In your mind, is post-blowout Kobe reflective? Good-natured? Grateful?
Of course not. The Kobe in your mind is the one who existed for decades as a singularly driven, fanatical competitor. Most likely, your mental picture of Bryant after a loss like that involves him scaling the walls of the arena, breathing fire on the crowd. In-your-head Kobe is searing rage holes in the half-court logo with his laser vision. Knocking friend, foe and bystander unconscious with a menacing, protruded lower jaw.
Forty-eight points? Unacceptable for a guy who spent his career ruthlessly defiant, dominant and unapologetic about demoralizing anyone in the process.
Not this. Not this:
It was that and more Monday, as Bryant smiled through a moving tribute video before his final game in Salt Lake City and reflected fondly on his time there after the 48-point drubbing. And it's been like that for most of this season.
Bryant's farewell tour is revealing a man either evolved or cowed—happily accepting reverent applause from once-hated foes where, for years, all he sought was bent-kneed surrender.
There was the final visit to San Antonio Feb. 6, which included the requisite tribute video. Afterward, Bryant told reporters: "It was very nostalgic. Brought back a lot of memories. Just felt extremely touched by it. It's great. It's weird. It's hard to get into a competitive mindset after that because you just feel so thankful for them even doing that."
There was Bryant blowing kisses and waving sentimentally to the Philadelphia crowd Dec. 1:
Hometown or not, this is the same crowd that inspired Bryant to promise, "We're going to cut their hearts out," back in the 2001 NB...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
