In the Summer of 2003, high profile athletes have been adept at getting themselves into trouble away from the workplace. About every other week or so, a story breaks about some player who has earned the spotlight's glare for something other than the sports heroics expected of him. The usual suspects have had their fair share of mention for customary behavior, such as Mike Tyson getting into yet another out-of-ring altercation. When we see Mike's mug shot on the evening news, we scarcely take notice anymore. Nor are we especially surprised to learn of various NBA/NFL/MLB players getting arrested over a variety of infractions that we know will cost them little more than pocket change and community service. But on top of the same old same old, a few athletes have managed to earn the type of media attention not seen since O.J. was trying to make that glove fit before a televised audience. Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett snagged a few headlines that otherwise may have gone to NFL preseason action and NBA offseason trades. By far the most grave sports story of this Summer was the murder of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy, and the subsequent arrest of his teammate Carlton Dotson. But the story to capture the most national attention, due in no small part to the fame of its leading man, has been the arrest of Kobe Bryant for his alleged rape of a hotel employee in Eagle County, Colorado.
There has been much talk about the conjectured guilt or innocence of Mr. Bryant. It has been acknowledged by all parties involved that sex did take place between Kobe and a nineteen year old woman who caught his attention. Whether or not that sex was consensual, I leave up to a jury to decide. I do not personally know either the accused or the accuser. What I do know of Kobe is merely his reputation, and up until this Summer, it was as solid as they come. Before the accusations and denials began to fly, Kobe was the heir apparent to the legacy left behind by Michael Jordan. He has the requisite skills, the championship rings, the polished demeanor, clean-cut good looks, and a lovely young bride on his arm. Numerous endorsement deals were in his hands and plenty more were likely to come. Kobe is the anti-Allen Iverson, opting not to "keep it real" (a.k.a. having a huge posse and a multitude of tattoos), but instead, to keep it marketable. Other than having to share some of the spotlight with Shaquille O'Neal (granted, Shaq does take up a pretty big portion of it), and now also an influx of additional Hall of Famers by the names of Gary Payton and Karl Malone, there really was no discernible flaw in Kobe's grand design. He needed only to fill up more highlight reels, collect a few more trophies for his mantle, and flash his pearly whites for Nike, Sprite, McDonald's, Nutella and whoever else could afford to associate their name with him. The last thing anybody expected was that instead of seeing countless wannabes sporting Kobe's Lakers jersey this Summer, there would instead be sightings of people in "Free Kobe" T-shirts. But that is the very twist his road has taken, while a public intrigued by personal triumph, but far more fascinated by the downfall of a hero, goes along for the ride.
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