Kobe Bryant

Clare and I found out about the death of Kobe Bryant at about the same time Sunday.  When we talked on the phone, she mentioned that Bryant and his 13-year old daughter Gianna were flying to her travel-team basketball game when their helicopter went down, killing all nine passengers aboard.  To any parent who’s gone through the travel-ball experience, such an end doesn’t seem too out of the question.  The only real difference is that in most scenarios, the accident takes place on a highway somewhere far from home.

My daughter was particularly impressed with how Bryant supported women’s sports, particularly, as you would expect, basketball.  But Clare also remembered that he tweeted out kudos last year for something that happened in college softball.  As a celebrity, Bryant looked to be far more of a parent than those folks facing charges for trying to buy their kids’ way into college.

Still, Bryant was a celebrity, one who had to deal with the scrutiny that resulted from a sexual assault case in 2003.  Bryant settled out of court, as often happens with celebrities.  He also offered an apology that noted his accuser had a different idea of consent than he did; it was an admission free of the conditional “if I have…” that so many celebrities resort to in these situations.  For what it’s worth, in all the time since Bryant was never again accused of such behavior.

Most of the tributes pouring in focus on Kobe Bryant the player.  I was more impressed by how this ex-athlete acted as a father.