonyms for dumb or stupid or uncool. That’s gay, etc. See King of Queens for a modern sitcom that frequently uses the term gay in that context.

Now, is it OK? No. Neither is calling C.V. a cancer patient. You say something inappropriate to get in their heads. K.G. doesn’t hate cancer patients or people with allopecia (as far as I know). Kobe doesn’t hate homosexuals (as far as I know). Neither instance was OK, but both were blown WAY out of proportion. And if Kobe wasn’t making 23 million or so, a 100k fine for the offense would be ridiculous. But what does 100k mean to a multimillionaire? For better or worse, David Stern’s punishment was merely to save face.

by dubPeacock on Apr 13, 2011 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I used Jew and Mexican because I didn’t want to use the K and S words that are slurs. The term that Kobe used is worse than ‘gay.’ I don’t think Kobe would or should have been fined for saying that the call was f’n gay, though I would strongly prefer if he said: “I strenuously disagree with your officiating technique.”

I get what you are saying. In the large scheme of the world, homosexuals probably are facing larger (and real-er) kinds of hatred, but small events do solidify the notion that being gay is bad. So really what I wish is that Kobe would have said: “I apologize for using an offensive term. It was a stupid mistake, and in no way do I want anyone to think that I believe being homosexual is negative.”

by DavidCEisen on Apr 13, 2011 8:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Agreed

I thought a fine was ridiculous, but Kobe was definitely being a jacka**.

by dubPeacock on Apr 15, 2011 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Kobe’s so dangerous, if you don’t let him use disparaging homophobic language, he might kill somebody.

If I am good I could add years to my life / I would rather add some life to my years.

by Jay Preece on Apr 13, 2011 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions

This is true

no doubt.

by dubPeacock on Apr 13, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Jordan 5 MVPs, Bird 3, Magic 3, Lebron 2, Nash 2

Kobe 1

by jirohkanzaki on Apr 13, 2011 9:42 PM EDT reply actions

jirohkanzaki 0

what’s your point…

by vitzeng on Apr 13, 2011 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions

The MVP award these days has turned into a merry go round

of sorts. They’re trying to spread the wealth.

by thewiz06 on Apr 14, 2011 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions

It sounds like a rationalization of using those words

rather than an apology, or at least saying “I’m sorry.” Without saying apology or sorry, he is more or less saying that he doesn’t care if he used the words or not and it can be stretched to the point where someone will say that Kobe condones the use of those words even if he doesn’t.

by thewiz06 on Apr 14, 2011 1:04 AM EDT reply actions