I’m going to do my best with my words in this heartfelt tribute and farewell to one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, Kobe Bryant. Like most people around the world, I’m still in shock. I held back tears as im throwing a birthday party for my 6 year old. I hugged my kids in a vice grip. My heart is in the pit of my stomach, a childhood hero, an almost mythical figure in the world of sports and life, is suddenly gone. What cannot be lost in this entire tragic situation is that among the fallen is also Kobe’s 13 year old daughter Gianna and 7 other lives as well. Tears streaming as I write these words, it is truly a heartbreaking day and one that will live in infamy for the rest of time.
We all know about Kobe on the court. We watched him run through high school at Lower Merion High with such ferocity, he went straight to the league. We watched him dominate opponents and run that Mamba mouth like we all loved to watch him do. We watched him team up with Shaq as one of the most dominant duos in NBA history on his way to a 3 peat, that being only some of his rings. He was a 5 time champ. He was an 18 time All Star. He was an Olympic gold medalist. He was an assassin. We watched him time after time put the Lakers on his back and when it seemed impossible, Kobe made it happen. We watched him go off and scorch the Raptors for 81 points in Toronto. His will to be the best was unmatched. Even when he was he best, he still wanted to be better. His determination and work ethic were legendary. He was in the gym before anyone and left after everyone. We watched him challenge his own teammates, almost to the point of breaking them mentally and physically, but it was only to make them and his team better. I hated him, I loved him, I respected him, I wanted to be him. I still do.
Kobe off the court was just as amazing. He was in the happiest of times when he was coaching his beloved daughter Gianna and her basketball team. He founded a countless number of organizations and fundraisers for both veterans and the homeless in the Los Angeles area. He was a mainstay in charity and events organized by both the Lakers and his own groups. He used his name and platform to make a difference in this world. He did. He changed my life. He was the first athlete that made me say “Damn, these men and women are way more than just athletes, they are human beings with hearts and emotions just like any of us”. Thank you for that Kobe.
This day is one of the toughest days not just for the NBA, but for sports and this world as a whole. We lost a real one. We lost children. As we as fans grieve, we need to remember that even if we didn’t know him, it’s perfectly normal to feel what we’re feeling. Kobe was a staple of our childhood and beyond. Once the shock and sadness have subsided, we need to celebrate. Celebrate the life of a man who made ours better, who made basketball, well…basketball. In the deepest depth of my soul, I hope and pray the NBA retires the #24, no one should ever wear it again. We need to honor the other lives lost as well. The children lost. Remember the families and Kobe’s widow, who lost a husband and a daughter. I will pray for them whole heartedly. I’m going to miss Kobe. It was just getting normal for me to not see him lace up the shoes and go out and kill it. I’m going to miss his mind, his analytics on sports stations and his advice to younger generations. He was one of a kind. My kids will know his greatness. Their kids will know his greatness. He will never be forgotten. Rest In Peace Kobe and Gianna Bryant and the 7 others lost today.
PS I’m Always going to yell your name when I throw something away. ❤
To The Rack With Mac 