In front of God and everybody

Somehow while posting this, I neglected to include anything about this. I hadn't actually seen the play and neglected paying much attention to the post-game pontifications. Only later in the day did it dawn on me that it was something requiring a comment.

From Kobe's best-friend: "I have no respect for him. I think he's a pompous, arrogant individual."

For local consumption, it was more like this:

"I was cool through four games of this series, man," Bell said. "No beefs, all right. Whatever. If you’re going to keep hitting me in my face and then talking like you’re not doing it on purpose, there’s a reason both my cheeks are bruised right now and I can barely open my jaw. All right? Every time you stick your butt out and try to hit me in my genitals, you’re doing it on purpose. That’s something you don’t do inadvertently and it was enough."

Perhaps it was a purposeful butt-to-the-genitals on the part of Kobe. Perhaps it wasn't. The key distinction wasn't the intent.

None of Kobe's elbows were obvious, none of them flagrant. You decided that tackling Kobe as he sliced by you in front of God and everybody was a great idea.

Do that, and you get what you deserve.