HEY KOBE: NO MORE 4MIL $ BAUBLES 4 THE WIFE..

[DISKOQUEEN99]

YOU MIGHT WANNA HOLD OFF ON THAT.

HE'S BEGINNING TO LOSE ENDORSEMENTS. IF HE ESCAPES JAIL TIME WHETHER HE IS CONVICTED OR NOT, DO YOU THINK THE MAJORITY OF THEM WILL SEEK TO DROP HIM? HOW DO YOU THINK THIS WILL AFFECT HIS BASKETBALL CAREER?

[Brut by Faberge]

oh the irony! the first to officially drop him was the company that makes Nutella. get it? NUTella...ok sorry.

[richierich]

Not one bit. The fans don't give a **** if he cheated on his wife or not. He's THE best player in the league and they make MAD loot off of him. There may be a few who jump ship but hey people are still listening to R.Kelly so that shows you right there.

[DISKOQUEEN99]

TRUE. HE DID GET A TEEN CHOICE AWARD RECENTLY AND HE SHOWED UP FOR THE CEREMONY.

[Leslie]

Wait who saw the matching black leather wrist bands "I Love Kobe" and "I Love Vanessa" in diamonds no less?

[DISKOQUEEN99]

REALLY? AIN'T THAT SWEET.

[richierich]

She (Vanessa) is gonna reap the benefits of him cheating for a long time. The man has a lot of humble pie to eat and a lot of ass to kiss(mainly hers)so aint no telling what he's gonna buy her next. The ball is in her court and he knows it.

[The Buddy Love Show]

if he had a good prenup he can basically **** who he wants and get away with it - so it might be love

he lost the Nutella account ..big deal

if he loses his major endorsemens then thats problems

i don't know if he's guilty or innocent but i do know the alleged victim is a mental case - the smart money says Kobe will walk

[And]

I've never gotten the fascination with uber expensive jewelry anyway ... I guess I'm just not the baubles lovin' type. If I were her ... let's just say I'd have a record store or two instead. :D

[daniel]

some guy was selling "We Support Kobe" tshirts on the corner the other day. i asked if his name was albert.

[DISKOQUEEN99]

HE DIDN'T WANT TO SHOW UP FOR A COURT APPEARANCE, BUT THE JUDGE REFUSED TO LET HIM SKIP IT. I HEARD THEM SAY ON THE NEWS AT SOME POINT, THERE MIGHT BE NEOTIATIONS FOR AN OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT JUST TO MAKE IT GO AWAY.

[Huey P. Freeman]

Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
if he had a good prenup he can basically **** who he wants and get away with it - so it might be love

he lost the Nutella account ..big deal

if he loses his major endorsemens then thats problems

i don't know if he's guilty or innocent but i do know the alleged victim is a mental case - the smart money says Kobe will walk Him and his parents fell out because of his getting married at such a young age and NOT doing a prenup. Plus from my limited understanding of California marraige laws a prenup means nada.

[DISKOQUEEN99]

THE $4 MILLION RING. YES, I'M SURE IT'S BEAUTIFUL IN ALL ITS PURPLE GLORY AND THAT HE COULD AFFORD IT. BUT PERSONALLY, I'M NOT MATERIALISTIC. I WOULDN'T, COULDN'T WALK AROUND WITH SOMETHING WORTH THAT MUCH ON MY HAND. THAT'S A MANSION, SOME WRECKA STOWS (AS PRINCE SAID), FOOD FOR A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. EVEN AS AN "I'M SORRY, I F**KED UP" GIFT. I WOULD MAKE HIM RETURN IT, OR AT LEAST GET SOMETHING SMALLER. HE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING SHIT. HE MAY HAVE TO PAY THIS ONE OFF LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON DID THAT KID.

[ August 05, 2003, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: DISKOQUEEN99 ]

[fred da warrior]

Originally posted by Eargasm:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
if he had a good prenup he can basically **** who he wants and get away with it - so it might be love

he lost the Nutella account ..big deal

if he loses his major endorsemens then thats problems

i don't know if he's guilty or innocent but i do know the alleged victim is a mental case - the smart money says Kobe will walk Him and his parents fell out because of his getting married at such a young age and NOT doing a prenup. Plus from my limited understanding of California marraige laws a prenup means nada. </font>[/QUOTE]Cali is a community property state- HALF+ child support

[The Buddy Love Show]

Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please )

[DISKOQUEEN99]

Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) NO, I SAW AN INTERVIEW SHOWN DURING THE NBA FINALS BETWEEN THE NETS & SPURS IN JUNE AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HIS PARENTS OBJECTED TO THE MARRIAGE, DIDN'T ATTEND AND HAD NOT SEEN HIS CHILD YET. HE WAS CHOKING BACK TEARS AS HE TALKED ABOUT IT. WATCHING HIM DURING THAT INTERVIEW AND WHILE HE CONFESSED ON TV, IT SEEMS LIKE HE HAS A WHOLE LOT OF PENT UP ANGER INSIDE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO BE LIKE IN A PADDED ROOM AND JUST GO CRAZY AND LET THAT SHIT OUT.

[The Buddy Love Show]

Originally posted by DISKOQUEEN99:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) NO, I SAW AN INTERVIEW SHOWN DURING THE NBA FINALS BETWEEN THE NETS & SPURS IN JUNE AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HIS PARENTS OBJECTED TO THE MARRIAGE, DIDN'T ATTEND AND HAD NOT SEEN HIS CHILD YET. HE WAS CHOKING BACK TEARS AS HE TALKED ABOUT IT. WATCHING HIM DURING THAT INTERVIEW AND WHILE HE CONFESSED ON TV, IT SEEMS LIKE HE HAS A WHOLE LOT OF PENT UP ANGER INSIDE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO BE LIKE IN A PADDED ROOM AND JUST GO CRAZY AND LET THAT SHIT OUT. </font>[/QUOTE]the key word is "specific" - he didn't play his parents out at all....and they have kept mum....as for his psyche profile...i ain't a shrink either

[DISKOQUEEN99]

All in the family

Bryant says rift with parents has been bridged
Posted: Saturday June 14, 2003 1:43 AM


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and his parents recently mended a rift that developed when the Los Angeles Lakers guard became engaged to an 18-year-old high school student three years ago.

Joe and Pam Bryant didn't attend their son's wedding to Vanessa Laine in April 2001. They had moved back East after living with him during the younger Bryant's first couple of years in the NBA.

Bryant said the estrangement developed because his parents objected to Laine.

"I had taken matters into my own hands, marrying my wife so young, they didn't know her," he said in a taped ABC interview shown at halftime of Friday's NBA Finals game between San Antonio and New Jersey.

"We were so far apart from each other, it didn't seem like anything was going to happen, it seemed like we weren't going to mend anything," he said.

Bryant said the split was especially painful when the Lakers won three consecutive NBA championships and he was named MVP at the NBA All-Star game.

"These great things were happening ... but I didn't have anyone to share it with," he said. "I was starting my own family with my wife and everything was going great, but you just want your parents there with you."

Bryant's first child was born in January and infant daughter Natalia helped bring him back together with his parents about three weeks ago.

"I'm happy about it," he said.


SOUNDS SPECIFIC TO ME

[Discogoddess]

Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) I would hazard to guess that most of what is being reported, written, spoken, posited and discussed about this case is not factual, so giving "just the facts" is probably pretty difficult. Is your statement about the alleged victim being a mental case factual, or based on speculation on the part of journalists and others? Just curious.
:D

[The Buddy Love Show]

Originally posted by Discogoddess:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) I would hazard to guess that most of what is being reported, written, spoken, posited and discussed about this case is not factual, so giving "just the facts" is probably pretty difficult. Is your statement about the alleged victim being a mental case factual, or based on speculation on the part of journalists and others? Just curious.
:D </font>[/QUOTE]Its based on the fact that she tried to commit suicide....i'd say suicide attempt = mental case, but hey what do i know

giving just the facts is what journalists used to do a better job of ( and it was bad then), today its all infotainment with no attempt to delineate between rumour, speculation and fact...ask Al Gore - he NEVER said he invented the internet - that was an erroneous quote that took on its own life and the person who misquoted never retracted even when presented with the taped evidence to the contrary

[The Buddy Love Show]

Originally posted by DISKOQUEEN99:
All in the family

Bryant says rift with parents has been bridged
Posted: Saturday June 14, 2003 1:43 AM


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and his parents recently mended a rift that developed when the Los Angeles Lakers guard became engaged to an 18-year-old high school student three years ago.

Joe and Pam Bryant didn't attend their son's wedding to Vanessa Laine in April 2001. They had moved back East after living with him during the younger Bryant's first couple of years in the NBA.

Bryant said the estrangement developed because his parents objected to Laine.

"I had taken matters into my own hands, marrying my wife so young, they didn't know her," he said in a taped ABC interview shown at halftime of Friday's NBA Finals game between San Antonio and New Jersey.

"We were so far apart from each other, it didn't seem like anything was going to happen, it seemed like we weren't going to mend anything," he said.

Bryant said the split was especially painful when the Lakers won three consecutive NBA championships and he was named MVP at the NBA All-Star game.

"These great things were happening ... but I didn't have anyone to share it with," he said. "I was starting my own family with my wife and everything was going great, but you just want your parents there with you."

Bryant's first child was born in January and infant daughter Natalia helped bring him back together with his parents about three weeks ago.

"I'm happy about it," he said.


SOUNDS SPECIFIC TO ME and their reason was?

[Discogoddess]

Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Discogoddess:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) I would hazard to guess that most of what is being reported, written, spoken, posited and discussed about this case is not factual, so giving "just the facts" is probably pretty difficult. Is your statement about the alleged victim being a mental case factual, or based on speculation on the part of journalists and others? Just curious.
:D </font>[/QUOTE]Its based on the fact that she tried to commit suicide....i'd say suicide attempt = mental case, but hey what do i know

giving just the facts is what journalists used to do a better job of ( and it was bad then), today its all infotainment with no attempt to delineate between rumour, speculation and fact...ask Al Gore - he NEVER said he invented the internet - that was an erroneous quote that took on its own life and the person who misquoted never retracted even when presented with the taped evidence to the contrary </font>[/QUOTE]I agree, but even back in the "good old days" of seemingly more straightforward, hard-boiled news reporting, the public only got what the media what them to hear/see/read. Journalists on the payrolls of corporations/mafia/churches/wealthy individuals, scandal info being "planted" on the political enemies of publishers, inflammatory "yellow journalism" (including incorrect and morally reprehensible information about racial and ethnic minorities and women) being passed off as fact, and on and on and on.

What's different now is that at least we have (in theory) greater access to more outlets (but the mega news conglomerate is killing that), AND we supposedly know that we are being fed "infotainment." graemlins/conf44.gif

[DISKOQUEEN99]

From the Los Angeles Times

Estrange Situation
Disappointed with his son's marriage almost two years ago, Joe Bryant is no longer part of Kobe's life, but Laker star hopes that changes


Maker of chocolate spread ends endorsement deal with Bryant

Kids have their own opinions about Kobe

Straight talk about Kobe and wife at hair salon





Bill Plaschke
Los Angeles Times

April 27, 2003


LOS ANGELES -- It was a night when a son could have used a father.

Kobe Bryant missed nearly two-thirds of his shots, missed a free throw that could have won the game, failed to save the Lakers in Thursday's playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somewhere at Staples Center, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was there.

But he wasn't.

He didn't wave or call out. He didn't visit the locker room. He didn't speak to the son from whom he has been quietly estranged for nearly two years.

"My mom asked me to leave him a ticket, so of course I did," Kobe said, his voice dropping. "But I knew he wouldn't come down and see me. He never does."

The postseason is Bryant's favorite time of year, his spotlight, his moment. Yet the NBA's most spectacular one-on-one player is more alone than anyone would imagine.

Bryant is trying to make history while performing the far more extraordinary feat of surviving family.

His father, a former NBA star who lived with his son during Kobe's early Laker years, has severed contact with Kobe because of his unhappiness over his son's marriage to wife Vanessa.

While declining to offer details of a rift made public by his father, Kobe quietly confirmed this week that Joe is uncomfortable that Vanessa, a Latina, is not African American, and he is uneasy with Bryant's selfless devotion to her.

Said Kobe: "Sure, I miss my father. Who wouldn't miss his father?"

Said Joe: "Once he decided to get married, it's his life now."

Bryant acknowledged that from the moment he became engaged to 18-year-old Vanessa Laine two years ago, it caused a family division that has tested his strength like no defender ever could.

His parents did not come to Kobe and Vanessa's wedding two summers ago. Joe has not seen the couple's new house in Orange County. Joe has never met the couple's first child, his granddaughter Natalia, who was born in January.

When Kobe's Philadelphia-area high school retired his number last season, his parents sat in one section of the bleachers, while Vanessa sat in another section.

Bryant, whose court toughness masks his sweetness and sense of values, stands firmly behind his new family while leaving the door open for his old one.

He has since renewed ties with his mother, Pam. When a Philadelphia magazine asked him to pose in one of his father's old jerseys, he gladly agreed.

His parents have his direct phone number and an open invitation.

Yet his father never calls.

His father hasn't seen him in a championship series since the first one against Indiana. On Thursday night, Joe Bryant attended his first Laker game this season.

"It's not about basketball," Kobe said. "It's about having somebody to go to a ballgame with. It's about having somebody to hang out with. That's what I miss."

Out of respect for his family even as they were snubbing him, Bryant has refused to discuss the issue even as it became the worst-kept secret in Lakerland.

It would have remained private but for a decision by his father to move back to Los Angeles this spring and become a coach in a made-for-television sport called SlamBall.

Publicists for the game, which is essentially basketball on trampolines, sent out a news release promoting Joe Bryant and offering the former eight-year NBA center for interviews.

During a session with The Times earlier this week, in an old warehouse in a cluttered corner of the San Fernando Valley, Joe mentioned Kobe before any questions were even asked.

He bragged about his ability, talked about his maturity, then openly acknowledged the particulars of their estrangement.

"Twenty years from now, when his own child grows up, he'll understand what I'm doing," Joe said.

He would not give specific reasons for the separation.

"When Kobe made a decision to be with someone he cared about, Pam and I decided it was time to back off, that's all it was," he said.

He would not acknowledge any racial animosity toward his daughter-in-law.

"I'm cool with Vanessa, put that on the record," he said.

When asked why he doesn't see his son, he sighed.

"It's his life, we've got nothing to do with it," he said. "We've done our job."

A day after the interview, Joe sent word that he planned to finally meet his grandchild this weekend, although Kobe was unaware of the plans.

Yet, hearing the quotes, hoping that perhaps his father was finally reaching out, Bryant agreed to publicly reach back.

"Sure I hope we can get back together," Kobe said at the Laker practice facility Friday. "When the time is right, if he wants to come and sit down and discuss things, we can do that."

As with any player, particularly a sensitive 24-year-old, Bryant's issues with his father can be seen in everything from his dribble to his glare.

This is a big reason why his focus has increased this season to the point where he is often basketball's most unstoppable player.

"The court has become my psychologist," he said. "It's my time to get away from all the hassles and problems. It's my moment."

And this is why, two years ago after they won their second championship in Philadelphia, he was spotted holding the trophy in the shower and crying.

Everyone thought it was because he was weary after a long year of fighting with Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson.

Not so.

"Yeah, that was about my dad," Bryant said.

Earlier in that postseason, he had gotten married and his family did not attend.

Then, to survive the boos and pressure in your Philadelphia hometown, to win a championship right down the road from your father's house ... and your father doesn't even come to any of the games?

No failure had ever broken his heart like this triumph.

"It had been such an awful year for me, so hard," Kobe said. "I want a father. I want my father."

The story begins when Kobe Bryant moved west as a 17-year-old in 1996.

It begins then, because he moved with his family.

When he joined the Lakers out of high school, so did his family, parents Joe and Pam, sisters Sharia and Shaya.

"We weren't just going to let him come out here by himself," said Joe. "That wasn't how we worked."

For three years the family lived together in a house in the Pacific Palisades, with Bryant the ever-doting son, inviting his family to share in his newfound wealth.

"Don't write that he lived with us," Joe acknowledged. "It was his house. We lived with him."

Bryant bought cars for everyone, including a BMW for his father.

When the family decided to let Kobe live by himself, they moved to a nearby lot only a quarter-mile away, and Kobe talked about building a gym between the two homes.

"My family was always there for me, I love them for that," Kobe said.

But he was growing up, and increasingly making his own decisions. And after dating a young woman he had met at a video shoot, he made the decision to marry Vanessa.

That is where the problems started.

"I think a lot of it is just natural," Kobe said. "I'm sure it's tough on any parent when their child grows up and starts stepping into their own."

Like his teammates, his family wondered if he was stepping too quickly into a springtime of 2000 engagement with Laine. He was 21, she was 18. They were married less than a year later.

"As a parent, I'd like him to slow down and smell the roses," Joe said. "But then, I'm a parent."

But, as usual, everyone underestimated Bryant's maturity. By all accounts, he treats marriage as if he wrote the manual.

He supports his wife such that he once rushed home from the road during the playoffs for an overnight visit because she was ill.

He is so supportive, in fact, that many folks figured that Indiana's Reggie Miller must have criticized her when Bryant suddenly and strangely punched Miller in a game last spring.

"Nah," Bryant said with a smile. "Reggie doesn't know anything about this. He was cracking on me, and I was just cracking back."

He protects his wife such that he provides security for her during games and rarely discusses her in public.

He tells his family the same thing, again and again.

"It's right there in the Bible," he said. "When you get married, your mother and father and sisters are no longer the priority. Your wife and daughter are the priority. That's the way it has to be."

He wishes everyone would understand that this is forever.

"I am so happy," he said. "My wife and daughter give me such strength. All this has just brought us closer."

Close enough, he said, to be able to look at his baby daughter and understand what must be done.

"We will prepare her for life, teach her everything we know, give her everything we can," he said. "But when it comes time for her to stand on her own two feet, we will let her do it. We will stand behind her no matter what."

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.
Copyright © 2003, The Los Angeles Times

[The Buddy Love Show]

Originally posted by DISKOQUEEN99:
From the Los Angeles Times

Estrange Situation
Disappointed with his son's marriage almost two years ago, Joe Bryant is no longer part of Kobe's life, but Laker star hopes that changes


Maker of chocolate spread ends endorsement deal with Bryant

Kids have their own opinions about Kobe

Straight talk about Kobe and wife at hair salon





Bill Plaschke
Los Angeles Times

April 27, 2003


LOS ANGELES -- It was a night when a son could have used a father.

Kobe Bryant missed nearly two-thirds of his shots, missed a free throw that could have won the game, failed to save the Lakers in Thursday's playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somewhere at Staples Center, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was there.

But he wasn't.

He didn't wave or call out. He didn't visit the locker room. He didn't speak to the son from whom he has been quietly estranged for nearly two years.

"My mom asked me to leave him a ticket, so of course I did," Kobe said, his voice dropping. "But I knew he wouldn't come down and see me. He never does."

The postseason is Bryant's favorite time of year, his spotlight, his moment. Yet the NBA's most spectacular one-on-one player is more alone than anyone would imagine.

Bryant is trying to make history while performing the far more extraordinary feat of surviving family.

His father, a former NBA star who lived with his son during Kobe's early Laker years, has severed contact with Kobe because of his unhappiness over his son's marriage to wife Vanessa.

While declining to offer details of a rift made public by his father, Kobe quietly confirmed this week that Joe is uncomfortable that Vanessa, a Latina, is not African American, and he is uneasy with Bryant's selfless devotion to her.

Said Kobe: "Sure, I miss my father. Who wouldn't miss his father?"

Said Joe: "Once he decided to get married, it's his life now."

Bryant acknowledged that from the moment he became engaged to 18-year-old Vanessa Laine two years ago, it caused a family division that has tested his strength like no defender ever could.

His parents did not come to Kobe and Vanessa's wedding two summers ago. Joe has not seen the couple's new house in Orange County. Joe has never met the couple's first child, his granddaughter Natalia, who was born in January.

When Kobe's Philadelphia-area high school retired his number last season, his parents sat in one section of the bleachers, while Vanessa sat in another section.

Bryant, whose court toughness masks his sweetness and sense of values, stands firmly behind his new family while leaving the door open for his old one.

He has since renewed ties with his mother, Pam. When a Philadelphia magazine asked him to pose in one of his father's old jerseys, he gladly agreed.

His parents have his direct phone number and an open invitation.

Yet his father never calls.

His father hasn't seen him in a championship series since the first one against Indiana. On Thursday night, Joe Bryant attended his first Laker game this season.

"It's not about basketball," Kobe said. "It's about having somebody to go to a ballgame with. It's about having somebody to hang out with. That's what I miss."

Out of respect for his family even as they were snubbing him, Bryant has refused to discuss the issue even as it became the worst-kept secret in Lakerland.

It would have remained private but for a decision by his father to move back to Los Angeles this spring and become a coach in a made-for-television sport called SlamBall.

Publicists for the game, which is essentially basketball on trampolines, sent out a news release promoting Joe Bryant and offering the former eight-year NBA center for interviews.

During a session with The Times earlier this week, in an old warehouse in a cluttered corner of the San Fernando Valley, Joe mentioned Kobe before any questions were even asked.

He bragged about his ability, talked about his maturity, then openly acknowledged the particulars of their estrangement.

"Twenty years from now, when his own child grows up, he'll understand what I'm doing," Joe said.

He would not give specific reasons for the separation.

"When Kobe made a decision to be with someone he cared about, Pam and I decided it was time to back off, that's all it was," he said.

He would not acknowledge any racial animosity toward his daughter-in-law.

"I'm cool with Vanessa, put that on the record," he said.

When asked why he doesn't see his son, he sighed.

"It's his life, we've got nothing to do with it," he said. "We've done our job."

A day after the interview, Joe sent word that he planned to finally meet his grandchild this weekend, although Kobe was unaware of the plans.

Yet, hearing the quotes, hoping that perhaps his father was finally reaching out, Bryant agreed to publicly reach back.

"Sure I hope we can get back together," Kobe said at the Laker practice facility Friday. "When the time is right, if he wants to come and sit down and discuss things, we can do that."

As with any player, particularly a sensitive 24-year-old, Bryant's issues with his father can be seen in everything from his dribble to his glare.

This is a big reason why his focus has increased this season to the point where he is often basketball's most unstoppable player.

"The court has become my psychologist," he said. "It's my time to get away from all the hassles and problems. It's my moment."

And this is why, two years ago after they won their second championship in Philadelphia, he was spotted holding the trophy in the shower and crying.

Everyone thought it was because he was weary after a long year of fighting with Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson.

Not so.

"Yeah, that was about my dad," Bryant said.

Earlier in that postseason, he had gotten married and his family did not attend.

Then, to survive the boos and pressure in your Philadelphia hometown, to win a championship right down the road from your father's house ... and your father doesn't even come to any of the games?

No failure had ever broken his heart like this triumph.

"It had been such an awful year for me, so hard," Kobe said. "I want a father. I want my father."

The story begins when Kobe Bryant moved west as a 17-year-old in 1996.

It begins then, because he moved with his family.

When he joined the Lakers out of high school, so did his family, parents Joe and Pam, sisters Sharia and Shaya.

"We weren't just going to let him come out here by himself," said Joe. "That wasn't how we worked."

For three years the family lived together in a house in the Pacific Palisades, with Bryant the ever-doting son, inviting his family to share in his newfound wealth.

"Don't write that he lived with us," Joe acknowledged. "It was his house. We lived with him."

Bryant bought cars for everyone, including a BMW for his father.

When the family decided to let Kobe live by himself, they moved to a nearby lot only a quarter-mile away, and Kobe talked about building a gym between the two homes.

"My family was always there for me, I love them for that," Kobe said.

But he was growing up, and increasingly making his own decisions. And after dating a young woman he had met at a video shoot, he made the decision to marry Vanessa.

That is where the problems started.

"I think a lot of it is just natural," Kobe said. "I'm sure it's tough on any parent when their child grows up and starts stepping into their own."

Like his teammates, his family wondered if he was stepping too quickly into a springtime of 2000 engagement with Laine. He was 21, she was 18. They were married less than a year later.

"As a parent, I'd like him to slow down and smell the roses," Joe said. "But then, I'm a parent."

But, as usual, everyone underestimated Bryant's maturity. By all accounts, he treats marriage as if he wrote the manual.

He supports his wife such that he once rushed home from the road during the playoffs for an overnight visit because she was ill.

He is so supportive, in fact, that many folks figured that Indiana's Reggie Miller must have criticized her when Bryant suddenly and strangely punched Miller in a game last spring.

"Nah," Bryant said with a smile. "Reggie doesn't know anything about this. He was cracking on me, and I was just cracking back."

He protects his wife such that he provides security for her during games and rarely discusses her in public.

He tells his family the same thing, again and again.

"It's right there in the Bible," he said. "When you get married, your mother and father and sisters are no longer the priority. Your wife and daughter are the priority. That's the way it has to be."

He wishes everyone would understand that this is forever.

"I am so happy," he said. "My wife and daughter give me such strength. All this has just brought us closer."

Close enough, he said, to be able to look at his baby daughter and understand what must be done.

"We will prepare her for life, teach her everything we know, give her everything we can," he said. "But when it comes time for her to stand on her own two feet, we will let her do it. We will stand behind her no matter what."

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.
Copyright © 2003, The Los Angeles Times direct quote from above article about what the father has said
""Twenty years from now, when his own child grows up, he'll understand what I'm doing," Joe said.
He would not give specific reasons for the separation."

also from above article:
While declining to offer details of a rift made public by his father, Kobe quietly confirmed this week that Joe is uncomfortable that Vanessa, a Latina, is not African American, and he is uneasy with Bryant's selfless devotion to her.

so as i stated before...what are the reasons?

the lack of critical reading skills in America is appalling

in actuality there are many things surrounding Kobes marriage that could be the source of a rift...and little from the principals by way of specifics
but i guess the above made you feel "informed" and "in the know" and privy to some juicy "dirt"...so enjoy...i read the article and came away with nada

[HpHousefreak]

Originally posted by 6 23:
I've never gotten the fascination with uber expensive jewelry anyway ... I guess I'm just not the baubles lovin' type. If I were her ... let's just say I'd have a record store or two instead. :D CHILE' YEAH!!! SHYT IF I HAD JEWELS THEY WOULD BE IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX BEING SAVED FOR A RAINY DAY. WHEN ALL MY LOOT IS GONE, AND I NEED COLLATORAL TO GET SOME SHYT. I LOOKED AT A DIAMOND, HELL I DON'T WANT THAT, IT JUST MEANS I GOTTA GET A GUN CARD AND SHIT AND IF I GOTTA GET A GUN CARD, YOU KNOW I GOTS TO GET A GUN. AND I AM TRYIN TO POP ANYONE WHO TRIES TO TAKE MY DIAMONDS. I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE HAVIN JUST DANGLING ROUND YA NECK INVITIN SOMEONE TO COME PULL A JACK MOVE. JUST A TANGENT ON DIAMONDS, NEVER MIND.

[DISKOQUEEN99]

Originally posted by HPHousefreak:
CHILE' YEAH!!! SHYT IF I HAD JEWELS THEY WOULD BE IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX BEING SAVED FOR A RAINY DAY. WHEN ALL MY LOOT IS GONE, AND I NEED COLLATORAL TO GET SOME SHYT. I LOOKED AT A DIAMOND, HELL I DON'T WANT THAT, IT JUST MEANS I GOTTA GET A GUN CARD AND SHIT AND IF I GOTTA GET A GUN CARD, YOU KNOW I GOTS TO GET A GUN. AND I AM TRYIN TO POP ANYONE WHO TRIES TO TAKE MY DIAMONDS. I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE HAVIN JUST DANGLING ROUND YA NECK INVITIN SOMEONE TO COME PULL A JACK MOVE. JUST A TANGENT ON DIAMONDS, NEVER MIND. JUST AS I PREVIOUSLY SAID. I TOTALLY AGREE.

[Discogoddess]

Originally posted by DISKOQUEEN99:
All in the family

Bryant says rift with parents has been bridged
Posted: Saturday June 14, 2003 1:43 AM


LOS ANGELES (AP) --.....Bryant said the estrangement developed because his parents objected to Laine.

"I had taken matters into my own hands, marrying my wife so young, they didn't know her," he said in a taped ABC interview shown at halftime of Friday's NBA Finals game between San Antonio and New Jersey......
@ Magus: If Mr. Bryant was accurately quoted, isn't this a reason (his parents not knowing his wife, him being so young) for the split?

@Discoqueen: I see that this was an AP news story, but where was it first published?

[DISKOQUEEN99]

NOT QUITE SURE BUT I THINK THE LA TIMES

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

Originally posted by richierich:
Not one bit. The fans don't give a **** if he cheated on his wife or not. He's THE best player in the league and they make MAD loot off of him. There may be a few who jump ship but hey people are still listening to R.Kelly so that shows you right there. Very true and I add...the endorsers still have to pay him all money stated in the contracts unless he is convicted of a felony. I am sure there is no "If you are accused of ???????? we can end this contract and not pay you" clasue in his contracts.

The powers that be are gonna use this event to give Kobe some "street creditability" to reach more of the Gangsta / wanna be Gangsta crowd than has been reached in the past while he had the Will Smith image.

What ever the turnout, he will still be made into a viable asset to endorse and make money off of. Long as he stay at the skill level on the court (if not get better) Kobe's good rep is about all that he'll lose.

Michael Jordan admited that he cheated on Juanita and the over-all opion was.....SO WHAT.

[The Buddy Love Show]

Originally posted by Discogoddess:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by DISKOQUEEN99:
All in the family

Bryant says rift with parents has been bridged
Posted: Saturday June 14, 2003 1:43 AM


LOS ANGELES (AP) --.....Bryant said the estrangement developed because his parents objected to Laine.

"I had taken matters into my own hands, marrying my wife so young, they didn't know her," he said in a taped ABC interview shown at halftime of Friday's NBA Finals game between San Antonio and New Jersey......
@ Magus: If Mr. Bryant was accurately quoted, isn't this a reason (his parents not knowing his wife, him being so young) for the split?

@Discoqueen: I see that this was an AP news story, but where was it first published? </font>[/QUOTE]While declining to offer details of a rift made public by his father, Kobe quietly confirmed this week that Joe is uncomfortable that Vanessa, a Latina, is not African American, and he is uneasy with Bryant's selfless devotion to her.

Was the reason for the rift published...NO
Is The Father uncomfortable with the wife...YES


thats what is stated..any other assumptions are just that...their reasons are unknown

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

I don't know very much about the family dislike thing as of his wife. The is the first i've read of it.

Is is just me or...are most men prowd when they findout their boy is hittin' some skins. Hell, Kobe has to wake up to that woman - not his family.

[Huey P. Freeman]

Originally posted by St Magus the Reviled:
Wow..its wild what you people pass off as "news"....Neither Kobe or his parents have ever stated the specific cause of their rift although it was leaked that the wife is involved...as far as what people heard on the news about negotiations - that is only speculation on the part of journalists not "news" ( just the facts please ) The info that I have gotten about the rift between him and his parents have come from one interview I saw with him and a couple articles on espn.com. While you are right that neither him or his parents have publicly stated the specific reasons for the rift I can gather from what he said and the other sources that it pretty much stems from his parents not wanting him to get married so young and their disapproval of his bride. The comment about the prenup, or lack there of, came directly from an article on espn about the three most powerful people in this case all being women (his wife, lawyer and the accuser). If I can find the article I will post it for you.