Following a protracted drama in which he’s held the fate of as many as 3 franchises in his hands, it’s hardly surprising that Carmelo Anthony has been the target of boo birds in Denver. Kobe Bryant recently opined that such protests were “stupid”, a day later, going so far as to call Nuggets fans “idiots”. Business Insider’s Ken Baum, who may or may not be a recent graduate of The Bleacher Report Academy Of Sports Journalism, warns the Lakers superstar, “it’s never a wise move to criticize fans from another city.”
Especially fans that already loathe you for events that transpired at the beginning of the decade. You remember, Kobe stayed at an Eagle, Colorado hotel and was accused of raping a 19-year-old in 2003. The sexual assault case against Kobe was eventually dropped and he was able to move past the embarrassing incident, but Denver fans have never forgotten or forgiven.
This is an instance where Bryant should have kept his mouth shut, no matter what his feelings are. Saying anything at all couldn’t have helped him, and considering the vitriol these fans already feel for Bryant, he’s sure to hear some unpleasant things anytime he sets foot in Colorado for the rest of his life.
Yes, clearly, running afoul of Denver’s hoops fans really hurt the Lakers last night. How can we fully appreciate how the animus against Kobe on the part of Colorado residents has left Bryant thoroughly intimidated?