Truesee's Daily Wonder

Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

 

Lakers' Kobe Bryant is fined $100,000 by NBA for anti-gay slur

Lakers' Kobe Bryant is fined $100,000 by NBA for anti-gay slur to referee

Bryant made his comment, captured on television, during a game Tuesday after being called for a foul and receiving a technical. He says his actions "were out of frustration during the heat of the game." Gay-rights groups criticize Bryant.

Kobe Bryant

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant strikes a familiar pose as he goes back on defense against the Spurs on Tuesday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times / April 12, 2011)

 

Mike Bresnahan

April 13, 2011, 6:15 p.m.

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 by the NBA on Wednesday and criticized by numerous gay-rights groups for directing an anti-gay slur at referee Bennie Adams during a game Tuesday against San Antonio.

Bryant was irritated after he was called for an offensive foul and received his 15th technical of the season during the game. He punched a chair on the Lakers' bench before he sat, threw down a towel and yelled "Bennie!" before muttering a curse word followed by the word "faggot."

His outburst was captured on TV and prompted TNT analyst Steve Kerr to immediately say, "You might want to take the camera off him right now, for the children watching from home."

Wednesday became a day of statements and more statements, followed by the NBA's fine and Bryant's radio interview on "Mason & Ireland" on 710 ESPN.

Bryant said he planned on talking to the gay-rights groups and also wanted to "own up" to his comments. However, he also said he would appeal the fine, one of the heaviest levied by the NBA this season. Bryant makes $302,515 per regular-season game.

NBA Commissioner David Stern called Bryant's outburst "offensive and inexcusable."

"While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated," Stern said in a statement. "Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."

The Human Rights Campaign, a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, called it a "disgrace" for Bryant to "use such horribly offensive and distasteful language, especially when millions of people are watching."

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, added an equally critical statement.

"Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility," GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said.

Earlier Wednesday, Bryant issued a statement of his own, saying his comment "should not be taken literally."

"My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period," he said. "The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."

The HRC said Bryant didn't go far enough because he didn't issue a formal apology.

During the radio interview, Bryant provided more detail.

"The concern that I have is for those that follow what I say, and are inspired by how I play, or look to me as a role model … they're not to take what was said as something that is a message of hate or a license to degrade or embarrass or tease," he said. "That's something I don't want to see happen."

Bryant should have been more cautious with his words on the court, TNT analyst Charles Barkley said.

"I'm a big pro-gay-marriage person; I have a bunch of gay friends who I hope can get married some day, so I'm a little bit sensitive," Barkley said. "But I'm not going to go overboard. You have to just be careful what you say with stuff like that."

Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

Archives

March 2024   February 2024   January 2024   December 2023   November 2023   October 2023   September 2023   August 2023   July 2023   June 2023   May 2023   April 2023   March 2023   February 2023   January 2023   December 2022   November 2022   October 2022   September 2022   August 2022   July 2022   June 2022   May 2022   April 2022   March 2022   February 2022   January 2022   December 2021   November 2021   October 2021   September 2021   August 2021   July 2021   June 2021   May 2021   April 2021   March 2021   February 2021   January 2021   December 2020   November 2020   October 2020   September 2020   August 2020   July 2020   June 2020   May 2020   April 2020   March 2020   February 2020   January 2020   December 2019   November 2019   October 2019   September 2019   August 2019   July 2019   June 2019   May 2019   April 2019   March 2019   February 2019   January 2019   December 2018   November 2018   October 2018   September 2018   August 2018   July 2018   June 2018   May 2018   April 2018   March 2018   February 2018   January 2018   December 2017   November 2017   October 2017   September 2017   August 2017   July 2017   June 2017   May 2017   April 2017   March 2017   February 2017   January 2017   December 2016   November 2016   October 2016   September 2016   August 2016   July 2016   June 2016   May 2016   April 2016   March 2016   February 2016   January 2016   December 2015   November 2015   October 2015   September 2015   August 2015   July 2015   June 2015   May 2015   April 2015   March 2015   February 2015   January 2015   December 2014   November 2014   October 2014   September 2014   August 2014   July 2014   June 2014   May 2014   April 2014   March 2014   February 2014   January 2014   December 2013   November 2013   October 2013   September 2013   August 2013   July 2013   June 2013   May 2013   April 2013   March 2013   February 2013   January 2013   December 2012   November 2012   October 2012   September 2012   August 2012   July 2012   June 2012   May 2012   April 2012   March 2012   February 2012   January 2012   December 2011   November 2011   October 2011   September 2011   August 2011   July 2011   June 2011   May 2011   April 2011   March 2011   February 2011   January 2011   December 2010   November 2010   October 2010   September 2010   August 2010   July 2010   June 2010   May 2010   April 2010   March 2010   February 2010   January 2010   December 2009   November 2009   October 2009   September 2009   August 2009   July 2009   June 2009   May 2009   April 2009   March 2009   February 2009   January 2009   December 2008  

Powered by Lottery PostSyndicated RSS FeedSubscribe