RIP Kobe
- Thread starter jameslee32
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I’m just having a hard time with this one. Kobe was a legend. I spent many evenings on a ball court pretending to be him and make some of those iconic plays he made. Now I have a daughter who asked “who is that?” when she saw the headlines. I really had a hard time answering that but I just said “it’s a person who does good things for people and learns from his mistakes.” In that moment I realized that you take more than the basketball knowledge and plays made. He shaped a mental picture for me that truly has stuck with me. He is my childhood case of hard work pays off. I know people have different opinions of him but there’s no way around the fact that he meant a great deal to a lot of people who have never even laid eyes on this person other than on a screen. I hope that each and everyone of you on this message board take this as an event to show you that life is fragile and we are all in this thing together. I know it sure has taught me a few things.
My goodness. So very sorry for your loss! Mine are 26 and 22 and I still worry about them and have nightmares about losing them. Both of them lost friends at young ages to cancer and suicide. The parents’ grief was terrible. My daughter was nearly killed in a car crash in Tennessee last year on her way to see her brother in Nashville. I have thought a lot about how I would have dealt with it if we had lost her. I guess you just take it one day at a time and remember the good times you had together.
So many of you have said it better than I could. Prayers and peace to all of those families, who will never be the same. As much as Kobe meant to the world at large, he meant even more to his wife and kids and I can’t pretend to understand what they will go through.
I also admire those first responders who have to deal with the wreckage and recovery. Can imagine few jobs more horrible than that. Incredible respect to them and to anyone here on this board who does the kind of job most of us won’t and couldn’t do.
I also admire those first responders who have to deal with the wreckage and recovery. Can imagine few jobs more horrible than that. Incredible respect to them and to anyone here on this board who does the kind of job most of us won’t and couldn’t do.
Must have been horrible finding charred remains of 9 people and three of them young teens. Even if they didn’t know one of them was Kobe Bryant. I’m guessing all of them had to be IDed with dental records.
I knew a woman who was a first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11. She had PTSD and had to take a leave of absence to deal with it.
Here's the communications between the air-control tower and the helicopter pilot. Gathering everything that has been reported it sure sounds like this helicopter was flown directly in to the mountainside because of the fog.
Thankfully.
I've never been a huge fan of the mantra: "he would have wanted us to play."
Have to be respectful of the organization, and his family.
The silence coming out of the Lakers and the Bryant family speaks volumes.
Saw that flight yesterday. Any idea what the loop-de-loop is East of the crash site? When you go to one of the tracking sites and watch it in motion from takeoff to the crash, it loops around about 3 times.
My understanding is they were circling because of other planes and or helicopters in the area.
Makes sense. If it was something mechanical no way they would have continued on. Just looked odd.
Thanks.
Listening to the podcast someone linked earlier. I always knew Kobe was a brilliant dude away from the basketball court. He's always been very articulate. Just listening to his deep thoughts and his storytelling he was on his way to superstardom away from basketball. If you are truly a huge Kobe Bryant fan you have to listen to that podcast.
ESPN has no shame.
Under the heading saying Kobe killed in a helicopter accident, it says Kobe said if he had gone to college Dook would have been one of his top choices. WTF? Who cares? So it would have been one of his top five choices and that's a title you put up with him and his daughter dying yesterday. ESPN is scum.
Under the heading saying Kobe killed in a helicopter accident, it says Kobe said if he had gone to college Dook would have been one of his top choices. WTF? Who cares? So it would have been one of his top five choices and that's a title you put up with him and his daughter dying yesterday. ESPN is scum.
I was a Lakers fan until 1999. Kobe rubbed me the wrong way.
Felt like a UK tournament loss when he beat the Kings in ‘02.
I cheered heartily when the Celtics beat him in ‘08 and was pissed when he returned serve in ‘10.
Learned to respect him in his later years but didn’t become a Lakers fan again until LeBron signed (which meant they were getting AD).
I am having an extremely difficult time processing this one. Haven’t been affected this much by a tragedy in which I had zero connection to the victim/victims since 9/11. Just totally sick to my stomach.
Felt like a UK tournament loss when he beat the Kings in ‘02.
I cheered heartily when the Celtics beat him in ‘08 and was pissed when he returned serve in ‘10.
Learned to respect him in his later years but didn’t become a Lakers fan again until LeBron signed (which meant they were getting AD).
I am having an extremely difficult time processing this one. Haven’t been affected this much by a tragedy in which I had zero connection to the victim/victims since 9/11. Just totally sick to my stomach.
I had a debate with a buddy about who to pick in the NBA right now to create the best player. He picked LeBron for his "killer instinct". I couldn't disagree more. LeBron is a very gifted player, but I wouldn't ever say he had a killer instinct. That was all Kobe. Dude would kill his own mom and yours to win a game. The guy would speak in Spanish or Italian certain to teammates so opponents didn't know what he was planning.
They released the data from the crash. Looks like once the fog rolled in the pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation (similar to vertigo) and didn’t realize they were descending until it was too late.
They were flying around 1100 ft then went into a 1000 feet per min (fpm) climb to 2000 (likely when they went into the fog and lost all visibility) and then proceeded into a into a decent that progressed until ending at -4864 fpm.
For a frame of reference, your standard descent rate is about 500 fpm and climb around 1000 fpm.
If it isn’t mechanical then we’ll likely never know 100% but that’s my best guess and it’s not uncommon in conditions like that, night, over the ocean etc where you lack a true clear horizon.
Feel for everyone involved. It’s freaking awful regardless of the why. But it’s looking more and more as if One decision in a series of multiple could have gave this a different ending.
They were flying around 1100 ft then went into a 1000 feet per min (fpm) climb to 2000 (likely when they went into the fog and lost all visibility) and then proceeded into a into a decent that progressed until ending at -4864 fpm.
For a frame of reference, your standard descent rate is about 500 fpm and climb around 1000 fpm.
If it isn’t mechanical then we’ll likely never know 100% but that’s my best guess and it’s not uncommon in conditions like that, night, over the ocean etc where you lack a true clear horizon.
Feel for everyone involved. It’s freaking awful regardless of the why. But it’s looking more and more as if One decision in a series of multiple could have gave this a different ending.
Yeah. That’s a no shame plug for their favorite team. Disgusting
Feel for everyone involved. It’s freaking awful regardless of the why. But it’s looking more and more as if One decision in a series of multiple could have gave this a different ending.
One thing that has been bothering me, is why choose to fly in those conditions in the first place? If I’m remembering correctly, the team was scheduled to play until 2, yet the crash took place around 945. Why not wait a bit until the conditions got better? The fog was gone from around the city about an hour later.
But like you said, a series of bad decisions.
Outside of making a facebook post yesterday that I had wrote and re-wrote at least 10 times. I have mostly tried to stay away from the internet but alas that wasn't something I could do.
I'm 28 years old and Kobe was my Michael Jordan. I grew up watching Kobe and Shaq dominate the league. I've watched easily over 200 hours of basketball highlights, and interviews of this man. He to me was a demi-God on this earth someone who wouldn't or couldn't die. Kobe was supposed to be this figure we'd all take in and listen to his stories, and knowledge forever.
It also just wasn't basketball we'd grew up with this man for 20 years through his ups and downs. His transition to full-time fatherhood was inspiring. He meant so much to Gigi she was going to be an all-time great just like her dad.
As for me personally Kobe and the Lakers was my 2nd home right after my Wildcats. I know its only been 24 hours but basketball is so far from my mind and I'm not sure I'll ever care like I once did. RIP KOBE & GIGI I pray that you are both giving buckets to the old-timers.
I'm 28 years old and Kobe was my Michael Jordan. I grew up watching Kobe and Shaq dominate the league. I've watched easily over 200 hours of basketball highlights, and interviews of this man. He to me was a demi-God on this earth someone who wouldn't or couldn't die. Kobe was supposed to be this figure we'd all take in and listen to his stories, and knowledge forever.
It also just wasn't basketball we'd grew up with this man for 20 years through his ups and downs. His transition to full-time fatherhood was inspiring. He meant so much to Gigi she was going to be an all-time great just like her dad.
As for me personally Kobe and the Lakers was my 2nd home right after my Wildcats. I know its only been 24 hours but basketball is so far from my mind and I'm not sure I'll ever care like I once did. RIP KOBE & GIGI I pray that you are both giving buckets to the old-timers.
Special V isn’t that unusual for helos. You can fly around at 500’ all day if you can see. Let’s say the clouds/fog is 1200’ above sea level (ASL) and the departure airport is 70’ ASL They probably assumed the fog would burn off like it did an hour later, or at least wouldn’t get worse. Problem is they got rerouted a few times and into the mountains so now 500 above ground level is 1300 ASL and your in the soup all the sudden and can’t see. Or the fog just settled and the ceiling lowered unexpectedly.
At that point you either put it down if there is a field somewhere and do whatever to avoid going into the clouds. Or you request to pick up an IFR flight plan in the air and fly off instruments so ATC can put you at a higher altitude and control you so you don’t need to be visual.
He requested flight following which just means they can see you and give you advisory calls but you’re still VFR but they need to see you before they can give you an IFR plan. They said he was too low for radar. He likely didn’t want to take a chance of climbing into the clouds without vis in order to get high enough to file an IFR flight plan since you don’t know what’s flying around up there. It would have been a risk reward decision.
Instead, shortly after that request is when the steep descent happens. It only takes a few seconds to get spatial D in those conditions if you aren’t only focusing on your instruments and are trying to look outside which I’m sure he was since they were in the mountains and not on an instrument plan so legally he was suppose to be trying to stay visual.
Most helicopters and planes are dual piloted largely for that reason. Even if you’re VFR you have the other guy monitoring instruments so if they notice deviations they can take controls while you gather yourself and recage/reorient you’re equilibrium by focusing inside on the instruments.
My apologies for rambling but I hope it provides some clarity as to what MAY have happened. I’ve had to sit on a few mishap investigations and it’s not an exact science. You take all the mechanical and flight data, review the planning and atc recordings and inner comms if available and then make your best hypothesis based on what you know combined w experiences and what is likely.
They released the data from the crash. Looks like once the fog rolled in the pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation (similar to vertigo) and didn’t realize they were descending until it was too late.
They were flying around 1100 ft then went into a 1000 feet per min (fpm) climb to 2000 (likely when they went into the fog and lost all visibility) and then proceeded into a into a decent that progressed until ending at -4864 fpm.
For a frame of reference, your standard descent rate is about 500 fpm and climb around 1000 fpm.
If it isn’t mechanical then we’ll likely never know 100% but that’s my best guess and it’s not uncommon in conditions like that, night, over the ocean etc where you lack a true clear horizon.
Feel for everyone involved. It’s freaking awful regardless of the why. But it’s looking more and more as if One decision in a series of multiple could have gave this a different ending.
Great info. Thanks for the posts. An avoidable tragedy it seems. But I suppose most are
Kobe was the ultimate competitor. There’s nothing that would have stopped him from playing the game. His last tweet was to Lebron and about carrying the game forward.
Kobe would definitely not want any games canceled. To honor competitors you compete. I just respectfully disagree.
Idol worshipping much? I’m not having any of that BS. The 1% of the wealthiest live a life of luxury that none of us will ever comprehend.
When you’re so wealthy that’s it’s common practice to fly around in jets and helicopters to grab a burger or a daughters practice then you accepted the risk. It’s called risk times exposure.
When you’re so wealthy that’s it’s common practice to fly around in jets and helicopters to grab a burger or a daughters practice then you accepted the risk. It’s called risk times exposure.
Flying in a helicopter is roughly as safe as riding on a public bus, and much safer than driving. Safer than taking a private plane.
Maybe you can look for something else to rail against, or at least respectfully sit this one out.
Not everything has to be a war against the wealthy elites. Maybe Kobe wasn’t your favorite player. That’s fine. However, he was the first basketball player a lot of people grew up watching and imitating in the backyard. I’m not sure which Kentucky basketball player you pretended to be when you were shooting in the driveway, but if that person suddenly died, I’d imagine you’d feel pretty upset. I would hope other people would take the route of understanding your emotions instead of railing on and belittling them, which is unfortunately what you chose to do.
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Eight other people dead. Including his daughter.
Still no public statement from the family.
Players all over the league are sitting out.
Maybe his friends, family and the organization know more about Kobe and what is needed right now than you do.
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He has a wife and 3 kids that have to pick up the pieces. If for no other reason, you do it for them and don't even think twice about it.
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Wow, you hit the nail on the head. I am 24 and feel exactly the same way - Kobe was our guy.
I wrote the following Facebook post the day of Kobe's retirement back in 2016. Poured my heart out then, but it means even more now:
If you grow up in Kentucky, you're more than likely a basketball fan and if you know my family, you certainly know that's the case with us. Well, when my dad was growing up, this place was Celtics country and almost everyone rooted for Boston. That is, except for him. Amazed by the play of Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he became a loyal Lakers fan. Those guys inspired him on and off the court and because of that, he passed his Laker fandom on to my brother and I. I was too young to really know anything about the sport at the time, but at five years old I can remember us wearing Laker uniforms playing around the house as "Shaq Daddy and Kobe Bryant".
Well, as I grew older, I started to play and study the game myself like most kids here do. Before you knew it, I had latched on to Kobe like my father did with the Lakers of his generation. Just like he looked up to Magic, Worthy, and Kareem, I looked up to Kobe. Whether it be playing the sport or in everyday life, I've idolized Kobe as much as anyone possibly could. I used to mimic his moves when we'd play pickup on the goal at home. I took game-winners (and still do) with him on video games. I memorized every word of Lil Wayne's song about him and sang it nonstop. I tuned in to watch him every time the Lakers were on national TV, even if it meant going crazy in my grandparents' living room when we won game four in 2006. Or cussing up a storm when we got down early against Boston in game seven in 2010. Or being speechless when we came back to win the championship that same game and watching him celebrate on the scorer's table afterwards with "I Love L.A." blasting in the background.
In times when I'd get down, I'd pull up some of his highlights and be mesmerized by his mentality, toughness, and ability, completely forgetting about the current situation. When I'm stressed or aggravated, I always ask myself "What would Kobe do?" then continue to press on and succeed because that's exactly what he'd do. Kobe Bean Bryant has no earthly idea who I am, but he's impacted my life in a way that's hard to describe, even in a long-winded post such as this one.
So, #ThankYouKobe. Thank you for everything you've given to the Los Angeles Lakers these past twenty years. Thank you for all of the memories you have given your fans across the globe, just a few of which are shown here. Thank you for all of the game-winners, rage faces, dunks, championships, and every other spectacular thing you done on the basketball floor. Thank you for getting me through some of the toughest times of my life. Thank you for inspiring us all to believe in ourselves and become the best we can be. I know it's a cliche thing to say, but you truly are the Michael Jordan of our generation.
One of these days, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to have a child of my own. I don't know if they'll even like to play basketball, but I can guarantee they'll be a Lakers fan. Why? As the greatness of the Showtime Lakers enabled my dad to pass his fandom to me, the legend of Kobe Bryant will allow me to do the same for them. And if their favorite Laker happens to be as special as mine was, the family tradition is in great hands.
Here's to you, Mamba. I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I have your career. You certainly deserve it. You may not lace up your sneakers anymore after tonight, but you'll never be forgotten, because heroes come and go, but legends live forever.
Once again, #ThankYouKobe. Thank you for everything.
RIP Kobe
If you grow up in Kentucky, you're more than likely a basketball fan and if you know my family, you certainly know that's the case with us. Well, when my dad was growing up, this place was Celtics country and almost everyone rooted for Boston. That is, except for him. Amazed by the play of Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he became a loyal Lakers fan. Those guys inspired him on and off the court and because of that, he passed his Laker fandom on to my brother and I. I was too young to really know anything about the sport at the time, but at five years old I can remember us wearing Laker uniforms playing around the house as "Shaq Daddy and Kobe Bryant".
Well, as I grew older, I started to play and study the game myself like most kids here do. Before you knew it, I had latched on to Kobe like my father did with the Lakers of his generation. Just like he looked up to Magic, Worthy, and Kareem, I looked up to Kobe. Whether it be playing the sport or in everyday life, I've idolized Kobe as much as anyone possibly could. I used to mimic his moves when we'd play pickup on the goal at home. I took game-winners (and still do) with him on video games. I memorized every word of Lil Wayne's song about him and sang it nonstop. I tuned in to watch him every time the Lakers were on national TV, even if it meant going crazy in my grandparents' living room when we won game four in 2006. Or cussing up a storm when we got down early against Boston in game seven in 2010. Or being speechless when we came back to win the championship that same game and watching him celebrate on the scorer's table afterwards with "I Love L.A." blasting in the background.
In times when I'd get down, I'd pull up some of his highlights and be mesmerized by his mentality, toughness, and ability, completely forgetting about the current situation. When I'm stressed or aggravated, I always ask myself "What would Kobe do?" then continue to press on and succeed because that's exactly what he'd do. Kobe Bean Bryant has no earthly idea who I am, but he's impacted my life in a way that's hard to describe, even in a long-winded post such as this one.
So, #ThankYouKobe. Thank you for everything you've given to the Los Angeles Lakers these past twenty years. Thank you for all of the memories you have given your fans across the globe, just a few of which are shown here. Thank you for all of the game-winners, rage faces, dunks, championships, and every other spectacular thing you done on the basketball floor. Thank you for getting me through some of the toughest times of my life. Thank you for inspiring us all to believe in ourselves and become the best we can be. I know it's a cliche thing to say, but you truly are the Michael Jordan of our generation.
One of these days, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to have a child of my own. I don't know if they'll even like to play basketball, but I can guarantee they'll be a Lakers fan. Why? As the greatness of the Showtime Lakers enabled my dad to pass his fandom to me, the legend of Kobe Bryant will allow me to do the same for them. And if their favorite Laker happens to be as special as mine was, the family tradition is in great hands.
Here's to you, Mamba. I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I have your career. You certainly deserve it. You may not lace up your sneakers anymore after tonight, but you'll never be forgotten, because heroes come and go, but legends live forever.
Once again, #ThankYouKobe. Thank you for everything.
RIP Kobe
I agree with this. Kobe was a warrior and he’d have wanted the show to go on I feel. His daughters passing as well makes it so much more tragic though, so I understand why they did it.