[666beast]

Thing is, normally, I would agree with your post completely.

I think Kobe is an exception. The athlete you profile has a thug mentality and a chip on their shoulder. It's a pattern of behavior.

Kobe simply hasn't exhibited that pattern in his image, in his interviews nor in his brief life history.

With that exception, I agree with you! Since most athletes are criminal a-holes.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Kobe simply hasn't exhibited that pattern in his image, in his interviews nor in his brief life history.

Neither had any of the people I'm talking about, either. How can you know that Kobe didn't have that attitude? From a handful of staged media interviews and puff-pieces? Everyone in the sports world has remarked on how "private" Kobe is, how little contact with the media and even his own teammates he has. So exactly what makes you sure you know enough about him to make that determination?

Frankly, I've got no clue whether he did it or not. But I can understand how an athlete would be motivated to do it. And it's got nothing to do with a "thug" mentality (some of the worst of them that I came in contact with were rednecky whites...).